US1560978A - Ladder - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 10, 1925. l 1,560,978

C. W. CRUMP 4 LADDER Filed Jan. .4, 1922 WW u f 3 C 1 2 '9. 'r" 4f 4/ :lti i 5 l E g4' 2 3 a Z 5 z F/G l. z F/G 3 W i FGz.

31a/UWM cry/ems Wlfe/IR '2m-mv' after au Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

Param* OFFICE.

lerrantes onUMr, or" ALTooNA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LADDER.

Application inea January 4, 192e. serial NQ. 527,038.

To all Iwhom r may concern.'

Be it known that CHARLES W. CnUMr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ladders.

A primary object is to provide novel means whereby the legs of the ladder may be readily adjusted to stand on uneven ground with as much safety as on a level floor or walk.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable foot which is adapted to be attached to the lower portion of the leg or side rail of the ladder in such a. manner that when the extension is released it readily falls or slides to the correct extended position to properly support the lladder', whereupon it may be locked to enable the ladder to be used with perfect safety.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical construction that may be economically manufactured and readily assembled together with a simple and easily operated locking device which enables the improvement to be handled with facility in connection with ladders of standard construction.

With the aboveand other objects in View which will be more readily apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa portion of a ladder having the present improvement applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

In carrying the invention into effect, it is proposed to provide a novel compensating foot that may be readily adapted to ladders of various types but essentially including the side rails A and rungs or steps B. To that end it is proposed to provide a novel compensating foot designated generally as C adaptedto have a slidable engagement with one of the side rails of the ladder and a novel locking device D for holding the same in set or adjusted position.

Referring first to the compensating foot C, it will be observed that the same is preferably of' substantially channel formation having the back wall 1, side walls 2 and inturned holding flanges 3 at the edges of the side walls 2. For the purpose of reinforcing the back wall 1 as well` as providing a locking guide or channel Gr, the said back wall may be formed with upstanding parallel ribs el, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

rThe bottom wall of the channel Gr may be provided with a series of alined locking openings 5 for receiving the keeper end 6 of the locking hook 7 n of the locking or holding device D.

The said locking hook 7 a is preferably of substantially right angular formation, thus providing a combined tensioning and attaching shank 14 which may extend through the opening 14a in one of the side rails of the ladder to receive a compression spring 15 which is held in place and given the desired tension by means of a wing nut 16 which engages with the threads 17 on the end of the shank 14. In this form of locking device, when it is desired to withdraw the keeper end 6a of the hook 7a from engagement with the holes 5 of the compensating foot C, the said hook 7 must be shifted in the direction of the axis of the shank 14. When the same is released, the spring 15 will exert its iniiuence tov draw the hook 7rL back into engagement with the keeper openings of the compensating foot.

When the device is in use, it will be apparent that the compensating foot C has a free sliding engagement with one of the side rails of the ladder. lhen the ladder is placed upon an uneven surface the locking device D is manipulated to release the compensating foot so that it seeks a secure footing upon the uneven portion of the ground, while the other leg of the ladder rests upon a firm support. When the compensating foot has reached its limit of adjustment the locking device D is permitted to exercise its function and securely holds the compensating foot in the desired adjusted position.

`Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent,

and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

An extension foot for ladders comprising in combination with a. looking hook adapted to be Carried by the lutter rail to swing pai'- allel to the outer fece thereof, :L metal body of channel shaped cross section con'iprising a bottom Wall, side Waits and inturned flanges adapted to fit over a ladder rail, said bottom Wall being formed With offset parai'lel stitt'ening ribs adapted to limit the pvotal movement of the looking hook, and ad justment openings formed in the portion ot' the said body of the foot lying between the ribs, and said openings being adapted to be engaged by said locking hook.

In testimony Whereothe aHiXeS his Signature.

CHARLES XV. GRUMP.

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