GB2261463A - Ladder attachment - Google Patents

Abstract

A ladder attachment comprises a first member having two splayed arms (3), at least one second member (4) attached to said first member to the side opposite to the two splayed arms, said at least one second member lying at an angle to the plane in which said splayed arms lie, said second member having a first hook-like formation (10) to engage around and over a higher rung of a ladder and a second hook-like formation (11) to engage around and below a lower rung of the ladder. The arms may have a non-slip surface (9). To enable other useful purposes to be served various members can be secured between the splayed arms for the attachment means to abut a wall surface and bridge a projection, and to allow a ladder to be placed against an upright member of circular or hexagonal cross-section. <IMAGE>

Description

LADDER ATTACHMENT This invention relates to ladder attachments.

When utilising a ladder and whereby an operative can effect required work at an elevated position, a considerable care has to be employed to ensure the safety of the operative.

With ladders of any appreciable height such as 6 metres and more not only should the foot of the ladder be secured against slipping in an outward or a sideways direction, but also the top of the ladder should be provided with a means of preventing it from slipping on the structure against which it is placed. Thus, it is already known to provide a wall anchor at the location of a ladder and with a strap means engaging the anchor and passing around the ladder. This is a convenient manner of preventing the ladder top from slipping in a circumstance where a ladder is to remain in one location for prolonged periods, but is most inconvenient if the ladder is to be moved and repositioned on a regular basis.

Also known is an attachment to be secured at or towards the top of a ladder and to constitute a stay providing a greater surface area of contact with a structure than the almost point contact that is provided by placing the ladder top itself against the structure, such stays having the additional advantage of holding the ladder top distanced from the structure to provide a stepping off rung. However such known constructions of stays can only be used when the structure against which the ladder is to be placed is flat and free from any obstruction such as downspouts, or pipework lying externally of the structure.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a ladder attachment that meets the basic requirements of a ladder stay as are mentioned above but which enable a ladder to be used at locations where conventional ladder stays could not be used.

According to the present -invention, a ladder attachment comprises a first member having two splayed arms, at least one second member attached to said first member to the side opposite to the two splayed arms, said at least one second member lying at an angle to the plane in which said splayed arms lie, said second member having a first hook-like formation to engage around and over a higher rung of a ladder and a second hook-like formation to engage around and below a lower rung of the ladder. Preferably, each splayed arm of the first member extends to an angularly disposed connecting member, and there being two said second members, one attached to each connecting member.Further preferably, the or each said second member has a means of adjusting the distance between the first and the second hook-like formations, or the or each said second member has the sector bearing the second hook-like formation detachably connected to the sector bearing the first hook-like formation, in both instances to facilitate the placement of the attachment on a ladder and to bring the hook-like formations into engagement with the respective upper and lower rungs.

For added strength, each splayed arm may be located within an overlying U- or channel-section strengthening member.

The attachment of the invention is ideal in enabling a ladder to be positioned at a corner of a structure and with the splayed arms to engage the structure to either side of the corner and when the ladder top is held against the corner with the substantial guarantee that the ladder top is prevented from slipping and with a positive locking of the attachment member to the ladder rungs. To provide still greater security, the inside face of each splayed arm may be provided with an anti-slip surface such as for example by providing it with studs or with a layer of a rubber or high friction synthetic plastics material.

The attachment of the invention lends itself to ready adaptation to enable the ladder to be positioned with safety at other locations. Thus, for example, two members may be provided for detachable securing one to each splayed arm, each member having a face to abut a flat surface of a structure. By providing two such members the inner edges of each can be spaced and whereby the attachment allows such as a fall pipe to be bridged. Here again the outer surfaces of the attachments to abut the structure can be faced with a friction material.

In a further form of construction, a detachable member can be secured between the splayed arms and displaying a concave surface and when the top of the ladder can be placed against an upright structure of circular configuration such as for example a pole and with the top of the ladder held against the pole with the substantial guarantee against it slipping.

In a modification of this form of construction, the concave surface of the detachable member may be replaced by a surface having an inwardly directed V configuration and whereby the top of the ladder can be placed against an upright structure of polygonal cross-section such as for example, an upstanding concrete hexagonal lamp post, with again a substantial security against the top of the ladder slipping during use.

It will readily be understood that other detachable members can be provided and to be secured to the splayed arms of the attachment of the invention to enable a ladder to placed against any particular structure and with the detachable members of a shape to suit the structure to which the top of the ladder is to be placed to provide the substantial guarantee against the top of the ladder slipping.

Several embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ladder attachment in accordance with the invention, in its basic form of construction; Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 1 but shows a form of construction suited to the location of the attachment about a protruding member such as a downspout; Figure 3 corresponds to Figure 1 but shows a form of construction suited to the location of the attachment against an upright structure of circular configuration, such as a pole; and Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 1 but shows a form of construction suited to the location of the attachment against an upright structure of polygonal cross-section such as a hexagonal post.

In Figure 1 a ladder attachment comprises a first member 1 having side members 2 each of which is outturned at its outer end to form splayed arms 3. To the opposite end, each side member 2 is twisted and angled out of the plane of the member 1 to form support arms 4 for a second member 5.

For added strength, the member 1 has transverse struts 6 and angled struts 7, and each splayed arm 3 has an angle member 8 secured such as by welding, to its inner face. To provide advisable anti-slip properties, the outer wall of each angle member 8 is provided with a non-slip coating 9.

Each of said second members 5 is formed to provide a first hook-like member 10 to enage around and over a higher rung of a ladder and a second hook-like member 11 to engage around and below a lower rung of the ladder. To enable the securing of the hook-like members 10 and 11 to respective rungs, it is preferred that the second member 5 is of two-part construction with a first part bearing the hook-like member 10 secured to a respective support arm 4 and a second part bearing the hook-like member 11 detachably secured to the first part. Further preferably, a means of adjusting the position of the second part on the first part is provided to enable the hook-like members 10 and 11 to engage with the respective rungs of ladders and of different rung spacings.

Thus, with the ladder attachment secured to a ladder and towards the upper end thereof, the ladder can be positioned at such as the corner of a building and when the splayed arms 3, through the angle members 8 and anti-slip surface 9, provide a positive engagement with a wall to each side of the corner with the considerable surety that is then provided against the ladder slipping when in use.

To provide still further security of engagement as between the ladder attachment and the ladder, a third springloaded hook-like member 12 can be provided secured to the strut 6 and which can be pulled downwardly to tension the spring and to position the hook-like member 12 around and below an appropriate rung on the ladder. Thus, in the most unlikely even that the part of the member 5 bearing the hooklike member 11 should become detached from the part bearing the hook-like member 10, the ladder attachment will remain in positive engagement with the ladder.

To enhance the usage of the ladder attachment of the invention various attachments can be provided. Thus, and as is shown in Figure 2, an attachment means 13 can be located on the splayed arms 3 and there secured, such as by bolts 14, the attachment means 13 having two co-planar front bearing surfaces 15 each provided with an anti-slip surface 16 the innermost edges of which are spaced from each other. This enables a ladder to be placed against a flat wall with considerably greater safety than is the case where merely the top edges of the ladder are in contact with the wall. Of even greater benefit is the ability with this form of construction, for any projection on the wall, such as a downspout, to be bridged by the member 13 and with the bearing surfaces 15 in wall contact to either side of such projection.

As is shown by Figure 3, a member 17 of similar construction to the member 13 and similarly secured to the splayed arms 3 has its bearing surfaces 18 connected by a connecting member 19 of semi-circular configuration, to enable a ladder to be placed directly against an upright member of circular configuration such as a pole carrying overhead telephone lines or power cables.

As is shown by Figure 4, and by way of an adaptation of Figure 3, a member 20 is provided of substantially identical construction to that of the member 17 of Figure 3, but here the bearing surfaces 21 are connected by a member 22 of part-hexagonal configuration, to enable the location of the ladder against an upright member of hexagonal cross-section, for example, a concrete lamp post or concrete telephone line or power cable support.

Claims (11)

1. A ladder attachment comprising a first member having two splayed arms, at least one second member attached to said first member to the side opposite to the two splayed arms, said at least one second member lying at an angle to the plane in which said splayed arms lie, said second member having a first hook-like formation to engage around and over a higher rung of a ladder and a second hook-like formation to engage around and below a lower rung of the ladder.

2. A ladder attachment as in Claim 1, wherein each splayed arm of the first member extends to an angularly disposed connecting member.

3. A ladder attachment as in Claim 2, wherein each of said second members has a means of adjusting the distance between the first and the second hook-like formations.

4. A ladder attachment as in Claim 3, wherein each second member is of two-part construction the first part of which is directly secured to the first member and the second part of which is detachably secured to the first part, each of said two parts bearing a respective hook-like formation.

5. A ladder attachment as in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein each splayed arm is provided with a strengthening member.

6. A ladder attachment as in Claim 5, wherein the strengthening member is of U-, channel-, or angle- section.

7. A ladder attachment as in any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the innermost faces of the splayed arms are provided with an anti-slip surface.

8. A ladder attachment as in any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein an attachment for detachable securing to the splayed arms is provided with two spaced and co-planar support surfaces to lie flat against a wall, said support surfaces being spaced to enable a projection on a wall to be bridged.

9. A ladder attachment as in any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein an attachment for detachable securing to the splayed arms is provided, said attachment having a central sector of semi-circular configuration.

10. A ladder attachment as in any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein an attachment for detachable securing to the splayed arms is provided, said attachment having a central sector of part-hexagonal configuration.

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