US2208266A

US2208266A - Stepladder

Info

Publication number: US2208266A
Application number: US225875A
Authority: US
Inventors: Meier John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-08-20
Filing date: 1938-08-20
Publication date: 1940-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 1957-07-16

Description

R 4 5 m5 V/ g m5 F 1 M F 9 m m w ATTORN Y J. MEIER STEPLADDER July 16, 1940.

Filed Aug. 20, 1938 Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES STEPLADDER. John Meier, Wauwatosa, Wis. Application August 20, 1938, Serial No. 225,875

2 Claims.

This invention relates to stepladders.

In stepladders as heretofore constructed it has been the practice in one form to provide jointed hinge members between the front and rear legs of the stepladder to lock them in spaced relation when the stepladder is opened, but these devices do not provide for adjustment. Operators frequently dispense with this type of device and use a rope which they tie between the front and rear legs so that they can adjust the amount the legs are opened out. It often happens that a workman is forced to use the stepladder in very restricted spaces and it becomes imperative to provide some means of adjustment. This, as stated, is sometimes accomplished by means of a rope which is tied to the front and back legs, but the use of a rope is quite dangerous as it frequently breaks, particularly when the. stepladder is used on a polished floor, for instance, and causes the workman'to fall.

This invention is designed to overcome the above noted defects, and objects of this invention are to provide a novel form of stepladder and spacing means therefor which is so made that it allows for adjustment to vary the amount the stepladder is opened up and. at the same time locks the stepladder against closing oropening so that no matter if it is used on a highly polished slick floor, the legs will not slip, as they are firmly locked against motion either towards or from each other.

Further objects are to provide a construction in which the hinge members are made so that they interlock and prevent relative elongation, the interlocking being obtained in an automatic manner without requiring any additional operation and the construction of the members being such that the bracing or spacing members not only are interlocked against relative elongation or shortening, but also they are locked in such a manner as to prevent side swaying or lateral motion of the bracing member, thus providing the utmost rigidity, the interlocking being secured at spaced points one of which is the hinge joint between the members and the other of which is a notched interlocking tongue which not only enters the slot in the other member but also overhangs the other member and thus braces the spacing member against lateral deflection.

Further objects are to provide a construction of stepladder which is so made that it may be folded up and when so folded, inherently provides a housing for the upper portion of the jointed, now folded, spacing members so that there is no chance of these members dropping outwardly which is shown most clearly inFigures 3 and 4.

and interfering with the free handling of the closed stepladder.

Further objects are to provide a construction which is very cheap to make, which may be applied to existing typesof stepladders with the 5 utmost ease, and which does notjinte'rfere with the free use'of the stepladder.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure'l is a vertical sectional viewthrough a I stepladder showing the ladder opened out and showing parts in section. Q

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showlng the ladder in closed position. g

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 Ba sectionalview on the line 44 of Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seenthat the front legs of the stepladder are indicated by ii) the reference character I and the rearlegs by the reference characterZ. The front legs: carry the treads or steps 3 in the usual manner and the rear legs are joined by diagonally positioned bracing members 4 and 4'. The rear legs are mounted on the outer side of the front legs, as indicated. 7

The adjustable spacing member comprises a front member or arm 5 which is hinged to a plate 6 secured to the underside of one of the treads 3. The arm or bar 5 is provided with an elongated slot 1 that terminates short of its ends and it is preferable to form this member out of flat stock. The arm 5 is bent laterally adjacent the hinge portion to provide a horizontal part 8 which is hinged to the plate 6. i

The bar 5 of the spacing memberis provided with an outwardly turned, right angle portion 9 This right angle lip orlock ingme mber is slotted 40 upwardly from the bottom to provide a depending finger in which is spaced from thebar 5 to receive therebetween the other hinged member H. The member II is also formed from flat stock and is provided with a series of notches It at regular intervals to receive the locking lip or portion 9 of the member 5. The member II is hinged, as indicated at l3, to a transverse strap l4 also preferably formed of flat stock. The member [4 extends across the rear edges of the rear legs 2 and is provided with forwardly turned portions l5 positioned outside of and secured to the rear leg in any suitable manner. This member l4, therefore, prevents lateral spreading I t of the rear legs in addition to the diagonal membore 4.

The member II carries a pivot pin I5 which 'is slidably received within the slot I of the member 5.

In using the device, the stepladder is opened I up to the desired extent and the members 5 and II are rocked downwardly to a horizontal position with the locking tongue or lip e fitting in the appropriate notch l2 in the member I I and with the tongue I0 located on one side of the member II and the bar 5 on the other side thereof. This arrangement gives great lateral stability to the spacing members and prevents their buckling laterally, as the members I I and 5 are locked together against lateral motion at spaced points,

namely, atthe pivot pin it and at the finger or tongue I0. Additionally, thestepladder cannot either be opened or shut when locked in this position as it is locked againstboth motions. It is obvious also that it may be opened up to any extent desired and thus allows the utmost freedom for the user thereof. There is no danger of the-legs slipping when inuse .as the parts are rigidly locked together.

When the stepladder is folded up, the hinge joint between the members 5'and I I is pushed upwardly and thereafter the legs are closed, the

rear legs 2 being positioned outside of the front legs I, as shown'in dotted lines in. Figure 2. When in this position, the spacing member, formed by the members 5 and II, is positioned betweenthe treadto which it is attached and the upper tread immediately thereabove. Also the upper transverse brace 4 is so positioned that it is located just behin'd'the upper end of the members 5 and] I, as shown in Figure 2, and thus a housing for the spacing me'rnberis provided when such spacing member is in folded or closed position. The upper transverse brace 4 contacts the upper end of the folded spacing member and prevents its rocking to the rear; It cannot-rock forwardly because, as will be seen from Figure 2, the front arm 5' contacts with the rear edged the tread to which it is hinged. The ladder,

' therefore, may be handled while closed with the stronger.

It will be seen that a' novel form of stepl'adder and spacingmeans therefore has been provided which may be very cheaply manufactured, which is very easy to handle, as has been found from actual use thereof, and which is very strong.

While a single spacing. member has been shown and while this is the preferred construction, as

t such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously embodied and is to be interpreted as claimed.

I claim:

.l. A stepladder comprising a front section including front legs and treads therebetween and a rear section including rear legs, said front and rear sections being pivoted adjacent their upper ends; and a foldable spacing member having front and rear arms pivoted to the front and rear sections and adapted to fold upwardly when the stepladder is closed and to open downwardly into approximate alignment when the stepladder is opened, one of said arms having a series of spaced notches and having a pivot pin, the other of said arms having an elongated slot slidably receiving the pivot pin and having its end bent at right angles to form a locking lip adapted to enter one of said notches, said lip having an upwardly extending slot to receive the notched arm and providing a downwardly extending finger, said finger and its arm forming with the pivot pin a brace effectto provide lateral rigidity.

2. A stepladder comprising a pair of front legs, treads joining said legs, a pair of rear legs pivotally joined adjacent their upper ends to the front legs andhaving an upper transverse bracing member extending from one rear leg to the other, an adjustable spacing member comprising a front arm pivoted to one of said treads, a lower transverse bracing member extending between said rearlegs, a rear arm pivoted to said lower bracing member, one'of said arms having a locking lipand the other of said arms having a plurality of notches formed in its upper edge adapted to selectively receive the locking lip, and apivot pin carried by one arm and slidably mounted. within a slot formed in the other arm, said arms being foldable upwardly when said stepladder is closed with the upper end of the folded arms located beneath a tread and positioned in front of the upper transverse bracing member with said upper transverse bracing membercontacting' the upper portion of the folded arms, whereby said transverse bracing member and said last mentioned tread houses said folded arms and whereby said transverse bracing member prevents said folded arms from rocking rearwardly out of position,

. JOHN MEIER.