Folding Ladder.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 11tn Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Folding Ladder.
I, AUGUST ENGELSMANN, of Sennefelderstrasse 6 Stuttgart, in the Empire of
Germany, Engineer, 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 :-
The subject of the application for Patent, under notice is a ladder constructed:
so as to be used either as a self supporting or step ladder or as a lean-to ladder,
and to occupy the smallest space when folded up, thereby possessing great
advantages.
The annexed sheet of drawings shews a ladder constructed according to this.
invention, in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation, Figure 2 a side view, and Figure 3 a back view.
Figure 4 shews the ladder in its shut up state.
Figure 5 is a section of the lower front portion of the ladder.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are three different modes of fitting the rungs.
The front part of the ladder represented in Figure 1 principally consists of the
two side members A B of any desired outward form. These members A B have
deep longitudinal grooves on their inner sides. In these longitudinal grooves, the
movable rungs S, S' S2 S3 and S' are fitted hinged at their ends by means of pins
going through the ends of the rungs and the (side) cheeks of the side members of
the ladder. The lower ends of the side members A B are bent slightly outwards,.
in order to obtain a broader and securer base. When the two side members of the
ladder are pushed together parallelogramically, the rungs lie flat on the inside of
the grooves in the side members, with their ends one over the other, so that in this.
state the ladder-the lower, protruding, end of one of the side members, and the
upper, protruding, end of the other, being of double width,-takes the form of a
bar, as in Figure 4, and therefore stows in the smallest space.
In this form the ladder is applicable to all purposes of a lean-to ladder. In.
order to be applicable as a self-supporting or step ladder, it is provided behind
with a support as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, which can be folded together with the
ladder when not in use.
The arrangement which serves as a support for the ladder, consists of the two.
side members a b, which are connected with the side members A B of the ladder,..
at the top by means of hinges s, also the upper and lower cross-pieces d d which.
are fastened at the ends, turnable on pins, to the side members a b, as shewn in the
drawing. In order to give the ladder more stability when being set up, diagonal
bars c care provided, the lower ends of which are fastened on to the side.
members a b turnable round pins, and the upper ends, when the bars are in the
diagonal position, are fixed by means of thumb screws or nuts b¹ and a¹.
At the upper horizontal cross-piece d, there is attached, by means of hinges el el
a board e, which may be used either as the top step of the ladder, or else for
putting articles of any description on, when the ladder is in use.
In order to further secure the ladder when opened out, there is provided on the
lowest rung S (as shewn in Figure 5) a hook k, and the lower part of side-
member B bears a flat spring f, in which there is a slit at the upper end, into-
which the hook k takes when the rung S is in a horizontal position. In order to
release this hook, press down the protruding lever H, whereby it presses with its.
arm h against the spring f, and lifts it off the snap-hook k.

page_text: The rungs of the ladder may be fitted and formed in various ways, namely,
either as flat narrow steps, such as shewn in Figure 6, or of a stronger form,
sloping on top to correspond to the position of the ladder, as shewn in Figure 7, or
else of a cylindrical form as shewn in Figure 8. In all cases the rungs must have
turned pivots at the ends, provided with metal bands, ii and be pierced through
for the hinging pin in the side members of the ladder.
The ladder may be made of any suitable material, such as wood, metal, etcetera.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A step ladder consisting of a step or rung portion, and legs, hinged together,
both the step and rung portion and legs being adapted to fold together, substantially
as set forth; both about the leg hinges and laterally.
2. The double folding step ladder having its parts arranged, constructed, and
adapted to operate, substantially as set forth with reference to and shewn in the
drawings.
3. In a step ladder of the kind herein described and claimed in the above
claiming clauses, the particular construction of parts of such ladder set forth with
reference to and shewn in the drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this 17th day of January 1896.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.