GB2298224A

GB2298224A - Ladder securing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2298224A
Application number: GB9503467A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Kenneth Gilderdale
Original assignee: ANDREW GILDERDALE; IAN GILDERDALE
Current assignee: ANDREW GILDERDALE; IAN GILDERDALE
Priority date: 1995-02-22
Filing date: 1995-02-22
Publication date: 1996-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2015-02-22
Also published as: GB9503467D0; GB2298224B; WO1996026348A1; AU4726996A

Abstract

An apparatus for securing a ladder in position adjacent a gutter comprises a semi-circular cross-section rigid open ended channel 4 to which two spaced apart brackets 14 which include arcuate retaining members are fixed. An arcuate gap 20 is defined between the channel 4 and members 18 so that the apparatus may be engaged with a gutter such that an arcuate wall portion of the gutter extends into the gap 20. The apparatus may be secured to the gutter by means of respective screws 39. A ladder may then be rested against the gutter, which is supported against collapse by the apparatus 2, and secured to the brackets 14 so that the ladder is retained firmly in position.

Description

LADDER This invention relates to a ladder and particularly, although not exclusively, relates to an apparatus for and a method of securing a ladder adjacent a structure, for example a building.

A workman wishing to work on a roof of a building uses a ladder to gain access to the roof. Many buildings include gutters which are fixed to walls, just below the roof. In some cases, a workman may rest a ladder against the gutter. However, there are problems with this in that the gutter may collapse/break when the ladder is climbed and/or the ladder may slide along the gutter and fall down, particularly under windy conditions. In other cases, a ladder may be wedged between a wall of a building and the eaves. However, although in this event the ladder is less likely to be dislodged from its position, the position of the ladder makes it more difficult for a workman to step from the ladder onto the roof and vice versa, since the ladder is disposed below roof level.

It is an object of the present invention to address the aforementioned problems.

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for securing a ladder adjacent a structure having a gutter, the apparatus being arranged to cooperate with a gutter and including restrictor means for restricting movement of a ladder relative to the gutter.

Said apparatus preferably includes first securement means by means of which it can be releasably secured to the gutter. Said first securement means preferably is arranged to restrict pivotal movement of the apparatus relative to the gutter. Said first securement means may comprise an opening which is arranged to receive a part of the gutter. The cross-section of said opening is preferably arranged to correspond in shape to the crosssection of at least a portion of the gutter with which it is arranged to co-operate. Said opening is preferably nonlinear in cross-section. Said opening is preferably curved in cross-section. Said opening is preferably arcuate in cross-section.

Said first securement means may be arranged to restrict movement of the apparatus along the gutter. In this case, said first securement means may include a restrictor element for restricting movement along the gutter. Said restrictor element may comprise a screw which is arranged to engage the gutter when the apparatus is in use.

Said first securement means preferably comprises first and second securement members which are suitably spaced apart. The apparatus is preferably arranged for accommodating a ladder between the first and second securement members. Means is preferably provided for adjusting the distance between said first and second securement members. For example, one or each of said first and second securement members may be movable. The or each said member may be movable between predetermined positions.

The apparatus preferably includes second securement means for securing a ladder relative to the apparatus.

Said second securement means may include an opening for receiving a second securement member which is arranged to extend around at least a part of a ladder. Preferably, said second securement member comprises a flexible member, for example a rope, which is arranged to extend around part of the ladder.

Said apparatus is preferably arranged such that, when co-operating with the gutter, a part of the apparatus reinforces the gutter. Thus, said apparatus preferably included reinforcement means arranged to reinforce the gutter. Said reinforcement means is preferably arranged to reinforce the gutter against collapse when under a compressive force, for example a force generated when a ladder secured by the apparatus is climbed by a person.

Said reinforcement means is preferably arranged to extend within the receptacle defined by the gutter. Said reinforcement means is preferably arranged to restrict movement of opposing portions of the gutter towards one another. Said restrictor means preferably extends between said opposing portions.

Preferably, said reinforcement means includes an abutment surface which is arranged to abut at least part of the inside surface of the gutter. The shape of said abutment surface is preferably arranged to correspond to the shape of at least part of the inside surface of the gutter. Preferably, said abutment surface is non-linear.

Preferably, said abutment surface is curved. Preferably, said abutment surface is arcuate. Preferably, said abutment surface is arranged to extend across at least half of the cross-section of the gutter. Preferably, said abutment surface is arranged to extend across substantially the whole of the cross-section of the gutter.

Said reinforcement means is preferably rigid. It may be made of any rigid material. It is preferably made of metal.

Preferably, said apparatus comprises a first member and a second member between which a gap is defined which is arranged to receive a part of the gutter for securing the apparatus to the gutter. Said first member preferably includes said reinforcement means and is arranged to extend within the receptacle defined by the gutter. Said second member preferably includes said first securement means and is arranged to extend on the outside of the gutter.

The invention extends to an assembly comprising a ladder and an apparatus for securing the ladder adjacent a structure having a gutter, wherein the ladder and apparatus are secured to one another and the assembly is co-operable with a gutter and arranged such that movement of the assembly relative to the gutter is restrictable.

The invention extends to a method of securing a ladder adjacent to a structure having a gutter, the method comprising positioning apparatus for securing a ladder so that it co-operates with the gutter and arranging a ladder so that its movement relative to the gutter is restricted by the apparatus.

The assembly and method may include any feature of the apparatus described herein.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for securing a ladder in position; Figure 2 is a cross-section along line II - II of figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus; Figure 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus and a ladder co-operating therewith; Figure 5 is a cross-section along line V -V of figure 4; and Figure 6 is a top plan view of the arrangement of figure 4.

The apparatus 2 shown in figures 1 to 3 comprises a semi-circular cross-section rigid open-ended channel 4.

The outer convex surface of the channel is arranged to correspond in shape to the inner concave surface of a gutter to which the apparatus is to be secured. Two sets 6, 8 of circular openings 10 are provided in the channel 4 towards longitudinally extending edge 12 thereof.

Respective brackets 14 are releasably secured to the channel 4 at spaced apart positions.

Each bracket 14 includes a body 16 from which an arcuate retaining member 18 projects. The body 16 includes a spacer portion 22 which is arranged to space the retaining member 18 from the channel 4. The spacer portion 22 includes a threaded bore 24 which is arranged to be aligned with a selected one of the openings 10 in the channel 12. A bolt 26 may then be inserted through the selected opening 10 and screwed into bore 24 for securing the bracket 14 to the channel 4. It will be noted from figure 2 that, when in position, the retaining member traverses about half of the cross-section of the channel 4 and is coaxial therewith so that an arcuate gap 20 is defined between the channel 4 and the member 18.

The retaining member 18 includes a screw-threaded opening 37 arranged to receive a screw 39. The body 16 also includes an opening 30.

The apparatus 2 may be used as described below with reference to figures 4 to 6: Firstly, the respective brackets 14 are secured to the channel 4 using bolts 26 such that the space between the brackets is slightly greater than the width of the ladder with which it is to co-operate.

Then the apparatus is secured to a gutter 40 which is fixed to a wall 42 of a building 44 adjacent a roof 46 thereof. To this end, the apparatus 2 is engaged with the gutter 40, so that the gutter extends in the gaps 20 defined between the channel 4 and retaining members 18 of brackets 14, as shown in figure 5. It will be noted in figure 5, that the shape of gaps 20 substantially corresponds to the shape of the gutter. Screws 39 are then secured into openings 37 so as to engage the gutter and thereby prevent the apparatus from being disengaged from the gutter and from sliding along it.

Next, a ladder 50 is placed against the apparatus between the brackets 14. The ladder is secured in position by using rope which is inserted through respective openings 30 in the brackets 14 and tied around the ladder.

The ladder is then ready for use.

It should be appreciated that the channel 4 of the apparatus serves to reinforce the gutter 40 in use, and thereby restricts and/or prevents collapse of the gutter when a person climbs the ladder. Also, since the ladder can be securely fixed to the apparatus and thereby securely fixed relative to the building 44, the apparatus enables ladders to be used even in relatively windy conditions without the risk of the ladder being dislodged from position when being climbed by a person or when the person is on the roof of a building. Also, the apparatus serves to secure the ladder so that the foot thereof is prevented from slipping.

The apparatus 2 is suitably made substantially of light aluminium alloy although it may be made from any suitably rigid material.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of-the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. Apparatus for securing a ladder adjacent a structure having a gutter, the apparatus being arranged to cooperate with a gutter and including restrictor means for restricting movement of a ladder relative to the gutter.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, including first securement means by means of which the apparatus can be releasably secured to the gutter.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said first securement means is arranged to restrict pivotal movement of the apparatus relative to the gutter.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein said first securement means comprises an opening which is arranged to receive a part of the gutter wherein the cross-section of said opening is arranged to correspond in shape to the cross-section of at least a portion of the gutter with which it is arranged to co-operate.

5. Apparatus according to any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein said first securement means is arranged to restrict movement of the apparatus along the gutter.

6. Apparatus according to any of Claims 2 to 5, wherein said first securement means comprises first and second securement members which are spaced apart.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, the apparatus being arranged for accommodating a ladder between the first and second securement members.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein means is provided for adjusting the distance between said first and second securement members.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including second securement means for securing a ladder relative to the apparatus.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said second securement means includes an opening for receiving a second securement member which is arranged to extend around at least a part of a ladder, in use.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, said apparatus being arranged such that, when co-operating with the gutter, a part of the apparatus reinforces the gutter.

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including reinforcement means arranged to reinforce the gutter by extending within the receptacle defined by the gutter.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, wherein said reinforcement means includes an abutment surface which is arranged to abut at least part of the inside surface of the gutter.

14. An assembly comprising a ladder and an apparatus for securing the ladder adjacent a structure having a gutter, wherein the ladder and apparatus are secured to one another and the apparatus is co-operable with the gutter and arranged to restrict movement of the assembly relative to the gutter.

15. A method of securing a ladder adjacent to a structure having a gutter, the method comprising positioning apparatus for securing a ladder so that it co-operates with the gutter and arranging a ladder so that its movement relative to the gutter is restricted by the apparatus.

16. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

17. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

18. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.