LADDER ATTACHMENTS

Abstract: The attachment comprises an elongate cross bar (10) whose length is greater than the width of the ladder. Pairs of hooks (31, 33) attach the cross bar (10) to rungs of the ladder at its upper and/or lower ends. The ends of the cross bar have tubular sleeves (11) which carry tubular carrier members (16) carrying wall or ground engageable members (17, 18) for secured length-adjustable location in the sleeves (11). When a cross bar (10) is mounted at both the upper and lower ends of the ladder two pairs of elongate carrier members (16) are provided, one pair carrying wall-engageable members (17) and the other carrying ground-engageable members (18). The sleeves (11) extend at right angles to the cross bar (10) to one side of the bar in an L formation. Each sleeve (11) and bar (10) are provided with selectively alignable apertures to receive locking pins. The ground-engageable members (18) are tubular feet (18) and the tubular member (16) is at 20<o> - 30<o> off the perpendicular relative to the foot (18) when the latter is horizontal. Each foot (18) has a ground engageable member (24) at each end in the form of a spike (25) which is normally contained in a resilient pad or cup (26).

Description: ■ LADDER ATTACHMENTS. This invention relates to ladder attachments. It is known from my co-pending application Nos. PCT/GB81/00146 and 81302984.0 to provide an attach- ment for location at the upper end of a ladder to provide stability and also to space the ladder 'standing-off' from a supporting wall or the like. The known attachment comprises a cross bar, which is telescopic, with wall- engageable wheels at the extreme ends of the bar. A * disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the stand-off distance cannot be varied. An object of this invention is to obviate or mitigate said disadvantage. It is also known to provide ladders with ground supports in the form of pads attached to the lower end of the stiles. A disadvantage of such an arrangement - is that the supports are in line with the stiles and do not therefore increase the stability of the ladder; also they have only slight adjustability if any. It is another object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the aforesaid disadvantage. Accordingly an attachment for a ladder * is provided, the attachment comprising an elongate cross bar whose length is greater than the width of the ladder and means for attaching the cross bar to the ladder receiving means a * t the ends of the cross bar to receive elongate support members for secured length-adjustable location in the receiving means. The attachment is .characterised in that the cross bar can be mounted on • the upper or lower ends of the ladder respectively and the support members can carry wall engageable or ground engageable means respectively. Preferably, a cross bar is mounted at both the upper and lower ends of the ladder and two pairs of elongate carrier members are provided, one pair carrying engaging means are cylindrical sleeves extending to one side of the cross bar to. form an -formation therewith and the elongate members are tubular bars movable through the sleeve. Each sleeve and its respective bar are preferably provided with selectively alignable apertures to receive locking pins. Preferably also, the ground-engageable members are elongate feet secured to one end of a respective elongate member. Preferably, the elongate member is at 20°-30° off the perpendicular relative to the foot when the latter is horizontal. Preferably also, each foot has a ground engageable member at each end. . Preferably, said ground engageable member is a spike which is normally contained in a resilient pad or cup. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a front view illustrating a ladder attachment according to the invention on both the upper and lower ends of a ladder; Fig ^ 2 is a perspective view from below- illustrating an upper attachment; Fig. 3 is a side view illustrating a lower attachment and Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof. The attachment comprises an elongate cross bar 10 attached to a ladder at the upper end thereof, or at the lower end, or, as in the present embodiment at both ends and of a length such that the ends of the cross bar project beyond the sides or stiles of. the ladder. The width of the cross bar can vary, for example, from three feet to eight feet. At each end of the or each cross bar a short sleeve 11 is welded at right angles to the cross bar and extends OMH to one side of the bar to form an L-formation therewith, and is supported by a triangular fillet 12. A wall or ground-engageable means 14, 15 is mounted in each sleeve and comprises a tubular bar 16 for location in the sleeve 11 ' and carrying at one end a wheel 17 for wall engagement or foot 18 ' for ground engagement. The sleeve 11 and bar 16 have holes 19, 20 and a pin 21 is provided to locate in selected aligned holes so that the wheel or foot can be spaced from the cross bar at selected distances. The wheel 17 is carried by an axle 22 which in turn is carried on a collar or sleeve 23, rotatably mounted on the tubular bar 16 thus enabling the wheel 17 to locate on the outer sides of the attachment. Fig. 2 or on the inner side as shown in Fig. 1; in the latter position the attachment can support a ladder against a curved surface or at a corner, because there is nothing in the space between the wheels to interfere with * their engagement on the supporting surface. Each ground engageable means comprises a tubular bar 16 to one each of which the foot 18 in the form of second tubular bar is welded substantially at its centre but at an angle of 20° to 30° so that when the foot 18 is horizontal the tubular carrier bar 16 is at 20° to 30° off the vertical, i.e. parallel to the angle of the ladder when in use. By this arrangement a ladder on which the foot attachment is * mounted will lie at a safe and proper angle when the feet are firmly located on the ground, spaced laterally from the ladder and parallel to each other. As with the wall attachment, the tubular bars 16 are adjustably secured in their sleeves 11 so it is possible, as illustrated in Fig. 3, to ' have the feet 18 at different distances from the sleeves to accommodate steps and the like. On the underside of each foot a heel and toe portion 24 is provided at the ends so that ~ \ the foot engages the ground at those two locations. These may take the form of spikes 25 extending downwards and normally covered by a rubber cup 26 or the like. The cup can be used for normal conditions but is removable where a positive grip is necessary such as on ice. The heel and toe portions may be length adjustable to accommodate local unevenness and enable the feet to lie horizontally. The cross bar 10 is preferably telescopic having a central portion 10A (Fig. 4) which is attached to the ladder, and two side extension pieces 10B telescopically located therein. The central portion 10A preferably has a length in excess of the ladder width so that, even when the side extensions 10B are fully telescoped in the central portion the wall or ground engageable members are still spaced laterally from the ladder. The side extensions carry the sleeves 11 and fillets 12 and are rotatably adjustable in the central portion so that the sleeves can extend towards the supporting surface, as clearly seen in Fig. 3, or away from said surface. As the wheel axle 22 or foot 18 can be brought up to the wall or ground-facing end of the sleeve 11, it will be clear that if the sleeve extends away therefrom the axle or foot can be brought almost to the level of the cross . bar. The cross bar is mounted on the ladder by any suitable means, but the securing means illustrated comprises two pair of hooks 30, 31 which are mounted on the central portion 10A and engage adjacent rungs to give a longitudinal holding force when turnbuckles 32 on one set of hooks are tightened. This arrangement is more fully described in my aforementioned co-pending application. One pair of hooks 30 is fixedly attached to the central portion 10A while the other pair 31, which incorporate the turnbuckles 32, is freely rotatably - mounted on the central portion 10A by means- of a sleeve arrangement located between the two fixed hooks 30. In my co-pending application the sleeve arrangement is a tubular member which encircles the central portion but in the present embodiment it comprises a bar 33 having parallel part-circular curved ends 34 which extend more than half-way round the central portion 10A and connect to the turnbuckles 32 see Fig. 4. In use, the feet provide a stable base because not only are they externally spaced from the ladder but they also extend in parallel towards the supporting surface. They also ensure that the ladder is set at a safe and proper angle. When a person is on the ladder, his weight combined with the ladder will prevent possible slippage, because, in order for the base of the ladder to slide away from the supporting wall, the end remote from the wall, i.e. the toe must lift and this cannot happen because increased pressure on the heel will increase resistance to slippage. Similarly, if the upper end of the ladder tends to move away from the supporting surface, increased pressure on the toe will prevent the heel rising off the groun . The wall-engaging attachment spaces the upper end of the ladder from the supporting wall, and this stand-off distance can be adjusted by altering the position of the tubular bars 16 in the sleeves 11. If necessary, the wheels may be at differing distances from the cross bar sleeves 11 to accommodate a recess or the like in the supporting wall. Thus, a ladder fitted with one or other of the attachments has increased stability due to the location of the wheels or feet at the ends of the elongate cross bar; a ladder fitted with both attachments has the additional stability given by both the wheels and the feet. A number of sets of extension pieces can be provided having different lengths so that the range of lengths of the cross bar can -be varied; for example, two short extension pieces mounted in the central portion will give OM a range of, e.g. three feet to six feet while a longer or 'standard' length extension piece will give a range six feet to eight feet.

Claims: - 1 - CLAIMS . 1. An attachment for a ladder, the attachment compris¬ ing elongate cross bar means (10) whose length is " greater than the width of the ladder, means (30-34) for attaching the cross bar to the ladder, means (11) at the ends of the cross bar to carry elongate support members (16) for secured length-adjustable location in said means (11) , characterised in that the cross bar (10) can be mounted on the upper or lower ends of the ladder respectively and the support member (16) carries wall engageable means (17) or ground-engageable means (18) respectively. 2. An attachment according to claim 1, characterised • in that the* cross bar (10) is mounted at both the upper and lower ends of the ladder and two pairs of elongate support members (16) are provided-, one pair carrying wall-engageable members (17) and the other pair carrying ground-engageable members (18) . 3. An attachment according to claim. 2, characterised in that the means (11) for carrying the wall or ground- engageable member are cylindrical sleeves each extending to one side of the cross bar in an L formation therewith, and the elongate members (16) are tubular bars movable - . through the sleeve (11) . 4. An attachment according to claim 3, characterised " in that each sleeve (11) and its respectiv support member (16) are provided with selectively alignable apertures (19, 20) to receive locking pins (21). 5. An attachment according to claim 1 or 2, character¬ ised -in that the ground-engageable members (18) are elongate feet secured to one end of a respective elongate member (16) . 6. An attachment according to claim 5, characterised in that the elongate member (16) is at 20° - 30° off the perpendicular relative to the foot (18) when the latter is horizontal. O 7. An attachment according to claims 5 or 6, character¬ ised in that each foot (18) has a ground engageable - member (24) at each end. 8. An attachment according to any one of claims 5, 6 or 7, characterised in that said ground engageable member (24) is a spike (15) which is normally contained in a resilient pad or cup (26) . 9. An attachment according to claim 3, characterised in that the wall-engageable member (17) is disposed parallel to the tubular support member (16) and is adjustably movable to lie on opposite sides of the tubular member (16) relative to the cross bar to be on the outer side of the inner side of the L formation.

Inventors: SMITH SAMUEL DAVID, SMITH, SAMUEL, DAVID
Applicants: SMITH SAMUEL DAVID, SMITH, SAMUEL, DAVID
Application year: 1983
Main classification: E06C7
IPC codes: E06C7