Improvements in Step-ladders.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1890.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Step-ladders.
I, ANNIE MARY NAWELL, of 219, Stretford Road, Manchester, Ironmongers
Wife, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An iron stay or bracket for supporting the back legs of Step Ladders, made of
metal, wood, or any other suitable material, it is intended to screw one end of stays
either to the legs or inside of Step Ladder on one side, and the other end of stays or
brackets, works or slides upwards or downwards in slots or grooves made for the
purpose on the opposite side, which slide allows the back of Ladder to close, or
when opened out holds and locks the legs firmly & rigidly open. The said stays to
have one or more arms or slides.
Dated this the 18th day of Santombar 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Step-ladders.
I, ANNIE MARY NAWELL, of Stretford Road, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, 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 :-
In the construction of step ladders it has been customary hitherto to provide a
ropo or jointed wooden stay to prevent the back part expanding too far, or else to
attach to the hinge, or form the hinge with a stay which would prevent it opening
too wide. The former of these methods is objectionable as it arrests the movement
of the ladder legs in one direction only, and the other in that it puts too great a
strain upon the hinges and increases the cost of production.
My invention consists essentially in constructing a ladder with a single stay, or
stay in a single piece which will embrace or equally support both sides of the back
and front parts of the ladder screwed or pivoted to one part and bent or curved to
slide in a slot or slots extending the greater length of the other part, which allows
the ladder to close and locks the ladder when extended against either a further
extending or collapsing movement.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying perspective
drawings.:-
Figs. 1 shows the invention with the stay pivoted by its ends to the two
uprights of the front part of ladder and sliding in slots in the two uprights of the
back part.
Fig. 2 shows the invention with the stay pivoted by its ends to the inside of the
two front uprights and bent to slide in a slot formed between the upright supports
of the back.
Fig. 3 shows the invention with the stay pivoted by its ends to the two uprights of
the back, and sliding in slots in the two front uprights.
Fig. 4 shows the invention with the stay pivoted by its ends inside the two back
upright supports, and bent to slide in a slot formed between the front uprights.
Fig. 5. shows the invention with the stay pivoted at its centre to the two uprights
of the front part, with the ends bent to slide in slots in the two back uprights.
Fig. 6. shows the invention with the stay pivoted at its centre hetween the two
uprights of the front part, and bent so that the ends slide in slots in the two uprights
of the back part.
Fig. 7 shows detached the form of stay employed in figs. 1-and 3.

page_text: Fig. 8 shows detached the form of stay employed in Figs. 2. and 4.
The ladder is formed in the usual way in two parts, front and back, with
uprights A at the front which support the steps B, and top C, and the back
uprights D hinged thereto which spread out or expand a certain distance to
maintain the ladder in an upright position when in use. To the front or back part
formed of the uprights A or D, I hinge or pivot a stay E which is bent or curved
to slide in slots formed in the other two uprights, or in a single slot formed between
them.
In the several figures six modifications of the invention are shown each differing
from the other in the position of the several parts.
Referring to Fig. 1 the front, uprights A are formed in the usual way and the back
uprights Dare each formed with a slot d extending the greater part of the length.
The stay E is pivoted at e to the outside of the front uprights A. The central part
of the stay passes through the two slots and slides up and down therein.
•
The pivot e may be formed of a screw let into the upright, or a bolt el passing
through from one upright to the other as shown, or by the ends of the stay being
bent to pass through the uprights. In this latter case the two bent ends may
be extended and joined together so that the stay would present a rectangular form.
Referring to Fig. 2. the front uprights A are also made in the usual way, but to
the uprights D forming the back part of the ladder there is added an additional
upright D', in which is formed a single longitudinal slot d'. The stay E is pivoted
to the inside of the front uprights A, and the central part slides in the slot d
The stay E is preferably of the shape shown with the sides bent or curved in toward
the upright D.
Referring to Fig. 3 the front uprights A are made with a slot a in each, in
which the stay E slides and the back uprights D are made in the usual way, and
to the outside of these the stay E is pivoted at e.
Referring to Fig. 4 the front uprights A, and the back uprights D, are made
in the usual way and affixed to the steps B, between the front uprights A is an
additional upright, A' in which a single slot a¹ is formed, in which the stay E
slides.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 the back and front part of the ladders are
constructed as in Fig. 1 with longitudinal slots d, formed in the back uprights D.
The stays E are pivoted at their centres to the front part of the ladder by
brackets a instead of by their ends, and the ends slide to and fro in the
slots d.
'
It is evident that the stay E may be similarly pivoted by the centre to the back
part of the ladder, and the ends of the stay slide in slots in the front uprights formed
as in Fig. 3.
Other modifications of the invention slightly differing from these might be suggested,
such as pivoting the stay immediately opposite the additional upright A¹ or D', or
passing it through slots cut in the upright Dat right angles to the slots d, or by
altering the shape of the stay E. Further the slots instead of being cut direct into
the uprights A and D, may be formed by affixing a piece of wood, metal, or other
material to the sides of these uprights as usually formed.
When in use the stay E-arrests and prevents the movement of, the back uprights
in either direction, and the ladder can be quickly opened or closed from either side,
as the stay being in one piece can be moved from either side and further it gives
equal support to both sides of the two parts of the ladder. This is a decided advantage
over a single stay placed at one side, or two independant stays placed one at each
side..
I am well aware that ladders and ladder hinges have been made with a bar or
stay attached or pivoted to one side with a slot which engages with a pin fixed to the
other side; and hinges have been made with a stay carrying a pin which engages.
with a slot cut in the other side of the hinge, one part of each hinge being attached to
the front uprights of the ladder, and the other part to the back uprights, and such
form no part of my invention, and are not claimed by me.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A step ladder having a single stay or a stay in a single piece which will
equally support both sides pivoted to one part of the ladder, (either front or back)
and bent or curved to slide in a longitudinal slot or slots, cut or formed in
and extending the greater length of opposito part substantially as described and
shown.
2. A step ladder having a single bent stay, connecting together the front and back
parts, and equally supporting both sides thereof, to prevent the relativo position of
the front and back parts being altered when in use, constructed and arranged
substantially as described and shown, in either of the Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.