US2066462A

US2066462A - Ladder jack

Info

Publication number: US2066462A
Application number: US81301A
Authority: US
Inventors: Benn F Fenton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-05-22
Filing date: 1936-05-22
Publication date: 1937-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 1954-01-05

Description

' Jan. 5, 1937. i B F FENTON 2,066,462

LADDER JACK Filed May 22, 1936 8 $920 w67 l, L

2a 'fl E- 5 INVENTOR.'

Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES ATEN PHE LADDER JACK Benn F. Fenton, Kansas City, Mo.

Application May 22, 1936, Serial No. 81,301 s claims. (o1. 304-3) 'My invention relates to ladder jacks and one object is to provide a device of this character having a main platform and a supplemental platform' upon either of which a workman may stand,

or whichmay be utilized for supporting the ends of a scaffold when two ladders with jacks are employed. i `Another object is to provide a device 4of this character which may be readily positioned wherever desiredl along the length of the ladder and is adjustable to fit the angular position of the ladder to the end that the platforms may be maintained in a horizontal plane and thus provide a safe support for the workman.

l5 A further object is to provide a strong and durable device of this character which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and is somewhat narrower than the ladder in order to leave room for the workman to ascend or descend the latter.

Other objects will hereinafter appear and in order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of a ladder with my device in position thereon.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the ladder with my device in position thereon.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of an extension ladder with my device in position thereon.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the parts shown by Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical cross section on line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the different parts, A designates a ladder consisting of the usual stiles B and rungs C.

Referring now more particularly to my device, 2 designates a main platform adapted to rest at its forward portion upon any one of the rungs C. The rear portion of the main platform 2 is reinforced by a transverse member 4 firmly secured to the underside thereof by means of a U-shaped metallic strap 6, the ends of which project above the main platform 2 and are equipped with a roller 8 adapted to cooperate with the metallic strap 6 in holding a supplemental platform I upon the main platform 2.-

In practice the main platform 2 is maintained in a horizontal, or approximately horizontal plane, by means of a brace I2 connected at its upper portion by a hinge I4 to the transverse member 4. The lower portion of the brace I2 is equipped with two pairs of xedly mounted spaced members I6 adapted to straddle one of the rungs C of the ladder to which they are removably secured by U-shaped devices I8 adapted to enter holes 23 in the respective members It. Each spaced member I6 is provided with a series of holes 29 arranged in axial alinement with the 5 holes in the companion member to receive the respective U-shaped device E3. With the foregoing arrangement it is apparent that the U- shaped devices I8 may be raised or lowered to accommodate different inclination of the ladder 10 and thereby cooperate with the brace member I2 in maintaining the platforms 2 and I0 in a horizontal plane.

As shown by Figs. 2 and Ll, the main and supplemental platforms 2 and Ill, respectively, are 15 narrower than the ladder so that when positioned at o-ne side thereof as shown, room is left for a workman to ascend or descend the ladder, or readily gain access to the platform I il. In order to provide as much space as practical at 20 one side of the ladder for the passage of the workman, one side of the platform 2 is recessed at one of its forward corners as indicated at 22 to receive the adjacent stile B of the ladder. The recessed portion 22 also provides a shoulder 2li which en- 25 gages the face of the adjacent stile B and thereby prevents accidental forwardA movement of the main platform 2 upon the supporting rung C. As a further precaution against forward movement of the platform 2, I provide the underside thereof 30 with a transverse cleat 26 adapted to engage the front portion of the adjacent rung C. When the device is applied to an extension ladder the cleat 26 is adapted to pass between two adjacent rungs C, Fig. 3, and thereby prevent accidental forward 35 or backward movement of the platform 2.

Provision is also made for holding the platform 2 from accidental backward movement upon the supporting rung by means of a pair of bolts 28 adapted to slide in opposite directions in a sleeve 40 30 fixed to the forward portion of the platform 2 in such position that when the bolts 28 are slid outwardly they will engage the rear sides of the stiles B. When the bolts 28 are slid inwardly towards each other their outer ends become approximately ush with the sides of the platform 2, Fig. 5, so they will not contact the stiles B when the platform 2 is being placed in position or removed from between said stiles. For conven- 50 ience in operating the bolts 28 they are provided with knobs 32 which project through slots 34 in the sleeve 30.

As shown by Figs. l, 3 and 4, the supplemental platform I0 is longer than the main platform 2 55 so that the workman may stand thereon either in front or at the rear of the ladder and affords a convenient means for enabling the workman to get close to the side of a building or other` structure. The main platform 2 and the roller 8 cooperate in preventing the supplemental platform Ill from tipping when the workman stands on the forward portion of the latter, and the rear underside of the supplemental platform l0 is provided with a fixed transverse bar 36 adapted to contact the adjacent end of the main platform 2 and thereby prevent accidental forward movement of said supplemental platform I0. When desired, the supplemental platform HJ may be removed from the main platform 2.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing, it is apparent that I have provided a ladder jack embodying the advantages hereinbefore pointed out, and while I have shown one form of my invention I reserve all rights to such other forms and modifications thereof as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

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

1. A ladder jack comprising a platform adapted to rest at its forward portion upon one of the rungs of a ladder, means adapted to maintain said platform in a horizontal plane upon the rung, a sleeve xed to the forward portion of the platform, bolts slidable in opposite directions in said sleeve and adapted to engage the stiles of the ladder and thereby prevent backward movement of the platform upon the rung, and a cleat fixed to the underside of the platform adapted to engage the rung on which said platform rests and thereby prevent forward movement of the latter.

2. A ladder jack comprising a platform adapted to rest at its forward portion upon one of the rungs of a ladder, said platform being narrower than the ladder and having a recessed forward corner to receive the adjacent stile of the ladder, means adapted to maintain said platform in a horizontal plane upon the rung, a sleeve fixed to the forward portion of the platform, and bolts slidable in opposite directions in said sleeve and adapted to engage the stiles of the ladder and thereby prevent backward movement of the platform upon the rung.

3. A ladder jack comprising a main platform adapted to rest upon one rung of a ladder, means for holding said main platform in a horizontal plane, a supplemental platform of greater length than said main platform and adapted to rest upon the latter, and a transverse bar secured to the rear portion of the supplemental platform and adapted to engage the adjacent end of the main platform.

BENN F. FENTON.