US3067836A

US3067836A - Adjustable step for ladders

Info

Publication number: US3067836A
Application number: US107621A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Carnicelli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-05-01
Filing date: 1961-05-01
Publication date: 1962-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1979-12-11

Description

Dec. 11, 1962 w. J. CARNICELLI 36 ADJUSTABLE STEP FOR LADDERS Original Filed Sept. 18, l958 Izwezaior Wm J 6113 32122211, by

wi fltioamey United States Patent @ftice 3,067,836 Patented Dec. 11, 1962 3,067,836 ADJUSTABLE STEP FOR LADDERS William J. Carnicelli, 118 Union Ave., Framingham, Mass. Continuation of application Ser. No. 761,757, Sept. 18, 1958. This application May 1, 1961, Ser. No. 107,621 3 Claims. (Cl. 182121) My present invention relates to a step for attachment to the rungs of a ladder and the objectof the invention is to mprove and perfect devices of this kind, and the present application is a continuation of my co-pending application, Serial No. 761,757, filed September 18, 1958, .now abandoned.

The standard type of ladder has narrow rungs appropriately spaced, on which the worker steps and stands and these are both slippery and tiring to any person standing thereon for any considerable length of time. Numerous devices have been proposed to overcome this difficulty but none have been acceptable as ensuring safety under all conditions of use.

My present invention obviates objections to prior devices and, in accordance with it, I provide an adjustable step having a pair of side members, each having a straight rear edge for sliding contact with a pair of rungs and an elongated slot downwardly opening through the straight rear edge, between the ends thereof, to provide a hook with a rung receiving pocket. Each side member also has a slot opening through its lower end and in alinement with but shorter than the pocket. proportioned to catch over the upper rung of a selected pair thereof before the lower rung of that pair enters the lower end slots. Pivot means carried by the front part of a foot support interconnect the side members forwardly of their slots and means are also provided for detachably locking the rear part of the foot support to the side members in any one of a series of vertically spaced positions selected to position the foot support horizontally in spite of the inclination of the ladder relative to the ground, when in use. Each side member includes flanges inturned and disposed to underlie the foot support, preferably adjacent the pivot means.

Other important features of adjustable steps in accordance with my invention are automatic locking means, the ease of its attachment and removal, the fact that it is a firm braced unit, and yet extremely light in weight, being capable of being stamped out of aluminum or similar light sheet material.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention from which these andother of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a typical type of ladder with my improved adjustable and self-locking step attached thereto between adjacent rungs,

FIG. 2 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 22 of FIG. 1.

In accordance with the invention, an adjustable step, generally indicated at 5, is provided for attachment to and support by a pair of adjacent rungs 6 of a generally indicated ladder 7.

The step has a pair of side members 8, shown as plates of a generally triangular shape. Each plate 8 has a slot 9 downwardly opening, as at 10, through its straight rear edge 11 intermediate the ends thereof which is dimensioned for sliding engagement with a pair of rungs 6. A relatively deep hook 12 is thus provided whose pocket is in alinement with a somewhat shorter slot 13 opening through the bottom edge 14.

A foot support 15 has side flanges 16 and downwardly turned end flanges 17. A pivot 18 extends through each Each hook is 7 relative at the ground when in use.

side flange 16 adjacent the front end thereof and through the proximate side member 8 near the apex defined by its bottom edge 14 and its front edge 19. The pivots 18 are transversely alined and serve both to interconnect the foot support and the side members 8 andto enable the foot support 15- to be swung upwardly and downwardly so that it may be brought into an approximately hori zontal position regardless of the inclination of the ladder In order that the foot support may be detachably locked in whichever position will render it suitable when the ladder is in use, bolts 20 are provided, one for each side flange 16 and extending through a hole in the rear part thereof and through one of a series of vertically spaced holes 21 that are arranged arcuately with respect to the axis of the.

pivots 18. The bolts 20 are shown as provided with wing nuts 22.

With the adjustable step described, it is only necessary to place it between the side rails 23 of the ladder 7 and to slide it upwardly until its opening 10 receives the upper of the two rungs 6 that are to be used in its support. As the step 5 slid-es downwardly, the upper of the two rungs enters into the slots 9 before the lower of the two rungs 6 enters the slots 13 so that the step 5 becomes securely attached to and supported by both of the rungs 7.

It is preferred that there be a lock that will make impossible accidental detachment of the step 5 from the ladder 7. To accomplish that end, a latch 24 is pivoted to one side of each book 12 to swing into and out of engagement with a pin 25 on the other side thereof. It will be noted that the latches 24 engage their pins 25 under the influence of gravity in any position of use of the ladder 7 but open readily when engaged by a rung 6 to admit that rung when the step 5 is being attached in place.

It will also be noted that each side member 8 has an inturned flange 26 extending under the foot support 15 between its pivots 18 and the bolts 20. It will also be noted that the foot support 15 overlies the lower of the two rungs 6 and that even if the pivots 18 and the bolts 20 should break, the foot support 15 would be supported by the flanges 26 and said lower rung with the end flanges 17 serving as positive stops.

It will be appreciated that I have devised an improved safety step for combination with a standard type of ladder wherein the adjustable foot support is locked in and securely held in an approximately horizontal foot receiving position. My improved device eliminates the danger to the user or worker of slipping or displacement, eliminates the necessity of insurance against same, and stays securely fixed in position during shifting the ladder from one location to another.

I claim:

1. In a removably mounted, angularly adjustable foot support for attachement on a pair of ladder rungs the combination comprising a pair of substantially right triangularly shaped side members and a pivotally mounted foot support adjustably secured therebetween, each of said side members of said pair including a bottom edge and a pair of upwardly extending side edges, one of said side edges extending upwardly at right angles to said bottom edge and said other edge extending angularly upwardly from said bottom edge to converge with said right angularly disposed edge at a point above said bottom edge, each of said side members including first and scond rung engaging hook means, said first hook means on each of said pair of side members disposed adjacent the convergence of said bottom edge and said right angularly disposed edge, said second hook means disposed adjacent the convergence of said upwardly extending right angularly disposed edge portion and said angularly upwardly extending edge portion, said second hook means having its opening extending through said right angularly disposed edge portion, said foot support including a base portion, a pair of upwardly directed side flange portions, and a pair of downwardly directed end flange portions, pivot means extending through complementary ends of each of said side flange portions of said foot support to pivotally secure said foot support between complementary faces of each of said triangular side members at a point adjacent the convergence of said bottom edge and said angularly upwardly extending edge of each of said side members, and foot support adjustment locking means extending through each of side flanges on said foot support and each of said triangular side members at a point adjacent the end of said side flanges opposite said pivot and at a point on a straight line extending between the closed ends of said first and second book means, to secure said foot support from movement when the same is in the desired position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 155,566 Agricola Oct. 18, 1949 2,140,828 Carle Dec. 20, 1938 2,432,206 Mott Dec. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 132,835 Switzerland May 15, 1929