Patent Publication Number: US-8979053-B2

Title: Ladder standoff support for a roof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of supports used to hold a ladder in stable relationship to a slanted or unslanted roof. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Ladder jacks, one example of which is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , are devices that are used to mount to a ladder for supporting a scaffold or other platform atop the ladder jack. Ladder jacks are commercially available. For example, ladder jacks are available from Werner Co. Corporate Headquarters, 93 Werner Road, Greenville, Pa. 16125. 
     A typical ladder jack  30  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) includes a horizontally extending member  31  pivotally and slideably mounted to the top end of angular member  32 . Member  31  is also pivotally mounted to a downwardly extending member  33  having a bottom end pivotally mounted to the bottom of angular member  32 . A pair of downwardly opening C-shaped walls  34  and  35  attached to member  33  are slipped over the horizontally extending rungs of a conventional extension ladder  40 . A scaffold or platform  41  rests atop and is supported by member  31 . 
     Typically, two ladder jacks are positioned one at each end of scaffold  41  to support the opposite ends thereof and thus, a pair of extension ladders are used with each ladder receiving a ladder jack.  FIG. 1  shows one such ladder jack mounted to a ladder and supporting one end of the scaffold.  FIG. 2  shows the same ladder jack only with the scaffold removed to illustrate features present atop horizontal member  31 . A right angle bracket  43  has its horizontal flange fixedly attached to the distal end  49  of horizontal member  31  and also has a vertically extending portion  44  that extends upwardly from member  31 . Member  31  includes a horizontally extending slot  45  with a conventional fastener  47  extending through the slot. A downwardly opening C-shaped clamp  48  is mounted to member  31  by fastener  47  and provides a stop surface for any movement of the scaffold toward the distal end  49  of member  31 . A second downwardly opening C-shaped clamp  50  is mounted to the proximal end  51  of member  31  by means of a conventional fastening device that extends through member  31 . The mutually facing surfaces of clamps  50  and  48  provide limits for horizontal movement of the platform positioned between clamps  50  and  48 . Alternatively, clamps  48  and  50  may be slipped over the edges of scaffold  41  to limit movement of the scaffold. The top end of upright member  33  is pivotally mounted to member  31  with the bottom end of member  33  pivotally mounted to the bottom end of angular member  32 . 
     Slot  53  ( FIG. 1 ) extends along the length of vertical wall portion  54  of member  31  with the top end of angle member  32  having a fastening device  55  that extends through slot  53  allowing the top end  36  of member  32  to be adjusted along the length of the horizontal member  31  thereby adjusting positioning of member  33  enabling walls  34  and  35  to be slipped over the ladder rungs while maintaining the horizontal position of member  31  and the scaffold placed there atop. The fastening device  55  is then tightened to maintain the positions of angle member  32 , upright member  33  and horizontal member  31 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a fragmentary perspective view of a prior art ladder jack mounted to an extension ladder and supporting a scaffold. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the prior art ladder jack shown in  FIG. 1  only with the scaffold and ladder removed. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a standoff support positioned atop a roof and attached to the ladder jack of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of eye bolt  60  taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a standoff support positioned atop a roof and attached to the ladder jack of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of eye bolt  140  taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
     When utilizing an extension ladder to provide access for a worker to the top portion of a building and even the roof itself, the ladder may be rested against the building. Pressure from the ladder as the worker stands on the ladder may result in damage to the building including gutters and shingles. I have therefore combined a standoff device with the previously described ladder jack. In most cases the roof will slant thereby decreasing the stability of the ladder as it rests against the building. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an alternate embodiment of the standoff device  20  includes a pair of upright right angle posts  21  and  22  connected together by horizontally extending member  23 . The opposite ends of member  23  are secured to posts  21  and  22  by conventional bolt/nut combinations. Each post  21  and  22  includes a series of holes extending there through along the length of each post enabling member  23  to be connected to the post at various locations along the length of the posts. 
     Roof  24  has a downward slant as viewed from the left to the right in  FIG. 3 . End  25  of member  23  is mounted toward the top end of post  21  while end  26  of member  23  is mounted toward the bottom end of post  22  to position member  23  horizontally thereby maintaining member  23  in a horizontal position. 
     An eye bolt  60  is fixedly attached to the center of member  23 . Stabilizing rods  61  and  62  ( FIG. 3 ) have top ends pivotally connected to the ring shaped outer end  63  ( FIG. 4 ) of eye bolt  60 . The bottom ends  64  and  65  respectively of stabilizing rods  61  and  62  are bent at an angle with respect to the main body of each rod so the top end of each rod may be moved and pivoted in the ring shaped end  63  to allow ends  64  and  65  to seat in a parallel relationship to the roof. The rods extend outwardly of posts  21  and  22 . That is, the distance between post  21  and  22  is less than the distance between outer ends  64  and  65 . Rods  61  and  62  can be positioned at various angles thereby increasing the stability of standoff  20 . 
     The distal end  49  of member  31  is connected to the horizontal wall of the L-shaped member  23 . A conventional bolt/nut combination  71  connects member  23  of support  20  to the horizontal member  31  of the ladder jack. The shank of the bolt extends through slot  45  while wall  44  ( FIG. 2 ) is positioned outward of member  23 . 
     In order to utilize our new standoff, posts  21  and  22  are adjusted with respect to member  23  taking into account the slanted roof with the bottom end of each post resting atop the roof while member  23  is horizontal. Supporting rods  61  and  62  are then adjusted to contact the roof outwardly of posts  21  and  22 . Further, the rods may be extended away from member  23  thereby further increasing the stability of the support. The ladder jack prior to positioning rods  61  and  62  has been assembled with respect to member  23  with fastener  71  being in a loosened state to allow fastener  71  to be adjusted along the length of slot  45  taking into account the positioning of the ladder having its rungs mounted to the downwardly opening C-shaped walls  34  and  35 . Once the ladder extends upwardly at an appropriate angle to allow the worker to climb the ladder, fastener  71  is tightened enabling the worker to climb the ladder in a stable condition. Rods  61  and  62  support the standoff on one side of the standoff whereas ladder  40  being attached to the opposite end of the ladder jack supports the opposite side of the support. Further, supporting rods  61  and  62  increase the stability of the combination. Rods  61  and  62  as well as ladder  40 , all being attached to the ladder jack, provide stability along the lengthwise extending axis  70  ( FIG. 1 ) of member  31 . Likewise, supporting rods  61  and  62  provide horizontal stability in a direction perpendicular to axis  70 . 
     The preferred embodiment of the Ladder Standoff Support is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The preferred embodiment is identical to the alternative embodiment except that the two posts  21  and  22  ( FIG. 3 ) and stabilizing rods  61  and  62  have been deleted and replaced by a first pair of stabilizing rods  121  and  122  ( FIG. 5 ) and a second pair of stabilizing rods  123  and  124  which are mounted to the opposite ends of member  23  instead of the center of member  23 . The same ladder jack  30  is utilized with both embodiments. 
     Member  23  ( FIG. 5 ) of ladder jack  30  is has a right angle configuration and is fixedly mounted to member  31  by fastener  71  extending through the horizontal leg of member  23 . The vertically extending wall  150  of member  23  has a pair of eye bolts  130  and  140  ( FIG. 5 ) which are fixedly mounted thereto instead of the single eye bolt  63  ( FIG. 4 ) of the alternative embodiment. Eye bolt  130  is mounted to the end portion  131  of member  23  whereas eye bolt  140  is mounted to the opposite end portion  141  of member  23 . Fastener  71  extends through slot  45  ( FIG. 6 ) The first pair of stabilizing rods  121  and  122  have proximal ends movably and pivotably mounted to the ring shaped end of eye bolt  130  in a manner identical to the mounting arrangement for the mounting of stabilizing rods  61  and  62  to eye bolt  60 . Likewise, rods  123  and  124  are movably and pivotably mounted to the ring shaped end of eye bolt  140  in the identical manner. Eye bolts  130  and  140  are identical to eye bolt  60 . 
     Supporting rods  121  and  122  have respectively bent distal ends  125  and  126  ( FIG. 5 ) whereas supporting rods  123  and  124  have respectively bent distal ends  127  and  128 . The distal ends  125  through  128  are arranged to be parallel to the slanted roof thereby providing stabilization of the ladder support  120 . Typically, rods  121  and  124  will extend further out than the horizontal width of member  23  whereas rods  122  and  123  will extend generally within the horizontal width of member  23 . Each distal end  125 - 128  have holes  160  extending therethrough in order to receive nails or screws to extend through the distal ends and into the roof thereby providing further support. 
     The ladder standoff support allows the ladder, ladder jack and platform atop the ladder jack to be spaced apart from the roof by positioning the stabilizing rods atop the roof in a position so that the mounting member  23  is located adjacent the edge of the roof thereby positioning the ladder, ladder jack and platform to the side of the roof. The invention disclosed herein is particularly useful in spacing a platform upon which the work stands apart from the roof. In such a case, two ladders each with a separate ladder jack mounted thereto are position to the side of the roof with the opposite ends of the platform resting atop and being supported by the two ladder jacks. Each ladder jack is provided with a ladder standoff support thereby maintaining the two ladders with ladder jacks and platform apart from and to the side of the roof. 
     Many variations in the present invention are contemplated and included. For example, the distal ends of the stabilizing rods are arranged at an obtuse angle with respect to the straight main bodies of the rods although angles other than obtuse are included. Typically the outer rods  121  and  124  ( FIG. 5 ) are extended to a position outwardly of the opposite end portions  131  and  141  limiting movement of the ladder and ladder jack along an axis extending between the opposite end portions  131  and  141  of the mounting member  23  while the inner rods  122  and  123  are extended to a position between the end portions  131  and  141  in order to increase the stability of the combination. Rods  122  and  123  extend in a direction different from said rods  121  and  124  further increasing the stability. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.