Abstract:
The disclosure relates to a dolly for supporting a ladder during movement of the ladder to a work site. The dolly has a frame which is adapted to be attached by clips to the rungs of the ladder. The dolly has a single relatively large wheel in terms of the width of the ladder pivotally mounted on the frame for providing a rolling support for the ladder and to enable a single individual to move a long heavy ladder conveniently into position for use at a work site. The dolly is especially useful when moving a ladder, especially a heavy ladder such as an extension ladder, over sloping or rough ground to a work site.

Description:
This application is a division of 08/542,816 filed Oct. 13, 1995 now Pat. No. 5,727,799. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a wheel device or caddy which supports a ladder and enables one individual to move the ladder, especially where the ladder is a heavy and long ladder such as an extension ladder. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,203, issued on Jan. 14, 1986, shows a single small wheel pivotally mounted on one end of a step ladder. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,283, issued on Sep. 20, 1977, (based upon U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,852, issued Nov. 16, 1976) shows a ladder caddy which has a support using one pair of upright legs and a pair of small wheels. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,922, issued on Aug. 3, 1971, shows a utility cart with a single small wheel. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,074,507, issued Jan. 22, 1963, 4,009,762, issued Mar. 1, 1977, and 5,086,872, issued Feb. 11, 1992, each show multiple small wheel devices for supporting ladders. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a dolly for supporting a ladder during movement of the ladder to a work site. The dolly has a frame which is adapted to be attached by clips to the rungs of the ladder. The dolly has a single comparatively large wheel in terms of the width of a ladder to be mounted on the frame of the dolly for providing a rolling support to the ladder and to enable a single individual to move a long heavy ladder conveniently into position for use at a work site. The dolly is especially useful when moving a ladder, especially a heavy ladder, over sloping or rough ground. 
     Thus an object of the invention is to provide a single wheel dolly or a rolling support for a ladder to enable the ladder, especially a heavy ladder, to be moved conveniently from one location to another, such as to a work site. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a single wheel dolly for rollingly supporting a ladder during movement thereof by one individual. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the caddy of the invention for transporting a ladder; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing a ladder supported by the caddy of the invention and being directed by an individual user; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the caddy of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view of still another embodiment of the caddy of the invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a composite view showing a ladder supported by the caddy of the invention being moved from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position against a wall. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIG. 1, caddy  10  of the invention comprises a frame  11  having a pair of longitudinal members  11   a  and  11   b  and a pair of transverse members  12  and  13 , each connected at the opposite end portions thereof to the longitudinal members. Thus the two longitudinal members  11   a  and  11   b  and transverse members  12  and  13  form a rectangular shaped frame  11 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the caddy  10  includes a longitudinal support members  14   a  and  14   b  which are V-shaped in form with the upper end portion of each of the support members  14   a  and  14   b  connected to the longitudinal members  11   a  and  11   b . Support members  15   a  and  15   b  also in a V-shaped form have their upper end portions attached to the longitudinal support members  11   a  and  11   b , respectively. The apex  14   c  of the V-shaped support members  14   a  and  14   b  is connected to apex  15   c  of support members  15   a  and  15   b.    
     At the location of apices  14   c  and  15   c  which are joined together, there is pivotally mounted axle  16  of wheel  17 . The diameter of wheel  17  is comparatively large is terms of a length of each of the transverse members  12  and  13 . The upper portion of wheel  17  spaced apart from frame  11 . 
     On transverse member  12  there is mounted a pair of clips or lugs  18   a  and  18   b  spaced apart along the transverse member with the interval between the portions of the clips adjacent the longitudinal members  11   a  and  11   b  being less than the spacing between the side rails of ladder  19  shown in FIG.  2 . Thus clips  18   a  and  18   b  as shown in FIG. 2 can extend between side rails  19   a  and  19   b  of ladder  19  when the ladder is placed upon frame  11  of the caddy  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1 transverse member  13  is provided with a pair of clips or lugs  20   a  and  20   b  which are positioned on the transverse member in a manner similarly to that of clips  18   a  and  18   b  on transverse member  12 . Accordingly as shown in FIG. 2, clips  20   a  and  20   b  can extend between the side rails  19   a  and  19   b  of ladder  19  when the ladder is placed upon caddy  10 . 
     In FIG. 2 there is shown a human operator  21  who can support the base end portion  19   c  of the ladder  19  when the ladder is resting upon caddy  10  at the upper end or top end  19   d  of the ladder. The configuration shown in FIG. 2 of ladder  19  having its upper end portion  19   d  resting upon caddy  10  enables the operator  21  to manipulate and direct the ladder in the manner similar to an operator manipulating or directing a wheelbarrow. Thus the operator can grip the side rails  19   a  and  19   b  of the ladder  19  and advance the ladder resting upon the caddy in the manner of advancing a wheel barrow. Furthermore, the operator can by applying lateral force to side rails  19   a  and  19   b  to cause the path of travel of the caddy to change, again in the manner of turning a wheel barrow. Thus the provision of the single wheel  17  to caddy  10  and the comparatively large size of wheel  17  enable the operator to advance the ladder supported by the caddy over a rough surface or an inclined surface, that is the ground surface underlying the site to which the operator is to deliver the ladder. 
     It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the clips  18   a  and  18   b  and  20   a  and  20   b  are adapted to engage rungs  19   e  of the ladder  19  in order that the caddy is fixed with respect to a given location along the length of the side rails  19   a  and  19   b  of the ladder  19 . If desired and in order to reduce the vertical load of the ladder to be supported by the operator, caddy  10  can be moved in a direction toward the center of ladder  19 , thereby placing more weight of the ladder on the caddy. 
     In FIG. 3 there is shown another embodiment of the caddy of the invention, caddy  22 , having frame  23  which has longitudinal members  23   a  and  23   b  and transverse members  23   c,    23   d ,  23   e , and  23   f . Clips or lugs  24   a  and  24   b  are disposed upon transverse member  23   c  and spaced apart to enable the clips to extend between side rails of a ladder when the ladder is placed upon caddy  22 . Similarly clips or lugs  25   a  and  25   b  are disposed upon transverse member  23   f  and are spaced apart to extend between the side rails of a ladder. When a ladder is placed upon caddy  22 , clips  24   a  and  24   b  and  25   a  and  25   b  are adapted to engage the rungs of the ladder. 
     As shown in FIG. 3 elongated support members  26  and  27  are in a V-shaped form with spaced end portion  26   a  and  27   a  attached to transverse member  23   c . The lower end portions of the support members, portions  26   b  and  27   b , are joined at the apex of the V-shaped support members. At the apex there is pivotally mounted wheel  28  which at its upper portion is adapted to clear frame  23 . 
     Thus it can be seen in FIG. 3 that caddy  22  by simply employing one pair of support members  26  and  27  in V-shaped form is more compact than caddy  10  shown in FIG. 1 which employs two pairs of support members  14   a ,  14   b  and  15   a  and  15   b . In addition the cantilever construction of support members  26  and  27 , as shown in FIG. 3, introduces a resilient or spring-like property to caddy  23  which improves the handling of the caddy for supporting a ladder, especially when traversing a rough or irregular surface or ground. 
     In FIG. 4 there is shown still another embodiment of the caddy of the invention, caddy  29 . Caddy  29  includes a frame  30  comprising a single longitudinal member  31  and a pair of transverse members  32  and  33 . Spaced apart on transverse member  32  are clips  34  and  35  while on transverse member  33  there are disposed clips  36  and  37 . The interval between the clips in the direction of the transverse member enables the clips to be disposed between the side rails of a ladder to be carried by caddy  29  with the clips engaging and securing the rungs of the ladder adjacent thereto. 
     Caddy  29  includes a pair of elongated support members  38  and  39  which are attached at the upper end thereof to transverse member  32 . The lower portions of  38   a  and  39   a  of the elongated support members are joined together to provide a pivotally support for wheel  40 . The construction of elongated support members  38  and  39  as result of being attached to transverse member  32  provides a resilience residence or flexibility to the support of wheel  40 , thereby improving the handling of the caddy over a rough or irregular surface. 
     In FIG. 5 there is shown ladder  41  supported by a caddy  42  which can be a caddy of any of the embodiments of the invention. As viewed in the left of FIG. 5, the operator  43  is preparing to elevate the end  41   a  of the ladder  41  with the footings  43  of the ladder in contact with a ground surface. Thereafter the operator can pivot ladder  41  with caddy  42  attached thereto until the upper end portion  41   b  is brought to a position against vertical wall  44 . 
     It should be noted that the caddies  22  of FIGS. 3 and 29 of FIG. 4 can be positioned with respect to a ladder with the elongated support members either sloping toward or away from the center portion of a ladder to be supported thereon. When sloping away the center portion of a ladder, elongated support members  26  and  27  of caddy  22  and elongated support members  38  and  39  of caddy  29  enable the elongated support members to act as casters for the wheel of the caddy, thereby facilitating the steering of a ladder on the caddy by the operator.