GB2138878A

GB2138878A - Ladder arrangements

Info

Publication number: GB2138878A
Application number: GB08407996A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerald Arthur Legg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-04-30
Filing date: 1984-03-28
Publication date: 1984-10-31
Also published as: GB8407996D0; GB2138878B

Abstract

A ladder is provided with a track 11 for laying parallel to a wall so that the ladder, without dismounting from it, can be moved along the track and wall. A safety cage or pulpit 26 at the top of the ladder can have a deployable wheel or roller 23 on a lever 24 to contact the wall when lateral movement is required. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ladder arrangements This invention relates to ladder arrangements.

Ladders, of the type intended to be deployed against a structure to enable upper parts thereof to be inspected or worked on, such as ladders used by painters, builders, repairers and the like, suffer from the disadvantage that they are, once in place, essentially immobile, at any rate while in use supporting someone. The area of structure accessible to one mounted the ladder is relatively small. To relocate, the ladder must first bye dismounted, then adjusted for position, then remounted, all of which is time-consuming and tiring.

The present invention provides a ladder arrangement which, at little extra expense, avoids this problem.

The invention comprises a ladder arrangement comprising track means for the base of the ladder, said track means being deployable substantially parallel to a structure against which the ladder is to be elevated at different positions therealong, and means on the ladder enabling the same to be moved along said track and along said structure.

Said track means may be adapted for engagement with wheels or rollers attached to the base of the ladder.

A unit adapted for attachment to the base of the ladder may be provided, with wheels or rollers adapted for engagement with said track means. Said unit may comprise a frame with sprockets adapated to receive the feet of the ladder and having securing means to secure said feet in said sockets. Said securing means may comprise wing bolts or like fastenings clamping said feet in said sockets. Said frame may comprise a base of greater width than the ladder and carrying said wheels or rollers at its extremities.

Said track means may comprise a channel section adapted to receive cooperating means such as said wheels or rollers--at- tached to the ladder for endwise insertion and to hold same against removal laterally of said track means.

The arrangement may comprise at least an upper wheel or roller deployable at the top of the ladder to facilitate moving the ladder along said structure.

The arrangement may further comprise at least one upper wheel or roller adapted to facilitate movement of the top of the ladder up and down said structure.

The ladder arrangement may comprise a safety cage, pulpit or harness assembly attachable for the top of the ladder.

Said track means may be securable in a stowed position, against one upright of the ladder and may be of length commensurate with the ladder, although it may be desirable to be able to deploy the track means in a restricted space, to have shorter track means.

A long track may be stowed against one upright of the ladder, a shorter one against the other, and whichever is appropriate to the momentary requirement being deployed.

Otherwise, track could be provided in short sections adapted to be connected endwise together.

One embodiment of a ladder arrangement according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ladder arrangement deployed against a wall, Figure 2 is an elevation taken in the direction of arrow 2 on Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view of the circled area in Figure 1, to a larger scale, Figure 4 is a side elevation of the arrangement at the top of the ladder, and Figure 5 is a view from above the arrangement at the top of the ladder.

The ladder arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 comprises track means 11 for the base 12 of the ladder 13, said track means 11 being deployable substantially parallel to a wall 14 or other structure against which the ladder 1 3 is to be elevated at different positions therealong, and means 1 5 on the ladder enabling the same to be moved along said track means 11 and along said wall or structure 14.

Said track means 11 are adapted for engagement with wheels or rollers 1 6 attached to the base 12 of the ladder 1 3.

A unit 1 7 for attachment to the base 12 of the ladder 1 3 is provided with said wheels or rollers 16 and comprises a frame 18 with sockets 1 9 adapted to receive the feet 12a, 12 b, of the ladder 13 and has securing means in the form of wing bolts 21 clamping said feet, 1 2a, 126in said sockets 19. Said frame 18 comprises a base 22 of greater width than the ladder 13, and carrying said wheels or rollers 1 6 at its extremities.

Said track means 11 comprise a channel section 11 a adapted to receive the wheels or rollers 1 6 for endwise insertion and to hold same against removal laterally of said track means 11.

The arrangement comprises an upper wheel or roller 23 deployable at the top of the ladder 1 3 to facilitate moving the ladder along said structure. The wheel or roller 23 is on a lever arrangement 24 for optional engagement with and disengagement from the wall 14.

The arrangement also comprises a pair of upper wheels or rollers 25 adapted to facilitate movement of the top of the ladder 1 3 up and down said wall 1 4.

These upper wheels or rollers 23, 25 are comprised in a safety cage or pulpit or harness assembly 26 attachable to the top of the ladder 13.

When not deployed, the track 11 can, by moving the ladder 1 3 to one end of it and endwise removing one of the wheels or rollers 16 be pivoted about the other wheel or roller 16 to lie alongside one of the uprights of the ladder 13, as shown in broken line in Figure 2. The track 11 can conveniently be made substantially the same length as the ladder 13, and, when stowed, the ladder and track together take up substantially no more space than the ladder 1 3 alone.

Though such a long track may be useful on some occasions, its length might be too great for deployment in certain restricted spaces, and a second length, shorter than the first, might be stored against the other upright of the ladder 1 3.

Short lengths of track 11 can be endwise secured together as by suitable fish plate and bolt arrangements.

The track 11 can be provided with rubber pads or retractable spikes for positive location on the ground.

Claims

1. A ladder arrangement comprising track means for the base of the ladder, said track means being deployable substantially parallel to a structure against which the ladder is to be elevated at different positions therealong, and means on the ladder enabling the same to be moved along said track and along said structure.

2. A ladder arrangement according to claim 1, said track means being adapted for engagement with wheels or rollers attached to the base of the ladder.

3. A ladder arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a unit adapted for attachment to the base of the ladder and provided with wheels or rollers adapted for engagement with said track means.

4. A ladder arrangement according to claim 3, said unit comprising a frame with sockets adapted to receive the feet of the ladder and having securing means to secure said feet in said sockets.

5. A ladder arrangement according to claim 4, said securing means comprising wing bolts or like fastenings clamping said feet in said sockets.

6. A ladder arrangement according to claim 4 or claim 5, said frame comprising a base of greater width than the ladder and carrying said wheels or rollers at its extremities.

7. A ladder arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 6, said track means comprising a channel section adapted to receive cooperating means attached to said ladder for endwise insertion and to hold some against removal laterally of said track means.

8. A ladder arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising at least one upper wheel or roller deployable at the top of the ladder to facilitate moving the ladder along said structure.

9. A ladder arrangement according to claim 8, said upper wheel or roller being deployable on a lever arrangement for optional engagement with and disengagement from said structure.

10. A ladder arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising at least one upper wheel or roller adapted to facilitate movement of the top of the ladder up and down said structure.

11. A ladder arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a safety cage or harness assembly attachable to the top of the ladder.

1 2. A ladder arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.