Patent ID: 6994183

Claim:
A fire escape ladder assembly comprising: an enclosure that is mountable in the wall of a building below a sill of an access window in the building, the enclosure having an open interior positioned between spaced sidewalls, the sidewalls being spaced apart such that the enclosure is adapted to fit between spaced vertical wall support members of the building structure, the enclosure further comprising a front that is openable to provide access to the open interior of the enclosure; a lateral support rod that is wider than the enclosure, the rod extending through the interior of the enclosure and protruding outwardly through openings in outer sides of the sidewalls of the enclosure, the support rod being long enough that it will extend through openings in the wall support members on opposite sides of the openings in the enclosure sidewalls; a folding ladder mounted at an upper end thereof to the support rod, the ladder being collapsible so as to fit in the open interior of the enclosure when not in use, the ladder being removable from the enclosure so it can extend through the access window and hang downwardly on the outside of the building for emergency exit from the building, the ladder being adapted to be securely supported by the building support members by the lateral support rod; and a releasable lock that holds the support rod in a predetermined axial position in the enclosure, wherein the rod is held in supporting engagement with building supports at both ends of the rod when mounted in the wall of a building.