SYSTEM FOR SECURING AN UPRIGHT LADDER

A system for securing an upright ladder provides a robust and reliable mechanism for securing the ladder to a vertical object such as a pole or tree. The system comprises: a pole bracket positioned adjacent a top distal end of the ladder between a first rail and a second rail of the ladder; an upper anchor mechanism positioned on or adjacent the first rail; an upper ratchet cleat mechanism positioned on or adjacent the second rail; and an eyelet/guider positioned adjacent the upper ratchet cleat mechanism for guiding, in use, a rope into the upper ratchet cleat mechanism; wherein the upper anchor mechanism and the upper ratchet cleat mechanism are positioned at approximately a same longitudinal distance from the top distal end of the ladder.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The high risks and dangers of injury or death caused when people fall from ladders are well documented. Safework Australia reported that in the twelve years from 1 Jan. 2003 to 31 Dec. 2015, 54 workers died in Australia following a fall from a ladder. In the united states, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that falls remain a leading cause of unintentional injury mortality nationwide and report that approximately 300 people die from ladder related injuries per year in the United States. Among workers, approximately 20% of fall injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments (EDs) involve a ladder.

Falls from ladders are particularly likely when a ladder is not properly erected. Also, the use of ladders for climbing poles and trees can add additional risk, as the top rung of the ladder generally rests against a single point on the pole or tree. The top of the ladder can thus easily pivot about the pole or tree and initiate a fall of the user.

Various prior art devices have been conceived to secure the tops of ladders to poles or trees to reduce the risk of falls. For example, numerous patents have been granted for different types of ladder designs that include grasping mechanisms at the top of the ladder for grabbing a pole or tree, and are intended to reduce the risk that a ladder will unintentionally slip or pivot about the pole or tree after the ladder has been erected.

However, the prior art devices suffer from numerous deficiencies, including excessive complexity, unreliable locking mechanisms, low strength, excessive weight, and difficulty of operation.

There is therefore a need for an improved system for securing an upright ladder against a pole or tree.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome and /or alleviate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect, the invention is a system for securing an upright ladder, comprising:

a pole bracket positioned adjacent a top distal end of the ladder between a first rail and a second rail of the ladder;

an upper anchor mechanism positioned on or adjacent the first rail;

an upper ratchet cleat mechanism positioned on or adjacent the second rail; and

an eyelet/guider positioned adjacent the upper ratchet cleat mechanism for guiding, in use, a rope into the upper ratchet cleat mechanism;

wherein the upper anchor mechanism and the upper ratchet cleat mechanism are positioned at approximately a same longitudinal distance from the top distal end of the ladder.

Preferably, the system further comprises:

a lower anchor mechanism positioned on or adjacent the first rail; and

a lower ratchet cleat mechanism positioned on or adjacent the second rail;

wherein the lower anchor mechanism and the lower cleat mechanism are positioned at approximately a same longitudinal distance from the top distal end of the ladder.

Preferably, a rope having a first end is secured to the upper (or lower) anchor mechanism, wherein the rope extends around a vertical object and is locked into the upper (or lower) ratchet cleat mechanism, thus securing the pole bracket against the vertical object.

Preferably, the upper (or lower) anchor mechanism comprises an eyelet for securing a carabiner.

Preferably, the upper (or lower) ratchet cleat mechanism is a cam cleat comprising a pair of rotatable cams.

Preferably, the eyelet/guider positioned adjacent the upper ratchet cleat mechanism is located approximately 35 mm to 150 mm from a centre point between the rotatable cams.

Preferably, the upper (or lower) anchor mechanism and the cleat mechanism are secured to a rung of the ladder.

Preferably, the upper (or lower) anchor mechanism is secured to the first rail and the upper (or lower) ratchet cleat mechanism is secured to the second rail.

Preferably, the upper (or lower) anchor mechanism and the upper (or lower) ratchet cleat mechanism are each retrofittably secured to the ladder using a U-bolt or brackets or straps or clamps.

Preferably, the ladder comprises an extension ladder, and the upper anchor and cleat mechanisms are secured to an upper extension member of the ladder and the lower anchor and cleat mechanisms are secured to a lower base member of the ladder.

In another form, although not necessarily the only or the broadest form, the invention resides in a kit for assembling the system of claim1, the kit comprising:

the upper anchor mechanism as defined above;

the upper ratchet cleat mechanism; and

bolts for connecting the upper anchor mechanism and the upper ratchet cleat mechanism to a ladder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention relates to a system for securing an upright ladder. Elements of the invention are illustrated in concise outline form in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are necessary to understanding the embodiments of the present invention, but so as not to clutter the disclosure with excessive detail that will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present description.

In this patent specification, adjectives such as first and second, left and right, top and bottom, upper and lower, rear, front and side, etc., are used solely to define one element or method step from another element or method step without necessarily requiring a specific relative position or sequence that is described by the adjectives. Words such as “comprises” or “includes” are not used to define an exclusive set of elements or method steps. Rather, such words merely define a minimum set of elements or method steps included in a particular embodiment of the present invention.

According to one aspect, the present invention is defined as a system for securing an upright ladder, comprising: a pole bracket positioned adjacent a top distal end of the ladder between a first rail and a second rail of the ladder; an upper anchor mechanism positioned on or adjacent the first rail; an upper ratchet cleat mechanism positioned on or adjacent the second rail; and an eyelet/guider positioned adjacent the upper ratchet cleat mechanism for guiding, in use, a rope into the upper ratchet cleat mechanism, wherein the upper anchor mechanism and the upper ratchet cleat mechanism are positioned at approximately a same longitudinal distance from the top distal end of the ladder.

Advantages of some embodiments of the present invention include providing a robust and reliable mechanism for securing a ladder to a vertical object such as a pole or tree. The ratchet cleat mechanism allows a secure locking of a rope when tightened around the vertical object by a user still standing on the ground. Further, a free end of the same rope used to secure the top of the ladder to the pole or tree can be also used simultaneously to secure a harness of the user. Also, a similar ratchet cleat mechanism can be used to also secure a lower end of the ladder to the pole or tree. Finally, the ladder then can be easily released from the secured position against the pole or tree after the user is again safely on the ground.

Still other advantages provided by the invention include a simple and retrofittable system, which can be used to secure a ladder quickly.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all of the above advantages are not necessarily provided by all embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1is a rear perspective view of a system for securing an upright ladder100, including a demonstration of a user190setting up an upper securing system. The system includes a pole bracket125positioned adjacent a top distal end of the ladder100, between a first rail130and a second rail135of the ladder100. An upper anchor mechanism145is positioned on or adjacent the first rail130, and an upper ratchet cleat mechanism155positioned on or adjacent the second rail135.

Before the ladder100is raised into the upright position, the user190locates a first end of a first rope140which is secured to the upper anchor mechanism145. The user190then positions the first rope140around the rear of a pole105and locks the first rope140into the upper ratchet cleat mechanism155.

The user190can then erect the ladder100against the pole105while the rope140hangs loosely around the pole105, and thus the rope140does not hinder erection of the ladder100. After the ladder100is erected the user pulls the first rope140through the upper ratchet cleat mechanism155, which secures the rope140around the pole105and behind the pole bracket125, thus securing the ladder100to the pole105.

FIG. 2is a front perspective view of the system ofFIG. 1. The ladder100includes a base member110and a first extension member115, which are slidingly engaged to enable a maximum height of the ladder100to be increased, as is well known in the field of extension ladders. As shown, the pole bracket125is positioned above a top rung120of the first extension member115, between the first rail130and the second rail135of the ladder100. The pole bracket125generally includes a curved middle section to conform to the shape of a pole or tree, and may also include a rubber grip (not illustrated), to provide more secure contact with the pole105.

Further, the upper anchor mechanism145and the upper ratchet cleat mechanism155are positioned at approximately a same longitudinal distance from the top distal end of the ladder100, such as on either side of the pole bracket125, on the first and second rails130,135, or on either side of the top rung120of the ladder100. A longitudinal distance along the ladder100is measured along or parallel to one of the first or second rails130,135.

The first rope140extends from the upper ratchet cleat mechanism155to the user190at the base of the ladder100. The user190may secure the first rope140to a base rung160or, preferably, the first rope140is connected to a harness worn by the user190. Then, as the user climbs up the ladder100, slack in the rope140can be threaded through a cleat mechanism on the harness (not shown), such that if the user190falls from the ladder100his or her fall will be arrested by the rope140fixed to the upper anchor mechanism145and the upper ratchet cleat mechanism155.

The ladder100further comprises a lower anchor mechanism180positioned on or adjacent the first rail130, and a lower ratchet cleat mechanism185positioned on or adjacent the second rail135. The lower anchor mechanism180and the lower ratchet cleat mechanism185are also positioned at approximately a same longitudinal distance from the top distal end of the ladder100, such as on a rung of the ladder100.

FIG. 3,FIG. 4andFIG. 5are a front perspective view, top view and front view, respectively, of an upper securing system of the system ofFIG. 2.

The upper anchor mechanism145comprises an eyebolt150for securing a carabiner157. The first rope140is secured to the carabiner157, extends around the pole105, and is then locked into the upper ratchet cleat mechanism155, thus securing the pole bracket125against the pole105. As shown, the upper ratchet cleat mechanism155is a cam cleat comprising a pair of rotatable cams159. An eyelet /guider161is adjacent the pair of rotatable cams159and is used to guide the first rope140into the rotatable cams159.

According to some embodiments, a distance from the eyelet/guider161to a centre point between the rotatable cams159, where the cams159bite into the rope140, is generally about 35 mm to 150 mm. After the ladder100is erected against the pole105, the positioning of the eyelet/guider161enables a person standing on the ground to easily guide the first rope140into the rotatable cams159so as to secure the pole bracket125against the pole105.

Also, according to some alternative embodiments the eyelet/guider161is connected to a bracket (not shown) extending from a base plate of the upper ratchet cleat mechanism155, such that the eyelet/guider161and rotatable cams159form part of an integral component.

Further, as shown inFIG. 3, the orientation of the rotatable cams159is such that they rotate about an axis approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ladder100. That enables the rope140to be easily and conveniently removed from the upper ratchet cleat mechanism155after the user190has climbed back down the ladder100and is again safely on the ground. The user190then simply tugs the rope140downward and to the side (i.e., to the left inFIG. 3) and the rope140will easily slide out of the rotatable cams159and free of the ratchet cleat mechanism155. The ladder100then can be safely lowered down from the pole105.

A second means of securing the ladder100to the pole105is also illustrated inFIG. 2, wherein a second rope170is attached to a lower rung175of the first extension member115.FIG. 6,FIG. 7andFIG. 8demonstrate a front perspective view, a top view, and a front view, respectively, of a lower securing system of the system ofFIG. 1. The second rope170is connected to the lower rung175using a lower anchor mechanism180positioned on or adjacent the second rail135. Once the ladder100is erected and the pole bracket125is secured, the user190locates a first end of the second rope170and secures it to the lower anchor mechanism180. The user190then positions the second rope170around the rear of the pole105and locks the second rope170into the lower ratchet cleat mechanism185.

The lower ratchet cleat mechanism185is positioned on or adjacent the first rail130on or near the lower rung175. The lower anchor mechanism180and the lower ratchet cleat mechanism185are also positioned at approximately a same longitudinal distance from the distal end of the ladder100.

The lower anchor mechanism180also comprises an eyelet/guider for securing a carabiner. Further, the lower ratchet cleat mechanism185is also a cam cleat comprising a pair of rotatable cams. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various types of alternative ratchet cleat mechanisms also can be used, such as those used with various types of rope and climbing gear.

The upper and lower anchor mechanisms145,180and the upper and lower ratchet cleat mechanisms155,185can be retrofittably secured to the ladder100using U-bolts. For example, the U-bolts can extend around a rung of the ladder100or around the side rails130,135of the ladder100. That enables the mechanisms145,155,180,185to be very securely and yet very easily attached to the ladder100using basic tools such as a wrench and socket set.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various embodiments of the present invention can be made of various materials, or a combination of various materials, including aluminium, steel, metal alloys, or high strength plastics or composites. Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the invention is not limited to the use of a rope to secure the ladder, as the ladder may be secured using various other materials including cables or straps.