IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING LADDERS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, ‘
I, FREDERICK WINTER, at the Office for Patents, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in
the county of Lancaster, Joiner do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING LADDERS," to be as follows:-
In folding ladders as at present constructed they are usually merely formed of
the front or ladder proper and the ladder back, the latter consisting of a frame-
work hinged to the ladder near its top and fastened near the bottom by means of
ropes to prevent the back from moving too great a distance from the front.
The object of my invention is to improve the existing ladder by providing:
1st. a hand rail for the guidance and support of persons using the ladder.
2nd, a platform or extension of the topmost or other step for the convenience of
placing tools or other articles thereon.
3rd. a more rigid connection between the ladder front and ladder back than the
ropes at present employed:
The ladder proper may be constructed in any ordinary manner, as may also be
the ladder back. The platform is formed with two projecting arms which pass
from the back to the front of the ladder, and the ties between the ladder back and
front are made of wood or other rigid material in two pieces, these are jointed or
pivoted together, and to the ladder back and ladder sides extending to the front of
the ladder. The ladder, back is pivoted to the ladder proper and to the arms of
the platform at top. To the arms of the platform and to the extending ends
of the tie rods are pivoted the hand rails. The several parts are thus pivoted
together so as to all open and close at the same time, and when closed they all lie
closely and compactly together. On the ladder back being placed in position to
support the ladder, the hand rails are brought into a position parallel to the sides
and the proper distance therefrom, and the platform at the top assumes a hori
zontal position preferably on a level with the step. A catch or pin may be placed
in contact with one of the jointed and movable parts of the ladder, preferably the
arms of the platform, or at the junction of the tie rods with the ladder side, so as to
hold the whole rigidly when erected for use.
For painters use two of these ladders can conveniently be used together placed
at a little distance apart the pivots from the tie rods taken out and the backs
turned up into a horizontal position to form a scaffolding. The tie rods of the two
can then be fastened together, and the hand rails unpivoted from the platform arms
and fastened to the raised backs to form additional support for them.
- i

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I FREDERICK WINTER, at the Office for Patents, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, Joiner do hereby declare the nature of my said invention.
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING LADDERS" and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
'statement:―
In folding ladders as at present constructed they are usually merely formed of
the front or ladder proper and the ladder back, the latter consisting of a frame-
work hinged to the ladder near its top and fastened near the bottom by means
of ropes to prevent the back from moving too great a distance from the front,
The object of my invention is to improve the existing ladder by providing :-
1st A hand rail for the guidance and support of persons using the ladder..
2nd a platform or extension of the topmost or other step for the convenience of
placing tools or other articles thereon.
3rd a more rigid connection between the ladder front and ladder back than the
ropes at present employed.
The ladder proper may be constructed in any ordinary manner as may also be
the ladder back. The platform is formed with two projecting arms which pass
from the back to the front of the ladder, and the ties between the ladder back and
front are made of wood or other rigid material in two pieces, these are jointed or
pivoted together, and to the ladder back and ladder sides extending to the front of
the ladder. The ladder back is pivoted to the ladder proper and to the arms of
the platform at top. To the arms of the platform and to the extending ends
of the tie rods are pivoted the hand rails. The several parts are thus pivoted
together so as to all open and close at the same time, and when closed they all lie
closely and compactly together. On the ladder back being placed in position to
support the ladder, the hand rails are brought into a position parallel to the sides
and the proper distance therefrom, and the platform at the top assumes a hori-
zontal position preferably on a level with the step. A catch or pin may be placed
in contact with one of the jointed or movable parts of the ladder, preferably the
arms of the platform, or at the junction of the tie rods. with the ladder side, so as to
hold the whole rigidly when erected for use.
J
'
For painters use two of these ladders can conveniently be used together placed
at a little distance apart the pivots from the tie rods, taken out and the backs
turned up into a horizontal position to form a scaffolding. The tie rods of the two
can then be fastened together, and the hand rails unpivoted from the platform
arms, and fastened to the raised backs to form additional support for them.
10.
The drawings set forth the ladder in its most improved form sufficient to be
understood without further description.

page_text: 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
1st A folding ladder with a folding handrail and platform or receptacle for tools,
buckets, etcetera, substantially as described.
2nd The application of folding ladders for use as scaffolding, substantially as
described.