Abstract: A cradle assembly for aerial ladders (or booms) includes an assembly for rotatably and pivotally supporting an aerial ladder or boom, a first pair of upwardly extending parallel support flanges and a second pair of upwardly extending parallel support flanges extending upwardly from the surface of said turntable, the second pair of flanges extending to a substantially lesser elevation than said first pair of flanges; a cradle formed by a pair of parallel cradle arms laterally spaced to support a base end of said ladder or boom therebetween and at least one cross member connecting said arms, each of said arms having an end pivotally connected to a flange of said first pair of flanges; a hydraulic cylinder pivotally (which may be dual acting) attached to each of said cradle arms at a point spaced away from said first pair of flanges and an extendable-retractable rod projecting from each hydraulic cylinder and having an outer end pivotally attached to a flange of said second pair of flanges.

Abstract: An aerial ladder roller assembly to improve the function of the ladder during extension and retraction of sections of a multiple-section aerial ladder. One embodiment has a plurality of aligned apertures for rotatably mounting and a roller that is rotatably mounted in a housing. The housing has a roller pad and an aperture through which a roller extends. The housing is adapted for pivotal mounting at a point approximately central to the length of the axis. A roller is rotatably mounted in the housing on each side of the pivotal mounting point. A pair of rollers is rotatably mounted in the housing on each side of the pivotal mounting point. Also provided is a multiple-section ladder, having at least two nested sections with a housing having at least one roller is rotatably and pivotally mounted extending through an aperture. The slide plate of the second section juxtaposes the roller assembly.