Foot Adjustment for Ladders and other similar Articles.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 24th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 26th July, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Foot Adjustment for Ladders and other similar Articles.
THOMAS MONK of 84 King Edwards Road, Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick Toolmaker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to rung ladders, step ladders and other similar articles, and
has for its object a method of, and apparatus for adjusting the perpendicularity of
ladders to suit any incline or gradient upon which the ladder may be resting.
It often happens for instance in a street where there is a very steep gradient, or
unlevel ground, that when a ladder is reared against a structure, one of its feet is off
the ground to the extent of the gradient or unevenness of the ground, and therefore
would not rest firm. To overcome the consequent danger of this, such foot is generally
packed" up with any material nearest at hand. This is however dangerous as such
packing," may unconciously be kicked therefrom or otherwise removed. This
adjustment of mine however obviates these dangers and is ever ready at hand.
Upon the (inside) of the foot of the ladder &c., I attach what is very similar to a
sliding bolt, having a steel point; this bolt works in a guide or guides which is or are
attached to or form part of a plate, by which it is screwed to the foot of the ladder.
In one of these guides I tap a hole to receive a steel screw pin, the point of which
presses against the said bolt, and secures it in any desired position, or I may secure
the bolt in any other convenient manner. Thus the point of this bolt may be
protruded beyond the foot (proper) of the ladder to any required distance to suit the
irregularity of the ground, and there secured; thus maintaining the perpendicularity
of the said ladder. Or when the ladder is resting upon level ground it will serve
equally well for the prevention of slipping.
Deted this 92nd das of Santamber 1886
1
CHARLES T. POWELL,
4, Cherry Street, Biriningham,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Foot Adjustment for Ladders and other similar Articles.
I THOMAS MONK of 84 King Edwards Road Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick Toolmaker 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:-
This invention relates to rung ladders, step ladders and other similar articles, and
has for its object a method of, and apparatus for adjusting the perpendicularity of
ladders to suit any incline or gradient upon which the ladder may be resting.
It often happens for instance in a street where there is a very steep gradient or
unlevel ground, that when a ladder is reared against a structure, one foot is off the
ground to the extent of the gradient or unevenness of the ground, and therefore would
not rest firm. To overcome the consequent danger of this, such foot is generally
packed" up with any material nearest at hand. This is, however, dangerous, as
such "packing" may unintentionally be kicked therefrom, or otherwise removed.
This adjustment of mine, however obviates these dangers and is ever ready at hand.
Upon the (inside) of the foot of the ladder &c I attach what is very similar to a
sliding bolt, having a steel point, this bolt works in a guide or guides which is, or
attached to or form part of a plate, by which it is secured to the foot of the ladder.
In one of these guides I tap a hole to receive a steel screw pin, the point of which
presses against the said bolt, and secures it in any desired position, or, I may secure the
bolt in any other convenient manner. Thus the point of this bolt may be protruded
beyond the foot (proper) of the ladder to any required distance to suit the irregularity.
of the ground, and there secured, thus maintaining the perpendicularity of the said
ladder. Or when the ladder is resting upon level ground it will serve equally well for
the prevention of slipping.
In order to make more clear this my invention, I have appended hereunto an
illustrative sheet of drawings, upon which are figures and letters of reference, like
letters referring throughout the several views to the same thing or part.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the adjusting arrangement, according to my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of a modified form of this adjusting arrangement.
Fig. 4 is a plan of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 shews its application to an ordinary form of ladder.
a, is a sliding bolt having a steel point 6, and working in guides c, c', which said
guides are formed upon or attached to the plate d. At e I provide a screw pin
passing through the boss f. At g, g, g', &c. I form holes or notches to receive the
point or end of the screw pin e.
Several other methods of securing the bolt a in adjusted positions may be adopted,
such as ratchet teeth formed upon its side or face, having a pawl to act therein, or, in

page_text: some instances a cotter pin driven by the side or in front of the said bolt, but
preferably, as being the handiest and safest I should adopt the method illustrated.
Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification of the construction of this my invention in
which the bolt a, with steel point b, is of the screw form, and made thereby to assume
any adjusted position required. In this case only one guide c, is required."
In Fig. 5 it will be seen that the arrangement of Figs. 1 & 2, is illustrated but
it will be clear, that the modification Figs. 3 & 4 can be readily substituted therefor.
This contrivance may be secured to the foot of the ladder, either upon the inside or
upon the outside, and may have one on each foot if desired.
Thus it will be now readily seen that should a ladder be used where the ground is
sloping, or otherwise uneven, the ladder itself may be put upright, and the bolt
protruded beyond the foot off the ground, to that extent, so that the ladder may have
an equal bearing or footing upon each side.
At other times, even when the ground may be oven, but slippery, as upon stones,
bricks, or other prepared pavements, or in frosty weather, the ladder would be liable
to slip; such liability, however, is very much reduced if not entirely obviated by the
use of this my invention, because the point of the bolt a, being steel will take hold
in any crevice, where the ordinary foot of the ladder would not, or in some instances
the point of the bolt would penetrate such pavement sufficient to provent slipping.
I may make this my invention of any suitable metal, but generally I should make it
of wrought, or malleable cast iron, or partly of each.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim in a foot adjustment for ladders and other similar articles is :-
1st. The use of a sliding bolt, working in a guide or guides, and secured in an
adjusted position by a separate screw pin, or by a screw thread being formed upon
itself, or by other convenient method.
2nd. The combination and arrangement of foot adjustment, illustrated in Figs. 1 & 2,
that is to say, of a plain sliding bolt, passing through guides, with set screw
passing into holes or notches upon the bolt, as and for the purposes specified.
3rd. The combination and arrangement of foot adjustment illustrated in Figs. 3 & 4,
that is to say, of a screwed sliding bolt, passing through a guide or guides, as and
for the purposes specified.
Datad this 2nd lov at lung 1887
CHARLES T. POWELL,
4. Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Applicant's Agent.