IMPROVE- MENTS IN EXTENSION LADDERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Franklin Stevens, of 4, Trafalgar
Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN EXTENSION LADDERS." -A communication from abroad by
Robert Gilchriest, of Louisville, Kentucky,' United States of
America.
Sealed the 22nd February 1875, and dated the 25th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Franklin
Stevens at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 25th August 1875.
I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STEVENS, of 4, Trafalgar Square, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTENSION LADDERS," a communication to me from abroad
by Robert Gilchriest, of Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America,
to be as follows:-

page_text: mainly in the employment of ladders of different widths, so that their
ends can be lapped one within the other in putting the sections together
in combination with removable pivot bolts for each section, and with
means for raising and lowering the sections conveniently, and for rigidly
uniting them when erected in proper position.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to employ a base or
foundation carrying two standards, which are tenoned into the base, and
sustained by means of hooked rods, to which swivels may be applied, if
desired, and which rods hook into eyes on the base, and firmly hold the
standards. Extensions for the base are provided consisting of flat bars
of any suitable length, having tubes on their ends to receive other bars
for elongating the auxilliary extensions. On the opposite ends of the
bars are rods, which enter eyes on the base, and thus firmly unite the
bars thereto. These bars may be applied to the ends or sides of the
base, or to both the ends and sides thereof, and through these bars slots
are made to receive supporting legs. The legs have a number of holes
through them for receiving pins, by means of which the base can be
levelled on uneven ground. It is also proposed to employ legs and pins
for the base itself for the same purpose as that named for the legs and
pins above described. The first or lowest and widest ladder is pivoted
at the middle of its length to a bolt applied near the upper ends of the
standards, so that this ladder can be inclined as may be desired. Below
the pivot bolt of the rounds of the first ladder and at the upper end of
this ladder is a pivot bolt, which passes through the second ladder at
the middle of the length thereof, and on which this ladder can be
vibrated.
The rounds of the second ladder, which are below the last mentioned
bolt, together with this bolt, complete the number of rounds for the first
ladder above the first mentioned bolt, this latter bolt serving as one of
the rounds. The upper end of the second ladder has a bolt through it,
which passes through the third ladder at the middle of its length, and
forms a pivot for this third ladder. The last mentioned pivot bolt and
the rounds between it, and the bolt secondly herein-before mentioned,
complete the number of rounds for the second ladder. In this way any
desired number of ladders. may be connected together.
The lower ends of each one of the ladders are formed so that they
will bear against the pivot bolt of the next ladder, and when the ladders
are so adjusted they will be in the same. plane, in which position. the.

page_text: ladders are rigidly held by means of finger bolts, to which jointed pieces
are applied for safely holding them in their places. Eyes are secured
to the inner sides of the uprights of all the ladders, and at the lower
ends thereof, and a short distance above these eyes there are provided
other eyes, which latter receive levers for the purpose of aiding the
firemen in adjusting the ladders: Pullies are attached to the bed
behind the ladder, around which pullies, ropes, or chains are passed,
which are hooked to the first mentioned eyes of the lower ladder, and
used to raise the ladder and hold it at any desired inclination. The
second and third ladders can also be adjusted by means of the ropes and
pulleys.
When the lower ladder is upright its lower end bears against a
horizontal bar secured to the standards, and it is fixed by means of the
finger bolts precisely as the upper ladders are fixed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Franklin Stevens, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
FRANKLIN STEVENS, of 4, Trafalgar Square, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, send greeting.
•
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and.
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Franklin.
Stevens, Her special license that I, the said Benjamin Franklin
Stevens, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Benjamin Franklin Stevens, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTENSION LADDERS,"
a communication to me trom abroad by Robert Gilchriest, of Louisville, *

page_text: Kentucky, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Benjamin Franklin Stevens, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Franklin Stevens, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following, statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thercon, that is
to say :--
The said Invention relates to ladders which are especially designed for
the use of firemen to enable them to attain high altitudes, and it consists
mainly in the employment of ladders of different widths, so that their
ends can be lapped one within the other in putting the sections together
in combination with 'removeable pivot bolts for each section, and with
means for raising and lowering the sections conveniently, and for rigidly
uniting them when erected in proper position.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understoo I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures..
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a perspective view
of the ladder; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the same; and Figure 3 is
a detail view to be herein-after referred to.
A designates the base or foundation for the extension ladder, and
B, B, are two standards which are tenoned into the base A, and sustained
by means of hooked rods a, to which swivels may be applied, if desired,
and which rods hook into eyes on the base A, and firmly hold the
standards B, B; C, C, designate extensions for the base A, which consist
of flat bars of any suitable length, having tubes c on their ends to receive
other bars for elongating the auxiliary extensions. On the opposite ends
of the bars C are rods c², which enter eyes d, d, on the base A, and

page_text: thus firmly unite the bars thereto. These bars may be applied to the
ends or sides of the base A, or to both the ends and the sides thereof,
and through these bars slots are made for the reception of supporting
legs D. The legs D are provided with a number of holes for receiving
pins e, by means of which the base A can be levelled on uneven ground.
Legs and pins for the base A itself are also employed for a similar
purpose to that named for the legs and pins above described. The first
or lowest and widest ladder E is pivoted at the centre of its length to.
a bolt applied near the upper ends of the standards B, B, so that this
ladder can be inclined as may be desired. Below the pivot bolt fare
the rounds of the first ladder, and at the upper end of this ladder is a
pivot bolt f, which passes through the second ladder E¹ at the centre'
of the length thereof, and on which this ladder can be vibrated.
The rounds g of the second ladder, which are below the bolt f',
together with this bolt, complete the number of rounds for the first
ladder above the bolt f, this latter bolt serving as one of the rounds.
The upper end of the second ladder E' carries a bolt f*, which passes
through the third ladder E² at the centre of its length, and forms a pivot
for this third ladder. The pivot bolt f' and the rounds between it and
the bolt complete the number of rounds for the second ladder. In
this manner any desired number of ladders may be connected together.
The lower ends of each one of the ladders are formed so that they will
bear against the pivot bolt of the next ladder, and when the ladders are
so adjusted they will be in the same plane as shewn in Figure 1, in
which position the ladders are rigidly held by means of finger bolts h,
to which jointed pieces are applied for safely holding them in their
places (see the detail, Figure 3). Eyes j are secured to the inner sides
of the uprights of all the ladders at the lower ends thereof, and a short
distance above the eyes of the lower ladder E there are provided other
eyes k, which latter receive levers L for the purpose of aiding the firemen
in adjusting the ladders. G, G, are pulleys, which are attached to the
bed A behind the ladder, and receive ropes or chains which are hooked
to the eyes of the lower ladder, and used to raise the ladder and hold it
at any desired inclination. The second and third ladders can also be
adjusted by means of the ropes and pulleys.
When the ladder E is upright its lower end bears against a horizontal
bar 3 secured to the standards B, B, and it is fixed by means of the
finger bolts in a similar manner to the upper ladders.
.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. Two or more ladders E, E', pivoted together and applied one
within the other, the pivot bolts serving as stepping rounds and bearings
in combination with finger bolts having pieces pivoted to them, sub-
stantially as herein-before described.
Secondly. Pulleys G, G, with their ropes combined with eyes j, and
ladders which are pivoted to standards B, and which are also pivoted
together, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Franklin Stevens, have
to this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth
day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six.
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1) T CMTAIITIC