US3739876A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combination step ladder and work support
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-07-28
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Granted: 1973-06-19
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Expires: 1991-07-28
Abstract
Abstract A dual purpose foldable stepladder comprising a step-equipped front frame hingedly connected to a back prop frame having two pairs of foldable auxiliary legs on the back prop frame to support the folded ladder in horizontal position for use as a work bench. Each of the two pairs of auxiliary legs comprises a U-shaped tubular leg means which folds against the backside of the back frame. When the two U-shaped leg means are unfolded their upper ends extend into the interior of the folded step ladder and one of them ties the two frames of the folded step ladder together.
Inventors
- 👤 R Goldberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:43
CPC Classifications
E; E06; E06C; E06C1/00; E06C1/02; E06C1/38; E06C1/39
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
In a ladder having an extended configuration for use and a compact configuration for storage, the combination of: a front frame comprising a pair of front side bars interconnected by transverse members including step members and forming the front side of the compact configuration; a back frame comprising a pair of side bars interconnected by spaced transverse members, said back frame forming the back side of the compact configuration; first auxiliary leg means located on the upper half of the compact configuration of the ladder; second auxiliary leg means located on the lower half of the compact configuration of the ladder, each of said auxiliary leg means comprising two rigidly interconnected legs; and means pivotally mounting each of said auxiliary leg means on the back frame on a pivot axis spaced rearward of the back frame to swing between a folded position adjacent the back side of the back frame and an extended position, whereby with the ladder in its compact configuration the two auxiliary leg means may be unfolded to support the ladder in substantially horizontal position with said front frame uppermost to serve, for example, as a work bench.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
In a ladder having an extended configuration for use and a compact configuration for storage, the combination of: a front frame comprising a pair of front side bars interconnected by transverse members including step members and forming the front side of the compact configuration; a back frame comprising a pair of side bars interconnected by spaced transverse members, said back frame forming the back side of the compact configuration; first auxiliary leg means located on the upper half of the compact configuration of the ladder; second auxiliary leg means located on the lower half of the compact configuration of the ladder, each of said auxiliary leg means comprising two rigidly interconnected legs; and means pivotally mounting each of said auxiliary leg means on the back frame on a pivot axis spaced rearward of the back frame to swing between a folded position adjacent the back side of the back frame and an extended position, whereby with the ladder in its compact configuration the two auxiliary leg means may be unfolded to support the ladder in substantially horizontal position with said front frame uppermost to serve, for example, as a work bench.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the pivot axis of each of the auxiliary leg means divides the auxiliary leg means into an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being narrower than the spaces between the side bars of the two frames to swing upward into said spaces when the auxiliary leg means is unfolded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which each of said auxiliary leg means comprises an elongated member of generally U-shaped configuration forming two spaced legs; in which the two spaced legs are parallel in the upper portion of the auxiliary leg means; and in which the two legs are divergent in the lower portion of the auxiliary leg means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which the two legs of each leg means diverge to greater overall width than said spaces to promote stability and in the work bench mode of the ladder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which the ladder is a folding stepladder; and which includes stop means to contact the upper portions of the two auxiliary leg means when the auxiliary leg means are unfolded, thereby to promote the stability of the ladder in its work bench mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which the stop means for the second auxiliary leg means releasably engages the second auxiliary leg means when the second auxiliary leg means is unfolded, thereby to cooperate with the second auxiliary leg means to hold the front and back frames together when the ladder is in the work bench mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A combination as set forth in claim 6 in which the second auxiliary leg means hooks over the corresponding stop means at the unfolded position of the second auxiliary leg means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
A combination as set forth in claim 6 in which the front frame has a pair of diaGonal braces each of which interconnects a step member and a side bar of the front frame; and in which the stop means for the second auxiliary leg means interconnects the two diagonal braces to reinforce the front frame of the ladder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which the lower portion of each auxiliary leg means is connected to the back frame by brace means that unfolds to a diagonal position to serve as a diagonal brace for the unfolded auxiliary leg means; and in which each brace means unfolds past center to a locking position to press the auxiliary leg means against the corresponding stop means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
A combination as set forth in claim 9 in which each of said auxiliary leg means is resiliently flexible; and in which the corresponding brace means is located and dimensioned to place the unfolded leg means under flexural stress for sustained pressure against the corresponding stop means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said auxiliary leg means comprises an elongated member of generally U-shaped configuration forming two spaced legs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the two leg means are substantially identical.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
120 words
A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which the side bars of the back frame of the ladder are divergent toward the bottom end of the ladder with corresponding increase in the distance between the side bars of the front frame toward the bottom end of the ladder; in which each said auxiliary leg means is mounted on the back frame of the ladder by two brackets on the side bars respectively of the back frames; and in which the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means extend inwardly of the corresponding side bars to space the auxiliary leg means centrally between the two side bars with the two auxiliary leg means in alignment longitudinally of the ladder.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
76 words
A combination as set forth in claim 13 in which the side bars of the back frame are interconnected by a transverse frame member in the region of the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means; and in which the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means are fixedly connected both to said transverse frame member and to the corresponding side bar of the back frame to function as a gusset to brace the back frame.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
A combination as set forth in claim 13 which includes a latch member to releasably hold the second auxiliary leg means in folded position, said latch member being pivotally mounted on one of the two brackets for the second auxiliary leg means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A combination as set forth in claim 15 which includes a fastening element anchoring one of the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means to the corresponding side bar of the back frame; and in which the latch member is pivoted on said fastening element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
88 words
A combination as set forth in claim 13 ; in which the opposite sides of each of the two auxiliary leg means are connected to the corresponding side bars of the back frame by two corresponding brace means that unfold to diagonal positions to serve as diagonal braces for the two auxiliary leg means; and in which the two brace means for the second auxiliary leg means are formed with angular offsets to compensate for the increase in the distance between the side bars of the back frame.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
66 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which each of the auxiliary leg means is connected to the two opposite side bars of the back frame by pivot means that resist relative movement between the side bars and the auxiliary leg means along the pivot axis whereby each auxiliary leg means interconnects the two side bars in a manner to strengthen the back frame.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes latch means on the back frame to releasably hold each of the auxiliary leg means in folded position against the back frame.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
67 words
A combination as set forth in claim 19 in which each side of each of the two leg means is pivotally mounted on a bracket on the correspOnding side bar of the back frame; and in which said latch means for at least one of the two auxiliary leg means is a latch member pivotally mounted on one of the brackets for the corresponding auxiliary leg means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
74 words
A combination as set forth in claim 20 in which the side bars of the back frame are interconnected by a transverse frame member in the region of the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means; and in which the brackets for the second auxiliary leg means are fixedly connected both to the transverse frame member and the corresponding side bars of the back frame to function as gussets to strengthen the back frame.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
53 words
A combination as set forth in claim 19 in which each of said latch means is a latch member mounted on the back side of a side bar of the back frame to swing into and out of a position to block the path of unfolding movement of the corresponding auxiliary leg means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
87 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the lower portion of each auxiliary leg means is connected to the back frame by brace means that unfolds to a diagonal position to serve as a diagonal brace for the unfolded auxiliary leg means; and which includes means to releasably interconnect the two frames of the ladder near the lower end of the ladder to hold the two frames together when the ladder is supported by the two auxiliary leg means in its work bench mode.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
64 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the ladder is an extension ladder with the two frames thereof interconnected with freedom for the two frames to slide longitudinally relative to each other; and which includes means to prevent relative longitudinal movement between the two frames when the ladder is supported by the two auxiliary leg means in its work bench mode.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
109 words
A combination as set forth in claim 24 in which the two side bars of each of the frames of the extension ladder are interconnected by spaced rungs; and in which, when the two auxiliary leg means are unfolded, one auxiliary leg means abuts a rung of the front frame of the ladder to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the two frames in one direction and the other auxiliary leg means abuts another rung of the front frame to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the two frames in the opposite direction, whereby the two unfolded auxiliary leg means prevent relative longitudinal movement between the two frames of the ladder.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
44 words
A combination as set forth in claim 25 in which one of the two unfolded auxiliary leg means abuts the uppermost rung of the front frame and the other of the two unfolded auxiliary leg means abuts the lowermost rung of the front frame.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
79 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the ladder is foldable stepladder; in which the uppermost step of the front frame is a rectangular sheet metal member having a flange along its front side and a flange along its back side to stiffen the sheet metal member, the flange along the back side of the sheet metal member being relatively narrow to clear the path of folding and unfolding movement of the first auxiliary leg means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
106 words
A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the ladder is a folding stepladder; in which the back frame of the ladder is a prop frame; in which a foldable shelf to support paint buckets and the like has a pair of spaced arms to engage the under side of a step of the front frame when the ladder is unfolded; and in which the foldable shelf has an upward flange along its back edge to engage said step to keep the shelf out of the way in its folded position when the step ladder is supported by the two pairs of auxiliary legs.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
195 words
In a ladder having an extended configuration for use and a compact configuration for storage, the combination of a front frame section comprising a pair of side bars and a plurality of step members rigidly interconnecting said pair of said bars, a back frame section comprising a pair of side bars and a plurality of spaced members Rigidly interconnecting said pair of side bars, means located at one end of said front and back frames for connecting said frames in a pivotable relationship, means located at a second end of said front and back frames for supporting said frames in a substantially vertical position, first and second pivot means mounted on one of said frames and extending outwardly therefrom, away from the other of said frames first and second pairs of leg means pivotally mounted in said first and second pivot means for movement between first positions in which they are parallel to and folded against said one of said frames and second positions in which they (a) are angularly related to, (b) intersect, and (c) pass through the plane of said one of said frames to support said frames in a substantially horizontal position.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
195 words
In a ladder having an extended configuration for use and a compact configuration for storage, the combination of a front frame section comprising a pair of side bars and a plurality of step members rigidly interconnecting said pair of said bars, a back frame section comprising a pair of side bars and a plurality of spaced members Rigidly interconnecting said pair of side bars, means located at one end of said front and back frames for connecting said frames in a pivotable relationship, means located at a second end of said front and back frames for supporting said frames in a substantially vertical position, first and second pivot means mounted on one of said frames and extending outwardly therefrom, away from the other of said frames first and second pairs of leg means pivotally mounted in said first and second pivot means for movement between first positions in which they are parallel to and folded against said one of said frames and second positions in which they (a) are angularly related to, (b) intersect, and (c) pass through the plane of said one of said frames to support said frames in a substantially horizontal position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-18 | 1976-12-18 | 1977-06-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-18 | 1980-12-18 | 1981-06-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-18 | 1984-12-18 | 1985-06-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |