Patent Publication Number: US-10760337-B2

Title: Ladder leveler and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/604,217 filed Sep. 5, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,616,336, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/331,458 filed Jan. 14, 2006, which is related to U.S. design patent application Ser. No. 29/251,863, filed Jan. 14, 2006, all of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to a ladder leveler. More specifically, the present invention is related to a ladder leveler having a metal housing fixed to one of the side rails, a metal leg which slides in the housing and is adjustable in the housing, a holder for holding the leg to the housing through an opening and one of a plurality of holes in the housing to hold a leg in place, and a cap which acts as a stop for the leg when the cap contacts the housing. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When setting up an extension ladder, the surface or ground that supports the ladder is often uneven. It is not uncommon for consumers to place blocks under the ladder to help even it up or dig into the ground on one side. Other consumers use levelers that are currently available in the marketplace. Usually, these levelers require the consumer to modify their ladder by drilling holes and/or cutting the side rails. The purpose of this invention is to provide a leveler which is integrated on a ladder from the factory. This will allow consumers to level their ladder without blocking, digging, or modifying their ladder in any way. 
     Also, consumers are left to use their best judgment about how level a ladder is side to side. In order to help the consumer in this endeavor, the invention incorporates a carpenter&#39;s grade bubble level attached to the first rung. This bubble level will serve as a guide when the consumer is setting up the ladder. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains to a leveler for a ladder having side rails and a rung. The leveler comprises a metal housing fixed to one of the side rails. The housing has an opening. The leveler comprises a metal leg which slides in the housing and is adjustable in the housing. The leg has a top end and a bottom end. The leg has two rows of holes which are set side by side and extend through the leg. The leveler comprises a holder for holding the leg to the housing. The holder extends through the opening and one of the holes to hold the leg in place. The leveler comprises a cap disposed on the top end which acts as a stop for the leg when the cap contacts the housing. 
     The present invention pertains to a method for setting a ladder in place. The method comprises the steps of leaning a top edge of the ladder against a work surface. There is the step of positioning the ladder until a bubble of a rung of the ladder indicates a level reading. There is the step of sliding a metal leg in a housing of a leg attached to a rail of the ladder. There is the step of inserting a pin through a hole of two rows of holes which are set side by side and extend through the leg and through an opening of the housing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       In the accompanying drawing, the preferred embodiment of the invention and preferred methods of practicing the invention are illustrated in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the ladder leveler of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to similar or identical parts throughout the several views, and more specifically to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is shown a leveler  50  for a ladder having side rails  62  and a rung. The leveler  50  comprises a metal housing  60  fixed to one of the side rails  62 . The housing  60  has an opening  68 . The leveler  50  comprises a metal leg  1  which slides in the housing  60  and is adjustable in the housing  60 . The leg  1  has a top end and a bottom end. The leg  1  has two rows of holes  64  which are set side by side and extend through the leg  1 . The leveler  50  comprises a holder  66  for holding the leg  1  to the housing  60 . The holder  66  extends through the opening  68  and one of the holes  64  to hold the leg  1  in place. The leveler  50  comprises a cap  5  disposed on the top end which acts as a stop for the leg  1  when the cap  5  contacts the housing  60 . 
     Preferably, the leveler  50  includes a level  9  attached to the first rung. The leveler  50  preferably includes a swivel shoe rotatably connected adjacent to the bottom end of leg  1 . Preferably, the holder  66  includes a pin  3 . The housing  60  preferably includes an upper housing portion  2   a  and a lower housing portion  2   b  spaced apart from the upper housing portion  2   a . Preferably, the leveler  50  includes studs  70  which are pressed into the upper housing portion  2   a  and the lower housing portion  2   b  and attached to the side rail  62  to fix the upper housing portion  2   a  and the lower housing portion  2   b  to the side rail  62 . The pin  3  is preferably a steel ball detent pin. 
     Preferably, the metal housing  60  is a closed section. The upper housing portion  2   a  is preferably a closed section and the lower housing portion  2   b  is a closed section. Preferably, the leveler  50  includes a case  72  in which the level  9  is disposed, and the rung has a cavity in which the case  72  is disposed with the level  9 . The leveler  50  preferably includes a cable  73  connected to the pin  3  and the upper housing portion  2   a . Preferably, the steel ball detent pin  3  is spring loaded. The front surface of the leg  1  preferably has hash-mark labels  6  which serve as an indicator of alignment of the holes  64 . Preferably, the leveler  50  includes a spacer  7  disposed between the leg  1  and the swivel shoe to ensure proper function between the swivel shoe and the leg  1 . 
     The present invention pertains to a method for setting a ladder in place. The method comprises the steps of leaning a top edge of the ladder against a work surface. There is the step of positioning the ladder until a bubble of a rung of the ladder indicates a level reading. There is the step of sliding a metal leg  1  in a housing  60  of a leg  1  attached to a rail of the ladder. There is the step of inserting a pin  3  through a hole of two rows of holes  64  which are set side by side and extend through the leg  1  and through an opening  68  of the housing  60 . 
     In the operation of the preferred embodiment, the leveler  50  is constructed of a closed section aluminum leg  1  which slides in a closed section aluminum housing  60 . The housing  60  is attached to the ladder by studs  70  which are pressed into the housing  60 . The leg  1  is adjustable in the housing  60  and is held in place by a steel ball detent pin  3 . The pin  3  locks the leg  1  to the housing  60  and ladder side rails  62 . Furthermore, the pin  3  has a molded plastic handle to make it easier and more comfortable for the consumer to use. The pin  3  is tethered to the ladder by a steel cable  73 . There is molded plastic cap  5  on the end of the leg  1  which also acts as a stop for the leg  1 , preventing it from falling out of the housing  60  when the pin  3  is removed. The leg  1  has two series of holes  64  side by side in order to obtain a finer adjustment. 
     Also as part of the invention, there is a carpenter&#39;s grade bubble level  9  attached to the first rung. This bubble is placed in a plastic housing  60  which snaps into a cavity in the rung. This housing  60  also holds a plastic rung cover  8  in place. The purpose of the bubble is to serve as a guide to help the consumer set their ladder level  9  from side to side. 
     Inner Leg  1 —The inner leg  1  is a rectangular closed box section. It is constructed of aluminum. Each leg  1  as two rows (series) of holes  64  which are set side by side and offset ⅜″ vertically from each other. These holes  64  provide 8.25″ of adjustment in ⅜″ increments. These holes  64  go though both walls of the rectangular box section. The leg  1  also provides a means to attach an end cap  5  at the top and a foot at the bottom. 
     Housing  60  and upper and lower housing portions  2   a  and  2   b —The upper and lower housing portions  2   a ,  2   b  are a rectangular closed box section. It is constructed of aluminum. There are two housings on each side of the ladder, an upper housing portion  2   a  and lower housing portion  2   b . The upper housing portion  2   a  has two holes  64  side by side which line up with series of holes  64  in the leg  1 . These holes  64  are sized to accept a steel ball detent pin  3 . Furthermore, the upper housing portion  2   a  has two studs  70  which are pressed into the back side of the housing  60 . These studs  70  serve as a means to attach the upper housing portion  2   a  to the ladder. The lower housing portion  2   b  also has two studs  70  which are pressed into the back side of the housing  60 . These studs  70  serve as a means to attach the lower housing portion  2   b  to the ladder. 
     Locking Pin  3  with knob and Lanyard  73 —The locking pin  3  with knob and lanyard  73  comprises a zinc plated steel pin with a spring loaded ball detent. The end of the pin  3  has molded plastic knob which servers as a grip surface for the consumer as well as an indication that the pin  3  is completely engaged. The molded knob has a wire lanyard  73  attached. The other end or the wire lanyard  73  attaches to one of the studs  70  in the upper housing portion  2   a . This helps prevents the pin  3  from being lost while or misplaced when the pin  3  is removed. 
     Back Up Plates  4   a  and  4   b —The back up plates  4   a ,  4   b  are constructed of medium grade zinc plated steel. These plates serve as a washer for the nut that is used to attach the upper and lower housing portions  2   a ,  2   b  to the ladder rail. Also the back up plate serves as a safety device and reinforcing plate around the hole in the ladder rail that the pin  3  goes though. 
     End-Cap  5  functionality—The end cap  5  is made from an injection molded nylon. The cap  5  has two tabs which allow it to snap into the top end of the leveler  50  leg  1  and be held in place. The profile of the cap  5  is such that it is larger than the leveler  50  leg  1  profile, and closely matches the profile of the outer housing  2   a ,  2   b . This feature allows the end cap  5  to serve as a stop for the leg  1  when the pin  3  is removed. The cap  5  will hit the upper housing portion  2   a , keeping the leg  1  attached to the ladder at all times. 
     Hash-Mark Labels  6 —There is a label on the front surface of the leg  1  which serves as an indicator of alignment of the adjustment holes  64 . The labels has a series of hash marks and when one of the marks lines up with the top edge of the upper housing portion  2   a , there is alignment between one of the holes  64  in the outer housing  2   a ,  2   b  and the leg  1 . This is a visual indicator to aid the consumer during setup. 
     Foot Spacer  7 —A plastic molded spacer  7  is used to take up space and ensure proper function between the ladder swivel shoe and the leg  1  to which it is attached. The spacer  7  is made of injection molded polypropylene and has features designed into it which allow it to snap onto the lower portion of the leg  1 . 
     Rung Cover  8 —The rung cover  8  is made of injection molded nylon. 
     Rung Mounted Bubble Level  9 —The bubble level  9  is a standard grade carpenter&#39;s level. It is mounted into an injection molded housing  60  and recessed into the lower rung of the ladder. This level  9  serves as a guide of the side to side levelness of the ladder. 
     Setting up the Ladder 
     The preferred method for using the leveler  50  while setting up the ladder is as follows:
         1. Place the ladder on the ground where the work is to be performed. Lean the top edge of the ladder against the work surface.   2. Remove pin  3  from the downhill side of the ladder. Leveler  50  leg  1  should be free to move.   3. Using the bubble as a guide, position the ladder until the bubble indicates a level reading.   4. Using the tick mark label as a guide, align the nearest tick mark with the top edge of the housing  60 . (OPTIONAL)   5. Insert ball detent pin  3  through the housing  60  and leveler  50  leg  1 .   6. Make sure both feet are touching the ground and recheck the bubble level  9  indicator. Readjust if necessary.       

     Although the invention has been described in detail in the foregoing embodiments for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except as it may be described by the following claims.