GB2431688A - Improvements relating to ladders and fittings therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

New apparatus and methods usable with ladders, particularly roof ladders, are described. One aspect is a connector device for a roof ladder and an upright ladder comprising a pair of clamps (6,7) for connection to the respective ladders, connected by a rigid connecting portion (8) which is pivotable and has positional adjustability, so that the two ladders can be secured together at any desired relative position and angle.

Description

2431688

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IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO LADDERS AND FITTINGS THEREFOR

This invention has to do with ladders, particularly but not exclusively ladders used for exterior roof 5 access, and accessories and fittings to be used with such ladders, and methods of access using ladders,

particularly on roofs.

Roof ladders (sometimes known as cat ladders) are well known. A typical roof ladder is in most respects 10 like a conventional ladder, i.e. a set of longitudinally-spaced rungs between a pair of stiles, but has a roof hook at the top. The roof hook hooks over a roof ridge so that the ladder can lie up an expanse of roof perpendicular to the ridge without sliding down. Usually 15 the bottom of the roof ladder reaches to the edge of the roof. Most roof ladders used nowadays are especially adapted for this use. The roof hook is an integral or bolted-on construction, and commonly provides wheels projecting on the side opposite to the hook. These allow 20 the ladder to be pushed easily up the slope of roof without scraping or damage; when the top reaches the ridge the ladder is turned over so that the hook engages behind the ridge and the wheels stick up into the air. Roof ladders may also have one or more fixed support 25 elements spaced along their undersides to contact the roof surface at distributed positions; these stop the ladder from wobbling, distribute loads and space the ladder from the roof.

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The roof ladder is used in conjunction with an upright ladder leaning to the wall beneath the roof edge, with its foot on a horizontal surface (usually the ground). The top of the wall ladder rests close to the 5 bottom of the roof ladder. It may lean directly against the wall or indirectly through a stand-off. Stand-offs are well known accessories for spacing the top of a ladder from the surface against which it rests, usually to avoid damaging or interfering with projecting 10 structures such as guttering and fascias. Note that current health and safety legislation in the UK requires the wall ladder to project more than a metre above the roof edge. A stand-off may rest against the top of the wall or against the roof surface according to type and 15 preference. Its support foot (there may be more than one; "foot" is used here to cover that possibility) is preferably wider than the ladder to give better lateral stability. It may have one or more pads or wheels as its contact point(s).

20 To steady the lower end of the roof ladder, it is normally tied with a rope to the top of the wall ladder. To make it easier to climb from one to the other, some wall ladders or their stand-offs are provided with handhold bars extending up above the wall ladder. 25 A further issue arising with roof ladders is that of safety anchorage. A roof is potentially a very dangerous place to work because (apart from the ladder) the surface may be featureless and/or fragile, there is usually no

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barrier at the edge and the drop may be a long one.

Every year there are deaths and serious injuries. Professional and commercial workers will anchor themselves with lines to which a harness can be clipped, 5 especially important at times when the worker's hands are busy with a job which reduces their ability to steady themselves. Preferably a working safety line (running line) is passed around a chimney stack after an initial ascent of the roof ladder, but this is not always 10 possible and in some situations it is difficult to avoid serious risks. This issue arises also with ladders other than roof ladders.

We have noted a further issue, namely that because the bottom end of a roof ladder is not fixed (other than 15 by a roped connection to the top of the wall ladder) the roof ladder is liable to upset. If a worker grabs the ladder for support in an emergency it may tilt or turn, with a risk of disengaging the hook at the top and sending the ladder sliding down the roof. 20 In this disclosure we make various new proposals addressing issues of safety and convenience in the use of roof ladders and ladders in general.

A first aspect of our proposals is a novel connector for connecting a roof ladder to an upright ladder. As 25 will be discussed below, the connector may be a separate self-contained device that can be fitted onto ladders as the need arises, or it may include or consist of structures embodied in or permanently attached to one or

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both ladders. In general terms, the connector comprises an attachment to fit onto (optionally as part of) the roof ladder, an attachment to fit onto (optionally as part of) the upright ladder, and a transverse load-5 bearing connection element between the two attachments.

Preferably the connecting element is substantially rigid and it is convenient to make it that way. The load bearing capabilities in different directions have different functions; they are not all necessarily present 10 together. Thus, it is particularly preferable that the connector can transfer vertical load (weight) from the roof ladder to the wall ladder. This can assist in distributing load from the roof ladder in operation, as well as in holding the end of the roof ladder clear of 15 gutters and the like where these are present. Also preferable is transverse load-bearing capability (and preferably rigidity) against relative lateral movements between the two ladders, i.e. movement of the bottom of the roof ladder sideways towards or away from the top of 20 the other ladder. This stabilises the lateral position of the foot of the roof ladder, making it steadier to work on and ensuring that the hook at the top remains properly aligned. Furthermore the connector is preferably load-bearing, and most preferably rigid, 25 against out-of-plane turning movements of the roof ladder. Again this steadies the foot of the roof ladder in use, and guards against the possible tipping of the ladder and disengagement of the hook mentioned above.

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By providing a pivoting connection between the two attachments, preferably with a pivot axis aligned with an axis of the connection element, the device provides for different angles between the upright ladder and roof 5 ladder arising in different situations. By adapting one or both of the attachments to connect to its corresponding ladder at a range of longitudinal positions, e.g. by a slidable connection, the device can provide for different crossing points at which the 10 ladders are to be connected, again to cope with different wall and roof heights and angles arising in different situations. Preferably each of the ladder attachments makes a slidable or otherwise longitudinally adjustable connection with its ladder. This allows for adjustment 15 of the connection position - particularly where there is a pivoting connection - to the correct position as the ladders are put in place. A relatively movable e.g. slidable mounting facility in the device is preferably provided to enable the position of the connection axis, 20 and particularly a pivot axis thereof, to be adjusted over a range of movement relative to at least one of the ladder attachment components. This enables adjustment of the connection axis to the desired position after that attachment has been fixed relative to its ladder. This 25 adjustment is preferably a sliding adjustment.

Preferably it is linear, and preferably in the length direction of the corresponding ladder. Its range is preferably at least 50 mm.

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Desirably the device includes means for locking this adjustment at a selected position. This locking may include a mechanical interlock preventing movement out of adjustment, for security. For example a slider element 5 and/or track of the device may include a series of engagement locations (projections and/or recesses such as a row of holes or teeth) for mechanical interlock with one or more corresponding formations on the complementary part of the device. The complementary elements may then 10 have a disengaged condition in which they can move past one another for adjustment and an engaged or locked condition, e.g. pressed together, in which they are locked against adjustment. They may be held in the engaged position by a retaining element such as a spring, 15 screw or clamp.

As regards the attachments to the ladders, each and preferably both of these make a longitudinally distributed connection to the ladder, so as to fix the alignment of a longitudinal axis of the attachment member 20 with the corresponding longitudinal axis of the ladder, and usually of a stile of the ladder. Preferred longitudinal spread of the attachment is at least 150 mm, more preferably at least 200 mm. The attachment means typically include clamps, having opposed members 25 engageable with opposite sides (usually at least front and back) of a stile of the ladder. By having means for locking its position longitudinally relative to the upright ladder (at least against a downward movement) the

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connector for the upright ladder enables weight bearing through the connector device. This locking may be by one or more tightenable clamp mechanisms acting on the ladder, by mechanical interlock e.g. into a rung end 5 opening of the ladder exposed at the outside of a style, or by some other engagement with a rung or other conventional or added permanent fixed formation on the ladder, or some combination of these.

The attachment to the roof ladder is not necessarily 10 longitudinally fixed or lockable to that ladder. Because the upright and roof ladders are not parallel, it is primarily the roof hook that stops the roof ladder from sliding off the roof. Sufficient location may be provided by a simple grip, clamp or fit of the attachment 15 onto the roof ladder, e.g. onto its stile.

It is also preferred that at least one of the attachments (where these are separate from the ladder) is adapted to secure to the ladder without needing to be slid onto it from the end. Thus, the attachment may have 20 a side mouth which can fit over the ladder stile from the side for securing. Such a mouth opening would normally be from 70 to 110 mm across; in any event corresponding to the depth of the stile in question. The securing may use a supplementary mechanism to tighten its grip on the 25 ladder. Or, (particularly for the roof ladder, which does not necessarily require longitudinal locking) the attachment may fit or snap elastically around the stile provided that there is adequate retention in the senses

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discussed above. In one preferred embodiment this roof ladder attachment is shaped and adapted for fitting to a stile one or both of whose front/back surfaces are convexly curved. A preferred attachment has an open 5 mouth and opposed but longitudinally-staggered fixed jaws. The attachment is offered onto the stile at an off-axis angle so that the jaws clear the stile edges and then turned into axial alignment whereupon the jaws move behind the stile to lock. A retainer may then hold the 10 attachment in axial alignment.

Drawing together the features discussed above, which may be combined in any practical way, one preferred embodiment of our proposals is a detachable bracing connector or bracket for connecting a roof ladder to an 15 upright ladder, comprising a first attachment clamp connecting to a stile of a roof ladder, a second clamp attachment for connecting to the stile of an upright ladder, with means for locking the longitudinal position thereof relative to the upright ladder, a rigid connector 20 element joining the clamp attachments, and a pivot construction allowing the two clamp attachments to rotate relative to one another about an axis which is (or is substantially parallel to) their connection axis, and/or is substantially perpendicular to the ladder stiles in 25 use (these directions may alternatively be defined with reference to longitudinal axes of the attachment clamps themselves). The device also has an adjustment mechanism for moving the position of the pivot axis relative to one

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or both of the clamps, and preferably for locking it at the selected position. Preferably the connection provides freedom only for the rotational movement, substantially preventing relative movement between the 5 clamps in other planes.

In all of its aspects discussed above, preferred constructions use metal for the structural elements of the connector.

A further aspect of the invention is the use of any 10 device as defined above in operations involving roof access, and including erecting an upright ladder with a top end thereof adjacent a roof edge, positioning a roof ladder on the roof with a top end thereof retained at an upper position on the roof, e.g. by a hook over a ridge, 15 and a bottom end beside the top end of the upright ladder, and connecting laterally between the adjacent parts of the ladders using a connector as described. Preferably the procedure involves separate securing of the respective attachment parts of the device to their 20 respective ladders; the connection can then be secured and aligned by assembling the components of the connector device to one another. The attachment to the upright ladder may be slid onto it from its end or laterally, while that for the roof ladder is usually moved onto it 25 laterally.

Preferably the upright ladder is used with a standoff which engages the wall or roof. Desirably the stand

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off has a support foot wider than the upright ladder itself, to increase stability of the assembly.

A further, independent aspect of our proposals relates to providing an anchorage on a ladder, 5 particularly an anchorage suitable for securing a running line, safety line or other object onto a ladder, and preferably onto a roof ladder. Part of this proposal is a new kind of device for providing a removable anchorage on a ladder. A second part of the proposal is the use or 10 provision of an anchorage for a safety line on a roof ladder, the anchorage preferably being a removable device, e.g. as proposed, and the technique preferably being used in conjunction with connection of the roof ladder to an upright ladder, e.g. in line with the first 15 aspect discussed above.

Conventional guidance warns against anchoring objects and particularly against anchoring people to ladders, because the lightness and lack of positional stability of a ladder usually make it unsuitable as a 20 safe anchorage. Running lines have conventionally been attached to chimney stacks and the like, as mentioned above, but these are not necessarily available and if they are, they may not be easily or safely accessible or suitably positioned.

25 We propose that a safety line anchorage be provided on the roof ladder itself, which offers significant advantages compared with relying on an anchorage elsewhere in the roof environment. We have found that

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provided the roof ladder is itself properly located and secured - preferably using a connection device as discussed above - the roof ladder can provide a highly reliable and strong anchorage point, especially when 5 preferred modes of anchor line operation are practised. This has two major advantages, firstly that the line anchorage is always going to be near where the work is being done, and secondly that if wished, the line can be attached to the anchorage before the roof ladder is 10 pushed up into position, so that an unsecured ascent of the roof ladder can be avoided.

Thus, an access operation such as a roof access operation of the kind described (preferably using a novel connection device as described herein) in which a line 15 anchorage is made onto the roof ladder in this manner is a further aspect of the invention. Typically an anchored safety line is secured to a safety harness.

While a line anchorage can be made (e.g. via a clip) at any part of the roof ladder, it is preferred to 20 provide a specially adapted anchorage device. Ladders are commonly of light aluminium construction, and some parts are not well adapted to taking high localised loads. It would be desirable to have an anchorage that provided a secure connection (e.g. for a clip or shackle 25 of a safety line), assured application of safety retaining force to the ladder in a manner that the ladder could withstand, and preferably also provided for convenient removability from the ladder and adjustability

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of position on the ladder. For this, we propose a detachable anchorage point for use on a ladder,

comprising a securing channel which fits over a stile of the ladder, means for fixing the securing channel at a 5 selected longitudinal position on the ladder, and a connection aperture for the attachment of a safety line. The securing channel can be open at one side for fitting onto the ladder stile. It may be adjustable to fit a variety of ladders, but preferably has fixed dimensions 10 for maximum strength and stability. Typically the width of the channel will be from 70 to 110 mm, in line with known stile depths. For stability of alignment and distribution of load, its length (along the stile in use) is preferably at least 80 mm, more preferably at least 15 100 mm. Normally it need not be longer than 200 or 150 mm. For positional security, the means for fixing it on the ladder preferably includes at least one means for engaging with at least one rung of the ladder, such as a locking pin positionable to project into the open end of 20 a tubular rung, and/or a locating slot or channel on an inside part of the device, to fit around the rung. The anchorage point is preferably created by a simple hole or eye, e.g. through an anchoring member or portion such as a plate which may be integral with a channel structure as 25 described. Preferably the structure when in place on the stile does not project more than about 60 or 80 mm outwardly (i.e. outwardly from the face plane) of the ladder, so that the device does not tend to strike or

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catch the roof surface during or after positioning of the ladder. For this purpose, preferably the member having the eye or aperture projects laterally relative to the stile, and preferably medially i.e. towards the centre of 5 the ladder.

A preferred embodiment of this proposal is an anchorage device comprising a securing channel with inner and outer parallel walls and a top wall, and a lug having a securing hole or eye projecting (preferably integrally) 10 from one of the walls, the inner wall having a slot or channel to fit over a rung of the ladder when installed, and an anchoring pin being provided which can be passed through a locating hole of the outer wall and in through an open rung end. Preferably this pin in its engaged 15 position projects in at least as far as, and preferably further than, the inner wall. The construction may include retaining means such as a clip, thread, pin, snap engagement or the like for keeping the anchoring pin reliably in its engaged position but enabling convenient 20 release when the anchorage is to be removed or moved. Preferably the lug with the opening is a laterally inwardly projecting continuation of the top wall of the channel. The construction may be of steel, or other appropriate high-strength engineering material. 25 The mentioned process aspect includes a roof access operation in which a roof ladder is positioned and secured in position on an inclined surface, a line anchorage is made onto the roof ladder (before, during or

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after the positioning and securing) and a worker supports him or herself on the roof ladder and with a safety hold on the anchored safety line. Most preferably plural anchorages are provided, with a corresponding plurality 5 of line anchorages - either multiple anchorages of one line, or multiple lines - so that any failure is not final. A preferred mode has anchorage points paired, at the opposite sides of the ladder, with a pair of lines going to the same worker e.g. as a "Y" branched line. 10 Preferably the worker wears a line anchorage device such as on a safety harness, and highly desirably this is able to make a releasable locked engagement to the safety line over a range of positions. The line may pass through a sliding clip or buckle of this device, operable by the 15 wearer so that slack in the line can conveniently be given out or taken in and then locked at a specified length corresponding to the worker's operational position on the ladder. In particular it is preferred to keep this operational line length shorter than the distance 20 from the anchor point(s) to the edge of the roof incline, so that should the worker slip or fall, he/she is brought up short by the line before reaching the edge. This is significant in reducing the shock loading on the line and anchorage; friction against the roof takes most of the 25 fall energy and the load on the anchorage(s) is no greater than if the worker grabbed the ladder with a hand while slipping, i.e. much less than if they went over the

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edge into a dead fall and were then brought up short by the line.

A ladder equipped with one or more anchorage points, e.g. of the novel kind described herein, is an aspect of 5 the invention.

Further aspects and subsidiary aspects are detailed in the claims.

Examples of our proposals are now described, with reference to the attached drawings in which: 10 Fig. 1 is a perspective schematic view showing an upright ladder and roof ladder in position;

Fig. 2 is a close-up view of the region II of Fig. 1, showing an adjustable clamp holding the ladders together;

15 Fig. 3 is a first connector component of the clamp;

Fig. 4 is a section at A-A of Fig. 3, showing details of the roof ladder connector;

Figs. 5 and 6 are end and face views of the connector part that attaches to the upright ladder; 20 Fig. 7 is a close-up on the roof ladder at the region VII shown in Fig. 1, showing an anchorage point provided by a detachable anchorage device;

Fig. 8 is a top view of the anchorage device shown separately, and 25 Figs. 9 and 10 are an end view and inside view thereof.

Fig. 1 shows part of a building with a wall 100 and roof 101, the roof having a ridge 102. A projecting

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gutter 103 runs along the top of the wall at the edge of the roof in the conventional way. For access to the roof two ladders are used. An upright ladder or wall ladder 2 has an upper end leaning against the wall 100 near its 5 top, the top of the wall ladder 2 projecting above the gutter. The foot of the wall ladder may rest on a stopper 125 for a more secure engagement with the ground. Preferably the top of the wall ladder 2 is used with a stand-off 126; these are a well-known means for 10 supporting the ladder on the wall while spacing it from the wall to avoid leaning on the gutter 103. The standoff 126 also provides a support footprint wider than the ladder itself, conferring extra stability against tilting. This is all conventional. In some set-ups the 15 stand-off is positioned to bear on the roof rather than on the wall. It may have a fixed foot or feet, or wheels. It may include a handrail projecting in front of the ladder.

A roof ladder 4 lies on the flat plane of roof from 20 the ridge 102 down to beyond the gutter 103. In addition to the usual stiles 41 and rungs 42, the roof ladder is fitted with a rearwardly-projecting roof hook 44 at its top end, which catches over the ridge 102 to prevent the ladder from sliding down. It also has a set of forwardly 25 projecting wheels 45 also at the top of the ladder, by means of which it can be pushed up to the ridge without damaging the roof surface, and a set of longitudinally-spaced support hoops 43 to distribute loads on the ladder

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across the roof surface. Again, these features are all conventional. The bottom end of the roof ladder 4 projects out beyond the gutter 103 immediately next to the top end of the wall ladder 2, and this intersection 5 is shown enlarged in Fig. 2.

With reference to Fig. 2, the adjacent stiles 21,41 at the top of the wall ladder and bottom of the roof ladder are connected by an adjustable connector or clamp 5. In general terms, this connector consists of a roof 10 ladder clamp 6, a wall ladder clamp 7 and an adjustable connection structure 8 between them.

With reference to Figs. 2 and 3, the roof ladder clamp 6 consists of a metal plate 61, profiled for strength and shaped to lie in contact against the side 15 surface of the roof ladder stile 41. Arched retaining lugs 62,63 project from opposite sides of opposite ends of the clamp plate 61, and are formed integrally with it. The clamp is offered up to the stile 41 rotated about 10 degrees out of longitudinal alignment so that the lugs 20 62,63 clear the stile edges, and then turned into line so that the lugs 62,63 engage behind the stile. In this orientation the clamp 6 will hold the stile 41 provided that it is held in longitudinal alignment as shown. A screw retainer 66 having a friction pad 65 and an 25 operating knob 64 acts through the clamp plate 61, and can be tightened against the stile 41 to hold the clamp 6 in alignment.

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The connection structure 8 includes two major elements. The first is an axle 81, in this embodiment a straight rigid metal tube, extending perpendicularly from the back of the roof ladder clamp 6 (i.e. perpendicular 5 to the longitudinal ladder axis thereof), connected rotatably by a securing bolt 82. A further bolt 83 connects the other end of the axle 81 to a slide member 85 consisting of a tubular support 84 through which the bolt connects and a toothed engagement plate 86 facing in 10 the opposite direction from the roof ladder clamp 6, i.e. towards the wall ladder 2 in use.

With reference to Figs. 2, 5 and 6 the wall ladder clamp 7 consists essentially of a metal plate 71 in channel form, with inturned top and bottom limbs 72 15 defining the channel mouth. A pair of threaded locking screws, each with an adjustment knob 74 and friction pad 75, operate through one of the side walls 72 of the channel. The channel is slid onto the wall ladder stile 21 from the end, and locked at the selected position by 20 tightening the locking fasteners 76 to clamp the stile in the channel. Or, the mouth is wide enough for fitting from the side. Different forms may be provided for different stile shapes/sizes.

An adjustable connection structure 89 is fixed on 25 the back of the clamp channel plate 71, e.g. by welding, rivets or bolts. This arrangement consists of a track 91 in the form of an open-topped C-shaped channel, with perpendicular flat walls and base and a toothed

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engagement plate 92 secured along the base. It is e.g. about 180 nun long. A U-shaped securing bracket 97 straddles the securing channel 91 at an intermediate position (see Fig. 6) and is bolted or riveted to its 5 side walls. An adjustment securing screw 96 operates through the top of this arch bracket 97, having a pressure pad 95 and an exposed adjustment knob 94.

The teeth of the fixed engagement plate 92 in this embodiment are directional, and complement the 10 corresponding directional teeth 86 on the slider 85

mentioned above. To connect the clamps together, the slider 85 is slid along the channel track 91, beneath the arch of the adjustment lock bracket 97, until the desired relative longitudinal position is reached. Tightening 15 the fastener screw 96 engages the directionally-toothed slide and track members 86,92 which then by interlock prevent any longitudinal movement, i.e. the track and slide are locked at the chosen position. Directional teeth as illustrated may have e.g. a 30° sloping side and 20 a perpendicular side. However symmetrical teeth can be used, especially if the clamp might be used either way up.

In the assembled construction (seen in Fig. 2) the two clamps 6,7 are rotatable relative to one another 25 around the axle 81, but all other degrees of freedom are fixed. On the roof ladder clamp 6, the retaining screw 66 may be screwed to project into an open rung end, locking that clamp against longitudinal movement.

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In practice, a worker erects the wall ladder in the usual way, preferably using a stand-off. The roof ladder is carried up, pushed up the roof and turned to hook it over the ridge in the usual manner. Having assessed the 5 ladder positions (and stand-off position, if used) the operator collects the wall ladder clamp part 7 and fits it on the wall ladder stile 21 at an appropriate position near to the intersection line of the two ladders. The clamp 7 may be slid onto the stile 21 from the end, or 10 (e.g. if the stand-off fixings or auxiliary rails are in the way) offered up from the side, and clamped in place using the fixing screws 76. The operator then collects the other part of the connector, i.e. the roof ladder clamp 6 with the attached axle and slide, clips this onto 15 the roof ladder stile 41 by offering it up initially skewed as mentioned previously; its retaining screw 66 anchors in the open end of a rung 42. At the same time the slide 85 is easily slid into the channel track 91 of the other part of the connector. The spacing of the 20 ladders is adjusted if necessary by hand, and the adjustment fastener 96 screwed down to engage the toothed elements 86,92.

The ladders are then locked securely together.

Being essentially rigid to shear, the connection 25 structure 8 can transfer weight from the roof ladder down to the wall ladder irrespective of their relative angle. This enables the bottom end of the roof ladder to be supported clear of guttering, if necessary. At the same

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time the connector fixes the bottom of the roof ladder 4 laterally and against tilting relative to the wall ladder. This greatly increases the stability and security of the roof ladder 4, in conjunction with its 5 hooked engagement over the ridge 102. Stability is especially good if a stand-off with a wide footprint is used.

Figs. 7 to 10 show a detachable anchorage point useful on the roof ladder 4, e.g. at the location VII 10 indicated in Fig. 1.

The anchorage device 10 is a robust metal construction, for example of 4 mm steel plate. In the example shown a main piece is bent through a right-angle to form an outer side wall 11 and a top wall 13. An 15 inner plate 12 is welded perpendicularly to the underside of the top plate 13, parallel to the outer wall 11 forming a channel dimensioned to receive the ladder stile 41 with a close (but not interfering) fit. The inner wall is formed with an arch-shaped notch 15 (Fig. 10) 20 providing clearance for a selected rung 42 of the roof ladder onto which the anchorage 10 is fitted.

A threaded fitting 20 is bored through the outer plate 11, opposite the inner plate notch 15, and receives a threaded securing bolt 16 with an end hand grip 25 formation, e.g. a butterfly grip 18, for screwing it in and out. The bolt 16 is long enough to project several cm beyond the inner plate 12 when screwed home. This example shows a fully-threaded bolt 16, but other

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constructions are possible provided that they are hand-operable, readily movable between inserted and retracted positions, and secure in the inserted position. For example, a possible variant may be threaded only at the 5 outer extreme of the bolt 16 for locking in the inserted position, the remainder being unthreaded for easy rapid movement.

The top wall 13 projects inwardly beyond the inner wall 12 as a lug with a securing eyelet 17. This is to 10 take the clip of a safety line, the other end of which is to be secured to a worker's harness. We have found that with the roof ladder solidly located (e.g. as described above using a connecting clamp), and with the anchorage securely fixed as described (the pin 16 passing into the 15 open end of the rung 42) the anchorage can take a very high load without failure, making it an effective securing point.

The example shown has the lug projecting inwardly and flush with the ladder face. This reduces the risk of 20 projecting parts damaging the roof as the ladder is turned. Nevertheless, the lug can be differently positioned and a skilled person will be able to think of a range of geometries for combining effective securement to the ladder with a strong anchorage point. 25 A convenient way of using the anchorage is to clip an end of a running line to it before the roof ladder is pushed up into position. The running line is then available and secure as soon as the worker wishes to

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ascend. A particularly good working arrangement uses two anchorages secured to opposite stiles of the ladder at the same height. A double safety line, e.g. in a 'Y' form, can then be clipped to both giving extra security 5 and extra stability for working. The worker's safety harness can have a sliding buckle through which this line passes adjustably, and which has a manually releasable lock for securing the active line at any selected length appropriate to the desired working position on the 10 ladder.

While the anchorage point has been developed for security purposes, it may of course have other uses for securing objects relative to the ladder, or the ladder relative to objects, always subject to good practice.

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Claims (17)

CLAIMS;

1. Ladder connector structure for connecting a roof ladder to an upright ladder, comprising an attachment

5 fitting onto the roof ladder, optionally as a part thereof, an attachment fitting onto the upright ladder, optionally as a part thereof, and a transverse load-bearing connection element extending between the two attachments to transfer vertical load from the roof 10 ladder to the wall ladder in use.

2. Ladder connector according to claim 1 in which the connecting element is substantially rigid, and the connector provides a pivot axis to provide for different

15 angles between the upright ladder and the roof ladder.

3. Ladder connector according to claim 1 or 2 in which one or both of said attachments is/are connectable to the corresponding ladder at any of a range of longitudinal

20 positions thereon.

4. Ladder connector according to claim 3 in which said one or both of the attachments is/are adapted for sliding movement relative to a stile of the corresponding ladder.

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5. Ladder connector according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a slidable mounting facility by which the position of the transverse load-bearing

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connection element is adjustable over a range of movement relative to at least one of said attachments.

6. Ladder connector according to claim 5 in which said 5 slidable mounting facility provides a linear sliding adjustment in the length direction of the corresponding ladder in use.

7. Ladder connector according to claim 5 or claim 6 10 including means for locking the position of the transverse load-bearing connection element relative to said attachment after said adjustment.

8. Ladder connector according to any one of the 15 preceding claims in which said attachments make longitudinally-distributed connections to their respective ladders, or are adapted to do so.

9. Ladder connector according to claim 8 in which each 20 attachment engages a stile of the corresponding ladder over a longitudinal spread of at least 150 mm.

10. Ladder connector according to any one of the preceding claims in which one or both of said attachments

25 comprises a clamp having opposed members engageable with opposite sides of a stile of the corresponding ladder.

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11. Ladder connector according to any one of the preceding claims in which at least one of said attachments, being a component separate from the corresponding ladder, has a side mouth to fit over the

5 stile of that ladder so that it can be secured thereto without sliding onto it from the end of the stile.

12. Ladder connector according to claim 11 in which said attachment for the roof ladder has a said side mouth with

10 opposed, longitudinally-staggered fixed jaws, whereby in use the mouth of the attachment can be offered onto the stile at an off-axis angle and then turned into axial alignment whereupon the jaws move behind the stile to lock.

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13. Detachable bracing connector or bracket for connecting a roof ladder to an upright ladder, comprising a first attachment clamp for connecting to a stile of a roof ladder;

20 a second attachment clamp for connecting to a stile of an upright ladder, with means for locking the longitudinal position thereof relative to the upright ladder;

a rigid connector element joining said attachment

25 clamps;

a pivot construction allowing the two clamp attachments to rotate relative to one another about an

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axis which is substantially perpendicular to the ladder stiles in use;

an adjustment mechanism enabling the position of the pivot axis to be moved relative to one or both of the 5 attachment clamps.

14. Bracing connector or bracket according to claim 13 in which the adjustment mechanism provides for locking the position of the pivot axis relative to said one or

10 both of the clamps at the selected position.

15. Bracing connector or bracket according to claim 13 or 14 in which said pivot connection through the connector element provides freedom only for rotational

15 movement, substantially preventing relative movement between the attachment clamps in other planes.

16. A roof access operation including positioning an upright ladder with a top end thereof adjacent a roof

20 edge, positioning a roof ladder on the roof with a top end thereof retained at an upper position on the roof and a bottom end thereof beside the top end of the upright ladder, and connecting laterally between the adjacent parts of the ladders using a connector or bracket as 25 defined in any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. Ladder connection device for connecting an upright ladder to a roof ladder, substantially as described

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herein with reference to Figs. 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.