Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 9th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 10th Feb., 1888
I, JAMES WATERHOUSE MIDGLEY of Park Lane Machine Works Keighley
Yorkshire, Machine maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
It consists of the construction of step-ladders. in such a manner that the liability
to accident by the said step-ladders collapsing or falling is greatly diminished.
This is attained by constructing the said step-ladders so that the supports thereof,
as well as opening in the ordinary way, open out laterally. In order to accomplish
this, these said supports are hinged to the said steps by double jointed or swivelled
hinges (by which means the said supports are enabled to be adjusted to suit even or
uneven surfaces upon which they may be used), and are joined together by a jointed
locking stay pivoted to each of them, to this jointed stay is pivoted another stay or
bar, the other end of which is hinged to the steps; the said bar and jointed stay being
so arranged that when holding the ladder in its opened position, they shall do so,
rigidly.
The lower ends of the steps are also made, by a certain portion of them being
hinged to the other part, to open laterally, simultaneously with the opening of the
before mentioned supports; this is accomplished by coupling same by suitable hinged
bars and connecting rod to the lower end of the before described bar which is hinged
to the steps.
Again the same object is attained when the said step-ladders are constructed in the
usual way, by hinging thereto in any suitable manner two extra legs or supports
which are made to open or extend laterally as before described.
In connection with this arrangement I make use of a stay suitably shaped so that it
may be pivoted to each side of the steps. This stay being employed, by being
brought into connection with suitable lock plates fixed on the ordinary supports, for
holding these supports in proper position when the steps are in use.

page_text: In connection with either or both of the above described step-ladders, I employ,
if desired, a handrail which is hinged so that it may be closed with or folded over the
said steps when not required, but which when required may be moved to extend
upwards from the top of said steps.
Again I construct either of the above described step-ladders, by making a suitable
portion of the step part thereof to overlap a like portion of the steps when in ordinary
use; this said portion being hinged to the top part of the other portion of the steps
so that it may be turned or moved to extend upwardly, a suitable catch and hook or
other means being employed for holding same in that position.
DL: LA: 1007

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Step-ladders.
I, JAMES WATERHOUSE MIDGLEY of Park Lane Machine Works, Keighley,
Yorkshire Machine Maker 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, that is to say :-
It relates to improvements in the construction of step-ladders whereby the
collapsing or otherwise falling of said step-ladders, when in use, is obviated so that
accidents to the users of same are on this account prevented.
In order that my said invention may be more readily understood I have hereunto
appended sheets of drawings illustrative thereof, wherein fig. 1 is a side elevation of
a ladder constructed according to my said invention, same being in position as when
in use, fig. 2 is a sectional side view of same when closed, and figs. 3 and 4 are back
views of the ladder in the respective positions shewn by figs. 1 and 2, illustrating the
relative positions of certain parts.
Fig. 5 is a side view illustrating a further arrangement of parts in connection with
step-ladders. Fig. 6 is a detail drawing enlarged scale, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 7
is a similar view to fig. 5 but illustrates parts in other positions. Fig. 8 is a back
view of fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional plan of fig. 7.
Fig. 10 is a side view of another, arrangement of parts forming a step-ladder.
Fig. 11 is a sectional view of fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a side view shewing ladder as when
used as a long-ladder.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
b
as
The object of this invention is attained by constructing the step-ladders so that the
supports a a¹ may open out laterally as well as in the ordinary way, and in order to
accomplish this these said supports a a¹ are hinged to the steps b by double jointed
hinges c, said hinges c being shewn in detail by fig. 6, wherein the parts c¹ and c form
the common joint, while the part 2 is hinged or swivelled on the part c¹, each of the
supports a a¹ being fixed to the part while the part e is attached to the steps
will be well understood, so that said supports a a¹ may be placed apart as shewn by
fig. 3. These supports a a' are joined together by the locking stay d d¹ which are
hinged to them and which are hinged together at e, a projection of being formed on the
one and an opening or notch ½ on the other so that when said stay d d is moved into
the position shewn by fig. 3, the supports a a¹ are thereby held rigidly in this position.
To the stay d d is hinged the bar the lower end of which is pivoted to the steps b so
that when this bar i and the stay d d' are in the positions shewn by figs. 1 and 3, the
steps 6 and the supports a a¹ are held in their respective positions firmly.
The lower ends 6 62 of the steps b are also hinged thereto so that, by the connecting
part which is attached to the bar i and hinged or coupled by a swivel joint to the
connecting rods which are hinged to the parts 61 and 62 respectively, said parts 6¹
and 62 are opened out laterally as shewn by fig. 3 simultaneously with the opening out
of the supports a a¹ as will readily be understood.

page_text: Again the object of this invention is attained, when the step-ladders are constructed
in the usual way, by hinging thereto the extra supports a² and a³ which are made to
extend out laterally as before described and as shewn by figs. 8 and 9, when the
ladder is in use, but which may be held by the parts at a close to the steps 6 whenever
desired as when the ladder is closed, and suitable pieces a and a7 are attached thereto
in order that these said supports a² a³ may be properly held, by said pieces a and a
laying hold of the stay k.
In connection with the last above described arrangement I make use of the stay k
which is so shaped (see fig. 9) that it may be hinged to each side of the steps band
brought whenever desired into connection with the lock-plates k¹ k², said plates k¹ k²
being attached to the supports a a¹, by which means said supports a a¹ are firmly held
in position when in use.
With either of the above described arrangements of parts forming step-ladders, I
employ, if desired, a hand rail / which is hinged to the steps b (see fig. 5) or to the
supports a a¹ (see fig. 7) so that it may be closed with or folded over same when not
in use, but which may be brought to project upwards as shown in broken lines fig. 5
when required.
A suitable portion 64 of the step part 6 is made to overlap as shewn by figs. 5, 7
and 8, and is hinged at 66, so that it may be turned or moved to project upwardly
beyond the part b as shewn by figs. 7 and 8 by which the length of the ladder is
increased, the hook m attached to the part 6 and made to lay hold of the loop m¹
attached to said part 6* (see figs. 7, 10 and 12) being employed for holding same in
its upright position as will be well understood.
The overlapping part above described might be made longer than shewn by figs. 5, 7
and 8, it may even be made same length as the part b as shewn by figs. 10, 11
and 12 66, in which case it might be used in place of the supports a a¹.
To form a greater bearing surface at the top of the step-ladder constructed as herein
before described, the top tread n has hinged to it another tread n' (see figs. 10, 11
and 12) which may be moved and placed upon the said tread n when not required as
is shewn by fig. 12, but which may be opened and made to rest with its outer or
extending side upon the tread n² as shewn by figs. 10 and 11.
When the hand rail is used in connection with a step-ladder having the part b*
(fig. 7) it might be hinged to the supports a a¹ instead of the steps b, in which case it
will form a good support for the part 6, as shewn by fig. 7.
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. The steps b, supports a a¹, hinge e, stay d d¹, bar i having projection i¹, rods i² ¿³,
and parts 662 in combination, all arranged to operate in the manner and for the
purposes substantially as herein specified.
2. The steps b, supports a, a', a² and a³ hinged thereto, the holders a*, as, as and a', the
stay k, the plates k¹², the part 65, hook m, loop m², and the hand rail 1, in combination
all being arranged and constructed substantially as herein specified.
3. The steps b, parts 66, supports a² a³ with their holding pieces a, a³, a and a",
stay k, plates k¹², hook m, loop m² and treads n n' in combination, all being arranged
and constructed substantially as herein specified.
Dated this 7th day of January 1888.