IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTENSION LADDERS AND APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING THE SAME, APPLICABLE ALSO IN PART TO DERRICKS OR CRANES FOR RAISING AND SHIFTING ARTICLES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Jean Elio Richard at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on tho 11th May 1880.
JEAN ELIE RICHARD, of the City of New York, in the County and State of
New York, and United States of America, Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN EXTENSION LADDERS AND APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING THE SAME,
APPLICABLE ALSO IN PART TO DERRICKS OR CRANES FOR RAISING AND SHIFTING
ARTICLES."
My Invention provides an extension ladder consisting of sliding sections, with
ropes for extending, collapsing, and bracing them, and with latches for holding
them in place when extended, the ladder being pivoted on trunnions that it may be
tilted to different angles, sustained on folding derrick cranes that it may be raised
and lowered bodily, and mounted on a turn table that it may be swung around to
any position, and the entire apparatus being placed upon a truck that it may be
conveyed from place to place.
.
The truck is provided with the usual wheels and may be drawn by horses, or
propelled by steam or other power. It is provided with lateral braces to steady it
in use and keep it from overturning, which braces are of two kinds, brace-beams
and brace-brackets. I prefer to arrange the brace-brackets at one or both ends,
and the brace-beams on the sides between the wheels, but either kind of brace may
be substituted for the other. The brace-beams are sliding beams which are
ordinarily housed under the floor of the truck, and slide horizontally outward on
opposite sides through ways formed in the truck, and which have longitudinally
adjustable legs hinged to their outer ends, so that they may rest in or on the beams
when not in use and be turned down to the ground when the beams are slid out.
Each leg is formed of two parts, the lower one capable of adjustment on the upper,
preferably by screwing into or onto it, so that the leg may be lengthened or
shortened to accommodate it to the ground. The brace-beams are preferably
arranged in pairs, a cross bar connecting the outer ends of each pair and slide past.
each other under the truck, being slid out and in by ropes connected to their opposite
ends and extending in opposite directions over guide sheaves to a winding drum or
drums, on which they wind in opposite directions, one winding up as the other
unwinds, so that by turning the drum or drums in one direction the beams are slid
out, and by turning in the opposite direction they are slid back,

page_text: The brace brackets are pivoted on vertical axes to the sides or ends of the truck
frame, and lie close along its sides when not in use, but when required they may be
swung out at right angles or nearly so to the side of the truck, and be retained in
that position by a tie-bar, whose one end engages the bracket, and whose other end
is shouldered and engages a portion of the truck frame, or is engaged by a clamping
device on the truck frame. On the end of each brace-bracket is a leg, like or
similar to those on the brace-beams.
On the truck is placed a turn-table which supports the remaining apparatus, and
this turn table is provided with a central pintle and with a series of concentric
wheels, rollers, casters, or anti friction balls which roll upon the floor of the truck
and distribute the weight uniformly upon the latter, and is confined down to the
truck and prevented from tilting up at one side by an annular ledge fixed to tho
truck and overhanging a series of the wheels or casters, so that when the turn-table
is tilted up on one side the wheels of said series on that side ride against the ledgo
instead of upon the truck. The turn table has a hub which projects down into the
truck, and it is revolved by an endless chain engaging sprockets on this hub, and a
sprocket wheel on the truck, which sprocket wheel is rotated through a worm and
worm wheel or other gearing; or the worm may directly engage cog-teeth on
the turn table.
I make the truck narrower than the greatest diameter of the turn table and
remove a segment from each side of the latter to bring it within the width of the
former. Thus the wheels or casters on the front and rear of the turn table would
run off the floor of the truck when the turn table was rotated were not an
additional provision made, which provision consists of a segmental track hinged or
otherwise secured to each side of the truck, or attachable to or removable
therefrom, and capable of being turned down level with its floor, and supported at
its outer side by resting on the brace beams or some other part, or by having a leg
which rests directly on the ground. When the turn table is revolved its outer
wheels ride on these tracks, and when the apparatus is not in use they may be
turned up or down against the sides of the same.
Upon the turn table are mounted a pair of folding derrick frames, which engage
the trunnions of the pivoted ladder, and which may be elevated or unfolded to lift
the ladder up into position for usc, and folded to lower the ladder down onto the
surface of the turn table, thus, decreasing the height and lowering the centre of
gravity of the apparatus to facilitate its transit and storage. Each derrick frame
is composed of two toggles, their one ends jointed together and engaging the ladder
trunnion, and their other ends separated widely and hinged to the turn table, and
they are provided with means for straightening them and raising the trunnions,
for bracing them rigidly when straightened, and for guiding them in their
movements while straightening and folding. I provide each pair of toggles with a
pusher bar pivoted to and depending from their trunnion joint, or from the upper
arms of the toggles near that joint, and engaging at its lower end a rope which
passes over sheaves at the middle joints of the toggles, and extends down outside
of and nearly parallel with the lower arms of the toggles, or inside of or between the
same, to a winding drum or drums. I prefer that the rope shall be clamped by
the lower end of the pusher at or near its centre, and that both its ends shall extend
to the drum, but in lieu of this the pusher may bear a sheave at its lower end and
one end of the rope be fixed, it passing thence under the pusher sheave, over the sheave
at the middle joint of the toggle, and down to the drum. Upon winding the rope
upon the drum the pusher is first lifted, pushing up the trunnion, and afterward
the middle joints of the toggles are drawn together, forcibly straightening the
toggles, which latter action completes the raising of the trunnion and becomes very
powerful as it approaches its termination. The drums of the two derrick frames
are both mounted on the same shaft that the two frames may be operated together,
and the shaft carries a worm wheel rotated by a worm, so that if left at any point
the apparatus cannot run down.
Each derrick frame is braced by means of shoulders to limit the straightening

page_text: movement of the toggles, and by guides to prevent sagging or uneven movement
in raising and lowering. I connect a rod to the lower arm, of each toggle joint,
the lower. ends of the two rods together, arrange them to slide in holes in a frame
work, and mount on them the bracing shoulders referred to, which abut against the
frame work when the toggles arc. sufficiently straightened.
To tilt the ladder from one inclination to another, and hold it at the desired
angle, I provide a winding, drum with ropes winding upon it in opposite directions
and extending to opposite points on the ladder. This drum is arranged at the
front or. rear of the turn table, and one rope extends from it diagonally directly.
to the ladder, while the other extends across horizontally to a guido sheave at the
opposite end of the turn tablo, and thence to the opposite side of the. ladder from
the first rope which it crosses diagonally. The. two ropes act oppositely to each
other, one serving to tilt the ladder in one direction, the other. to tilt it in the
other, and they. wind oppositely upon the drum, one winding up as the other.
unwinds. The lower section of the ladder which has the trunnions, and to which
the ropes are fixed, is provided at its lower, or inner. end with a curved guide or
segmental drum, around which one of the ropes passes when the ladder stands.
horizontally, and over which both ropes pass in opposite directions, when the ladder
stands vertically. In the former position the most rope is required to reach to the
drum, and to take up the slack; as the latter position is approached, I enlarge the drum
toward one end, that end winding up more of one rope, than the remainder of the
drum unwinds of the other. The drum and ropes just described are preferably
duplicated, one set, being at each side of the ladder, and I operate the shaft,
carrying the two, drums through the medium of a worm and worm wheel, that it
will remain of itself wherever left.
The extension ladder is composed of a number of sections, each consisting of two
parallel poles connected by rungs, as usual, the lower one of which is provided with
trunnions and pivoted thereon between the derrick-frames, and the remaining
sections are arranged to slide under or over the pivoted one. At the end of each
section, except the outer one, is fixed a guide for the next section to slide in, and a
similar guide is fixed to it a short distance back of the first. The pivoted section
is provided with drums carrying an extending rope or. ropes for sliding out the
sections, and truss ropes for bracing or trussing the ladder when extended, and for
sliding back the sections to collapse the ladder. The extending rope passes from
its drum forward to, and over a sheave at or near the outer end of the pivoted
section, thence back to and over a second sheave, at or near the inner end of the
second section, thence forward to and over a third or guide sheave near. the end of
the first section, thence over a fourth sheave at the end of the first section, thence,
forward to the first sheave near the end of the second section, thenco back to, the
second sheave at the end of the third section, and so on, its end being finally
secured to the outer or end section. The third and fourth sheaves referred to are
preferable, but not indispensable, they being used to guide the rope in its passage from
one section to the next, and also to lift it so that it shall extend diagonally to the end
of the next outer section, and thereby act as a truss rope to, aid in sustaining the
same. I prefer to use two extending ropes, one at each side of the ladder.
The trussing and retracting ropes are of three kinds, the first extending under the
ladder, the second above it, and the third along each side. These ropes are
preferably arranged in pairs, corresponding to the poles of the, ladder, and are
supported by struts which project downward, upward, and laterally from the
outer. end of each pole of each section, except the last one, and which bear.
sheaves in their ends.
Each under truss rope extends from its winding drum on the pivoted section.
down over a guide sheave, thence forward to the downwardly projecting strut at
the end of one pole of said section, thence forward to the corresponding strut of the .
second, section, and so on to the last section to which it is secured.
Each upper truss rope extends forward from its drum on the pivoted section to
he upwardly, projecting strut, at the end of one pole of that section, thence to the.
+

page_text: corresponding strut of the second section, and so on to the last section to which it
is secured.
Each side truss rope extends from its drum on the pivoted section over guide
sheaves to one of the laterally projecting struts at the end of that section, thence
forward to the corresponding strut of the second section, and so on to the end
section to which it is secured.
The truss ropes and extending ropes may all be wound upon one drum, or they
may be wound upon two or more, but in either case they will be wound in opposite
directions, so that while the extending ropes are being wound up, the truss ropes
are being unwound, and vice versa. I prefer to use two drums geared together,
one for the extending ropes and one pair of the truss ropes, and the other for the
remaining truss ropes. The first drum is divided into sections which receive
respectively the extending and truss ropes, and these sections can be revolved with
respect to each other so as to tighten the ropes, one section being provided with a
spring latch engaging sockets in the adjacent section.
In addition to the upper truss ropes, or in place of them if preferred, I provide
an arrangement of sliding guy-rods which very strongly brace the several sections:
to which they are applied, and keep the outer end of the ladder from sagging down
when extended nearly horizontally. The first section has on each side a long rod
extending from the inner end or part of that section to the upwardly projecting
strut at its outer end, and the second section has a similar rod extending from its
corresponding strut to a sleeve which slides upon the first rod, and which, when the
section is slid out, abuts against the end fastening of that rod. I also provide a
diagonal rod extending from said sleeve to the end of the pole of the second>
section. The remaining sections may be provided, the same as the second one, with
the parallel and diagonal rods and sleeve, or only one or two of them may be
so provided, as preferred.
I provide the ladder with a series of latches, by which as each section (except
usually the last one) reaches its extreme outward position, it becomes locked in place
so that it cannot slide back, and so that the strain of holding it extended is taken
from the extending rope. I employ automatic spring latches, and prefer to hinge
them at the inner end of each section, except the last one, and arrange them to
engage a projection near the outer end of each preceding section. When the ladder
is being collapsed, the outer section is drawn back by the ropes until its inner end
comes in contact with the latch on the next section, which it deflects, and thereby
releases, thus freeing that section and permitting it also to be drawn-back, and this:
operation is repeated by each section upon the latch of the next one until all are
disengaged and the ladder is collapsed.
For fire purposes I provide a hose-reel on the truck, arranged preferably under
the driver's seat, and attach one end of the hose to the outer section of the ladder,
so that as the ladder is extended the hose is drawn up with it, and the firemen are
relieved of the exhausting labour of pulling up the hose by hand as they climb the
ladder. When the ladder is extended, the lower end of the hose is detached from
the reel and coupled to a fire-engine, hydrant; or another hose, and the upper end
may be provided with a nozzle or be coupled to a hose extending to the burning
building..
The general operation of setting up my apparatus for use is as follows:-The
truck carrying tho collapsed apparatus is first drawn to the place to where it is to
be used, the brace beams are then slid out by rotating their drum or drums, and the
brace brackets are swung out by hand and clamped in position; the several
legs are then turned down and screwed out until they bear upon the ground; the
segmental tracks for the turn table are then placed in position, and the turn table
rotated to the desired extent by turning its worm shaft, or it may be operated at
any subsequent time whenever it is desired to swing the ladder around from one
point to another; the derrick frames are then raised by turning the worm which
rotates their drum shaft, and as they raise they lift the ladder from the turn table
and sustain it by its trunnions at the necessary. height for its operation; the ladder.

page_text: is then tilted to the desired angle by rotating the tilting drum; and lastly, the
ladder is extended and braced by rotating the drums which wind its extending and
bracing ropes.
The turntable may be omitted from my apparatus, if it is not desired to swing
the ladder around from one point to another.
"
The features which I have herein before described as forming the extension ladder
itself have no necessary connection with the mechanism for manipulating such
ladder, as the truck, turn table, derrick frames, and tilting device, but a portable
ladder may be constructed as described with or without trunnions, and be used
independently of the remaining apparatus.
By removing the ladder from the derrick frames, substituting an ordinary derrick-
boom in its place, and providing means as a pulley-tackle or a rope and winding
drum for raising the load at its end, my apparatus becomes an excellent portable
derrick or crane, which can be folded down to reduce its height for transit, so that it
may be conveyed through low doorways and under low overhead parts.