Combined step and stool

Claim 2

A step and stool comprising: a. a hollow base having a flat top and a floor-engaging bumper secured to the lower peripheral rim of said base; b. a stool portion having a flat top of less area than the top of the base and provided with a plurality of equally spaced supporting legs; c. a plurality of equally spaced collapsible casters secured to the lower side of the top of said base for rollably supporting the base and stool portion under noload conditions and collapsible under the application of pressure to the base or stool portion to allow said bumper to engage the floor; d. a plurality of spaced recessed portions on said top of the base having an opening therethrough surrounded by a depending boss, the lower end of said legs on said stool portion being adapted to engage in said recesses and being provided with vertically extending threaded bores; and e. a threaded shank bolt having a wing nut on one end for engaging through said bosses and into said threaded bore on said legs to retain said stool and step together.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 including an internally threaded bushing in said vertical bores of said legs on said stool portion.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 including glide means for engaging said legs on said stool portion when removed from said base.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 wherein said glide means includes a head having a threaded shank for engaging in said vertically threaded bores of said legs.

Claim 6

A step and stool comprising: a. a hollow base having a flat top and a floor engaging bumper secured to the lower peripheral rim of said base; b. a stool portion having a flat top of less area than the top of the base and provided with a pLurality of equally spaced supporting legs; c. a plurality of equally spaced collapsible casters secured to the lower side of the top of said base for rollably supporting the base and stool portion under noload conditions and collapsible under the application of pressure to the base or stool portion to allow said bumper to engage the floor; and d. means on said legs of the stool portion cooperating with means carried by the top of the base to removably secure said stool portion to the base whereby said stool portion and base may be separated and used separately as step stools wherein said lower peripheral rim of said base has an enlarged portion and a vertically extending annular groove therein and said bumper has a tongue member engaging in said groove, and side members engaging the sides of said legs.

Claim 7

A step and stool comprising: a. a hollow base having a flat top and a floor engaging bumper secured to the lower peripheral rim of said base; b. a stool portion having a flat top of less area than the top of the base and provided with a pLurality of equally spaced supporting legs; c. a plurality of equally spaced collapsible casters secured to the lower side of the top of said base for rollably supporting the base and stool portion under noload conditions and collapsible under the application of pressure to the base or stool portion to allow said bumper to engage the floor; and d. means on said legs of the stool portion cooperating with means carried by the top of the base to removably secure said stool portion to the base whereby said stool portion and base may be separated and used separately as step stools wherein said lower peripheral rim of said base has an enlarged portion and a vertically extending annular groove therein and said bumper has a tongue member engaging in said groove, and side members engaging the sides of said legs.

Claim 8

A caster mounting for a step stool having a hollow base with sidewalls, a flat top and a floor-engaging bumper secured to the lower peripheral rim of said base comprising: a. a plurality of spaced, elongated socket members rigidly secured to the under side of said top and depending therefrom, said sockets being spaced inwardly from said sidewalls and having closed upper ends; b. casters having stems rotatably mounted in said sockets, the upper ends of said stems being spaced from the closed end of said sockets; c. coiled springs having one end engaging against the closed ends of said sockets and their other ends against the upper ends of said stems on the casters and normally urging the casters downwardly; and d. means in said sockets and stems cooperating to retain the stems in the sockets to limit movement of said casters by said springs and adapted to cooperate with the sockets to retain the stems in said sockets and add said means including a recessed portion in the lower end of the socket members, said shank having shoulders forming a stop movable in said recessed portions of the socket member, said elongated socket members each having sidewalls and a threaded socket in said sidewalls, a washer having an opening therein and a threaded bolt for engaging in said threaded socket, said bolt having a head overlapping said recessed portion of said socket members to retain the shanks in said recessed members.

Claim 9

A caster mounting for a step stool having a hollow base with sidewalls, a flat top and a floor-engaging bumper secured to the lower peripheral rim of said base comprising: a. a plurality of spaced, elongated socket members rigidly secured to the under side of said top and depending therefrom, said sockets being spaced inwardly from said sidewalls and having closed upper ends; b. casters having stems rotatably mounted in said sockets, the upper ends of said stems being spaced from the closed end of said sockets; c. coiled springs having one end engaging against the closed ends of said sockets and their other ends against the upper ends of said stems on the casters and normally urging the casters downwardly; and d. means in said sockets and stems cooperating to retain the stems in the sockets to limit movement of said casters by said springs and adapted to cooperate with the sockets to retain the stems in said sockets and add said means including a recessed portion in the lower end of the socket members, said shank having shoulders forming a stop movable in said recessed portions of the socket member, said elongated socket members each having sidewalls and a threaded socket in said sidewalls, a washer having an opening therein and a threaded bolt for engaging in said threaded socket, said bolt having a head overlapping said recessed portion of said socket members to retain the shanks in said recessed members.