Patent ID: 7967110
Filing Date: 2011-06-28
Classification: E04F,E06C

Abstract:
1. An access ladder for accessing an attic from a floor by a user, the attic having an access opening and an attic floor, the ladder comprising: a plurality of sections connected together to telescope between an extended position from the attic to the floor and a retracted position where the plurality of sections are disposed in the attic during use, the plurality of sections have an increasing reactive force to counterbalance a weight of the sections as they extend, the sections include a lowest section, an uppermost section and a plurality of middle sections; and a mounting bracket attached to the uppermost section and fixed to the attic floor at the access opening during use, and feet attached to the lowest section that rest on the floor when the ladder is in the extended position during use, a cross piece attached to the uppermost section which stiffens the ladder and provides a hand hold to the user when in use, wherein each section has a step and a tube on each side of the step, wherein the tubes of each of the middle sections respectively have a slightly smaller diameter than tubes of the section directly attached above, and the tubes of the lower section have a slightly smaller diameter than tubes of the middle section directly attached above so that the middle and lower sections can telescope to the extended and retracted positions, and wherein the tubes of each side of the sections align to form a channel on each side of the sections, each channel having an extension spring that extends within each channel from the uppermost section to the lowest section, and wherein each middle section has a plunger assembly respectively located at each side of the step of each middle section, each plunger assembly slides between an extended position and a retracted position; when each plunger assembly is in the retracted position, each plunger assembly does not protrude into the tube of the corresponding side of said respective step so that each respective middle section can move relative to the section attached directly above; when each plunger assembly is in the extended position, each plunger assembly does protrude into the tube of the corresponding side of said respective step so that each respective middle section is locked in place relative to the section attached directly above.