Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
WINTER, senior, of No. 101, Wardour Street, Soho, in the County of Middle-
sex, Upholsterer, JAMES WINTER, junior, of the same Place, Upholsterer, and
WILLIAM LANE, of No. 4, Bedford Place, Russell Square, in the said County,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Second day of December (One thousand eight hundred and
forty-four), in the eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said James Winter, senior, James
Winter, junior, and William Lane, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said
James Winter, senior, James Winter, junior, and William Lane, our exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James
Winter, senior, James Winter, junior, and William Lane, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of
Her said Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called
England, Her Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in the
Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her

page_text: Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, our Invention of "AN IMPROVED
SCAFFOLD, OR MODE OF SCAFFOLDING, APPLICABLE ALSO AS A FIRE ESCAPE FOR
LIFE AND PROPERTY;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso,
obliging us, the said James Winter, senior, James Winter, junior, and Wil-
liam Lane, to particularly describe and ascertain the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of some or
one of us, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
James Winter, senior, James Winter, junior, and William Lane, do hereby
declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be fully described and set forth in and by the following statement
and Specification thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
(which Drawings we declare to belong to and to form part of such Specifica-
tion), by the letters and numeral figures marked thereon, for the purpose of
such reference; and that the general nature and intention of our said Invention
consists in and has reference to the principles of construction of apparatus, the
modes of arrangement, and the application of the same to the mechanical
parts, and the several combinations of such mechanical parts, as such several
matters are herein-after described and set forth and referred to, and with
reference to the title of the said Letters Patent granted unto us, the said
James Winter, senior, James Winter, junior, and William Lane, as berein-
before recited.
The particular nature and intention of our said Invention, and the prac-
tical use we make of such principles of construction, and such modes of
arrangement, such applications of the mechanical parts, and such combinations
thereof, we declare to be and to consist in the construction and formation of
a portable scaffold or machine constituting a particular mode of scaffolding,
and in making the construction, forms, and arrangements of such scaffold, or
mode of scaffolding, in such manner as shall render the same an effective
machine or apparatus for application to the purposes of a fire escape for life
and property. We further declare the practical manner in and by which our
said Invention is to be carried into effect and operation to be particularly
described, set forth, and ascertained in and by the following statement, and the
detailed description thereof, that is to say :-
In the Drawing marked No. 1, Figure 1 represents a profile or side eleva-

page_text: vation of such a construction of a machine for such purposes. X, X, X,
represents a portion of the front of a building against which the machine is
applied; A, A, is a double ladder, of a construction which is shewn more
particularly, and in more extended detail, in a front view of the same at
Figure 4 of the Drawing No. 1. At the lower extremity or foot of such
ladder it is placed, and is moved upon iron rollers B, B. C, C, is a frame or
carriage, which is supported upon travelling wheels D, D, set on carriage
springs E in the usual manner of mounting carriage wheels; P is a framed
pair of guiding handles, by which the machine is propelled in its forward
movements. The frame folds up against the ladder A, A, at pleasure, and
when in use is braced by iron rods p. F and G are light metal supporting
rods at different points in the length of the ladder; H, H, H, H, is a travelling
or moveable stage or gallery, attached to and moveable on the side framing of
the ladder A, A, by the metal frame and rollers I, I, I, I.; K is a metal railing
of security, affixed to and about it. Figure 5 shews a guard iron B, B,
which is placed around the back of the gallery H, H, H, H, and is fixed to it.
Plates of angle iron are placed upon the outer framing of the ladders, on which
the gallery moves by the oblique rollers C, C. The ladder A, A, above
described, has at its upper extremity a second or supplementary ladder W, Y,
attached to it by the joint W. In the Figures 1, 3, and 4 the second ladder
is shewn in its extended position, above the upper extremity of the lower
ladder A, A. In the Figure 2 it is shewn as when folded downwards on its
joint W against the underside of the ladder A, A, which is the position assigned
to it when the length of the lower ladder A, A, is found sufficient for the
purpose to which the machine is to be applied. The Figure 2 shews the par-
ticular construction of the second ladder W, Y, and the means by which it is
made to take its extended position, as shewn in the Figures 1, 3, and 4. The
entire length of the side frames of this second ladder is the length shewn from
Y to Z in the Figure 2. It is attached to the ladder A, A, by the joint W.
The portion W, Y, is formed into a ladder, and constitutes the second ladder,
before mentioned, and shewn at W, Y, in the Figure 1. The remaining
portion of the entire length of its side frames W, Z, as shewn in the Figure 2,
are not formed into a continuation of the ladder W, Y, but remains single,
constituting, together with the portion W, Y, a lever of the first order, whose
fulcrum is the joint W, and Z the point to which the moving power is to be
applied. L, L, L, L, is the rope, which in practice we prefer to be of the
materials and construction known under the denomination of wire rope; M is
a second and upper travelling or moveable stage or gallery, and is connected
with the lower.gallery H, H, H, I, on the same frame, and it has motion on

page_text: the upper or outer face of the ladders A, A, and W, Y. The galleries
H, H, H, H, and M are used separately, or are attached to each other at
pleasure. O is its metal railing of security. A third ladder N, of lighter
framing and construction than the ladder A, A, and W, Y, is supported in the
gallery M by attachment of its lower extremity joint pins at Q, and resting by
its upper extremity, first against the framing of the ladder W, Y, and next by
its progressive advance to the height, shewn in the Figure 1, against the face
X, X, X, of the building. By metal rollers R the lower gallery H, H, H, H,
and the upper gallery are raised to their required height upon the ladders
A, A. and W, Y, in the following manner:-The rope S is attached by one
extremity s to the lower gallery H, H, HI, II, and the other extremity is
passed over a pulley T, fixed to the framing of the ladder W, Y; it thence
runs through guiding frames V with rollers (in order to keep it free from
entanglement with other parts of the machine), and is gathered or wound
upon a drum W*, which is set upon the axle of the wheel D, D, and is
worked a man at each of its ends by a winch, the wheel D being in that
case first locked. Figure 2 represents. the machine having its galleries and its
ladders so arranged as to produce the most compact and portable form for the
purpose of moving it from place to place. The galleries H, I, II, H, and M,
with the ladder N, are brought down to the lower part of the ladder A, A, and
the ladder W, Y, is turned over on its joint at W. When the machine is set
as shewn in the Figure 1, the fall of the rope L*, by which the upper ladder
W, Y, is elevated, is secured to a bar L**, fixed to the frame of the carriage
C, C, Figure 1. Figure 3 represents the Figure 2 having its upper ladder
W, Y, elevated, whilst the galleries remain in their lowest position. Figure 4
represents the Figure 3 in a view of front elevation, the corresponding parts in
each of the Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 being respectively marked with the same
letters of reference. The circular arc x, x, drawn in red color in the Figure 2,
shews the arc in which the point Y of the upper ladder W, Y, moves during
its elevation on its joint W, and in the direction of the arrows. The circular
are x, x, drawn in red colour in the Figure 3, marks the arc described by
end Z of the arms W, Z, of the lever Y, W, Z, during the elevation of the
ladder W, Y.
In the Drawing Number 2, the Figure 1 represents a modification of the
machine represented in the several Figures of the Drawing Number 1, and is
shewn in a view of side elevation or profile. A, A, is a horizontal frame and
platform of timber, supported on rollers B, B, and carrying an upright frame
C, C, C, on which at its upper extremity D as a fulcrum, the ladder E, E, is
poised, and when the upper end of such ladder is elevated, its foot P is secured

page_text: by a method shewn in detail at the Figure 3. On the ladder E, E, there
slides a gallery or stage F, F, having a metal railing of security G. This
gallery is elevated on or placed and adjusted to any required height upon the
ladder E, E, by means of the rope H, H. This is made fast by one of its
extremities to the stage or gallery at K, and the other extremity is passed
through a pulley I, fixed on the upper extremity of the ladder E, E. The fall
of the rope H, H, is brought down over the front of the machine, and is
worked from the ground by manual labour, or by any other suitable means,
according with the scale and general circumstances of the machine. L is a
roller, fixed on or near the top of the ladder, to act upon the face of the building,
and thus facilitate the ascent and placing of the ladder. M, M, represents
the place of one of a pair of travelling wheels, on which the machine is placed
to facilitate its removal from place to place. N, N, shews a horizontal posi-
tion in which the ladder may be placed for portability and facility of removal.
Figure 2 represents the Figure 1 in its state of greatest elevation in a view of
front elevation. Figure 3 is a view of so much of the machine as is shewn in
the Figures 1 and 2 below the dotted line X, Y, in a horizontal plan view.
Qshews a curved bar of metal, by means of which, as before mentioned, the
foot of the double ladder E, E, is secured upon the platform A, A. The bar
Qis jointed to the timbers of the platform at R, and when out of action
stands in the position in which it is seen in outline in the Drawing at Q, but
when placed to secure the foot of the ladder it is turned on its joint R, and
made to clip the side framing of the ladder, as shewn at Q*. The Figure 4-
shews a horizontal plan view of the stage or gallery F, F. In the Figures 1,
2, 3, and 4 of the Drawing No. 2 the corresponding parts of the machine are
respectively marked with the same letters of reference.
In the Drawing No. 3, the Figure 1 represents a view in profile or side
elevation of a modified construction of the machines herein-before described in
the Drawings Nos. 1 and 2 respectively, and we find in practice that machines
of the construction described in and by the Drawing No. 3 are to be preferred
for the general purposes of scaffolds and scaffolding, inasmuch as such machines
are of greater solidity and strength of construction, and of component parts.
This construction is also applicable to the general purposes of a fire escape, and
in practice is to be used in such cases, and under such circumstances, as in
which great solidity of construction for the machine, and its capability of
removing considerable weights with great facility, are to be considered of more
importance in the effective operation of the machine than great celerity of
action and movement. In the Figure 1, A, A, A, is the framing of a double
ladder, which is set upon a bottom framing B, moving on small wheels or

page_text: rollers C, C; D, D, shews one of a pair of travelling or carriage wheels, on
which the whole machine is moved from place to place. The wheels D, D,
are mounted upon a timber framing, of which one side E, E, is seen in Figure
1 of the Drawing. F is a moveable gallery or stage of similar general con-
struction to the galleries herein-before described in the Drawings No. 1 and
Drawings No. 2. This gallery slides upon the upper side or face of the double
ladder. G is a guard rail of security, fixed upon its outer border; H is a
second moveable gallery or stage, of similar general construction to the stage F,
but sliding upon the under side of the double ladder; I is the guard rail of
this gallery; K is a third gallery or stage, of the same general construction as
the galleries F and H, herein-before described. This gallery has motion upon
the upper face of the double ladder A, A. L is the guard rail of the gallery
K; M, M, is a supplementary and single ladder, of lighter construction than
the lower and double ladder A, A, and resting by its lower extremity upon the
framing of the gallery K; m is a guard rail, fixed on the single ladder M, for
the purpose of preventing the upper extremity of the ladder M from falling
outwards; N, N, is an iron stay or tension rod, attached by its extremities to
the upper side and the lower extremity of the double ladder. The tension rod
N, N, has its tensile force by being supported on an iron stanchion or upright
O. P is the fall of a rope, which at its upper extremity P* passes over a
pulley Q, fixed on the upper end of the double ladder A, A, and is led from
thence to the gallery or stage K, to which it is fixed at Q**. The gallery K
may be thus moved upon the double ladder A, A, by manual labour applied at
the fall of the rope at P. Q, Q, is the fall of a second rope, which has its
upper end passed through a pulley R*,.which is fixed upon the upper end of
the double ladder A, A, and is led from thence to the gallery or stage H, to
which it is fixed at S. The gallery H may be thus moved upon the double
ladder A, A, by the application of power to the fall of the rope. This is
effected as regards the rope Q, Q, by gathering its fall upon a drum roller
X, X, which is fixed upon the carriage wheel D, D, and is worked by a winch
at each extremity of an axle, which connects the drum roller X, X, with a
similar drum roller fixed on the wheel of the opposite side of the carriage.
This is more particularly shewn in the view in front elevation of the machine
at the Figure 3 of Drawing No. 3. The lower gallery or stage F is attached
to the second gallery or stage H, and moves with it. The machine herein-
before described is lowered down from the elevated position shewn in the
Figure 1 to the horizontal and more portable position shewn in the Figure 4
in the following manner:-The arm E, E*, is attached to the framing of the
double ladder A, A, by a joint pin at e. A spur wheel R is hung to the lower

page_text: extremity of the framing of the double ladder A, A, at V This is set upon the
axle of drum rollers, one of which is shewn in Figure 1, on each of which a
rope W is gathered, one extremity of which is fixed to the drum, whilst its
other extremity is attached to the lower extremity E* of the arm E, E*. A
stay rod x, x, rigidly connects the double ladder A, A, with the arm E, E,
and when the spur wheel R is worked by the pinion S and winch T, so that
the rope W is given off from the drum, the length of the rope, or the distance-
between the small roller w (under which the rope passes) and the end E* of
the arm E, E*, will be encreased, and the double ladder A, A, with the entire
machine, will, with the action of the release of the rope W, gradually assume
the horizontal position, as shewn in the Figure 4, the travelling wheels D
remaining in their bearing on the ground. The Figure 2 shews a section,
taken through the line C, D, in the Figure 3. The Figure 3 shews a view in
front elevation of the Figure 1. Figure 4 shews the entire machine in a
profile or side elevation, and in a horizontal position, as assumed for the con-
venience of removal and portability. The Figure 5 shews an horizontal plan
view of a portion of the Figure 1, as taken through the line A, B, in that
Figure. In the Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Drawing No. 3, the corres-
sponding parts are respectively marked with the same letters of reference in
each of such Figures, in as far as such parts are shewn in each of such Figures.
The Figures representing views in front elevation of the machines described
and set forth in the Drawings Nos. 1 and 3 respectively shew that the lower
ladders of the machine are double, and that the lighter and upper ladders are
of single construction.
Having thus described the nature and intention of our said Invention, and
also in what manner the same is to be ascertained and performed, we now
declare that we claim as of our Invention therein the modes of arrangement,
and the combinations of parts, together with the principles of construction
upon and according to which such modes of arrangement, and such com-
bination of parts are made, and by which the same are carried into practical
effect, and that in the manner as we have herein-before specified, described,
and set them forth in this our said Specification and Drawings thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Winter, junior, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-five.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Second day of June, in the
eighth year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said James
Winter, junior, came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and
acknowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein con-
tained and specified, in form above written. And also the instrument afore-
said was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-fifth
year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
L
cond