EP0957231A1

EP0957231A1 - Ladder

Info

Publication number: EP0957231A1
Application number: EP99303668A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Neophytos Charalambous; Anastasios Georgoudakis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-05-12
Filing date: 1999-05-11
Publication date: 1999-11-17
Also published as: GB9810140D0; GB2337787A

Abstract

A safety device for mounting a ladder against a wall comprises an elongate aluminium box section main body (2) and a pair of aluminium box-section side arms (4) that extend transversely of the ends thereof to form a generally H-shape in plan. The longitudinal separation of the side arms can be varied by sliding, telescopic adjustment, and the side arms have sliding telescopic extensions to vary the spacing of the main body from the wall. The ladder is clamped by a rung to the main body of the device, which is fitted with gripping parts at all contact points.

Description

This invention relates to a ladder. and in particular is concerned with a safety device for attachment to a ladder.
Stabiliser devices for attachment to the side rails. or stiles, of a ladder so as to reduce the likelihood of the base of a ladder sliding along the ground are known, for example, from the GB-A-2250312, GB-A-2195693, GB-A-2166793, and US-A-4655322. The present invention, however, is concerned primarily with enhancing the security against slippage of the upper end of a ladder against an upright surface, such as a substantially vertical wall. This invention is also concerned with providing a device that safely allows the upper end of a ladder to be spaced off an upright surface.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention. there is provided a safety device for attachment to a ladder, preferably at the upper end thereof so as securely to space the ladder from a generally upright surface, the device comprising a generally elongate body portion and a pair of side arms extending transversely, preferably substantially at 90°, at opposite ends thereof, wherein the side arms are adjustable in length and/or in separation, preferably both.
The device of the invention, in a preferred form, thus allows the spacing of the ladder from the surface to be varied, and in particular so that it can be selected in accordance with the height of the upper end of the ladder off the ground. It will be appreciated that the spacing of the upper end of the ladder off the wall facilitates work being carried out on the guttering, roof or bay window, for example, of a building.
Preferably, the length of each side arm is variable independently of the length of the other, and this allows the ladder to be safely mounted when located, for example, at the corner or edge of a building. The variation in length may be provided by a slidable extension of each side arm.
In a preferred configuration, the spacing apart of the side arms is variable, and each side arm may be moved independently of the other with respect to the body portion. This serves to provide for a variable spacing apart of the contacts between the side arms and the wall, to achieve the required stability of an associated ladder. Advantageously, the body portion is slidably mounted on a transverse extension of each of the side arms, so as, in use, to provide this accommodation.
Advantageously each side arm comprises a slidably- mounted portion, so as, in use, to vary the spacing of the ladder from the upright surface.
Preferably the co-operating slidably-mounted portions of the device are secured in place by a pin passing therethrough, which is preferably spring-loaded and held captive in a mounting bracket.
The co-operating slidably-mounted portions of the device are preferably telescopically arranged one within the other.
The device is preferably made of steel, which may be rendered substantially rust free, or of aluminium.
Advantageously, the body portion and the side arms are provided as box-section components.
Preferably, means is provided for securing the device to a rung of the ladder. and this is preferably effected by a pair of clamping arrangements that are spaced apart along the body portion. In one embodiment, each clamping arrangement comprises a pair of brackets mounted on the body portion and defining a channel therewith for receiving, in use, the rung of the ladder, and a closure for retaining the rung in the channel.
The device is advantageously provided with non slip portions at its regions of contact with the ladder and with the upright surface. These regions may be provided by a rigid backing plate secured to the device that carries a resilient, for example rubber. pad. The spacing apart and length of such gripping portions on the body of the device are advantageously so as to accommodate ladders of various widths between the side arms.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a safety device for attachment to a ladder. preferably to the upper end thereof so as securely to space the ladder from a generally upright surface, the device comprising a generally elongate body portion and a pair of side arms extending transversely, preferably substantially at 90°, at opposite ends thereof, the device comprising means, preferably a clamping arrangement, for securing the device to a rung of the ladder.
It will be appreciated that features of the device in accordance with the said one aspect of the invention may be embodied in the device of the said further aspect.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ladder comprising a pair of elongate side rails and a plurality of rungs secured therebetween at spaced-apart intervals, the ladder having a safety device in accordance with the present invention secured to one of the rungs thereof, the safety device locating the ladder between the side arms with the side rails being supported by the body portion. preferably in abutment therewith, and preferably being supported by the side arms.
A safety device for attachment to, and its mounting on, a ladder. will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the device;
Figure 2 is an exploded view of components of the device of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device of Figures 1 and 2 supporting a ladder against a wall;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of one modified component of the safety device; and
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further modified component of the safety device.
Referring to the drawings, the safety device is formed from rectangular stainless steel box sections comprising a main body component 2 of side 3.8 cms (1.5 inches) and length 51 cms (20 inches) and a pair of side arms 4 of side 3.1 cms (1.25 inches) and length 30 cms (12 inches). Each side arm 4 has a box section extension 6 extending at 90° therefrom, that extends by a telescopic sliding motion into opposing ends of the main component 2.
Each side arm 4 is open at one end and closed at its other end by a push-fit plastic end cover 5. Each side arm 4 is provided with an extension 10 that is telescopically slidable through the open end thereof. The device thus forms a generally H-configuration in plan. the corners of which are reinforced by metal fillets 8.
As can be seen particularly from Figure 2, the body section 2 has an aperture 15 in its upper surface adjacent each end thereof. each side arm 4 has an aperture 17 in its upper surface adjacent each free end thereof, and each side arm extension 6 and side arm insert 10 has three apertures 19 and 21 respectively in its upper surface spaced apart along the lengths thereof.
An inverted U-shaped mounting bracket 12 is welded onto the upper surface of each side arm 4 adjacent its open end, and on to the centre body portion 2 adjacent each of its ends. A hole extends through each of the brackets 12 and mates with a hole 17. 15 respectively in the adjacent upper surface of the associated box section. Each bracket 12 retains a spring loaded pin 14 that projects through its associated box-section for engagement with one of the holes 19, 21 in the extensions 6 and inserts 10 respectively. Thus, by withdrawing the pins 14 and repositioning the relevant box section 6 or 10 with a different one of the apertures 19, 21 therebeneath. the spacing apart of the side arms 4 along the main section 2, and the projection of the extensions 10 beyond the open ends of the side arms 4, can be individually varied.
Each insert 10 of the side arms 4 is terminated by a steel backing plate 16 that carries a resilient rubber pad 18 on its outer surface. The plate 16 is threadedly engaged with a captive nut 23 within the side arm inserts 10.
Two pairs of metal brackets 20 are welded to the upper and lower surfaces of the main body section 2 spaced apart symmetrically of the mid point along its length. As can be seen from Figure 3, the brackets 20 receive therebetween the upper rung 22 that extends between the side rails 26 of a ladder 24. Each pair of brackets 20 is fitted with a metal retaining clamp 28, which has a non-slip resilient rubber pad insert 30, that interconnects the open ends of the brackets 20 to secure the ladder rung 22 therebetween. At one end, the clamp 28 mechanically interlocks with one of the brackets 20, and at its other end the clamp 28 is secured to the other bracket by a ring bolt 32 that engages a nut 33, which may be captively held on the lower bracket 20. The clamping brackets 20 thus urge the ladder towards the main section 2 of the safety device. To resist sliding movement between the ladder 24 and the main body 2, a resilient rubber wedge 34 on a metal backing plate 36 is welded to a vertical surface of the main body section 2 outwardly beyond each clamping arrangement 20 so as to receive respective ones of the ladder side rails 26 in abutment therewith. It will thus be appreciated, that tightening the ring bolts 32 of the brackets 20 will urge the ladder rails 26 harder into contact with the resilient retaining pads 34. As a modification. not shown, each pair of brackets 20 may be formed into a unitary U-shaped component that is welded on three sides, top, bottom and back, to the main body section 2.
It can thus be seen that by suitable arrangement of the telescopic components of the device, with the pins 14 engaging the holes 15, 17 and respective ones of the holes 19 and 21, not only the width apart of the side arms 4, but also the projection of the inserts 10 thereof, can be varied. Thus, the resilient pads 18 of the device can be arranged to contact a wall 40 (Figure 3) at various spacings apart and at various distances from the ladder 24. In this way, by individual adjustment of three major box section components of the safety device, the upper end of the ladder 24 can be spaced off the wall 40, and the resilient pads 18 of the device ensure large non-slip surfaces of contact with the wall 40. Furthermore, the ladder 24 itself is secured to the device over four regions of contact each with its respective non-slip surface, 30, 34.
It will also be appreciated that the device may easily be removed from the ladder 24, by release of the two ring bolts 32, for ease of storage or for transfer to a different ladder. The safety device may alternatively and conveniently be left on a ladder for storage, by withdrawing the side arms 4 from the body 2, rotating them through 90° and re-inserting them, so that the side arms 4 extend parallel to the side rails 26 of the ladder 24. Additional holes could be provided in a side surface of the box-section 2 for re-engagement by the securing pins 14 in this configuration. It is preferred, however, in order to provide a stronger device, that the side arms 4 are retained in the section 2 in their storage configuration by means of a plastic bung that interengages their adjacent ends within the body 2. The bung may be retained in the end of one of the side arms.
It will be appreciated that in operation the safety device is such that a ladder is arranged to be supported at a safe, inclined angle to a wall. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the arrangement of box sections 2 and 4 lies substantially horizontally, and the ladder 24 is inclined to the wall 40 at least in part due to the angle of the wedge-shaped rubber gripping components 34. A modified safety arrangement will now be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 4 shows a modified side arm 4A for co-operation with the main body section 2 of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3. The side arm 4A differs substantively from the side arm 4 described above only in that its square-sided transverse extension 6A that fits inside the section 2 is orientated such that its major surfaces are rotated by about 35° respect to the major surfaces of the longitudinal portion 50. Thus, when a side arm 4A is fitted at each end of the main body section 2, these components do not lie substantially in the same plane. The gripping components corresponding to the components 34 of Figures 1 to 3 thus do not need to be wedge-shaped in order to provide the required inclination of the ladder to the wall when the ladder is secured, as before, to the main body section 2. Furthermore, the modified longitudinal extension 10A, shown in Figure 5, that is telescopically mountable within the longitudinal portion 50 of the modified side arm 4A, is angled at its free end that, in operation, faces a wall, the angling being complementary to that of the side arms 4A with respect to the main body section 2 in order to provide a flat surface facing the wall. The free ends 52 of the extensions 10A are covered with slip-resistant material, similar to the resilient pads 18.
The safety device may also conveniently act as a support for a hook to carry a paint pot, paint kettle, or other equipment. The hook may be attached to, or integral with, the body portion of the device.

Claims

A safety device for attachment to a ladder to space the ladder from a generally upright surface, the device comprising a generally elongate body portion for receiving the ladder in abutment therewith, and a pair of side arms extending transversely at opposite ends thereof, wherein the side arms are adjustable in separation and/or in length.
A safety device according to claim 1, wherein the side arms are adjustable independently of each other.
A safety device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the side arms and body engage each other telescopically.
A safety device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means for securing a ladder thereto.
A safety device according to claim 4, wherein the ladder securing means comprises an arrangement for clamping a rung of the ladder to the elongate body.
A safety device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each side arm is of box-section and comprises an extension that engages with a correspondingly-shaped box section of the elongate body.
A safety device according to claim 6, wherein the plane of the box sections of the side arms lies at an angle other than zero degrees to the plane of the box section of the body of the device.
A safety device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surfaces thereof arranged to be in contact with the ladder and the upright surface are formed of resilient gripping material.
A ladder having secured thereto a safety device in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.