Combined Extension Ladder and Fire Escape.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 18th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Combined Extension Ladder and Fire Escape.
We, RALPH STEVEN YOUNG, of 399 hearney Avenue, Kearney, Hudson County,
New Jersey, U.S.A., Carpenter, and THOMAS CROUTHIERS, of 399 Kearney Avenue,
Kearney, Hudson County, New Jersey, U.S.A., Painter, 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 an improvement in that class of extension ladders
wherein the several sections are fitted one upon another so as to slide longitudinally
in relation to one another, and are retained in their extended position by means
of suitable detents interposed between the adjacent sections; and its object is
primarily to provide a bridge from the top of such ladder to the building to which
access is required capable of spanning any intervening obstacles (as telegraph or
electric light wires), the line for elevating the upper sections of the ladder serving
als to extend the bridge section laterally when suitably elevated.
The invention consists in the features of construction hereinafter described and
specifically set forth in the claims annexed.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a truck provided
with my improved extension ladder, Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same with the
upper or bridge section shown in dotted lines in its transverse relation to the
adjacent section, and Fig. 3 a sectional plan of the same on line in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation, upon a larger scale, of the bridge section and upper
end of the adjacent section with the nearer side bars removed and the rungs and
platform in section adjacent thereto, Fig. 5 a plan of the same with the portion of
the upright section omitted, and Fig. 6 a transverse sectional view of the bridge
section. Fig. 7 is a view, upon a still larger scale, of the adjacent ends of two
sections of the line wo with a life belt attached.
The ladder is shown herein constructed in three sections composed, as usual,
of side bars A, B, C, joined together, by the rungs A, B, C, respectively; the
lower section A being supported upon the platform P of a suitable truck and
sustained in its upright position by means of suitable braces D. The side bars B
of the intermediate section are fitted within those of the lower section and confined
in parallel relation thereto by the rungs A' on one side and overhanging hooks A
upon the lower section on the other; and the upper or bridge section is similarly
confined between the said bars B of the intermediate section, when in its normal
lowered position, by means of the rungs B, the hooks B intermediate to the
ends of the bars B and the offset cross-bar B³ joining their extreme upper ends.
A reel R having a crank R¹ for turning the same is provided at the base of the
lower section of the ladder from which is led the hoisting liner over a pulley s
upon one of the upper rungs A¹ and under a pulley s at the lower end of the
intermediate section to a yoke piece t from which are led the two side lines ri
over pulleys at the top of the intermediate section to the lower rung C
of the bridge section. The several sections each resting normally upon the
platform 1', the actuation of the reel R and lines r and ¹ connected therewith

page_text: operates to draw the intermediate and bridge sections upward to a suitable height
where they are retained by spring detents (as q in Figs. 4 and 5); and the
slackening of the hoisting lines then permits the upper or bridge section to swing
upon the sustaining rung B into the transverse position indicated in dotted lines
in Fig. 4 where its motion is arrested by the engagement of the hooks C thereon
with a cross-bar 13 fixed to the bars 15, the upper rungs B being omitted from
the intermediate section to permit such movement of the bridge section.
One form of spring pawi suitable for retaining the several sections in their
elevated position is shown at the right in Fig. 4, wherein it is embodied in the
lever y forked at one end to fit the rung B and pivoted at the opposite end to the
side bar C and carries a lateral leaf spring g' engaging a pin g upon the bar C;
a suitable stop being provided in practice for limiting the throw of this lever or
pawl, which operates automatically during the extension of the ladder. The
forked end of each of the levers g being held normally in line with the rungs
by means of its spring g', the raising of the upper section causes said lever, by
its successive lateral engagements with such rungs, to be temporarily shifted out
of its normal position, but to return thereto immediately after passing each rung
in readiness for engaging within its fork the last rung passed before the release
of the moving section by the slackening of the hoisting line. In closing or tele-
scoping the ladder, these springs detent levers may be pressed laterally by hand to
prevent their engagement with the rungs B₁ in their downward course, or they
inay be otherwise shifted out of their normal position for such purpose. It is
obvious that other farms of detent may be employed for checking the return
movement of the upper sections when the hoisting line is slackened after raising
the same to the required elevation preparatory to extending the upper section
laterally.
It will be observed that the hooks Cserve, not only to check the swinging move-
ment of the bridge section when permitted to assume its transverse "osition by
the slackening of the hoisting line, but to retain the detent g firmly seated upon
the rung B of the intermediate section so as to lock such bridge section securely
from displacement during its operation.
The bridge section is provided with rods a pivoted upon the inner side of each of
the bars C and retained normally parallel therewith by means of springs at; and a
life line having one end attached to the staple at the extreme outer end of
the bar C is led through the head of each of such pivoted rods and through suitable
guides a at the opposite end of said bar to a staple below the same upon the
bar to eyes in the depending counterbalance rod & passing through a suitable
guide below upon the bar B. Each of the life lines, which are provided at the
opposite sides of the bridge section, has collars or protuberances a for engage-
ment with the heads of the rods a at suitable intervals in the portion adjacent to
ine cuter end.
When the bridge section is in its normal relation to the intermediate section and
the ladder is closed, the counterbalance rods & gravitate downward and take up
the slack of the line a, the springs a drawing the line sufficiently to permit the
rods a to lie fiat upon the rungs C; but the lateral projection of the bridge section
causes the tension of the lines to draw the eyes 6 of the rods b
into engagement with the staples and to then overcome the tension of the
springs a in raising the rods a. In such position of the rods a and b, each line a²
is stretched to its fullest extent and serves to brace the bridge section as thus
extended. The section C C is further strengthened by means, of lines e
connected at the ends to staples c¹ upon each of the bars C and made taut by the
depression of the lower end of the extended portion as of the central supporting
rola for the life line a; the lines e and extensions a Together forming trusses
upon the under sides of the bars C in the transverse position of the bridge section.
It is obvious that the ladder may be constructed with as many sections inter-
mediate, to the lower section A A' and bridge section C C as may be required to
attain the desired extent of elevation for the bridge section, and that such latter

page_text: section may be raised through any portion of such height while the lower sections
are retained in corresponding positions by means of their automatically operating
spring detents; the bridge section being extended laterally and inade to rest upon
the roof of the building to be entered or upon the sill W of one of its windows, as
indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. In order to provide stability for the structure
in such position, the outer ends of the bars C are provided upon their under sides
with downwardly projecting hooks d fixed rigidly thereto, and a sliding frame f
with depending hooks e opposed to the hooks d is applied to the lower side of the
section beneath the rungs C and sustained by the cross-bars f; a cord 9 being
attached at one end to one of the cross pieces of the frame f and led over a pulley i
upon one of the rungs C in advance of the same, over a cross-bar upon the inter-
mediate section down to a reel ; with actuating crank at the base of the ladder.
It will he obvious that by operating the reel ; when the end of the bridge is
projected through the window as indicated, the bridge may be clamped firmly
upon the window frame so as to not only prevent the withdrawal of the bridge
section, but to obviate any vibration of the ladder when in operation.
The bridge section is provided with a folding platform of which the central
portion m is fixed to the rungs C by means of staples n and the side portions m¹
are hinged to the opposite edges thereof to adapt them for being folded upon the
central portion m when not in use, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 6; the rungs upon
opposite sides of such folded platform being obviously adapted for use in the
ordinary manner at such time.
To provide a safe means of transferring those rescued from high buildings.to
the ground without the necessity of climbing down the ladder after traversing
the bridge, the bar B is formed with outwardly projecting ends terminating in
eyes B from one or both of which depends a pulley block of carrying a sectional
line o passing over a drum to with operating crank w mounted loosely upon the
spindle of the reel j. Each of the several sections of the line o is provided at one
end with a snap hook o and at the opposite end with a ring of for connecting the
same with the adjacent sections; and persons supplied with suitable life belts O
(Fig. 7) having suitable hooks may, as they emerge from the building, he secured
to the rings o2 and lowered to the ground by means of the line o. By forming
such line in sections readily detachable from one another, its length may be varied
to correspond with the height at which the bridge is elevated and the superfluous
sections removed or requisite additional sections inserted. It is obvious that a
person may be attached to the line o at the junction of each two sections and that
the line may be operated continuously so as to lower several persons at once, and
to simultaneously raise firemen to the bridge.
While the improvement, as above described, is designed specially for use as a
fire-escape ladder, it is evidently adapted for certain commercial purposes, as for.
house painting and other uses where it is desired to span a system of telegraph
wires or other obstructions close to the building to be operated upon.
It will be evident that the precise details of construction described above are not
essential to the present invention, the characteristic feature of which is the single line
and means for actuating the same whereby it may first be operated to extend the
several sections to the desired degree and to then cause the upper or bridge section
to assume its transverse position. While the liner is shown attached at its upper
end to the yoke piece t' which is connected with the lower or inner end of the
section C C by cords r, it is obvious that the cords form a portion of the single
liner and that the latter may be in lieu thereof connected at its upper end directly
to the bridge section, if preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The extension ladder comprising a lower section having a guide pulley
near the upper end, and a reel at its foot, one or more intermediate sliding sections

page_text: of which the lower is adapted to slide upon the first named section and provided
each with guide pulleys near the opposite ends, an upper or bridge section fitted
to slide upon the adjacent intermediate section, automatically operating detents
for retaining said sliding sections in their extended positions, guides for always
retaining said intermediate section or sections in parallel relation with the lower
section and guides for retaining said upper or bridge section parallel with the
adjacent section until fully extended upon the same, and a line attached at one
end to the lower end of the bridge section, passing over the guide pulleys as
described and running to the reel at the foot of the lower section, whereby the
rotation of the reel in one direction to draw in the line operates to extend the
ladder and the turning of the reel in the opposite direction for slackening said line
causes the upper or bridge section to swing transversely upon its detents, as and
for the purpose set forth.
2. The extension ladder comprising the lower section A A¹ with guides A
and provided with reel R and grooved pulleys, the intermediate section B B
with guides B and grooved pulleys s¹ and sand with cross-bar B, the upper or
bridge section CC with laterally and upwardly projecting hooks C adapted to
engage the cross-bar B, the line rr passing around the pulleys s, sand and con-
necting the lower end of the bridge section with the reel R, and detents interposed
between the adjacent sections for retaining the same in their elevated positions,
as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The extension ladder comprising the lower section A A¹ with guides A²,
the intermediate section B (B1 with guides Bs and cross-bar B3 with depending
pulley block of and the upper or bridge section C C1, means for elevating the
intermediate and bridge sections and retaining them in their elevated positions
and for laterally extending said bridge section, a hoisting drum le at the base of
the lower section, and an endless sectional line o extended between said pulley block
and hoisting drum, each section of said line having a ring o8 at one end and a
hook o at the other end, whereby the length of said line may be varied by the
removal or insertion of sections to adapt it to correspond with the degree of
extension of the ladder, as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In an extension ladder constructed with a sliding and swinging upper section
and means for elevating and laterally extending the same, the combination,
with said upper section, of a folding platform composed of longitudinally hinged
portions of which one is fixed to the rungs of said section, as and for the purpose
set forth.
i
5. In an extension ladder comprising a lower section A A', an intermediate
section B B', an upper or bridge section C C¹, and means for elevating the inter-
mediate and bridge sections and for laterally extending the said bridge section,
the combination, with the bridge section, of rods a pivoted to the side bars C
in the upper or outer portion thereof and springs for retaining said rods. normally
in parallel relation to the side bars, and lines a connected at one extremity to
the outer ends of said side bars, attached to the free ends of said rods, passing
thence through suitable guides to the opposite ends of said bars C and connected
at the opposite ends to the intermediate section beneath said bridge section, as
and for the purpose set forth.
6. In an extension ladder comprising a lower section A A¹, an intermediate
section B 131, an upper or bridge section CIC', and means for elevating the inter-
mediate and bridge sections and for laterally extending the latter, the combination,
with the bridge section, of rods a pivoted to the side bars C in the upper or outer
portion thereof and springs for retaining said rods normally in parallel relation
to the side bars, and lines a connected each at one extremity to the outer end
of one of said side bars, attached to the free ends of said pivoted rods, passing thence
through suitable guides to the opposite end of said bar C and through a combined
guide and stop 62 upon the intermediate section beneath the bridge section and
attached at the other extremity to an eye formed upon a depending counter-balance
rod b, as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 7. In an extension ladder comprising a lower section A A¹, an intermediate
section B B', an upper or bridge section C C, and means for elevating the inter-
mediate and bridge sections and for laterally extending the latter, the combination
with the bridge section, of the lines c having their extremities attached to the
opposite ends of the side bars of the section C C upon the under side, one of the
rods a having an extension a6 pivoted to said bars intermediate to the extremities
of the lines c, and means for automatically turning said pivoted rods into parallel
and transverse relation to said bars C for slackening and tightening the lines c,
as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 6th day of October 1896
CHARLES JUNGE,
Agent for Applicant.