Improvements in Trolley Supported and Guided Step Ladders.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1994
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trolley Supported and Guided Step Ladders.
•
I, WILLIAM JAMES SUMNER of 13 Franklin Street, in the City of Holyoke,
County of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Manufacturing Superintendent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
:―
The invention relates to trolley supported and guided step ladders which are
more especially available along banks of shelves, the ladder running along across
the fronts of the shelves, it being practicable in these arrangements for a salesman
who is up on the ladder to push or draw the ladder, so that he may, without
descending, reach any tier of shelves within the traverse of the ladder.
The object of this invention is to provide a trolley, or carrier, with which the
ladder is connected, that is of simplified and unusually efficient construction, and
which, while having the freest possible running engagement with the round bar
which constitutes the trolley track, will prevent any lateral or transversal displace-
ment of the carriage from the track, and to furthermore effect such a connection
between the ladder and carrier that the ladder may stand either in an out-of-the-
way disposition vertically at the front of the shelves, or at any downward and
forward inclination at the front thereof.
In carrying out the invention, the track is preferably constituted by a bar of
straight wood, round in cross section, and held in its horizontal position in front of
the upper portions of the shelves by suitable brackets, or lugs, whose connection is
had in such a way as not to embrace, or surround, the track-bar, but to leave, its
top and bottom even and clear of obstructions.
The carriage comprises: Two parallel bars to lie along the rear edges of the
opposite ladder sides, the diagonal tie-bars, or trusses, which unite the said bars,
and upper and lower pairs of rollers which are supported on roller-studs of said
bars and which have transversely curved and flanged rims to embrace the track-bar
to run freely along the latter, and to permit a transverse swinging of the carriage
without cramping its freedom of travel along the track.
In order that the ladder may have its inclination, or the vertical disposition, its
connection with the ladder is such that, while it may always receive support by the
rollers at its bottom resting on the floor, it may have a degree of slide movement
relative to the parallel bars of the carriage and yet the latter can never get away
from the carriage, although the disengagement may be purposely effected, as
required.
Dated this 16th day of April 1894.
WILLIAM JAMES SUMNER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trolley Supported and Guided Step Ladders.
1, WILLIAM JAMES SUMNER, of 13 Franklin Street, in the City of Holyoke,
County of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Manufacturing Superintendent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to trolley supported and guided step ladders which are
more especially available along banks of shelves, the ladder running along across
the fronts of the shelves;-it being practicable in these arrangements for a salesman
who is up on the ladder to push or draw the ladder so that he may, without
descending, reach any tier of shelves within the traverse of the ladder.
The object of this invention is to provide a trolley, or carrier, with which the
ladder is connected, that is of simplified and unusually efficient construction, and
which, while having the freest possible running engagement with the round bar
which constitutes the trolley track, will prevent any lateral or transversal displace-
ment of the carriage from the track, and to furthermore effect such a connection
between the ladder and carrier that the ladder may stand either in an out-of-the-
way disposition vertically at the front of the shelves, or at any downward and
forward inclination at the front thereof.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which,-
Figure 1 is a side view of the ladder, and carriage as in engagement with the
track which is seen in cross section.
Figure 2 is a rear view of the ladder and track, and vertical sectional view of
the bracket pieces, or lugs, which support the track.
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3, taken on a larger scale.
In carrying out the invention, the track is preferably constituted by a bar, a, of
straight wood, round in cross section, and held in its horizontal position in front of
the upper portions of the shelves by suitable brackets, or lugs, b, whose connection
is had in such a way as not to embrace, or surround, the track-bar, but to leave its
top and bottom even and clear of obstructions.
The brackets may be constituted by blocks of wood against the outer edges of
which the track is set, while screws pass through the track, and said block and into
the shelving, as seen in Figure 3. The corners of the bracket-blocks next to the
track are chamfered off as seen at 6, so as not to unnecessarily obstruct the
track-way.
The carriage, D, comprises :-Two parallel bars, d, d, to lie along the rear edges
of the opposite ladder sides, a, the diagonal tie-bars, or trusses, f, f, which are
bolted to and unite the said' bars, and upper and lower pairs of rollers, g, g, and h, h,,
which are supported on roller-studs, i, of said bars, d, and which have transversely
curved and flanged rims to embrace the track-bar to run freely along the latter,
and to permit a transverse swinging of the carriage without cramping its freedom
of travel along the track.
In order that the ladder may have its inclination, or the vertical disposition,
which different positions are shown or indicated in Figure 1, its connection with
the ladder is such that, while it may always receive support by the rollers at its
bottom, which rest on the floor, it may have a degree of slide movement relative to
the parallel bars, d, d, of the carriage, and yet the latter can never accidentally
get away from the carriage, although the disengagement may be purposely effected,
as required.
The sliding engagement of the bars of the carriage relative to the side members
of the ladder is effected by means of the metallic plates, j, which are screwed, or
otherwise affixed, to the outer faces of the ladder sides and which have the

page_text: angularly turned lugs,,, which overlie the rear faces of the upright bars, d, of
the carriage.
The studs, i, i, projected rearwardly from the upright bars, d, d, of the carriage,
have the shoulders and attenuated portions, i, on which latter the rollers are
journalled; the outer ends of the said attenuated portions of the studs are upset, ns
seen, to prevent the displacement of the rollers.
Each concave rimmed roller of the upper pair, g, g, has but one flange, g³, to
overlie a portion of the outer or front face of the track, while each concave-rimmed
roller of the lower pair has but one flange, h³, which overlies a portion of the rear
face of the track.
By the formation and arrangement of the rollers of the carriage, substantially
as described and shown, in combination with the ladder having the manner of
engagement with the carriage as set forth and illustrated, the ladder, (with its
bottom by its rollers, m, always at rest on the floor,) may have either the vertical
out-of-the-way position seen in full lines, in Figure 1, or any suitable inclined
position, it always retaining its same relation to the carriage, which latter while
having a lateral swinging engagement with the track may not be disengaged
therefrom, although in whatever position, or inclination, the ladder and carriage
are the latter will always run imost freely and without cramp, bind, or undue
friction along the track.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what I
claim, is :-
:―
1. The combination with the round track, a, of the carriage having at its side
upper and lower pairs of rollers with flanges which overlie the opposite sides of the
track, and the ladder having a sliding engagement with the carriage and provided
at its bottom with rollers, substantially as described.
2. The combination with the round track, a, of the carriage consisting of the
upright bars, d, d, with the studs, i, i, and the uniting cross braces, f, f, the
rollers, 9, 9 and h, h, mounted on said studs and having flanges which embrace
the track at opposite sides, the ladder arranged with the rear edges of its sides
against the said carriage uprights, and the plates, j, with angle lugs, , which hold
said bars and ladder sides against separation, substantially as described.
3. The combination with the casing, or support, having the forwardly extending
bracket lugs, b, b, of the round track-bar and the screws passing transversely
through said bar and into the bracket lugs, the carriage comprising the upright
bars, d, d, and the cross-braces, f, f, and rearwardly mounted flanged rollers which
embrace the track, the ladder and means for holding the same to sliding engagement
with the carriage, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the upright bars, d, d, with the rearwardly projected
shouldered roller studs, the cross-braces, f, f, uniting said bars, d, d, and the rollers
set on said studs and having the concave rims with the flanges, 9' and h³, of the
round track, b, the ladder and means for holding the ladder to sliding engagement
with the said bars, d, d, of the carriage, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of October 1894.
WILLIAM JAMES SUMNER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.