Improvements in Folding Ladders.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1891-Accepted, 18th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Ladders.
I, JULIUS ANTONIO DALUMI, of 448 Madison Avenue, New York, County and
State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a folding ladder having sectional uprights, or links that
connect the rungs. Each link is composed of a length of wire, which is bent
upon itself, so as to form two parallel shanks and an eye or enlargement at
each end.
The rungs are slipped into the eyes and are thus held in place, while the shanks
are placed so near together, that the rungs cannot squeeze out of the eyes and in
between the shanks.
Thus a folding ladder is formed, of a very simple construction. The links may
be either closed, when their ends are welded together, or they may be open, when
they are made of a coiled shape. In the latter case, each link may be composed of
two, three or more coils, each embracing the rungs and thus making a very strong
ladder. In case these coiled links are used, the coils of any one link, should be
placed between the coils of the adjacent top and bottom links.
When the ladder is used as a fire escape, it is suspended from a suitable bracket
and a rope or chain is passed through alternate rungs and fastened to the two lower-
most rungs. Thus by winding up the chain on a winch the ladder is folded.
To prevent the ladder from swaying toward or away from the building, two
vertical wires fastened securely on top and bottom are drawn through alternate
rungs.
The rungs may be reduced where they are embraced by the eyes of the links, to
hold the links in place.
Dated this 20th day of Santamber 1800
HERBERT J. ALLISON,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Ladders.
I, JULIUS ANTONIO DALUMI, of 448 Madison Avenue, New York, County
and State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to a folding ladder of simple construction, more particularly
designed for fire escapes, though it may also be used for other purposes.
The invention consists in the various features of improvement more fully pointed
out in the claim.
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved folding ladder.
Fig. 2 an end view thereof.
hie 2 an onlanced side view of non of the links 1 and

page_text: Fig. 6 an end view of a modification of the link..
With special reference to Figs. 1-4, the letters a, a, represent the rungs of the
folding ladder connected by a series of links, that constitute the sectional uprights.
Each link is endless or completely closed Fig. 3, its end, being connected by welding,
preferably by electrical fusion. The links are provided at the top and bottom with
an eye, encircling the rung, and with a pair of parallel shanks 62,-connecting the
At the junction of the, shank and eye an offset 3, is formed that closes the
eye sufficiently for preventing the rung from slipping out of the eye and between
the shanks 2.
eyes.
In the manufacture of ladders, I prefer to first form plain elongated loop-shaped
links, slip them over the rungs and then pinch them together above and below each
rung, so as to obtain a shape, substantially as illustrated. The advantage connected
with a link of this kind is that it is very strong, can be cheaply manufactured and
readily applied. If the links are made of very thin wire, two links should be placed
at each side of the ladder, as shown. The ladder is suspended from a shaft c,
supported in bearings e" that are secured to a house. To fold or draw up the
ladder, I employ a chain or rope d, terminating at its lower end in two arms d',
secured to the two lowermost rungs. At its upper end, the chain d, is wound
around a pulley e, mounted on crank-shaft e¹. The chain is passed alternately back
of one rung and in front of the next rung, as shown. In this way, when the chain
is wound upon the pulley e, by turning the crank e', the ladder will be quickly and
correctly folded.
In descending, the ladder is very apt to shake and the rungs are apt to come out
of line vertically, thus rendering the foothold insecure,, especially to nervous
persons.
To hold the ladder at all times in a proper vertical position,, when, let down,
I employ two vertical wires or rods f, rigidly secured in place at the top and bottom.
These wires are placed at such a distance from the building as the ladder itself is
placed, so as to be in line substantially with the links b. The wires pass between
alternate rungs a, and thus one half the rungs are behind the wires while the other
half are in front of the wires.
In this way it will be seen, that the wires prevent the ladder from swinging either
toward or away from the building.
In Fig. 1 the wires f, are shown to be placed inside of the links b.
In Fig. 4 the links are shown to be placed inside of the wires.
In Figs. 5 and 6 each link is made in the form of a coiled spiral wire m, having
enlarged heads or eyes m³, that surround the rungs a. The coils of every pair of
adjacent wires are so arranged, that the coils of one wire enter between the coils of
the other wire as shown. Thus the wires form continuous folding vertical side rails
firmly supporting the rungs.
The rungs a, are reduced where they are embraced by the eyes m', as shown.
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. A folding ladder having uprights that are composed of closed or endless links,
each link being provided with eyes at the ends and a pair of shanks between the
eyes, substantially as specified.
2. The combination of a folding ladder with a chain d, attached to the lowermost
rung and passing up in front and behind alternate rungs and with a windlass, to
which the upper end of the chain is fastened, substantially as specified.
3. The combination of a folding ladder with vertical wires f, rigidly secured at
their upper and lower ends and passing in front of and behind alternate rungs,
substantially as specified.
4. A folding ladder provided with the spirally coiled links m, having eyes m', that
embrace the rungs, substantially as specified.

page_text: 5. A. folding ladder provided with the spirally coiled link m, the coils of one link
being placed between the coils of the adjoining links, substantially as specified.
Dated this 15th day of June 1891.
HERBERT J. ALLISON,
Agent for the Applicants.