Improvements in Step-ladders.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
Improvements in Step-ladders.
I, STANLEY ASHER COHEN, of No. 222 West 14th Street, in the City,
County and State of New York, in the United States of America, Manufacturer,
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 :-
My invention relates particularly to a step-ladder having a platform adapted to
support a workman, and has for its main object to provide a simple and strong
structure of this class, and one in which the platform is so arranged relatively to
the ladder proper and its supporting frame as that it is automatically brought to
working position when the structure is opened out, and when in such position is
firmly sustained and affords an extensive bridge for the workman whereby he is
enabled to cover or reach over a comparatively large area without descending from
the ladder and re-adjusting its position, a desideratum readily recognized by
painters, plasterers, paper hangers, window cleaners, and the like.
My invention consists in the various feitures of construction and combinations
of devices hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a step-ladder embodying my improvements in its
opened out or working condition.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same when in a folded or non-working
condition, the upper portion being broken away and made partly in section in
order to more clearly disclose the construction and arrangement of the parts at this
locality, and
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the ladder when in the folded condition shown at
Figure 2.
In the several views the same part will be found designated by the same numeral
of reference.
1 designates the ladder portion proper, 2 the supporting frame, and 3 the
platform. The ladder portion consists as usual of sides 4, which may be slotted
longitudinally as at 5, and to which sides the steps 6 are secured in the well-known
manner. At the upper end of the ladder portion is secured a top board or step 7
to which the platform 3 is attached at one end by means of a hinge or pivot 8.
The opposite or free end of the platform is adapted to rest upon a cross-piece 9
secured to the ladder support 2. A transverse bar or stop 10 is provided at the free
end of the platform to prevent the platform from falling down between the ladder
portion 1 and the supporting portion 2 when the ladder is opened out, and hence
also for maintaining the platform in a condition such that when the structure is
closed the platform will swing or drop down on the outside of the supporting
frame, which is very desirable inasmuch as by this provision it is insured that the
platform shall automatically assume a working position when the two main parts of
the structure are separated or spread apart. Unlike the ordinary step-ladders
having what is known as pail shelves or platforms, the ladder portion and the
supporting frame are not pivoted or hinged together at their upper ends, and
accordingly when the structure opened out the upper end of the ladder portion
and the upper end of the supporting portion are capable of wide separation, and

page_text: the space thus formed or created between these two portions is automatically
bridged over by the platform as the portions 1 and 2 are spread apart.
The parts 1 and 2 are of course connected together but by means of folding
frames 11 and 12, the frame 11 being pivoted at 13 to the upper portion of the
ladder proper and the frame 12 being pivoted at 14 to the upper portion of the
supporting frame. The connecting frames 11 and 12 at their lower ends are
loosely or slidably. connected to the parts 1 and 2, the frame 11 having eyes 15
adapted to slide along rods 16 on the part 2, and the frame 12 having similar
eyes 17 adapted to slide along rods 18 on the part 1. The frame 11 consists of
two longitudinal strips 19 connected together by cross-pieces 20 and the frame 12
likewise cousists of two longitudinal strips 21 connected together by cross-
pieces 22. The frames 11 and 12 are loosely connected together by a cross-pin or
pivot 23.
One of the side pieces 4 of the ladder is formed or provided with a longitudinal
extension 24, and one of the two side pieces of the supporting frame 20 is likewise
formed or provided with a longitudinal extension 25, to form posts or uprights
which may be grasped by the workman for the purpose of steadying or supporting
himself. In order to provide a further or more extended support and also to
prevent the workman from falling from the platform, I have provided a flexible
hand and guard-rail 26, which as shown consists of a piece of rope connected at its
ends to the upper ends of the extensions 24 and 25.
As shown at Figures 2 and 3, the structure is capable of being folded together
into compact form, and as shown at Figure 1, when the portions 1 and 2 are bodily
pulled apart the platform automatically assumes a horizontal working position as
does also the flexible hand rail. When the parts 1 and 2 are pressed towards each
other to close the ladder the lower ends of the frames 11 and 12 sli le down the
guide wires and the platform rides along the cross-piece until the closure is
completed, when the platforni drops to an approximately vertical position, such as
represented at Figure 2. When the parts 1 and 2 are pulled apart the lower ends
of the frame rise and the platform is lifted by the cross-piece 9, which acts at the
beginning of its outward movement to raise the platform and to support the same
thereafter, as long as the parts 1 and are kept apart.
Of course the platform may be attached to the supporting frame 2 instead of to
the ladder proper, but I prefer the arrangement shown and described.
The lower ends of the connecting frames or bars may be detachably connected to
the parts 1 and 2, instead of being arranged as shown, so that they may be fastened
or latched when the parts 1 and 2 are separated and unfastened when the parts 1
and 2 are to be drawn together.
Various other changes in detail construction and arrangement may be made
without departing from the gist of my improvements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a step-ladder, the combination of the parts 1 and 2, disconnected at their
upper ends so as to be bodily separable thereat by a movement of said ends
outwardly in opposite directions for the creation of a space therebetween, and a
pendent platform attached at one end to the upper end of one of said parts and
arranged to automatically bridge said space when said upper ends are thus bodily
spread apart, as and for the purpose shown and described.
2. In a step-ladder, the combination of the parts 1 and 2 connected together in
a manner such that sail parts may be bodily spread apart at their tops as well as
at their bottoms in the opening out operation of the ladder by a movement of
said parts outwardly in opposite directions, and a platform hinged or pivoted to
the upper end of one of said parts and so arranged as to be capable of being lifted
to a working position by the other of said parts when the two parts are separated.
3. In a step-ladder, the combination of the bodily separable parts 1 and 2,

page_text: pivoted connecting frames which permit said parts 1 and 2 to be moved outwardly
in opposite directions for their entire lengths, and so as to create a comparatively
wide space between the upper ends of the parts 1 and 2, and a platform hinged or
pivoted to the part 1 and adapted to be automatically raised to a working position
by the part 2 by and during the movement of separation of said two parts;
substantially as set forth.
4. In a step-ladder, the combination with the parts 1 and 2, arranged to be
bodily spread apart at their tops as well as at their bottoms in the opening out
operation of the ladder, of a platform hinged or pivoted to one of said parts and
arranged to hang pendant on the outside of the other of said parts and to be
automatically raised thereby by and during the movement necessary to separate the
parts 1 and 2; substantially as set forth.
5. In a step-ladder, the combination of the bodily separable parts 1 and 2, and
the connecting frames pivoted at their upper ends to the parts 1 and 2 and
slidably connected at their lower ends to said parts; substantially as set forth.
6. In a step-ladder, the combination of the separable parts 1 and 2, the platform
pivotally attached to one of said parts and liftable by the other of said parts, and
the connecting bars or frames, pivoted at their upper ends to the parts 1 and 2
and loosely connected at their lower ends to said parts; substantially as set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1897.
FELL & JAMES,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.