US51205A - Improvement in fruit-ladders - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT EFICE.

DAVID MCMASTER, OF BATH, NEI/V YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN `FRUIT-LADDERS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 51,205, dated November 28, 1865.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID McMAsrEn, of Bath in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented a new and useful I mprovementin Fruit-Ladders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, made part of this specification, in

l which- Figure l is a perspective View of the ladder when fixed for use, and Fig. 2 shows the ladder when the same is folded togetherI for removal. Fig. 3 shows the shape of shaft.

The shaft of the ladder A is made of pine or other light wood, three and a half or four inches in diameter, and cut to an octagonal shape, as shown in Fig. 3, tapering slightly to the top. Through the middle lines of opposite sides the run gs B are inserted. They are made of hickory or other tough wood, are one inch anda quarter in diameter, and project six or eight inches on either side, and are about sixteen inches apart.

A pin, D, is inserted in the bottom of the shaft A, projecting a few inches, for the purpose of preventing the shaft from slipping.

Ihe ladder thus constructed is made selfsupporting by four legs of light wood. These are about two by one and a quarter inches on' the sides, and when attached to a sixteen-foot shaft, (which is thensual sizefor ordinary fruittrecs,) the upper set of legs are six feet eight inches long, and the lower set are six feet long. The rangs of the ladder being through the middle line of two of the narrow faces, as shown in Fig. 3, the two upper and longer legs will be attached to the shaft on opposite faces other than the ones through which the run gs pass-viz.,the wider faces-and the other part will be attached to the other wider opposite faces. The upper pair of legs are t0 be attached about flve feet and a half from the bottom of the pole, and the shorter pair six or eight inches below. Both pairs are attached by bolts with heads and nuts. The nuts are drawn so tight as to make thejoints work stiftly, but not so much as to prevent their working. In the bottom of the shaft a spike projecting a few inches prevents the base from slipping. These proportions will of course be varied according to the length of the ladder.

In operating with the ladder the base being fixed under or by the tree, the legs are turned down and spread, givin g a base of about six feet. The ladder should be slightly inclined from the person using the same, so as keep the cer.- ter of gravity near the base. It will be more convenient to turn the legs up, and not down, as representated in the drawings.

Having fully explained the nature and construction of my improvement in fruit-ladders, what I claim as my invention, and seek to secure by Letters Patent, is

A ladder consisting of the shaft A, the rnngs B, legs C, and projecting spike D, combined and constructed substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed myname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

` D. MCMASTER.

Witnesses R. CAMPBELL, L. P. HARDY.

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