Year: 1886

page_text: I, GEORGE WILLIAM GREEN KNIGHT of 33 Stanley Street, Humberstone Road,
Leicester, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide what may be termed a combination
step ladder or steps having a safety device for holding the steps and the bearers at
the back apart so that the said bearers may be held rigid and may not accidentally
collapse. To complete the "Combination I propose to place preferably at the back
of the step a suitable rest or bracket which may be made to hold say a bucket,
paint pots or when used for warehouse purposes, parcels and the like. To
illustrate my invention I take an ordinary pair of steps and for the ropes usually
employed to hold the bearers the desired distance from the steps I substitute
a suitable rod, plate or equivalent preferably of iron which I fasten to the step
portion of the steps and another similar rod I fasten to the bearer portion of the
steps the two rods being jointed at or near the centre. One end of the rod near
the joint being made with an angle piece engaging with a recess on the other rod.
The rest or bracket may be fixed in a convénient position at the back of the
steps viz against the bearers and may be supported by rods depending upon the
bearers or by having slotted shafts for the rests so that the shafts may be
fulcrummed on suitable pins at the side of the steps and find leverage or hold
against the under part of the steps.
.
By means of the slot named the bracket may be made to fold or by using hinges
the same result may be obtained. The safety device referred to, is also collapsible.
Thus it will be seen that by providing the iron safety device for holding the
steps and bearers apart and by providing a bracket or rest at the back or other
suitable part of the steps a great advantage is obtained as painters and other
artisans or warehousemen may place articles on the bracket before mounting the
steps and be able to deal with them as required afterwards instead of as at present
mounting the steps with a heavy load which prevents people from seeing their way
clear before them,
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page_text: I GEORGE WILLIAM GREEN KNIGHT 33 Stanley Street, Humberstone Road,
Leicester, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to provide what may be termed a combination
step ladder or steps having a safety device for holding the steps and the bearers at
the back apart so that the said bearers may be held rigid and may not accidentally
collapse. To complete the combination I propose to place preferably at the back
of the step a suitable rest or bracket which may be made to hold say a bucket,
paint pots or when used for warehouse purposes parcels & the like.
To illustrate my invention I take an ordinary pair of steps and for the ropes
usually employed to hold the bearers the desired distance from the steps, I sub-
stitute a suitable rod plate or equivalent preferably of iron which I fasten to the
step portion of the steps and another similar rod I fasten to the bearer portion of
the steps, the two rods being jointed at or near the centre. One end of the rod
near the joint being made with an angle piece engaging with a recess in the other
rod The rest or bracket may be fixed in a convenient position at the back of
the steps viz. against the bearers and may be supported by rods depending upon
the bearers or by having slotted shafts for the rests so that the shafts may be
fulchrumed on suitable pins at the side of the steps and find leverage or hold
against the under part of the steps.
By means of the slot named the bracket may be made to fold or by using hinges
the same result may be obtained,
The safety device referred to is also collapsible.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the step ladder
shewing the horizontal rest A supported by the bearers A¹ in which are provided
slots B through which passes a rod C bolted through the legs K of the steps, the
bearers finding hold under the step C¹ which is a portion of the front of the step
ladder.
By drawing the bearers A¹ away from the step at the front the sliding hinge
provided by the slots B and rods C allow of the rest or bracket being folded as in
Figure 3 An iron plate B suitably slotted to correspond with the bearer slots.
may be fixed to the sides of the bearer so as to strengthen it.
The slots B may be, recessed as at B¹ Figure 3 so that the rod C may drop
therein and prevent the bearers from sliding from under the hold C¹.
E are the safety irons of which Figure 2 is a view shewing the jointed portion
with the stop E³ engaged with or locked in the recess E³. E¹ being the rods or
plates which are attached to the sides and legs of the step ladder.
Figure 3 is a side view of the combination step ladder closed up E being the
jointed irons disengaged, A the rest, A¹ the bearers B the slot and B' the recess
& C the rod or bolt Figure 4 is a view of the jointed safety irons with the
stop E disengaged from the recess E³, E¹ being the jointed irons attached to the
sides of the front & legs K of the step ladder.

page_text: Figure 5 shews a rest or bracket A for light work F being hinges capable of
being folded upwards or downwards and G are rods or supports having at Ga
suitable recess for the passage of the wing head of a pin or bolt G³, the head G
may be turned after G is placed upon it to keep it in place.
Figure 6 is similar to Figure 5, A being the rest or bracket, F the reversible
hinges and H curved iron supports slotted as shewn, so that by relaxing the
thumb-screw H¹ it may collapse and be folded up.
It will therefore be seen that I may adopt different devices to form a rest and
supports without departing from the principle of the invention.
I do not bind myself to any particular material in the manufacture of the rest
or bracket and the bearers, safety irons and supports referred to.
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 combination with a step ladder of a folding bracket or shelf substantially
as specified.
2. In a step ladder the combination with the back legs K of a bracket such as A
pivotally connected therewith in such manner that said bracket may be opened
out as shewn in Figures 1, 5 and 6, or folded up as shewn in Figure 3 substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with a step ladder of a bracket such as A having bearers A'
slotted as at B, B¹ for the purpose of taking a movable bearing upon the back
legs K and of engaging with the step C whereby the said bracket may be fixed in
a horizontal position as in Figure 1 or folded up as in Figure 2 substantially as
specified.
4. The combination with a step ladder of a bracket or table permanently con-
nected therewith.
Dated this 4th day of September 1886.
Witness,
W. M. RICHARDS,
Patent Office,
Market St., Leicester.
G. W. G. KNIGHT.