Improvements in Step-ladders.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Step-ladders.
I, GEORGE AYLING, of Wisborough Green Billingshurst, in the County of
Sussex, Builder and Contractor, 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 :-
My invention relates to step-ladders the object being to render them safer when
in use than step-ladders of ordinary construction.
According to my invention I make the front or step portion of the ladder
narrower and the rear portion or legs more spreading than usual, and connect the
two portions together by means of suitable braces or stay bars in the manner
hereinafter more particularly described.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a step-ladder constructed according to my inven-
tion and adapted for adjustment to suit uneven surfaces or ground, the parts being
in their open position as when in use.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1 but shewing the step-ladder shut up as
when out of use.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line A B of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the top portion of the step ladder illustrating a
modification of the arrangement of braces or stay bars the ladder being shewn
opened out.
Figure 6 is a similar view but shewing the ladder shut up.
Figure 7 is a horizontal section on the line C D of Figure 5.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 are similar views to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of my step-ladder
with unadjustable legs.
Figures 11 and 12 are horizontal sections on the lines E F and G H respectively
of Figure 8.
Referring first to Figures 1 to 4 a indicates the front or step portion of the
ladder which is made narrower than usual in relation to its height as clearly shewn
in Figure 2 but which is otherwise of ordinary construction.
b, b are the two legs which with the frame c constitute the rear portion of the step-
ladder and which legs are at their lower ends spread wider apart than usual.
с
The frame c is hinged at d to the top of the front or step portion of the ladder,
the legs b, b which are circular in cross section passing through holes é, e in the
frame c and being secured there-in by thumb screws f, f. By loosening the
screws f, it is obvious that the position of the legs b in the frame c can be
adjusted so as to make them stand quite firmly upon uneven or sloping ground
or on a stair-case or other unlevel surface.
The holes e, e are of the shape shewn in Figures 4 and 7, that is to say, of the
form of segments of two circles. The larger portions of the holes e, e allow the
legs b, b to move freely therein when adjusting them in or removing them from
the frame c, whilst the legs are caused to fit tightly in the smaller portions of the
holes when the screws f, fare tightened.
is the brace or stay bar hinged to one of the steps of the ladder and provided
at its free end with eyes h, h which pass over a pin i on the frame c to allow of
adjustably bracing the two portions of the step-ladder together, that is to say, the
stepladder can be opened out wide or be nearly shut up and in any case will stand
firmer than step ladders at present in use. The brace g is folded upwards upon its
hinge when the ladder is shut up.

page_text: The legs can obviously if required be readily withdrawn entirely from the
frame c.
For tall and heavy step-ladders I prefer to employ two braces or stay bars g, g as
shewn in Figures 5, 6 and 7 one hinged near each side of the frame c, the free end
of each of the said braces being provided with a thumb screw j adapted to screw
into one or another of several holes k in a plate fixed to the side of the portion a
of the step-ladder as seen in Figures 5 and 7. The free ends of the braces g, when
the step-ladder is closed are secured by the thumb screws ; being passed into
screw plates as shewn in Figure 6.
In the step-ladder illustrated in Figures 8 to 12 and which is more especially
suitable for use on level surfaces such as the floors of rooms and the like the
legs b, bare not adjustable. They are hinged near their upper ends (which are
rectangular in cross section as shewn in Figure 11) upon a rod m secured in
brackets t, t fixed to the front portion a of the step-ladder, upon which rod the legs
have a small amount of play to allow of their being more or less opened out as
required. The inner sides of the upper extremities of the legs babut against the
sides of a block n fixed underneath the top step of the ladder. The legs bare
braced together by a pair of rings o, o adapted to slide thereon and connected by
a link or bar P the latter being tied to the step portion a of the ladder by means
of a brace a hinged at r to the link p and at s to one of the steps of the ladder.
It will be understood that by moving the brace y upwards the rings o will slide
upon the legs and open them away from each other and from the step portion a
of the ladder, and when the brace has reached a certain height the inner surfaces
of the ends of the legs will bear against and grip the block n, the hinged portions
will press outwards against the brackets t, t and the legs will be thus connected to
the ladder at three different points thereby rendering it very firm. When the
brace is lowered to close the step-ladder the lower ends of the legs will be
drawn towards each other so as only to extend a small distance beyond the sides of
the step portion a.
For absolute security when a person is working upon the top steps of a high
ladder it may be found advantageous to attach a chain to the second step from
the top of the ladder and to the link p to prevent the brace from accidentally
slipping down.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my 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 its legs adjustably located in a frame hinged to the
step portion and secured therein by means of thumb screws the said frame being
further connected to the step portion by a suitable adjustable brace, substantially
as and for the purpose herein before described.
2. A step-ladder having its legs hinged to the step portion at a distance from
their upper extremities and braced together by means of rings sliding thereon and
connected by a link carried by a brace hinged to the said step portion, the extreme
upper ends of the legs abutting against a block fixed underneath the top step of the
ladder, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The improved step-ladders herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1
to 7 and in Figures 8 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of January 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.