Improvements in Ladders, fire escapes or steps
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 188S
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 28th Sept., 1888
WILLIAM MITCHELL 4 New Broad Street, E.C. Commission Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This my Invention relates to further Improvements in Ladders, fire escapes or steps,
for which a Patent was granted to me on the 9th day of July 1877, No. 2639 .and
consists in fixing or attaching to the back lower edge or edges of the second and
subsequent sections, a bracket having a segment of a circle cut therein for the
purpose of enabling the sections to be folded closely together for stowing away or
portability.
These Ladders, fire escapes or steps as in my hereinbefore recited Patent are
constructed in two or more sections and pivotted or hinged together at each jointure
by bolts in the top sides of the lowest section and in the bottom sides of the second
and subsequent sections.
A stiff or rigid joint is secured by the bolts in the bottom sides of number two and
subsequent sections resting in notches formed for the purpose in the top ends of the
section next below.
A spring box or bearing in the top ends, at the sides of the bottom and each subse-
quent section, and a bolt having a head with a notch formed therein, which rests or
presses on an iron bar or rod extending from side to side at the bottom of the
second and subsequent sections, the said spring or springs and bolts being preferably
countersunk into the sides and covered by a plate extending from bolt to. bolt, the said
spring and notched bolt serving to keep the bolts in the notches formed in the top ends
at the sides of the lowest and each succeeding section, and by compressing the springs,
and raising the notched bolt the said bolts are raised out of the notches, and thus the
ladler may be folded together, made to form a pair of steps, or inclined at any angle.
so as to reach over a gutter, or the sloping roof of a house. Safety pins are attached
to the sides of the bottom and each subsequent section which pass through the plates
covering the countersunk springs and bolts, and the top sides of the lower, and the
bottom sides of the second and subsequent sections, and serve to lock the various
sections together when used as a ladder.

page_text: One advantage secured by this sectional construction of ladder, is that the various
sections can be readily disconnected, folded together and easily carried through a
narrow passage, staircase, doorway &c., and then put together again for use, in a very
short space of time.
When constructed as a fire-escape, my improved ladder is mounted on, or fixed to a
wheeled base.
D
3511 1
C
"1 1000
Improvements in Ladders, Fire-escapes, or Steps.
WILLIAM MITCHELL 4 New Broad Street, E.C. Commission Agent 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 my Invention relates to further improvements in Ladders, Fire escapes or
steps for which a patent was granted to me on the 9th day of July 1877 No. 2639
and consists in fixing or attaching to the back lower edge or edges of the second and
subsequent sections, a bracket having a segment of a circle cut therein & a corre-
sponding slot cut in side of Ladder for the purpose of enabling the sections to be
folded closely together for stowing away or portability.
These Ladders, fire-escapes or steps as in my hereinbefore recited Patent are
constructed in two or more sections and pivotted or hinged together at each jointure
by bolts in the top sides of the lowest section, and in the bottom sides of the second
and subsequent sections. A stiff or rigid joint is secured by the bolts in the bottom
sides of number two and subsequent sections resting in notches formed for the purpose
in the top ends of the section next below.
A spring box or bearing in the top ends at the sides of the bottom and each subse-
quent section, and a bolt having a head with a notch formed therein which rests or
presses on an iron bar or rod extending from side to side at the bottom of the second
and subsequent sections, the said spring or springs and bolts being preferably counter-
sunk into the sides and covered by a plate extending from bolt to bolt, the said springs
and notched bolt serving to keep the bolts in the notches formed in the top ends at the
sides of the lowest and each succeeding section, and by compressing the springs and
raising the notched bolt, the said bolts are raised out of the notches, and thus the
ladder may be folded together as scen at Fig. 4. made to form a pair of steps, or

page_text: Fig. 1 represents in front elevation a ladder in two sections, one above the other, in
this view it will be seen that the second and subsequent sections decrease in width.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same shewing more clearly the bracket which allows
the two sections to be folded compactly together.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the second or top section placed in an angular
position for reaching over a gutter, sloping roof of a house &c.
Fig. 4 shews the two sections compactly folded together for easy transport or
stowing away.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the box or recess in each side rail in which the
springs and bolts are enclosed. Fig. 5ª is a plan of the top end of each side piece or
rail showing the notches in which the bolts rest when the various sections are joined
together for use, and the recess in which a plate is fastened, to keep the bolt with
notched head and spring in the required position.
Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of side rail through the recess in which the spring is
concealed at line A of Fig. 5. Fig. 5° is a sectional plan of side rail through the
recess in which the notched bolt slides vertically when lifting the bolts out of the
notches at the top of side rail at line B of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of
side rail, through the line c of Fig. 5.
Fig. 6 is a view shewing the slot through which the iron rod or bar f³ extending
from and through one side rail to the other passes and in which it slides vertically
when raising the bolts from the notches formed in the top ends of the side rails of
the bottom section and in the bottom and top ends of each succeeding section. Fig. 7
is a side elevation of side rail showing the spring and bolts with notched head in
position in recess c. Fig. 8 is a view of the plate for keeping the bolt f* with notched
head and spring fin position.
Fig. 9 is a plate which swivels on one end of the iron bar or rod extending from
side rail to side rail, the other end swivelling on the bolt which rests in the notches/"
formed at the top end of side rails, the said bolt being attached to the bottom of side
rails of the second and subsequent sections.
Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of the iron rod f³ extending from side rail to side rail,
and on the ends of which the bolt with notched head is pressed by the spring in
recess as shown at Fig. 7. Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the bolt with notched head,
the shank of which is enclosed by the spring. Fig. 11ª is an end elevation of
the notch in bolt which bears on the end of the iron bar f³, mentioned in
Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of the bolt f at the bottom of each side rail of the
second and subsequent sections on which the plate mentioned in Fig. 9 swivels.
Fig. 12 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 13 is a distance piece or washer which
is placed over the bolt ƒ mentioned at Fig. 12 to keep the plate mentioned at Fig. 9 at

page_text: its proper distance away from the bottom side of rail of the second section. Fig. 13*
is a plan of the same. Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the bracket g with slot cut
therein attached to the bottom edges of the second and subsequent sections to permit
the various sections to be folded closely together, the bracket . with its slot g¹ may be
formed with strap iron or band instead of wood as shewn in the drawings.
Fig. 14 is an end elevation shewing the notch gl. Fig. 15 is a view showing three
sections folded closely together for transport or stowage, the sections in this example
having round rungs instead of flat steps as shewn at Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. In these
Figs. a is the step or rung of the ladders which may be flat as shewn at Figs. 1, 2, 3
and 4 or round as shown at Fig. 15. bis the side rail at the top end of which is
recess c containing the bolt with notched head and spring covered by a plate d
fitted in a recess d¹ for the purpose mentioned in connection with Fig. 8.
plate mentioned at Fig. 9 which when the second section is lifted so as to remove the
bolts (covered by a distance piece f¹) from the notches f at the top ends of
the bottom and each succeeding section, causes the iron bar or rod f³, sliding
vertically in the slots f* to raise the bolt f in the recess e thus compressing the
spring 5.
e is the
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 :-
The construction of ladders, or steps for portability or stowage, with their detail
parts in the manner as herein substantially described and illustrated in the Drawings
annexed.