Shoulder saddle for carrying a stepladder

A shoulder saddle for carrying a stepladder of the type having opposed, channel-shaped, side rails with spaced steps extending therebetween. A saddle block has a length no greater than the spacing between steps of the ladder and a width greater than the width of the ladder steps and has a top surface with a pair of spaced slots extending lengthwise therealong for receipt of the rail flanges. The bottom surface of the block is concave in lengthwise cross-section and has a layer of cushion material attached thereto. Relatively flat front and back portions are formed on the bottom surface beyond the concave cross-section to facilitate attachment of the cushion material.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for attaching to a stepladder to facilitate carrying the ladder, and more particularly to such a saddle that is shaped to seat on a person's shoulder for comfortable carrying of the ladder.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Fiberglass or metal stepladders are commonly formed with opposed channel-shaped side rails having bases defining the outer side rails of the ladder with inwardly projecting flanges between which the rungs or steps are mounted. In carrying such a ladder the arm of the person carrying the ladder extends through the space between opposing rails and the edges of the flanges of the side rails are supported on the shoulder of the person carrying the rail. As the flanges are relatively thin and the edges of the flanges are flat, the weight of the supported ladder on the curved top of the shoulder of the person carrying the rail is concentrated uncomfortably at very small contact locations.

To render the support of a ladder more comfortable and, therefore, more transportable over extended distances, ladder carrying devices or attachments have been devised for mounting on the side rails of stepladders with cushioned and/or curved shoulder engaging surfaces. These have various ways of attachment to ladders, such as velcro or clamping sides or other somewhat complicated means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

By the present invention, a shoulder saddle is provided for carrying a stepladder with an improved simple and reliable attachment to a stepladder. Briefly described, the shoulder saddle of the present invention is designed for carrying a stepladder of the type having opposed, channel-shaped, side rails that have spaced rungs extending therebetween with the bases of the channel-shaped side rails defining the outer side rails of the ladder and the flanges of the rails extending inwardly of the ladder. This saddle includes a saddle block having a length no greater than the spacing between the steps of the ladder and a width greater than the width of the ladder rail. A top surface of the block is formed with a pair of spaced slots extending lengthwise therealong at a spacing equivalent to the spacing of the rail flanges, with each slot being of a width greater than the thickness of the rail flanges for receipt of the rail flanges in the slots. The saddle block has a bottom surface for seating of the block and supported ladder on the shoulder of a person carrying the ladder.

This arrangement of spaced slots allows the saddle to be readily and effectively attached to a channel-shaped side rail of a stepladder and to be firmly set in place for effective and comfortable carrying of a ladder on a person's shoulder.

Preferably, the bottom surface of the saddle block is concave in lengthwise cross-section to facilitate seating and centering of the block and supported ladder on the convex surface of the shoulder of a person carrying the ladder. Also preferably, a layer of cushion material is attached to the concave bottom surface for cushioning support of the saddle block and ladder on the shoulder of the person carrying the ladder.

To facilitate attachment of a layer of cushion material to the bottom surface of the shoulder saddle, the bottom surface is formed with relatively flat front and back portions beyond the concave cross-section to facilitate attachment of the cushion material to the bottom surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the shoulder saddle10of the present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is shown inFIGS. 1,2and3mounted on a stepladder12of the type having opposed channel-shaped side rails14with spaced steps or rungs16extending therebetween. The ladder may be of any manageable length, typically between 4 feet and 12 feet, and is commonly made of fiberglass or metal.

As seen inFIGS. 4,5,6and7, the shoulder saddle10is in the form of a saddle block18of rigid material, such as wood, plastic or metal, and is of a length no greater than the spacing between the ladder steps16so that it can be located at a central location on the ladder12between steps16. Preferably it is sufficiently less in length than the space between steps so that it can be adjustably positioned for optimum balance of the ladder on the shoulder of a person carrying the ladder.

The saddle block18is of a width greater than the width of the ladder steps16to accommodate a pair of spaced slots22extending lengthwise therealong and fully from end to end of the block18. These slots22are spaced apart equivalent to the spacing of side flanges24of the ladder side rails14. These side flanges24extend inwardly from the bases26of the ladder side rails14with the bases26defining the outer surface of the ladder side rails14.

The spaced slots22extend into the saddle block18a distance sufficient for stable mounting of the saddle10on the ladder side rails14, preferably somewhat less than the depth of the channel-shaped side rails14. Further, the slots22are of a width greater than, but preferably only slightly greater than, the thickness of the side flanges24so that the saddle block18can be easily, yet firmly, mounted on the side rails14.

The ladder block18has a bottom surface28for seating of the block and supported ladder on the shoulder of a person carrying the ladder, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2. This bottom surface28is preferably concave in lengthwise cross-section to facilitate seating and centering on the convex shape of the shoulder of a person carrying the ladder12, which also distributes the weight of the ladder over a longitudinally and transversely extended area significantly greater than when the ladder is carried with the narrow, flat, inner edges30of the side flanges24directly supported on the shoulder of the person, carrying the ladder. Thus, the ladder12can be carried comfortably with the saddle a greater distance than when the ladder is carried without a saddle and where carrying must be stopped periodically to relieve the discomfort of the inner edges30of the side flanges24pressing into the shoulder of the person carrying the ladder.

For greater comfort, a layer32of cushion material is fixed to the concave bottom surface28of the saddle block18. Typically this cushioning material layer32can be made of a dense plastic foam covered by a sheet of nylon or other suitable material. The layer32may be of any desired thickness, such as, for example, one-quarter inch or one-half inch or any other desirable thickness to provide selected comfort and protection.

In addition to the bottom surface28of the saddle block18being concave for complementary support on the shoulder of a person carrying the ladder, the bottom surface28is preferably further formed with relatively flat end portions34extending outwardly from the concave surface. These flat end portions38facilitate secure attachment of the cushion material layer32to the bottom surface28of the saddle block18.

InFIGS. 1 and 2, the shoulder saddle10is shown mounted on a ladder12of the type that has two legs36,38hinged together for folding outwardly in use and inwardly for carrying and storage. The shoulder saddle10is mounted at approximately the weight center of the ladder for easy balancing of the ladder on the shoulder of the person carrying the ladder. It is mounted on the leg36closest to the person carrying the ladder so that it can be seated fully on the person's shoulder when the arm of the person is inserted through the ladder between steps16with the side rail14to which the shoulder saddle10is mounted being the upper side rail with the ladder12hanging from the shoulder saddle.

Having the side flanges24of the side rail14received in the spaced slots22results in a firm, stable mounting for carrying of the ladder without undue displacement or wobbling of the ladder12on the shoulder saddle10.

To minimize material and weight, the saddle block18may be made with a partial void between the spaced slots22, although strength and stability would normally require some generally full height transverse extent of the top surface20.

While the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be considered to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and equivalents thereof.