Improvements in or applicable to Accommodation Steps or Ladders.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 27th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Accommodation Steps or Ladders.
I, JOHN WOTHERSPOON, of Rossbank, Forest Hill, Kent, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention has reference to certain improvements in or applicable to the
construction and arrangement of accommodation steps or ladders and the adjunctive
apparatus thereof, such as are used on ships or for communicating between ships,
piers, landing stages and the like or between other parts or places liable to varying
relative elevations to which the ladder is required to be quickly accommodated so as
at all times to retain a horizontal or approximately horizontal tread whatever be
the angular or other position of the ladder necessitated by the relative elevations of
the parts between which it communicates.
The improvements have special reference to the construction of the platform of
the ladder and the connection thereof to the ship's side or the like, and to the
construction of the ladder and of the steps thereof, and of the handrail arrangements
and the connections of such respective parts.
On the accompanying drawings ;-
-
Fig. 1, represents, in end elevation, partly in section, the platform and platform-
handrails and upper part of the ladder and the connection thereof to each other
and to the ship's side.
Fig. 2, represents the same in side elevation.
Fig. 3, represents part of the same in plan.
Figs. 4 and 5, represent views of the ladder handrails and steps and of their
connection to the sides of the ladder.
In accordance with the present improvements, the top platform (vide Figs. 1 to 3,)
is constructed with a frame 9, enclosed on three sides but open at the front, formed
preferably of steel of a deep angular section and covered with a steel or iron
chequered plate 10, rivetted or bolted thereto and extending inboard towards or
over the ship's side.
The platform is connected to the ship's side, bulwarks or rail, by means of
arms 11, (ride Figs. 1 to 3) preferably of a channelled angular section and formed
of steel, the outer ends of the arins 11, being kneed to fit against the adjacent side
of the frame 9, and rivetted or bolted thereto, the middle part of the arms being
rivetted or bolted to the covering plate 10, and the inner ends of the arms being
kneed down as at 12, and formed with side flanges 13, and engaged by a through
pivot pin 14, with hinge pieces 15, which are rivetted or bolted to the ship's side
and located between the flanges of the kneed parts 12, so as to form abutments
against which such parts of the arms 11, rest so as to serve to support the platform
in a horizontal position when rigged out, vide Fig. 1.
The inner ends of the arms 11, may, however, be kneed up if required to be
hinged to the bulwarks, or may be flat and horizontally disposed if hinged flush
with the upper deck or on top of the ship's rail, in both cases acting as a support
to the platform as aforesaid.
The platform is further supported by one or more folding tie-rods 16, (vide
Figs. 1, to 3,) which are hinge-jointed at 17, at about the centre, one end of the
tie-rod being pivotally connected to the ship's rail 18, as at 19, and the other end
thereof being pivotally connected to the outer edge of the platform, as at 20; such
connection permitting (when the ladder is not in use and is stowed away against
the ship's rail as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1,) of the tie-rod or rods

page_text: folding up snugly within the space occupied by the ladder and platform, without
requiring any disconnection from the platform or ship's side.
The ladder-sides (vide Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5,) are constructed with fore and aft
parts 21, 22, respectively carrying the fore and aft pivotal connections 23, 24, of
the steps 25, which connections also serve to connect the respective parts of the
ladder-sides.
The aft parts 22, of the ladder-sides are preferably made of flat bar steel disposed
edgewise (but they may be made of an angular or channelled formation) and are
suspended from the underside of the platform on a pin 26, common to both,
supported by the opposite frames 9, and on which pin both such parts are free to
oscillate.
The fore parts 21, of the ladder-sides are preferably formed of angled steel and
are adapted to fit between and to rest on the top edges of the parts 22, when the
ladder is disposed horizontally and is used as a gangway, thus forming a light and
rigid gangway.
The parts 21, are suspended from the underside of the platform
by a pin 27, common to both, supported by brackets or bearings 28, rivetted or
bolted to the underside of the covering plate 10, and on which pin both such parts
are free to oscillate.
The ladder steps 25 are made (preferably of cast iron, steel or brass) of the form
represented in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, with continuous bosses 29, 30, respectively adapted
to engage with the pivotal connections 23, 24, and with end flanges or webs 31, and
with a recessed top 32, into which a removable tread piece 33, preferably of corded
indiarubber, wood or other suitable anti-slipping material is removably bolted or
otherwise suitably secured to permit of its replacement when worn out.
steps may consist of a wrought iron frame of the formation aforesaid covered with
a chequered foot plate.
Or, the
The connections of the ladder steps to the ladder sides and of the latter to each
other are effected by the through pins 23, 24, respectively applied as represented
in Figs. 4 and 5. The fore parts of the steps are pivotally connected to the fore
parts 21, of the ladder sides by the pins 23, which are rivetted so as also to connect
such parts of the ladder sides. The aft parts of the steps are pivotally connected to
the aft parts 22, of the ladder sides by the pins 24, which project at each side
beyond the ladder sides and are pivotally connected to the lower ends of the
ladder handrail stanchions 34, which are secured by screw nuts 35, so as to cause
said pins 24, also to connect such parts 22, of the ladder sides.
The platform and ladder handrails 36, are preferably made of round bar iron,
as represented, but they can be made of steel or other suitable material of T,
bulb or tubular section, they are connected to each other and to the platforni
stanchions 37, and ladder stanchions 34, by knuckle or other suitable joints 38,
(ride Figs. 4 and 5) which will permit of the desired relative movements of the
parts.
The platform stanchions 37, are pivotally supported at the front of the platform
on extensions of the pins 26, and at the back of the platform on pins 39, supported
by the opposite frames 9, and when the ladder is in use they are held upright by
adjustable sleeves 40, fitted thereto with a limited extent of vertical movement, and
adapted to engage with corresponding projections 41, (vide Fig. 3) rising from
plates 42, rivetted or bolted to the upper side of the covering plate 10, but when it
is desired to fold the platform rails in order to stow the ladder and platform
against the ship's rail the sleeves 40, are lifted clear of the projections 41, and
then allow of the folding of the parts together.
The innermost platform stanchions 37, are connected to the ship's rail by pivotal
hook-jointed rails 43, which permit of the desired connection and disconnection of
the parts.
The ladder stanchions are curved or set at the top, vide Fig. 4, so as to allow
them to clear the handrail when. the ladder is in a vertical position.
The ladder sides 21, supporting the fore parts of the steps, are also connected to
ladder sides 22, supporting the aft parts of the steps through the ladder handrail

page_text: stanchions by means of hinge-jointed tension rods 4+, (vide Figs. 4, and 5,) which
tensionally support the front ladder sides carrying the front parts of the steps, the
stanchions 34, acting as struts in compression supported by the deep edgewise
disposed parts 22, of the ladder sides.
The action of the improved ladder is as follows ;-
Suppose the ladder to be stowed away and lashed against the ship's rail and the
order be given to rig it out to accommodate passengers. The lashings are let go,
whereupon, the platform and ladder fold out parallel with the ship's deck. The
platform stanchions are then set up and secured by the sleeves 40, and hook rails 43,
whereupon, the outer end of the ladder is lowered by a rope to the level of the
water, pier, or landing stage &c., when all will be ready.
When the order is given to ship and secure the ladder, its outer end is hoisted by
the said rope until level with the length of the ladder, when the sleeves 40, and hook-
rails 43, are disconnected, the handrails folded down, and the ladder and platform
are folded up and lashed to the ship's rails.
All such operatious can be effected without the necessity of removing any pins
or bolts and without any man requiring to go outside of the ship's rail or of the
platform when out.
When the ladder is required to be used in a horizontal or approximately horizontal
position as a gangway disposed at right angles to the ship's side, say from the same
to a quay, only the pin 14, and the tie rod 16, will require to be removed
from their hinged connections.
Among other advantages the improved ladder possesses over those at present used
for the same purposes, may be mentioned great strength and rigidity combined with
lightness of construction and weight, which will also enable it to be more easily
manipulated, its lessened cost, and the ability to stow it away in a very little space
against the ship's rails or bulwarks (where it will be protected) without having to
remove any pin, bolt or like part liable to displacement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven- -
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;-
1. The construction of the platform of the ladder in the manner described and the
pivotal and hinged tie-rod connections thereof to the ship's side or the like serving
to support the platform and ladder when rigged out, as set forth with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
2. The construction of the ladder sides with fore and aft parts respectively
formed, connected and supported as hereinbefore described.
3. The construction of the ladder steps with continuous bosses, end webs and a
recessed top adapted to receive a removable tread piece of anti-slipping material.
4. The connection of the ladder steps to the ladder sides by the through pins
and the support of the front parts of the steps by the hinge-jointed tensional rods
connected to the front parts of the ladder sides .and supported by the ladder
handrail stanchions acting as struts in compression and being supported by the aft
parts of the ladder sides as set forth.
5. The improved arrangement of the ladder pivotal handrails and stanchions.
6. The improved arrangement of the platform pivotal bandrails and stanchions
and the means described for holding the same upright when the platform is out and
the ladder in use.
Dated this 2nd dow of March 1803
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.