GB2192025A - A tray for a step ladder - Google Patents

Abstract

A tray for use on a step ladder having two longitudinal stiles (12, 13) spanned by a plurality of steps (20) with an upper end portion (14) of the stiles extending above a connection point of the stiles (12, 13) to a support frame (18, 19) of the step ladder, the tray having side walls (122, 123;) with retaining means (127, 128, 135, 136;) adapted to engage the stiles to retain the tray in a stowed position with its main support surface (121;) lying parallel to the plane defined by the two stiles (12, 13). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A tray for a step ladder The present invention relates generally to a tray for a step ladder for receiving items in use by a person standing on the step ladder; in particular the present invention relates to a tray especially adapted to be used on a step ladder having an inverted U-shape upper hand rail.

Step ladders are used for gaining access to places which would normally be inaccessible due to their height. Frequently, if not invariably, it is necessary to use tools at the place to which access is gained by use of the step ladder and in many cases a plurality of tools are required for completing the operation.

Even simple domestic cleaning tasks like washing walls or windows require several different items to be used at the same time, for example buckets of water, wet and dry cloths, squeegees, chamois leathers and so on. Even if conventional water and leather techniques are not employed it is nevertheless necessary to have available a cloth and perhaps a bottle of a proprietory window cleaning agent and/or other chemicals in use at the time. For other tasks, such as picture hanging, it is necessary to have available at the worksite drills, wall plugs, screws, screwdrivers and/or a hammer and masonry pins.

Step ladders are usually stored in a collapsed configuration in which the main component parts lie generally parallel to one another.

The present invention seeks to provide a tray for a step ladder which can be securely retained in its working or its stowed position and which can be moved between these two positions quickly and easily, whilst nevertheless being removable from the step ladder when not required.

According to one aspect of the present invention, therefore, there is provided a tray for use on a step ladder of the type having an inverted U-shape upper hand rail, the tray having means for retaining it on the upper hand rail in a working position and in a stowed position, in which latter position the support surface of the tray lies generally parallel to the plane defined by the upper hand rail of the step ladder.

Preferably the retaining means include at least one upstanding engagement member projecting transversely of the general plane of the tray's support surface for engagement with the bight portion of the inverted U-shape upper hand rail, and a pair of abutment surfaces lying at an angle to the plane of the support surface and positioned such as to abut the lateral limbs of the upper hand rail when the tray is in a position of use with the engagement member engaging the bight position of the upper hand rail.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the engagement member has two upstanding legs the ends of which are formed with lateral projections constituting suspension surfaces from which the tray is suspended in the position of use. The engagement member may be further provided with a resilient retaining member engageable with the bight position of the inverted U-shape upper hand rail so as to exert a frictional retaining force thereon. In this case the resilient retaining member is a resiliently flexible strip-like element flexed to a curved shape and engaged with one end on the engagement member and one end on the support surface of the tray.

To prevent items on the tray from rolling off the support surface is at least partly surrounded by an upstanding side wall. This latter may be provided with one or a plurality of inwardly directed carriers projecting over the support surface and having means for receiving and supporting small tools such as paintbrushes, screwdrivers or the like. These carriers further serve as retainers to hold the tray onto the side limbs of the inverted U-shape upper hand rail of the step ladder in the stowed position of the tray.

In general terms, the connection between the tray and an inverted generally U-shape upper hand rail in the stowed position of the tray is such as to effect locking of the tray securing it against inadvertent displacement from the stowed position.

The main support surface of the tray may have a surrounding wall around its perimeter.

This is not essential, of course, but is usual in a tray or shallow container for this purpose.

The surrounding wall may entirely enclose the tray, although in an embodiment to be described in more detail hereinbelow the surrounding wall comprises two generally parallel side walls-and a single end wall, leaving the tray effectively open at the end which faces the user. A small retaining lip may be provided at this end to prevent small items from rolling off the tray.

Means may be provided on the two parallel side walls for forming a pivotal connection with the step ladder. Such pivotal connection means, in one embodiment, comprise parallel slots for receiving aligned projecting spigots of a step ladder.

The present invention also comprehends a step ladder having a tray as defined hereinabove, in which the stiles of the step ladder are connected by an inverted generally Ushape open upper loop hand rail portion at the upper ends thereof and the shape of the tray is such that it substantially matches the shape of the loop portion of the step ladder stiles and fits over it in the stowed position. In such a step ladder the slotted connection between the ladder and the tray permits the latter to be displaced parallel to the length of the slots when these are oriented generally parallel to the stiles, to engage a face of the stiles against a support surface of the tray whereby to retain the tray in its stowed psition.This arrangement allows the tray to be loosely pivoted to the ladder without any need for a restraining element, whilst nevertheless obtaining a secure fixing against the possibility of the tray falling to the open or working position during manoeuvring of the ladder or step ladder with the tray in its stowed position.

The aligned spigots received in the parallel slots in the side walls of the tray are, in the above-mentioned embodiment, constituted by opposite ends of a single rod-like pivot extending from side to side of the ladder or step ladder and projecting laterally of the stiles thereof. In such an embodiment the tray may have parallel side walls and an end wall at the end remote from the pivotal connection to the ladder, and the said rod-like pivot member serves as a retained to prevent items from becoming displaced through the open end of the tray.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a tray for use on a step ladder having two longitudinal stiles spanned by a plurality of steps with an upper end portion of the stiles extending above a connection point of the stiles to a support frame of the step ladder, the tray having side walls with retaining means adapted to engage the stiles to retain the tray in a stowed position with its main support surface lying parallel to the plane defined by the two stiles.

The present invention also comprehends a step ladder having a tray as described hereinabove which is movable between a working orientation and a stowed orientation.

Also comprehended within the scope of the present invention is a step ladder having a tray at or adjacent the upper end thereof in which the tray has a first support surface at least partly surrounded by an upstanding wall, and a second support surface the general plane of which is substantially parallel to but offset from the first in a direction normal thereto.

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a step ladder adapted to receive a tray constituting an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a tray formed as a first embodiment of the invention, illustrating a part of the step ladder for identification purposes; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a tray formed as an alternative embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a section through a third embodient of the present invention with a fourth embodiment illustrated in broken outline; Figure 5 is a sectional view through the third embodiment illustrating it in two orientations, namely an orientation of use and a stowed orientation;; Figure 6 is a partial cut away front view of the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a side view of the embodiment of Fig. 7; Figure 9 is a plan view from above of the embodiment of Figs. 7 and 8.

Referring first to Fig. 1 the step ladder shown is generally indicated with the reference numeral 11 and comprises a pair of parallel ladder stiles 12, 13 which are joined at their upper ends by an inverted U-shape open loop hand rail 14 spanned by a rod 15 extending perpendicularly with respect to the two stiles 12, 13 but lying in a general plane defined by the stiles and the purpose of which will be described in more detail below.

Hingedly connected to the stiles 12, 13 by brackets 16, 17 are two steady legs 18, 19 which are spanned at their lower ends (not shown) by rails or other interconnecting members for reinforcement. Between the two stiles 12, 13 extend a plurality of treads 20 (only one of which is shown in Fig. 1) and at the uppermost tread location is a larger flat platform 21 which is pivotally connected to the stiles 12, 13 and engages co-operating abutments on the steady legs 18, 19 which enables the platform 21 to be folded flat when the step ladder is collapsed to allow the steady legs 18, 19 to lie parallel to and alongside the stiles 12, 13, and which supports the platform 21 in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 when the step ladder is erected as shown in that Figure.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the first embodiment of the tray is illustrated. This comprises a flat main platform portion 21 having two side walls 22, 23 and an end wall 24 joined to the side walls 22, 23 with curving portions 25, 26 the shape of which matches the curve of the inverted U-shape portion 14 joining the ladder stiles 12, 13 at the upper ends thereof.

The side walls 22, 23 have respective slots 27, 28 in which are received the ends of the rod 15 which have enlarged heads 30 (only one of which can be seen in Fig. 2) by which the rod 15 is retained in position and retains the tray.

The main platform portion, constitutes a support surface which is joined to a lower support surface 31 by a wall 32 projecting downwardly from the main support surface 21 and integral therewith. The main support surface has two lateral limbs 33, 34 extending between the side walls 22, 23 and the recessed lower support surface 31, and adjacent the slots 27, 28 these limbs have inclined downwardly projecting abutment surfaces 35, 36.

Parallel to the rod 15 there are no enclosing walls either at the level of the main support surface 21 or the lower support surface 31 so that the side walls 22, 23 terminate just beyond the slots 27, 28 and the base wall 32 likewise terminates leaving the whole tray open towards the front of the step ladder which, in practice, means that in use the tray will be open towards the user. As will be seen by the broken outline representing the stiles 12, the abutment surfaces 35, 36 lie parallel to the stiles when the tray is in its orientation of use projecting transversely of the general plane defined by the stiles 12, 13 and is retained in this position by the cooperation between the abutment surfaces 35, 36 and the stiles 12, 13 together with the engagement of the ends of the rod 15 with the ends of the slots 27, 28 nearest the ends of the side walls 22, 23.An object placed. on the lower support surface 31, such as the bottle illustrated in Fig. 2, is prevented from falling through the open end of the tray by the presence of the rod 15. Should the user require to position small items on the lower support surface 31, however, access can be gained beneath the rod 15 for this purpose or, alternatively, items may be placed on the surface 21. Small items such as screws or nuts and bolts can easily be removed from the tray by sliding along the base 21 and over the edge defined by the wall 32.

When it is desired to displace the tray to its stowed position it is simply necessary to raise the free edge at the end wall 24 pivoting the tray about the pivot rod 15 until the surface 21 lies approximately adjacent the inverted Ushape loop 14 of the step ladder 11. Then the whole tray can be displaced downwardly with the two slots 27, 28 moving over the rod 15 until the ends of the rod 15 engage the ends of the slots 27, 28 nearest the end wall 24, in which position the limbs 33, 34 of the main support surface 21 are in contact with the stiles 12, 13 at a position below the rod 15 and this abutment prevents rotation of the tray about the pivot rod 15.In this way a free and easily moved connection is obtained whilst nevertheless ensuring that the tray remains in its stowed position with certainty and with no risk that it may fall open during manoeuvring of the step ladder before putting it away or positioning it for use. Likewise, should the tray not be required it can be left in the stowed position whilst the step ladder 11 is in use.

Referring now to Fig. 3 a second embodiment is illustrated in which the same reference numerals as used in relation to the embodiment of Fig. 2 are used to identify the same or corresponding components, these reference numerals being raised by 100 in Fig. 3. In this embodiment a base 121 is surrounded on three sides by two side walls 122, 123 and an end wall 124, the two side walls 122, 123 having respective aligned parallel slots 127, 128 for receiving the ends of the pivot rod 15 of the step ladder.

In this embodiment, however, the recessed lower support surface 131 is entirely surrounded by upstanding walls in the form of two parallel side walls 140, 141 parallel to the side walls 122, 123 of the main support surface 121, and two end walls 142, 143, the latter having a flange 144 which extends over the pivot rod 15 to conceal this from view when the tray is in its orientation of use.

The manner in which the tray of the embodiment of Fig. 3 is moved from its stowed to its use position is exactly identical to that of Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 4 there are shown two alternative embodiments which differ only slightly from the embodiments of Figs. 2 and 3 as described above. The first of these embodiments is illustrated in solid outline and is identified with the same reference numerals as used in Fig. 2, but raised by 200. In this embodiment the base 221 is surrounded only by three walls, namely an end wall 224 and side walls 222 (not visible) and 223, and joins a recessed section defined by a lower support surface 231 having a shoulder or separating wall 232. This embodiment differs from the embodiment of Fig. 2, however, by the provision of a shallow upstanding lip 243 spanning the side walls of the lower support surface 231.

In the further alternative embodiment illustrated in broken outline the same or corresponding components are identified by the same reference numerals raised by 300. In this embodiment the lower support surface 331 is separated from the main support surface 221 by an upstanding wall 342 constituting an extension of the shoulder or base wall 332 and rising to the same level as the forward wall 343 which terminates just below the end of the slot receiving the pivot rod 15.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a further embodiment which is similar in configuration to the first of the embodiments illustrated in Fig. 4, with the exception that the relative proportions of the main support surface and the lower support surface are different. In this embodiment the same reference numerals have been used to identify the same components, but raised by 400. As will be seen the lower support surface 431 is rather small and the base wall 432 separating the lower support surface 431 from the main support surface 421 also continues to the side walls 442, 443 to constitute the abutment surfaces like the surfaces 35, 36 in the embodiment of Fig. 2.

Referring now to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the embodiment illustrated therein differs from the embodiments described in relation to Figs. 1 to 6 in that, although provided with means for displacement on an inverted U-shape upper handrail of a step ladder between a position of use in which the tray lies with its support surface generally horizontally, and a stowed position in which it is retained on the hand rail with its support surface lying in the same general plane as that defined by the hand rail, the tray of Figs. 7 to 9 is not fixed to the step ladder, but is removable therefrom in a manner which will be desribed in more detail hereinbelow. As can be seen in Fig. 7 the main support surface 500 is surrounded on three sides by upstanding walls comprising left and right side walls 501, 502 and an end wall 503.The edge of the support surface 500 opposite the end wall 503 is not enclosed by a wall and is open towards the user when the tray is in position on a step ladder.

Projecting up from the support surface 500 adjacent the edge opposite the end wall 503 is an engagement member -generally indicated 504. This comprises a base 505 upwardly from which project two engagement legs 506, 507 at the top of which are formed horizontally projecting hook portions 508, 509 respectively. The undersurfaces of these laterally projecting hook portions 508, 509 constitutes the suspension surfaces from which the tray as a whole is suspended in use.

On either side of the engagement member 504 the tray is provided with two shallow recesses 510, 511 each of which provides a subsidiary container, below the level of the main support surface 500 of the tray, for collecting small items such as nuts and bolts or screws, or for retaining small tools or bottles, paint cans or the like. Outwardly from the shallow recesses 510, 511 the edge of the tray is provided with two notches 512, 513 into which, in use the lateral limbs of an inverted U-shape upper hand rail constituting a projection of the step ladder stiles can fit.In the position of use, as will be appreciated from Fig. 7, the tray is in fact suspended from the hooks 508, 509 of the engagement member 504 and any tendency for the support surface 500 to turn about the point of contact between these hooks 508, 509 and the bight portion of the inverted U-shape upper hand rail (clockwise as viewed in Fig. 8) is resisted by the engagement of the notches 512, 513 against the limbs of the hand rail itself.

The side walls 501, 502 each have a respective transverse projections 518, 519 directed inwardly of the side walls 501, 502 respectively (that is to say, each projection 518, 519 is directed from its side wall 501, 502 towards the opposite side wall 502, 501 respectively) and each inwardly directed projection has a pair of circular apertures 520, 521; 522, 523 which can receive paintbrushes, screwdrivers or the like, and immediately below these projections is a respective corresponding aperture (only- one of which is visible in Fig. 7) 524 which allows long handles or blades to pass beyond the level of the main support platform 500 if necessary.

Each projection has a pair of stud-like bosses 516 on its surface facing towards the main support platform 500 of the tray.

To position the tray for storage, when it is no longer required for use, it is simply necessary to raise up the edge from which the side wall 503 projects, causing the tray to turn in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8 until the side walls 501, 502 are aligned with the limbs of the inverted U-shape upper hand rail, whereupon the tray can be bodily lowered until these limbs are engaged under the projections 518, 519 on the side walls 501, 502 and the bight portion of the hand rail engages against the side wall 503. In this position the tray is retained by the projections 518, 519 and securely held in place without risk of dislodgement as the step ladder is moved from place to place in its collapsed or folded position.Further, the tray does not prevent the hand rail being used as such if the step ladder is used whilst the tray remains in its stowed position and thus any tasks to be performed by the user with the step ladder which do not require the tray are not hampered by its presence. The tray of the present invention may also be used on a step ladder having upstanding upper stile end portions without the transverse loop handle, but in such a case different means for retaining the tray in the working position would be required.

in the illustrated embodiment the base 505 of the engagement member 504 is a spring retainer 525 which serves to press against the lower face of the bight portion of the inverted U-shape hand rail to hold the tray securely in position when in use. The spring retainer 525 comprises merely a flat strip of resiliently flexible material engaged at each end into a corresponding hole one in the support platform 500 and the other in the engagement member 505 with the strip curved into a flexed position as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Claims (25)

1. A tray for use on a step ladder of the type having an inverted U-shape upper hand rail, the tray having means for retaining it on the upper hand rail in a working position and in a stowed position, in which latter position the support surface of the tray lies generally parallel to the plane defined by the upper hand rail of the step ladder.

2. A tray as claimed in Claim 1, in which the retaining means include at least one upstanding engagement member projecting transversely of the general plane of the tray's support surface for engagement with the bight portion of the inverted U-shape upper hand rail, and a pair of abutment surfaces lying at an angle to the plane of the support surface and positioned such as to abut the lateral limbs of the upper hand rail when the tray is in a position of use with the engagement member engaging the bight portion of the upper hand rail.

3. A tray as claimed in Claim 2, in which the engagement member has two upstanding legs the ends of which are formed with lateral projections constituting suspension surfaces from which the tray is suspended in the position of use.

4. A tray as claimed in Claim 3, in which the engagement member is further provided with a resilient retaining member engageable with the bight portion of the inverted U-shape upper hand rail so as to exert a frictional retaining force thereon.

5. A tray as claimed in Claim 4, in which the resilient retaining member is a resiliently flexible strip-like element flexed to a curved shape and engaged with one end on the engagement member and one end on the support surface of the tray.

6. A tray as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the support surface is at least partly surrounded by an upstanding side wall.

7. A tray as claimed in Claim 6, in which the upstanding side wall has one or a plurality of inwardly directed carriers projecting over the support surface having means for receiving and supporting small tools such as paint brushes, screwdrivers or the like.

8. A tray as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 7, in which the abutment surfaces extend transversely of the plane ofthe support surface and lie on the side thereof remote from the engagement member.

9. A tray as claimed in Claim 7, in which the carriers also serve as retainers to hold the tray onto the side limbs of the inverted Ushape upper hand rail of the step ladder in the stowed position of the tray.

10. A tray as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the tray is displaceable between a working orientation and a stowed ori entation, in which the connection between the tray and an inverted generally U-shape upper hand rail in the stowed position of the tray is such as to effect locking of the tray securing it against inadvertent displacement from the stowed position.

11. A tray for a step ladder of the type having an inverted U-shape upper handrail in which the tray has a first support surface at least partly surrounded by an upstanding wall, and a secondary support surface the general plane of which is substantially parallel to but offset from the first in a direction normal thereto.

12. A tray for a step ladder, as claimed in Claim 11, in which there is an upstanding wall separating the said first and second support surfaces.

13. A tray for a step ladder, as claimed in Claim 12, in which there are abutment surfaces inclined with respect to the plane of the said first surface and engageable against the stiles of the ladder or step ladder when the tray is in a working orientation, whereby to determine the relative orientation of the tray and the ladder or step ladder.

14. A tray for a step ladder, as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13, in which the said first support surface also has a surrounding wall around the edges thereof other than that continuous with the second surface.

15. A tray for a step ladder, as claimed in Claim 14, in which the said surrounding wall has two generally parallel side wall portions on which are provided means for forming a pivotal connection with the ladder or step ladder.

16. A tray for a step ladder as claimed in Claim 15, in which the said pivotal connection means comprise parallel slots for receiving aligned projecting spigots.

17. A step ladder having a tray as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in which the stiles of the ladder or step ladder are connected by an inverted generally U-shape open loop portion at the upper ends thereof and the shape of the tray is such that it substantially matches the shape of the said loop portion of the ladder or step ladder stiles and fits over it in the stored position.

18. A step ladder as claimed in Claim 17 when appendent on Claim 16, in which the slotted connection between the ladder and the tray permits the latter to be displaced parallel to the length of the slots when these are oriented generally parallel to the stiles, to engage a face of the stiles against a support surface of the tray whereby to retain the tray in its stowed position.

19. A step ladder as claimed in Claim 18, in which the aligned spigots received in the parallel slots in the side walls of the tray are constituted by opposite ends of a single rodlike pivot extending from side to side of the ladder or step ladder and projecting laterally of the stiles thereof.

20. A step ladder as claimed in Claim 19, in which the tray has parallel side walls and an end wall at the end remote from the pivotal connection with the ladder, and the said rod-like pivot member serves as a retainer to prevent items from becoming displaced through the open end of the tray.

21. A tray for use on a step ladder having two longitudinal stiles spanned by a plurality of steps with an upper end portion of the stiles extending above a connection point of the stiles to a support frame of the step ladder, the tray having side walls with retaining means adapted to engage the stiles to retain the tray in -a stowed position with its main support surface lying parallel to the plane defined by the two stiles.

22. A tray as claimed in Claim 21, in which the said retaining means of the side walls comprise inwardly directed projections engageable over the upper end portions of the stiles to retain the tray in the stowed position.

23. A tray as claimed in Claim 22, in which the inwardly directed projections extend from respective free edges of the side walls of the tray and are provided with stud-like protuberances which cause the projections to flex when they contact the stiles.

24. A step ladder having a tray, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. A tray for a step ladder, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.