US1811722A - Ladder - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1931. w. H. KIMBERLIN LADDER Filed May 11, 1929 Patented June 23, 1931 Y UNITED srArss PATENT OFFICE .WILLIAM H. KIMBERLIN, or NATCHEZ, MIssIssIrPI, ASSIGNOR or one-Hans TO WILLIAM HENRY IBEATTY, or nArcHnz, MISSISSIPPI LADDER Application filed May 11,

This invention relates to: the classof ladders and pertains particularly to a ladder having a bracing or non-sliping attachment associated therewith.-

I The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved non-slipping attachment for straight ladders which, when adjusted, will be secure against accidental displacementand will-act to prevent the "lower my portionof the ladder from slipping when the ladder is leaning against a wall or other body.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for securing the base or lower end of a ladder againstislipping which is adapted to be quickly andeasily adjusted to coa'ct with the ladder at any angle at which the same is positioned with-respect to a. s'up porting structure;

tion will become apparent. as a description of the same proceeds and the invention will 7 be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in.

thereof. will be in alignment.

connection. with the accompanyingfdrawings 2e forming apart ofthe present invention with theuinderstandi-ng,however,.that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressedin the appended claims. In the drawings:-- Figure 1 is a view in side elevationof the as ladder equipped with "the. non-slipping attachment embodying the present invention.

Figurle2is a frontelevational view of a portion of the ladder and attachment showing parts thereof in section.

F gure 3 is a face view .of one; of the apertuired plates forming a part of the structure. Figure 4 is a face view ofa peg carrying plate forming a part of the structure;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view,

through one legv of. the ladder and an adjacent side of thenon-slipping attachment therefor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numera-ls ll-indicate the side mem- -bers of. a straight ladder provided withthe transverse connecting. rungs. which, in ,the

1929. 5 Sena-N0. 362,313. 7

present ladder structure, are preferably con- 'nected-to the side members at one side of the longitudinal center thereof, the side adjacent which the rungs are placed being the front of the ladder.

Each: end of each of the side members 1 is rounded as indicated at 3 so that at whatever anglethe ladder is arranged against a wall or otherstructure a good bearing surface will .be provided for the ground engaging end.

cured thereto a plate 4 through the central portion of which an aperture 5 is formed, the

inner end of the aperture being reamed out, as shown and for thepurpose hereinafter described. Y 7 Other objects and advantages of the inven- 4 Arranged concentrically about the apertrue 5 'isan annular series of smallerindentations 6, preferably 16 in number. These plates 4 are arranged upon the two side members lot the ladder so that the openings 5 The plates are held n position by suitable bolts 7 which preferably pass through the ladder side members.

Connecting the plates 4 is a transverse shaft 8 each end of which extends through an aperture 5 ofa plate and is formed at each end to provide-fa head 9 the underfaceof which bears against the reamed out portion of the aperture in which it positions so that the end of the shaft will beheld against longitudinal movement but permitted to r0 tate. A substantial portion of each end of the shaft 8is providedwith screw threads 10 which are sharply pitched. The threads at one end ofthe shaft are pitchedoppositely to hand. A suitablc gripping member 11 v is secured to the shaft intermediatethe ends thereof to facilitate the gripping and turning of the shaft. v p a Each end. of the threadedshaft 8 extends freely through an upper end of a'prop leg 12 to the outer face of which is secured, by neansof bolts l3 passing therethrough, a

pin carrying plate 14, the central part of the plate being provided with a threaded passage 15, through which and in which the shaft 8 engages. Arranged concentrically about the threaded aperture of each plate in which an end of the shaft 8 engages is a series of laterally projecting pegs 16, preferably four in number. These pegs are arranged upon a circle of the same diameter as that upon which the apertures of the adjacent plate 1 are arranged so that when the legs and plates 14 carried thereby are spread laterally of the ladder structure by propenrotation of the shaft 8, the four pegs 16 of each plate 1 1 will engage in certain of the apertures of the adj acent plate l.

From the description thus far given of the present improved ladder structure it will be readily seen that by rotating the shaft 8 in one direction, the propping legs 12 will be drawn together to remove the pins 16 of the plate carried thereby from the indentations of the adjacent plate 4. Due to the sharpness of the pitch of the threads 10 the propping legs may be quickly shifted for complete extraction of the pins from their respective apertures by only a slight rotary movement of the shaft 8 thus making it possible to disengage the propping legs from the ladder side members quickly. When the pins have cleared their respective indentations then the propping legs may be swung away from the ladder until they are positioned at the proper angle with respect thereto after which a reverse rotation of the shaft will cause the legs 12 to be spread or moved outwardly and the pins of the plates carried thereby made to engage in the apertures of the adjacent plates.

In this manner it will be readily seen that the prop legs 12 will be securely held against any movement whatever and all danger of accidental loosening of the connection between the legs and the ladder is avoided as the connections are protected.

In order to bring the prop legs into the same plane as that occupied by the ladder legs 1, when the ladder is not in use, the forward faces of the prop legs are provided with the recesses 17 which receive the lower rung of the ladder as will be readily understood. At each side of each recess reinforcing bolts 18 may be passed through the legs to prevent splitting thereof. The lower ends of the prop legs 12 may be connected by a suitable cross bar 19 which will act to maintain these legs in the proper relation one with the other so that the entire ladder structure will keep rigid and free from any looseness.

In order to facilitate the coupling of thepin carrying plate with the apertured plate the forward ends of the indentations 6 may be slightly reamed out so that the pins 16 will slip thereinto without difficulty.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that with a ladder constructed,

in accordance with the present invention any inclination of the side legs may be made with respect to the supporting wall or other body against which the ladder is placed without danger of the lower ends of the legs slipping away from the support, for the propping legs 12 may be arranged to extend inwardly at a proper angle to provide a firm base for the structure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A ladder structure of the character described comprising rung connected side members, oscillatable prop legs adjustable relative to said members, means for shifting said prop legs laterally of the side members and relative to one another, and means for securing the prop legs in one shifted position.

2. A ladder structure of the character described comprising a pair of rung connected side members, an oscillatable supporting structure disposed between the side members and including a pair of legs, means for shifting said legs relative to one another, and means for securing said oscillatable supporting structure in an adjusted position With respect to said members.

3. A ladder structure of the character described comprising rung connected side members, ashaft connecting said side members adjacent one end of the ladder and having oppositely pitched screw threads at the two ends thereof, said shaft being rotatably mounted between the members, prop legs carried by said shaft, means for establishing threaded connection between the legs and the shaft, whereby upon oscillation of the shaft said legs will be shifted relative to one another, and means for establishing connection between the legs and their adjacent members i upon shifting of the legs outwardly whereby oscillation of the legs will be prevented.

4:. A ladder structure comprising a pair of side members having rungs connected therebetween, plate elements carried by the side members upon the inner face thereof in opposed relation to one another, a shaft held between said side members and rotatably mounted at its ends in said plates and further having right and left hand screw threads at the ends thereof, prop legs freely traversed by said threaded shaft ends, means for establishing threaded connection between said legs and said shaft, and pin and socket coupling means between said prop legs and said plates whereby the legs may be secured in an adjusted position.

5. A ladder structure of the character described comprising side members having connecting rungs therebetween, plate members arranged in opposed relation and carried by said side members and each having an annular series of indentations in the exposed face thereof, a shaft rotatably mounted between said plates concentric with the annular series of indentations therein, said shaft having oppositely pitched screw threads at the ends thereof, means for engaging and rotating the shaft, prop legs swingably carried upon the shaft, one at each end thereof, a plate member carried by each leg and having a threaded aperture therethrough for the reception of a threaded portion of the shaft and a series of pin members projecting from the outer face of each of said last mentioned plate members designed to engage in the indentations in the adjacent member carried plate when the legs are spread apart.

6. In a ladder comprising a pair of side members and rungs connecting the same, a pair of auxiliary prop legs, and means for relatively adjusting adjacent ends of the prop legs between the side members of the ladder at a point adjacent an end thereof and for securing the legs in the said adjusted posi-' tion after effecting the said relative movement, said last means further acting to sup-v port the prop legs in position. a 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature.

WILLIAM H. KIMBERLIN.

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