US3006432A

US3006432A - Sectional ladder

Info

Publication number: US3006432A
Application number: US861402A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rupert S Gurley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-12-22
Filing date: 1959-12-22
Publication date: 1961-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1978-10-31

Description

Oct. 31, 1961 R. s. GURLEY SECTIONAL LADDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1959 Fig. 5

Rupert S. Gur/ey INVENTOR, Y 401 3;

BY 2M Oct. 31, 1961 R. s. GURLEY SECTIONAL LADDER Filed Dec. 22, 1959 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Rupert 5:. Gur/y INVENIORI. g; "1

United States Patent 3,006,432 SECTIONAL LADDER Rupert S. Gurley, Box 1186, Kodiak, Alaska Filed Dec. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 861,402 13 Claims. (Cl. 18223) This invention relates to improvements in sectional ladders.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an extension ladder with sections one fitting in the other in diflerent extended positions to form a straight extension ladder, one of the sections having steps and the other having steps or rounds interfitting with the steps of the one section to hold the extended section in extended positions, and said sections being adapted to be connected together to form a stepladder.

Another object is to provide an extension ladder comprising sections hinged together for use as a stepladder, or as a straight ladder, and an extension section fitting in and interlocking with both sections to hold the same in straight ladder forming position, and adjustable and adapted to be fitted and interlocked in either section selectively so that the hinged sections may be used as a stepladder and the extension section used as an extension of the stepladder.

Still another object is to provide a ladder according to the foregoing which is of light weight, yet strong, and safe and which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in front elevation of a ladder according to this invention in the preferred embodiment thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view in longitudinal section of the same taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and partly broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a view in rear elevation of the preferred embodiment;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view in cross-section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a lock member for the ladder;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the ladder;

FIGURE 7 is a view in rear elevation of the same;

FIGURE 8 is, a view in side elevation illustrating the use of the sections of the modified embodiment as a stepladder with the sections folded;

FIGURE 9 is a w'ew in side elevation of the sections of the modified embodiment unfolded for use as a stepladder and drawn to a smaller scale;

FIGURE 10 is a view in side elevation of another modified embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a foot for the ladder;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a brace bar for maintaining the sections of the ladder of 3,006,432 7 Patented Oct. 31, 1961 the modified embodiment in a stepladder forming position;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary view in perspective partly in section of a modified lock for the ladders;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section taken on the line 1414 of FIGURE 13; and

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged view in cross-section taken on the line 15-15 of FIGURE 13.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, and first to FIGURES 1 to 5 and 11 thereof, the ladder, designated generally by the numeral 1, comprises a female ladder section 3 and a male ladder section 5.

The female ladder section 3 includes a pair of rearwardly opening channeled side stiles 7 and rearward-1y opening channeled cross steps, or rounds, 9 equidistantly spaced apart. The side stiles 7 and steps 9 are preferably of rectangular cross-section and formed in one piece of anyslight weight strong metal. Each step, or round, 9 has formed thereon an upturned bottom rear edge flange 11 extending between and terminating at the side stiles 7. v

The male section 5 comprises a pair of side stiles 13 fitting and nesting in the channeled side stiles 7, and cross steps, or rounds, 15 spaced apart in correspondence with the steps, or rounds, 9 and adapted to be moved into and nested in the steps 9 to seat therein in front of the flanges 11. For this purpose, the steps, or rounds, 15 are preferably, although not necessarily fiat and thinner than the rounds, or steps 9, the arrangement being such that the steps, or rounds, 15 are permitted limited free movement in the steps, or rounds 9 to remove said steps 15 out of said steps 9 over the flanges 11, and the stiles 13 out of the stiles 7, and to move the stiles 13 into the stiles 7 and the steps 15 into the steps 9. The side stiles 13 and steps 15 of the male section 5 are also formed of lightweight strong metal and preferably in one piece.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the male section 5 may be placed in the female section 3 to extend upwardly out of the female section 3 and whereby to form with the female section 3 an extension ladder with steps 15 of the male section 5 seated in the steps 9 of the female section 3 on the bottoms of said steps 9 and in front of the flanges 11, and whereby the

steps

9 and 15 are interlocked under the weight of the male section 5 or of a person thereon so that the

sections

3, 5 are connected together in interlocking relation against casual separation. Obviously, by relative sliding of the female and

male sections

3, 5 longitudinally, steps 15 disposed in the steps 9 may be moved clear of the flanges 11, the sections separated by moving the steps 15 rearwardly out of the steps 9 over the flanges 11, and the male section 5 placed in the female section 3 in different longitudinally adjusted positions to variably extend the ladder 1. Also, as shown in FIGURE 3, the male section 5 is slightly shorter than the female section 3 for placing therein between the ends of the female section 3 so that the female section 3 may be used alone as a ladder.

Means is provided for locking the male and

female sections

3, 5 together in any position of the male section 5 in the female section 3 comprising locking member 17 in the form of a rectangular, preferably resilient plug which can be inserted, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 in any step 9 over the top of the flange 11 of said step and over the top of a step'15 disposed in the step 9 so Referring now to FIGURES 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12, the

modified ladder, a shown therein, and which is designated generally by the numeral 27 comprises a pair of like,

female sections

29, 31 respectively, each having a pair of side stiles 33 like the side stiles 7 and steps, or rounds 35 with flanges 36 like the steps, or rounds 9. The pairs of side stiles 33 are provided with corresponding ends 34, 38'hingedly connected together, as at 37, for relative swinging of

said sections

29, 31 into coplanar relation to form a straight extension ladder, as shown in FIG URES 6 and 7, or into face-to-face downward diverging relation to form a stepladder 39 as shown in FIGURE 9, or into face-to-face parallel relation as shown in FIG- URE 8 to form a folded stepladder.

A male ladder section 41 with side stiles 43 and steps, or rounds 44 like the male section is provided for fitting and nesting in the side stiles 33 and steps 35 of the

female sections

29, 31 and interlocking therewith just as in the case of the described ladder 1. The male section 41 is shorter than the

female sections

29, 31 and is adapted to be moved and positioned into both

female sections

29, 31 in interlocking engagement therewith and into bridging relation to the

hinged ends

34, 38 and the axis of the hinges 37 whereby said

sections

29, 31 are held in coplanar relation to form an extension straight ladder. A locking member 47 like the member 19 is utilized in this modified embodiment for insertion in a step 33 of either

female section

29, 31 over a step 45 on the male section 41 to lock the latter and the

female sections

29, 31 together so that the male section 41 cannot move longitudinally of the

female sections

29, 31.

The male section 41 being shorter than the

female sections

29, 31 may be placed or positioned in either

female section

29, 31, for instance as shown in FIGURE 8 and locked therein by the locking member 47 so that.

said

sections

29, 31 may be swung into stepladder form, as shown in FIGURE 9 or swung in such form into folded position 8. Also, the male section 41 as shown in FIGURE 9 in broken lines may be placed in either

female section

29, 31 to form an upwardly projecting extension of either side of the stepladder 39.

, Feet.49, like the feet 19 may be provided in the remote ends of the

female sections

29, 31 for non-slip purposes and headed studs 51 are provided on the side stiles 33 of both

sections

29, 31 for connection of the side stiles 33 of the sections 29, .31 by notched bars, for instance, as shown at 51 in FIGURE 12, which are adapted to fit over and interlock with such studs, to form braces preventing the

sections

29, 31 when in stepladder forming position from spreading apart.

In the modified embodiment shown in FIGURE 10, a plurality of ladder sections like the

sections

7 and 29, 31 and including an intermediate section 55 and end sections 57 are hinged together with the end sections 57 terminally hinged to the ends of the intermediate section 55 for folding of all of said sections into inverted U-shape with bevel ends 65 on the intermediate section 55 fitting against bevel ends 67 on the end sections 57. Thus, the

sections

55, 57 may be used to form a stand for supporting scaffold planks, not shown, or for other purposes In the modified embodiment shown in FIGURES 13, 14 and, '15 a more positive form of lock is provided than

locks

17 and 47 for locking the step 59 of the male section .of either the ladder 1 or the ladder 27, in the channeled step of the female section. In this embodiment a plug 73 is provided, similar to the plug 17, for insertion in the step 71 over the step 69 to hold the step 69 down behind the locking lip 75 of the step 71, but, the plug 17 is provided with a narrow top groove 77 engageable over an internal top tongue 79 extending longitudinally in the top of the channeled step 71 having tapered ends 81 and which is preferably pressed downward out of the top of the female step 71. In applying this modified lock the plug 73 is inserted in the channeled step 71 over the step 69 and slid along said steps until the tongue 79 is entered in the groove 77. This embodiment of lock may be used as an extra lock in the previously described ladders or it may be used alone.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A sectional ladder comprising a female ladder section having channeled side stiles and channeled steps, and a male ladder section adjustable longitudinally of said female section and having side stiles and steps movable into and out of the side stiles and steps of the female section in different adjusted positions of the male section to nest in said female section, said female section and male section when nested interlocking to hold said male section in adjusted position.

2. A ladder according to claim 1, said steps of the female section having upright edge flanges therein for blocking movement of steps of male section outwardly of steps of the female section.

3. A ladder according -to claim 1, and a locking member for insertion in one step of the female section over a'step of the male section to lock said step of the male section in said step of the female section.

4. A ladder according to claim 1, said ladder sections having apertured ends for receiving pivot pins to pivot said sections together for use as a stepladder.

5. A sectional ladder comprising a pair of like female ladder sections having channeled side stiles and channeled steps, hinge means pivotally connecting corresponding ends of said female sections together for swinging into coplanar relation to form an extension ladder and for swinging with angular relation to form a stepladder, and

V a male ladder section having side stiles and steps and movable into the side stiles and steps of both female sections crosswise of the axis of the hinge means with the steps of the male and female section interlocking to retain the female sections in coplanar relation.

6. A ladder according to claim 5, said side stiles and steps of the male sectionbeing movable into the side.

stiles and steps of either female section selectively whereby said female sections may be swung into stepladder forming position, and the male section then movable upwardly into the selected female section to form an extension thereof.

7. A ladder according to claim 6, and means associated with said female sections for retaining the same in stepladder forming position.

8. A sectional ladder according to claim 3, said look- 10. In a sectional ladder, one of said sections having hollow steps and side stiles opening rearwardly, and another section having steps and side stiles disposed in relation to each other substantially as said steps and side stiles of said one section are disposed relative to each other and laterally receivable within corresponding steps and side stiles of said first section.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the side stiles of said sections are parallel, the steps of said sections being spaced apart equally.

12. The combination of claim 10 including means carried by at least one of the steps of said one section for References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Phillips Feb. 4, 1879 Couse May 13, 1958