Year: 1898

page_text: I, ROBERT KILLIP, of 15, Welfield Place, in the City of Liverpool, Estate Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a ladder in which the rungs shall be formed in
such manner that if the wood breaks there shall yet be a support for the man, and it
consists essentially in combining with the rung a rung of metal preferably steel
embedded in the wooden rung. This can be done in a variety of ways. The
wooden rung can be formed in two halves with a plate between them preferably
arranged vertically. The ends of the plate can be clenched or rivetted over after
passing through the cheeks, or in place of this a single wire or rod can pass
through the centre of the rung the rung in such case preferably not passing quite
through the cheek. Embedded in the cheek in each side is a dish shaped washer
covering the end of the rung and a part of the surrounding wood of the cheek.
This washer is formed dish shaped or concave in order that its outside edge may
press into the cheek and thus prevent the weather from entering. A head and nut
or two nuts hold the whole tight. The rod is preferably rivetted over the nut
when the nut has been screwed tight. Both nut and washer are arranged
preferably so that they hardly project beyond the surfaces of the cheek conse-
quently when the hand moves up or down the outside of the check it is not
impeded or scratched by any projection.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool.
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
I, ROBERT KILLIP, of 15, Welfield Place, in the City of Liverpool, Estate Agent,
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 has for its object a ladder in which the rungs shall be formed.
in such a manner that if the wood break, there shall yet be a support, in or through
every rung and it consists essentially in combining with the rung, a rung of
metal, preferably of steel, embedded in the wooden rung. This can be done in
a variety of wave.

page_text: The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 shows the portion of a ladder, a part of which is in section;
Figure 2, a face view of the nut or washer.
The wooden rungs can be formed in two halves with a plate between them,
preferably arranged vertically, and the ends of the plate can be clenched or
rivetted over after passing through the cheeks. In place of this a single wire or
rod can pass through the centre of the rung. This latter is the arrangement I
prefer, and is the one shown in the accompanying drawings, in which A are the
rungs of the ladder, B the cheeks. The rungs are made in one piece, bored through
the centre, and a metal wire or rod C preferably of steel passed through the
same, the ends projecting through the cheeks B. The wooden rungs pass through
the cheeks of the ladder or if preferred only partly through the cheeks, but the
metal wire or rod C passes entirely through the wooden rungs from end to end
and projects a certain distance beyond the cheeks on each side. Embedded in
the cheeks B at each side is a nut or washer 1) covering the end of the rung and
a portion of the surrounding wood of the cheek. This washer is preferably formed
dish shaped or concave in order that its outside edge may press into the cheek B
and thus prevent the weather from entering. The ends of the wire or rod are
threaded and a hole in this nut or washer similarly threaded, so that it can be
screwed thereon and tightened up by inserting a suitable formed wrench
in the holes E. These holes are then closed with white lead to prevent
the weather from entering. If preferred however, this washer may be formed
as a plate passing from end to end of the cheeks on each side with the ends
of the rods passing through holes in same, a nut on each end of the rods holding
the whole tight. The rods at their ends are preferably rivetted over the nut.
When the nuts have been screwed tight and the cheeks shrunk, all that is necessary
is to tighten up the nuts and again rivet, thus cramping the cheeks together. Both
nut and washer are arranged preferably so that they do not project far beyond
the surface of the cheek, consequently when the hand is moved up or down the
outside of the checks, it is not impeded or scratched by any projection.
The wooden rungs may if desired be formed in halves and grooved for the rod
to pass through or be embedded therein, or the wooden rungs may be formed
in halves and a plate preferably arranged vertically between the two halves. The
end of this metal plate can be clenched or rivetted over after passing through the
cheeks, or through the plate embedded in the outer side of the check or cheeks,
or the end of this vertical plate may be fastened by a nut. It is obvious also that
the invention may be applied to existing ladders, and thus where ladders are
required to be repaired the old rungs may be taken out and new rungs, made
in accordance with my invention, fitted thereto. Thus my invention provides a
ladder which will form a firm and safe footing for any person standing thereon,
and also at the same time binding and preserving the ladder in such a way as
to make it more firm and reliable and lasting.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The improvement in ladders, which consists in combining with each wooden
rung, a rung of metal preferably steel embedded in the wooden rung or passed
through a hole bored through the centre thereof, and secured at the ends to the
cheek by washers, nuts, rivetting or otherwise, whereby a ladder is provided with
a much firmer and safer footing than hitherto, and which is bound and tied in
such a way as to make it firm and reliable, substantially as described.
2. In ladders in which there is combined with each wooden rung, a rung of
metal passing entirely through the wooden rungs from end to end and projecting
a certain distance beyond the cheeks on each side, in combination with nuts
concave or otherwise screwed on the ends of said metal rungs, (with or without

page_text: metal plates or washers) and so arranged as to exclude the weather, substantially
as described.
3. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved, ladder substantially as described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham & London.