GB2476283A

GB2476283A - Attachment device to secure a ladder to a scaffold

Info

Publication number: GB2476283A
Application number: GB0922109A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Phillips; Michael Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-12-18
Filing date: 2009-12-18
Publication date: 2011-06-22
Also published as: GB0922109D0

Abstract

A device secures a ladder 20 to a scaffold tube or similar horizontal member 19. The device includes a scaffold securing arrangement 3 having a first fixed hook (9, fig 3) and a second hook (6, fig 3) rotatable between a downwards facing open position and a closed position. The device is also engageable with a ladder, preferably via a sub-assembly 2 that is slidably connected by a tenon and guide-way (4, 5, fig 3) to the scaffold securing arrangement. The device is adjustable in length to facilitate positioning of the ladder to the recommended angle of inclination. The ladder engaging sub-assembly may comprise a threaded adjuster (17, fig 3) to secure the device to the ladder. Both the ladder and scaffold sub-assemblies may be padlocked to prevent unauthorized removal.

Description

Ladder Safety System for use with Scaffolding

Background

To carry out work that is above the reach of a person there has been various devices designed. These range from a kick-step stool through to a multi storey scaffold.

These scaffolds are built around the structure to be built or maintained. The safest way to ascend a scaffold is by the use of a properly secured ladder, the provisions for which are laid out below; The working at height regulations in the UK apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury. This means that there is a duty of care placed upon a responsible person Schedule 6 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 states that; 4. A suspended ladder shall be attached in a secure manner and so that, with the exception of a flexible ladder, it cannot be displaced and swinging is prevented.

5. A portable ladder shall be prevented from slipping during use by - (a) securing the stiles at or near their upper or lower ends; (b) an effective anti-slip or other effective stability device; or (c) any other arrangement of equivalent effectiveness.

It can be seen that both a suspended ladder and a portable ladder must be securely attached. The portable ladder must be secured by the stiles (the side members to which the rungs attach) at or near either the top or bottom.

The usual manner in which ladders are secured is by tying the stiles to the object they are resting on near to the upper end, in this case a substantially horizontal scaffold pole or similar round pole.

This is usually achieved by placing the ladder in the correct position and having one person standing at the bottom of the ladder footing' it. This is where the person at the bottom places their feet against the bottom of the stiles to stop them slipping away from the item the ladder is resting upon when the ladder is climbed. The second person then ascends the ladder and secures the ladder at the top. The footer' can then leave to carry out other duties, however they must come back to foot the ladder again when the securing method is released and the climber descends.

It is generally held that footing a ladder of over 5m is ineffective.

The technique disclosed above has clear inadequacies where it is possible for the climber of the ladder to be at risk before the ladder is properly secured. It is necessary for the climber to climb the ladder to secure the top and conversely to unsecure the ladder and then to descend. Therefore on the first ascent and the last descent someone must be on the ladder whilst it is unsecured. It is very undesirable for a ladder that is only secured with a rope to be used for a long term solution as the bindings will tend to creep and loosen over time. This will be exacerbated by the passage of people ascending and descending the ladder.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is designed to facilitate the securing of a ladder when it is to be used with scaffolding or any other type of round member of a similar diameter.

Furthermore it is designed to be fitted to the ladder at ground level or whilst on a safe working platform. This means that at no time is it necessary for a person to ascend the ladder before it is properly secured. It is also designed to be releasable when the operator returns to ground level or the previously mentioned safe working platform.

This gives the further advantageous benefit that the climber does not have to descend the ladder when it is unsecured. Finally due to the way that the proposed invention operates, the holding mechanism becomes more secure when a person's weight is applied to the ladder rather than less secure.

The present invention has provision for the rotating hook to be lockable to ensure the ladder is not removed by unauthorised personnel therefore improving safety.

The present invention has a means of adjusting so that the optimum angle of inclination of the ladder is 75.5° from the horizontal. This is usually given as a rule of thumb of 4 up, 1 out' One embodiment of the invention is to use 2 sprung steel side members that are braced together. These side members are shaped so that the uppermost portion, in its operational position, is a substantially upward facing hook. At the opposite end of the side member, in its operational position, is a substantially downwards facing hook.

The distance between the bend of the hooks is larger than the distance between two rungs of a ladder. To use the invention the two uppermost hooks are placed beneath a rung, the invention is then manoeuvred so that the two hooks engage with the rung.

Next, the invention is manipulated so that the two lowermost hooks are next to the rung preceding the rung with the uppermost hooks engaged. The lowermost hooks are then manoeuvred over said rung and the hooks are engaged with the rung. As the invention is of a larger dimension than the distance between the rungs and it is made from a material with elastic properties, (for example spring steel), the invention is securely held in position by the compression in the sprung side-members. The scaffold securing portion of the invention is then affixed to the rear of the above-mentioned ladder securing portion.

The scaffold securing arrangement of the proposed invention engages with the scaffold or any other round pole of the correct diameter. This engagement is achieved thus; there is a substantially downwards facing hook with a second hook affixed, this second hook is gravity biased towards the substantially downwards facing position, hereafter known as the open position. This gives the result of the first hook providing an engagement with the top of the scaffold tube that the ladder is being attached to.

The second hook is forced to pivot around the fixing by virtue of the scaffold pole acting upon the shank of said second hook. This second hook will continue to pivot around the fixing until the tube meets the fixed bend of the first hook. The second hook will now be substantially surrounding the lower portion of the tube. This provides a strong mechanical grip.

This scaffold securing arrangement is then slideably attached to a ladder securing portion. This ladder securing portion has a substantially downward facing hook at its lowest end to engage with a ladder rung whilst at its upper end it has a rotatable hook affixed. This rotatable hook engages with the rung immediately above the rung with the lower hook engaged. The rotatable hook has an adjustable securing means.

To release the hooks requires the operator to descend the ladder and to be safely stood at the foot of the ladder. The operator then grips the stiles of the ladder and lifts. This lifting action allows the ladder securing portion of the present invention to travel upwards. This is fixed to the scaffold securing arrangement of the present invention by a fixing which is a tenon in a slide-way attached to or machined into the side of the scaffold securing portion of the invention.

When the tenon reaches the upper end of the slide-way it will start to lift the scaffold securing arrangement. This movement will allow the spring loading to be diminished to allow the second hook profile to be lifted and thus allowing the second hook to rotate to its unlocked position. The hook will continue to pivot around the fixing until the throat of the hook is substantially aligned with the first hook, this means that there is no longer any hook portion under the tube and this will allow the entire assembly of ladder and invention to be lifted clear of the scaffold tube.

A further embodiment is to have a mechanism that consists of a locking dog that engages with the shank portion of the rotating hook within the scaffold securing arrangement.

The locking dog is acted upon by a biasing means. This biasing means will attempt to maintain the dog in a position where it protrudes from its housing. This protrusion will act upon the shank of the rotatable hook thus preventing the rotatable hook within the scaffold securing arrangement from returning to its open position.

The present invention comprises of two side sub-assemblies that are joined together, this could be achieved in a variety of forms, such as a brace or a plurality of spacer tubes, indeed any method of maintaining the two side assemblies in a fixed relationship with each other.

To use, the person wishing to secure the ladder affixes the invention to the ladder in a manner disclosed above and then proceeds to stand the ladder up and hook the scaffold securing arrangement over the scaffold pole, or any other substantially horizontal pole. As the rotatable hook within the scaffold securing arrangement is forced to travel to its closed position by the pole acting upon the shank of the rotatable hook, the dog springs out against the action of the biasing means, To remove the ladder and invention from the substantially horizontal pole requires the operator to manipulate a lever attached to the dog and to latch the dog back in its housing. The user would then carry out the final descent whilst the scaffold securing arrangement is not held in position by the dog. This would still be far safer than descending a ladder where a rope tie had been unsecured. Once on the ground or safe working platform the operator would then lift the ladder and remove it in the normal manner.

A further embodiment of this invention would be to use a rope or similar means to disengage the dog whilst safely stood at the base of the ladder.

The method for clamping the invention to the ladder is achievable in various ways, The two part clamp system that engages with the upper rung can be locked in a variety of ways, the most simple is with a pin that passes through the point portion of both parts when they are aligned correctly and are enveloping the rung, preferably a padlock would be used or in the case of multiple users of the ladder and scaffold system a proprietary lock out tag' could be fitted.

A bolt-on system is perfectly feasible as it would be fitted to the ladder at ground level so there is no ease of use issue.

The present invention will now be disclosed by way of example by the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the positioning of the invention upon a ladder.

Figure 2 shows the positioning of the invention upon a ladder in greater detail.

Figure 3 is a detail view of one complete side assembly of the invention, the other side which completes invention is the same.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the invention.

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the ladder securing arrangement.

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the scaffold securing arrangement.

Referring to the drawings; Figures 1 and 2 shows the ladder 20 being secured by the adder securing arrangement 2, this ladder securing arrangement is slideably connected to the scaffold securing arrangement 3. This in turn is hooked over and secured to the scaffold or similar substantially horizontal member 19.

Referring to figures 3 and 4; the present invention consists of a ladder securing arrangement 2, and a scaffold securing arrangement 3. To use the present invention, firstly hook the substantially downwards facing hook portion 10 of the ladder securing arrangement 2 over a rung of the ladder to be utilised. Then the rotatable hook 1 within the ladder securing arrangement must be rotated so that the substantially upwards facing hook portion 13 engages with the rung above the rung that the lower hook 10 is placed over.

The rotatable hook I is then tightened into place using a threaded adjuster 17, this ensures that when correctly tightened the present invention is securely affixed to the ladder.

The ladder is then placed into position and the substantially downwards facing hook portion 9 of the scaffold securing arrangement 3 is hooked over the scaffold or similar substantially horizontal tube or pole to which the operator wishes to secure the ladder.

The ladder is then pulled in a downwards direction causing the rotatable hook portion 6 within the scaffold securing arrangement 3 to rotate around the scaffold or similar substantially horizontal member. When it has reached its operating position a reflector portion 18 is clearly visible.

To ensure that the ladder is used at the optimum angle of inclination the ladder securing arrangement 2 is slideably connected using a tenon 4 mounted in a guide-way 5 to the scaffold securing arrangement 3.

Figure 5 shows the ladder securing arrangement 2 in greater detail. The substantially downwards facing hook portion 10 is placed over a rung of the ladder to be used; the rotatable hook portion 1 is then rotated to the underside of the ladder rung which is above the rung used by hook portion 10. The substantially upwards facing hook portion 13 is then rotated into position using the threaded adjuster 17 which acts upon the rotatable hook 1 using fixings 14 & 16. (14 can be more clearly seen in figure 3).

This causes the rotatable hook to pivot around fixing 12 and thus to secure the present invention to the ladder.

Figure 6 shows the scaffold securing arrangement 3 in more detail. When the present invention is used the substantially downwards facing hook 9 (shown in figure 3) is placed over the scaffold or similar substantially horizontal tube or pole and the ladder is pulled downwards. This movement causes the rotatable hook portion 6 to rotate around the scaffold or similar substantially horizontal member. The raised nodule or nodules 17 act upon the circumference of the scaffold or similar substantially horizontal member improving the grip of the rotatable hook portion 6. When this hook portion is in its operating position the reflector portion 18 is clearly visible to the operator. Fixing 7 is used to secure a spacer bar between the two identical halves of the invention maintaining the operational relationship shown in figure 1.

To remove the present invention and thus the ladder from the scaffold or similar substantially horizontal member requires the operator to be stood at the foot of the ladder. When the ladder is lifted firstly the ladder securing arrangement 2 moves upwards, this causes the tenon 4 to move upwards along the guide-way 5. When the tenon reaches the end of the guide-way it causes the scaffold securing arrangement 3 to be lifted.

The rotatable hook portion 6 within the scaffold securing arrangement 3 rotates and releases the scaffold or similar substantially horizontal member thus allowing the invention to be lifted clear.

Claims

Claims 1. A device to securely attach a ladder to a scaffold or similar substantially horizontal member, the device comprising a scaffold securing arrangement including 2 hook portions, the first hook being fixed and the second hook being rotatable between a substantially downwards facing open position and a closed position, said device to be both engageable and dis-engageable from the foot of the ladder; said device adjustable in length to facilitate optimum angle of inclination of the ladder.
2. A device according to claim I wherein the rotatable hook portion has a plurality of raised nodules.
3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the scaffold securing arrangement is slideably engaged with a further body portion which is secured to a ladder; this ladder securing arrangement having a substantially downwards facing hook portion engageable with a ladder rung, a substantially upwards facing hook portion to engage with the rung immediately above the aforementioned rung.
4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the sliding arrangement comprises a tenon engaged with a guide-way.
5. A device according to claim 3 incorporating a biasing means between the scaffold securing arrangement and the ladder securing portion, said biasing means arranged to bias the ladder securing portion towards the base of the guide-way when the device is in its operating condition.
6. A device according to any preceding claim comprising a rotatable hook affixed to the ladder securing arrangement, said rotatable hook to engage with the upper ladder rung, this rotatable hook having an adjustable securing means.
7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the rotatable hook within the ladder securing arrangement, that engages with a ladder rung has provision to be physically locked in position when it is engaged with said ladder rung with a padlock or similar.
8. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the rotatable hook within the scaffold securing arrangement can be physically locked using a padlock or similar to prevent unauthorised removal.
9. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the rotatable hook within the scaffold securing arrangement has an indicator to signal the rotatable hook is securely engaged with the scaffold or similar substantially horizontal member.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows.Claims 1. A device to securely attach a ladder to a scaffold or similar substantially horizontal member, the device comprising a scaffold securing arrangement including 2 hook portions, the first hook being fixed and the second hook being rotatable between a substantially downwards facing open position and a closed position, said device to be both engageable and dis-engageable from the foot of the ladder; said device adjustable in length to facilitate optimum angle of inclination of the ladder.2. A device according, to claim 1 wherein the rotatable hook portion has a plurality of raised nodules.3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the scaffold securing arrangement is slideably engaged with a further body portion which is secured to a ladder; this ladder securing arrangement having a substantially downwards facing, hook portion engageable with a ladder rung, a substantially upwards facing hook portion to engage with the rung immediately above the aforementioned rung.4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the sliding arrangement comprises a tenon engaged with a slide-way.5. A device according to claim 3 incorporating a biasing means between the scaffold securing arrangement and the ladder securing portion, said biasing means arranged to bias the ladder securing, portion towards the base of the slide-way * * when the device is in its operating condition.* : *** 6. A device according to any preceding claim comprising a further rotatable hook affixed to the ladder securing arrangement, said further rotatable hook to engage with the upper ladder rung, this further rotatable hook having an adjustable securing means.* :. 7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the further rotatable hook within the ladder * * securing anang,ement, that engages with a ladder rung, has provision to be * physically locked in position when it is engaged with said ladder rung with a padlock.A device according to any preceding claim herein the rotatahie hook within the scaffold securing arrangement can be physically locked using a padlock to prevent unauthorised removal.9. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the rotatable hook within the scaffold securing arrangement has an indicator to signal the rotatable hook is securely engaged with the scaffold or similar substantiafty horizontal member. e..o. * *S* ** *** * S *S S * * * * S. *. .. * S * * . S* *I S S *S