Improvements in Step Ladders.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1091
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Step Ladders.
We ISAAC CHORLTON of 17 Blackfriars Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Spring Mattress Manufacturer and GEORGE LAMB SCOTT of the
same place Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in step ladders of the ordinary self
supporting portable type for domestic and similar uses. As at present constructed
such step ladders are made of wood, the supporting legs being hinged at the top of
the ladder and a rod or trammels or cord extending between the ladder and the
Such step
legs so as to prevent them from sliding apart at the foot when in use.
ladders are deficient in strength and durability and the usual modes of connecting
the legs and ladder are apt to become a source of danger from failure of the
material or carelessness in adjusting the same. Our invention aims at the produc-
tion of a step ladder which will be strong, light, stable of great durability, cheap
and so constructed as to lock automatically when spread apart or erected for the
purpose of being used, thus causing absolute safety when in use. According to our
improvement the sides and legs of the step ladder are made of light metal tubing
or it might be of a light section of iron or steel. When making a step ladder
composed for example of tubing, we cut the two sides and two legs to about equal
lengths. We also provide two light malleable iron or other castings or forgings or
it might be one such casting or forging and attach the same to the under side of
the top landing or platform of the ladder. To each of the said castings or forgings
when two are used we pivot two sockets, that is to say four sockets are pivotted at
the top of the ladder and these sockets receive the upper ends of the two tubular
sides and the two tubular legs. The sockets and the castings or forgings to which
they are pivotted are both formned with stops or abutments so that when the step
ladder is opened for use, the said stops or abutments come against each other and
prevent the ladder and legs from spreading further apart. The said stops or abut-
ments form very secure and trustworthy means for preventing accident from the
spreading of the legs and consequent collapse of the step ladder, as they are always
in position and form a part of the sockets and castings themselves. Thus, the
dangers of breakage (as for instance in the case of a cord) or the possibility of
careless or defective adjustment (as for example in the case of a hook-rod and
staple) are obviated. Instead of pivotting two sockets to each casting, an
immovable socket might be formed on or secured to one end of each casting, and a
pivotted socket provided at the other end. The treads and landings or platforms
of our improved step ladder are made of wood or they may be of metal. The
lower ends of the metal sides and legs may be left as they are cut off or they may
be closed or capped with metal, wood, rubber or other anti-slipping material. The
legs are preferably connected by a light stay near the foot. The improved step
ladder folds into small space and is of a neat and taking appearance.
Dated this 18th day of December 1890.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents,

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Step Ladders.
We ISAAC, CHORLTON of 17 Blackfriars Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Spring Mattress Manufacturer and GEORGE LAMB SCOTT of the
same place Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what'
inanner the same is to be performed to be particularly' described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in step ladders of the ordinary self
supporting portable-type-for domestic and similar uses. As at present constructed
such step ladders are made of wood, the supporting legs being hinged at the top-of
the ladder and a rod or trammels or cord extending between the ladder and the
legs so as to prevent them from sliding apart at the foot when in use.
Such step
ladders are deficient in strength and durability and the usual modes of connecting
the legs and ladder are apt to become a source of danger from failure of the
material or carelessness in adjusting the same. Our invention aims at the produc-
tion of a step ladder which will be strong, light, stable, of great durability, cheap
and so constructed as to lock automatically when spread apart or erected for the
purpose of being used thus causing absolute safety when in use.
Our invention will be best understood from a reference to the annexed sheet of
drawings which plainly-illustrate.the.construction."
Fig. 1 is a side view of our improved ladder in position.
Fig. 2 is a front view.
Figs. 3, 4, and 5-are detail views.
According to our improvements the sides a and legs b of the step ladder are made
of light metal tubing or it might be of a light section of iron or steel: When
making a step ladder composed as in the example of tubing we cut the two sides a,
and two legs b to about equal lengths. We also provide two light malleable iron
or other castings or forgings cc and attach the same by screws or bolts d as shown
in Fig-4-to-the-under-side of the top landing or platforme of the ladder. To each
of the said castings or forgings ee we pivot two double jaws that is to say-four-
jaws are pivotted at the top of the ladder and projections from the said jaws
enter the upper ends of the two tubular sides a and-the-two-tubular legs as clearly
shown in Fig. 3. The hinged jaws are formed with stops or abutments so
that when the step ladder is opened for use as in Fig. 1, the said stops or abut-
ments come against the part cc and prevent the ladder and legs from spreading
further apart. The said stops or abutments form very secure and trustworthy
means for preventing accident from the spreading of the legs and consequent
collapse of the step ladder, as they are always in position and form a part of the
sockets and castings themselves. Thus the dangers of breakage (as for instance in
the case of a cord) or the possibility of careless or defective adjustment (as for
example in the case of a hook rod and staple) are obviated. To keep the sides
and legs in position relatively to each other we also provide-other-stops on the
jaws which prevent the sides and legs from swinging past the vertical when the
ladder is closed. Instead of pivotting two jaws to each casting an immovable jaw
might be formed in or secured to one end of each casting and a pivotted part
provided at the other end. The treads g and landing or platforme of our improved
step ladder are made of wood and are attached as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5.
The treads are secured by bolts to projections which are rivetted to the
tubular sides a as shown in Fig. 5. The treads and platform may if desired be of
metal. The lower ends of the metal sides and legs ab may be left as they are cut
off or they may be closed or capped with metal, wood, rubber or other anti-slipping
material. The legs bare preferably connected by light stays kk. The improved
step ladder folds into small space and is of a neat and taking appearance.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The improved step ladder constructed and formed as or substantially as
herein before described and shown.
2. A step ladder having sides and legs of metal tubes and fitted with platform
and treads of wood or metal substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 17th day of September 1891.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.