Improvements in Adjustable Steps or Step Ladders.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 30th May, 1891
TRUVIDIONAL DIECITICAL
[Communicated from abroad by OSCAR KINDERMANN, of Lindenan, near Leipsig,
Germany, Engineer.]
Improvements in Adjustable Steps or Step Ladders.
1 HEINRICH LOUIS BENNO TOOBE of No. 2 Alexandra Terrace Hornsea in
the County of York Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The said invention consists of the construction and combination of the parts
hereinafter described of steps or step ladders for painters decorators and others
and for general use whereby the steps or step ladders can be readily and
expeditiously lengthened and shortened and firmly fastened in their adjusted
position.
The said invention consists principally in combining with the lower portion of
each of the similar jointed side parts or frames of the steps or step ladder
supplementary legs or side bars upon the inner faces of which supplementary legs
the side bars of the principal or upper parts of the steps can slide so that by sliding
the said principal parts in one direction the steps may be lengthened to the desired
extent and by sliding the principal parts in the other direction the steps may be
shortened to the desired extent. After the length of the steps has been adjusted
the principal parts of the steps are bound firmly to the supplementary legs or side
bars by two or more clamps of the following construction secured to each of the
side bars at the lower ends of the principal parts of the steps.
Each of these clamps consists of a nearly closed oblong metal frame of a size
proper to receive one of the side bars of the principal parts of the steps and one of
the supplementary legs when placed face to face. Working in a screwed hole or
screw box at the closed front of the clamp frame is a screw swivelling in the cross-
picce of the fixing plate by which the clamp is secured to the principal part of the
steps. The sides of the clamp frame work between projecting ears on the said
fixing plate so that the clamp frame is capable only of a sliding motion. By turning
the screw described the front of the clamp can be moved nearer to or further from
the fixing plate and the length of the clamp frame virtually increased or diminished.
In the former position the open end of the clamp frame recedes from and unclamps
the supplementary legs or side bars and the principal parts of the steps can slide
upon the supplementary legs and in the latter position the open end of the clamp
frame is tightened upon the supplementary legs and binds or clamps them securely
to the principal parts of the steps. In this way the upper or principal parts of
the steps can slide upon the inner faces of the supplementary legs for adjusting the
length of the steps and the adjusted parts be firmly clamped together.
Each pair of the supplementary legs of the steps is furnished with two (or more)
detachable rungs or cross bars which are fastened in their places by hook like screw
clamps. One or both of these detachable cross bars is or are removed according to
the length required in the steps. If the steps are required to be shortened to a
limited extent one only of the said cross bars is removed but if the steps are
required to be shortened to their full extent both the said cross bars must be
removed.
Besides facility of adjustment of the length of the steps for general purposes the
construction and combination of parts described enable one of the jointed sides of
the steps to be made longer than the other jointed side when the two sides of the
steps are to be supported on surfaces at different levels.

page_text: These improved steps or step ladders may be used generally in place of ordinary
or non-adjustable steps or step ladders.
501
SLL 1000
WT. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Adjustable Steps or Step Ladders.
I, HEINRICH LOUIS BENNO TOOBE of No. 2 Alexandra Terrace Hornsea in
the County of York, Merchaut 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:-
The said invention consists of the construction and combination of the parts
hereinafter described of steps or step ladders for painters decorators and others and
for general use whereby the steps or step ladders, when opened out, fasten them-
selves for use without the usual connecting side iron or strap or other fastening
material, and can be readily and expeditiously lengthened and shortened and firmly
fastened in their adjusted position.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. N. 1 shows a pair of steps in their
original length and a pair of steps X lengthened to their full extent.
Fig. N. 2 & N. 3 show the clamp for fastening the principal side parts and
the supplementary legs in side views and horizontal section and Fig. N. 4 & N. 5
show the screw clamp for fastening the extra rungs to the supplementary legs in
side view and horizontal section.
The said invention consists in combining with the lower portion of each of the
side parts or frames A. of the steps or step ladders, the tops of such parts being
sloped and directly below joined by two iron links so, that when the steps are
opened, the sloped planes press upon each other and prevent the steps from sliding
further apart without having an extra connecting side iron or strap or other
fastening material,--supplementary legs or side bars B, upon the inner faces of
which supplementary legs B the side parts A of the steps can slide so, that by
sliding the said principal parts A in one direction the steps may be lengthened to
the desired extent and by sliding the principal parts A in the other direction,
the steps, may be shortened to the desired extent. After the length of the steps
has been adjusted, the principal parts A of the steps are bound firmly to the
supplementary legs B by two or more clamps like Fig. N. 2 & N. 3, secured to
each of the lower, end of the principal parts of the steps. Each of these clamps
consists of a nearly closed oblong metal frame D ofta size proper to receive one of
the side parts of the steps and one of the supplementary legs, when placed face, to
face. Working in a screwed hole or screw box at the closed front of the clamp
frame is a screw. C, swivelling in the cross piece of the fixing plate E, by which the
clamp is screwed. to the principal part of the steps. The sides of the clamp frame D
work between projecting cars on the said fixing plate E, so, that the clamp frame D
is capable only of a sliding motion. By turning the screw. C the front of the
clamp D. cau be moved nearer to or further from the fixing plate. E and the length
of the clamp frame D virtually increased or diminished. In the former position
the open end of the clamp frame D recedes from and unclamps the supplementary
legs B and the principal parts of the steps can slide upon the supplementary legs
and in the latter position the open, end of the clamp, frame D, is tightened upon, the
supplementary legs B and binds or clamps them securely to the principal parts. A
of the steps. In this way, the principal parts A of the steps can slide upon the
inner faces of the supplementary legs B for adjusting the length of the steps and
the adjusted parts be firmly clamped together. Each pair of the supplementary legs
of the steps is furnished with two or more detachable rungs or cross bars F as shown

page_text: in Fig. N. 4 & N. 5, which are fastened in their places by hook like screw clamps.
Part H being put with the screw end through a slit in the cross bar F and the box
part or hook part gripping round the sliding bar or supplementary leg B, both
these bars afterwards being tightened to one another by screw G. One or both of
these detachable cross bars F is or are removed according to the length required in
the stops. If the steps are required to be shortened to a limited extent one only of
the said cross bars is removed but if the steps are required to be shortened to their
full extent both the said cross bars must be removed.
Besides facility of adjustment of the length of the steps for general purposes the
construction and combination of parts described enable one of the sides of the steps
to be made longer than the other side when the two sides of the steps are to be
supported on surfaces at different levels.
These improved steps or step ladders may be used generally in place of ordinary
or non-adjustable steps or step ladders.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An improved design for making steps or step ladders, which have the tops of
the side parts so.constructed, that, when the steps or step ladders are opened out
for use, they cannot possibly slide further apart without needing the usual con-
necting side iron, strap or any other fastening material.
2. An improved design for making steps or step ladders, which have supple-
mentary legs B upon the inner faces of which the principal side parts A can slide
up and down and are afterwards clamped firmly together by the iron clamp D and
to which supplementary legs B extra rungs F might be fastened with the screw
clamp H, thus making it possible, to lengthen and shorten either both sides of the
steps or step ladders evenly, or to make one side longer than the other and thus
adjust the steps or step ladders to surfaces of different levels, and to clamp the
adjusted parts firmly together.
Dated this 25th day of April 1891.