Joseph Winters – the Fire Escape Ladder inventor

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who invented the fire escape ladderThe first specialized fire escape ladder for firefighters was invented in 1849 by George Huttman and George Kornelio. This ladder was a wooden ladder mounted on a wagon. Its intent was to be rolled up under windows by firefighters and deployed to rescue people from high-rise buildings.

Joseph Winters (1878) later improved upon this invention, a man who led a fascinating life. Winters’ ladder was an improvement on the original design. The key improvements were using a metal (rather than wooden) frame and parallel steps.

Winters’ first patent was approved in 1878 for a wagon-mounted ladder for firefighters. Then, in 1882, he invented and got a patent for a ladder that could attach to buildings.

Joseph WintersThe Life of Joseph Winters (c.1816 – 1916)

The life and times of Joseph Winters have many murky and unclear details. Winters did write an autobiography, but sadly it has now been lost.

Birth
Winters was born sometime between 1816 and 1830 in Leesburg, Virginia. Unfortunately, there are no known birth records for Winters, as official documents at the time didn’t regularly recognize African Americans. His mother was a member of the Shawnee Indian tribe. James’s father worked as a brickmaker building a gun factory for the federal government.

Heritage
Winters was a remarkable man and an actual African-American historical figure. But unfortunately, winters’ inventions took place when African-Americans were widely oppressed, and the government often dismissed their participation in public life. Nonetheless, against the odds, he patented several designs and was an active community member.

Winters was partially Native American. His father was a descendant of Opechancanough, chief of the Powhatan Confederacy in modern-day Virginia. His grandmother was an “Indian Doctor” who practiced traditional indigenous herbalism and healing. In addition, his grandmother raised Joseph, so he likely learned much about his Native American heritage.

Joseph Winters Historical MarkerWork and Involvement in Underground Railroad
Winters worked as a brickmaker with his father at Harper’s Ferry in his early life. Then, around 1940, his family moved to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

In Chambersburg, Winters worked as a farmer and then on the railroad.

He later developed relationships in the Underground Railroad with African American abolitionists who rescued black slaves from the South. His credits include organizing the 1859 meeting between Frederick Douglass and John Brown, where Douglass unsuccessfully attempted to talk Brown down from the Harper’s Ferry federal arsenal raid. The raid itself proved unsuccessful.

Songwriting
Winters was a songwriter. He wrote the song “Ten Days After the Battle of Gettysburg.” The title of the song was the title of his now-lost autobiography. In addition, he wrote presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan’s campaign song.

Death
Winters died in 1916 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. While alive, he was praised for his inventions but did not get rich from them.

Why was the Fire Escape Ladder Invented?

From 1950 onward, cities like Chicago and New York started building taller buildings. Finally, it came to a point where the ladders carried on horse-drawn fire trucks were not long enough to rescue people from higher windows. Engineers couldn’t build the ladders any longer, as it would become impracticable to transport them from the fire station to the fire scene.

With the need for longer ladders came inventions of ladders that could fold up and then deploy at the scene. The first was developed in 1849 by George Huttman and George Kornelio before Winters invented improvements in 1878.

Modern Changes to Fire Rescue Ladders

There are multiple different types and fashions of fire escape ladders. However, the three main categories are:

  • Vehicle-mounted ladders
  • Permanent fire escape stairs
  • Quick drop deploy ladders

Vehicle Mounted Ladders
Fire trucks today often have retractable ladders that resemble cherry-pickers. However, they’re usually hydraulic ladders that the truck operator can control.

Fire Escape Stairs
Today’s high-rise buildings have fire escape staircases, either indoors or outdoors. Many of them line the exterior of high-rise buildings in American skylines.

Quick Deploy Drop Ladders
Lastly, there are the quick deploy fire escape ladders that anyone can buy so that they can escape out the window of their multi-story apartment. These ladders are lightweight and can be stored at home, ready for deployment if you can’t escape during a fire.

Commemorations for Joseph Winters

In 2005, the local fire department commemorated Winter’s invention in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

The town placed a historical marker at the Junior Hose and Truck Company #2. It celebrates Winters’ invention and patents and his contributions to the Underground Railway. It reads:

“Joseph Winters (c.1816-1916). African American Inventor who secured a U.S. patent for the first fire escape ladder and hose conductor in 1878. In 1879 Winters was issued a second U.S. patent for improvements to the original invention. Winters was active in the Underground Railroad. He resided in Chambersburg.”

Final Thoughts

Winters was a remarkable man whose inventions occurred when society openly oppressed African Americans more than today. Fire escape ladders have significantly developed and changed since Winter’s invention. However, many may still resemble his original wagon-mounted model.

Winters’ Patents

  • US patent #203,517 Improvement in fire-escape ladders (Approved May 7, 1878).
  • US patent #214,224 Improvement in fire-escape ladders (Approved April 8, 1879).
  • US patent #258186 fire escape (Approved May 16, 1882).

Sources