US403602A - Step-ladder - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. A. NEILL. STEP LADDER.

N0. 403,602. Patented May 21, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. NEILL, OF EAST PORTLAND, OREGON.

STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,602, dated May 21, 1889.

Application filed October 26, 1888. Serial No. 289,178. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. NEILL, of East Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and Improved Step-Ladder, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to folding step-ladders, and has for its object to provide an effective and durable folding step-ladder which may be used as an ordinary ladder or automatically converted for use as afolding stepladder.

The invention consists in a folding stepladder, and in details of construction thereof, constructed and arranged as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention in posit-ion for use as a step-ladder. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the upper portion of the invention in folded position for use as an ordinary ladder; and Fig. 3 is a plan View of one of the steps on under side thereof, with its uprights in cross-section. Fig. 4 represents one of the step-hinges detached.

The invention embraces in its construction bracing-legs secured to the top of a step-ladder and uprights connected at their upper ends to brackets on the ladder-top and vertically movable on each other, with rocking steps and supports for holding the steps at an incline to the front or back of the ladder.

In carrying out this invention the following-described construction is preferably employed, in which the ladder is formed with upright-s 1 and 2, a top, 3, and folding supports or legs 4, connected by a cross-bar, 5, secured to the top 3 by the plates 6, bolted to the legs 4 and having flanges 7 at a right angle thereto, and secured thereby to the under side pf the top 3. The upper ends of the uprights 1 and 2 project and move between the plates 6, and are connected thereto by screws or pins 8, projecting through and riding in curved slots 9 in the plates 6, the slots 9 being of a sufficient length to permit the uprights 2 and the legs 4 to swing together to closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, or swung apart tounfolded position, as shown in Fig. 1. The inner surface of the uprights 1 and 2 is provided at proper distances apart with recesses 10, in which the ends of steps 11 are located, the recesses 10 being formed with the upper and lower inclined shoulders 12, serving as supports or bearings for the steps 11 when tilted in one direction or the other.

The uprights 1 and 2 have their upper ends formed with the inclined surface l3,which fit against the under side of the top 3 when the step-ladder is unfolded, and are connected together on each side by the bent cross portion 14 of a T-shaped casting, 15, the inturned ends 10 of the portion 14 projecting through the uprights 1 and 2 and into the end of the steps 11, and serving as pivots for the latter. The main portion 17 of the T-shaped casting 15 extends between the uprights l and 2 and beneath the steps 11, serving as abrace therefor, and is secured to the step by ascrew or bolt, 18, projecting through an eye, 19, in the end of the portion 17. The legs 4 and uprights 1 2 may be held in unfolded position, preferably by means of the folding bracearms 20, pivoted to legs 4 at one end, and having their other end pivoted to upright 1 and supported, when in unfolded position, by one of the upwardly-curved pivoted ends 21, resting on a lug, 22, on the other curved end, 21. By means of the construction hereinbefore set forth, when the ladder is in folded position, as shown in Fig. 2, it may be used as a single ladder on the back of the step-ladder, the top 3 and the steps 11 being inclined downward, as shown in Fig. 2, and the crossbar 5 abutting against and forming apart of a step, 11. In this position the ends of steps 11 rest at the inner side on the inner inclined shoulders 12 of recess 10 below the steps, and at the outer side bear against the outer inclined shoulders 12 above the steps. To use the ladder as a step-ladder, it is simply necessary to bear down with the foot on the outer edge of the lowest step, or to press down the outer edge of any of the steps with the hand, which will cause the legs 4 to be thrown out to extended position and the top to be moved to a level position and the steps to an oppositely-inclined posit-ion from that in Fig. 2, as

shown in Fig. 1. A By this means the step-ladder may be readily and quickly unfolded without going to the side thereof and drawing it into extended position. v I

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A folding step-ladder constructed with de'rs, and steps having their ends located in the recesses between the reverse double inclined V-shaped shoulders and pivoted to the uprights, substantially as shown and described.

3. A folding step-ladderconstructedwith the bracing-legs 4, the top 3, the brackets 6, each having curved slots 9 and rocking steps to top 3, the uprights 1 and 2, connected at their upper ends to brackets 6 by pins 8, pro-' jecting through slots 9, substantially as shown and described.

4. A folding step-ladder constructed with the bracing-legs'4, the top 3, the brackets 6, with curved slots 9, secured to legs 4, and by means of flanges 7 to top 3, the uprights 1 and 2, connected at their upper ends to brackets 6 by pins 8, projecting through slots 9, and having slots 10 in their inner face, with reverse double inclined V-shaped shoulders 12, and steps 11, having their ends located in slots 10 between the V-shaped shoulders 12 and pivoted to uprights 1 2 by the T-shaped castings 15, having the cross bent portion 14, connecting the uprights 1 2, on a side, the inturned, ends 16, projecting throughuprights 1 2 and into the end of steps 11;andthe main portion 17, extending beneath the steps and having an eye, 19, secured to the step by a bolt, 18', substantially as shown and described.

JOHN A. NEILL.

\Vitnesses:

C. P. FONTMILLER, CHAS. 0. STORY.

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