IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF EXTENSION LADDERS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents;
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF EXTENSION LADDERS." -A communication from abroad by Michele
Uda and Mary Bella Scott Uda, both of Milan, in the Kingdom of
Italy.
Sealed the 12th August 1873, and dated the 14th February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th February 1873.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF EXTENSION LADDERS," to be as follows:―
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of self-
supporting ladders suitable for use at fires for enabling firemen to reach
elevated positions so as to direct columns of water on the roofs of

page_text: adjacent buildings, also for the rescue from fire of the inmates of and
property contained in burning houses.
The Invention likewise applies to the construction of light ladders for
horticultural use, such as the trimming of the boughs of lofty trees and
the gaining access to the roofs of palm houses and other erections not
otherwise easily accessible. The ladder which is capable of extension
within certain limits is composed of detached portions or sections of a
tapering form, the ends of which are fitted with metal socketed termi-
nations, and when brought together they are secured by means. of a
transverse bar forming a round of the ladder or by pins or otherwise.
When constructing a ladder according to this Invention with a reach
of, say, 70 feet more or less, a stout wheel carriage is provided to serve as
the base for the ladder, and upon a transverse shaft on this carriage the
foot or first portion of the ladder is mounted so as to swing from a
horizontal to nearly a vertical position.
This first portion of the ladder is cranked at its foot, and upon the
cranked extremity is mounted a barrel or pulleys for receiving hauling
ropes or chains, which serve to rock the ladder on its fulcrum and to
raise and lower it from a horizontal to a vertical position and vice versa.
These ropes are made fast to the rear end of the carriage frame, and
after passing over the barrel they are led down under a similar barrel
or pulleys mounted below the framing of the carriage. From this barrel
they pass upwards to a windlass barrel mounted on the upper side of the
carriage. The axle of this windlass is fitted with a large spur wheel
into which gears a pinion keyed to a transverse axle which carries crank
handles at its opposite ends. By turning these handles the chains or
ropes may be wound upon the windlass, and thereby the ladder will be
elevated with facility. A paule and click are provided to prevent the
running back of the windlass and to retain the ladder in its raised
position.
The sections of the ladder are applied or put together while the ladder
is in a horizontal position, and not until the parts are all firmly secured
is the ladder raised. The detachable sections of the ladder are provided
near their ends with a pair of standards which are bolted to the side
pieces and are each fitted with a stud pin at their base and upper end.
These stud pins are intended to receive the eyes of rods extending from
the adjacent attached sections of the ladder, and which form the tie rods

page_text: for connecting the parts together, while at the same time they serve as
side fences for the ladder.
The rods are secured in position by means of keys passed through the
stud pins.
The carriage is provided with counterbalance weights to assure the
stability of the apparatus when the ladder is much inclined to the
vertical line. To prepare the apparatus for transport the foot or hinged
portion of the ladder is laid flat on the carriage and the detachable
sections are placed upon it in their proper order, so that the whole forms
one compact mass. The coupling rods are then disposed on the side of
the carriage.
When constructing a light ladder the foot of the ladder will form a
platform which is supported by a pair of wheels at the back of the ladder
and to the axle of which the ladder is connected. The front of the
platform is fitted with a wheel which is mounted in a fork which swivels
on a screwed vertical shaft working through a nut fixed to the platform.
By means of a hand lever this screwed shaft may be turned so as to
adjust the angle of the platform and the incline of the ladder.
The sections of the ladder are constructed and put together as above
explained, but to support it in its raised position a vertical stay rod is
required in rear of the ladder. This is formed of pieces linked or other-
wise secured together, and braced to the ladder by tie bars or their
equivalents. Weights are provided on the platform to give steadiness to
the apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Alfred
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did,, for Herself, Her heirs and

page_text: successors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
Her special licence that I, the said. Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF EXTENSION LADDERS," being a commu-
nication to me from abroad by Michele Uda and Mary Bella Scott Uda,
both of Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of self-
supporting ladders suitable for use at fires for enabling the fireman to
reach elevated positions so as to direct columns of water on to the roofs
of adjacent buildings, also for the rescue from fire of the inmates and
property contained in burning houses.
The Invention likewise applies to the construction of light ladders
for horticultural use, such as the trimming of the boughs of lofty trees
and the gaining access to the roofs of palm houses and other erections
not otherwise easily accessible.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, I have shewn in several
views the improved self-supporting extension ladder suitable for use
at fires.
Fig. 1 represents the ladder in side elevation, but with the upper
·།
14

page_text: Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section shewing the construction of the
lower part of the ladder and the means for raising and lowering it.
Fig. 3 is a partial end view shewing the mode of packing the detached
portions of the ladder upon the carriage.
The remaining Figures shew in detail on an enlarged scale the con-
struction of the coupling ends of the detached portions of the ladder, and
the means for connecting them together. The ladder, which may be made
capable of any desired extension within certain limits, is provided with
detached portions or sections A', A2, A³, to A7, (sec Fig. 3) of a tapering
form which are connected to the main portion of the ladder A, when
intended for use. The ends of all these portions A, A¹, A², &c., are
fitted with metal socketed terminations a, a', as shewn in plan and edge
views at Figures 4 and 5. These metal sockets are rebated so that
when brought together they will overlie the one the other, and will
permit of being coupled up, as shewn at Fig. 6, by means of a transverse
bar b. This bar which is shewn in partial side and edge views at Fig. 7
forms a round of the ladder.
When constructing a ladder according to this Invention with a reach
say of seventy feet, more or less, a stout wheel carriage B is provided
to serve as the base for the ladder, and upon a transverse shaft C on
the top of this carriage the foot or first portion of the ladder is mounted
so as to swing from a horizontal to nearly a vertical position.
.
This first division or part A of the ladder is cranked at its foot as
at A*, and it is stiffened at its opposite sides by bracing bars c, d, e,
which serve also as side fences for this division of the ladder. Upon
the cranked extremity A* is mounted a barrel or pulleys D for receiving
hauling ropes or chains E, which serve to rock the ladder on its fulcrum
and to raise and lower it from a horizontal to a vertical position and
vice versa.
These ropes are made fast to the rear end of the carriage
frame, and after passing over the barrel they are led down under a
similar barrel or pulleys D* mounted below the framing of the carriage.
From this barrel they pass upwards and are secured to a windlass
barrel F mounted on the upper side of the carriage. Keyed to the
axle of this windlass is a large spur wheel G, into which gears a pinion
H, keyed to a transverse axle fitted with crank handles I at its opposite
ends. By turning these handles the chains or ropes may be wound
upon the windlass, and thereby the ladder will be elevated with facility.
A pawl and click K, Fig. 2, are provided to prevent the running back

page_text: of the windlass and to retain the ladder in its raised position. The
sections of the ladder are applied or put together while the ladder is in
a horizontal position, and not until the parts are all firmly secured is the
ladder raised. The detachable sections of the ladder are provided near
their lower ends with a pair of standards f, which are bolted to the side
pieces and are each fitted with a stud pin at their base and upper end.
These stud pins are intended to receive the eyes of rods g and h extend-
ing from the adjacent attached section of the ladder, and which form
parallel and diagonal tie rods for connecting the parts together, while
at the same time they serve as side fences for the ladder in a manner
corresponding to the bracing bars c, d, of the section A of the ladder.
The rods are secured in position by means of keys passed through the
stud pins, and facility is thereby afforded for detaching the parts. The
carriage is provided with counterbalance weights L pendent from side
bars M to assure the stability of the apparatus when the ladder is much
inclined to the vertical line. These bars M slide in guides N on the
sides of the carriage, and they thus admit of the adjustment of the
weights L to suit the varied inclinations of the ladder.
To prepare the apparatus for transport the hinged portion A of the
ladder is laid flat on the carriage (as shewn by dots in Fig. 1) and the
detachable sections are placed upon it in their proper order so that
the whole forms one compact mass, when they will take the appearance
shewn at Fig. 3. The tie rods g and h and the transverse bars 6 are
then disposed on the side of the carriage. This construction of ladder
admits of being rapidly put together, and being self-supporting it is
capable of being used with comparatively little risk in places where it
would be highly dangerous to employ ladders that require internal
support.
In Sheet II. of the Drawings I have shewn in several views a light
ladder constructed according to this Invention. Fig. 1 is a partial side
elevation of the ladder, the upper end of which is represented at Fig. 1*.
Fig. 2 is a partial front elevation of the ladder; Fig. 3 is a partial
elevation of the back support, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detached view
of a portion of the expansion gearing to be presently described. In this
example the foot of the first section A of the ladder forms a platform A*,
which is supported by a pair of wheels B, B, at the back of the ladder
and to the axle of which the ladder is connected. Attached to the
section A of the ladder will be three detachable sections A', A³, A³,

page_text: similarly constructed to those of the self-supporting ladder above
described. At the front of the platform A* is a wheel C having its
bearings in a fork C¹³, which swivels on a screwed vertical shaft D
working through a nut fixed to the platform. By means of a hand
lever D' this screwed shaft D may be turned so as to adjust the angle of
the platform and the incline of the ladder.
The sections of the ladder are constructed and put together as above
explained with reference to Sheet I. of the Drawings, but to sustain it
in its raised position a vertical support is required in rear of the ladder.
This support is formed of frames E, E', which are linked or otherwise
secured together to allow of their being folded over when out of use.
These frames when in use are connected to the ladder by arms F, F'.
The arms F serve as a support to the ladder when it is placed hori-
zontally, but when set in the working position or at an angle of about
fourteen degrees from the vertical line they engage with projections on
the frame E and act as struts. In like manner the arms F¹, which are
secured by a jointed coupling to the frame E, connect with the ladder
and form stays or ties to steady the elevated structure. These arms
when disconnected from the ladder are laid flat against the supporting
frame E and are hooked thereto. The supporting frames are made
adjustable vertically so as to vary the inclination of the ladder as desired,
and for this purpose the frame E is fitted with two sliding props G,
which work in guides formed in the framing. These props (see Fig. 4)
are each provided with a rack a, and into the rack gears a spur pinion b,
keyed to an axle c, which has its bearing in the side bar of the frame.
A winch handle d on this axle when turned will cause the pinion 6 to
adjust the props G, and thus virtually contract or elongate the frame E
to ensure the proper inclination of the elevated ladder, and a ratchet
wheel e on the axle c by engaging with the pawle f will retain the frame
in its adjusted position. The frame E¹ carries at its upper end (see
Fig. 1*) links g which hook on to the pins at the foot of the standards
of the second section A' of the ladder, and thus the connection of the
ladder with its external support is completed.
Two weights H sliding upon iron rails are provided on the platform to
give steadiness to the apparatus.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in the Construction of Extension Ladders," as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, and explained the manner of carrying

page_text: the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. Forming extension ladders of socketed detached sections and
bracing and locking the same together in the manner and for the
purpose above described.
Secondly. So proportioning the sections of the ladder with respect to
cach other that when detached they will pack one within the other, as
shewn at Figures 1 and 3.
Thirdly. Mounting the extension ladder on a carriage as described
with reference to Sheet I. of the Drawings, and raising and lowering the
same by means of ropes or chains in the manner above described.
Fourthly. The means above described with reference to Sheet II. of
the Drawings for supporting the extension ladder in its elevated position
and adjusting it to the required inclination.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.