Improved Extensible Apparatus for Raising, Lowering, or Supporting.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Extensible Apparatus for Raising, Lowering, or
Supporting.
1, JEAN CUGGIA of Nice in the Republic of France Contractor do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention consists of a new or improved apparatus for enabling bodies to be
raised or lowered and which is applicable to various useful purposes. For example it
may be used as a fire escape or for raising or lowering workmen or building materials
or instruments requiring a certain amount of alteration of elevation.
In one form of my invention there is mounted upon a truck or carriage so as to be
conveniently drawn by horses or by men a device which I shall hereinafter refer to
as the "ladder." The said truck or carriage which forms part of my invention is
designed to facilitate the transport of the said ladder and the appurtenances thereof
and for enabling the ladder to be easily and quickly elevated or otherwise placed in
position. Upon this truck the main length of the ladder is mounted and to it aro
attached pulleys and hand winches for the purpose of enabling not only the main
part or length of the ladder but the other lengths of the same to be elevated sup
ported and operated. The several lengths or parts constituting the complete ladder,
two three or more as the case may be, are capable of being folded one upon another
and upon the said truck or carriage for convenience of transport and adjustment.
The lower lengths constituting the complete ladder are each furnished with suitable
stops for the support of the succeeding lengths or parts. A slide or groove in the
main or first length of the ladder serves for the movement of the upper or succeeding
lengths of the said ladder between their limiting positions that is to say between the
position when the ladder is folded down into small compass and when it is fully
extended, the whole of the parts sliding one upon another in a convenient mannor.
A moveable sliding platform or cage is arranged so as to be capable of travelling
upon the ladder the said cage being adapted for the raising or lowering of firemen
workmen materials tools instruments or accessories according to the purpose for which
my invention is employed. The said platform or cage is caused to ascend or descend
by means of a hand winch whilst a brake placed on the said handwinch enables the
speed of descent to be graduated and controlled. At the extremity of the ladder or
the last longth thereof I may fix a gallows or tackle for the purpose of enabling hose
or jets or materials or tools or other accessories to be elevated for utilisation
according to the purpose for which my invention is employed.
The ladder need not necessarily he employed with a truck or carriage as herein-
before described. It may rest upon the ground as would an ordinary ladder and be
placed against a wall or other support but in order that such a ladder may bo suffi-
ciently rigid and safe I attach to it a bracing or supporting device which may be
operated from the ground by means of a small hand winch so that the ladder may
be easily placed against a wall or the like and there supported whatever may be its
slope.
Such a ladder as I have just described may conveniently be employed for a number
of miscellaneous purposes. For example it may form a very convenient stand or
support for a photographic camera so as to enable the position of the camera to be
quickly and easily altered as may be required.
Dated 1
1
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Extensible Apparatus for Raising, Lowering, or
Supporting.
1, Jean ('runta, of Nice, in the Republic of France, Contractor, do hereby declaro
the nature of this invention and in wint manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention consists of improved extensible apparatus for raising. lowering or
supporting which is applicable to various useful purposes. For example it may be
used as a firo escape, or for raising and lowering workmen or building materials or
the like, or as a support for instruments requiring a certain amount of alteration of
elevation.
I shall hereinafter refer to my apparatus as a sliding ladder, or more briefly by the
term "Indder."
Figure 1 represents an elevation of the ladder whilst open. Figure 2 represents it
closed and lying on a car. Figures 3 and 4 are views of a ladder open and closed for
photographers and others.
The figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are detailed views of the principal parts which
serve to illustrate the operation of the builder.
The lalder is composed in the first place of a sliding part resting on the rungs
inside the uprights of the first length presenting and forming the groove in which the
second and third lengths of the Lidder move. These second and third lengths are
composed of uprights and rungs adapted so as to slide between the sliding parts of
the first part of the ladder at the same time sliding the one into the other.
The ladder is mounted on a car or truck mounted on springs and with two or four
wheels so as to be drawn by horses or men. This ear has been made so as to facilitate
the transport of the Indder and to raise it with ease and to allow at the same time its
being used separately.
To the frame of the said ear are fixed two uprights with pulleys D (figure 9) which
receive the wire or hemp cables a, a b serving to sustain the Indder and which
cables are wound on the winches JJ' after having passed over the rollers A. A (see
figure 9).
Two levers in iron (Figures 2 and 6) moving round their fulera as shown by the
arrow are likewise fixed to this frame. They fold inside the ear and receive at their
ends the feet of the main ladder or length which feet by means of an iron bar going
through them rest on these as on two pivots thus facilitating the counterbalance and
when the ladder is closed to shorten it by the total longth of the lever in causing the
latter to project behind the car. This movement is represented by the dotted are soen
in figure 6.
When the feet of the ladder are in their places that is to say inside the car the
ladder rests on the two padded rollers L L in front of the ear. (Figures 1 and 2.)
When the ladder is in this position a man can by means of the hand winch J' raiso
the ladder giving it the necessary slope. The ladder being thus raised it only
remains to open it, that is to say to extend it to the desired height.
This extension is very simply done by turning the winch which receives the
cables a causing the ladder to be opened or extendod. (Figure 8.)
The different parts of the ladder (for it can be made in two, three or more parts)
slide one within the other, that is to say, the upper length, being narrower than the
lower, slides within the grooves of the lower which are exactly adjusted to receive it
in the same manner as a common form of sliding box-lid slides in grooves made in the
sides of the hox. When the ladder consists of 3 different parts the first slides into
the second, and the second into the third.
When the second and third lengths of the ladder have arrived at the desired height
or extension they find each a fixed support on one of the rungs of the lower length

page_text: by means of spring stops (or rests) F. (figure 10). These latter are fixed on the rung
and are attached to the opposite part on an iron bar & bent at its end. They are pro-
vided besides with a flat spring e which always tends to push them towards the inside
of the ladder. A cord descending the whole length of the ladder and fixed to a
small hand winch F' serves by slightly raising the ladder which they support to loosen
them and allow thus of the lowering of the upper length. These stops are for the
purpose of receiving and sustaining the upper length of the ladder at no matter what
hoight and in case of the breaking of a cable to stop short the descent thus giving a
sense of security to those using the apparatus.
Thus raised and extended my ladder differs from ordinary ladders by its combination
with proper means for assuring at the same time great height and great rigidity.
On the ladder is suspended a travelling lift or cage H with a guard-rail destined to
sustain in safety and with freedom for work the person who is to go up to one of
these dangerous heights. This lift is worked by means of the winch K (figure 7)
placed at the back of the car and which moves the cable passing over the roller at
the upper end of the ladder and rejoining the lift. A brake I attached to the winch K
serves to control the speed of descent so to avoid all shaking and without obliging
the person in the said fift to exert himself.
By this combination the cage is transformed into a veritable improvised elevator
giving more confidence being safer than all the appliances known up to this day, and
capable in a case of fire of effecting numerous escapes in a few seconds.
This lift can be stopped and retained at any desired height by means of two iron
cramps or gripping devices M M (figure 5) which hook themselves on one of the
rungs. The cords may then be abandoned if desired. When the cage is fixed it can
be entered by raising the bottom which forms a trap door and which falls back as
soon as an entrance has been effected.
In order to economise time and save useless descents I fix to the upper part of the
ladder a gallows N which serves for the rapid raising of baskets, lose, tools and other
accessories from the ground.
Lastly the upper ends are provided with rollers which facilitate the elevation of the
ladder when leaning against a wall.
As however all ladders when of any considerable height are wanting in rigidity I
adopt a truss or support G which is operated from the ground. The part 9 is hinged
in a fixed position whilst gl has attached to it an endless chain worked by a sinall
hand winch which enables the support to be so bent as to touch the wall in
accordance with the degree of inclination of the ladder. The curved rails E serve to
aid in sustaining the ladder.
The ladder can also be used without a car and with or without the lift. In this
case it rests on the ground like any ordinary ladder and leans against the wall.
By constructing the ladder of small dimensions it forms a new instrument stand
say for photographers' cameras (figure 3), allowing with a supposed height of say six
feet to extend up to say 9 feet. At its upper part it is provided with a platform and
support for sustaining the instrument. This platform consists of a flat board turning
upon a hinge or pivot and which when the ladder is extended is sustained by a support
consisting of a wooden bar which is hinged or pivotted to the platform and whoso free
extremity serves to rest on one of the rungs of the upper part of the ladder. The
whole shuts up and forms a set of ordinary small double steps (figure 4) easy to
transport and to use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
--
1. The improved extensible apparatus for raising lowering or supporting substan-

page_text: 2. The combination of the extensible ladder and the lift substantially as set forth.
3. The specific means set forth for retaining the apparatus at any desired degree of
extension.
4. The specific apparatus set forth with reference to figures 3 and 4.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1889.
JEAN CUGGIA,
Per J. G. L.