GB2193523A

GB2193523A - A tray for a ladder or step ladder

Info

Publication number: GB2193523A
Application number: GB08619429A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Knox
Original assignee: Abru Aluminium Ltd
Current assignee: Abru Aluminium Ltd
Priority date: 1986-08-08
Filing date: 1986-08-08
Publication date: 1988-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2006-08-08
Also published as: GB2193523B; GB8619429D0

Abstract

A tray (11) for use with a ladder or step ladder comprising a tray base (12) having side walls (14, 15) and a pair of link arms (19, 20) by which the tray (11) can be received and supported on the ladder or step ladder in a first orientation of use or in a second orientation of use inverted with respect to the first and selected in dependence on the orientation and/or configuration of use of the ladder or step ladder. The side walls (14, 15) of the tray (11) are provided with recesses or notches (23, 24) into which a part of the rung or tread of the ladder or step ladder extends when the tray is in a position of use to retain the tray (11) in position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A tray for a ladder or step-ladder The present invention relates generally to a tray for a ladder or step-ladder, provided for containing small tools and items in use whilst on the ladder.

In most cases, when it is necessary to use a ladder or step-ladder to gain access to a work site it is also necessary to have available a number of different tools which are used for different aspects of the work. For example, if the task involves electrical wiring, then screwdrivers, wire strippers, pliers, wire cutters and the electrical fittings themselves must all be carried to the top of a ladder and used there. Likewise, for performing decorating tasks the paint, paint brushes or roller, and other tools, if required, all have to be used at the top of the ladder or step-ladder. It is known to provide hooks from which a can of paint can be suspended, and hooks having specially shaped forks or slots for receiving a paint brush are also known. These, however, have a very specialised function and can only be used for retaining the particular items for which they are designed.

Ladders and step-ladders are storable items and, particularly the latter, which fold between an erected and a collapsed position, are usually stored flat. Thus, any tray or container which is intended for use with a ladder or step-ladder should preferably be storable in a similar manner.

In addition to conventional ladders and stepladders, multiple function convertible ladder step-ladders are also known. In such convertible ladder/step-ladder arrangements a slidable interconnection between two ladder parts is provided with a pivotal connection allowing the two ladder parts to be displaced longitudinally, to form a conventional extension ladder, or pivotally, to form a conventional step-ladder: additionally, such a multiple-purpose ladder, (often termed q three-way ladder) can also be partly extended and pivoted to an asymmetric position to make it particularly suitable for use on stairwells for decorating the side walls and end wall access to which is usually very difficult.

A tray for use on a ladder should ideally project fowardly of the ladder towards the user and away from the wall or other vertical surface against which the ladder is positioned since there is relatively iittle space, particularly near the top of the ladder, between the ladder and the wall or vertical surface. On the other hand, it is normal for a user to stand close to the top step of a step-ladder so that in this case it is preferable that the tray projects away from the user in order to avoid any inconvenience -due to the tray projecting into the space required to be occupied by the user.

The present invention seeks to provide a tray for a ladder or step-ladder or for a so calld three-way ladder, which can be used in different positions in dependence on the particular application, adopting a forwardly projecing position for use on a ladder and a rearwardly projecting position for use on a stepladder or a three-way ladder in its step-ladder mode, without requiring any modification or adaption to the tray itself. Further, it is sought to provide a tray for a ladder or step ladder capable of being stored substantially flat against the ladder to minimise storage space requirements.

This is achieved, according to the present invention, by a tray for use with a ladder or step-ladder comprising a tray having a base and side walls, and means by which the tray can be received and supported on the ladder or step-ladder in a first orientation of use or in a second orientation of use selected in dependence on the orientation and/or configuration of use of the ladder or step-ladder.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the side wall of the tray extends to both sides of the plane defined by the tray base and in the second orientation of use the tray is inverted with respect to its first orientation of use. Likewise, in this preferred embodiment, there are provided means for interlinking the tray and the ladder or step-ladder such that in use the tray remains joined to the ladder or step-ladder as it is moved between its first and second orientations of use.

The tray may be removable from the ladder or step-ladder or may be made in such a way that once fitted it constitutes a permanent fixture. In this latter case it is important that the tray can be stowed in a position where it presents the least inconvenience and for this purpose the tray is preferably provided with retaining means for retaining the tray in the stowed position in which the tray base lies generally parallel to a plane defined by the length of the stiles of the ladder or step-ladder to which it is fixed.

The side walls of the tray may be provided with recesses or notches into which a part of the rung or tread of the ladder or step-ladder respectively may extend when the tray is in a positon of use.

The said means for interlinking the tray and the ladder or step-ladder may comprise a pair of link arms each pivotally connected at one end thereof to the tray and pivotally connectable at the other end to a ladder or step-ladder. Such pivoted link arms may be pivotally connected at the said one end thereof to respective parallel side walls of the tray at or adjacent the junction of these with a transversely extending side wall running between them. This ensures that the pivotal connection of the tray to the link arms takes piace entirely at one end of the tray. The significance of this preferred configuration will be appreciated from the following.

It is preferred that the link arms are joined together by a transverse member so that they remain parallel to one another at all times regardless of the stresses (within reasonable limits of course) placed upon them and/or the tray in use. For this purpose it is preferred that the pivoted link arms are integrally formed as part of a common link member of generally U-shape configuration the bight portion of which forms the pivotal connection with the tray. Such bight portion may be snap-engaged in appropriate receptor sockets on the tray wall. Thus, when the tray is in position on a ladder or step-ladder, the link arms, the tray sides and the stiles of the ladder or step-ladder form a triangle when the tray is in its first or second position of use.

This triangular configuration aids the tray in remaining rigidly in position when in use. Interconnection of the side walls of the tray with the rungs or treads of the ladder can be further improved by the provision of appropriately located recesses in the free edges of the tray walls to receive the top edge -of a tread.

The rung or tread can thus take the weight of the tray and/or its contents whilst the link arms act to steady the tray and prevent it from tipping, and any forces which may be applied accidentally to the tray, and which might tend to displace it parallel to its base, are resisted by the interconnection of the side walls with the rungs or treads thereby ensuring that the contents of the tray cannot easily be spilt.

The sides and base of the tray may be integrally formed, for example by moulding such as plastics material or alternatively the base and the sides may be fabricated from sheet stock material such as plastics or metal, and joined together by suitable fixing means appropriate to the nature of the material selected.

The present invention also comprehends a ladder or step ladder (which latter terms incorporate the above-mentioned three-way ladder) having two parallel stiles spanned by a plurality of rungs or treads and provided with a support tray as defined herein. Preferably the tray is, as mentioned aove, largely supported by the rungs or treads of the ladder or step ladder when in its first or second position of use and for the purpose of identification, the tray may project forwardly of the general plane defined by the ladder stiles when in its first position of use, and rearwardly of this plane when in its second position of use, the latter then being that intended for use with a step-ladder or a three-way ladder in its stepladder configuration.Alternatively, the second position of use may be particularly suitable for use on a longer ladder at a position spaced somewhat downwardly from the uppermost few rungs, where the ladder may be adequately spaced from the wall or other vertical support surface to allow the tray to project in the rearward direction and this would have the advantage also of reducing the encumbrance of the tray avoiding the disadvantage that the tray itself would obstruct the normal use of the ladder treads or rungs.

The tray is preferably movable to a third stable position in which the base is generally parallel to the plane defined by the stiles and in one embodiment is retained in this position by retaining means on the tray. Such retaining means may be of any suitable form, although it has been found that retaining means in the form of projections extending laterally from the sides of the tray and snap engagable with the pivot arm link members are particularly suitable.

In order to facilitate conversion of the tray from its first position of use to its second position of use which is inverted with respect to the first, it is preferred that the length of the pivot arms is less than the distance be tween two adjacent rungs or treads of the ladder or step-ladder.

It is envisaged that the tray may be pro vided with recesses or pockets in the form of indentations in the base thereof and/or with apertures for receiving tools and or decorating equipment.

Various embodiments of the present inven tion will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the ac companying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment showing, in broken outline, the relative orientation of a ladder to which the embodiment may be affixed; Figure 2 is a schematic side view showing the embodiment of Figure 1 in its first orienta tion of use on a three-way ladder in its exten sion ladder configuration; Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figure 2, showing the emboidment of Figure 1 in its second orientation or use on a three-way lad der in its step-ladder configuration; Figure 4 is a side view similar to Figures 2 and 3 showing the embodiment of Figure 1 in its stowed position; Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 6 is a section taken on the line Vl-Vl of Figure 5 showing the tray in its assembled condiiton.

Referring now to the drawings, and particu larly to Figures 1 to 4, the embodiment illus trated comprises a tray generally indicated 11 having a base 12 and a surrounding side wall generally indicated 13 which, as can be seen in the broken away portion of the front cor ner, extends both above and below the base 12 by approximately equal amounts. The sur rounding wall 13 is composed of two parallel side walls 14, 15 and two parallel end walls 16, 17 which are orthogonal to the side walls 14, 15.

The end wall 17 projects higher than the side walls and the other end wall and has a plurality of transverse flange portions 68 which co-operate with intercalated offset flange portions 69 which together define an elongate set of snap-engagement sockets for receiving and retaining a connecting rod 18 which joins two link arms 19, 20. The rod 18 is held between the pairs of flanges 68, 69 in such a way that the link arms 19, 20 can turn about an axis generally parallel to the end wall 17. The arms 19, 20 have end portions 21, 22 bent at a right angle to the length of the respective arm for forming a pivotal connection with the stile of a ladder or step-ladder as illustrated in borken outline in the drawing, for which purpose the respective stiles are provided with appropriate holes to receive them.

The side walls 14, 15 also have two notches each, namely notches 23, 24 in the upper portion (as viewed in Figure 1) and 25, 26 in the lower portion. As can be seen from Figure 1, the notches 25, 26 receive a tread 35 of the lader 28 illustrated in broken outline when the tray 11 is in its first orientation of use as illustrated in Figure 1.

The base 12 of the tray in this embodiment is formed with a plurality of generally rectangular recesses (matched by complementary recesses on the opposite face) some of which are provided with circular apertures 27a for receiving small tools such as screwdrivers or the like and another of which is provided with an elongate slot 27b for receiving a scraper blade or the like. A set of upstanding studs or bosses 27c is also provided for locating a paint kettle or the like, these being arranged in an array around the perimeter of a circle.

Referring now to Figure 2 this oreintation of use is illustrated schematically where it can be seen that the ladder 28 actually constitutes the upper part of an extensible, convertible, three-way ladder generally indicated 30 having a lower part 31 to which the upper part 28 is connected by a slideable and pivotal connection 32 of a type described in our British patent No. 1 497 253 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

As can be seen in Figure 2 the ladder tray 11 is positioned in its first orientation of use such that the projection rearwardly, that is, the projection away from the user and towards a support surface 33, is less than the distance from the ladder to the support surface when the ladder is at an angle of about 75". In practice, the angle may range between 70" and 75" in dependence on the individual adjustment of the position.The link arms 19, 20 extend from the tray 11 to a pivotal connection point 34 with the stiles of the ladder 28 which is, in this embodiment, midway between adjacent treads 35 and 36, and the length of the link arms 19, 20 is just less than half the distance between the adjacent treads 35, 36 so that the tray 11 can be displaced from the orientation of use illustrated in Figure 2 to its second orientationof use, illustrated in Figure 3. In this movement the forward end of the tray 11 moves in the direction of the arrow A, whilst the rear end, connected to the link arms 19, 20 moves in the direction of the arrow B.

Referring now to Figure 3, the tray 11 is shown in its second orientation of use and the ladder 30 has been shown converted to its step-ladder configuration where the upper-part 28 is moved, in relation to the lower part 31, to its lowermost position and pivoted by the pivotal bracket 32 to an inclined position with respect to the lower part 31. The link arms 19, 20 now extend upwardly from the pivotal connection point 34 and the tray 11 rests on the uppermost tread 36 with the forward end now projecting rearwardly of the step ladder so as not to obstruct the user standing on the step ladder's treads. In this orientation of use the tread 36 is received in the notches 23, 24 of the side wails 14, 15 whereas in the orientation of use illustrated in Figure 2 the notches 25, 26 receive the tread 35.By this interconnection the tray 11 is prevented from moving parallel to the base 12 sp that this, together with the two connection points at either end of the link arms 19, 20 constitutes a triangle linkage ensuring complete rigidity of the tray 11 despite applied downward loads at any point over the base of the tray.

For storage the tray 11 is displaced to the position illustrated in Figure 4 where the link arms 19, 20 extend at an acute angle downwardly from the pivotal connection point 34 and the tray 11 lies generally parallel to the plane defined by the stiles of the ladder portion 28. A detent 70 having an approximately triangular cross section projects laterally from each side wall 14, 15, near to the junction between the link arms 19, 20 and the transverse rod 18, and in moving to the stowed position illustrated the link arms 19, 20 ride over the associated detents 70, being flexed outwardly and lightly retained in the stowed position by contact therewith.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 the alternative embodiment has approximately the same configuration but instead of being made from a single plastics moulding is fabricated from metal. In this embddiment the base 40 is generally rectangular and has three shallow upstanding sides 41, 42 and 43 around three sides of the base 40, and a higher upstanding side 44 along the fourth side. This higher side 44 is bent into an inverted U-shape in section, with a flat bight portion 45 and a deep end flange 46 forming a housing for a link member 47 which will be described in more detail below.

The side walls of the tray 40 are formed from a flat strip of metal bent to form a rectangular ioop generally indicated 48 and hav ing sides 49, 50 parallel to one another and ends 51, 52 which are orthogonal to the sides 49, 50 and parallel to one another. The side 51 is composed of the two end portions of the strip from which the loop 48 is formed in abutting end to end relation and this side is received, upon assembly, into the channel defined by the inverted U-section wall 44 with the link member 47 trapped above it as can be seen in Figure 6. The inverted U-shape wall 44 and the deep end flange 46 have two pairs of aligned apertures 53, 54 for receiving rivets or other fixing means for retaining the base and the side wall in the assembled configuration.Likewise, the side walls 49, 50 have apertures 55, 56 which are aligned, upon assembly, with similar apertures 57, 58 in the upstanding flanges 41, 43 of the base 40, and these receive rivets 59, 60 which, as well as retaining the base 40 and the loop 48 together also fix in position two wedge shape retainer blocks 61, 62, which serve for holding the tray in its stowed position as will be described in more detail below.

In this embodiment the link arms are formed as arms 63, 64 of the U-shape member 47, and these arms have outwardly turned terminal portions 65, 66 which are received in aligned apertures in the stiles of the ladder.

The flexibility of the arms 63, 64 allows the terminal portions 65, 66 to be withdrawn from the apertures in the stiles to allow removal of the tray altogether if desired, whilst the length of the arms 63, 64, together with the length of the side walls, 49, 50 of the tray is such that when the tray is in the stowed position similar to that iilustrated in Figure 4 the sides of the tray pass between the stiles and the stiles themselves are engaged by the wedge-shaped blocks 61, 62 which frictionally engage the stiles to retain the tray in its stowed orienation.

Claims

1. A tray for use with a ladder or stepladder comprising a tray base having side walls and means by which the tray can be received and supported on the ladder or stepladder in a first orientation of use or in a second orientation of use selected in dependence on the orientation and/or configuration of use of the ladder or stepladder.

2. A tray as claimed in Claim 1, in which the side wall of the tray extends to both sides of the plane defined by the tray base and in the second orientation of use the tray is inverted with respect to its first orientation of use.

3. A tray as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which there are provided means for interlinking the tray and the ladder or stepladder such that in use the tray remains joined to the ladder or stepladder as it is moved between its first and second orientations of use.

4. A tray as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the tray is removable from the ladder or stepladder.

5. A tray as claimed in any of Claims 2, 3 or 4 in which the side walls of the tray are provided with recesses or notches into which a part of the rung or tread of the ladder or stepladder extends when the tray is in a position of use.

6. A tray as claimed in any of Claims 3,4 or 5, in which the said means for interlinking the tray and the ladder or stepladder comprise a pair of link arms each pivotally connected at one end thereof to the tray and pivotally connectable at the other end to a ladder or stepladder.

7. A tray as claimed in Claim 6, in which the said pivoted link arms are pivotally connected at the said one ends thereof to respective parallel side walls of the tray at or adjacent the junction of these with a transversely extending side wall running between them.

8. A tray as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7, in which the said pivoted link arms are integrally formed as parts of a common link member of generally U-shape configuration the bight portion of which forms the pivotal connection with the tray.

9. A tray as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 8, in which when the tray is in position the link arms, the tray sides and the stiles of the ladder or stepladder form a triangle when the tray is in its first or second position of use.

10. A tray as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the sides and the base are integrally formed by moulding such as plastics material.

11. A tray as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9, in which the base and the sides are fabricated from sheet stock material and joined together by suitable fixing means.

12. A tray as claimed in any preceding Claim, further comprising retaining means for retaining the tray in a stowed position in which the tray base lies generally parallel to a plane defined by the length of the stiles of a ladder or stepladder to which it is fixed.

13. A ladder or stepladder having two parallel stiles spanned by a plurality of rungs or treads and provided with a support tray as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 12.

14. A ladder or stepladder as claimed in Claim 13, in which the tray is largely supported by the rungs or treads of the ladder or stepladder when in its first or second position of use.

15. A ladder or stepladder as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14, in which the tray projects forwardly of the general plane defined by the ladder stiles when in its first position of use, and rearwardly of this plane when in its second position of use.

16. A ladder or stepladder as claimed in any of Claims 13, 14 or 15, in which the tray is movable to a third stable position in which the base is generally parallel to the plane de fined by the stiles and is retained in this position by retaining means on the tray.

17. A ladder or stepladder as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 16, in which the length of the pivot arms is less than the distance between two adjacent rungs or treads of the ladder or stepladder.

18. A ladder or stepladder as claimed in Claim 16 or 17 in which the retaining means comprise projections extending laterally from the sides of the tray and frictionally engageable with the stiles of the ladder or stepladder.

19. A ladder or stepladder as claimed in Claim 18, in which the said retainer projections are resilient and snap engage cooperating detents on the stiles of the ladder or stepladder.

20. A ladder or stepladder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A tray for a ladder or stepladder sub stantiaily as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.