US3739876A

US3739876A - Combination step ladder and work support

Info

Publication number: US3739876A
Application number: US00166785A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Goldberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-07-28
Filing date: 1971-07-28
Publication date: 1973-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-19

Abstract

A dual purpose foldable stepladder comprising a step-equipped front frame hingedly connected to a back prop frame having two pairs of foldable auxiliary legs on the back prop frame to support the folded ladder in horizontal position for use as a work bench. Each of the two pairs of auxiliary legs comprises a U-shaped tubular leg means which folds against the backside of the back frame. When the two U-shaped leg means are unfolded their upper ends extend into the interior of the folded step ladder and one of them ties the two frames of the folded step ladder together.

Description

[ June 19, 1973 3,613,831 10/1969 Estep 182/27 COMBINATION STEP LADDER AND WORK SUPPORT Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado Attorney-Smyth, Roston & Pavitt ABSTRACT n 0 t g .m 2t m 9 9H awe 6 "MM .0 2 60M .0 AMC Hu amc n a 0 6 R C B n m n e V n l 6 7 .l

[22] Filed: July 28, 1971 A dual purpose foldable stepladder comprising a step- 211 App]. No.: 166,785

equipped front frame hingedly connected to a back [52] U S CI prop frame having two pairs of foldable auxiliary legs on the back prop frame to support the folded ladder in horizontal position for use as a work bench. Each of the 182/27, 182/155 [51] Int. E043 1/30 [58] Field of two pairs of auxiliary legs comprises a U-shaped tubu lar leg means which folds against the backside of the back frame. When the two U -shaped leg means are un [56] Rderences Cited folded their upper ends extend into the interior of the UNITED STATES PATENTS folded step ladder and one of them ties the two frames 'Goetter................L................ of the folded step ladder together.

182/32 182/27 6/1930 182/223 29 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures 907,491 12/1908 1,330,162 2/1920 Bostwick.... 1,763,766

1 COMBINATION STEP LADDER AND WORK SUPPORT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Q The following prior patents relate todual purpose folding stepladders of the type that has two pairs of auxiliary legs to support the folded ladder in horizontal position for use as a work bench:

Rittmann 329,218 Thurmond 868,823 Stout 677,714 Goet'ter 907,491 Mohr 746,978 Goetter 1,021,094 Emory 814,904

One disadvantage of all of these prior art constructions is that when the foldedladderis usedfor a work bench, the lateral spread of the twopairs of auxiliary legs is restricted to the width of the ladder itself, whereas satisfactory stability of the work bench requires a substantially wider base.

Another limitation of the prior ladders is that the auxiliary leg structures are adapted for use only on foldable stepladders, none being suitable for use onextension ladders.

A further disadvantage in several instances is that the addition of foldingauxiliary legs complicates the structure of the ladder itself to such extentas to change its basic character and unduly increase its cost. A still further disadvantage is that the folding auxiliarylegs,as heretofore constructed, are cumbersome and unduly conspicuous when the ladder is placed in normal upright use. i

I It is also to be noted that 'quality ladders are now made of light metal and none of the prior art auxiliary leg structures are readily adapted to anall-metal ladder construction.

I SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of the invention is to provide such a dualpurpose ladder that has completely satisfactory stability when the ladder is used as a work bench.

Another object is to so construct the folding auxiliary legs that they materiallycontribute to'the strength and rigidity of the structure, not only in the ladder mode but also in the work bench mode.

Another object of the invention is to provide auxiliary leg assemblies that may be readily used on a ladder of the type in which the side bars of the ladder are di vergent with the ladder progressively increasing in width toward the bottom end of the ladder.

Still another object, as will be explained, is to provide a dual-purpose ladder in which various parts of the structure serve dual purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide fold- -able auxiliary legs that ,may be used not only in the construction of a folding stepladder but also may be used without change in the construction of an extension ladder. In this regard, a feature of the invention is that the two pairs of auxiliary legs for a folding stepladder are identical and the auxiliary legs used for an extension ladder are identical to the auxiliary legs used for a folding stepladder.

A folding stepladder has a front frame comprising longitudinal side bars interconnected by step members and has a back frame hingedly connected to the front frame to serve as a prop for the front frame. An extension ladder also has a front frame and a rear frame, both of which have side bars interconnected by rungs.

To convert either type of ladder into a duabpurpose ladder, two auxiliary leg means are pivotally mounted on the side bars of the rear frame of the ladder to fold out of the way against the back side of the back frame and for this purpose the two auxiliary leg means are mounted on brackets that extend rearwardly of the back frame.

Each of the two auxiliary leg means is preferably in the form of a U shaped tubular member to provide two auxiliary legs that are integral with each other. The pivot axis for folding action divides each U-s'haped member into an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion swinging into the interior of the ladder whenthe U-shaped member is unfolded. The two auxiliary legs formed by the lower portion of each U-shaped member are divergent so thatthe spacing between their lower ends substantially exceeds the width of the ladder structure. The brackets themselves on which the U- shaped members are pivotally mounted contribute to the strength of the ladder and, in addition, cooperate with the U-shaped members for further strengthening of the ladder structure.

When the two U-shaped leg means are unfolded they cooperate with stop members to increase the rigidity of the ladder inits work bench mode and, moreover, the stop'members themselves are either conventional parts of the ladders or are additional parts that materially strengthen the ladder structure.

A feature of the invention is that a pair of folding diagonal braces cooperate with each U-shaped leg means and are movable past center to locking positions that place the U-shaped tubular members under'flexural stress againstthe stop members to increase the rigidity and strength of the ladder in its work bench mode.

The features and advantages of the invention may be understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the stepladder in its normal use as a ladder;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1 showing how one side of a U-shaped leg means is pivotally mounted on a bracket that in turn is rigidly mounted on a side bar of the rear frameof the ladder;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view as seen along,

the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 7-7 of FIG. 1 showing how, when the stepladder is folded, a folded shelf on the rear frame of the ladder has a flange that engages a step of the front frame to hold the shelf out of the way when the stepladder functions as a work bench;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a fragment of the stepladder in its work bench mode viewed as indicated by the arrow 8 in FIG. 3 showing how an unfolded U-shaped leg means abuts a stop on the front frame of the stepladder;

FIG. 9 is a section taken as indicated by the lines 9-9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragment of the stepladder in the work bench mode viewed in plan as indicated by the arrow 10 in FIG. 3 showing how the U-shaped leg means at the lower end of the ladder engages a stop on the front frame of the ladder;

FIG. 11 is a section taken as indicated'by the line 1l-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an extension ladder embodying the invention, the extension ladder being in its work bench mode; and

FIG. 13 is an end elevation of the extension ladder in its work bench mode as seen along the line 13l3 of FIG. 12.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The first embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 11 is a foldable stepladder made of aluminum, the ladder comprising a front frame generally designated'20 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and a back frame generally designated 22. The front frame has longitudinal side bars 24 which are interconnected by spaced transverse steps 25 (FIG. 3) and by atlanged sheet metal cap 26 which serves as the top step. At the upper end of the front frame 20, the two side bars and the flanged top step 26 are interconnected by diagonal braces 28 and at the lower end of the front frame the lowest step 25 and the two side bars 24 are interconnected by a pair of diagonal braces 29. The back frame 22 has a pair of spaced diagonal side bars 30 which, as best shown in FIG. 1, are interconnected by

transverse members

32, 34, and 36.

The two side bars of each frame are divergent with the frame progressively increasing in width from top to bottom. The back frame 22 is connected to the front frame 20 on its opposite sides respectively by pivot elements on the top step 26, and when the stepladder is unfolded for use as a ladder, the back frame 22 serves as a prop for the front frame as may be seen in FIG. 4.

- The extent to which the two frames may be swung apart is limited by a pair of foldable links 42 on the opposite sides respectively of the ladder.

The structure of the ladder as described to this point is conventional and old in the art. The present invention adds a first auxiliary leg means 44 near the top end of the ladder and a second auxiliary leg means 45 near the bottom end of the ladder, both of which are pivotally mounted on the back frame 22. Normally the two auxiliary leg means 44, 45 are folded against the backside of the back frame 22, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, to be out of the way when the stepladder is not used as a work bench.

The two auxiliary leg means 44 and 45 comprise two identical U-shaped tubular members each of which forms two auxiliary legs 46 (FIG. 1) integrally interconnected by a transverse top bar 48. To add strength and provide lateral rigidity, the two legs 46 of each U- shaped leg means are rigidly interconnected by a lower crossbar 50, as best shown in FIG. 3. In the upper portion of each of the U-shaped leg means, the two legs 46 are parallel and of a uniform overall width that is only slightly less than the spacing between the side bars of the front and

back frames

20, 22 to permit the upper portion of the U-shaped leg means to swing into the interior of the two ladder frames when the U-shaped leg means is unfolded (FIG. 3) for use of the ladder as a work bench as may be seen in FIG. 1.

The U-shaped leg means 44 near the upper end of the ladder is pivotally mounted by pivots 52 (FIG. 2) on corresponding brackets 54 which are fixedly mounted on the back sides of the corresponding side bars 30 of the back frame 22 and, in like manner, the U-shaped leg means 45 near the bottom end of the ladder is mounted by pivots 55 (FIGS. 3 and 6) on brackets 56 on the side bars 30 of the back frame 22. In both instances the pivots engage the U-shaped leg means snugly to prevent relative movement of the leg means along the pivot axis whereby the U-shaped leg means serves as a cross brace to strengthen the back frame 22. As may be seen in FIG. 1, the back flange 57 of the top step 26 is relatively narrow to clear the arcuate path of the U-shaped leg means 44 and to permit the U-shaped leg means to be placed near the top end of the ladder.

An important feature of the invention is that the pivots for the two U-shaped members are spaced rearwardly from the back side of the back frame 22 to permit the U-shaped members to fold flat against the back side of the back frame. An important advantage of this arrangement is that since the lower portions of the legs 46 of the U-shaped members do not swing into the interior of the ladder structure when the ladder is employed as a work bench, the lower portions of the pairs of legs 46 may diverge to substantially greater width than the width of the ladder itself and thus provide a broad support base to make the work bench highly stable.

The U-shaped leg means 44 near the upper end of the ladder is normally latched in its folded position by a sheet metal latch member 58 (FIG. 1) that is mounted on one of the side bars 30 of the back frame 22 by a pivot 60. The latch member 58 is formed with a short flange 62 which serves as a handle or fingerpiece by means of which the latch member may be manually rotated to its latching position shown in FIG. 1 where it blocks the path of unfolding movement of the upper end of the U-shaped leg means. In like manner, a latch member 64 for the U-shaped leg means 45 at the lower end of the ladder is mounted by a pivot 65 on a side bar '30 of the back frame and is formed with a flange 66 by means of which it may be manually rotated into and out of the effective position shown in FIG. 1.

A feature of the invention is that each of the two brackets 56 near the lower end of the ladder serves a dual purpose in that it not only pivotally supports the U-shaped leg means 45 but also serves as a gusset to strengthen the back frame, the bracket being not only riveted to the corresponding side bar (FIG. 1) of the back frame 22 but also riveted to the transverse frame member 36 of the back frame.

As best shown in FIG. 3, on each side of the ladder a pair of links 68 and 70 form a foldable diagonal 1 brace, generally designated 72, to releasably maintain the U-shaped auxiliary leg means 44 in its unfolded position. The two links 68 and 70 are pivotally connected respectively to the U-shaped leg means 44 and to the side bar 30 of the back frame 22. In a well known manner the two links 68 and 70 are interconnected by a common pivot 74 which pivotally anchors a saddle member 75 that straddles the inner ends of the two links. When the U-shaped leg means 44 is unfolded, the two links 68 and 70 are manually moved past center to a locking position where the saddle member serves as a stop for the two links. A diagonal brace 72 may be unlocked simply by forcing the pivot 74 past center out of its locking position. In like manner, a pair of

links

76 and 78 form a diagonal brace, generally designated 80, for the second U-shaped leg means 45, the two links being interconnected by a pivot 82 and being provided with a saddle member 84. v

When the two U-shaped leg means 44 and 45 are unfolded for the work bench mode of the stepladder as shown in FIG. 3, the upper ends of the U-shaped leg means move against suitable stops in the structure of the front frame and a feature of the invention is that the diagonal braces 72 and 80 in their extended locked positions serve as positive means to hold the two U- shaped leg means under flexural stress against the two corresponding stops. Thus the invention takes advantage of the resiliency of the two U-shaped tubularmembers to lend strength and rigidity to the ladder in its work bench mode.

As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the stop means for the U-shaped leg means 44 at the upper end of the ladder is in the form of apair of angular members 85 which are formed with flanges 86 for abutment by the top bar 48 of the U-shaped leg means. Advantageously, each of the angular stops 85 is not only riveted to the corresponding side bar 24 of the front frame 20 but is also riveted to the corresponding diagonal brace 28 to strengthen the structure of the front frame.

As shown in FIGS. 3, l0 and 11, the stop means 88 for the second U-shaped leg means 45 is riveted to the diagonal braces 29 at the lower end of the front frame 20 and is formed with a flange 90 that hooks over the top bar 48 of the U-shaped leg member. By virtue of this arrangement, the stop means 88 not only serves its basic function but also cooperates with the pivoted U- shaped leg means 45 to interlock the front and back frames 20 and 22 and thus tie down the front frame 20 in a rigid manner when the stepladder is employed in its work bench mode shown in FIG. 3. In addition, the stop means 88 interconnects the two diagonals 29 to strengthen the ladder.

The step ladder is equipped with the usual foldable shelf 89 which unfolds to the horizontal position shown in FIG. 4 to serve as means to support paint buckets, tools, et cetera. As shown in FIG. 1 the shelf 89 comprises a metal sheet mounted on two angle members that reinforce the sheet and form a pair of arms 91 extending rearward from the sheet. The angle members are mounted by pivots on corresponding angular brackets 92 on the previously mentioned transverse member 32 of the back frame 22. In the unfolded position of the shelf 89 shown in FIG. 4, the arms 91 engage the underside of a corresponding step of the front frame 20.

A certain problem arises in that when the ladder is used as a work bench, as shown in FIG. 3, the shelf 89 tends to swing downward by gravity to cause the two arms 90 to swing upward in the way above the work surface of the work bench. As shown in FIG. 7, this problem is solved by forming the sheet metal of the shelf 89 with a narrow flange 93 which hooksagainst the corresponding step 25 to keep the shelf downward when the ladder is in the work bench mode.

The manner in which this first embodiment of the invention serves its purpose may be readily understood from the foregoing description. Normally, i.e., when the ladder is used in its normal ladder mode, the two U-shaped leg means 44 and 45 are secured out of the way flat against the back frame 22 of the ladder by the two

latch members

58 and 64, respectively. Whenever it is desired to convert the ladder into a work bench, the two U-shaped leg means 44 and 45 are unlatched and swung to their unfolded positions to place the top bars of the two leg means against the two stop means and 88, respectively, on the front frame 20. The two diagonal braces 72 and 80 are then forced manually past center to their locked positions to place the two U-shaped leg means under flexural stress. The unfolding and locking of the leg means 45 automatically ties the two

frames

20 and 22 of the ladder together by the hook engagement between the stop means 88 and the top bar 48 of the U-shaped leg means. By reversing this procedure, the stepladder may be reconverted from its work bench mode to its normal ladder mode.

The second embodiment of the: invention, shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, is a conventional type aluminum extension ladder that may be converted into a work bench by unfolding two U-shaped tubular auxiliary leg means 44, 45 which are identical to the two U-shaped leg means 44, 45 of the first embodiment of the invention.

A conventional extension ladder structure comprises what may be termed a front frame, generally designated 94, and a back frame, generally designated 95, which are longitudinally slidably relative to each other. The front frame 94 comprises a pair of side bars 96 in the form of channel members with outwardly turned flanges, the side bars being interconnected by fluted rungs 98. In like manner, the back frame comprises a pair of similar side bars 100 interconnected by fluted rungs 102. Suitable hook-shaped brackets 104 mounted on the side bars 100 of the back frame 95 overhang flangesof the side bars 96 of the front frame to prevent separation of the two frames while permitting relative longitudinal movement between the two frames.

Each of the U-shaped leg means is mounted on the back frame 95, by pivot bolts 105 and brackets 106. Each U-shaped leg means may be retained in its folded position in the previously described manner by a suitable pivoted latch member 108. On opposite sides of the back frame 95 foldable diagonal braces are provided to function in the same manner as the previously described diagonal braces 72, 80.

A feature of the second embodiment of the invention is that when the two U-shaped leg means 44, 45 are unfolded for use of the ladder in its work bench mode, the stops for the two U-shaped leg means are the rungs 98 at the opposite ends, respectively, of the front frame 94. When the two U-shaped leg means 44, 45 are placed under flexural stress by locking the diagonal braces 110, they oppose each other to effectively immobilize the front frame 94 relative to the back frame 95 and at the same time to make the work bench rigid.

My description in specific detail of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention will suggest various changes, substitutions and other departures from my disclosure within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a ladder having an extended configuration for use and a compact configuration for storage, the combination of:

a front frame comprising a pair of front side bars interconnected by transverse members including step members and forming the front side of the compact configuration;

a back frame comprising a pair of side bars interconnected by spaced transverse members, said back frame forming the back side of the compact configuration;

first auxiliary leg means located on the upper half of the compact configuration of the ladder;

second auxiliary leg means located on the lower half of the compact configuration of the ladder,

each of said auxiliary leg means comprising two rigidly interconnected legs; and

means pivotally mounting each of said auxiliary leg means on the back frame on a pivot axis spaced rearward of the back frame to swing between a folded position adjacent the back side of the back frame and an extended position,

whereby with the ladder in its compact configuration the two auxiliary leg means may be unfolded to support the ladder in substantially horizontal position with said front frame uppermost to serve, for example, as a work bench.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the pivot axis of each of the auxiliary leg means divides the auxiliary leg means into an upper portion and a lower portion,

said upper portion being narrower than the spaces between the side bars of the two frames to swing upward into said spaces when the auxiliary leg means is unfolded.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which each of said auxiliary leg means comprises an elongated member of generally U-shaped configuration forming two spaced legs;

in which the two spaced legs are parallel in the upper portion of the auxiliary leg means; and

in which the two legs are divergent in the lower portion of the auxiliary leg means.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which the two legs of each leg means diverge to greater overall width than said spaces to promote stability and in the work bench mode of the ladder.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which the ladder is a folding stepladder;

and which includes stop means to contact the upper portions of the two auxiliary leg means when the auxiliary leg means are unfolded, thereby to promote the stability of the ladder in its work bench mode.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which the stop means for the second auxiliary leg means releasably engages the second auxiliary leg means when the second auxiliary leg means is unfolded, thereby to cooperate with the second auxiliary leg means to hold the front and back frames together when the ladder is in the work bench mode.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 in which the second auxiliary leg means hooks over the correspond- .ing stop means at the unfolded position of the second auxiliary leg means.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 6 in which the front frame has a pair of diagonal braces each of which in which each brace means unfolds past center to a l locking position to press the auxiliary leg means against the corresponding stop means.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 9 in which each of said auxiliary leg means is resiliently flexible; and

in which the corresponding brace means is located and dimensioned to place the unfolded leg means under flexural stress for sustained pressure against the corresponding stop means.

11. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said auxiliary leg means comprises an elongated member of generally U-shaped configuration forming two spaced legs.

12. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the two leg means are substantially identical.

13. A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which the side bars of the back frame of the ladder are divergent toward the bottom end of the ladder with corresponding increase in the distance between the side bars of the front frame toward the bottom end of the ladder;

in which each said auxiliary leg means is mounted on means extend inwardly of the corresponding side bars to space the auxiliary leg means centrally between the two side bars with the two auxiliary leg means in alignment longitudinally of the ladder.

14. A combination as set forth in claim 13 in which the side bars of the back frame are interconnected by a transverse frame member in the region of the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means; and

in which the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means are fixedly connected both to said transverse frame member and to the corresponding side bar of the back frame to function as a gusset to brace the back frame.

15. A combination as set forth in claim 13 which includes a latch member to releasably hold the second auxiliary leg means in folded position, said latch member being pivotally mounted on one of the two brackets for the second auxiliary leg means.

16. A combination as set forth in claim 15 which includes a fastening element anchoring one of the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means to the corresponding side bar of the back frame; and

in which the latch member is pivoted on said fastening element.

17. A combination as set forth in claim 13 in which the opposite sides of each of the two auxiliary leg means are connected to the corresponding side bars of the back frame by two corresponding brace means that unfold to diagonal positions to serve as diagonal braces for the two auxiliary leg means; and

in which the two brace means for the second auxiliary leg means are formed with angular offsets to compensate for the increase in the distance between the side bars of the back frame.

18. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which each of the auxiliary leg means is connected to the two opposite side bars of the back frame by pivot means that resist relative movement between the side bars and the auxiliary leg means along the pivot axis whereby each auxiliary leg means interconnects the two side bars in a manner to strengthen the back frame.

19. A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes latch means on the back frame to releasably hold each of the auxiliary leg means in folded position against the back frame.

20. A combination as set forth in claim 19 in which each side of each of the two leg means is pivotally mounted on a bracket on the corresponding side bar of the back frame; and

in which said latch means for at least one of the two auxiliary leg means is a latch member pivotally mounted on one of the brackets for the corresponding auxiliary leg means.

21. A combination as set forth in claim 20 in which the side bars of the back frame are interconnected by a transverse frame member in the region of the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means; and

in which the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means are fixedly connected both to the transverse frame member and the corresponding side bars of the back frame to function as gussets to strengthen the back frame.

22. A combination as set forth in claim 19 in which each of said latch means is a latch member mounted on the back side of a side bar of the back frame to swing into and out of a position to block the path of unfolding movement of the corresponding auxiliary leg means.

23. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the lower portion of each auxiliary leg means is connected to the back frame by brace means that unfolds to a diagonal position to serve as a diagonal brace for the unfolded auxiliary leg means; and

which includes means to releasably interconnect the two frames of the ladder near the lower end of the ladder to hold the two frames together when the ladder is supported by the two auxiliary leg means in its work bench mode.

24. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the ladder is an extension ladder with the two frames thereof interconnected with freedom for the two frames to slide longitudinally relative to each other; and i which includes means to prevent relative longitudinal movement between the two frames when the ladder is supported by the two auxiliary leg means in its work bench mode.

25. A combination as set forth in claim 24 in which the two side bars of each of the frames of the extension ladder are interconnected by spaced rungs; and

in which, when the two auxiliary leg means are unfolded, one auxiliary leg means abuts a rung of the front frame of the ladder to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the two frames in one direction and the other auxiliary leg means abuts another rung of the front frame to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the two frames in the opposite direction, whereby the two unfolded auxiliary leg means prevent relative longitudinal movement between the two frames of the ladder.

26. A combination as set forth in claim 25 in which one of the two unfolded auxiliary leg means abuts the uppermost rung of the front frame and the other of the two unfolded auxiliary leg means abuts the lowermost rung of the front frame.

27. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the ladder is foldable stepladder;

in which the uppermost step of the front frame is a rectangular sheet metal member having a flange along its front side and a flange along its back side to stiffen the sheet metal member, the flange along the back side of the sheet metal member being relatively narrow to clear the path of folding and unfolding movement of the first auxiliary leg means.

28. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the ladder is a folding stepladder;

in which the back frame of the ladder is a prop frame;

in which a foldable shelf to support paint buckets and the like has a pair of spaced arms to engage the under side of a step of the front frame when the ladder is unfolded; and

in which the foldable shelf has an upward flange along its back edge to engage said step to keep the shelf out of the way in its folded position when the step ladder is supported by the two pairs of auxiliary legs.

29. In a ladder having an extended configuration for use and a compact configuration for storage, the combination of a front frame section comprising a pair of side bars and a'plurality of step members rigidly interconnecting said pair of said bars, a back frame section comprising a pair of side bars and a plurality of spaced members rigidly interconnecting said pair of side bars, means located at one end of said front and back frames for connecting said frames in a pivotable relationship, means located at a second end of said front and back frames for supporting said frames in a substantially vertical position, v first and second pivot means mounted on one of said frames and extending outwardly therefrom, away from the other of said frames first and second pairs of leg means pivotally mounted in said first and second pivot means for movement between first positions in which they are parallel to and folded against said one of said frames and second positions in which they (a) are angularly related to, (b) intersect, and (0) pass through the plane of said one of said frames to support said frames in a substantially horizontal position.

Claims

1. In a ladder having an extended configuration for use and a compact configuration for storage, the combination of: a front frame comprising a pair of front side bars interconnected by transverse members including step members and forming the front side of the compact configuration; a back frame comprising a pair of side bars interconnected by spaced transverse members, said back frame forming the back side of the compact configuration; first auxiliary leg means located on the upper half of the compact configuration of the ladder; second auxiliary leg means located on the lower half of the compact configuration of the ladder, each of said auxiliary leg means comprising two rigidly interconnected legs; and means pivotally mounting each of said auxiliary leg means on the back frame on a pivot axis spaced rearward of the back frame to swing between a folded position adjacent the back side of the back frame and an extended position, whereby with the ladder in its compact configuration the two auxiliary leg means may be unfolded to support the ladder in substantially horizontal position with said front frame uppermost to serve, for example, as a work bench.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the pivot axis of each of the auxiliary leg means divides the auxiliary leg means into an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being narrower than the spaces between the side bars of the two frames to swing upward into said spaces when the auxiliary leg means is unfolded.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which each of said auxiliary leg means comprises an elongated member of generally U-shaped configuration forming two spaced legs; in which the two spaced legs are parallel in the upper portion of the auxiliary leg means; and in which the two legs are divergent in the lower portion of the auxiliary leg means.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which the ladder is a folding stepladder; and which includes stop means to contact the upper portions of the two auxiliary leg means when the auxiliary leg means are unfolded, thereby to promote the stability of the ladder in its work bench mode.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 in which the second auxiliary leg means hooks over the corresponding stop means at the unfolded position of the second auxiliary leg means.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 6 in which the front frame has a pair of diaGonal braces each of which interconnects a step member and a side bar of the front frame; and in which the stop means for the second auxiliary leg means interconnects the two diagonal braces to reinforce the front frame of the ladder.

9. A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which the lower portion of each auxiliary leg means is connected to the back frame by brace means that unfolds to a diagonal position to serve as a diagonal brace for the unfolded auxiliary leg means; and in which each brace means unfolds past center to a locking position to press the auxiliary leg means against the corresponding stop means.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 9 in which each of said auxiliary leg means is resiliently flexible; and in which the corresponding brace means is located and dimensioned to place the unfolded leg means under flexural stress for sustained pressure against the corresponding stop means.

13. A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which the side bars of the back frame of the ladder are divergent toward the bottom end of the ladder with corresponding increase in the distance between the side bars of the front frame toward the bottom end of the ladder; in which each said auxiliary leg means is mounted on the back frame of the ladder by two brackets on the side bars respectively of the back frames; and in which the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means extend inwardly of the corresponding side bars to space the auxiliary leg means centrally between the two side bars with the two auxiliary leg means in alignment longitudinally of the ladder.

14. A combination as set forth in claim 13 in which the side bars of the back frame are interconnected by a transverse frame member in the region of the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means; and in which the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means are fixedly connected both to said transverse frame member and to the corresponding side bar of the back frame to function as a gusset to brace the back frame.

16. A combination as set forth in claim 15 which includes a fastening element anchoring one of the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means to the corresponding side bar of the back frame; and in which the latch member is pivoted on said fastening element.

17. A combination as set forth in claim 13 ; in which the opposite sides of each of the two auxiliary leg means are connected to the corresponding side bars of the back frame by two corresponding brace means that unfold to diagonal positions to serve as diagonal braces for the two auxiliary leg means; and in which the two brace means for the second auxiliary leg means are formed with angular offsets to compensate for the increase in the distance between the side bars of the back frame.

20. A combination as set forth in claim 19 in which each side of each of the two leg means is pivotally mounted on a bracket on the correspOnding side bar of the back frame; and in which said latch means for at least one of the two auxiliary leg means is a latch member pivotally mounted on one of the brackets for the corresponding auxiliary leg means.

21. A combination as set forth in claim 20 in which the side bars of the back frame are interconnected by a transverse frame member in the region of the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means; and in which the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means are fixedly connected both to the transverse frame member and the corresponding side bars of the back frame to function as gussets to strengthen the back frame.

23. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the lower portion of each auxiliary leg means is connected to the back frame by brace means that unfolds to a diagonal position to serve as a diagonal brace for the unfolded auxiliary leg means; and which includes means to releasably interconnect the two frames of the ladder near the lower end of the ladder to hold the two frames together when the ladder is supported by the two auxiliary leg means in its work bench mode.

24. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the ladder is an extension ladder with the two frames thereof interconnected with freedom for the two frames to slide longitudinally relative to each other; and which includes means to prevent relative longitudinal movement between the two frames when the ladder is supported by the two auxiliary leg means in its work bench mode.

25. A combination as set forth in claim 24 in which the two side bars of each of the frames of the extension ladder are interconnected by spaced rungs; and in which, when the two auxiliary leg means are unfolded, one auxiliary leg means abuts a rung of the front frame of the ladder to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the two frames in one direction and the other auxiliary leg means abuts another rung of the front frame to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the two frames in the opposite direction, whereby the two unfolded auxiliary leg means prevent relative longitudinal movement between the two frames of the ladder.

27. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the ladder is foldable stepladder; in which the uppermost step of the front frame is a rectangular sheet metal member having a flange along its front side and a flange along its back side to stiffen the sheet metal member, the flange along the back side of the sheet metal member being relatively narrow to clear the path of folding and unfolding movement of the first auxiliary leg means.

28. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the ladder is a folding stepladder; in which the back frame of the ladder is a prop frame; in which a foldable shelf to support paint buckets and the like has a pair of spaced arms to engage the under side of a step of the front frame when the ladder is unfolded; and in which the foldable shelf has an upward flange along its back edge to engage said step to keep the shelf out of the way in its folded position when the step ladder is supported by the two pairs of auxiliary legs.

29. In a ladder having an extended configuration for use and a compact configuration for storage, the combination of a front frame section comprising a pair of side bars and a plurality of step members rigidly interconnecting said pair of said bars, a back frame section comprising a pair of side bars and a plurality of spaced members Rigidly interconnecting said pair of side bars, means located at one end of said front and back frames for connecting said frames in a pivotable relationship, means located at a second end of said front and back frames for supporting said frames in a substantially vertical position, first and second pivot means mounted on one of said frames and extending outwardly therefrom, away from the other of said frames first and second pairs of leg means pivotally mounted in said first and second pivot means for movement between first positions in which they are parallel to and folded against said one of said frames and second positions in which they (a) are angularly related to, (b) intersect, and (c) pass through the plane of said one of said frames to support said frames in a substantially horizontal position.