IMPROVEMENTS IN SCAFFOLDING
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of 33, Chancery Lane, London, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCAFFOLDING." A communication from abroad
by Carlo Frattini, of Parma, Italy.
Sealed the 23rd August 1878, and dated the 25th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th February 1878.
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCAFFOLDING."
(A communication from abroad by Carlo Frattini, of Parma, Italy.)
The object of this Invention is to construct a portable scaffolding, which can be
moved bodily, be applied with facility, and which can replace fixed or moveable
scaffolding and ladders now in use, as well for new buildings as for repairs of
public and private buildings, and in particular for the repair of rain-water pipes and
facades of buildings, and for the construction and repairing of roofs, vaults, and
domes.
Scaffolding made according to this Invention is mounted on wheels and consists
of a certain number of compartiments or framings placed telescopically in each other,
and capable of being partly or wholly pulled out of each other by means of a
system of gearing, which together with other details form integral parts of the
Invention.
Within certain limits the system is independent of the number and size of the
compartments.
The lowest and largest compartment consists of four strong uprights, one in each
corner of a rectangle, these are at the long sides of the apparatus united by hori-
zontal bars, one at top and one at bottom. There are also diagonals for stiffening
the uprights against one another and with the horizontal bars. The whole rests on
cross timbers, which again rest on the framing of a carriage. The uprights are
prolonged below the horizontal bars, so as to nearly reach the ground; they also
extend a little above the upper horizontal bars.

page_text: Inside this compartment there is another similarly arranged compartment or
rectangular framing; on each of the corner posts of same there is a rack, and in the
forked top of each post there is a pulley.
Inside this second framing a third similar framing may be placed, and so on, say,
to the number of seven, one within the other, and also gradually decreasing slightly
in height. All these inner framings are moveable. For this purpose over each of
the aforesaid pulleys a chain is passed, one end of which is fixed near the foot of
the next inner corresponding upright while the other is fixed to a peg at the top
of the next outer upright; the pulley on the latter has a chain, one end of which
is fixed near the foot of the next inner upright, the other end being fixed to a peg
at the top of the next inner upright, and so on. Thus on each pulley of one
framing or compartment is stretched a chain, of which one end is fixed near the
foot of the upright of the next adjoining inner framing, while the other end is
fixed to a peg on the upper end of the next adjoining outer framing.
The first or largest inner framing is raised and lowered by the racks aforesaid
and pinions, each framing on ascending carries all the inner framings up with it.
The spindles of the pinions carry worm wheels actuated by endless screws or worms.
When the first inner framing is thereby raised, all the other inner framings are by
the chain connections raised telescopically to a corresponding extent. When drawn
out to the required extent cross timbers may be inserted for supporting the inner
framings to take the strain off the racks and chains, and if protruding, say, 2 or
3 feet, to serve also as supports for platforms or landings for the workmen, or bolts
passing through oblong holes of the uprights may also be inserted for greater
security.
In the interior there is a ladder, which extends telescopically with the framings,
and consists of a part belonging to and fixed below to each framing by hinges; these
parts of the ladder lean against one another.
There are four or more wheels, which work in the lower forked ends of screwed
spindles, which by nuts can be lowered as desired so that the wheels touch the
ground, whereby the scaffolding can take its bearing on them and be placed in
proper level.
These wheels can also be turned (for propelling the whole apparatus)
by pawl wheels and pawl and levers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
August 1878.
PETER JENSEN, of 33, Chancery Lane, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCAFFOLDING."
(A communication from abroad by Carlo Frattini, of Parma, Italy.)
The object of this Invention is to construct a portable scaffolding, which cau be
moved bodily, be applied with facility, and which can replace fixed or movable
scaffolding and ladders now in use, as well for new buildings as for repairs of public
and private buildings, and in particular for the repair of rain-water pipes, and
facades of buildings, and for the construction and repairing of roofs, vaults, and
domes.
Scaffolding made according to this Invention is mounted on wheels, and consists
of a certain number of compartments or framings placed telescopically in each
other, and capable of being partly or wholly pulled out of each other by means of
a system of gearing, which together with other details form integral parts of the
Invention.
In the accompanying Drawings is represented a scaffolding consisting of seven
rectangular compartments.
Within certain limits the system is independent of the number and dimensions
of the compartments, and the inventor does not confine himself to the number
shown in the Drawings, which is only an example.
Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus; Figure 2, an end view; and Figure 3,
a plan. The scaffolding is supposed to be in the lowered position in these views.
Figure 4 is a part side view; and Figure 5, part end view to a smaller scale of
the same scaffolding in the raised position.
Same letters refer to same parts in all Figures.
The compartments are numbered from 1 to 7 progressively, beginning with the
outer and lowest one. The lowest and largest compartment 1 consists of four strong
uprights a', a', a', a', one in each corner of a rectangle; these are at the long sides
of the apparatus united by horizontal bars b', 61, at top, and b, b, at bottom. There
are also diagonals, as shown, for stiffening the uprights against one another and with
the horizontal bars. The whole rests on cross timbers c, c, which again rest on the
framing of a carriage. The four uprights a' are prolonged below the horizontal
bars b, so as to nearly reach the ground, they also extend a little above the upper
horizontal bars b'.
Inside this compartment there is another similarly arranged compartment or
rectangular framing 2, the different parts corresponding exactly therewith in
height. The uprights a² of compartment 2 are arranged against the uprights a' of
compartment 1. On each of the corner posts a² there is a rack extending nearly
the whole length, and in the forked top of each post a² there is a pulley e².
Inside this second framing a third similar framing may be placed, as shown here,
and so on, say, to the number of seven, as in this example, one within the other,
and also gradually decreasing slightly in height. The parts of these compartments
are indicated according to the number of the compartment. The compartment 7
has no pulley e, and the uprights a³ to a have no racks; the compartment 2 is the
only one that has racks.
All the uprights are so arranged that the vertical plan passing by the greatest
side of the horizontal section of an upright forms nearly a tangent to the pulleys on
the two adjoining uprights, the one in front and the one behind.
Compartment 1 is fixed to the carriage, the others or inner framings are movable.
For this purpose over the pulley e a chain is passed, one end of which is fixed
near the foot of the next inner corresponding upright a', while the other is fixed to
a peg at the top of the next outer upright as; the pulley on the latter has a
chain, one end of which is fixed near the foot of the next inner upright a³, the
other end being fixed to a peg at the top of the next inner upright at, and so on

page_text: Thus on each pulley of one framing or compartment is stretched a chain, of which
one end is fixed near the foot of the upright of the next adjoining inner framing,
while the other end is fixed to a peg on the upper end of the next adjoining outer
framing.
The first or largest inner framing, No. 2, is raised and lowered by the racks
aforesaid, and by four pinions f. f, g, g, near the top of the uprights a¹; the pinions
ff, are on the back spindles h, h, and the pinions g, g, on the front spindles i, i.
Each framing on ascending carries all the inner framings up with it. The spindles
h, h, i, i, of the pinions carry worm wheels 1, 1, actuated by endless screws or
worms m, m, on the spindles n, n, provided with handles, and the bearings of
which are fixed to the compartment 1. When the first inner framing 2 is thereby
raised, the pinions f, f, g, g, gearing with the racks on the four uprights a², the
other inner framings are by the chain connections raised telescopically to a corre-
sponding extent. Figures 4 and 5 show the scaffolding thus raised or extended.
When drawn out to the required extent cross timbers may be inserted for supporting
the inner framings to take the strain off the racks and chains; and if protruding,
Bay 2 or 3 feet, to serve also as supports for platforms or landings for the workmen,
or bolts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, passing through oblong holes q², q³, q', 93, 98, 97, of the up-
rights, see Figure 1, and provided with nuts or keys, may also be inserted for
greater security. There may be other intermediate holes for any required inter-
mediate position of elevation.
The platforms should have railings, and be provided with pulley gear for hoisting
up materials.
In the interior there is a ladder, which extends telescopically with the framings,
and consists of parts 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 80, 87, one belonging to and fixed below each
framing by hinges, the part s' is hinged to the lower cross girder c; these parts of
the ladder lean against one another, see Figure 4.
There are at the lower part of the uprights a¹ four or more wheels u, which
work in the lower forked end v of screwed vertical spindles, which by nuts z¹ can
be raised and lowered as desired, so that the wheels u touch the ground, whereby
the scaffolding can take its bearing on them and be placed in proper level; these
wheels u can also be turned (for propelling the whole apparatus) by pawl wheels
and pawls and levers, as shewn in Figure 1.
It will be evident that this scaffolding fulfils the objects stated at first, and is
extensively applicable; besides, for the building and repairing of edifices it is appli-
cable for putting up and repairing street telegraph lines, for trimming trees in
public parks, for ornamenting or illuminating houses, for the use of fire-men in the
case of fires, for places of observation in the civil or military services, for raising
or lowering large objects or costly furniture, and for many other analogous
purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
PETER JENSEN. (L.s.)