Improvements in Step-ladders and Trestles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr.. 1887
Complete Left, 26th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1888
Improvements in Step-ladders and Trestles.
I, HENRY CROFTS LONGSDON of the firm of W. Summerscales and Sons, Coney
Lane Mills, Keighley, Yorkshire, Machine Makers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to step-ladders and trostles, and as is well-known they are
composed of two uprights, one forming the back, the other upright forming the front,
made with steps. In practice steps made with only two uprights are found not to be
safe especially is this the case when there is any side-pressure, such as occurs when
the person using the steps is leaning sideways or over-reaching.
My invention consists in making such steps with an additional leg, which I prefer
to place on one side of the steps, say either on the right or left hand; this additional
leg is hinged or suspended to the woodwork near the top thereof. The manner of
fastening the additional leg may consist of a hinge in combination with any well-
known locking device for the purpose of locking the additional leg when opened out
or extended, by which means the safety of the step-ladder is insured, and the danger
of falling entirely overcome.
Data : 071 LCA.
AD 1007
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Step Ladders and Trestles.
I, HENRY CROFTS LONGSDON of the firm of W. Summerscales and Sons, Coney
Lane Mills, Keighley, Yorkshire, Machine Makers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to bo-performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to step ladders and trestles, which are composed of two
uprights, one forming the back and the other upright forming the front. made with
steps. In practice, steps made with only two uprights are found not to be safe;
especially is this the case when there is any side pressure, such as occurs when the
person using the steps is leaning sideways or overreaching.
My invention consists in making such steps with an additional leg, which I prefer
to place on one side of the steps, say either on the right or on the left hand, such
additional leg being hinged or suspended to the woodwork near the top thereof.
C
Such being the nature and object of my said invention, I will now make reference
to the accompanying sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is elevation
of a stepladder or trestle provided with an additional leg constructed according to my
invention, Figs. 2 and 3 being enlarged views of some of the parts. a is the back
leg of the steps and b is the front leg provided with steps or treads e in the ordinary
manner. The additional leg of the steps is shown at d, which is hinged by any
suitable form of joint e attached to the underside of the top step. This additional
leg is hinged so that it can oscillate, or be swung on its joint either to the right or
left, as will be easily understood, so that when a person is using the steps he can
place the additional leg on the side where he is expecting to have side or over-
reaching pressure. The additional leg will also be found useful for adjusting the
steps on uneven ground.
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 :-
The combination with stepladders or trestles of a third or additional leg, so hinged
as to be capable of oscillation in manner and for purposes substantially as herein
shewn and described.
Dated this 95th day of January 1888