US665780A

US665780A - Ladder-brace.

Info

Publication number: US665780A
Application number: US1856300A
Authority: US
Inventors: Melville P Hayward
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1900-05-31
Filing date: 1900-05-31
Publication date: 1901-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1918-01-08

Description

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

MELVILLE P. HAYWARD, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

LADDER-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,780, dated January 8, 1901.

Application filed May 31, 1900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVILLE P. HAYWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Norfolk and State of ll/Iassachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladder-Braces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for bracing or strengthening ladders, one object being to securely brace a ladder of any length by simple and eective means adapted to be operated from lthe ground or at a point near the foot of the ladder.

A further object of the invention is to secure bracing devices to a ladder in a manner not to interfere with the convenient use or transportation of the ladder or in any wise weaken its construction.

The characteristic features of the invention and its details will be fully described hereinafter and defined in the appended claim, in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the inner surface of one side of a ladder with my improvements applied thereto, the rungs of the ladder being shown in section; and Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same with the rungs broken away.

The reference-numeral l designates one of the side bars of a ladder, and 2 the rungs thereof.

The mechanism hereinafter described in connection with one side of a ladder will be duplicated at the other side thereof; but a description of one will sufce for both.

3 designates a Wire cable secured at its upper end to a metallic strap 4, bolted to the inner side of the bar 1 and formed with an eye 5 to receive the cable. The lower end of the cable is secured to an eyebolt 6, supported within a casing 7, bolted to the inner side of the ladder near its lower end and attached to one end of a coil-spring 8. The eyebolt 6 extends through a stationary plate or partition 9 and below the latter is provided with a nut 10, by means of which the slack of the cable is adjusted. Normally the cable is drawn inward by the spring 8 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and its distention t-o the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 is Serial No. 18,563. CNO mOdeL) eected by means of a brace-arm 11, which is pivotally supported upon the side bar 1 of the ladder, at a point midway the length of the ladder, by a plate 12, from which projects a pivot 13. The outer end of the arm 11 carries a pulley 14, pivotally secured to the arm and provided with a loop 15, which serves as a guard to prevent the cable from slipping off of the pulley when the brace-arm is in folded or closed position.

16 designates a lever fulcrumed upon a pin projecting from a plate 17, secured to the inner side of the ladder above the casing 7. This lever 16 is connected by a rod 18 with the brace-arm 11, and the raising and lowering of the lever operates to raise and lower said arm, as is clearly illustrated by full and dotted lines in Fig. 1. On opposite sides of the fulcrum of the lever clasps 19 and 2O are provided to hold the lever in either of its positions.

The utility and operation of the invention will be clear from the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, and it will be apparent that the cable serves as a strong brace or truss, reinforcing and strengthening the ladder.

I would have it understood that the invention is not restricted to all of the details shown and that I reserve the right to make alterations in the pivotal supports of the bracearm and lever and the other minor details without departing from the scope of the invention.

While I have described this device asprovided with a cable, it is obvious that a chain or any other suitable flexible device may be employed, if desired, in lieu thereof.

Although the brace is particularly adapted for single ladders, it will be understood that the same is equally as effective when used upon the sections of a sectional or extension ladder.

The combination with a ladder, of bracing devices,comprisin ga cable secured at one end on the inner side of the side bar of the ladder above the longitudinal center thereof, an eyebolt supported adjustably at the other side of the longitudinal center of the ladder, and having the lower end of the cable secured thereto; a spring secured to said eyebolt for In t-esbimonywhereof I affix my signature retracnin'g the cable; and means for distendin' presence of two Witnesses. ing said cable consisting of a brace-arm pivotally secured centrally between the ends of MELVILLE P' HAYWARD 5 the cable; a lever fulerumed upon the ladder Witnesses:

below the brace-arm, and a rod connecting MARY R`- LYONS,

said lever amd brace-arms. HENRY P. HAYWARD.