LADDER, the portion of a meaffelding by means of which workmen are enabled to pass from one level to another; and any steep staireues, with extremely narrow trestle, such as are used in mines, factories, or warehouses, or even in ships' holds, are known by the name of laddsis. The principal distinction between ladders and steirossee appears to consist mainly in thia—naniely, that with staircases, there is no necessity for using the hand, whilst mounting or descending, whereas with ladder. It would not be possible to maintain a footing without at the some time holding either the sides, or the rounds, with the band. The parts of a ladder are, simply, the rides, which are usually made of round fir-Nies cut down the middle (and in England used with the convex sides outwards, whilst on the Continent the Ant transverse sections are jawed outward); the rooted*, usually made of ark, of a cirvular portion, rather larger in diameter In the middle and tapering towards thy alas, and fastened to the said side. by fox.
we ; and occasionally Iron croesties are inurted, in order to resistanytea= on the part of the aides to sprawl. The distance apart of the varies Irvin nine inches to one foot. but tam Inches is the
distance taut generally adopted, f r scaffeltling at least There are some modificationa of ladders mod In particular trades, such aa the plasterer; or painters' ladders, made out of wrought and *rand "tuff. and with hinges at thy top ; and upholstcrenf step ladder., wh- h have hinged Asps at the backs and Gat treads. Millers' ladders liars flat treads, and sometimes handrails on the outside; but they, and the companion ladders of ships, ought more correctly to ho classed as staircases. The chain of buckets of a dredging-machine is also at times called a "ladder." In the cathedral of Niirenberg the idea of the ladder tuts been admirably converted into en architectural decoration in the detailset the canopy of the pulpit ; and it may indeed be observed, that story of the ladder perceived by Jacob in his dream is one which would have very probably suggested its introduction into ecclesiastical decoration. The designer and sculptor of the Niireuberg pulpit was Adam Kraft, who flourished about the end of the 15th century.