Improvements in Trestles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date claimed for Patent under Sect. 103 of Act,
being date of first. Foreign Application (in -8th June, 1891.
United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 7th Jan., 1892.
Complete Specification Left, 22nd July, 1892-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1892.
Improvements in Trestles.
I. MELVIN BATCHLOR CHURCH, of Grand Rapids, Kent County, State of
Michigan, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates particularly to the construction of the trestle in which the
legs are removable, and my object has been to provide a simple and economical
trestle, for the use of plasterers, lathers, and other artisans, and to combine, with
simplicity and cheapness of construction, strength, durability, and facility in
putting up and taking.down.
The body of the trestle is composed of a top piece (which may form a foot
board) which rests directly upon and is fixed to a truss piece, which is preferably
thin and deep, being in the form of a board. The top piece may also be sustained
by brackets. On the under side of the top piece are sockets which are fitted to
easily receive the upper ends of the legs. The sockets are inclined away from
the truss piece to correspond to the required divergence of the legs. The sockets
are formed in blocks or castings secured beneath the top piece and against the
truss piece.
purpose hereinafter
In order to spread the legs and to provide fulcrums for the
explained, I have formed the vertical portions of the casting wedge-shaped; the
outer surface of each being grooved, the grooves being inclined and registering
with the sockets to give rigid longitudinal bracing. The castings or blocks are
back to back with the truss piece interposed between them. The upper ends of
the legs are placed in the grooves and sockets and have the same longitudinal as
well as lateral inclination, as is usual with trestle.legs. After being placed in the
sockets, the legs of each pair are drawn together so as to put them under isome
tension and to cause the upper ends to bind in the socket and grooves, and they
are thus secured in this position by positive connections and are held by the
tension. This may conveniently be made of rope or cord of suitable strength.
The rope is attached to one of a pair of legs and is passed directly through a hole
in the opposite leg to which it is attached by any suitable slip knot.. The tension
or spring of the legs held together as described binds the upper ends in the
sockets, and renders the whole structure secure. The springing of the legs enables
me to use a flexible connection between the pairs of legs, such as a cord, as very
little pressure is necessary to spring the legs out of the normal plane thereof, and
thus the legs are caused to bind in the sockets of the top piece and the connection
is held under tension by the spring of the legs. The unlocking of the strings is
sufficient to release the legs and they may then be readily removed. I may use
other connections instead of the ropes; such connections readily suggesting them-
selves to the skilled workman. Instead of the sockets, which have the foot board
of the top piece as their bottom, I may make inclined holes in the foot board of
the top piece in the same positions as the sockets, except that the holes of each
pair are set out of the transverse line so that the upper ends of the legs project

page_text: above the top piece and may pass each other. By this construction the height
of the trestle may be varied, for which purpose also the legs have a series of
holes adapted to receive studs in the inclined grooves of the castings which assist
in sustaining the vertical strain. In adjusting the legs, the cords are loosened and
the legs are spread apart so as to be disengaged from the studs and after the
required height is reached the legs are drawn together making the appropriate
holes engage the studs and then the legs are secured by the cords.
For this purpose the openings through the foot board of the top piece are made
sufficiently large to allow lateral movement of the upper part of the legs therein
so as to clear the studs when being adjusted, and as at all times I make the legs
fit the openings or sockets loosely, they are very readily adjusted or detached.
The flat foot board is also a desirable feature of the invention as it provides
sufficient foot room under ordinary circumstances for the use of the device without
the addition of other pieces.
A step bar, having suitable studs to enter the openings in the legs, may be
adjusted to proper height for use as a step for the workman, and other steps are
secured to the legs at a point lower down.
top piece
"
It will be understood that the terms ".
refer to the upper structure which extends from one
as used herein are intended to
pair of legs to the other and
through and above which the inclined legs are adjustable, whether said upper
structure include a foot board or not.
Dated this 7th das of January 1000
M. B. CHURCH,
W. H. Beck,
Per G. E. Gunyon,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trestles.
I MELVIN BATCHLOR CHURCH, of Grand Rapids in the County of Kent and
State of Michigan, 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 the construction of a trestle in which the
legs are removable; and my object has been to provide a simple and economical
trestle for the use of plasterers, lathers, and other artisans, and to combine with
simplicity and. cheapness of construction, strength, durability, and facility in
putting up.and taking down.
My said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1. represents the upper part of the trestle in perspective.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same.
Figure 3 shows the trestle folded.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modification complete.
Figure 5 is a detail view of the same..
The body of the trestle is composed of a top piece, shown as a foot-board A
which rests directly upon and is fixed to a truss-piece B, which is preferably thin
and deep, being.in the form of a hoard. The top piece may also be sustained, by
brackets : On the under side of the top, piece are sockets c, which are fitted to
easily receive the upper. ends, of the legs E, as in Figures 1 and 2. The sockets
are inclined away from the truss-piece to correspond to the required divergence of
the legs. The sockets are formed in blocks or castings, secured beneath the top
piece and against the truss-piece. In order to spread the legs and to provide
fulcrums for the purpose. hereinafter explained, I, have formed the vertical portions
of the castings.wedge-shaped, the outer surface of each being grooved, as shown
ath, and the grooves being inclined and registering with the sockets to give rigid

page_text: 5
truss
ongitudinal bracing. The castings. or blocks are back to back with the
iece interposed between them. The upper ends of the legs are placed in the
rooves and sockets and have some longitudinal as well as lateral inclination, as is
sual with trestle legs. After being placed in the sockets the legs of each pair
re drawn together, so as to put them under some tension and to cause the upper
nds to bind in the socket and grooves, and they are thus secured in this position
by positive connections and are held by the tension. This may be conveniently
nade of rope or cord of suitable strength, as shown at 1. The rope is attached
o one of a pair of legs and is passed directly through a hole in the opposite leg,
to which it is attached by any suitable slip-knot. The tension or spring of the legs
held together as. described binds the upper ends in the sockets and renders the
whole structure secure. The springing of the legs enables me to use a flexible
connection between the pairs of legs, such as cord, as very little pressure is
necessary to spring the legs out of the normal plane thereof, and thus the legs are
caused to bind in the sockets of the top piece, and the connection is held under
tension by the spring of the legs. The unloosening of the strings is sufficient to
release the legs, and they may be then readily removed. I may use other con-
nections instead of the ropes, such connections readily suggesting themselves to the
skilled workman. Instead of the sockets which have the foot board of the top
piece as their bottom, as in Figures 1 and 2, I may make inclined holes in the foot-
board of the top piece, Figures 1 and 2, in the same positions in which the sockets
are shown and registering therewith, except that the holes of each pair are set out
of transverse line, as shown in Figure 4, so that the upper ends of the legs
projecting above the top piece may pass each other. By this construction the
height of the trestle may be varied, for which purpose also the legs have a series
of holes 2, adapted to receive studs 3 in the inclined grooves of the castings, which
assist in sustaining the vertical strain. In adjusting the legs the cords are
loosened and the legs are spread apart, so as to be disengaged from the studs; and
after the required height is reached the legs are drawn together, making the
appropriate holes engage the studs, and then the legs are secured by the cords.
For this purpose the openings through the foot-board of the top piece are made
sufficiently large to allow lateral movement of the upper part of the legs therein,
so as to clear the studs when being adjusted, and as at all times I make the legs fit
the socket or openings loosely they are very readily adjusted or detached. The
flat foot-board is also a desirable feature of the invention, as it provides sufficient
foot room under ordinary circumstances for the use of the device without the
addition of any other pieces.
A step-bar L, having suitable studs to enter the openings in the legs, may be
adjusted to proper height for use as a step for the workman, and other steps l are
secured to the legs at points lower down.
It will be understood that the term "top piece
37
as used hereinbefore, is intended
to refer to the upper structure, which extends from one pair of legs to the other,
and through and above which the inclined legs are adjustable, whether said upper
structure includes a foot-board or not.
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. A trestle consisting of a top piece provided with inclined sockets or holes,
legs removably fitted thereto, inclining outwardly therefrom, and independent
50 straining-cords between the legs of each pair for springing said legs together and
binding their upper ends in the sockets or holes.
2. A trestle consisting of a top piece comprising a truss-piece and a foot-board
arranged horizontally upon the truss-piece, inclined sockets or holes carried by or
formed in the top piece, legs removably fitted thereto, and independent straining-
55 cords between the legs of each pair for springing the legs together, substantially as
described.

page_text: 3. In combination; a top piece, castings secured thereto having inclined sockets,
a stud projecting from the inner face of each casting, legs fitted to said castings and l
having openings or recesses adapted to said studs, and straining connections between:
each pair of legs.
4. A trestle consisting of a top piece, castings secured thereto having.sockets-5
open on the front, detachable legs fitted thereto, means located in the sockets for-
preventing slipping of the legs in the sockets, openings in the top piece registering
with the sockets of the castings, of greater extent than the thickness of the legs;
whereby lateral movement of the legs is permitted to free them from the fastening
devices, and straining connections for the legs.
5. A trestle consisting of a top piece comprising a truss-piece and a foot-board"
arranged horizontally upon the truss-piece, castings or blocks secured thereto,
having sockets on one side, detachable legs fitted thereto, means located in the
sockets for preventing slipping of the legs in the sockets, openings in the top piece
registering with the sockets of the castings, of greater extent than the thickness
of the legs, whereby lateral movement of the legs is permitted to free them from
the fastening devices, and a straining cord or cable for the legs, substantially as
described.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1892.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE, Fel. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.