Patent ID: 8381873

Claim:
A convertible ladder and scaffold assembly comprising: a plurality of uprights ( 20 ), a plurality of beams ( 38 ) each extending from one of said uprights ( 20 ), a plurality of hinges ( 48 , 50 ) each hingedly connecting one of said uprights ( 20 ) to one of said beams ( 38 ) about a rotational axis (A R ), each of said hinges ( 48 , 50 ) defining at least one catch ( 58 ) and presenting a plurality of stops ( 60 ) releasably engaging said at least one catche ( 58 ) for preventing rotation about said rotational axis (A R ), and at least one lever bar ( 88 ) releasably engaging a plurality of said stops ( 60 ) for simultaneously releasing a plurality of said stops ( 60 ) from engaging said at least one catche ( 58 ) of a plurality of said hinges ( 48 , 50 ), said at least one lever bar ( 88 ) extending between two lever ends ( 90 ) and each of said hinges ( 48 , 50 ) defines a lever hole ( 92 ) and one of said lever ends ( 90 ) is rotatably disposed therein, said at least one lever bar ( 88 ) has a plurality of lever sections ( 96 ) each extending in a direction radially away from said lever ends ( 90 ) for providing leverage to disengage said stops ( 60 ) from said at least one catch ( 58 ), said at least one lever bar ( 88 ) having a grip section ( 98 ) interconnecting said lever sections ( 96 ) for simultaneously releasing a plurality of said stops ( 60 ) from engaging said catches ( 58 ), said at least one lever bar ( 88 ) having a plurality of contact sections ( 94 ) each extending arcuately and engaging one of said stops ( 60 ).