US2355399A - Jacob's ladder - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 8, 1944 JAoos LADDER f Edward J. Schneider, New York, N. Y., assignor to John B. Salterini and Nan B. Salterini, copartners doing business under the firm name and style of John B. Salteriniompany, NewYork,` N. Y.

Application September 1, 1942, Serial No. 456,916

6 Claims, (pl. 228-40) This invention relates generally to improvements in ladders, and pertains more particularly to improvements in Jacobs ladders such as are commonly used on ships.

Jacobs ladders as at present constructed, have 'T either wooden or steel steps and these have certain objections ordrawbacks which are overcome by the ladder of the present invention. In the case of those ladders having wooden steps, the steps or rungsfrequently become destroyed where abandonment of a ship is necessary because of. re either in the ship or, if theship should bel a tanker, from the burning oioil on the water, thereby leaving only the double chain hanging from the side of the ship. Ladders employing an all steel step are objectionable because when used in cold climates the steps freeze to the hands when it is necessary that the ladder be used dur,- ing freezing weather.l Y

The principal object of the present invention isto provide an improved construction of Jacobs ladder having steps formed both of steel and wood so that the stepscannot be burned away completely in the event that the ladder is used where iire can come into contact with it, and if used in freezing weather it will not be necessary for the hands to come into contact with metal, and thus the freezing of the hands to the steps is avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide a J acobs ladder using chains of the lock weave pattern with a novel means of coupling the steps ofthe ladder Vto the chains whereby the width of the chain links` will be presented to the side of the ship, thus making it relatively easy to roll up and unroll` the ladder.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it being understood, however, that the invention is not to be considered as limited by the specific illustration or description but that such illustration and descrip-- tion constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a Jacobs ladder constructed in accordance with the present invention, the seme being shortened by breaking out a portion between the ends thereof.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2.2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the lineS--B of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view onr the line /i-e oi 'Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 oi Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing,lit will beA seen that in Figure l the ladder constructed in accordance with the present invention has been shown in elevation, and the upper and lower ends thereof are illustrated to 'show how both ends are constructed alike so that',

although the ladder has a-right and a wrong way to be suspended for use, it may, nevertheless, be used without confusion if it should accidentally be thrown over the side of the ship for suspension the wrong way.

The numeral I6 designates the suspension chains between which the steps are connected, the steps being generally indicated by the numeral --I I.

The chains Illv are of-the type having the elon- 'gated links I 2 which are pivotally joined together by a woven lock between the Afree ends of one link and the looped end of yan adjacent link, thus forming the hinge joint I3.

Ladders of this character are made generally to have thirty-ve` and forty-'four step lengths and a portion of each chain extends above the first or top step and below the last or bottom providing the free ends as shown. Each ci these upper and lower free ends is provided with an attaching ring I4, usually about three inches in diameter, and these rings vare employed for an" choring an end'of the ladder to the ship.

'By providing the attaching-or anchoring rings I4 at both ends of the ladder, confusion will be avoided in the event that the wrong end of the ladder isthrown overiirst.v

The steps II are made up of thetwo rungs l5 and I6. The rung i5' is of metal while the rung I6 is of wood, and these are secured together, as shown, in parallel relation so that when the ladder is supported right end up, the metal rung I5 will be below the wooden rung and, consequently, if the ladder is used in freezing weather the users thereof will not be required to take hold of the metal, as it will be possible to hold on to the steps by engaging the ngers over the wooden rung only.

Each metal rung is in the form of a channel bar having a bottom IS and vertical side anges I1 and at each end the bottom I6 has the in egral downturned attaching ears I8 while the side anges I'I have the integral outwardly turned attaching ears I9 by which the end of the metal rung is secured to the center of one side of the disc-like buier ear 20.

The buffer ears 20 function to space the ladder a sufficient distance from the side of the ship to give the user plenty of room to get his foot on the step and to grasp the step without striking the adjacent side ofthe vessel.

Each end of the bottom portion I6 of the metal rung is provided with a short longitudinally extending slot 2|. engaged a link of a chain below the hinge joint In each of these slotsis between that link and the next link above, as

shown in Figures 2 and 3. locked to the end of the steel rung so as to prevent the rung shifting lengthwise of the link, by the extension through that link lying above the joint nearest the rung, of the substantially U-shaped fastener or lip 22, the legs 23 of which extend down into the channeled steel rung and are then reversely bent 0r reverted to form the hooks 24.

The hooks 24 of the attaching clips 224 are secured in position by engagement beneath the inwardly bent portions 25 of the steel rung side flanges I1. These inwardly bent portions extend throughout the length of the steel rung and have an additional function to that of engaging over the upturned hooked ends of the legs 23 of the clips. The additional function of these inturned portions of the flanges is to secure or assist in securing in position in the channel-like steel rung l5, the wooden rung I6.

Asvshown in Figure 4, the wooden rung i6 is half circular and half square, the circular portion forming the top of the rung and the squared side forming the bottom thereof and resting upon the bottom wall I6'V of the steel rung. The opposite sides of the wooden rung are cut in slightly adjacent the squared bottom to form a narrow shoulder 26 and the edges of the inturned portions 25 engage on these shoulders and thus lock the wooden rung in position. In addition, transverse securing pins 21 are run through the wooden rungs and through the flanges Il and the inturned portions 25 thereof, thus rmly coupling the two rungs together.

The wooden rungs are shorter than the steel rungs, as clearly shown in Figure 1, so that they lie entirely between the suspension chains and proper space is provided between the ends of the wooden rungs andthe buffer ears, for the chains and the securing clips 22.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the Jacobs ladder of the present invention The chain is then flanges and having portions of the side flanges turned inwardly toward the bottom, each end of each channel portion having a longitudinal slot in which a link of the chain positions, a buffer ear secured to each end of the metal portion upon the outer side of the chain, a substantially U-,shaped clip at each end of each metal portion extending through a chain link and having hooked ends engaged under the inturned portions of said anges, and each step Afurther comprising a wooden lportion positioned in the channel of each metal portion and extending above the side flanges thereof and terminatingl at its ends short of the chains, each wooden portion having a shoulder formed along each longitudinal side over and against which the free longitudinal edge of the adjacent inturned flange portion engages.

2. A Jacobs ladder comprising a pair of side chains, steps located between said side chains, each of said steps comprising a channel bar having inturned side flange portions, a wooden portion partially housed within the channel bar between the inturned flange portions, and a U- shaped clip extending through a link and having hook-like end portions secured beneath the inturned portions of the flanges.

3. In a Jacobs ladder, a pairof side chains, a step rung located between said chains, each end portion of the step rung having a slot through which a chain link is disposed, and a U-shaped securing member extended across each end portion of the step and disposed through a link of the adjacent chain above the link extending through the sloty said member having its ends secured to the step rung immediately adjacent to the chain.

4. In a Jacobs ladder, a pair of side chains, a step rung interposed therebetween, each ex tremity of the step rung having a slot through which the link of a side chain is disposed, and a securing member extending across each end of the step rung and connected to the step rung at opposite sides of the adjacent chain and extending through a link of the .chain above the link extending through the slot.

5. A step for a Jacobs ladder comprising a channel bar having in and downturned side flanges having downwardly directed edges, and a wooden rung within the channel bar between the side anges, the sides of the wooden rung being provided with upwardly facing shoulders which are opposed and engaged by the downwardly directed edges of said side flanges for holding the rung in position on the channel bar.

6. A Jacobs ladder comprising a pair of side chains, steps located between said chains, each of said steps in its extremities having slots in which are positioned links of the side chains, clips extending through links of the side chains above the links extending through the slots, and means for securing each of the clips to the step at opposite sides of the chain.

EDWARD J. SCHNEIDER.

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