US3672612A

US3672612A - Ladder latching device

Info

Publication number: US3672612A
Application number: US114501A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clyde A Laing Jr
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-02-11
Filing date: 1971-02-11
Publication date: 1972-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-27

Abstract

A latching device for releasably securing a ladder to a vehicle having racks secured thereon, the latching device being mounted on the side rails of the ladder on the lower side thereof and consisting of a rotatable shaft secured to the side rails, with a handle mounted on the end of the shaft and a hook member secured to the side rail for securing the handle in the locked position. At the middle of the shaft there is secured an arm portion at whose free end one end of an adjustable hooking member is pivotally attached with the other end engaging the rack for locking the ladder thereto.

Description

United States Patent Laing, Jr.

[ 51 June 27,1972

' [54] LADDER LATCHING DEVICE [21] Appl.-No.: 114,501

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,853,119 9/1958 Balfour... 3,105,667 10/1963 Bauer ..248/361 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 800,941 12/1950 Germany ..248/361 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza AttorneySalvatore G. Militana [5 7] ABSTRACT A latching device for releasably securing a ladder to a vehicle having racks secured thereon, the latching device being mounted on the side rails of the ladder on the lower side thereof and consisting of a rotatable shaft secured to the side rails, with a handle mounted on the end of the shaft and a hook member secured to the side rail for securing the handle in the locked position. At the middle of the shaft there is secured an arm portion at whose free end one end of an adjustable hooking member is pivotally attached with the other end engaging the rack for locking the ladder thereto.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH Y m2 INVENTOR CLYDE A. LAlNG. Jr

ATTORNEY LADDER LATCHING DEVICE This invention relates to apparatus for detachably securing a ladder on a vehicle, but is more particularly directed to a latching device mounted on a ladder for readily clamping on and releasing the ladder from a rack secured to the vehicle.

With automobiles normally travelling at high speeds and making quick stops to avoid accidents, the carrying of ladders on the automotive vehicle is a constant source of danger when not secured properly or where the manner of securing the ladder to the roof of the automobile is improvised as by tying with a cord or wire.

The present invention contemplates the prevention of any possibility of any danger arising out of the securing of the ladder to an automotive vehicle as well as rendering it easy and simple to place a ladder on the vehicle and locking it securely in place as well as readily removing the ladder from the automotive vehicle.

Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a latching device for detachably securing a ladder in position on an automotive vehicle, which device is simple in construction and operation and which insures against any accidental displacement or movement of the ladder on the vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a latching device for releasably securing a ladder on the roof or sides of a vehicle wherein the device is mounted on the lower side of the ladder when in use so as not to interfere with the user of the ladder and which is quickly and readily operated to look a ladder in position and to unlock the ladder for removing same from the vehicle.

A further object-of the present invention is to provide a latching device for releasably securing a ladder onto a roof of a vehicle, which device may be secured to any conventional ladder utilizing one such latching device for a short ladder and two, one at each end, for long ladders.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automotive vehicle on which my ladder having my latching devices are mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a similar fragmentary view which is enlarged showing in detail the structure of my latching device.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 with the dotted line position showing the device as in its unlocked position.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral refers to a pair of ladder latching devices mounted on a conventional extension ladder 11 which is locked in place on an automotive vehicle 12. The ladder l1 rests on a pair of conventional automotive load racks 13 each of which consists of an elongated member 14 extending across and above the roof 17 of the automobile 12 with the curved ends secured to the drip strip of the automobile roof 17.

The ladder 11 which may be an extension ladder or a conventional single ladder as shown consisting of a pair of side rails 18 with rungs 19 extending therebetween. My ladder latching devices 10 are mounted on the ladder on the side nearest the wall upon which the ladder ll rests so that the user of the ladder does not come into contact with the latching devices 10 when climbing up or down the ladder.

My device 10 consists of a rotatable pipe or hollow shaft 20 extending across the ladder 11 and having its end portions journalled to rotate within clamps 21 fastened by screw bolts 22 on to the side railing 18. At the midportion of the shaft 20 there is a short member or arm portion 23 welded thereto and at whose free end is pivoted as by a pivot bolt 24, a hook support member consisting of an elongated body portion 25 having a foot portion 26 extending at right angle. Mounted on the foot portion 26 is an L-shaped hook member 30 whose shank portion 32 is threaded and received through a bore formed on the foot portion 26 with nuts 31threaded on the shank portion 32 and engaging both sides of the foot. portion 26. The hook portion 30 of each of my locking devices 1 0is adapted to swing under and engage the bar 14 of the load rack 13 when. the locking devices 10 are in locked position. Ahandle 33 is secured to one end of the shaft 20 extending along the side of the ladder 11. A hook member 34 secured to the side railing 18 is engaged by the end portion of the handle 33 when. the latter is in its locked position to maintain thelocking device 10 in the locked position until it is desired to release the ladder l1 and remove it from the rack 13.

In the normal use of my ladder latching devices 10 after having been mounted on the lower side of a ladder 11 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 at the same distance apart on the ladder 11 as is the racks 13, the ladder 11 is placed on the racks 13 with the locking devices 10in proximity of the racks 13 and the handles 33 extending in the dotted line position as, shown in FIG. 3. The hook members 30 will be positioned beneath the rack bars 14 in the dotted line position. The handle 33 is then swung downwardly, rotating the shaft 20 and swinging the arm 23, the hook support member 25 and hook 30 upwardly to cause the hook 30 to engagethe rack bar 14. The handle 33 will find itself in proximity of the hook member. 34 whereby the handle 33 is flexed slightly outwardly and downwardly to pass below the tip portion of the hook 34 and upon releasing the handle 33, the book 34 will engage handle 33 and maintain the latching device 10in a locked position.

To release the locking device 10, all that need be done. is force the handle 33 downwardly until it left the confines of the hook member 34, flex the handle 33 slightly outwardly away from the tip of the hook member 34 and then swing the handle 33 upwardly to rotate the shaft 20 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3. The

members

23, 25 and 32 will swing downwardly to lower the hook member 30 to the dotted line position to become disengaged from the rack bar 14. The ladder 11 can now be removed from the racks l3 and use in the customary manner. Since the locking devices 10 are mounted on the underside of the ladder 11 when leaning against a building, etc. there is no unconvenience or inter ference to the user of the ladder by their presence thereon.

As illustrated by FIG. I extensible or long ladders require at least two of my latching device 10 to secure the ladder properly on the roof 17 of the automotive vehicle 12. However, short ladders, such as step ladders, etc., obviously can be locked in position by the use of only one such latching device 10.

Although my latching device 10 is shown and described in connection with securing a single ladder 11 to the roof of panel truck 12, my latching device 10 may be used to secure a stack of ladders 11 placed ohe upon the other with the hook 30 of the latching device 10 of the upper ladder engaging the rung of a lower ladder. In this manner a large number of ladders may be handled and transported with case.

Also, if desired, the ladders 11 may be carried on other parts of the truck 12 by mounting the racks 13 on the side panels of a truck or on any other part of a truck on which racks may be mounted.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A latching device for releasably securing a ladder to a vehicle having racks mounted thereon and said ladder having a pair of side rails mounted in spaced relationwith a plurality of rungs extending therebetween, comprising a shaft, means rotatably securing said shaft at said side rails, handle means secured to one end of said shaft adjacent one of said side rails, an arm portion secured at one end to said shaft intermediate the ends of said shaft, hook means pivotally secured at one arm portion, said hook means having a foot portion at the other end extending at right angle thereto, said foot portion having a bore, said hook member having a threaded shank portion extending through said bore and a plurality of nuts threaded on said shank portion and bearing against said foot portion.

Claims

1. A latching device for releasably securing a ladder to a vehicle having racks mounted thereon and said ladder having a pair of side rails mounted in spaced relation with a plurality of rungs extending therebetween, comprising a shaft, means rotatably securing said shaft at said side rails, handle means secured to one end of said shaft adjacent one of said side rails, an arm portion secured at one end to said shaft intermediate the ends of said shaft, hook means pivotally secured at one end to the free end of said arm portion and a hook member mounted at the other end for engaging said rack and a locking member secured to said one of said side rails for securing said handle in a locked position.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 wherein said hook means comprises an elongated member, a pivot pin securing one end of said elongated member and said free end of said arm portion, said hook means having a foot portion at the other end extending at right angle thereto, said foot portion having a bore, said hook member having a threaded shank portion extending through said bore and a plurality of nuts threaded on said shank portion and bearing against said foot portion.