Fire ladder and method of constructing same

Claim 1

In a ladder having a pair of flexible opposite sides and a plurality of rigid rungs extending between said sides, the combination therewith of: a pair of arm members connected with the respective sides and formed to engage a support member in a manner to suspend said sides in downward extension therefrom; a hinge member extending between said arm members and coupling same together for folding movement between a first position wherein said arm members are spaced apart to engage the support member, and a second position wherein said arm members are disposed in close proximity to one another for storage; wherein said hinge member includes said hinge member having a pair of hinge arms pivotally coupled with the respective arm members and coupled generally end to end with one another, said hinge arms being foldable about their adjoining ends to move said arm members between said first and second position; means for urging said hinge arms to a position wherein said hinge arms form a substantially straight structure extending between said arm members; and wherein said hinge arms are substantially hollow and said urging means comprises a spring coupled with each hinge arm internally thereof and acting to pull said hinge arms toward one another in a manner to yieldably retain said hinge arms in the substantially straight position.