US636507A

US636507A - Step-ladder.

Info

Publication number: US636507A
Application number: US72586599A
Authority: US
Inventors: Moritz Eichler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1899-08-02
Filing date: 1899-08-02
Publication date: 1899-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1916-11-07

Description

No. 636,507. Patented Nov. 7, 1899.

M. EICHLER.

STEP LADDER.

(Application filed. Aug. 2, 1899.)

5N0 Modal.)

THE mums PETERS cc PHOTO LITHOH ,V/ASHINGTON4 u. c.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORITZ EIOHLER, OF OARTHAGE, OHIO.

STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 636,507, dated November 7, 1899. Application filed August 2, 1899. Serial No. 725,865. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, MORITZ EICHLER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Carthage, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Step-Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in step-ladders, and has for its object to provide a ladder of a strong and durable construction which shall be provided with props arranged in a new and improved way, so asto give greater protection against upsetting of the ladder while in use.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction, combination, and arrangement of the various parts of the improved step-ladder, whereby certain important advantages are attained and the ladder is made safer, stronger, and otherwise better adapted and more convenient for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a side view showing the improved step-ladder opened or unfolded as it appears when in use. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear View of the improved ladder. Fig. 4 is a side view showing the ladder in closed or folded position. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View showing the means for forcing the props apart for locking the various parts and also for bracing the ladder whennnfolded and set up for use.

In the views, 1 1 indicate the rails of which the body of the ladder is formed, and 2 2 indicate the steps connecting said rails 1.

3 3 indicate the props, hinged or pivoted at their upper parts to the upper ends of the rails 1, as shown at 4, and adapted to fold outside of said rails when the ladder is closed up, as shown in Fig. 4, and also adapted when the ladder is opened or unfolded, as seen in Fig. 1, to extend rearwardly behind and at angles to said rails 1 to brace and support the ladder. The props 3 are extended above the pivot pins or bolts 4 and also above the upper ends of the rails 1, as shown at 5, and to said extensions are pivoted, as shown at 6,

hand-rails 7, extending in front of and substantially parallel to the ladder-rails 1 and connected at their lower ends to said rails l by means of bent links 8, each pivoted at one end to the hand-rail 7 and at its other end to the ladder-rail 1. The hand-rails 7 are adapted when theladder is folded up, as shown in Fig. 4, to fold over the outer sides of the props 3, and said rails 7 are extended above the top of the ladder, as shown at 7 in the drawings, to permit of being grasped by the user of the ladder when standing upon the topmost step, so that the entire height of the ladder may be used with safety. The extensions 7 of the hand-rails are tied together and braced by a cross-piece 7 a to give stability to said rails.

The pivot-bolts 6, connecting the extensions 5 of the props with the hand-rails 7, also act as pivots for the upper ends of fiat metal links 9, held between the props and hand-rails at opposite sides of the ladder and extending down in a rearwardly-inclined direction, their lower ends being slotted, as shown at 10, to receive pivot bolts or pins 11 at opposite sides of a bucket rest or support 12, hinged, as shown at 13, to the topmost step of the ladder-body and extending rearwardly in line therewith when the ladder is in opened or unfolded position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, but adapted to move pivotally on said hinges 13 when the ladder is closed or folded up, so as to stand parallel with and behind the rails 1, as shown in Fig. 4.

Links 14 connect the pivot-bolts ll of the bucket-rest 12 withthe opposite ends of a cross-bar 15, extending transverselybetween the props 3, as shown in Fig. 3, and adapted to move down along slotted bearings 16, formed in plates 17, secured to the rear sides of said props, and the ends of said cross-bar 15 are also coupled by means of links 18 to the hand-rails 7 at the central parts of said hand-rails, so that the two

links

14 and 18 at each side of the ladderform in eifect a toggle or knuckle joint, one end of which is connected to and moved from the hand-rail 7 in the closing or opening of the ladder and the other end of which is connected to and moved from the upper end 5 of the rear prop 3 by means of the link 9 and pivot-bolt 11, the movement of the links 14 being in unison with the folding or unfolding movement of the bucket-rest 12, on which the pivot-bolts 11 are carried. Thus it will be seen that when the ladder is opened or unfolded the rearward movement of the props 3 away from the body of the ladder will be imparted to the said toggle through hand-rails 7 and links 9 to move the crossbar 15 up along its slotted guideways 16 in plates 17 of the props, and when the ladder is closed or folded up the reverse movement of the props toward the rails l of the ladder-body will be communicated through hand-rails 7 and links 9 to move the said cross-bar15 up along its guideways 16 to the upper ends of said guideways.

The cross-bar 15 is provided with shoulders 19 upon it to fit looselyagainst the inner faces of the guide-plates 17, as seen in Fig. 3, and the outer ends of said cross-bar are also provided with heads or enlargements 19, herein shown as nuts, fitting outside of the

links

14 and 18, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and in order to lock said cross-bar 15 against downward movement along its guideways 16 in the props when the ladder is in unfolded position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, I provide means, as shown at 20, for forein g the lower ends of the props away from each other to bring the plates 17 of the props into forcible engagement with the

links

14 and 18 to clamp said links between the props and the heads or enlargements 19 at the ends of the crossbar to hold said cross-bar against movement downward along its guideways, and thereby to support the bueket rest 12 and hand-rails 7 in raised position for use. This means is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and comprises brace-bars 21, each pivotally secured at one end, as seen at 22, to the rear face of one of the respective props 3, the opposite ends of said brace-bars being lapped and pivotally connected at 23. The free ends 24 of said bars beyond the pivot-point 23 are provided with recesses 25 on their under sides, forming hook-like members adapted to engage over the shanks of headed pins 26, carried by the bars when said bars are moved into a horizontal position, as shown in Fig.

When the ladder is folded or closed up, as shown in Fig. 4, the brace-bars 21 are first swungpivotally upward to the position shown in Fig. 5, so as to disengage the hook-like ends 24 of the brace-bars from their pins 26 and draw the props 3 toward each other at their lower ends, thereby releasing the

links

14 and 18 of the toggles. \Vhen this has been accomplished, the props 3 are folded against the rails 1 of the ladder-body, their movement being communicated through the various connections above set forth to the bucket-rest 12 and hand-rails 7 to fold these parts also compactly against the ladder-body, the cross-bar 15 moving downward along its guideways 16 in the props. WVhen the ladder is opened or unfolded for use, the first movement is to spread the props 3 back from the ladder-body, this movement serving to swing the bucket-rest 12 and hand-rails 7 into raised position and moving the cross-bar 15 upward along its guideways 16 in the props. The bars 21 are then pressed down to their horizontal positions, (shown in Fig. 5,) so as to engage their hooked ends 24 with the pins 26 to hold the bars in place against further downward movement and also to force said props away from each other to cause them to bear at points on the floor considerably beyond and outside of the lower ends of the rails 1 of the ladder-body, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to afford greater protection against the upsetting of the ladder when in use. The forcing of the props away from each other near their lower ends also serves, as above stated, to clamp the toggle-

links

14 and 18 between the nuts or heads 19 of the cross-bar 15 and the outer faces of the said props, so as to lock said cross-bar against movement along its guideways 16 in the props, and thereby to hold the hand-rails and bucket-rest in raised position while the ladder is in use. Moreover, the arrangement of the links and the connection between the handrails and props afford a secure bracing for the props to prevent them from spreading or moving pi votally upon the ladder-body when the ladder is fully opened for use.

The improved ladder constructed as above described is of an extremely simple, compact, and strong construction and is especially well adapted for use since it permits the full length of theladder to be utilized with safety, owing to the projection of the hand-rails above the topmost step in position to be grasped by a person standing upon said step. The ladder also permits of use as an ordinary wall-ladder, since when folded or closed, as shown in Fig. 4, the projecting upper ends or extensions 7 of the hand-rails serve to engage the wall at a considerable distance above the upper ends of the rails 1 of the ladderbody, so as to give the ladder when thus used a greater effective length than it would have were said extensions not present. Owing to the means provided for forcing the lower ends of the props apart they are caused to rest on the floor at points outside of the lower ends of the rails 1 of the ladder-body, so as to effectively brace and support the ladder when in use.

It will also be seen from the above description that the improved ladder is capable of some modification without material departure from the principles and spirit of the invention, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a ladder, the combination of a body, props pivotally connected thereto,a hand-rail carried by the body and adapted to be raised and lowered, mechanism for moving the props away from each other and means controlled by said prop-moving mechanism for holding the hand-rail in raised position, substantially each pivotally connected at one end to one of the props and provided with a pin, the levers being pivotally connected and provided with hook-like parts for engagement with said pins to stop the levers against pivotal movement when the props are forced apart, substantially as set forth.

4. In a ladder, the combination of a body, props pivoted thereon, a hand-rail pivotally connected to the body,a bucket-rest also pivotally connected to the body, a cross-bar guided on the props, toggle-links connecting the cross-bar to the hand-rail and bucket-rest,- and means for holding said cross-bar against movement, substantially as set forth.

5. In a ladder, the combination of a body, props pivoted thereon, a hand-rail pivotally connected to the body,a bucket-rest also pivotally connected to the body, a cross-bar guided on the props, toggle-links connecting the cross-bar to the handrail and bucket-rest, means for forcing the props away from each other, and a device controlled by said means and arranged to hold said cross-bar against movement on the props, substantially as set forth.

6. In a ladder, the combination of a body, props pivoted thereon, a hand-rail pivotally connected to the body,a bucket-rest also pivotally connected to the body, a cross-bar guided on the props and having heads at its ends, toggle-links connected, respectively, to the handrail and bucket-rest, and held on the ends of the cross-bar between the said heads and the sides of the props, and means for forcing the props away from each other to clamp the links between them and the heads of the cross-bar, substantially as set forth.

7. In a ladder, the combination of a body,

props pivotally connected thereto, a bucket-' rest also pivotally connected to the body, a link having one end pivotally connected to the bucket-restand having its opposite end arranged for sliding engagement with the props to permit the bucket-rest to be moved pivotally upon the body, and means for'holding the link against sliding movement when the bucket-rest is moved in position for use, substantially as setforth.

position,

8. In a ladder, the combination of a body, props pivotally connected thereto, a bucketrest also pivotally connected to the body, a connection between the props and the bucketrest whereby the latter is raised and lowered into and out of position for use when the props are moved pi votally on the body, a link having one end pivotally connected to the bucket-rest and having its opposite end arranged for sliding engagement with the props and means for holding the link against sliding movement when the bucket-rest is moved into position for use, substantially as set forth.

9. In a ladder, the combination of a body, props pivotally connected thereto, a bucketrest also pivotally connected to the body, a connection between the props and the bucketrest whereby the latter is raised and lowered into and out of position for use when the props are moved pivotally on the body, means for forcing the props away from each other, a link connected at one end to the bucket-rest and having its opposite end arranged for sliding engagement with the props and means actuated by the movement of the props away from each other, for holding said link against sliding movement on the props, substantially as set forth.

10. In a ladder, the combination of abody, props pivotally connected thereto, a han d-rail also pivotally connected to the body, a connection between the props and the hand-rail whereby the latter is raised and lowered when the props are moved pivotally on the body, a link having one end pivotally connected to the hand-rail and having its opposite end arranged for sliding engagement with the props, and means for holding the link against sliding movement upon the props when the handrail is raised, substantially as set forth.

11. In a ladder, the combination of a body, props pivotally connected thereto, a hand-rail also pivotally connected to the body, a connection between the props and the hand-rail whereby the latter is raised and lowered when the props are moved pivotally on the body, means for forcing the props away from each other, a link connected at one end to the hand-rail and having its opposite end arranged for sliding engagement with the props, and means actuated by the movement of the props away from each other for holding said link against sliding movement upon the props, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 31st day of July, 1899.

MORITZ EIOHLER.

IIO