US3903991A - Ladder locking assembly - Google Patents

Ladder locking assembly Download PDF

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US3903991A
US3903991A US482429A US48242974A US3903991A US 3903991 A US3903991 A US 3903991A US 482429 A US482429 A US 482429A US 48242974 A US48242974 A US 48242974A US 3903991 A US3903991 A US 3903991A
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ladder
sides
rod
turnbuckle
brackets
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US482429A
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Richard D Phelan
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06C—LADDERS
    • E06C7/00—Component parts, supporting parts, or accessories
    • E06C7/48—Ladder heads; Supports for heads of ladders for resting against objects
    • E06C7/484—Supports specially adapted for use with a wall opening, e.g. windows
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06C—LADDERS
    • E06C1/00—Ladders in general
    • E06C1/02—Ladders in general with rigid longitudinal member or members
    • E06C1/34—Ladders attached to structures, such as windows, cornices, poles, or the like
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06C—LADDERS
    • E06C7/00—Component parts, supporting parts, or accessories
    • E06C7/48—Ladder heads; Supports for heads of ladders for resting against objects

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT An inexpensive rapidly attachable, detachable and rapidly adjustable locking assembly for combining with a ladder for locking the ladder in place at any desired position against a structure and thereby prevent injurious ladder slippage during use.
  • the locking assembly is particularly suitable for a ladder of the type having two sides with each side having a pair of rails and web therebetween in substantially the cross sectional form of an I beam and hollow rungs with each of the rung ends fixed to the respective adjacent web.
  • the locking assembly has a metal rod extending through one of the hollow rungs with the rod ends projecting beyond the sides of the ladder, a spacer on each of the ends of the metal rod rest against the outside of the web and project beyond each of the sides of the ladder to form a base for a bracket fixed to each of the metal rod ends, each bracket having an eye bolt, a pair of substantially equal length rods for each of the brackets, each of the equal length rods having a hook at one end and screw threads a substantial distance along the respective rod at the other end, the threads on one of the equal length rods being right hand and on the other being left hand and screwed into opposed ends of a turnbuckle having a length approximately equal to the combined length of the screw thread portions on the associated equal length rods, and an eye formation for each of the ladder sides adapted for attaching to the structure against which the ladder is to be locked in place and adapted for receiving the hook on the other of the turnbuckle rods.
  • This invention relates to device for holding ladders in place to prevent injurious slippage during use, and more particularly to an inexpensive, rapidly attachable, detachable and rapidly adjustable locking assembly for combining with a ladder for locking the ladder in place to a structure where the ladder is to be used and is characterized by a pair of brackets with one of the brackets being fixed in place at one side of the ladder and the other of the pair of brackets being fixed in place at the other side of the ladder, a turnbuckle for each of the brackets, each turnbuckle having opposed ends and carrying in each end an elongated turnbuckle rod, one of the rods of each turnbuckle being adapted for fastening to the bracket at the associated side of the ladder, and a configuration for rapid manual attachment and detachment of the other rod of each of the tumbuckles to the structure to which the ladder is to be locked.
  • the invention is particularly applicable to conventional aluminum or magnesium ladders of the type where each of the ladder sides is comprised of a pair of rails and connecting web therebetween in substantially the cross sectional form of an I beam and having hollow rungs with each of the rung ends fixed to the adjacent web, for which type the invention includes a bracket rod of sufficiently small cross sectional dimension for placement inside the hollow of one of the rungs and of a length that the ends of the bracket rod protrude from the respective sides of the ladder and are adapted for fastening the brackets in place at the respective sides of the ladder.
  • An eye bolt on each of the brackets and an associated hook on the end of one of the rods of each of the tumbuckles for hooking onto the associated eye formation are provided for achieving a rapid manual attaching and detaching arrangement.
  • a spacer is provided between each bracket and adjacent web to reduce the size of the brackets and increase the versatility of the invention.
  • Another hook on the end of the other rod of each of the tumbuckles, and an associated eye formation adapted for fixing to the structure to which the ladder is to be locked are provided for achieving a further simple and rapid manual attaching and detaching arrangement for locking the ladder in place.
  • Turnbuckles of about inches in length and turnbuckle rods with screw threads extending over about a 10 inch portion of each turnbuckle rod are found to provide a wide versatility and convenience in application of the invention to locking ladders in place.
  • Ladder fastening arrangements such as disclosed in Pat. No. 1,066,892 inherently requires the user to risk climbing an unfastened ladder for making the fastening installation. Also the fastening arrangement is cumbersome on the time involved for its installation and thus not suitable for most ladder applications which are transitory and of short duration.
  • turnbuckles and adjustable arm arrangements disclosed in Pat. Nos. 14,156 and 1,279,299 are for scaffoldings which by inherent configuration are installations of relatively long duration and do not teach applicability to transient and short duration uses, a characteristic of most ladder use. Nor even if combined with the ladder of Pat. No. 1,066,892 do they teach the locking of a ladder in place without the need for first risking the climbing of an unfastened ladder.
  • the present invention constitutes a significant advance in the art in that Applicants ladder locking assembly not only achieves an arrangement for locking a ladder in place without the need for first climbing the ladder while it is still unfastened, but also achieves a structure which may be rapidly attached and detached so as to make it convenient and desirable for even transitory and short term uses of a ladder to avoid injurious slipping of the ladder.
  • Another object is the provision of a ladder locking assembly which inherently lends itself to rapid attachment and detachment from the structure at which the ladder is being used to thereby provide convenience and safety for even transitory and short term uses of the ladder.
  • a further object is the provision of a ladder locking assembly which is particularly applicable to conventional aluminum and magnesium ladders.
  • a ladder locking assembly in accordance with the present invention includes in combination a pair of brackets, a structure for fixing one of the brackets in place at one side of the ladder and the other bracket in place at the other side of the ladder, a turnbuckle for each of the brackets and having opposed ends carrying in each respective turnbuckle end an elongated turnbuckle rod, one of the rods for each turnbuckle being adapted for fastening to the bracket at a respective one of the ladder sides, and a fastener for rapid manual attachment and detachment of the other rod of each of the tumbuckles to the structure to which the ladder is to be locked.
  • the structure for fixing the brackets in place includes a bracket rod having two ends and of a cross sectional dimension for placing in the hollow of one of the rungs and being of a length such that the ends protrude from the respective sides of the ladder and are adapted for fastening the brackets in place at the respective sides of the ladder.
  • a spacer is provided between each bracket and adjacent web to form a base against which the respective bracket is fixed.
  • Rapid manual attachment and detachment is achieved by making the fastener arrangement in the form of an eye formation attachable to the structure on which the ladder is to be used, and providing a hook on the other rod of each of the tumbuckles for hooking onto such an eye formation for each of said other turnbuckle rods.
  • a similar eye formation on each of the brackets and a hook formation on the one rod of each of the turnbuckles provides a rapid attachment and detachment configuration at'the respective bracket.
  • FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of fragmentary portions of a conventional extension ladder and building illustrating representative levels at which the ladder may be fixed in place to the building by a preferred embodiment of the present ladder locking asembly invention
  • FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of fragmentary por tions of the FIG. 1 illustration
  • FIGS. 3 is a side view to enlarged scale of a portion of a preferred embodiment of the ladder locking assembly invention shown fastened at one end to a portion of the sill appearing in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the other end fastened to a portion of the ladder appearing in FIGS. 1 and 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the FIG. 3 illustratio taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 with only a portion of the ladder rung shown in cross section.
  • Three ladder locking assemblies in accordance with the present invention are designated generally by the numerals 10, 12 and 14 respectively in FIGS. 1 and 2 to illustrate different representative levels at which a conventional extension ladder 16 may be effectively locked to a building 18 such as a house to prevent injurious ladder slippage during use. Any one of the ladder locking assemblies 10, 12 or 14 is sufficient for securely holding the ladder 16 in place of normal use.
  • the illustrated levels at which the locking assemblies and 12 appear have the desirable characteristic of being attachable and detachable without the need for first climbing the ladder 16 as will be hereinafter further described.
  • each of the three ladder locking assemblies l0, l2 and 14 are similar and thus for convenience in illustration will be described in more detail with respect to the ladder locking assembly 10, one leg 20 of which is shown in enlarged scale in FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • the ladder locking assembly leg 20 has an L shaped bracket 22, one leg 24 of which is at one end of a bracket rod 25 on one side 26 of the bottom section 28 of the ladder 16.
  • the bracket rod 25 extends through a hole (not shown) in the bracket leg 24 and through the hollow 30 of a hollow rung 32 and projects beyond the other side 34 (FIG. 2) of the ladder 16.
  • Bracket 36 (FIG. 2) similar to the bracket 22.
  • a spacer 38 is placed between the bracket leg 24 and a web 40 which connects a pair of rails 42 and 44 in substantially the cross sectional form of an I beam to form the side 26 of the lad der 16 as conventional construction in aluminum and magnesium type ladders.
  • a similar spacer 46 (FIG. 2) is similarly placed with respect to the bracket 36 on the other side 34 of the ladder 16.
  • Each of the spacers 38 and 46 have a depth such that the respective brackets 22 and 36 clear the sides 26 and 34 of the ladder l6 and are of a width allowing clearance 48 (FIGS. 3 & 4) for guide channel 50 of upper section 52 of the ladder 16.
  • the upper section 52 of ladder 16 also has a web 54 connecting the guide channel 50 to a rail 56 (FIGS. 1 & 2) in substantially the form of an I beam which permits the ladder locking assembly 14 to be of similar construction to the ladder locking assembly 10.
  • a slot opening 58 is provided in spacer 38 and similarly in spacer 46 for permitting the spacers to move toward the bottom rail such as rail 42 and thereby insuring ample clearance 48 for travel of the upper ladder section 52 with respect to the bottom ladder section 28.
  • the brackets 22 and 36 are fixed in place against the respective spacers 38 and 46 by a conventional washer and nut such as the washer 60 and nut 62 screwed onto the threaded ends of the bracket rod 25 at respective sides 26 and 34 of the ladder 16.
  • Leg 64 of the bracket 22 has fixed thereto by a washer 66 and nut 68 an eye bolt 70 to which is detachably engaged a hook 72 at one end of a turnbuckle rod 74, the other end of which has screw threads 75 and is carried in one end of a turnbuckle 76 of a common axis with another turnbuckle rod 7 8 having screw threads 80 and carried in the other end of the turnbuckle 76.
  • the other turnbuckle rod 78 terminates in a book 82 similar to the hook 72 and engaging an eye screw 84 which has a screw portion 86 fixing it to a wooden fastening member 88 fastened by conventional nails 90 to a sill 92 below a window 94 of the building 18.
  • the screw threads on one of the turnbuckle rods 74 and 78 are right hand and left hand on the other so that rotation of the turnbuckle 76 in a selected direction adjusts the distance between the hooks 72 znd 82.
  • a turnbuckle 76 having a length 96 of about 20 inches and the turnbuckle rods 74 and 78 having length of threaded portions 98 Of about 10 inches each has been found to provide a single ladder locking assembly with a convenient and desirable wide useful range of ladder locking applications.
  • a similar arrangement of components with brackets 36 combine to form at the other side 34 of the ladder 16 another ladder locking leg 100 similar to the ladder locking leg 20 and similarly engaging a screw eye 102 fixed in a similar fastening block 104 nailed to a sill 106 below another window of the building 18.
  • the ladder 16 need not be centered between the windows 108 and 94 because the turnbuckle in each of the ladder locking legs 20 and 100 may be adjusted to compensate for varying distances between the respective brackets 22 and 36 at the sides of ladder 16and the screw eyes 88 and 102.
  • the sills 92 and 106 selected may be for first floor windows 94 and 108 so that they may be reached for nailing the fastening blocks 88 and 104 without climbing the ladder 16.
  • the brackets 22 and 36 are fastened as described above to a rung 34 which when the ladderv 16 is in place against the building 18 is at a height above the screw eyes 84 and 102 a sufficient distance such that the ladder locking legs 20 and 100 will preferably be in a plane substantially perpendicular to the ladder 16.
  • the distance between the hooks such as 72 and 82 of the turnbuckle rods is adjusted by rotating the respective tumbuckles for mounting to the associated eyes fixed to the brackets 22 and 36 and sills 92 and 106 so that a firm seating of the ladder against the building 18, which in the FIGS. 1 & 2 illustration is against gutter 109 of buiding 18, and the terrain 107 is obtained, whereupon the ladder is locked in place for normal use.
  • the tumbuckles in the legs and 100 are rotated to loosen and quickly remove the hooks from screw eyes 84 and 102 thereby permitting the ladder 16 to be moved to the new location where the fastener blocks 88 and 104 may again be similarly nailed to adjacent sills or even to siding 110 of the house 18 if desired.
  • the fastener blocks 88 and 104 may in each instance be removed when desired by prying away in conventional manner with a claw hammer.
  • screw eyes 112 and 114 similar to the screw eye 84 may be screwed directly to the sill resting on the concrete foundation 116 of the building 18.
  • screw eyes such as 1 l2 and 118 at suitable intervals around the entire building and left there permanently, in which case the brackets of the leg locking assembly 12 my be retained permanently in an appropriate rung l 18 for use at any desired location about the building 18.
  • similar screw eyes 102 and 122 may be screwed directly into the board 124 below the roof 126 of the building 18.
  • the rung 128 at which the ladder locking assembly 14 is mounted is preferably at about the same height as the screw eyes 120 and 122 so that the respective ladder locking legs are about parallel with the terrain 107.
  • a locking assembly for a ladder of the type having two sides and hollow rungs between the sides with each of the two ladder sides having a pair of rails and connecting web therebetween in the cross sectional form of substantially an I beam and the hollow rungs having two ends with each rung end fixed to the web adjacent the respective rung end, the combination of a pair of brackets with each of said brackets having a screw eye; means for fixing one of said pair of brackets in place at one of said sides and the other of said pair of brackets in place at the other of said sides, said means including a bracket rod having two ends and a cross sectional dimension for placing in the hollow of one of said rungs and being of a length such that said rod ends protrude from the respective sides of the ladder and are adapted for fastening the brackets at the respective sides of the ladder and including a spacer at each end of the bracket rod, each spacer having a surface for engaging said web and an opposed surface for clearing the associated ladder side to form a base for the associated bracket; a turnbuckle for each
  • each respective turnbuckle end an elongated turnbuckle rod
  • one of the rods for each turnbuckle includes a hook formation for fastening to said respective bracket; and means for rapid manual attachment and detachment of the other rod of each of said tumbuckles to a structure to which said ladder is to be locked.
  • said means for rapid attachment and detachment includes a hook formation on the other rod of each of said tumbuckles and a pair of eye formations with each eye formation being for receiving a respective one of said last mentioned hook formations and adapted for fastening to said structure to which the ladder is to be locked.
  • said adaptation for fastening includes a rigid member fixed to said eye formation and adapted for nailing to said structure.

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  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Ladders (AREA)

Abstract

An inexpensive rapidly attachable, detachable and rapidly adjustable locking assembly for combining with a ladder for locking the ladder in place at any desired position against a structure and thereby prevent injurious ladder slippage during use. The locking assembly is particularly suitable for a ladder of the type having two sides with each side having a pair of rails and web therebetween in substantially the cross sectional form of an I beam and hollow rungs with each of the rung ends fixed to the respective adjacent web. The locking assembly has a metal rod extending through one of the hollow rungs with the rod ends projecting beyond the sides of the ladder, a spacer on each of the ends of the metal rod rest against the outside of the web and project beyond each of the sides of the ladder to form a base for a bracket fixed to each of the metal rod ends, each bracket having an eye bolt, a pair of substantially equal length rods for each of the brackets, each of the equal length rods having a hook at one end and screw threads a substantial distance along the respective rod at the other end, the threads on one of the equal length rods being right hand and on the other being left hand and screwed into opposed ends of a turnbuckle having a length approximately equal to the combined length of the screw thread portions on the associated equal length rods, and an eye formation for each of the ladder sides adapted for attaching to the structure against which the ladder is to be locked in place and adapted for receiving the hook on the other of the turnbuckle rods.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Phelan [4 1 Sept. 9, 1975 LADDER LOCKING ASSEMBLY [22] Filed: June 24, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 482,429
Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 382,033, Oct. 29,
1973, abandoned.
Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Walter J. Kreske [57] ABSTRACT An inexpensive rapidly attachable, detachable and rapidly adjustable locking assembly for combining with a ladder for locking the ladder in place at any desired position against a structure and thereby prevent injurious ladder slippage during use. The locking assembly is particularly suitable for a ladder of the type having two sides with each side having a pair of rails and web therebetween in substantially the cross sectional form of an I beam and hollow rungs with each of the rung ends fixed to the respective adjacent web. 'The locking assembly has a metal rod extending through one of the hollow rungs with the rod ends projecting beyond the sides of the ladder, a spacer on each of the ends of the metal rod rest against the outside of the web and project beyond each of the sides of the ladder to form a base for a bracket fixed to each of the metal rod ends, each bracket having an eye bolt, a pair of substantially equal length rods for each of the brackets, each of the equal length rods having a hook at one end and screw threads a substantial distance along the respective rod at the other end, the threads on one of the equal length rods being right hand and on the other being left hand and screwed into opposed ends of a turnbuckle having a length approximately equal to the combined length of the screw thread portions on the associated equal length rods, and an eye formation for each of the ladder sides adapted for attaching to the structure against which the ladder is to be locked in place and adapted for receiving the hook on the other of the turnbuckle rods.
4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures LADDER LOCKING ASSEMBLY This is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 382,033, filed Oct. 29, 1973, which has been abandoned in favor of this continuation-in-part application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to device for holding ladders in place to prevent injurious slippage during use, and more particularly to an inexpensive, rapidly attachable, detachable and rapidly adjustable locking assembly for combining with a ladder for locking the ladder in place to a structure where the ladder is to be used and is characterized by a pair of brackets with one of the brackets being fixed in place at one side of the ladder and the other of the pair of brackets being fixed in place at the other side of the ladder, a turnbuckle for each of the brackets, each turnbuckle having opposed ends and carrying in each end an elongated turnbuckle rod, one of the rods of each turnbuckle being adapted for fastening to the bracket at the associated side of the ladder, and a configuration for rapid manual attachment and detachment of the other rod of each of the tumbuckles to the structure to which the ladder is to be locked.
The invention is particularly applicable to conventional aluminum or magnesium ladders of the type where each of the ladder sides is comprised of a pair of rails and connecting web therebetween in substantially the cross sectional form of an I beam and having hollow rungs with each of the rung ends fixed to the adjacent web, for which type the invention includes a bracket rod of sufficiently small cross sectional dimension for placement inside the hollow of one of the rungs and of a length that the ends of the bracket rod protrude from the respective sides of the ladder and are adapted for fastening the brackets in place at the respective sides of the ladder.
An eye bolt on each of the brackets and an associated hook on the end of one of the rods of each of the tumbuckles for hooking onto the associated eye formation are provided for achieving a rapid manual attaching and detaching arrangement.
A spacer is provided between each bracket and adjacent web to reduce the size of the brackets and increase the versatility of the invention.
Another hook on the end of the other rod of each of the tumbuckles, and an associated eye formation adapted for fixing to the structure to which the ladder is to be locked are provided for achieving a further simple and rapid manual attaching and detaching arrangement for locking the ladder in place.
Turnbuckles of about inches in length and turnbuckle rods with screw threads extending over about a 10 inch portion of each turnbuckle rod are found to provide a wide versatility and convenience in application of the invention to locking ladders in place.
Ladder fastening arrangements such as disclosed in Pat. No. 1,066,892 inherently requires the user to risk climbing an unfastened ladder for making the fastening installation. Also the fastening arrangement is cumbersome on the time involved for its installation and thus not suitable for most ladder applications which are transitory and of short duration.
Also, the turnbuckles and adjustable arm arrangements disclosed in Pat. Nos. 14,156 and 1,279,299 are for scaffoldings which by inherent configuration are installations of relatively long duration and do not teach applicability to transient and short duration uses, a characteristic of most ladder use. Nor even if combined with the ladder of Pat. No. 1,066,892 do they teach the locking of a ladder in place without the need for first risking the climbing of an unfastened ladder.
The present invention constitutes a significant advance in the art in that Applicants ladder locking assembly not only achieves an arrangement for locking a ladder in place without the need for first climbing the ladder while it is still unfastened, but also achieves a structure which may be rapidly attached and detached so as to make it convenient and desirable for even transitory and short term uses of a ladder to avoid injurious slipping of the ladder.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a ladder locking assembly which may be used to lock a ladder in place without the need for climbing the ladder while still unfastened.
Another object is the provision of a ladder locking assembly which inherently lends itself to rapid attachment and detachment from the structure at which the ladder is being used to thereby provide convenience and safety for even transitory and short term uses of the ladder.
And a further object is the provision of a ladder locking assembly which is particularly applicable to conventional aluminum and magnesium ladders.
Further objects include the provision of a ladder locking assembly which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, lends itself to mass production, and is relatively simple in construction and operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A ladder locking assembly in accordance with the present invention includes in combination a pair of brackets, a structure for fixing one of the brackets in place at one side of the ladder and the other bracket in place at the other side of the ladder, a turnbuckle for each of the brackets and having opposed ends carrying in each respective turnbuckle end an elongated turnbuckle rod, one of the rods for each turnbuckle being adapted for fastening to the bracket at a respective one of the ladder sides, and a fastener for rapid manual attachment and detachment of the other rod of each of the tumbuckles to the structure to which the ladder is to be locked. I
For conventional aluminum and magnesium ladders where each of the sides have a pair of rails and connecting web therebetween in the cross sectional form of substantially an I beam and hollow rungs with ends fixed to the adjacent web, the structure for fixing the brackets in place includes a bracket rod having two ends and of a cross sectional dimension for placing in the hollow of one of the rungs and being of a length such that the ends protrude from the respective sides of the ladder and are adapted for fastening the brackets in place at the respective sides of the ladder.
To reduce the size of each of the brackets and increase the versatility of the ladder locking assembly, a spacer is provided between each bracket and adjacent web to form a base against which the respective bracket is fixed.
Rapid manual attachment and detachment is achieved by making the fastener arrangement in the form of an eye formation attachable to the structure on which the ladder is to be used, and providing a hook on the other rod of each of the tumbuckles for hooking onto such an eye formation for each of said other turnbuckle rods.
A similar eye formation on each of the brackets and a hook formation on the one rod of each of the turnbuckles provides a rapid attachment and detachment configuration at'the respective bracket.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with the features, ob jects and advantages thereof will be better understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers identify like components and in which FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of fragmentary portions of a conventional extension ladder and building illustrating representative levels at which the ladder may be fixed in place to the building by a preferred embodiment of the present ladder locking asembly invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of fragmentary por tions of the FIG. 1 illustration;
FIGS. 3 is a side view to enlarged scale of a portion of a preferred embodiment of the ladder locking assembly invention shown fastened at one end to a portion of the sill appearing in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the other end fastened to a portion of the ladder appearing in FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the FIG. 3 illustratio taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 with only a portion of the ladder rung shown in cross section.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Three ladder locking assemblies in accordance with the present invention are designated generally by the numerals 10, 12 and 14 respectively in FIGS. 1 and 2 to illustrate different representative levels at which a conventional extension ladder 16 may be effectively locked to a building 18 such as a house to prevent injurious ladder slippage during use. Any one of the ladder locking assemblies 10, 12 or 14 is sufficient for securely holding the ladder 16 in place of normal use. The illustrated levels at which the locking assemblies and 12 appear have the desirable characteristic of being attachable and detachable without the need for first climbing the ladder 16 as will be hereinafter further described.
The construction of components of each of the three ladder locking assemblies l0, l2 and 14 are similar and thus for convenience in illustration will be described in more detail with respect to the ladder locking assembly 10, one leg 20 of which is shown in enlarged scale in FIGS. 3 and 4. The ladder locking assembly leg 20 has an L shaped bracket 22, one leg 24 of which is at one end of a bracket rod 25 on one side 26 of the bottom section 28 of the ladder 16. The bracket rod 25 extends through a hole (not shown) in the bracket leg 24 and through the hollow 30 of a hollow rung 32 and projects beyond the other side 34 (FIG. 2) of the ladder 16.
where it extends through another bracket 36 (FIG. 2) similar to the bracket 22. A spacer 38 is placed between the bracket leg 24 and a web 40 which connects a pair of rails 42 and 44 in substantially the cross sectional form of an I beam to form the side 26 of the lad der 16 as conventional construction in aluminum and magnesium type ladders. A similar spacer 46 (FIG. 2) is similarly placed with respect to the bracket 36 on the other side 34 of the ladder 16. Each of the spacers 38 and 46 have a depth such that the respective brackets 22 and 36 clear the sides 26 and 34 of the ladder l6 and are of a width allowing clearance 48 (FIGS. 3 & 4) for guide channel 50 of upper section 52 of the ladder 16. The upper section 52 of ladder 16 also has a web 54 connecting the guide channel 50 to a rail 56 (FIGS. 1 & 2) in substantially the form of an I beam which permits the ladder locking assembly 14 to be of similar construction to the ladder locking assembly 10. A slot opening 58 is provided in spacer 38 and similarly in spacer 46 for permitting the spacers to move toward the bottom rail such as rail 42 and thereby insuring ample clearance 48 for travel of the upper ladder section 52 with respect to the bottom ladder section 28.
The brackets 22 and 36 are fixed in place against the respective spacers 38 and 46 by a conventional washer and nut such as the washer 60 and nut 62 screwed onto the threaded ends of the bracket rod 25 at respective sides 26 and 34 of the ladder 16. Leg 64 of the bracket 22 has fixed thereto by a washer 66 and nut 68 an eye bolt 70 to which is detachably engaged a hook 72 at one end of a turnbuckle rod 74, the other end of which has screw threads 75 and is carried in one end of a turnbuckle 76 of a common axis with another turnbuckle rod 7 8 having screw threads 80 and carried in the other end of the turnbuckle 76. The other turnbuckle rod 78 terminates in a book 82 similar to the hook 72 and engaging an eye screw 84 which has a screw portion 86 fixing it to a wooden fastening member 88 fastened by conventional nails 90 to a sill 92 below a window 94 of the building 18. The screw threads on one of the turnbuckle rods 74 and 78 are right hand and left hand on the other so that rotation of the turnbuckle 76 in a selected direction adjusts the distance between the hooks 72 znd 82. Also, a turnbuckle 76 having a length 96 of about 20 inches and the turnbuckle rods 74 and 78 having length of threaded portions 98 Of about 10 inches each has been found to provide a single ladder locking assembly with a convenient and desirable wide useful range of ladder locking applications.
A similar arrangement of components with brackets 36 combine to form at the other side 34 of the ladder 16 another ladder locking leg 100 similar to the ladder locking leg 20 and similarly engaging a screw eye 102 fixed in a similar fastening block 104 nailed to a sill 106 below another window of the building 18. The ladder 16 need not be centered between the windows 108 and 94 because the turnbuckle in each of the ladder locking legs 20 and 100 may be adjusted to compensate for varying distances between the respective brackets 22 and 36 at the sides of ladder 16and the screw eyes 88 and 102.
In operation of the ladder locking assembly 10, the sills 92 and 106 selected may be for first floor windows 94 and 108 so that they may be reached for nailing the fastening blocks 88 and 104 without climbing the ladder 16. The brackets 22 and 36 are fastened as described above to a rung 34 which when the ladderv 16 is in place against the building 18 is at a height above the screw eyes 84 and 102 a sufficient distance such that the ladder locking legs 20 and 100 will preferably be in a plane substantially perpendicular to the ladder 16. The distance between the hooks such as 72 and 82 of the turnbuckle rods is adjusted by rotating the respective tumbuckles for mounting to the associated eyes fixed to the brackets 22 and 36 and sills 92 and 106 so that a firm seating of the ladder against the building 18, which in the FIGS. 1 & 2 illustration is against gutter 109 of buiding 18, and the terrain 107 is obtained, whereupon the ladder is locked in place for normal use.
To move the ladder 16 to a new location, the tumbuckles in the legs and 100 are rotated to loosen and quickly remove the hooks from screw eyes 84 and 102 thereby permitting the ladder 16 to be moved to the new location where the fastener blocks 88 and 104 may again be similarly nailed to adjacent sills or even to siding 110 of the house 18 if desired. The fastener blocks 88 and 104 may in each instance be removed when desired by prying away in conventional manner with a claw hammer.
Alternatively, in place of fastening blocks 88 and 104, screw eyes 112 and 114 similar to the screw eye 84 may be screwed directly to the sill resting on the concrete foundation 116 of the building 18. In such event it is convenient to provide screw eyes such as 1 l2 and 118 at suitable intervals around the entire building and left there permanently, in which case the brackets of the leg locking assembly 12 my be retained permanently in an appropriate rung l 18 for use at any desired location about the building 18.
Also alternatively, similar screw eyes 102 and 122 may be screwed directly into the board 124 below the roof 126 of the building 18. In such event the rung 128 at which the ladder locking assembly 14 is mounted is preferably at about the same height as the screw eyes 120 and 122 so that the respective ladder locking legs are about parallel with the terrain 107.
This invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and operation as equivalents will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.
What is claimed is:
1. In a locking assembly for a ladder of the type having two sides and hollow rungs between the sides with each of the two ladder sides having a pair of rails and connecting web therebetween in the cross sectional form of substantially an I beam and the hollow rungs having two ends with each rung end fixed to the web adjacent the respective rung end, the combination of a pair of brackets with each of said brackets having a screw eye; means for fixing one of said pair of brackets in place at one of said sides and the other of said pair of brackets in place at the other of said sides, said means including a bracket rod having two ends and a cross sectional dimension for placing in the hollow of one of said rungs and being of a length such that said rod ends protrude from the respective sides of the ladder and are adapted for fastening the brackets at the respective sides of the ladder and including a spacer at each end of the bracket rod, each spacer having a surface for engaging said web and an opposed surface for clearing the associated ladder side to form a base for the associated bracket; a turnbuckle for each of said sides, each of said tumbuckles having opposed ends and carrying. in each respective turnbuckle end an elongated turnbuckle rod, one of the rods for each turnbuckle includes a hook formation for fastening to said respective bracket; and means for rapid manual attachment and detachment of the other rod of each of said tumbuckles to a structure to which said ladder is to be locked.
2.. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said means for rapid attachment and detachment includes a hook formation on the other rod of each of said tumbuckles and a pair of eye formations with each eye formation being for receiving a respective one of said last mentioned hook formations and adapted for fastening to said structure to which the ladder is to be locked.
3. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said adaptation for fastening to said structure is a wood screw formation on said eye formation.
4. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said adaptation for fastening includes a rigid member fixed to said eye formation and adapted for nailing to said structure.

Claims (4)

1. In a locking assembly for a ladder of the type having two sides and hollow rungs between the sides with each of the two ladder sides having a pair of rails and connecting web therebetween in the cross sectional form of substantially an I beam and the hollow rungs having two ends with each rung end fixed to the web adjacent the respective rung end, the combination of a pair of brackets with each of said brackets having a screw eye; means for fixing one of said pair of brackets in place at one of said sides and the other of said pair of brackets in place at the other of said sides, said means including a bracket rod having two ends and a cross sectional dimension for placing in the hollow of one of said rungs and being of a length such that said rod ends protrude from the respective sides of the ladder and are adapted for fastening the brackets at the respective sides of the ladder and including a spacer at each end of the bracket rod, each spacer having a surface for engaging said web and an opposed surface for clearing the associated ladder side to form a base for the associated bracket; a turnbuckle for each of said sides, each of said turnbuckles having opposed ends and carrying in each respective turnbuckle end an elongated turnbuckle rod, one of the rods for each turnbuckle includes a hook formation for fastening to said respective bracket; and means for rapid manual attachment and detachment of the other rod of each of said turnbuckles to a structure to which said ladder is to be locked.
2. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said means for rapid attachment and detachment includes a hook formation on the other rod of each of said turnbuckles and a pair of eye formations with each eye formation being for receiving a respective one of said last mentioned hook formations and adapted for fastening to said structure to which the ladder is to be locked.
3. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said adaptation for fastening to said structure is a wood screw formation on said eye formation.
4. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said adaptation for fastening includes a rigid member fixed to said eye formation and adapted for nailing to said structure.
US482429A 1973-10-29 1974-06-24 Ladder locking assembly Expired - Lifetime US3903991A (en)

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Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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US3998294A (en) * 1976-02-04 1976-12-21 Moeller Melvin A Connecting device adapted to maintain an object at a selected distance from a wall
US4083427A (en) * 1976-11-26 1978-04-11 Eli Box Ladder scaffold
US4578016A (en) * 1983-06-20 1986-03-25 Richardson John H Shingle loading ladder
US4924971A (en) * 1989-05-09 1990-05-15 Rice Billy M Ladder safety apparatus
US4941547A (en) * 1989-09-25 1990-07-17 Livick Lester R Safety featured ladder scaffolding
US5373913A (en) * 1989-02-08 1994-12-20 Joseph H. Couch, III Ladder stabilizer comprising intermediate connection from ladder to vertical structure
GB2326664A (en) * 1997-06-25 1998-12-30 Trevor Newton Locking ladder restraint
US6427803B1 (en) * 2001-01-05 2002-08-06 Scott A. Moore Apparatus for securing ladder to building structure
GB2380759A (en) * 2001-10-06 2003-04-16 Channel Covers Ltd A ladder mounting assembly for securing a ladder to a wall of an access chamber
WO2003100204A1 (en) * 2002-05-28 2003-12-04 Houen Terje H A securing device for a ladder
US6805221B1 (en) * 2003-03-19 2004-10-19 Howard Lee Ladder positioning system
US20050284698A1 (en) * 2004-06-29 2005-12-29 Carter Allen Ladder support
GB2432621A (en) * 2005-11-24 2007-05-30 Douglas Burton A ladder stabilising device fixing the base of the ladder to an anchor point.
WO2009021174A2 (en) * 2007-08-08 2009-02-12 Anderson Patrick K Adjustable scaffold ladder bracket apparatus
WO2009105826A1 (en) * 2008-02-28 2009-09-03 Safety Compliance Design And Services Pty Ltd A height safety system
US20110017549A1 (en) * 2009-07-27 2011-01-27 Lietz James D Stabilizer kit for providing reinforcing support to a ladder
US8881866B1 (en) * 2013-03-25 2014-11-11 Diana Costello Self-rescue device
US20150259982A1 (en) * 2014-03-17 2015-09-17 John J. Maragliano Apparatus for detachably securing a ladder to a shoring structure and method of use thereof
NO20151343A1 (en) * 2015-10-08 2017-04-10 Inventu As Device for leveling ladders, as well as a tensioning device and fastening device for such ladder.

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US2854291A (en) * 1954-02-15 1958-09-30 Henry J Riblet Scaffold apparatus
US3318415A (en) * 1966-03-15 1967-05-09 Sr Aldis J Christie Platform for ladders

Cited By (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3998294A (en) * 1976-02-04 1976-12-21 Moeller Melvin A Connecting device adapted to maintain an object at a selected distance from a wall
US4083427A (en) * 1976-11-26 1978-04-11 Eli Box Ladder scaffold
US4578016A (en) * 1983-06-20 1986-03-25 Richardson John H Shingle loading ladder
US5373913A (en) * 1989-02-08 1994-12-20 Joseph H. Couch, III Ladder stabilizer comprising intermediate connection from ladder to vertical structure
US4924971A (en) * 1989-05-09 1990-05-15 Rice Billy M Ladder safety apparatus
US4941547A (en) * 1989-09-25 1990-07-17 Livick Lester R Safety featured ladder scaffolding
GB2326664A (en) * 1997-06-25 1998-12-30 Trevor Newton Locking ladder restraint
GB2326664B (en) * 1997-06-25 2001-08-01 Trevor Newton Ladder fittings and systems
US6427803B1 (en) * 2001-01-05 2002-08-06 Scott A. Moore Apparatus for securing ladder to building structure
GB2380759A (en) * 2001-10-06 2003-04-16 Channel Covers Ltd A ladder mounting assembly for securing a ladder to a wall of an access chamber
WO2003100204A1 (en) * 2002-05-28 2003-12-04 Houen Terje H A securing device for a ladder
US6805221B1 (en) * 2003-03-19 2004-10-19 Howard Lee Ladder positioning system
US20050284698A1 (en) * 2004-06-29 2005-12-29 Carter Allen Ladder support
GB2432621A (en) * 2005-11-24 2007-05-30 Douglas Burton A ladder stabilising device fixing the base of the ladder to an anchor point.
US20110226554A1 (en) * 2007-08-08 2011-09-22 Anderson Patrick K Adjustable scaffold ladder bracket apparatus
WO2009021174A2 (en) * 2007-08-08 2009-02-12 Anderson Patrick K Adjustable scaffold ladder bracket apparatus
WO2009021174A3 (en) * 2007-08-08 2009-04-23 Patrick K Anderson Adjustable scaffold ladder bracket apparatus
WO2009105826A1 (en) * 2008-02-28 2009-09-03 Safety Compliance Design And Services Pty Ltd A height safety system
US20110088969A1 (en) * 2008-02-28 2011-04-21 Safety Compliance Design And Services Pty Ltd Height safety system
US20110017549A1 (en) * 2009-07-27 2011-01-27 Lietz James D Stabilizer kit for providing reinforcing support to a ladder
US8424642B2 (en) 2009-07-27 2013-04-23 James D. Lietz Stabilizer kit for providing reinforcing support to a ladder
US8881866B1 (en) * 2013-03-25 2014-11-11 Diana Costello Self-rescue device
US20150259982A1 (en) * 2014-03-17 2015-09-17 John J. Maragliano Apparatus for detachably securing a ladder to a shoring structure and method of use thereof
US9951558B2 (en) * 2014-03-17 2018-04-24 John J. Maragliano Apparatus for detachably securing a ladder to a shoring structure and method of use thereof
NO20151343A1 (en) * 2015-10-08 2017-04-10 Inventu As Device for leveling ladders, as well as a tensioning device and fastening device for such ladder.
US10738534B2 (en) 2015-10-08 2020-08-11 Inventu As Device for the nivellation of ladders

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