Improvements in Extension Ladders.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Extension Ladders.
I, SYDNEY DEAN, of 496, Oldham Road, Newton Heath, in the County of
Lancaster, Iron-turner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in extension ladders and the object
is to provide means whereby the weight of such ladders is greatly reduced and
the same freedom and easy manipulation obtained as is the case in telescopic
ladders.
To this end I furnish each side of the ladder section requiring extending,
above its top step with a backwardly projecting bracket, which brackets carry a
bar preferably formed of metal and having two shoulders between which bar
and the back of the ladder section to which it is attached, the ladder section
forming the extension is adapted to slide.
The said brackets and bar serve to hold the said ladder sections together in
line with each other and in order to reduce friction in raising or lowering the
ladder sections, I may furnish the said bar with pulleys which bear against
the back of the ladder section.
At a suitable distance below the top step of the ladder section to be extended
I secure to each side thereof, a bracket also adapted to hold the two ladder
sections together and in line with each other.
For the purpose of raising the ladder sections forming the extension, a rope is
secured to the lower end of each such section, which rope passes over a pulley
mounted on the side of the lower ladder and is of such a length as to permit
of raising the respective section from the bottom or lowest section.
In extending the ladder, the section forming the extension, is raised by the
said rope until the bottom step of the same comes opposite the top step of the
first or lower ladder section, in which position they are locked together by
the following device:-
At a suitable distance below the top step I employ in the sides of the ladder
sections to be extended a shaft formed or furnished with arms. The free end of
each of these arms forms a support at right angle to the said shaft and is adapted
to be brought underneath against the top step of the bottom or lower ladder
section and bottom step of the upper ladder section so as to serve as a support
for the latter.
In order to retain the said supports in position underneath the said steps, i.e.
to prevent same from turning too far in the direction of the back of the ladder
section, the front ends thereof are formed with outwardly projecting lugs adapted
to bear against the front of the ladder section and thereby resist the weight of
the ladder section resting upon the said supports.
One end of the said shaft projects from the ladder side and has a pulley secured
thereon, to the periphery of which are fastened at a certain distance apart from

page_text: each other, the two ends of a rope, which may be kept extended by a pulley
mounted on the respective end thereof.
By means of this rope and pulley the said support shaft can be turned at will
so as to bring the said supports underneath against the bottom step of the upper
ladder section and thus support the latter or to withdraw the same and thus allow
the ladder to be lowered.
Dated this 20th L...
TY
1000
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
Amprovements in Extension Ladders.
I, SYDNEY, DEAN, of 496, Oldham Road, Newton Heath, in the County of
Lancaster, Iron-turner, 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 improvements in extension ladders and the object
is to provide means whereby the weight of such ladders is greatly reduced and
the same freedom and easy manipulation obtained as is the case in telescopic
ladders.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused
to be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is a front view and Fig. 2 a side view partly in section of an extension
ladder constructed in accordance with my invention having two sec-
tions only and shown unextended, and Figs. 3 & 4 are respectively
a front view and a side view of my improved ladder extended, Fig. 5 is
a detached side view. partly in section, Fig. 6 a front view and Fig. 7 a plan
in section of two modifications of my invention.
In carrying out my invention and referring to Figs. 1-4, I secure to each
side of the bottom or lower ladder section a requiring extending a suitable
number of brackets b, the free ends of which are bent inwards at right angles 60
as to reach over the sides of the upper ladder section forming the extension,
and permit the latter to slide upon the bottom or lower section, whilst holding
the same in line upon each other.
a bar
In an extension ladder where the sections are more than ten feet in length,
say 15 or 20 feet, I may form the free end of the brackets & next below the top
step d, straight, as shown in Figs. 6 & 7 and connect the same together by
or rod e, having shoulders f between which. the sides of the second section can
slide and thus provide additional strength where the strain is the greatest.
To reduce friction in raising or lowering the upper ladder section I may
employ pulleys or rollers g on the said rods between the shoulders f, f.
In long lengths of ladders I may also secure to the sides of the bottom or
lower section a below the lower of the guide brackets b, b, additional side
guides b¹, see dotted lines, Figs. 1 & 2, the free ends of which are not bent
inwardly.
For the purpose of raising the upper ladder section c, a rope h is secured to its
lower end passing over a pulley mounted on the side of the bottom or lower
ladder section a and sufficiently long to permit of raising the section c from
the bottom or lower section.
In extending the ladder, the upper section c is raised along the bottom or

page_text: lower section a by the said rope to the height as may be required and the two
sections are then locked together by the following device:
a,
At a suitable distance below the top step of the bottom or lower ladder
section I employ in the side thereof a shaft k formed or furnished with
arms which are close against the inside of the ladder. The free end of each of
these arms forms a support m at right angles to the said shaft and is adapted
to be brought underneath against any of the steps of the upper ladder
section and serve as a support for the latter.
In order to retain the said supports in position underneath the steps of the
upper ladder section c and thereby resist its weight, the back of the said supports
are formed with outwardly projecting lugs adapted to bear against the back
of the bottom or lower section and thus relieve the upper section from all strain
which in telescopic ladders has been found to be a great fault.
One end of the shaft k projects from the ladder side and has a pulley n
secured thereon, to the periphery of which are fastened at a certain distance
apart from each other, the two ends of a rope n¹ which may be kept extended by
a pulley o mounted on the respective end thereof.
If desirable the said pulley and rope may however be employed inside the
ladder.
In lieu of the pulleys n & o and rope connected therewith, I may place the
said supports under the influence of a spring p as shown in Fig. 5, which tends
to retain the said supports underneath the step of the upper ladder section c.
In this case I operate the supports m by a rope y one end of which is secured to
the same and the other to the bottom or lower ladder section so that when
pulled the supports are drawn from underneath the step of the upper ladder
section e and when released the said spring will bring them back in position
underneath the step.
By means of this rope and pulley the said support shaft can be turned at will
so as to bring the said supports underneath against any of the steps of the upper
ladder section and thus support the latter, or to withdraw the same and thus
allow the upper ladder section c to be lowered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
An extension ladder composed of sections of equal widths, adapted to slide
upon each other and held together by brackets b, b, of arms, for supporting
the upper ladder section, pivotally connected to and having lugs, adapted
to bear against the back of the bottom or lower ladder section and of means for
raising and lowering the latter, all substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
Dated this 29th day of September 1900.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester,
Agents to Applicant.