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Biography · Science & Inventions

Joseph Winters

1824–1916

United States

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Biography

Joseph Richard Winters (August 29, 1824 – November 29, 1916) was an African-American abolitionist and inventor who, on May 7, 1878, received U.S. Patent number 203,517 for a wagon-mounted fire escape ladder. On April 8, 1879, he received U.S. Patent number 214,224 for an improvement on the ladder. On May 16, 1882, he received U.S. Patent number 258,186 for a fire escape ladder that could be affixed to buildings.

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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