US2507396A - Safety ladder - Google Patents

Description

y 1950 N. N. BOGGS ET AL 2,507,396

SAFETY LADDER Filed June 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tz j I T NTOR Nelson VBIZQQG S EarZ (Negro Ye 5mm? VM WaZfe/"J'.

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ATTD RN EYE y 1950 N. N. BOGGS ET AL 2,507,396

SAFETY LADDER Filed June 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F I g 4L 1 za /4 Z6 I INVENTORS NeZson N. 5 96, far? 0026 rol e a, li 'resi W QZZfe/u ATTEI RN EYS Patented May 9, 1950 SAFETY LADDER Nelson N. Boggs, Wakefield, Earl Colegrove, Lucasvill'e, and .I orrest W. Walters, Piketon, Ohio Application June 29, 1948, Serial No. 35,876

2 Claims.

This invention relates to step ladders.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a handle grip for step ladders which is extended into a position of use as the ladder is opened up and which is automatically lowered as the ladder is closed and wherein this handle grip will extend upwardly to an elevated location above the ladder and at the same time serves as a support for a platform or shelf on which paint pails can be rested and thereby providing an extension for a step ladder and permits the use of the top step.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a step ladder with a handle grip and extended shelf, which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, automatically extended and retracted as the ladder is opened and closed, and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the ladder with the legs extended and the handle grip elevated.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the ladder after it has been closed and the handle grip reti'acted.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the ladder and handle grip.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the figures, iii represents the front legs of the ladder having transverse steps I l and tie rods I2. At the upper end of the front legs are fixed angle plates [3 for supporting a top step It and to which rear legs It; are pivoted as at I6. These rear legs have braces connected between them.

The angle members It respectively have projections 58 with openings therein through which vertically extending pipe rods l9 may be adjusted and guided. The lower ends of the rods are pivotally connected as at 2| to the connection of toggle links 22 and 23 which are respectively connected to the front and rear legs of the ladder and which hold the ladder legs in their extended positions. When the ladder legs are extended latch rods 24 and 25 connected to operating member 26 on the bottom face of step I4 will be extended by their respective springs 26 and 21 into openings in the respective pipes l9. Inasmuch as the pipes l9 are held against vertical adjustment, the links 22 and 23 will be retained and serve to brace the legs of the ladder apart. When the pipes I9 are released, they may be lowered and the links 22 and 23 collapsed and folded along with the legs of the ladder in the manner as shown in Fig. 2.

The operating member 26 is pivoted on a depending bracket 28 as indicated at 29, Fig. 5.

A continuous and bent pipe 3| is connected between the pipe members [9 to provide inclined handle grips at the opposite sides of the ladder as indicated respectively at 32 and has a bracket for a top shelf 33 on which paint pails and the like can be placed. The member 3i is of U-shape but has its respective legs bent in two places as indicated at 34 and 35. The shelf 33 is secured to the U-shaped member by screws 36, Fig. 4.

In operation, it will be seen that the ladder can be extended or collapsed in the usual manner and that the handle grip supporting pipes l9 serve to lock the ladder legs in their extended positions. The operating member 26 can be pivoted to retract rods 24 and 25 from the pipes whereby to free the pipes l9 and to permit the toggle links 22 and 23 to be folded.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A step ladder comprising front and rear legs, said front legs having a top step, the rear legs pivotally connected to the top step, foldable links connected in pairs respectively between the opposite sides of the front and rear legs, rods connected respectively to the pairs of links and extending upwardly, guide means on the top step for the rods to retain them against lateral displacement, and latch means extending between the top step and the vertically extending rods for retaining the rods against vertical displacement and the links in their extended positions whereby to retain the legs separated from one another and a member for connecting the rods together at their upper ends.

2. A step ladder as defined in claim 1 and said member being of U-shape having its respective legs bent in two places and having a connecting portion, the respective legs of the U-shaped member being connected at the upper end of a rod and at a lower elevation thereon and providing for handle grip portions extending outwardly over the front legs and at a side thereof. and a shelf mounted on the connecting portion of the U-shaped member.

NELSON N. BOGGS. EARL COLEGROV E. FORREST W. WALTERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 296,920 Brannan Apr. 15. 1884 922,306 Mead May 18, 1909 950,469 Barth Mar. 1, 1910 2,381,492 Fenner Aug. 7, 1955

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