GB2470555A

GB2470555A - Ladder clamp for vehicle roof rack

Info

Publication number: GB2470555A
Application number: GB0908911A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Otter
Original assignee: PAUL JOHN OTTER
Current assignee: PAUL JOHN OTTER
Priority date: 2009-05-26
Filing date: 2009-05-26
Publication date: 2010-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 2029-05-26
Also published as: EP2435277A1; WO2010136794A4; GB2470555B; GB0908911D0; WO2010136794A1

Abstract

A ladder clamp for a vehicle roof rack 1 or the like comprises a cross-member 4, 5 engageable on the two side rails of a ladder 3, and an elongate member 8 carrying a hook 9 at one end thereof. The elongate member 8 is connected at the other end thereof to, and depends from, a lever 10 mounted at the centre of the cross-member 4 such that the lever is movable between a first position, wherein the hook 9 is at a first distance from the cross-member, and a second position, wherein the hook 9 is at a smaller distance from the cross-member 4 than said first distance. When the cross-member 4 is located on the side rails of a ladder 3 positioned on a vehicle roof rack 1 and the hook 9 is engaged with the roof rack 1, moving the lever 10 to the second position tensions the elongate member 8 to clamp the ladder 3 between the cross-member 4 and the roof rack 1.

Description

LADDER CLAMP FOR VEHICLE ROOF RACK

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a ladder clamp for a vehicle roof rack or the like.

Background to the Invention

While many different devices have been proposed at different times to deal with the problem of attaching a ladder temporarily to a vehicle roof rack or roof bars to permit the ladder to be transported, the device typically used con-sists of a hooked bar having a screw-thread on the main shaft of the hook, a cross-bar passing over the shaft, and a locking clamp engaged on the thread to bear against the cross-bar. In use, the hook is passed between the sides of the ladder on the roof bars and is hooked under a bar. The cross-bar is positioned across the sides of the ladder, and the locking clamp is manually rotated to clamp the cross-bar in position, and so secure the ladder. Since the hook passes between the rungs of the ladder, it prevents forward or rearward move-ment of the ladder when the vehicle moves, in the event of the clamping action being insufficient.

The hooked bar type of clamp is relatively simple in construction and use, but is difficult to manipulate single-handed, for example when used on taller vehicles, requiring the user to hold on to the vehicle with one hand while removing or fitting the clamp.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a ladder clamp for a vehicle roof rack or the like, comprising a cross-member engageable on the two side rails of a ladder, and an elongate member carrying a hook at one end thereof, the elongate member being connected at the other end thereof to, and depend-ing from, a lever mounted at the centre of the cross-member such that the lever is movable between a first position, wherein the hook is at a first distance from the cross-member, and a second position, wherein the hook is at a smaller dis- tance from the cross-member than said first distance, whereby when the cross-member is located on the side rails of a ladder positioned on a vehicle roof rack and the hook is engaged with the roof rack, moving the lever to the second po- sition tensions the elongate member to clamp the ladder between the cross-member and the roof rack.

It will be appreciated that reference herein to roof rack includes roof bars.

Preferably, the lever is configured such that, in the second position, it is in an over-centre position.

In a preferred embodiment, the elongate member is a thin flexible mem-ber, the lever arrangement being configured as an over-centre buckle, whereby the length of the elongate member may be readily changed to accommodate different ladders, or multiple ladders stacked one upon another. For example, the thin flexible member may be textile webbing, which may incorporate metal wire to render the webbing more resistant to cutting, whether accidental or de-liberate in the course of theft.

The cross-member preferably comprises a flat plate at each end thereof engageable on the side rails of the ladder and serving to resist rotation of the cross-member when the elongate member is tensioned, and also permitting dif- ferent ladder widths to be accommodated. Pegs or bolts may extend down- wardly from the plates at the outermost edges thereof to ensure that the cross-member cannot slide off the ladder sideways.

The lever is preferably provided with latching means to hold it in place when in the second position. A lock may be provided to prevent unauthorised removal of the ladder, and in one embodiment the cross-member carries a separate security chain, wire or the like, to be secured around the ladder and the roof rack. This may incorporate a padlock, for example.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The drawing, which illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the inven-tion, is a perspective partial view of a ladder mounted on a vehicle roof rack, and held in place by a ladder clamp in accordance with the invention.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

In the drawing, the vehicle roof rack is represented by a simple circular cross-section bar 1 supported by uprights 2 (one only shown) held by mount-ings on the vehicle (not shown). It will be appreciated that roof racks or bars may take a wide range of different forms. The ladder 3, of which only a short length is shown, rests across a spaced pair of the bars 1, in conventional man-ner. The clamp of the invention comprises a cross-bar 4, conveniently of box section metal, for example galvanised steel or aluminium, to the underside of each end of which is secured a respective flat metal plate 5 which serves to re-sist rotation of the cross-bar 4 in use, and which extends the contact area with the side rails of the ladder 3. The underside of the plates 5 may be provided with a layer of rubber or the like to increase grip and minimise the risk of dam- age to the ladder. Each plate 5 has a pair of bolts or pegs 6 extending down-wardly therefrom, adjacent to the outer edge thereof, to help locate the clamp on the ladder and prevent it sliding off the ladder laterally.

At the centre of the cross-bar 4 is mounted an over-centre webbing buckle 7, through which is threaded a length of webbing 8 carrying at the free end thereof a hook 9. The over-centre buckle 7 includes a lever 10 which ro-tates around a pivot 11 in such a manner that lifting the lever lowers the hook 9, while lowering the lever pulls the hook upwardly into engagement with the roof bar 1, tensioning the webbing 8, and thereby clamping the ladder on to the roof bar by pulling the cross-bar 4 and plates 5 firmly on to the side rails of the lad-der. The lever 10 is provided with a sliding latch 12 which engages in slots in the sides of the buckle as the lever is pushed into its fully lowered position, holding it firmly in place.

To remove the ladder 3 from the roof bars 1, the latch 12 is disengaged from the slots to permit the lever to be lifted, releasing the hook from the bar 1.

This permits the clamp to be lifted off the ladder, freeing the ladder to be re-moved from the roof bars 1 for use. Since the lifting and lowering of the lever 10 can be achieved quickly single-handed, the fitting and removal of the clamp is a very much quicker and easier operation than with conventional ladder clamps.

The threading of the webbing 8 through the buckle 7 enables the position of the hook 9 below the cross-bar 4 to be adjusted to accommodate different types of ladder having different widths of side rail, or multiple-stage ladders where the stages are stacked on upon another, for example. It will be conven-ient to adjust the position of the hook with the lever raised, so that the hook rests lightly against the underside of the roof bar 1, so that lowering and latching the lever introduces the right degree of tension in the webbing to clamp the lad-der firmly in place.

Typically, a pair of the clamps in accordance with the invention will be used to secure a ladder, one for each roof bar, or engaging different cross-members of a more structured roof rack.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A ladder clamp for a vehicle roof rack or the like, comprising a cross-member engageable on the two side rails of a ladder, and an elongate member carrying a hook at one end thereof, the elongate member being con-nected at the other end thereof to, and depending from, a lever mounted at the centre of the cross-member such that the lever is movable between a first posi- tion, wherein the hook is at a first distance from the cross-member, and a sec-ond position, wherein the hook is at a smaller distance from the cross-member than said first distance, whereby when the cross-member is located on the side rails of a ladder positioned on a vehicle roof rack and the hook is engaged with the roof rack, moving the lever to the second position tensions the elongate member to clamp the ladder between the cross-member and the roof rack.
2. A ladder clamp according to Claim 1, wherein the lever is config-ured such that, in the second position, it is in an over-centre position.
3. A ladder clamp according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the elongate member is a thin flexible member, the lever arrangement being configured as an over-centre buckle.
4. A ladder clamp according to Claim 3, wherein the thin flexible member is textile webbing.
5. A ladder clamp according to Claim 4, wherein the webbing incor-porates metal wire to render the webbing more resistant to cutting.
6. A ladder clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the cross-member comprises a flat plate at each end thereof engageable on the side rails of the ladder.
7. A ladder clamp according to Claim 7, wherein pegs or bolts extend downwardly from the plates at the outermost edges thereof.
8. A ladder clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the lever is provided with latching means to hold it in place when in the second po-sition.
9. A ladder clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein a lock is provided to prevent unauthorised removal of the ladder from the roof rack.
10. A ladder clamp according to Claim 9, wherein the cross-member carries a separate security chain, wire or the like, to be secured around the lad-der and the roof rack.
11. A ladder clamp, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.