GB2214220A

GB2214220A - Ladder-extending device

Info

Publication number: GB2214220A
Application number: GB8800086A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Richard Read
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-01-05
Filing date: 1988-01-05
Publication date: 1989-08-31
Also published as: GB8800086D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for use in extending a ladder having two or more stages so that the ladder can be safely and easily extended when supported against a wall. The device is elongated and rigid and has a tail end and a head end which has means (22, 26) for engagement with a stage of the ladder in a way which permits extension by the operator gripping the tail end of the device and manoeuvring the ladder with the device. The engagement means may be in the form of upper and lower rung-engagement means. <IMAGE>

Description

LADDER-EXTENDING DEVICE This invention relates to multi-stage ladders.

Extending a multi-stage ladder tends to give rise to difficulties and to danger. The weight of the ladder and its length when fully extended mean that it is usually impracticable to extend the ladder in a more-or-less horizontal condition and then to raise it into its position of use. As a result, the ladder is often first placed against a wall in its approximate position of use and then extended. The user can only extend the ladder to a certain extent from a position standing on the ground adjacent the foot of the ladder.

The user then often ascends the ladder until he or she can reach the lower end of the partially-extended second stage before jerking the ladder away from the wall anå extending it further before it falls bacx into contact with the wall. Whilst an experienced workman can do this successfully, it is nevertheless a dangerous practice which can result in personal injury and damage to the ladder. Moreover, the unskilled user finds the procedure difficult, making it even more dangerous. Furthermore, the procedure is not possible when the wall has a window or other obstructing feature where the ladder would contact the wall during the procedure.

The present invention provides a device for use in extending a multi-stage ladder, the device being elongate and rigid, having a tail end for manual gripping by an operator and a head end which has means for engagement with a ladder stage in a way which permits the stage to be extended relative to the remainder of the ladder by the operator gripping the tail end of the device.

Conveniently, the engagement means engage one or more rungs of the ladder.

Preferably, the ladder-engagement means comprise upper and lower means for engaging the ladder stage at spaced locations adjacent its lower end, for example on respective rungs of the ladder stage.

When the lower means engage a rung of the ladder stage, the engagement may be such that the rung is cradled by the engagement means which may therefore comprise one or more upwardly-open brackets shaped to receive the rung. In the case of this cradling engagement, it is desirable for the upper means to restrain the ladder against pivotal movement about the axis of the rung engaged by the lower means. For this purpose, the upper means may comprise one or more downwardly-open brackets which are shaped to receive a higher rung of the ladder and restrain the said pivotal movement.

Conveniently, the device comprises first and second longitudinal members which are spaced to be received between the stiles of a ladder and are joined by transverse members to form a framework. Brackets of the types mentioned above may be attached to one or more transverse members. If the device has downwardlyopen brackets as mentioned above, these may conveniently be formed by hook-shaped upper end portions of the longitudinal members.

Advantageously, the tail end of the device is shaped such that it can be gripped manually with a clearance being provided between the operator's hands and the remainder of the ladder stage. This is conveniently achieved by the tail end portions of the longitudinal members curving out of a plane in which the remainder of the frame lies.

Devices according to the invention allow multistage ladders to be extended more conveniently and safely than previously and without damage to the ladder or the surface against which it is propped. The device thus makes multi-stage ladders more attractive to the potential user, particularly the layman or do-ityourself enthusiast. Further, since with the device, multi-stage ladders can be conveniently extended, ladders with a larger number of stages for the same extended length also become more attractive to the user who can thus obtain the benefits of such ladders of more convenient storage and transportation.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an elevational view of a ladderextending device, and Figure 2 is a side view of the device shown in Figure 1.

The device shown in the drawing is fabricated for the most part from steel tubing which is welded-up to provide a planar framework consisting of left- and right-hand longitudinal members 10, 12 and first, second, third and fourth transverse members 14, 16, 18, 20.

At the head end of the device, the ends of the longitudinal members 10, 12 are bent back on themselves and the tubing flattened to form downwardly-open hook portions 26, 28. Adjacent the ends of the third cross member 18, two upwardly-open cradling brackets 22, 24 are attached to the side members 10, 12. The first transverse member 14, at the tail end of the device, is conveniently gripped manually by a user of the device.

The particular device shown is about 1.5 m long and has a width of about 20 cm. This width is somewhat less than the spacing between the stiles of the narrowest stage of most multi-stage ladders.

The ladder-extending device is used as follows to extend a two-stage ladder which has the usual retaining means for retaining the stages in different relativelyextended positions.

The unextended ladder is first propped against a wall in its approximate position of use and the second stage of the ladder extended relative to the first stage to an extent which an operator standing on the ground adjacent the foot of the ladder can easily achieve.

The ladder-extending device is then attached to the lower end of the second stage of the ladder by hooking the hooked portions 26, 28 of the device around the second rung of the second ladder stage. With the hooks contacting the second rung, the first rung of the second ladder stage is just above the brackets 22, 24.

By raising the device relative to the ladder stage, the brackets 22 can now be brought into a position in which they cradle the first rung. The second ladder stage is now located with its lower rung cradled by the brackets 22, 24 and its second rung located between the hook portions 26, 28 and adjacent portions of the longitudinal side members 10, 20. The head end of the device is engaged with the second ladder stage and its generally coplanar therewith.

The tail end of the device, for example the first transverse member 14, can be gripped manually and the second ladder stage manoeuvred such that it is extended relative to the first ladder stage. It is then relocated relative to the first stage such that the retaining means of the ladder retain the second ladder stage in the desired extended position. During this operation, the hook portions 26, 28, restrain the second ladder stage from pivotal movement about the axis of the rung which is cradled by the brackets 22, 24. Undesirable tilting of the second ladder stage can thereby be prevented and movement of the stage controlled by the user gripping the tail end of the extending device.When the ladder has been extended as desired, the device is disengaged from the second ladder stage by first lowering it until the brackets 22, 24 clear the first rung and then, after a slight pivotal movement about the second rung, by raising it until the hook portions 26, 28 clear the second rung.

For use in extending ladders having more than two stages, the device can be used first as described to extend the final stage of the ladder relative to its immediately-preceding stage and then to extend the immediately preceding stage relative to the remainder of the ladder and, if appropriate, again until all stages of the ladder have been extended.

In a modification of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lower ends of the side members 10, 12 bend to the right (as shown in Figure 2) and thereby provide an increased clearance at the tail end of the device between the device and the adjacent ladder stage in use of the device.

Claims

1. A device for use in extending a ladder having two or more stages, the device being elongate and rigid, having a tail end for manual gripping by an operator and a head end which has means for engagement with a stage of the ladder in a way which permits the stage to be extended relative to the remainder of the ladder by the operator gripping the tail end of the device and manoeuvring the ladder with the device.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the ladder-engagement means comprise upper and lower means for engaging the ladder stage at spaced locations adjacent the lower end of the ladder stage.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the ladder-engagement means are adapted for engagement with one or more rungs of the ladder stage.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the ladder-engagement means comprise one or more upwardlyopen brackets shaped to receive the or each rung.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein the ladder-engagement means comprise upper and lower means for engaging the ladder stage at spaced rungs adjacent the lower end of the ladder stage, and wherein the upper means is adapted to restrain the ladder against pivotal movement about the axis of the rung engaged by the lower means.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the upper means comprise one or more downwardly-open brackets shaped to receive a higher rung of the ladder and restrain the said pivotal movement.

7. A device according to claim 6, comprising first and second longitudinal members, which are spaced so as to be received between the stiles of a ladder and joined by transverse members to form a framework, wherein the ladder-engagement means are attached to one or more of the transverse members, and wherein the upper means are formed by hook-shaped upper end portions of the longitudinal members.

8. A device according to claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the lower means comprises one or more upwardly-open brackets shaped to receive the or each rung.

9. A device according to any of claims 1 to 3, comprising first and second longitudinal members, which are spaced so as to be received between the stiles of a ladder and joined by transverse members to form a framework, wherein the ladder-engagement means are attached to one or more of the transverse members.

15. A device according to claim 11, wherein the ladder-engagement means include means formed by hookshaped upper end portions of the longitudinal members.

11. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the tail end of the device is shaped such that it can be gripped manually, with a clearance being provided between the operator's hands and the remainder of the ladder stage.

12. A device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the tail end portions of the longitudinal members curve out of a plane in which the remainder of the framework lies.

13. A ladder-extension device constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as shown in the drawing.