AN IMPROVED COMBINED WASH STAND AND STEP LADDER to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of said invention for "AN IMPROVED COMBINED WASH STAND AND STEP LADDER
to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to an article of utility so constructed that it may serve as
a wash stand or bench and as a step ladder.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide two pairs of legs or
standards of equal length each pair crossing and pivotted midway of their length
by a bar or round, which also serves as a connection for the respective pairs of legs
or standards. The ends of the legs are connected respectively by bars or rounds
and one bar or round passes through the end portions of the two side pieces, which
are connected at the other ends by a bar or round, and between these bars or
rounds the side pieces are connected by broad strips to form steps while the ends
of the side pieces which extend beyond one bar or round are connected by a broad
strip which projects at one edge beyond the edges of the side pieces to constitute an
offset or shoulder. The inner edge of the side pieces, at the end portion opposite
the extension, are provided with a series of notches so that when the legs or
standards are spread and the side pieces are uppermost, one round of the legs
engages one of the notches of each side piece, thus constituting a bench for
supporting a wash tub or a table or platform for any appropriate purpose. If it is
desired to change the height of this table or platform the last named round is
properly adjusted to the notches for effecting this purpose. Thus for example, if
one round be engaged with the notch nearest another round, the bench will be at
its highest elevation, while it can be lowered by changing the first round to any of
the notches toward the connecting-round of the side pieces. By inverting the
structure, bringing the side pieces against the floor, two of the rounds are brought
uppermost and serve as a support for an ironing-board, the said board being
preferably inserted under one round and resting upon another round. The height
Dalen Q31

page_text: of the ironing board can be changed by adjusting one round into the proper notches
in the side pieces, which obviously spreads the legs farther apart or brings them
nearer together according to the adjustment required.
The parts are converted into a step ladder by simply folding the legs together, to
bring the round under the offset or shoulder of the step, the notched extremities of
the side pieces then resting on the floor and the legs and side pieces standing at an
angle to each other. The round coming under the offset of the step, all the parts
are effectually braced and the step-ladder held in a rigid condition, with no
liability of accidental disarrangement. The several steps of the side pieces are
arranged obliquely to the plane of the edges of the side pieces, so that when the
structure is adjusted as described to produce a ladder the steps will present
horizontal flat surfaces for the feet. By disengaging the round from the notches
the legs and side pieces can be folded compactly together, and thus occupy but
little space.
Dated this Second day of April 1884.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: ".
I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "AN IMPROVED COMBINED WASH-STAND AND STEP-LADDER
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to a combined wash-bench or stand and step-ladder, and
has for its object to provide a novel and efficient wash bench or table capable of
being converted into a step-ladder, and of being adjusted to serve as a support for
an ironing board.
To this end the said invention comprises the novel construction and combination
of devices hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the parts arranged to provide a vertically-
adjustable bench for supporting a wash-tub.
Figure 2 is a perspective viow, showing the parts converted into a step-ladder.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the parts adjusted into position for
supporting an ironing-board, and
Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of Figure 2.
1, 1 and 2, 2 indicate supporting legs or standards of equal length, the legs of
one pair crossing those of the other pair and being pivotted midway of their length
by a bar or round 3 which also serves as a connection for the respective pairs of
legs or standards. The ends of the legs are connected, respectively, by bars or
rounds 4, 5, 6, and 7, and the bar or round 7 passes through the end portions of
two side pieces 8, which are connected at the other ends by a bar or round 9.
Between the bars or rounds 7 and 9 the side pieces are connected by broad
strips 10 to form steps, while the ends of the side pieces which extend beyond the
bar or round 7, as at 11, are connected by a broad strip 12, which projects at one
edge beyond the edges of the side pieces to constitute an offset or shoulder 13.
The inner edge of the side pieces, at the end portion opposite the extension 11, are
provided with a series of notches 14, so that when the legs or standards are spread
and the side pieces are uppermost, as in Figure 1, the round, 6 of the legs engages
one of the notches of each side piece, thus constituting a bench for supporting a
wash tub or a table or platform for any appropriate purpose.
If it is desired to change the height of this table or platform, the round 6.
is properly adjusted to the notches for effecting this purpose. Thus, for example,
if the round 6 be engaged with the notch nearest the round 7, the bench will be at
its highest elevation, while it can be lowered by changing the round 6 to any of
the notches toward the connecting-round 9 of the side pieces. By inverting the
structure from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 3, bringing
the side pieces against the floor, the rounds 4 and 5 are brought uppermost,
and serve as a support for an ironing-board 15, the said board being preferably
inserted under the round 4 and resting upon the round 5. The height of the
ironing board can be changed by adjusting the round 6 into the proper notches in
the side pieces, which obviously spreads the legs farther apart or brings them
nearer together, according to the adjustment required.
The parts are converted into a step-ladder by simply folding the legs together, as
in Figure 2, to bring the round 4 under the offset or shoulder 13 of the step 12, the
notched extremities of the side pieces then resting on the floor, and the legs and
side pieces standing at an angle to each other, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

page_text: The round 4 coming under the offset of the step 12, all the parts are effectually
braced, and the step-ladder held in a rigid condition with no liability of accidental
disarrangement. The several steps of the side pieces are arranged obliquely to the
plane of the edges of the side pieces so that when the structure is adjusted, as
described, to produce a ladder, the steps will present horizontal flat surfaces for tho
fect. By disengaging the round from the notches the legs and side pieces can be
folded compactly together, and thus occupy but little space.
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
:
First. The combination with the pivotted cross legs connected together by
rounds or bars, of the ladder frame having notched side pieces and steps, the
whole being adapted to be converted into a wash-bench or step-ladder as desired,
substantially as described.
Second. The combination of two pairs of pivotted cross legs connected together
by rounds, and a ladder frame having notched side pieces pivotted to each leg
of one pair of said cross legs and the round connecting the other pair of cross legs
engaging with the notches in the side pieces of the ladder frame, whereby when the
ladder is brought into a horizontal. position, the whole is adapted to form a support
for an ironing board, the height of the same being regulated by means of the
notches and connecting round, substantially as described.
Third. The combination of the pairs of pivotted legs 1 and 2 provided with the
bars or rounds 4 and 7, respectively, at their extremities, and with the notched side
pieces 8, having steps 10 and hung on the bar or round 7 to form the extension-1-1,-
said extension being constructed substantially as described whereby the said bar or
round 4 may interlock with such extension for holding the parts in position to form
a step-ladder, substantially as shown and specified.
Fourth. The combination of the pairs of pivotted supporting-legs 1 and 2,
provided with the bars or rounds 4 and 7 respectively at their extremities, with
the side pieces 8 having steps 10 and hung on the bar or round to form the
extension 11, which extension is provided with the step 12 extending beyond the
inner edges of the side pieces to provide the offset 13 under which the bar or
round 4 of the legs is capable of engaging to support the parts in position for a
step-ladder.
Dated this 31st day of December 1884.