Improvements in the Hinges of Stays of Step Ladders.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 15th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 19th Feb., 1898
Improvements in the Hinges of Stays of Step Ladders.
We, HENRY LAMBERT WILSON and ARTHUR WILSON, both of Atlas Works,
Clayton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Makers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the hinges of the stays of step ladders
the object being to construct a simple hinge or joint by means of which when the
ladder is opened to its full extent, the stays and ladder are held rigidly, and if the
ladder is only partly opened, the hinge can readily be fixed and prevented from
further opening or closing until released.
According to this invention, we employ two, three, or more (preferably four) stay
rods hinged to the steps and to the legs of same, and also hinged or jointed together
so as to open and close with the ladder. The improved joint consists of a pin or
bolt passing through the several stay rods and also through a cap or cover enclosing
or covering the stay rods in such a manner that the stay rods will fold or close
together when the steps are closed, and when the steps are opened the stays also
open, and the weight of the joint causes the former to fall or open until the
several stays are in a straight line when the cap or cover prevents further movement,
and the ladder is held rigidly open. When the ladder is not opened to its full extent,
the hinge or joint can be fixed at any point by means of a nut or set screw.
The joint or hinge may be made somewhat similar to an ordinary elbow
joint.
Improvements in the Hinges of Stays of Step Ladders.
We, HENRY LAMBERT WILSON and ARTHUR WILSON, both of Atlas Works,
Clayton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Makers, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in the hinges of the stays of step
ladders, the object being to construct a simple hinge or joint by means of which
when the ladder is opened to its full extent, the stays and ladder are held rigidly and
the ladder is prevented from closing or slipping. The invention is simple in
construction and efficient in its action.
Such being the nature and object of our said invention, the following is a

page_text: complete description of same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Fig. 1 is a side clevation of an opened step ladder having our improved stay rod
hinge applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1, but the step ladder is shewn as partly closed.
The several figs. on Sheet 2 are details of the hinge or joint of the stay rod
drawn detached in order to clearly shew their construction.
Fig. 3 being a view of the underside of the pin or bolt and tail piece.
Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a view of the underside of the cap or cover and pin or bolt and rods
complete.
Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 5, and
Figs. 7 and 8 are end and end sectional views of Fig. 6.
According to this invention we employ stay rods 1-1 hinged or pivoted at 2-2
to the ladder 3 and to the support or legs
of same. Each stay rod 1 consists of
a rod of metal, the ends of one of which are pivoted at 2 to the ladder 3, and
the ends of the other rod 1' are pivoted to the supports or legs 4 of the said ladder,
and each stay rod 1 is bent or cranked and passed through the central hinge or
improved joint 5 so as to open and close with the ladder.
The improved joint 5 (see Sheet 2) consists of a pin or bolt 6 passing through or
between the several stay rods 1-1 and also through a cap or cover 7 enclosing or
covering the stay rods 1-1 in such a manner that the stay rods 1-1 will fold
or close together when the steps are closed (see Fig. 2) and when the steps are
opened the stays 1-1 also open (see Fig. 1) until the several stays 1-1 are almost
in a straight line when the flange 8 of the cap or cover 7 prevents further movement,
and the ladder is held rigidly open. The weight of the cap or cover tends to maintain
the stays steadily in position.
It will be seen on reference to Sheet 2 of the annexed drawings that the
improved hinge consists of a recessed block or cap or cover 7 having a slot or
opening 9 through which the two stay rods 1-1 are passed into the recess, after
which the key 6 is slid along the slot until the shoulder 11 abuts against the
end of the block 7 and the two projections 12-12 protrude beyond the end of the
slot at the opposite end of the block. The two projections are now turned over or
riveted to lock the key 6 in position and the joint is complete. The flanges. 8 of
the cap or cover 7 form an elbow joint preventing the stay rods 1-1 falling much
below the horizontal portion. The tail piece 10 which lies between each pair of stay
rods 1-1 serves to keep the joint level and ensures the free opening of the ladder by
preventing the cap or cover turning.
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) step ladder the stay rods 1-1 of which are jointed together by an elbow
joint such as 5, as and for the purpose herein described and substantially as illustrated
by the annexed drawings.
(2) The flanged cap or cover 7, locking key 6, and stay rods 1-1, all in
combination, as and for the purpose herein described and substantially as illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.