Abstract:
Masonry project kits assist with building basements. In the course of building a basement, it is frequently necessary to climb over and lift equipment over walls. A wall hanger is provided to attach a ladder to the side of a wall. The ladder&#39;s height can be adjusted by changing which rungs are hung on the wall hanger. A platform at the base of the ladder allows the floor of a basement to be finished without leaving footprints. A hoist is also included for lifting loads into and out of a basement or over a wall. The hoist securely mounts to the corner of a wall. Both the wall hanger and the hoist accommodate a variety of wall widths.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a masonry project kit for use in connection with construction. The masonry project kit has particular utility in connection with building basements. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Masonry project kits are desirable for building basements. In the course of building a basement, it is frequently necessary to climb over and lift equipment over walls. It is also desirable to be able to access the floor of a basement without standing on it so that footprints will not be created. Masonry project kits provide a convenient mechanism for climbing walls and hoisting objects over walls. Furthermore, a platform attached to the ladder portion of the masonry project kit allows the user to finish a floor without contacting it with their feet. The hoist portion of the masonry project kit allows one or two people to lift equipment, such as a power trowel, easily. 
   The use of portable, collapsible hoist apparatuses is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,742 to Stenger et al. discloses a portable, collapsible hoist apparatus. However, the Stenger et al. &#39;742 patent does not have a V-shaped wall support, and has further drawbacks of lacking a base shaped like two rectangles perpendicular to one another with one overlapping corner. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,300 to Fox discloses a parapet-mounted hoist that is made from an elongated cradle. However, the Fox &#39;300 patent does not have a V-shaped wall support, and additionally does not have a base shaped like two rectangles perpendicular to one another with one overlapping corner. 
   Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,989 to Avila, Jr. discloses an extensible and collapsible portable derrick that can be disassembled and arranged in compact units. However, the Avila, Jr. &#39;989 patent does not have a V-shaped wall support, and does not have a base shaped like two rectangles perpendicular to one another with one overlapping corner. 
   In addition, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 391,034 to Fukutomi discloses a roof car. However, the Fukutomi &#39;034 patent does not have a V-shaped wall support, and also does not have a base shaped like two rectangles perpendicular to one another with one overlapping corner. 
   Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,741 to Boon discloses a readily disassembleable portable roof hoist mounted on the roof of a building for lifting heavy products to the roof from below that has a winch drum driven by a hydraulic motor. However, the Boon &#39;741 patent does not have a V-shaped wall support, and further lacks a base shaped like two rectangles perpendicular to one another with one overlapping corner. 
   Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,920 to Gronbeck et al. discloses a collapsible ladder that includes a plurality of platforms suspended from several rope segments. However, the Gronbeck et al. &#39;920 patent does not have a hingedly attached platform, and has the additional deficiency of lacking a wall hanger. 
   While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a masonry project kit that allows building basements. The Stenger et al. &#39;742 patent, the Fox &#39;300 patent, the Avila, Jr. &#39;989 patent, the Fukutomi &#39;034 patent, and the Boon &#39;741 patent make no provision for a V-shaped wall support or a base shaped like two rectangles perpendicular to one another with one overlapping corner. The Gronbeck et al. &#39;920 patent does not have a hingedly attached platform, and has the additional deficiency of lacking a wall hanger. 
   Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved masonry project kit that can be used for building basements. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the masonry project kit according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of building basements. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of portable, collapsible hoist apparatuses now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved masonry project kit, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved masonry project kit and method which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a masonry project kit which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
   To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a ladder with an attached wall hanger and a hoist. 
   There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
   The invention may also include the ladder having a hingedly attached platform and a support brace at one end. The wall hanger may have ladder brackets and a rear hanger brace. The hoist may have a winch, a lifting cable, a pulley, a clip, and a retaining ring. The winch may have a slidably mounted wall support adjuster with attached wall support. The hoist may have a first hoist tube rotatably inserted into a hoist tube fitting. The hoist may have a base shaped like two rectangles perpendicular to one another with one overlapping corner. The wall support adjuster may have a wall support adjuster stop threadedly inserted into a wall support adjuster stop hole. The ladder, wall hanger, and base may be made of steel, plastic, aluminum, titanium, or carbon fiber composite. The lifting cable may be made of rope, wire, cable, or chain. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached. 
   Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
   As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved masonry project kit that has all of the advantages of the prior art portable, collapsible hoist apparatuses and none of the disadvantages. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved masonry project kit that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
   An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved masonry project kit that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such masonry project kit economically available to the buying public. 
   Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new masonry project kit that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
   Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a masonry project kit for building basements. This allows the user to finish a floor without leaving footprints. 
   Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a masonry project kit for building basements. This makes it possible to lift equipment over a wall and lower it on the other side. 
   An additional object of the present invention is to provide a masonry project kit for building basements. This allows the user to hang a ladder from a wall. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide a masonry project kit for building basements. This enables the user to adjust the height of the ladder. 
   Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved masonry project kit for building basements. 
   These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the masonry project kit constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the masonry project kit of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a rear side view of the wall hanger of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a top side view of the hoist of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a top perspective sectional view of the hoist of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the masonry project kit of the present invention. 
   

   The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to  FIGS. 1–6 , a preferred embodiment of the masonry project kit of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . 
   In  FIG. 1 , a new and improved masonry project kit  10  of the present invention for building basements is illustrated and will be described. More particularly, the masonry project kit  10  has a ladder  12  with rung supports  14  supporting rungs  16 . Hinge  94  is attached to one end of rung supports  14  and allows platform  24  to flip up when it is not needed. Plate  28  and platform supports  26  comprise platform  24 . Support brace  18  also is attached to one end of rung supports  14 . Support brace  18  supports a load placed on platform  24  and comprises brace wall supports  20  and brace wall support cross members  22 . Ladder  12  removably hangs from the ladder brackets  32  of wall hanger  30  by rungs  16 . The height of ladder  12  can be adjusted by changing which rungs  16  are hung from ladder brackets  32 . Ladder brackets  32  are attached to ladder bracket supports  34 . Front wall hanger supports  38  attached to one end of ladder bracket supports  34  support the load applied to ladder brackets  32 . Top wall hanger supports  40  are attached to the opposing end of ladder bracket supports  34 . Side wall hanger supports  42  and front wall hanger support cross members  36  are attached to ladder bracket supports  34  and further reinforce ladder bracket supports  34 . Rear hanger brace  44  is attached to the opposing end of top wall hanger supports  40 . Rear hanger brace  44  comprises exterior rear brace supports  46 , exterior rear brace support cross members  48 , interior rear brace supports  50 , and interior rear brace support cross members  52 . Rear hanger brace  44  will be discussed in detail in the discussion of  FIG. 3 . The components of ladder  12  and wall hanger  30  are made of steel in the current embodiment. 
   Moving on to  FIG. 2 , a new and improved masonry project kit  10  of the present invention for building basements is illustrated and will be described. More particularly, the masonry project kit  10  is removably attached to wall  96 . Ladder  12  is hanging from ladder brackets  32 . The front wall hanger support  38  and the support brace  18  support ladder  12  and wall hanger  30  against the front face of wall  96 . Top wall hanger supports  40  and side wall hanger supports  42  transfer the load of ladder  12  to the top of wall  96 . Rear hanger brace  44  prevents wall hanger  30  from slipping off of the top of wall  96 . Rung supports  14 , rungs  16 , brace wall support  20 , brace wall support cross member  22 , platform  24 , platform supports  26 , plate  28 , ladder bracket support  34 , front wall hanger support cross member  36 , exterior rear brace support  46 , exterior rear brace support cross member  48 , interior rear brace supports  50 , and interior rear brace support cross members  52  are also shown. In the current embodiment, wall hanger  30  accommodates walls  96  with widths of eight to twelve inches. Note that the broken lines illustrating wall  96  are for illustrative purposes only and are not part of the current invention. 
   Continuing with  FIG. 3 , a new and improved wall hanger  30  of the present invention for building basements is illustrated and will be described. More particularly, the wall hanger  30  has a rear hanger brace  44 . Rear hanger brace  44  comprises exterior rear brace supports  46  with their ends connected by exterior rear brace support cross members  48 . Rear hanger brace  44  also comprises interior rear brace support cross members  52  with their ends connected to exterior rear brace support cross members  48 . The ends of interior rear brace supports  50  are connected by interior rear brace support cross members  52 . The structure of rear hanger brace  44  ensures that wall hanger  30  will not slip off of the top of wall  96  (not shown). 
   In  FIG. 4 , a new and improved hoist  54  of the present invention for building basements is illustrated and will be described. More particularly, the hoist  54  has a base  56 . Base  56  has a first base support member  74  crossing over second base support member  76 . Third base support member  78  has one end attached to one end of first base support member  74 . Fourth base support member  80  has one end attached to the opposing end of third base support member  78  and the other end attached to one end of second base support member  76 . Fifth base support member  82  has one end attached to the opposing end of second base support member  76 . Sixth base support member  84  has one end attached to the opposing end of fifth base support member  82  and the opposing end attached to the opposing end of first base support member  74 . Hoist tube fitting  58  has its sidewall attached to first base support member  74  and second base support member  76 . Seventh base support member  86  is attached to the middle of base  56 . Wall support adjuster  88  is slidably mounted on seventh base support member  86  and has wall support adjuster stop hole  92  in its top. Wall support  90  is attached to the underside of wall support adjuster  88 . In the current embodiment, base  56 , hoist tube fitting  58 , seventh base support member  86 , wall support adjuster  88 , and wall support  90  are made of steel. 
   Furthermore, in  FIG. 5 , a new and improved hoist  54  of the present invention for building basements is illustrated and will be described. More particularly, the hoist  54  has a base  56  with an attached hoist tube fitting  58 . First hoist tube  60  has one end rotatably inserted into hoist tube fitting  58 . Second hoist tube  62  has one end attached to the opposing end of first hoist tube  60  and a pulley  68  mounted on its opposing end. Winch  64  is mounted on the sidewall of second hoist tube  62 . Lifting cable  66  has one end attached to winch  64  and the opposing end attached to clip  70 . Clip  70  is removably connected to retaining ring  72  located on the sidewall of second hoist tube  62 . First base support member  74 , second base support member  76 , fifth base support member  82 , sixth base support member  84 , seventh base support member  86 , wall support adjuster  88 , and wall support  90  are also shown. Wall support adjuster stop  94  is visible threadedly inserted into wall support adjuster stop hole  92 . Wall support adjuster stop  94  locks wall support adjuster  88  in place when it is screwed down. In the current embodiment, first hoist tube  60 , second hoist tube  62 , pulley  68 , clip  70 , retaining ring  72 , winch  64 , and wall support adjuster stop  94  are made of steel. Lifting cable  66  is made of steel cable in the current embodiment. 
   Lastly, in  FIG. 6 , a new and improved masonry project kit  10  of the present invention for building basements is illustrated and will be described. More particularly, the masonry project kit  10  has a base  56  resting atop wall  96 . Base  56  supports a load lifted by hoist  54 . Wall support  90  engages a corner of wall  96 , supporting base  56  by preventing it from sliding. Wall support adjuster  88  allows wall support  90  to be moved to fit a variety of wall  96  widths. A load to be lifted is removably connected to clip  70 . Cranking winch  64  takes up lifting cable  66  and lifts clip  70 . Pulley  68  rotates to guide lifting cable  66  over the end of second hoist tube  62  and keeps clip  70  away from wall  96 . First hoist tube  60 , retaining ring  72 , hoist tube fitting  58 , first base support member  74 , second base support member  76 , third base support member  78 , fourth base support member  80 , fifth base support member  82 , sixth base support member  84 , seventh base support member  86 , and wall support adjuster stop  94  are also shown. Note that the broken lines illustrating wall  96  are for illustrative purposes only and are not part of the current invention. 
   In use, it can now be understood that wall hanger  30  is placed over the top of wall  96 . The appropriate rungs  16  are hung on ladder brackets so that ladder  12  and platform  24  are at the appropriate height. Platform  24  is folded up and down as needed. Hoist  54  is mounted atop wall  96  by unscrewing wall support adjuster support  94 , sliding wall support adjuster  88  until wall support  90  engages with a corner of wall  96 , and screwing down wall support adjuster stop  94  to prevent wall support adjuster  88  from moving. First hoist tube  60  is rotated until clip  70  is above the load to be lifted. Clip  70  is then disengaged from retaining ring  72  and lowered by cranking winch  74 . Clip  70  is attached to a load and then winch  64  is used to take up lifting cable  66 , thereby lifting the load. First hoist tube  60  is rotated inside of hoist tube fitting  58  until clip  70  is above the desired resting place for the load. Winch  64  is then cranked to release lifting cable  66 , thereby lowering clip  70 . Clip  70  is then disengaged from the load, reattached to retaining ring  72 , and any slack in lifting cable  66  is drawn over pulley  68  by cranking winch  64 . 
   While a preferred embodiment of the masonry project kit has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. For example, any suitable sturdy material such as plastic, aluminum, titanium, or carbon fiber composite may be used instead of the steel ladder, wall hanger, base, wall support, wall support adjuster, wall support adjuster stop, hoist tube fitting, first hoist tube, second hoist tube, winch, pulley, clip, and seventh base support member described. Also, the steel cable lifting cable may also be made of rope, wire, or chain. And although building basements has been described, it should be appreciated that the masonry project kit herein described is also suitable for numerous lifting, climbing, and building activities. 
   Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.