US1918293A - Rungless ladder - Google Patents

Description

July 18, 1933. SEER 1,918,293

RUNGLE S S LADDER Filed March 2, 1931 INVENTOR EoL'kS G ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1933 warren s'ra'rss ER-NESJT L. SEILER, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA raises RUNGLESS LADDER Application filed March 2, 1931.

This invention relates to ladders, and particularly to one adapted to be supported by a wall and such as may be used in connection with wall painting or other operations, window washing, or for use in connection with any other vertical surface of an equivalent nature.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a ladder structure so arranged that 0 the user or occupant'is disposed between the ladder and the wall, thus placing him entirely in the clear of any obstructions or parts of the ladder which in the ordinary form interfere considerably with convenient and eifec tive operation.

A further but equally important object is to provide vertically adjustable supports for the feet of the user, so arranged that he may stand naturally and with greater comfort than is possible with the ordinary rungs, and which are so mounted that he may move up or down any desired degree by a simple foot movement without dismounting from the ladder or using his hands.

The user may, therefore, vary his position or level on the ladder by inches or feet at a time, as may be desired, and he is not limited to an exact change of level as is the case with the ordinary rung type of ladder.

A pair of my improved ladders may also be used to support a scaffold board which is then disposed between the ladder and the wall, and which can be vertically adjusted within any desired close limits, the same as the foot supports of the individual user.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly eflective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ladder as in position for operation in connection with a wall.

Fig. 2 is-an enlarged fragmentary side view Serial N0. 519,305.

of an adjustable foot supporting element of the ladder. I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a ladder used for scaffold purposes.

g. 4 is a fragmentary side View of the 5 lower end of the ladder showing an auxiliary ground engaging support.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the ladder comprises a pair of parallel standards 1, preferably of circular section and hollow, so as not to be unduly heavy. These standards may be made in various lengths, depending upon the length desired for the ladder as a whole. are removably screwed into sockets 2, secured to and suitably spaced apart on a fiat base support 3. The spacing of the standards is about equal to the normal spacing of the feet of a man when standing in a natural position, 1 or between nine and twelve inches.

Stems 4 are adjustably slidable in the up per ends of the standards, which stems are rigidly connected to and support a horizontal bar 5. This bar at its ends is formed with horizontal and diverging arms 6, the outer ends of which carry pads 7 adapted for engagement with the wall 8, which is to be worked on. The length of the arms is such that the standards when set parallel to the wall, are disposed a sufficient distance away from the wall to enable the user to be between the standards and the wall and still have ample roomv for the convenient performing of operations on the wall. The adjustable positioning of the wall engaging arm unit enables the same to avoid contact with window sills or other projections when being set up.

The foot supporting means for the user ofthe ladder is arranged as follows:

Independently slidable on the separate standards are sleeves 9, from each of which a pair of spaced cars 10 project laterally, the sleeve having a longitudinal slot 11 between the ears. Projecting from between the ears of each sleeve is a normally horizontal arm 12 set on edge and pivotally supported from the ears by a pin 13. The inner" end of the arm projects through the slot ll and is of circular form but eccentric relative to the At the lower ends the standards pin, so as to form a cam 14. The setting of this cam relative to the pin is such that when the arm is horizontal and a downward pressure is exerted on the same, the cam bears tightly against the standard and prevents further downward movement of the arm, while also causing the sleeve to be tightly clamped against the standard. Upward turning of the arm on its pin, however, clears the cam from the standard and releases the sleeve so that it is then free to slide.

Fixed on each arm is a foot support preferably comprising a heel engaging element 15 and a sole engaging plate 16. The latter plate has an adjustable strap 17 or the like to engage the shoe of the user adjacent the toe so as to hold the shoe closely associated with the support. In operation the user places his feet on the supports and straps his shoes in position, then standing between the standards and the wall and facing the latter. This places his weight inwardly of the standards so that there is no tendency for the same to move outwardly as will be evident, and there is also nothing between the user and the wall to interfere with his operations.

lVhen wishing to climb up it is only necessary for the user to support his weight on one foot, tilt the other arm 12 upwardly by raising the corresponding foot at the toe, and then raising the arm and its sleeve as a unit by raising the leg until the support assumes the desired new position. The weight is then taken by the raised support and the other one is similarly manipulated to bring it to the new level. A chain C or the like connects the two sleeves so as to limit their relative movement, and prevents one being raised or lowered to such an extent that the foot on the other support is cramped and cannot be properly manipulated to control the movement of said other support.

In descending the same operations are carried out, but each support as released from clamping engagement with the standard is of course lowered instead of being raised.

Due to the use of the flat foot supporting elements and to the fact that the supporting units maybe turned laterally on the standards to accommodate themselves to the natu ral position of the feet of the user, fatigue and discomfort to the feet are minimized.

This is because, as previously stated, the user When the structure is to be used for scaffold purposes, the separate feet supports are replaced by a double support comprlsing sleeves 9a and arms 12a, which converge to extend along side each other at their outer ends, so as to form a unitary support for the scaffold plank 18, which is secured thereto in any suitable manner.

It is of course to be understood that in this connection a. pair of ladder units are used,

suitably spaced apart along the wall proportionate to the length of the board being supported and so that said board will have two points of support. The raising or lowering of the board is effected by ropes, there being two such ropes for each ladder unit. One of the ropes 19 is connected to the sleeves 9a and extends upwardly and over a direction changing pulley 20, mounted in connection with the standards at their upper ends, and then downwardly to a. point where it may be manipulated from the ground.

. The other rope 21 is connected to the board itself and also extends thence over a direc-,

tion changing the pulley ground.

A pull on the rope 21 tilts the board up so pulley 22, mounted adjacent 20, and then passes toward the that the clamping engagement of the cam" with the standards is released, and a pulling or slacking of the rope 19 then raises or lowers the board and the supporting members as a unit.

t may sometimes be necessary to rest the base 3 on a surface which slopes transversely and away from the wall, or it may bedesired to set the standards at a slope toward the wall. In such cases I may prevent possible outward slipping of the base by providing an addltional ground engaging element, such element comprising a downwardly curved arm 23, one for each standard, and having a sleeve 24 011 its upper end adjustably slidable on the standard and adapted to be clamped in any position. The outer end of this arm carries a foot 25 to engage the ground, the arm being positioned so that this foot is dlsposed between the standard and the wall.

Also, if desired, the fiat engagement of the base with a sloping surface may be maintamed by means of a block 26 of wood or the like, seated in the base and cuton its lower face with a bevel corresponding to the relatlve slope of the surface on which it rests. rom the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

lVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rungless ladder comprising a. vertical standard unit to be supported by the ground, means mounted on the upper end of the unit and projecting horizontally from said unit toward and adapted to engage a wall and of a length to hold the upper end of the unit outwardly of the wall a distance greater than the thickness of a human being, transversely spaced foot supporting devices adjustably and separately mounted on the unit, and foot engaging means on said devices arranged so that the feet of the occupant will point away from the standard unit or toward the wall, whereby said occupant will be disposed in facing relation to the wall between the standard unit and wall.

2. A structure as in claim 1, with a flexible member connecting the foot supporting devices and arranged to limit the vertical movement therebetween.

3. A rungless ladder comprising a vertical standard unit to be supported by the ground,

a wall engaging device mounted on the unit to hold the same from tilting movement 1n the direction of a wall, said device comprising horizontal arms to project from the unit to the wall, the length and spacing of said arms being greater than the thickness and width respectively of a human being, and means to engage the feet of an occupant adjustably mounted on the standard unit, and projecting from said unit in the same direction as the arms.

4. A rungless ladder comprising a vertical standard unit supported by the ground, means for holding the unit in spaced relation to a wall a distance greater than the thickness of a human being and so that the unit is prevented from tilting toward the wall, occupant supporting means disposed intermediate the wall and standard unit whereby the occupant will be disposed in a corresponding position in facing relation to the wall, and means mounting said supporting means on the standard unit for vertical adjustment.

ERNEST L. SEILER.

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