Nestable set of ladders

A stepladder of the folding freestanding type has steps only toward the upper end thereof and has a step deficient region toward the lower end thereof for receiving a smaller stepladder in nesting relation therewith so that the steps of the smaller stepladder provide user access to the steps of the larger stepladder. A nested sequence of such stepladders with all except the smallest one of that sequence being step deficient in a lower region may include several such ladders thereby providing the user with the option of selecting a ladder of a desired height from among several possible heights with the required storage space for the several ladders being the same as the required storage for space for a single ladder of the greatest height. Braces, supports and locking arrangements for fastening each ladder within the step deficient region of the next larger ladder are also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to ladders and more particularly to 
stepladders of the folding freestanding type. 
Conventional folding stepladders are found in most homes and typically 
several different size stepladders are owned and stored within the home 
but used only infrequently. A stepladder arrangement of enhanced 
versatility with the storage space requirements of a single conventional 
stepladder would be highly desirable. 
The idea of using the steps of one ladder to gain access to the steps of 
another is not new. For example, so called extension ladders are formed 
from two conventional simple ladders of the type having a pair of 
elongated side rails joined by a plurality of typically round cross 
members or rungs. The pair of simple ladders are juxtaposed with a 
parallel sliding interconnection and a latching mechanism so that one of 
the simple ladders may be slid upwardly from the other a desired length to 
form an extended simple ladder of desired height leaning against a wall or 
other surface. Similarly, a ladder formed from two simple ladders hinged 
together at respective one ends may be spread apart somewhat at their 
other ends to form a freestanding stepladder configuration or the hinge 
may allow one simple ladder section to be pivoted to as to extend 
generally linearly from the other section to form a simple ladder to be 
leaned against a wall or other structure which is substantially double the 
length of the stepladder freestanding configuration. Neither of these 
known arrangements provides a freestanding stepladder of wide versatility 
and it is still necessary to have several different size stepladders for 
normal use. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted, the 
provision of a plurality of different size stepladders within a single 
stepladder; the provision of a scheme for nesting a set of ladders which 
for storage purposes requires the space for only the largest of those 
stepladders; the provision of a freestanding stepladder structure where 
the steps of one ladder are used to gain access to those of another; the 
provision of a set of stepladders having shared or common components to 
reduce the overall cost, weight and storage space requirements for the 
set; and the provision of a set of stepladders in accordance with the 
previous object exhibiting minimal component duplication as well as 
minimal additional components to marry the set. These as well as other 
objects and advantageous features of the present invention will be in part 
apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
In general, a stepladder of the folding freestanding type having steps only 
toward the upper end thereof and having a step free region toward the 
lower end thereof receives a smaller stepladder in a pocket or cradle 
arrangement in the step free region so that the steps of the smaller 
stepladder may be used to gain access to the steps of the larger 
stepladder. 
Also in general and in one form of the invention, a nested sequence of 
foldable stepladders of varying sizes have all but the smallest step 
deficient in a region where the steps of the next smaller stepladder 
supplant that deficiency. Each stepladder may be of the freestanding 
variety with only the smallest being usable in its normal fashion 
independent of the others. Normal use of any one of the sequence of 
ladders requires the inclusion of all of the smaller ladders of that 
sequence. In such use, all but the largest of the ladders will be in its 
folded shut configuration while that largest ladder is opened in the 
manner of a conventional stepladder.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout 
the several views of the drawing. 
The exemplifications set out herein illustrate a preferred embodiment of 
the invention in one form thereof and such exemplifications are not to be 
construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure or the scope of the 
invention in any manner. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The foldable freestanding type stepladder of FIG. 1 has conventional 
elongated side rails 11, 13, 15 and 17, a conventional stiffening cross 
member 19 joining a pair of legs or side rails 15 and 17 with those two 
legs pivoting as at 21 and with the spread between the respective pairs of 
legs limited by pivotal linkages 23 and 25. A folding shelf 27 for 
example, to hold a paint bucket may also be included and the stepladder of 
FIG. 1 includes a conventional uppermost pedestal step 29 along with a 
cross member step 31. This stepladder as thus far discussed is relatively 
conventional in its structure, it will be noted, however, that step 31 
which is located toward the upper end of the step ladder is in fact the 
lowest step on that stepladder with the space below step 31 being a step 
free or step deficient region. Hence this ladder as thus far discussed 
would be comparatively useless since there is no easy way to ascend the 
ladder to gain access to the steps 29 and 31. 
The step free region within the lower portion of the stepladder of FIG. 1 
includes a pair of supports 33 and 35 against which a smaller stepladder 
is to be leaned as well as a pair of lower leg retainers 37 and 39 upon 
which the legs of such a smaller stepladder will rest. A pivoting latch 41 
is also included on the largest of the stepladders for the purpose of 
closing and securely holding a smaller stepladder within the pocket or 
cradle of the ladder FIG. 1. 
FIG. 2 illustrates the ladder of FIG. 1 cradling a second ladder of similar 
configuration but somewhat smaller and in its folded shut position. The 
front legs 43 and 45 of this smaller ladder rest in the leg retainers 37 
and 39 of the largest ladder and the ladder is leaned against the supports 
33 and 35 with the latch 41 closed on a pin 47 to securely hold the 
smaller ladder in its pocket. The smaller ladder includes further leg 
retainers 47 and 49 and a support 51 similar to the supports 33 and 35 
against which a still smaller ladder may be leaned. A latch 53 analogous 
to the latch 41 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is also included. This smaller ladder is 
also illustrated in FIG. 4 in its expanded or freestanding position and in 
that figure is also shown as receiving the still smaller ladder of FIG. 5. 
Referring now to FIG. 5 the smallest of the nestable sequence of ladders is 
seen to be quite conventional and usable in its normal fashion independent 
of the others. This smallest ladder includes the front elongated side 
rails 55 and 57 as well as the rear side rails or legs 59 and 61 tied 
together by a brace 63 and pivotable as at 65. This smallest stepladder 
includes the cross member step 67 readily accessible by a user from the 
ground as well as an upper most pedestal step 69. A brace analogous to 23 
of FIG. 1 could be included but typically is not necessary. To gain normal 
access to the upper most pedestal step 71 by way of the cross member step 
73 of the intermediate size ladder of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the legs 59 and 61 
are folded shut about pivot 65 and the smallest ladder of FIG. 5 is nested 
within the pocket or cradle of the intermediate size ladder resting 
against support 51 and with the legs thereof supported at the bottom by 
the leg retainers 47 and 49 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Similarly, if it is 
desired to gain access to the upper steps 29 and 31 of the largest ladder 
of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the intermediate size ladder of FIG. 4 is folded shut 
and rested against the supports 33 and 35 with the latch 41 being closed 
to secure that ladder in its position yielding the overall stairstep 
arrangement of FIG. 3. Folding shut of the largest ladder now results in a 
structure which can be stored in the same space as a conventional ladder 
of that size providing the intermediate size ladder of FIG. 4 and the 
smallest ladder of FIG. 5 as subassemblies to be removed and used as 
desired. 
The rigidity of the individual ladder sections may in some cases be 
enhanced by providing one or more of the step deficient ladder sections 
with a lower most step as illustrated in FIG. 6. Thus in comparing FIGS. 1 
and 6 the next to the top step of FIG. 1 has been deleted and a lower most 
step and associated braces added so that the rest 35 of FIG. 1 which 
served to define the separation between the lower portions of the front 
legs of that ladder is no longer employed. Any one of the step deficient 
ladder sections could be fabricated according to this alternate approach, 
however for simplicity component reference numerals from FIG. 1 have been 
carried over into FIG. 6 to identify corresponding components where the 
nature of that corresponding component is substantially unchanged. 
In FIG. 6 the ladder sections happens to be illustrated as being fabricated 
from aluminum but, of course, any of the versions of the present invention 
may be fabricated of aluminum, wood or other suitable material. As before 
the ladder strength and particularly the strength of the generally 
vertical side rails 11 and 13 will be reinforced by the corresponding 
generally vertical rails of the other ladder sections to be received 
within the step deficient pocket with the next smaller ladder section 
leaning against the brace 75 while resting on the lower most step 77. 
Spring clips 79 and 81 may be provided to laterally center the next 
smaller ladder section between the side rails 11 and 13. This is 
illustrated in FIG. 7 wherein the ladder of FIG. 6 receives an identical 
but smaller ladder of like construction with corresponding parts bearing 
corresponding primed and unprimed reference numerals. Thus, FIG. 7 
illustrates a sequence of two ladders, each of the type of FIG. 6. The 
diagonal braces 83, 85, 87 and a brace corresponding to brace 83 not 
visible in FIG. 6 prevent the feet or lower most portion of the next 
smaller ladder from being laterally dislodged from its rest position on 
step 77. Additional diagonal bracing such as 89 and 91 may be provided for 
enhanced rigidity if desired. 
From the foregoing, it is now apparent that a novel folding freestanding 
stepladder having steps only toward the upper end thereof as well as a 
novel nested sequence of foldable stepladders of varying sizes only the 
smallest of which has a complete set of steps has been disclosed meeting 
the objects and advantageous features set out herein before as well as 
others. Numerous modifications will immediately suggest themselves to 
those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus for example, while the nested 
sequence of stepladders has been illustrated as three stepladders each 
containing two steps thus providing an overall ladder array of on the 
order of 6 to 8 feet in height and of adequate height for most normal home 
uses, the number of ladders as well as the number of steps within any 
given one of the ladders may be easily modified to suit any particular 
intended use and to provide an overall ladder array of any reasonable 
height. Ladder length of 3, 6 and 9 feet as well as ladder lengths of 4, 6 
and 8 feet have been found to be particularly well suited for general use. 
These and other modifications as to the precise configuration shapes and 
details may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without 
departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope thereof as set out 
by the claims which follow.