TRAY ACCESSORY APPARATUS FOR LADDERS

Abstract: A tray accessory apparatus (10) for use in different orientations relative to a ladder wherein the apparatus comprises a main bracket support unit (11) that can be suspended from the rungs (102) of a ladder by support arms (23), a locking unit (12) operably associated with the support arms (23) for frictionally grasping a selected rung (102), and a tray unit (13) operatively associated with the main bracket support unit (11) whereby the tray unit (13) may be disposed in a variety of orientations relative to the main bracket support unit (11).

Description: The present invention relates generally to a tray accessory apparatus for attachment to a ladder, and in particular to a ladder tray accessory apparatus with means to facilitate the removable attachment of a tray member as well as other diverse items, according to the preamble of claim 1. This invention was the subject matter of Document Disclosure Program Registration No. 181,607 which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on November 23, 1987. As can be seen by reference to the following US-A-4,560,127, 4,222,541, 4,025,016 and 3,940,824, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse accessory support devices for attachment to ladders. This can also be verified by reference to US-A-4,515,242 which forms the preamble of claim 1. While the afore-mentioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they were specifically designed, these devices are also uniformly deficient in their locking and orientation dispositions relative to a ladder, as well as their failure to provide auxiliary support brackets on the main support structures to accommodate and support other diverse implements. As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a long-standing need among users of this type of a device for a versatile tray support apparatus that may be selectively installed on either the right or left hand side of an extension ladder or the like wherein the support apparatus includes an adjustable locking mechanism adapted to accommodate different ladder rung configurations, as well as at least one auxiliary bracket to operatively engage implements such as a caulk gun or the like, and the provision of such a tray accessory apparatus is a stated objective of the present invention. This object is solved by a tray accessory apparatus which is provided with the features listed in claim 1. Usual embodiments are defined by the features mentioned in the subclaims. Briefly stated, the tray accessory apparatus comprises a main bracket support unit, a bracket locking unit and a tray unit. It can also comprise an auxiliary bracket support unit. The main bracket support unit comprises in general a bracket support body member having a plurality of support arms projecting from both the top and bottom portions of the bracket support body member. In addition, the bracket support body member is further provided with a tubular mounting member which projects outwardly from one side of the bracket support body member wherein the tubular mounting member is adapted to receive the tray unit. The bracket locking unit comprises a locking arm member which is adjustably and operably engaged with the rear face of the bracket support plate member, wherein the locking arm member is adapted to selectively cooperate with the support arms on the top and bottom of the bracket support body member to orient the tubular mounting member on opposite sides of a ladder. The tray unit comprises a tray member having a tubular adapter element that is dimensioned to be received of the beat mode for carrying out the preferred embodiment of the invention, particularly when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tray accessory apparatus mounted on the right side of a ladder; Fig. 2 is a front plan view of the tray accessory apparatus mounted on the left side of the ladder; Fig. 3 is an isolated exploded perspective view of the main bracket support unit and a portion of the tray unit; Fig. 4 is an isolated perspective view of the cooperation of the bracket locking unit with one of the rungs of a ladder; Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an alternate version of the tray unit; and Fig. 6 is a side plan view showing an implement releasably engaged by the auxiliary bracket support unit. As can be seen by reference to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, the tray accessory apparatus 10 comprises a main bracket support unit 11, a bracket locking unit 12, a tray unit 13, and an auxiliary bracket support unit 14. These units will now be described in seriatim fashion. As shown in Figs. 1 through 4, the main bracket support unit 11 comprises a generally rectangular main bracket body member 15 having a generally C-shaped vertically disposed extension member 16 formed on one side 17 and an elongated vertical aperture 18 formed proximate the other side 19. As can best be seen by references to Figs. 1 through 3, the generally C-shaped vertically disposed extension member 16 is in various orientations relative to the tubular mounting member of the main bracket support unit. The auxiliary bracket support unit comprises at least one auxiliary bracket member adapted to releasably engage an implement such as a caulk gun or the like. These and other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description dimensioned to receive either vertical leg 101 of a ladder 100 wherein the outboard end 20 of the extension member 16 is provided with a mounting collar element 21, whose purpose and function will be described in greater detail further on in the specification. As can best be seen by reference to Fig. 4, the rear face 22 of the generally rectangular main bracket body member 15 is provided with a plurality of elongated arm members 23 having hook elements 24 formed on their opposite ends wherein the hook elements 24 project beyond the upper and lower portions of the main bracket body member 15 and wherein the hook elements 24 are dimensioned to receive the rungs 102 of a ladder 100. Still referring to Fig. 4, it can be seen that the bracket locking unit 12 comprises a locking arm member 30 having outwardly projecting locking elements 31 formed on the upper and lower ends of the locking arm members 30 wherein the locking arm member 30 is operatively and movably engaged to the main bracket body member 15 by a fastening member 32. The fastening member 32 is fixedly connected on one end to the locking arm member 30 wherein the free end of the fastening member 32 is dimensioned to be received in the elongated aperture 18 of the main bracket body member 15 and be engaged by a releasable securing member 33 in a well-recognized fashion. Turning back to Figs. 1 and 2, it can be appreciated that the main bracket support unit 11 can be oriented on either the left side or the right side of a ladder by loosening the bracket locking unit 12 and rotating the main bracket support unit 11 180 degrees in the vertical plane, whereupon the bracket locking unit 12 would be moved upwardly into engagement with the supporting rung 102 of the ladder to dispose the mounting collar 21 on opposite sides of the ladder 100. As shown in Fig. 3, the mounting collar element 21 comprises a hollow tubular mounting member 25 which projects outwardly from the outboard end 20 of the extension member 16 wherein the hollow tubular mounting member 25 is provided with a threaded fastener whose purpose will be described presently. As can be seen by reference to Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6, the tray unit 13 comprises in general a tray member 40 having an outwardly projecting tubular extension 41 operatively secured on one of the sides 42 of the tray member 40 wherein the tubular extension 41 is dimensioned to be slidably received in the hollow tubular mounting member 25, and releasably engaged by the threaded fastener to operatively engage the tray unit 13 to the main bracket support unit 11. In addition, the base 43 of the tray member 40 is further provided with a central recess 44 and a plurality of depressions 45 wherein the central recess is dimensioned to receive and retain a receptacle 150 (shown in phantom), such as a paint can or the like, and the depressions 45 are dimensioned to accommodate the other units that comprise the apparatus 10 in the storage mode. In one version of the preferred embodiment depicted in Figs. 1 and 3, both the hollow tubular mounting member 25 and the tubular extension 41 of the tray unit 11 are provided with a generally square configuration wherein there are a limited number of different orientations permissible between the hollow tubular mounting member 25 and the tubular extension 41. In the other version of the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, both the hollow tubular mounting member 25 and the tubular extension 41 of the tray unit are provided with a generally cylindrical configuration wherein the hollow tubular mounting member 25 and the tubular extension 41 may be rotated 360 degrees relative to one another. As can also be seen by reference to Fig. 5, the second version of the preferred embodiment also contemplates having the tubular extension 41 fabricated on a plate element 42 releasably disposed relative to the tray member 40 wherein the plate element 46 is dimensioned to be received in a bracket 47 having a locking means 48, whereby the tubular extension 41 and plate element 46 may be selectively engaged and disengaged with the tray member 40. As can best be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 5, the auxiliary bracket support unit 14 comprises an auxiliary bracket member 50 mounted on one of the sides 49 of the tray member 40 wherein the auxiliary bracket member 50 includes a generally cylindrical capture element 51 horizontally disposed on the upper portion of the auxiliary bracket member 50. In addition, the auxiliary bracket member 50 further comprises a generally C-shaped retention element 52 vertically disposed along one edge of the auxiliary bracket member 40 wherein the retention element 52 is laterally spaced relative to the capture element 51, such that the auxiliary bracket member 50 may releasably engage and suspend the L-shaped handle 200 of a caulking gun or the like, depicted in phantom. Having thereby described the subject matter of this invention, it should be apparent that many substitutions, modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention as taught and described herein is only to be limited to the extent of the breadth and scope of the appended claims.

Claims: A tray accessory apparatus (10) for ladders having a pair of vertical legs and a plurality of rungs, wherein the tray accessory apparatus comprises: a main bracket support unit (11) including: hook elements (24), an extension member (16) which is provided with an outboard end (20), a mounting means (21) mounted on the outboard end (20) of the extension member (16), a tray unit (13) including a tray member (40) having an outwardly projecting tubular extension (41) operably secured on one of the sides of the tray member (40), characterized by the following features: a) a main bracket body member (15) having upper and lower portions and equipped with a plurality of elongated arm members (23), b) the hook elements (24) project beyond the upper and lower portion of the main bracket body member (15), c) the extension member (16) is formed on one end of the main bracket body member (15), d) the mounting means is a mounting collar element (21) which includes a hollow tubular mounting element (25), e) a bracket locking unit (12) including a locking arm member (30) having upper and lower ends operably and movably attached to the main bracket body member (15) wherein the locking arm member (30) is provided with outwardly projecting locking elements (31) formed on the upper and lower ends of the locking member (30), f) the locking arm member (30) may be moved relative to the main bracket body member (15) depending on the desired orientation of the main bracket support unit (11). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by an auxiliary bracket support unit (14) operatively associated with the tray unit (13), wherein the auxiliary bracket support unit (14) comprises an auxiliary bracket member (50) secured to one of the sides (4) of the tray member (40) and having a generally cylindrical capture element (51) horizontally disposed on the auxiliary bracket member (50). Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said auxiliary bracket support unit (14) further comprises a retention element (52) vertically disposed on the auxiliary bracket member (50). Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the retention element (52) has a generally C-shaped configuration and is laterally spaced relative to the capture element (51). Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that both the outwardly projecting tubular extension (41) and the hollow tubular mounting element (25) have a generally square configuration. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that both the outwardly projecting tubular extension (41) and the hollow tubular mounting element (25) have a generally cylindrical configuration. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the outwardly projecting tubular extension (41) has a generally square configuration and the tubular mounting element (25) has a generally cylindrical configuration.

Inventors: BALDWIN, DONALD W.
Applicants: BALDWIN, DONALD W.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: E06C7
IPC codes: E06C7