GB2069579A

GB2069579A - Anti-slip and securing accessory for ladders

Info

Publication number: GB2069579A
Application number: GB8004100A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: STEPHENS and CARTER Ltd
Current assignee: STEPHENS and CARTER Ltd
Priority date: 1980-02-07
Filing date: 1980-02-07
Publication date: 1981-08-26

Abstract

A securing accessory for a ladder comprises two assemblies each consisting of a length of rope or line not less than twice the length of the ladder when in use, means provided at one end of each rope for securing the end to the ladder near its upper end, free-running snap hook means on each rope, and locking means for securing each rope to the ladder near its lower end, the locking means being such that the rope may be pulled freely from below but will be held firmly against pulling from above. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Anti-slip and securing accessory for rigid and extending ladders General Description The accessory or device described below is designed to be fitted to conventional metal and timber rigid and extending ladders in common use. It provides a means of securing ladders when used with strategically positioned location points fixed to the building or surface against which the ladder is being placed.

The device is a system of ropes and fittings which may be assembled and fixed to ladders intended for use as a means of access to points no higher than 10 metres measured vertically from the base.

In use it is thoroughly secured by the user from the ground before venturing onto the ladder. When secured it will hold the ladder in position restricting movement at the head and base. The accessory provides the user with a safe means of working off a ladder without the need for another person to hold the base.

It would ensure an uniformly high standard of safety and could replace ad hoc methods of securing ladders many of which are improvised on site and often require the users to climb a ladder before it is secured e.g. tie the top rung to a screw eye in a facia. Because the anti-slip and securing device does not employ knots or rope ties, no special skills are needed in its use. The device would provide an effective means of securing ladders on all surfaces and in wet and dry conditions.

Detailed Description The device is a system of ropes and fittings which may be assembled and fixed to a ladder. Essentially the system comprises two assemblies (for fixing to the left and right hand sides of the ladder) each having a fixing, a snap hook and a locking assembly. The rope is attached to the fixing placed at the top of the ladder, passed through the free-running snap-hook and then through the locking device assembly positioned at the foot of the ladder.

Each rope is 6-8 mm in diameter and made of non-rot coarse man-made fibre of a length not less than twice the length of the rigid ladder or, in the case of an extending ladder, twice the maximum entended length.

Each rope has a spiced eye (at the top end) formed round a proprietary eye-fitting or thimble to reduce wear. The other (bottom) end is spliced or whipped to form a non-fray stopend.

At the head of the ladder a permanent fixing is made on the outside of each vertical member and approximately 300mm from the end. A small shackle used between each of these fixings and a rope-end eye will facilitate later attachment and detachment of the rope to and from the ladder should this be re quired. The permanent fixings at the top of the ladder are best bolted in position or other wise fixed sufficiently strongly to withstand the expected maximum load or pull. Backing plates and spacers should be incorporated as appropriate.

The top rope-end fixing itself will be a non ferrous metal or galvanised steel eye of suffici ent size to take the rope-end shackle.

The free(bottom) end of each rope is first passed through a free-running snap hook and then through a locking device assembly fixed at the bottom of the ladder. A locking device assembly consists of a rope-jamb fitting placed between two rope guides or fairleads.

The two locking device assemblies are fixed to the outside of the vertical members of the ladder approximately 300mm from the bot tom. They should be bolted onto the ladder using spreader plates and spacers as neces sary. The rope when routed through the first fairlead, the rope jamb and then the second fairlead will pass freely through the rope-jamb when pulled from below but will be held firmly against pulling from above.

Location points for the free-running snap hooks must be provided on the walls of the buildings or other surfaces on which the lad ders are to be used. The location points must be positioned between 1.2 and 1.8 metres vertically above the base on which the ladder will stand and at 3 to 5 metre intervals. Each location point should be suitable for the snap hooks and secure e.g. a proprietary expanding masonry fixing with a screw-in eye. The loca tion points will be permanent and in sufficient numbers to enable safe access at all parts of the building.

To use a ladder fitted with the anti-slip and .securing device it may be positioned in the usual way anywhere between two adjacent location points. Sufficient rope should be drawn out each side of the ladder to allow the snap-hooks to be fastened to turn to the chosen location points. The free end of each rope is then drawn through its rope-jamb until all the slack is taken up. The ropes do not have to be strongly tensioned but there should be no slack and the user must make sure each rope is correctly positioned in its jamb and will slip when pulled from above.

The ladder may now be climbed and should it tend to slip the ropes will go into tension and restrain the ladder in all directions. To reposi tion the ladder between the same two loca tions points the ropes are slackened on both sides and then the ladder moved in the nor mal way. The ropes may then be drawn back through the rope jambs until all the slack is taken up once again. It is not necessary to remove the snap hooks until the new position of the ladder takes it into the next bay.

Claims

1. A securing accessory for a ladder comprising two assemblies each consisting of a length of rope or line not less than twice the length of the ladder when in use, means provided at one end of each rope for securing the end to the ladder near its upper end, freerunning snap hook means on each rope, and locking means for securing each rope to the ladder near its lower end, the locking means being such that the rope may be pulled freely from below but will be held firmly against pulling from above.

2. An accessory as claimed in claim 1, which includes a ladder having means near its upper end for co-operating with said securing means and means near its lower end for cooperating with said locking means.

3. A securing accessory for a ladder, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.