An Improved Hinge Joint or Connection, Specially Applicable to Step Ladders or Trustle Steps.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 17th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 29th Mar., 1887.
An Improved Hinge Joint or Connection, Specially Applicable to
Step Ladders or Trustle Steps.
We, JOSEPH SUMMERSCALES and HENRY CROFTS LONGSDON trading under the firm
of W. Summerscales and Sons of Keighley, Yorkshire, Washing Machine Makers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
Our invention has reference to step ladders or trustle steps and consists in the
application thereto of a new and peculiar form of hinge joint that will easily open and
close, and when opened it affords no danger of the joint moving or giving way.
In carrying out our invention we place near the top of the step ladder an ordinary
hinge joint, but at a suitable distance below we place two short arms or links opposite
each other, one on each of the trustles. These links are connected together by a pin
so that when the trustles are closed the links assume an upright position, but when the
trustles are opened out to their full width the links assume a horizontal position with
the joint of the links slightly below the centre of the horizontal line whereby the
trustles of the step ladder could not possibly come any closer together, consequently
there is no fear of the steps collapsing.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.

page_text: Step Ladders or Trustle Steps.
We JOSEPH SUMMERSCALES and HENRY CROFTS LONGSDON, trading under the firm
of W. Summerscales and Sons of Keighley Yorkshire Washing Machine Makers, 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:
Our invention has reference to step ladders or trustle steps, and consists in the
application thereto of a new and peculiar form of hinge-joint which will easily open
and close, and when opened it is impossible for the joint to move or give way.
In carrying out our invention we place near the top of the step ladder an ordinary
hinge-joint but at a suitable distance below we place two short arms or links opposite
each other, one on each of the trustles. These links are connected together by a pin
so that when the trustles are closed the links assume an upright position, but when
the trustles are opened out to their full width the links assume a horizontal position
with the joint of the links slightly below the centre of the horizontal line, whereby the
trustles of the step ladder could not possibly come any closer together, consequently
there is no fear of the steps collapsing.
In order that our invention may be better understood reference is made to the
accompanying sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is front elevation
of a hinged joint constructed according to our invention, such Figure showing position
of the parts when the joint is opened to its full width. Fig. 2. shows the application
of the hinged joint to a step ladder, and Fig. 3. shows position of the several parts of
the hinged joint when the step ladder is closed.
Our improved joint is composed of two arms or legs a and b joined together at
their upper ends by a pin or rivet c whilst the lower end of the said arms are connected
together by two short arms d and e which short arms are also joined together by a
pin or rivet the lengths of the arms d and e and relative positions of the centres g and h
permit the joint to get below the horizontal line, from centres g and consequently
when the step ladder is open as shown in Fig. 2. it is absolutely impossible for the
step ladder to close until the centre fis lifted by the attendant above the horizontal
line.
It will therefore be seen that by the application of our hinged joint to step ladders
and trustle steps, that they will be firm and reliable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
The construction of a hinged joint composed of parts a, b, d, and e, where the centre f
gets below the horizontal line in the manner substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 16th day of February 1887.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.