Improvements in and relating to Wooden Ladders.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1891-Accented, 24th Oct., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wooden Ladders.
I, JOHN TURNBULL KNOX of 645 Alexandra Parade, Dennistoun, Glasgow,
Lanarkshire, Wright, 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 in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings :—
This invention has reference to and comprises new or improved devices to be
applied to the transverse foot-tread steps of portable wooden ladders used by
workmen for ascending buildings or for like purposes, and which will enable such
ladders to be made lighter, stronger and more safe and durable than as heretofore
constructed.
The improvements consist in fitting over or on the narrow ends of the transverse
foot-tread steps of wooden ladders, hollow metallic sleeves, ferrules tubes, or
coverings which may be made of various shapes and sizes to fit within or partly
within the transverse holes or recesses formed at intervals apart in the two side
longitudinal beams or main supports of the ladder, and thus protect these ends
from wear or strains and decay, and make the tread steps more safe and durable.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, representing the application of a few
forms or shapes of my improved protecting metallic sleeves or ferrules to the
transverse tread-steps of ladders.
1
Figure represents an elevation of the lower part of a wooden ladder A A¹, A²,
broken away, the upper step A' and its securing ends A² being shown in plain
elevation, and the securing ends of the lower step in sectional clevation, the main
longitudinal beams A of the ladder being shown in section at these mortise parts,
to illustrate the application of my improvements more clearly.
Figure 2 shows a sectional side and end view respectively of the form of
protecting metallic ferrule a shown applied in Figure 1. This consists of a short
cylindrical hollow tube or sleeve a which is fitted over each end A² of the transverse
tread footsteps or spars A', and pressed or driven into a narrow annular groove a
short distance into the thick part of the wooden steps A¹, leaving the extreme
wooden ends A free or uncovered for some distance at their outer ends for being
slitted to receive a usual wooden securing wedge key A" driven into the dowel or
tongne end A from the outer edges of the beams A.
Figures 3 and 4 are views corresponding to Figures 1 and 2, showing another
form or construction of my improved tread-step end protecting metallic ferrule.
This ferrule is formed in one piece of a narrow inner cylindrical part a, a corre-
sponding outer and larger cylindrical parallel part a' and an intermediate cone or
angled shaped part a all formed to fit tight on to the ends A³ of each step A' and
into corresponding bored holes in the beans A. As shown in Figure 3 the narrow
part covers the central narrow part of the end A² of the step A¹, the part u²
extends from this on a tapering part to the edge of the beams A, and the outer
part a overlaps or covers an exposed end part of the thick circumference of the
tread-step A. Or as shown in Figure 34, the part of the tread step A¹ covered
by the larger end a' of the sleeve may extend within the transverse hole formed in
the longitudinal beams A; and the large circumference A' of the wood may be
similarly inserted with the ferrule a shown in Figure 1.
Figures 5 and 6 are views corresponding to Figures 3 and 4, showing another
form or construction of my improved tread step end protecting metallic sleeve, in
which the parts a a² a' are made parallel and cylindrical, but of increasing diameter,

page_text: but cover the ends A² of the steps A' in the same or in an equivalent manner to
that shown in Figure 3.
Although I have only shown three forms of metallic protecting sleeves or ferrules,
it is to be understood that various polygonal shapes or constructions of these may
be used to serve the same purpose.
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 :-
The fitting and use of metallic hollow protecting ferrules sleeves, tubes or covers
on the ends of the transverse foot-tread steps of wooden ladders, substantially as
herein described, in reference to and by way of application shown in the accom-
panying drawings.
DRECIL Une Tom Coroner 1051.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.