GB2057041A - Ladders - Google Patents

Abstract

In a ladder having opposed stiles and rungs extending between said stiles, the length of one of said stiles is adjustable in length relative to the other of said stiles by means carried by or secured to said one of said stiles. The leg may be secured to the stile by one or more pins 16, 18 passing through one or more brackets 12, 14 and the leg. Alternatively, the leg itself may be an extendable leg, or the leg may be located within said one of said stiles and be movable from a position within said one of said stiles to project from said one of said stiles. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to ladders This invention relates to ladders.

In the use of ladders, it very often occurs that the ladder is to be used on uneven ground or on a sloping site, and in such circumstances it is usual for a second person to hold the ladder steady, or it is necessary to wedge up one or more of the stiles of the ladder in order to stabilise the ladder.

It is therefore the aim of the invention to provide a ladder in which one of the stiles of the ladder is adjustable in length relative to the other of said stiles in order to obviate the abovedescribed disadvantages.

Accordingly, the invention provides a ladder having opposed stiles and rungs extending between said stiles, the length of one of said stiles being adjustable in length relative to the other of said stiles, by means carried by or secured to said one of said stiles.

Preferably, said means will consist of a leg secured to said one of said stiles. The leg will preferably be secured to said one of said stiles by one or more brackets which embrace the leg and said one of said stiles. The leg will preferably be provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes, and the bracket(s) will be provided with opposed holes, said one of said stiles being provided with at least one lateral hole therein.

The bracket(s) and leg will preferably be secured to said one of said stiles by means of one or more pins passing through aligned holes in said bracket(s), leg and said one of said stiles.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an elevation of a lower portion of a ladder embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the leg shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the brackets shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevation of a pin used to secure the brackets and leg to a stile of the ladder; and Figure 5 is a sectional plan view taken along the line V-V in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Figure 1 , there is shown the lower portion of a ladder indicated generally by reference numeral 2, the ladder consisting of opposed stiles 4 and 6, and interconnecting longitudinally spaced, transverse rungs 8. The stile 4 has longitudinally spaced transverse holes (not shown).

Shown attached to the stile 4, at the lower end thereof, is a leg 10 which is secured to the stile 4 by means of brackets 12 and 14 which embrace the leg and said stile. The brackets and leg are attached together by means of pins 1 6 and 1 8 which pass through the respective bracket, the leg and said stile.

As will be seen from Figure 2, the leg 10 is a hollow box section metal or alloy member preferably of the same outer dimensions as the stile 4 - and the opposed walls 1 0A and 1 OB of the leg are each provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes 20, the holes in each wall being in register.

Each bracket -- referring now to Figure 3 which shows one of the brackets -- is a generally U-shaped or channel-shaped member of metal or alloy, in which the opposed arms 22 and 24 are substantially equal in length in their inner dimensions to the combined thickness of the leg 10 and the stile 4, and in which the base 26 is equal in length in its inner dimension to the width of the leg and the stile. The opposed arms 22 and 24 each have holes 28 therein which are preferably in register with each other and which are used to.secure the brackets to the leg and to the stile 4 by means of the pins.

Figure 4 illustrates that the pins 16 and 1 8 are clevis pins having a head 30, a shank 32, and a pivotal end portion 34 which is movable relative to the shank.

In use, and where the ladder 2 is to be used on a sloping site such as indicated by the reference numeral 36 in Figure 1, the leg 10 is lowered relative to the stile 4 until the appropriate holes 20 in the leg 10 are in register with the holes 28 in the brackets 12 and 14 and with the holes in the stile 4, whereafter the clevis pins 1 6 and 1 8 are inserted through the registering holes, the end portions 34 of the pins being directed downwardly to prevent inadvertent loosening of the pins. A cross-sectional plan view of the arrangement showing one of the brackets and pins securing the leg 10 to the stile 4 is shown in Figure 5.

Thus the length of the stile 4 may be increased to compensate for angle of the sloping site, the increase due to the presence of the leg maintaining the rungs 8 of the ladder horizontal or substantially horizontal.

The leg will be retracted when the ladder is to be used on a reasonably level site.

It will be appreciated that only one bracket and pin may be used to secure the leg 10 to the stile 4, and that the leg 10 may be of other material than metal or alloy, and the leg may be solid if desired.

In addition, the brackets may be closed sections so as to fully embrace the leg 10 and the stile 4, and means other than the clevis pins may be used to secure the bracket(s) and leg 10 to the stile 4. It will also be appreciated that the leg may be located on the outside of the stile 4 instead of on the inside as shown. Also, the holes 28 in the arms 22 and 24 of the brackets may be replaced by a single hole in the base 26 of the bracket in which case the holes in the leg 10 and the stile 4 will be at right angles to those shown and previously described.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the leg 10 may be replaced by an extendable leg secured to the stile 4, the leg being lockable in an extended position by means engaging said leg.

Such means may consist of a screw or other movable means.

In a still further alternative embodiment of the invention, the leg may be located internally of the stile 4, the leg being movable from a position within the said stile to project from the lower extremity of said stile, the leg being lockable in the projected position by means passing through the stile 4 and engaging the leg.

Claims (10)

1. A ladder having opposed stiles and rings extending between said stiles, the length of one of said stiles being adjustable in length relative to the other of said stiles, by means carried by or secured to said one of said stiles.

2. A ladder according to Claim 1, wherein said means consists of a leg secured to said one of said stiles.

3. A ladder according to Claim 2, wherein the leg is secured to said one of said stiles by one or more brackets which embrace the leg and said one of said stiles.

4. A ladder according to Claim 3, wherein the leg is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes.

5. A ladder according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said bracket(s) is or are provided with holes iri opposing walls.

6. A ladder according to Claim 5, wherein said one of said stiles is provided with at least one hole, the holes in the bracket(s), the leg and said one of said stiles being in register and being adapted to receive a pin for securing the leg to said one of said stiles.

7. A ladder according to Claim 1, wherein said leg is an extendable leg secured to said one of said stiles, said leg being lockable in an extended position by means engaging said leg.

8. A ladder according to Claim 1, wherein said leg is located within said one of said stiles and is movable from a position within said one of said stiles to project from said one of said stiles, said leg being lockable in the projected position by means passing through said one of said stiles and engaging said leg.

9. A ladder substantially as herein described.

10. A ladder substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.