Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 27th Sept., 1887.
States of America, Manufacturer.
I WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY of the firm of Wheatley Mackenzie, Con-
sulting Engineers and Patent Agents, of 156 Strand in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved rope ladder specially
adapted for fire-escapes and other purposes.
The invention consists of peculiarly constructed rungs secured to ropes composed of
a metallic, cable covered with fibrous material.
The invention also consists of various parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved ladder, showing the ropes in section.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, of part of a ladder. Fig. 3 is a plan view
of a rung before being attached to the ropes.
The ropes AA of the ladder consist each of a metallic cable, B, covered with
strands of fibrous material, thus making the ropes A flexible and very strong and
durable, so that in case the fibrous strands C are burned or singed the wire cables B
will still support considerable weight.
The rungs D of the ladder are each made of a single piece of metal of U-shape,
having at each end an ear, E, adapted to inclose the rope A.
The ears E may be formed like a split ring, as shown to the left of the rung D in
Figs. 2 and 3, and provided on their inner surface with a spiral projection, F, which
embeds itself in the fibrous strands C when the split ring E is closed, as shown in
Fig. 2, thus preventing the ear from slipping on the
also be
rope.
The ears É
may

page_text: formed in the shape of a fork as shown to the right of the rung D in Figs. 2 and 3
cach prong G of the fork being provided with projections or lugs H, which embed
themselves in the fibrous strands C when the prongs G are closed around the rope A,
as shown in Fig. 1.
The projection F and the projections or lugs H are preferably stamped or cast into
the ears E. The projection F may be formed on the prongs G, instead of the pro-
jection H, and the latter may be formed on the rung instead of the spiral projection.
The ears E before being closed have the appearance as shown in Fig. 3—that is, the
split ring is open to admit the rope A, aftor which the ring is closed by pressing the
ends of the ring together. The prongs G stand parallel to each other to admit the
rope A, after which the prongs are pressed toward each other until their outer ends
overlap, as shown in Fig. 1. The U-shape form of the rung equalizes the strain on
both ropes A when weight is applied to the rung. The U-shape of the rung also
prevents slipping of the foot of the person ascending or descending the ladder and
permits a firm grip with the hand.
Having now fully described and ascertained what my said invention is and how the
same is performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I hereby
declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-
1. In a rope ladder, the combination, with the ropes, of a rung made of one piece
of metal of U-shape, and provided at its ends with ears secured to the ropes, sub-
stantially as described.
2. In a rope ladder, the combination, with the ropes, of a rung made of one piece
of metal of U-shape, and provided at its ends with ears forming open rings clamped
upon the ropes, substantially as described.
3. In a rope ladder, a rung made of one piece of metal of U-shape, and provided
at its ends with ears, each forming an open ring, having at its inner surface pene-
trating projections, substantially as described.
4. In a rope ladder, a rung made of one piece of metal of U-shape, and provided
at its ends with ears having at their inner surfaces spiral projections, substantially as
described.
Dated this 18th day of August 1887.