US2291996A - Combined chair and stepladder - Google Patents

Description

F. M. TUCKER 2,291,996

COMBINED CHAIR AND STEPLADDER Filed Feb. 10, 1941 Patented Aug. 4, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE commvnn 01:23:13; s'mrr-Annsa Frank M. Tucker, Los Gatos, Application February 10, 1941, Serial No. 378,272

1 Claim. (01. 155-42) This invention relates to a combined chair and step ladder, and primary object of the present invention is to generally improve the specific construction of devices of this kind so as to provide for maximum durability and efllciency in use.

Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a combined chair and step ladder which is extremely simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and possessed of a shelf extension for the top step of the ladder which may be folded when the device is conditioned for use as a chair so as to flatly engage the floor and provide a firm broad bearing against the floor.

With the above objects in view, the present invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fulls described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a device constructed in accordance with the present invention and conditioned for use as a chair.

Figure 2 is a view of the device as shown in Figure 1, partly in front elevation, and partly broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, of the device conditioned for use as a step ladder.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of the device as illustrated in Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present invention consists of two main sections A and B, and the section A consists of a pair of spaced front legs 5 having inclined rear edge portions 6 at their upper ends, and a pair of spaced rear legs I which are disposed in downwardly diverging relation to the legs 5 and have their upper end portions disposed against the inclined edge portions 6 of the front legs 5. The upper ends of the legs 5 and l are suitably secured together, and disposed upon the upper ends of said legs so as to connect the legs at one side with those at the other side is a board I which is suitably fastened to the upper ends of the legs. Disposed directly under the board 8 and connecting the front legs I is an apron strip or bar 9 which acts as a brace for the legs 5 and the board I. Another horizontal board I. of a depth or width to connect both legs at each side of the section A and extending across so as to connect the legs 5 and I at one side with those at the other side, is arranged intermediate the ends of the legs 5 and I and suitably fastened to the latter in position to form a step for the device when conditioned for use as a step ladder as illustrated in Figure 3. The ends of the board II are preferably provided with central extensions Illa which extend between the legs I and I at each side of the device so as to eflectively brace them.

The section B includes a pair of spaced front legs II, and a pair of spaced rear legs II. The legs H and I! are arranged in diverging relation, and a board II is disposed and secured against the closely related ends of the legs II and I2 so as to connect the legs II and I2 at one side with those at the other side and to form the top step of the device when conditioned for use as a ladder as shown in Figure 3. These adjacent ends of the legs I I and I2 at each side of the device are in slightly spaced relation, and a spreader block I4 is disposed between them and against the board II, as well as securely fastened in place to effectively support the ends of the board I3 for substantially the full width of the latter. The legs I 2 are somewhat longer than the legs II and project beyond the ends of said legs I I which are considerably spaced from the legs I2, so as to provide extensions I2a connected at intervals by cross-bars I5 and adapted to form a back for the device when conditioned for use as a chair, as illustrated in Figure 1. Also, the legs I2 and their extensions Ila are such as to form the rear legs of the device when conditioned for use as the ladder as illustrated in Figure 3. Disposed upon the upper ends of' the legs II and hinged to the board I as at I l is another board II whichconnects the legs II with the legs I2 intermediate the ends of the latter. The arrangement is such that whenthe device is conditioned for use as a chair, the board I! will be disposed co-extensive with the board 8 so as to cooperate with the latter and form the bottom of the chair.' At this time, the legs II of the section 13 are disposed parallel with and against the rear edges of the legs 1 of the section A, and in order to fasten the sections in this relation. hasp fasteners III hinged to the legs I may be engaged over headed pins I9 on the legs II. Upon swinging the hasp fasteners or hooks II out of engagement with the keeper pins IS, the section B may be swung about the hinges It so as to dispose the board I! upon the board 8, thereby conditioning the device for use as a step ladder as shown in Figure 3, at which time the board I! constitutes an intermediate step for the ladder. Another board 20 connects the legs II and I2 intermediate the ends of the legs II so as to form another intermediate step for the device when conditioned for use as a ladder. Upon conditioning the device tor use as a ladder, the sections A and B may be maintained in the relation of Figure 3 by means of other ed hooks or hasp iasteners 2! carried by the sides of the board 47 and arranged to engage headed keeper pins 22 provided on the side edges of the board a near the front edge of the ladder. At each side of the device, the legs ll are connected with the legs is directly beneath board it by means of strips or apron bars 23 which provides support for the board I? substantially throughout the width of the latter and rigidly brace the legs.

A shelf extension is provided for the board as which affords the top step tor the device when used as a ladder, and this shelf extension consists of a board 24 hinged at 25 to the rear edge of the board or step is and having a retaining flange it along the side and rear edges thereof. The arrangement is such that when the device is conditioned for use as a chair, the extension 24 may be folded over onto the board or step is with the flange 2t engaging the front and side edges of the board or step is so that twisting strains may not be placed on the hinges 25. This is especially important as the shelf extension 24 when folded onto the board or step i3, is adapted to flatly engage the door when the device is conditioned for use as a chair as-shown in Figure 1. In this condition, the shelf extension 25 constitutes a broad fiat bearing against the floor so as to insure that the chair will be steady,

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and manner of use, as well as the advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. It will be seen that the construction is relatively simple and economical to manufacture, as well as exceedingly durable and efficient.

What I claim as new is:

A combined chair and step ladder comprising two main sections hingedly connected together, one of said sections comprising a pair of spaced front legs, a pair of spaced rear legs secured at and bearing against the under side or said firstnamed board, the other main section comprising inclined front legs and vertical rear legs, said rear legs of the last-named section extending beyond corresponding ends of the front legs thereof and connected together to form a back when the device is conditioned for use as a chair,

a further board connecting the upper ends 0! the front legs of said second-named section with the inwrmediate portions of the rear legs of the latter and hinged along its front edge to the rear edge of the first-named board of the first-named section so as to cooperate with the latter to form a chair bottom when the device is conditioned for use as a chair, the front legs of the secondnamed section being arranged to contact the rear edges of the rear legs of the first-named section when the device is conditioned for use as a chair, and hasp fasteners carried by the rear legs of the first-named section, and headed keeper pins carried by the front legs or the second-named section engageable by said hasp fasteners to secure the sections together when the device is conditioned for use as a chair, a board secured against the adjacent ends of the legs of the second-named section and adapted to form a top step for the device when conditioned for use as a ladder, and a shelf extension for said last-named board comprising a flanged board hinged to the rear edge of said top stepforming board and adapted to be folded onto the latter with the flange of' said sheli extension and disposed about the side and front edges of top stepiorming board, said shelf extension being adapted to flatly engage the floor when folded onto the top step-forming board and the device is conditioned for use as a chair.

FRANK M. TUCKER.

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