Improvements in Hay or Straw Ladders for Lorries, Trollies. Waggons, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
Improvements in Hay or Straw Ladders for Lorries, Trollies.
Waggons, and the like.
I, HAROLD HORA, of 44, Grove Park, Denmark Hill, in the County of Surrey,
Cart and Carriage Builder, 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, and accompanying drawing, that
is to say
Where lorries, trollies, waggons, and the like, are to be used for carrying large
quantities of hay or straw, it is usual to provide them with moveable inclined
platforms, (commonly called "ladders") at the front and back of the vehicle,
from which they project for a considerable distance; and these ladders serve to
support and carry a much greater quantity of hay or straw than could be contained
in the vehicle itself only.
It is obvious, however, that these "ladders " are very much in the way, and
inconvenient, when the vehicle is not used for the above-mentioned purpose, and
take up much room when the vehicle is put away in a shed or building.
It is necessary, therefore, that the ladders should be capable of being easily
removed out of the way when required, and my invention has for its object more
particularly, a novel method of making the ladders and of attaching them to the
vehicle so that they can be instantly opened out and brought to their proper
position when they are to be used, whilst they are equally easily turned back out
of the way, so as to avoid any inconvenience or the occupation of too much space,
when the vehicle is not in use.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, Figure 1 being
a side view of a lorry fitted with my improved ladder, in the opened-out position
which they occupy when the vehicle is to be used for carrying hay or straw;
Figure 2 being a similar view showing the ladders turned in when not in use;
and Figure 3 showing, on a larger scale, the upper part of the vehicle with the
ladders attached to it at the front and back, and opened out in the position which
they occupy when in use.
a is the body of the vehicle, shown in Figures 1 and 2 carried upon wheels and
springs, in the usual way. Upon the front end b and back end c of the vehicle
are fitted the two ladders d and e, consisting of strong side pieces f, g, of the
shape shown, and fitted with transverse and longitudinal wooden ribs or strips,
as shown in Figure 3, to carry the hay or straw, when the ladders are turned out
as shown in Figures 1 and 3.1
The strong sides f, g are hinged or pivotted to the upper inner edge of the
front and back ends of the vehicle at hand i, and they are of such shape that
when turned out their projecting arms and rest firmly against the outer sides
of the front and back of the vehicle, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, whilst when
turned in, so as to be out of the way (as shown in Figure 2) they turn freely
upon their hinges h and i, the arms and leaving the ends of the vehicle.
By this method of construction and arrangement the ladders when extended
outward are very strongly and securely supported, and capable of bearing any

page_text: weight which may be placed upon them. The pivots or pins of the hinges at h
and i are capable of being very easily withdrawn, so that the ladders d and e, or
either of them, can be entirely removed or replaced.
The side frames ƒ and g may be made of wood as shown, or of light but suffi-
ciently strong metal, or partly of wood and partly of metal, and one or more
similarly shaped pieces may be arranged between the two outer ones f and 9,
if desired.
I do not confine myself to the precise method of construction and shape and
proportions of the several parts, which may be varied more or less as may be
found desirable, but
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:
Hay or straw ladders for lorries, trollies, waggons, and the like, consisting of
side pieces f, g, pivotted at h, i, to the front and back ends of the vehicle, and
having projecting arms k, 7, which when the ladders are turned outward rest
against the ends of the vehicle and ensure perfect stability and strength, whilst
when not in use the ladders can be turned inward upon their pivots, substantially
as described and shown in the drawing.
Dated this 20th day of Contambon 1900
EDWARDS AND Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.