Accommodation ladder having a first flight of steps of adjustable length with one end adapted for connection to a ship while its opposite end is pivotably mounted about a horizontal axis at a given level above the quayside. This flight of steps is also mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis passing between its opposite ends at a location substantially spaced from its horizontal pivotal axis. A second flight of steps is adapted for mounting at one end adjacent the quayside to pivot about the vertical axis and extends upwardly from this mounting to interconnect with the first flight of steps enabling joint pivoting with the latter about this axis.

Access equipment for fire fighting purposes including an articulated boom structure having two booms, the structure being mounted on a turntable attached to a vehicle, each boom having ladder means extending along its length, a further ladder being telescopically extendible from either end selectively of the outermost boom of the boom structure to extend the reach of the equipment for any operative position of the booms.

Mobile steps of the multi-flight, constant pitch type for allowing passengers access to the doors of aircraft. Two rigid flights of steps are provided, a lower flight fixed to the chassis of a vehicle and leading to a landing connecting the lower flight to an upper retractable flight having a platform. The platform is raised and lowered to suit the height of the aircraft door above ground level by ram-operated telescopic tubes, thereby vertically moving the retractable flight of steps without moving the platform horizontally and without altering the pitch and inclination of the steps in use. To save space, the retractable flight may be in two portions hinged together, the portions being rigidly fixed in alignment in use and folded within a housing when fully retracted. A horizontal retractable floor connects the lowermost usable step of the upper flight to the landing, the floor covering the housing when the retractable flight is fully retracted and gradually retracting as the said flight is elevated.

Ambulatory ladder apparatus constructed as a stepladder frame supported on a set of four base wheels. A user-powered drive is mounted under the lowermost step of the ladder, and is mechanically connected with a pair of the base wheels. A drive arm extending from the drive is accessible to a user while aboard the stepladder. By pumping action of the drive arm, the user-powered drive causes rotation of the base wheels, moving the ladder forward. A steering mechanism provided on the drive arm allows the user to direct the motion of the ladder during the pumping action. Thus, without requiring the user to dismount, the ladder may be easily repositioned by operation of the drive, allowing greater work efficiency in many repair, remodeling, painting and construction projects, by eliminating the additional time normally required for dismounting and repositioning the ladder.