A COMBINED TRUCK AND LADDER
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A COMBINED
TRUCK AND LADDER" a communication to me from abroad by John C. Lowen of
Titusville in the County of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Gentleman, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in that class of trucks which
are convertible into step ladders. Heretofore these combined trucks and ladders
have been constructed by hinging the standards to the underside of the side bars
of the truck, near the upper ends of said side bars, and connecting said standards
near their lower ends with the truck by a hinged brace. By this construction the
standards could not fall automatically into position, and the truck could not rest on
its nose but on its wheels.
In the truck of this Invention the side bars may be made in the usual manner
but the cross bars which may be made of any desired width and be mortised into
or otherwise attached to the side bars, are set obliquely in direction of their width
or depth to the side bars, to give a horizontal or approximately horizontal position
to them when the device is adjusted for use as a stepladder. The edges of said
cross-bars or steps are or may be made concave, to provide for the device when
used as a truck, carrying barrels and like-shaped articles free from all risk of their
rolling off.
The standards are connected with the truck near its handle ends on the sides of
the side bars and fitted to swing, where connected, on the outer ends of a cross-rod,
arranged to project through the side bars. These standards are made of the
required length, so that when adjusted or spread out they will form the necessary
support when the truck is converted into a step ladder. They are united at a
suitable distance from their free ends by a metal brace, that not only serves to
stiffen them, but when said standards are closed against the side bars, also forms &
guard for the forward or lower part of the truck. A slot is made in the upper end

page_text: of each standard or leg, through which the cross rod or pivot projects. The slots,
when the truck is adjusted to form a step ladder, provide for the standards sliding
upward on the ends of the rod and firmly entering or engaging by a pin or
otherwise with any suitable locking device which may either be an angular socket
or a toothed disc and which serve to firmly hold or lock the standards or legs in
position when the whole device is used as a step ladder.
The ladder as formed by or in connection with the truck, is much easier moved
from place to place than if a separate structure, it being conveyed to the place
needed in the form of a truck, and by simply tipping the truck forward on its
nose-iron the standards swing outward, and when resting on the floor adjust them-
selves to form the back props of a step ladder, which the truck is then converted
into. A person may then ascend the ladder, take down the goods to be transported,
descend the ladder, and with one hand reverse the combination, so that the whole
device simply constitutes a truck again which can be moved away with the
goods.
The motion necessary for conversion of the one device into another, it will be
observed is an automatic one. The standards or legs not only lock when extended
with the side bars of the truck through the locking devices provided for the
purpose, but the slots in them provide for the automatic disengagement of the legs
or standards with the locking devices when the whole device is handled or tilted
to reconvert it from a step ladder to a truck, and drop back to their places by the
side bars where they are arrested by the guard or brace.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A COMBINED
TRUCK AND LADDER" (a communication to me from abroad by John C. Lowen of
Titusville, in the County of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, United States of
America,) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
.
This Invention consists in certain improvements in that class of trucks which
are convertible into step ladders, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.
Heretofore these combined trucks and ladders have been constructed by hinging

page_text: the standards to the underside of the side bars of the truck near the upper ends
of said side bars aud connecting said standards near their lower ends with the
truck by a hinged brace.
By this construction the standards could not fall automatically into position,
and the truck could not rest on its nose but on its wheels.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
both the figures.
Figure 1 represents a view in perspective of the combined truck and ladder when
adjusted for use as a step ladder, and Figure 2 a like view of the same device when
adjusted for use as a truck.
A A are the side bars of the truck which may be made in the usual manner, and
BB are its cross bars which may be made of any desired width and be mortised
into or otherwise attached to the side bars, but which are set obliquely in direction
of their width or depth to the side bars, to give a horizontal or approximately
horizontal position to them when the device is adjusted for use as a step ladder as
shown in Figure 1. The edges b of said cross bars or steps are or may be made
concave to provide for the device when used as a truck as shown in Figure 2,
carrying barrels and like shaped articles free from all risk of their rolling off.
C, C, are the wheels. D D the feet, and E the nose iron, of the truck, all of
which may be as ordinarily constructed and used on hand trucks.
F F are standards connected with the truck near its handle ends on the sides of
the side bars A A and fitted to swing where connected on the outer ends of a cross
rod c arranged to project through the side bars.
These standards are made of the required length so that when adjusted or spread
out they will form the necessary support when the truck is converted into a step
ladder as shown in Figure 1. They are united at a suitable distance from their
free ends by a metal brace G that not only serves to stiffen them but when said
standards are closed against the side bars A, A also forms a guard for the forward
or lower part of the truck. A slot is made in the upper end of each standard
or leg F through which the cross rod or pivot c projects. These slots when the
truck is adjusted to form a step ladder, provide for the standards sliding upward
on the ends of the rod c and firmly entering or engaging by a pin or otherwise
with any suitable locking device H which may either be an angular socket as shown.
in figure 1 or a toothed disc as shown in figure 2 and which serve to firmly hold or
lock the standards or legs F F in position when the whole device is used as a step
ladder.
The ladder, as formed by or in connection with the truck, is much easier moved
from place to place than if a separate structure, it being conveyed to the place
needed in the form of a truck, and by simply tipping the truck forward on its
nose-iron E, the standards F swing outward and when resting on the floor adjust
themselves to form the back props of a step ladder, which the truck is then
converted into. A person may then ascend the ladder, take down the goods to be
transported, descend the ladder and with one hand reverse the combination so that
the whole device simply constitutes a truck again which can be moved away with
the goods.
The motion necessary for conversion of the one device into another, it will
be observed is an automatic one. The standards or legs F not only lock when
extended with the side bars of the truck through the locking devices provided
for the purpose, but the slots & in them provide for the automatic disengagement
of the legs or standards with the locking devices H when the whole device is
handled or tilted to reconvert it from a step ladder to a truck and drop back to
their places by the side bars, A A where they are arrested by the guard or
brace G.
The whole device can be manufactured at very little more expense than an
ordinary truck and by it a step ladder can always be found when needed,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination with the truck having cross braces B, of the side standards F
pivoted to the sides of the bars A, and provided near their lower ends with cross piece G,
extending across the upper side of the truck as shown for holding the standards
in place and serving also as a guard for the lower or forward end of the truck
frame, whereby when the truck is raised on its nose, the standards will auto-
matically swing outward, substantially as described.
2. The combination with the sides A of an ordinary truck having cross braces B,
of the standards F extensibly pivoted to the sides A near their upper or forward
ends and a locking device H secured to the sides A above or in rear of the pivots
of the standards, whereby when the truck is raised on its nose, the standards will
automatically swing outward and into engagement with the locking devices,
substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with an ordinary truck having cross braces B, of the
standards F slotted at d, and pivoted to the rod c, at the upper or rear end of
the truck as shown, a locking device consisting of a socket plate secured to the
sides of the truck above or in rear of rod c and the cross brace G connected to
the lower or forward end of the standard and adapted to rest on the upper
surface of the truck when folded, all constructed and arranged substantially as
set forth.
4. The combination in a truck with the side bars A of braces B uniting them
and placed at such an inclination that when the truck is turned over and rested on
its nose E, to be used as a ladder, the said braces will be in a horizontal or nearly
horizontal position and form convenient steps, substantially as herein shown and
described.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1885.
A. M. CLARK.
By A. M. & W¤ Clark,
Patent Agents,
53, Chancery Lane, London.