US167342A - Improvement in firemen s extension-ladders - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets--Sheet 2.. S. KNZ.

l Firemens" Extension-Ladder. No, 167,342 PatentedAug. 31,1875.

PLPETERS, PHO'YO-UTHDGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

NITEn i ATE;

SEBASTIAN KoNZ, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

Specification 4forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,342, dated August 31, 1875; applicationk filed May 7,1875.,

Torall whom it 'may concern:

Beit known that l, SEBASTIAN KoNZ, of Louisville, in the county of J el'erson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension-Ladders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whichwill enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had t0 the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ot' reference. marked thereon, which form a part of this specilication- Figure l being anv end elevation, showing theladder in its lowest or folded position, the gearing for elevating the same, the grooved guides `in which the geared racks move, the hose-reel, the adjustable socket for attaching the hose to the ladder, and a series oi' levers for use. in starting the ladder from its closedposition. Fig. 2 is aside elevation, partly in section, showingthebeveled bars which compose the ladder, the elastic tubes which inclose therungs thereof, the sliding and stationary brackets to which the lower.,ends oi the ladder-bars are attached, a portion of the gearing for moving the same, the hose-reel, the hose in position, theadjustable socket which secures the hose to the ladder, and the lever for aiding in startin g the ladder from its closed position. Fig. 3 is a portion of a front eleva-V tion, showing s ome of the parts above enumerated, and in addition thereto a modified form of device for starting the ladder from its closed position; and Figa is a portion of a side elevation, partly in section, showing a pawl and ratchet for Securing the ladder in its elevated position, and another modified form of apparatus for aiding in starting the ladder.

Corresponding letters denote corresponding` parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to extension-ladders; and it consists in the construction, combina tion, and arrangement of the parts of which it is composed, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

In constructing devices of this character I provide a frame, which may consist ot' sills and cross-bars, which will adapt it to the reception of wheels for facilitating its transportation. Upon the frame alluded to, but

not shown, there are placedtwo'longitudinal grooved bars, A, which are of such length as to adapt them for the reception `and support of the other portions of the device, they being held at proper distance apart by bars lor` rods A', as shown. In the upper surfaces-of these bars grooves are formed, whichare wider at their bottoms than at their tops, as shown in Fig. 3. Upon the front end of the bars A projections B are formed or bolted, whichIare bifurcated to adapt them to the reception of the lower outer end ot' one ot' the -lower bars l of which the ladder is composed. In the groove in the bar A, rearward from the fixed projections B, there is placed a sliding rack, B1, which has upon its front end a projection,

B2, which is similar in construction to the one,

B,'just alluded to, and which receives'and holds the lower outer end of the other -lower bar of the ladder, as shown in Fig. l. To the bifurcated projections B and B2 are pivoted oi' some other `elastic material, are placed for thepurpose of preventing theloperator froml slipping when ascending or descending, and also for preventing to some extent the formation ot' ice thereon. For the purpose of facilitating the lirst movement ot the folded bars C2, when they are in positions shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the ends ot' rods D are made to project outward beyond said bars, in order that they may be acted upon by some suitable mechanism for starting them in their upward movement, and thus relieve the strain upon the gearing which elevates them, as the amount of force required to move them at that time is much greater than it is after they have been carried up some distance, owing to the angle at which they are placed with reference to the projections B and B2.

For operating the sliding racks B1 B1L and projections B B2, there is a shaft, F, mounted 2 iena/i2 in pedestals Fl F1, which carries upon it pinion-gears F2 F2 and cranks F3 F3, the latter furnishing the means for giving motion to the shaft F and its pinions, and through them to the gear-wheels F4, which are mounted upon a shaft, G, upon which, and between the wheels F4, are secured two other wheels, H H', which mesh into and move the racks B1 B1, which Operation causes the projections B B2 to be moved horizontally, thus elevating or depressing the ladder according to the direction in which the gear-wheels are rotated. In ladders of this description it is important that provision should be made for holding them at any desired degree of elevation, and in order that this may be accomplished, there are placed upon each of the pedestals F1 a dog, I, the outer end of which engages with a ratchetwheel, I1, placed upon the shaft F. This dog is so arranged that its Own weight will cause its end tO come in contact with the ratchetwheel, when it is liberated from the control of a keeper, I2, which is secured to the side of the pedestal, and which is so made that when it is desirable to lower the ladder it is turned into such a position as to cause it to throw down the end of the dog, which engages with the wheel and thus allow the ladder to belowered 5 but which, when the ladder is to be elevated, is turned in another direction, which causes its eccentric portion to come in contact with the outer end of the dog` and thus keep its inner end in contact with the wheel, and so the ladder will be retained at any point desired.

For facilitating the management and the carrying ot' a hose in connection with a ladder of this description, there is combined therewith a hose-reel and an adjustable socket for holding the discharge-nozzle, the reel be-v ing placed in bearings K K, attached to the bars A, Or to the frame upon which the device rests. Upon this reel the hose L is wound in such a manner that as the ladder is elevated it will be unwound therefrom. The Opposite end of hose L is provided with a dischargenozzle, M, which is attached to a socket, N, in which it turns freely, said socket having its opposite end fitted to another socket, O, through the inner end of which the upper rod D of the ladder passes, said socket turning freely thereon and being provided with a set-screw, O', for securing it in any desired position.

It will be seen that owing to the fact that the4 hose is att-ached to the upper rung of the ladder and to the reel upon the machine, it is always in place and is always raised with the ladder, its lower end being ready to have attached to it other sections of hose; and, further, that owing to the construction of the adjustable socket, which attaches the hose to the ladder, it is firmly held thereto, and that it may be turned in any direction by the Operator, while he is relieved from the necessity of supporting any part of the weight Of the hose. In order that the device may be tilted in such a manner as to give the ladder an inclination toward the building, for facilitating the entering thereof through `an y of its upper windows or doors, rollers are placed in the upper outer ends of the highest of the series of bars C2, so that if in elevating it, while in its inclined position, the ends should come in contact with the building, it would not be stopped in its movements by catching under window sills or caps.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the connecting-bolts D D ot' an extension-ladder, the elastic tubes D', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the rung of an extension-ladder, the adjustable sOcketN O, the parts being arranged substantially as shown, whereby the discharge-nozzle M is rendered capable Ot' having imparted to it a vertical movement, a movement horizontally through the arc of a circle, and of being placed at any required angle to the rung of the ladder, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the reel, the hose, the adjustable socket, and the discharge-nozzle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I ailx my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

SEBASTIAN KONZ.v

Witnesses:

THOMAS W. COLE SCOTT, W. C. CONDEN.

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