EP1922470A1

EP1922470A1 - Ladder safety devices

Info

Publication number: EP1922470A1
Application number: EP06779131A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Graham The Poplars ROBINSON
Original assignee: LADDERM8 Ltd
Current assignee: Ladder M8rix Ltd
Priority date: 2005-07-19
Filing date: 2006-07-19
Publication date: 2008-05-21
Also published as: GB0514761D0; GB2442921A; WO2007010297A1; GB0802917D0

Abstract

Ladder safety apparatus comprises a ladder support having a plate (10), with an abutment wall (12) for a ladder foot, a non-slip rubber ribbed ladder engaging surface on its upper side, and a lower surface provided with an array of mini-spikes (17). The plate (10) is adapted to be carried in a case (20), with sidewalls, a rear wall and a lid (22) attached to the rear wall. A front wall (21) is lower than the other walls, so that a part (13) will extend from the case when the case is closed, and provides a carrying handle (14). A fence (25) in the case provides an abutment for the plate when deployed to support a ladder.

Description

LADDER SAFETY DEVICES

This invention relates to improvements in ladder safety devices.

In WO2004/048742, we disclosed a ladder support apparatus consisting essentially of a plate which can be placed upon the ground, and receives the foot of a ladder on its upper surface. The plate is provided with ground engaging projections, such as spikes on the lower surface, and on the upper surface with ladder engaging projections, which may again be spikes.

The upper surface is also provided with an abutment member in the form of a low wall for bracing the foot of the ladder. It has been found in practice that this form of ladder safety device is suitable for use in outdoor locations to site ladders in building sites and for exterior works to buildings, as the plate can be sited upon bare ground, concrete or other made surfaces and provide a sure footing. However for interior use, the plate is quite unsuitable, as the projections are either damaging to interior floor surfaces such as wood, tile, carpet or linoleum, or fail to obtain an adequate grip.

It is customary to transport the plate between sites of use in a carrying case, in order to prevent damage to and by the projections.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved ladder safety device whereby a ladder support apparatus of this kind may be adapted for use in both outdoor and indoor situations.

According to the invention, in a ladder safety device, a case for carrying and deploying a ladder support apparatus, which is preferably of the type outlined above with reference to WO 2004/048742, comprises a base having an exterior surface, side walls, an end wall and a front wall, and is characterised in that the base has an exterior surface which provides a gripping surface and preferably in that the front wall is lower than the other walls, so that a part of the ladder support apparatus may extend from the case when the case is closed.

Advantageously, the gripping surface comprises a non-slip rubber layer which extends over a substantial part of the lower surface of the carrying case, and preferably comprises parallel ribs separated by grooves.

The case may further include a fence adjacent the end wall of the case, which serves as an abutment for the apparatus when the latter is deployed for use.

The carrying case may form part of a ladder safety apparatus kit, and thus from another aspect, the invention provides ladder safety apparatus, which comprises in combination, a carrying case as set out above, and a ladder support apparatus comprising a plate to be placed on a support surface and to receive the foot of a ladder on its upper side, the plate being provided with ground engaging projections on its lower side and ladder engaging projections on its upper side. The ground engaging projections may comprise an array of mini-spikes, and the ladder engaging projection may comprise an array of projections or ribs separated by grooves, and can be of a non-slip rubber material.

Advantageously the plate may be formed with a carrying handle, and may be of a larger lateral dimension than the carrying case, whereby the outwardly extending part of the plate provides the carrying handle.

The manner of use would be that in an interior location, the carrying case would be opened to expose the upper surface of the ladder support apparatus, with the ladder engaging projections and the abutment wall accessible. The case would be placed on the floor with the non slip layer in contact with the floor, and the foot of the ladder would be seated on the ladder support apparatus, still within the carrying case, and used in this position.

A firm and safe footing is maintained for the ladder, but the projections on the underside of the ladder support plate are shielded from the floor which is instead engaged by the gripping surface provided by the rubber pad on the underside of the carrying case.

A preferred embodiment of ladder safety device according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ladder support plate of the general type of

WO2004/048742 and its carrying case, shown open; Figure 2 is a view of the lower surface of the carrying case;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the ladder safety device according to the invention in use; and Figure 4 is a sectional view of the case as above when closed.

A ladder safety device according to the invention comprises a ladder support plate 10 and a carrying case 11 for the plate. The ladder support plate 10 comprises a member having a first upper side, as shown in Figure 1, which includes a wall 12, a projecting part 13 with an aperture 14 which provides a handle, and a surface 15 which is provided with a cladding layer 16 comprising an array of projections or ribs separate by grooves, of a non-slip rubber material, which provides a secure seating for the foot of a ladder (as in Figure 3). The wall 16 also provides an abutment for retaining the foot of a ladder. The underside of the plate 10 provides a surface which is not shown in Figure 1, which is provided with an array of projections such as mini-spikes 17.

The case 11 comprises a base part 20 having a low front wall 21, and a Kd part 22 hinged thereto. As shown in Figure 2, the underside of the base part 20 is substantially completely covered, apart from a marginal zone, with a layer of a non- slip rubber material 23 which is provided as an array of projections in the form of shallow ribs separated by grooves 24.

The interior of the case 11 also has a fence 25 towards the rear of the interior.

In carrying mode, the plate 10 is carried with the handle projecting from the case over the low front wall 21, and the lid is latched to the base through holes 18 in the handle. The wall 12 rests on the base just within the front wall 21, and the end of the plate is supported by the fence 25.

In outdoor use, the plate 10 is removed from the case 11, and the underside of the plate placed on the ground. The ladder foot is placed upon the surface 15, in abutment with the wall 12 to be braced thereby, and used substantially as disclosed in the said International patent specification referred to above.

For interior use however, the plate 10 is placed in the case 11, reversed with respect to Figure 1, that is with the wall 12 extending upward, and the handle extending out over the low wall 21, as shown in Figure 3. This lower surface of the base part 20 rests in a floor 26, and the plate 10 is placed on the base with its lower spiked surface 17 resting on the base of the case, and the ladder 30 is rested on the surface 15, again in abutment with the wall 12 so that the ladder is braced thereby. The manner of use prevents either damage to or lack of adhesion with the floor 26 by the surface 17 of the plate, as the rubber material on the outer lower face of the base 20 can be selected to give optimum adhesion with interior floor surfaces, and to cause no damage thereto. The versatility of the ladder support is thus increased as it can be used safely and effectively both out of doors, and in interior situations.

Claims

CIaims

1. A case for carrying and deploying a ladder support apparatus (10) said case comprising a base (20) having an exterior surface, side walls, an end wall and a front wall (21) characterised in that the base (20) has an exterior surface which provides a gripping surface.

2. A case according to claim 1, characterised in that the front wall (21) is lower than the other walls, so that a part (13) of the ladder support apparatus may extend from the case when the case is closed.

3. A case according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the gripping surface comprises a non-slip rubber layer (23) which extends over a substantial part of the lower surface of the carrying case.

4. A case according to claim 3, wherein the non-slip rubber layer (23) comprises parallel ribs separated by grooves (24).

5. A case according to claim 1, 3 or 4 characterised in that the case further includes a fence (25) adjacent the end wall of the case, which serves as an abutment for the apparatus (10) when the latter is deployed for use.

6. Ladder safety apparatus, comprising in combination, a carrying case according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and a ladder support apparatus comprising a plate (10) to be placed on a support surface and to receive the foot of a ladder on its upper side, the plate being provided with ground engaging projections (17) on its lower side, and ladder engaging projections on its upper side.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the ground engaging projections comprise an array of mini-spikes (17), and the ladder engaging projections comprise an array of projections or ribs separated by grooves, of a non-slip rubber material.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the plate is formed with a carrying handle (14) and is of a larger lateral dimension than the carrying case, whereby the outwardly extending part (13) of the plate provides the carrying handle.