GB2093901A

GB2093901A - Ladder attachment

Info

Publication number: GB2093901A
Application number: GB8204671A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-02-23
Filing date: 1982-02-17
Publication date: 1982-09-08
Also published as: GB2093901B

Abstract

A collapsible attachment (10) provides a carrier such as a tray (13) when mounted on a standard ladder (11) having rungs (12). The attachment comprises rods (15) which provide upper hooks (16) for engagement with a rung (12A), supports (18) extending downwardly from the rods (15) to rest against a lower rung (12B) and provide lower hooks (20), and struts (21) to extend between the rods and the supports and be adjustably attached to lower parts of the supports. In the erected position of the attachment, the upper hooks cooperate with the supports to encircle the upper rung and the lower hooks rise to entrap the lower rung. The tray is bolted to carrier straps (14) secured to the rods, and lies horizontal in the erected position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ladder attachment This invention relates to ladder attachments.

Numerous ladder attachments, including safety devices and supports for users and utensils have been proposed, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a ladder attachement which is particularly useful in supporting utensils but may also be expanded to provide support for the ladder user, and which is convenient to store and transport and is unobtrusive when attached to but not in use on the ladder.

According to the present invention there is provided a ladder attachment comprising carrier means to be supported in a generally horizontal position, hook means connected to said carrier means and for engagement with a selected rung of the ladder, a support to extend downwardly from the hook means to engage with a part of the ladder below said selected rung, and a strut to extend between the hook means and the support and be adjustably attached to a lower part of said support to hold the carrier means in the generally horizontal position, the hook means being arranged to hook around said selected rung and on being moved to the in-use (unfolded) position to rotate with the carrier means so that on reaching the generally horizontal position of the carrier means, the hook means will co-operate with part of said support to effectively encircle and so lock around said selected rung.

Preferably, said hook means are provided by a first pair of rods secured to said carrier means which may provide a tray or shelf, and the hook means are formed with end hooks adjacent to the ladder.

Said support suitably comprises a second pair of rods hinged at their upper parts to said first pair of rods and extending downwardly to ends which hook round a lower rung of the ladder.

Preferably also, said strut comprises a pair of strips hinged at their upper ends to said first pair of rods and adjustably clamped at their lower ends to the support rods.

For safety purposes, a handrail is formed by extending the first pair of rods away from the ladder, and a waist chain is carried between the ends of the handrail.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view showing a ladder attachment according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the attachment 10 according to the invention is mounted on a conventional ladder 11 provided with rungs 1 2.

The attachment 10 provides a horizontal tray 1 3 which is bolted to shaped horizontal carrier strips 1 4A and 14B welded to metal rods 1 5. At their right-hand ends the rods provide hooks 1 6 and, at their other ends, extend as a handrail and carry a waist chain 17; it will be noted that the rods and hooks are formed as parts of a single shaped length of rod braced by a cross-piece 1 5A.

The hooks 1 6 are arranged to hook round an upper rung 1 2A of the ladder, and at their upper ends adjacent the rung 1 2A, support rods 18 have pivotal connections 1 9 to strip 1 4A. The support rods extend downwardly from the rung 1 2A and, at their lower ends, terminate in end hooks 20.

Again, the rods 1 8 and hooks 20 are formed as parts of a single shaped length.

Slotted metal strips 21 are connected by hinge joints 22 to strip 1 4B and, at their lower ends, the strips 21 are adjustably secured by screw clamps 23 to the support rods 18, thus forming a strut to hold the rods 1 5 and the tray 13 in the horizontal position.

In use, the attachment is applied to the ladder in the collapsed (and carrying) position; i.e. with the clamps 23 loosened to allow the handrail (rods 15) and the tray 1 3 to lie alongside the support rods 18 which rest against lower run 128 of the ladder. In this position, the hooks 1 6 are hooked around the rung 1 2A, and the handrail is then raised to an approximately horizontal position.

During this movement, the strips 21 will be raised, and the clamps 23 are then secured to hold the handrail in the desired horizontal position. The hooks 16 and the upper ends of rods 1 8 then coact to encircle the rung 1 2A, and the lower hooks 20 rise to entrap the rung 12B and so prevent accidental removal of the attachment.

When mounted on the ladder, the attachment provides a tray 1 3 to carry, for example, decorating materials or tools, and, when in the working position, the user can attach free end 1 7A of the waist chain 1 7 to the appropriate end of the handrail to provide a safety support. The tray is, of course, removable and would be removed during operation and removal of the attachment when being used to hold paint or other spillable material.

Modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of the lower hooks 20, the lower ends of the rods 18 may carry a hinged piatform shaped to engage the ladder and be supported in a horizontal position to provide a comfortable base on which the user may stand.

Furthermore, the principal parts of the attachment are described as formed of metal rod.

However, the rods can be replaced by, for example, tubes orforgings, and the chain 17 may be replaced by a band or other suitable supporting element.

1. A ladder attachement comprising carrier means to be supported in a generally horizontal position, hook means connected to said carrier means and for engagement with a selected rung of the ladder, a support to extend downwardly from the hook means to engage with a part of the ladder below said selected rung, and strut to extend between the hook means and the support and be adjustably attached to a lower part of said support to hold the carrier means in the generally horizontal position, the hook means being arranged to hook around said selected rung and

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Ladder attachment This invention relates to ladder attachments. Numerous ladder attachments, including safety devices and supports for users and utensils have been proposed, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a ladder attachement which is particularly useful in supporting utensils but may also be expanded to provide support for the ladder user, and which is convenient to store and transport and is unobtrusive when attached to but not in use on the ladder. According to the present invention there is provided a ladder attachment comprising carrier means to be supported in a generally horizontal position, hook means connected to said carrier means and for engagement with a selected rung of the ladder, a support to extend downwardly from the hook means to engage with a part of the ladder below said selected rung, and a strut to extend between the hook means and the support and be adjustably attached to a lower part of said support to hold the carrier means in the generally horizontal position, the hook means being arranged to hook around said selected rung and on being moved to the in-use (unfolded) position to rotate with the carrier means so that on reaching the generally horizontal position of the carrier means, the hook means will co-operate with part of said support to effectively encircle and so lock around said selected rung. Preferably, said hook means are provided by a first pair of rods secured to said carrier means which may provide a tray or shelf, and the hook means are formed with end hooks adjacent to the ladder. Said support suitably comprises a second pair of rods hinged at their upper parts to said first pair of rods and extending downwardly to ends which hook round a lower rung of the ladder. Preferably also, said strut comprises a pair of strips hinged at their upper ends to said first pair of rods and adjustably clamped at their lower ends to the support rods. For safety purposes, a handrail is formed by extending the first pair of rods away from the ladder, and a waist chain is carried between the ends of the handrail. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view showing a ladder attachment according to the invention. Referring to the drawing, the attachment 10 according to the invention is mounted on a conventional ladder 11 provided with rungs 1 2. The attachment 10 provides a horizontal tray 1 3 which is bolted to shaped horizontal carrier strips 1 4A and 14B welded to metal rods 1 5. At their right-hand ends the rods provide hooks 1 6 and, at their other ends, extend as a handrail and carry a waist chain 17; it will be noted that the rods and hooks are formed as parts of a single shaped length of rod braced by a cross-piece 1 5A. The hooks 1 6 are arranged to hook round an upper rung 1 2A of the ladder, and at their upper ends adjacent the rung 1 2A, support rods 18 have pivotal connections 1 9 to strip 1 4A. The support rods extend downwardly from the rung 1 2A and, at their lower ends, terminate in end hooks 20. Again, the rods 1 8 and hooks 20 are formed as parts of a single shaped length. Slotted metal strips 21 are connected by hinge joints 22 to strip 1 4B and, at their lower ends, the strips 21 are adjustably secured by screw clamps 23 to the support rods 18, thus forming a strut to hold the rods 1 5 and the tray 13 in the horizontal position. In use, the attachment is applied to the ladder in the collapsed (and carrying) position; i.e. with the clamps 23 loosened to allow the handrail (rods 15) and the tray 1 3 to lie alongside the support rods 18 which rest against lower run 128 of the ladder. In this position, the hooks 1 6 are hooked around the rung 1 2A, and the handrail is then raised to an approximately horizontal position. During this movement, the strips 21 will be raised, and the clamps 23 are then secured to hold the handrail in the desired horizontal position. The hooks 16 and the upper ends of rods 1 8 then coact to encircle the rung 1 2A, and the lower hooks 20 rise to entrap the rung 12B and so prevent accidental removal of the attachment. When mounted on the ladder, the attachment provides a tray 1 3 to carry, for example, decorating materials or tools, and, when in the working position, the user can attach free end 1 7A of the waist chain 1 7 to the appropriate end of the handrail to provide a safety support. The tray is, of course, removable and would be removed during operation and removal of the attachment when being used to hold paint or other spillable material. Modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of the lower hooks 20, the lower ends of the rods 18 may carry a hinged piatform shaped to engage the ladder and be supported in a horizontal position to provide a comfortable base on which the user may stand. Furthermore, the principal parts of the attachment are described as formed of metal rod. However, the rods can be replaced by, for example, tubes orforgings, and the chain 17 may be replaced by a band or other suitable supporting element. CLAIMS

1. A ladder attachement comprising carrier means to be supported in a generally horizontal position, hook means connected to said carrier means and for engagement with a selected rung of the ladder, a support to extend downwardly from the hook means to engage with a part of the ladder below said selected rung, and strut to extend between the hook means and the support and be adjustably attached to a lower part of said support to hold the carrier means in the generally horizontal position, the hook means being arranged to hook around said selected rung and on being moved to the in-use (unfolded) position to rotate with the carrier means so that on reaching the generally horizontal position of the carrier means, the hook means will co-operate with part of said support to effectively encircle and so lock around said selected rung.

2. A ladder attachment as claimed in Claim 1, in which said hook means are provided by a first pair of rods secured to said carrier means which may provide a tray or shelf, and the hook means are formed with end hooks adjacent to the ladder.

3. A ladder attachment as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which said support comprises a second pair of rods hinged at their upper parts to said first pair of rods and extended downwardly to ends which hook round a lower rung of the ladder.

4. A ladder attachment as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which said strut comprises a pair of strips hinged at their upper ends to said first pair of rods and adjustably clamped at their lower ends to the support rods.

5. A ladder attachment as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which a handrail is formed by extending the first pair of rods away from the ladder, and a waist chain or band is carried between the ends of the handrail.

6. A ladder attachment as claimed in Claim 5, in which said chain or band is adjustable and detachable at one of its ends.

7. A ladder attachment as claimed in Claim 3, in which said ends of the second pair of rods comprise hooks which are arranged to rise and entrap said lower rung as the attachement is unfolded.

8. A ladder attachment as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which said support means comprise a second pair of rods hinged at their upper ends to said first pair or rods and extending downwardly to carry a hinged platform shaped to engage the ladder and be supported in a horizontal position when the attachment is in the in use position.

9. A ladder attachment as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the components of the attachment are collapsible for transport, with said hook means lying alongside said support.

10. A ladder attachment, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. The features herein described, or their equivalents, in any novel selection.