Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 29th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 9th Sept., 1887.
I, JOHN THOMAS BOWER, of Sittingbourne, in the County of Kent, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or applicable to step ladders the object of
the improvements being to render such ladders more convenient and safe in use.
In carrying out my improvements I connect the two flaps of the ladder by means
of a rule or knuckle jointed hinge whereby when the ladder is open the two flaps are
kept rigidly asunder; I provide a self-acting catch which keeps the parts of the ladder
together when closed. I also employ a side leg or support hinged to one side of one
of the flaps of the ladder and adapted to be fixed in position when open by suitable
hooks or fastenings. This additional leg thus forms with the other parts of the ladder
a kind of tripod thereby giving great firmness to the ladder when in use and serving
to prevent accidents which so frequently arise from the falling of the ordinary step-
ladder.
It will be obvious that an additional leg may be applied to each side of the ladder if
required.
The additional side leg or legs when not in use folds or fold against the side or sides
of the ladder and can be kept in the closed position by any suitable catch.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or Applicable to Step Ladders.
I, JOHN THOMAS BOWER, of Sittingbourne, in the County of Kent, Engineer, 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 or applicable to step ladders, the object
of the improvements being to render such ladders more convenient and safe in use.
In carrying out my improvements I connect the two flaps of the ladder by means of
a rule or knuckle jointed hinge whereby when the ladder is open the two flaps are
kept rigidly asunder; I provide a self-acting catch which keeps the parts of the ladder
together when closed. I also employ a side leg or support hinged to one side of one
of the flaps of the ladder and adapted to be fixed in position when open by suitable
hooks or fastenings. This additional leg thus forms with the other parts of the ladder
a kind of tripod thereby giving great firmness to the ladder when in use and serving
to prevent accidents which so frequently arise from the falling of the ordinary step-
ladder.
It will be obvious that an additional leg may be applied to each side of the ladder if
required.
The additional side leg or legs when not in use fold against the side or sides of the
ladder and can be kept in their closed position by any suitable catch.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
how it can be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing in which
figure 1 represents a side elevation and figure 2 a back elevation of a step ladder with
my improvements applied thereto the ladder being shewn closed. Figure 3 is a
similar view to figure 1 but shewing the ladder open; figure 4 is a front view (partly
in section) of figure 3; figure 5 is a detached elevation of the rule or knuckle-jointed
hinge and self-acting catch drawn to a larger scale. Similar letters in all the figures
represent similar parts.
a, represents the rule or knuckle jointed hinge, the bars a¹, and 6, connected by the
said hinge being jointed at b, and c, to the two flaps e, and f, respectively of the
ladder; g, is the self-acting catch which I provide for keeping the parts of the ladder
together when closed; the catch g, is pivotted at 7, to the part f, of the ladder and an
eye i, (figure 2) is provided on the opposite portion e, through which the catch g,
passes when the ladder is closed and drops into position so as to hold the parts of the
ladder together as shewn in figures 1 and 2; j, represents my side leg or support
which I attach to one side of the flap f, of the ladder by means of a suitable arrange-
ment of joints and hinges. For this purpose the side leg or support j, may conveniently
be hinged at k, to a bar l, provided with a series of holes as shewn in figure 4, the
said bar being thereby adjustably attached to a bracket m, by means of a pin n, passing
through a hole in the bracket and through any one of the holes in the bar 7; the
bracket m, is pivotted in the flap f, of the ladder as shewn clearly at figure 4, o, repre-
senting the pivot of the same; p, and p¹, are the hooks or fastenings attached at one end

page_text: to the legj, the other ends being passed into eyes q, q', on the flaps e, and f, respectively
of the ladder when open thereby fixing the side leg securely in position; r, is a pin
which is passed through an eye s, on the flap f, of the ladder when the leg j, is not
required for use as shewn in figures 1 and 2, the eyes, for this purpose passing
through the hole t, in the leg j, and thereby serving to keep the said leg in the
position shewn; the outer ends of the hooks or fastenings p, and p', are passed into
eyes u, and v, on the leg j, when not required for use.
In order to make use of a ladder provided with my improvements, the ladder being
closed as shewn in figures 1 and 2, it is only necessary after raising the catch g, to
open out the flaps e, and f, when the bars a', and b', of the rule or knuckle jointed
hinge a, will straighten out and form a rigid stay or connection between the two
flaps e, and f, of the ladder thereby preventing any liability of the ladder to become
accidentally closed. The side leg j, is then unfastened by removing the pin r, from
the eyes, when the said leg can be moved on its pivot o, to the central position shewn
in figure 3; the two hooks or fastenings are then placed in the position shewn in
figures 3 and 4, and the length of the said leg is then adjusted by means of the bar l,
and pin n, so that it can be adapted to any inequality of the surface of the ground or
the like, and the ladder with the leg j, will then form a kind of tripod giving great
firmness to the ladder and obviating the risk of its falling sidewise when in use.
I do not confine myself in all cases to the employment of the catch g, i, as it will be
evident that the knuckle jointed hinge could be used without the said catch.
I have described and shewn my knuckle jointed hinge and side leg applied to an
ordinary step ladder but it will be obvious that my improvements are equally applicable
to other step ladders such as those known as painters' trestles and the like.
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 :-
--
1. Connecting the two flaps of step ladders by means of a rule or knuckle jointed
hinge substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
2. The combination with a step ladder of a rule or knuckle jointed hinge forming a
rigid stay for the ladder when open and folding up out of the way when the ladder is
closed, and a catch for holding the two flaps of the ladder together when closed sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
3. Providing step ladders with a side leg or side legs or their equivalents for giving
an additional support to the ladder and for preventing it from falling sidewise when
in use substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The manufacture and use of the improved side legs or supports, and joints for
step ladders substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1 to 4 of
the accompanying drawing.
5. The improved step ladder hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1 to 4
of the accompanying drawing.