Improvements in Extension Ladders.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1895-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Extension Ladders.
I BENJAMIN ANSEL HILL, of Hartford, County of Hartford, State of
Connecticut, United States of America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature. of
this invention and sin what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in.and by the following statement::-
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in extension
ladders, and its object is to provide an inexpensive and durable device which can
be readily and quickly operated and extended.
My invention consists, primarily, of an ordinary ladder provided with the usual
rungs, and a number of stays or braces on the back thereof, a supplemental ladder
arranged between the sides, the stays or braces and the rungs of the main ladder
and means for elevating or lowering this supplemental ladder and holding the same
in position.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a front view of my improved extension ladder;
Figure 2 is a rear view thereof showing the supplemental ladder elevated a short
distance.
Figure 3 is sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 2; and
Figure 4, is an enlarged view showing particularly the means employed for
securing the supplemental ladder in position.
In the practice of my invention I provide an ordinary main ladder A in which
the rungs a are arranged on the front of the sides a', as clearly shown in Figure 3
On the back of the ladder are a number of stays or braces B, which are secured to
the sides in some suitable manner.
A supplemental ladder C is arranged within the ladder A, the sides c thereof
fitting snugly within the sides c¹ being arranged in the center of the sides c so that
they will not interfere with the rungs a and braces a¹ of the main ladder.
A rope D is secured to the lower brace B of the main ladder, and it passes up
and through a pulley d fastened to a braced near the upper end of said ladder and
is then secured to the lower rung d² of the supplemental ladder C. By simply
pulling on the rope D the supplemental ladder may be quickly elevated to the
desired height.
In order to hold the supplemental ladder securely in its elevated position
I provide a pawl E which is pivotally mounted on a shaft e secured to the sides of
the main ladder. This pawl has straight end projection e¹ which is adapted to rest
against the brace d', and a rung of the supplemental ladder is adapted to rest in the.
seat formed by the juncture of said end projection with the main portion of the
pawl. A spring F normally holds the pawl in its proper position.
In the operation of my improved extension ladder, the ladders being arranged as
shown in Figure 1, the rope D is pulled until the supplemental ladder has been
elevated to the desired position and is then released. As the supplemental ladder
is elevated the rungs thereof overcome the tension of the spring F and raise the
pawl. but as each rung passes the pawl the latter is brought back into its normal
position against the brace d' by said spring. When the desired height has heen
reached the rung of said supplemental ladder is permitted to rest upon the pawl, as
shown in Figures 3 and 4.
:

page_text: 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. An extension ladder consisting of a main ladder and a supplemental ladder
arranged therein and adapted to be elevated and secured in position.
2. An extension ladder, consisting of a main ladder, a supplemental ladder
arranged therein, a rope for elevating the supplemental ladder and a pawl to secure
the latter in its elevated position.
3. An extension ladder, consisting of a main ladder, a supplemental ladder
arranged therein, a rope for elevating the supplemental ladder and a pawl to secure
the latter in its elevated position.
4. In an extension ladder, the pawl E having a straight end projection e¹.
5. An extension ladder, consisting of the main ladder A, having the rungs a, the
sides a and braces B, a supplemental ladder C arranged within the main ladder, a
rope D fastened to the lower brace b of the main ladder and the lower rung d2 of
the supplemental ladder and passing through a pulley d secured to the brace d¹, and
a pawl E pivoted on a shaft e secured on the main ladder and having a straight end
projection e and a spring F, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 7th day of June 1895.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.