Patent Abstract:
A ladder tool holder for holding hand tools and paint cans on an extension ladder having hollow rungs. The holder comprises a custom metal extrusion member that is registerable within a selected ladder rung. Multiple tool engagement and holding attachments are adjustably keyed into the portion of the extrusion extending from the registration ladder rung.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention is related to devices which are adapted to be attached to ladders to provide auxiliary support for equipment, tools and supplies to be used while on the ladder. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Prior art devices of this type have been directed to attachments for ladders that utilize the hollow rung of an extension ladder for support such as access trays and brackets used to hold work related items, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,160,383, 4,660,794, 5,031,723, 5,135,193, 5,181,682, 5,191,954, 5,293,957, 5,649,682 and 5,934,632. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 3,160,383 a hanging device is disclosed that extends through the ladder&#39;s hollow rung with a paint can hook and support arms extending therefrom. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,660,794, 5,031,722, 5,135,193 and 5,191,954 are all directed to trays and platforms that are secured to the ladder using a support rod that extends through the hollow ladder rung. 
     In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,191,954 and 5,135,193 secondary support elements engage the ladder&#39;s adjacent rungs. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,722 discloses a device that extends through the ladder rung providing for a secondary can holding notch on its opposite end. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,682 is directed to a tool holder having a bifurcated ladder rung insert that is compressed and inserted into the rung expanding within to hold the tool engagement ring extending therefrom. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,957 discloses a container holding attachment which is insertable into a ladder rung having a U-shaped wire insert portion with a sleeve so as to angularly offset within to engage the inner surface of the rung. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,649,682 and 5,934,632 claim paint can holders for ladders in which a support arm is inserted into the hollow ladder rung with a can engagement ring extending from its free end. U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,632 has a locking unit that extends from a rung engaging the opposite ladder rail. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A tool and accessory holder device for ladders with hollow rungs having a universal engagement and support shaft insertable partially into the rung. Multiple tool and utility holders are adjustably secured anywhere along the support shaft&#39;s extended portion with a safety ladder engagement locking bracket and registration insert adjustable fittings for interior rung engagement. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the ladder tool holder of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the ladder tool holder of the invention as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the ladder tool holder device of the invention mounted within a ladder with portions broken away for illustration purposes: 
     FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the holder device in use with the ladder and tool accessories for holding a paint can and brush in broken lines; 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the ladder tool holder&#39;s main support and extrusion member within a ladder rung illustrated in broken lines; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an access hook and insert of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of an alternate size insert portion for the ladder tool holder device with a ladder and ladder rung shown in broken lines; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective exploded assembly view of a paint can holder accessory and mounting insert; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the ladder tool holder extrusion member with a size adapter mounted thereon; 
     FIG. 10 is a partial top plan view of the ladder tool holder slidably secured within a rung portion of the ladder with the safety retaining bracket engaged thereon; 
     FIG. 11 is a partial top plan view of a ladder stabilizing accessory slidably secured within a portion of the insert member; and 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the ladder stabilization extension adapter on the ladder of FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1,  2  and  5  of the drawings, a tool holder  10  for a ladder can be seen having an elongated extrusion member  11  with multiple engagement side channels  12  and  13  and a top channel  14  within and a closure end cap  11 A. The extrusion member  11  is configured to fit within a hollow rung  15  of an extension ladder  16 , best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5 of the drawings. The extrusion member  11  has an arcuate lower wall portion  17  which extends to form the respective oppositely disposed side engagement channels  12  and  13 . Each of the channels  12  and  13  have a back engagement wall  18  with spaced upper and lower contoured lip portions  19  and  20  with respective access openings at  23  formed therebetween. The top channel  14  is formed within the upper surface  24  of the extrusion member  11  with a bottom wall  25 , and integrally upstanding oppositely disposed sidewalls  26  and  27 . A channel opening at  28  is formed within the upper surface  24  defining retaining flanges  24 A and  24 B. It will be noted that the lower wall portion  17  and the upper surface  24  have a plurality of engagement beads  29  extending longitudinally therealong so as to provide multiple points of contact within an interior surface  30  of the hollow ladder rung  15 . 
     A safety retaining clip  31  can be seen as being pivotally secured to the upper surface  24  of the extrusion member  11  by an adjustable threaded fastener assembly  32 . The retaining clip  31  has a pair of ladder engagement portions  33 A and  33 B that are of a generally U-shaped configuration interconnected by a mounting portion  34  having an apertured flange  34 A through which the fastener assembly  32  is engaged. The threaded fastener assembly  32  comprises a threaded lock nut knob  32 A that extends through the apertured flange  34 A and registers with an apertured retaining fitting  32 C slidably positioned within the top channel  14  as hereinbefore described. 
     An engagement stud  35  is threadably secured within the channel  14  by a retaining fitting  35 A. The stud  35  will act as a stop for the extrusion  11  during the insertion of same into the hollow rung  15  as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 7 of the drawings. 
     In use, the extension member  11  is inserted into the selected hollow ladder rung  15  up to the stud  35 . The retaining clip  31  is rotatably adjusted about the fastener assembly  32  and is positioned around an adjacent ladder rail  36 . The retaining clip  31  acts as a safety retaining device for the extension member  11  which is held by frictional engagement within the ladder rung  15 . 
     Multiple tool engagement fixtures are selectively and adjustably positioned within the extension member  11  by insertion into the respective access mounting slots  12 ,  13  and  14  as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  4  and  8  of the drawings, an accessory holder  37  for a paint can can be seen having a support plate  38  with a separate mounting insert plate  39  slidably disposed within a selected channel  12 . The support plate  38  defines an engagement surface with oppositely disposed angularly extending edge portions  40 A and  40 B. An angular offset apertured mounting and engagement tab  41  extends integrally from an upper edge surface  42  of the support plate  38 . The engagement tab  41  has a contoured handle insert portion  44  that will engage and support a typical handle  45  of a paint can C (as illustrated in broken lines) in FIG. 6 of the drawings. The mounting plate  39  is registerable within the side channel  12  and receives a pair of threaded fasteners F locking the accessory holder  37  in place. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 6 of the drawings, a utility tool hook holder  46  can be seen having a hook portion  46 A, a threaded shaft  46 B and a retainer  46 C portion. A mounting fitting  47  is slidably positioned within one of said selective channels  12  or  13  and threadably receives a hook holder  46  locking it into position with a paint brush B thereon shown in broken lines in FIG. 4 of the drawings. 
     Referring to FIGS. 7 and 9 of the drawings, a dimensional adjustment plate  48  can be seen removably positioned by fasteners F within the top channel  14  effectively increasing the overall engagement dimension of the extrusion member  11  so as to be engageable within an alternate ladder rung  49  which is of a larger interior diameter than that of the preferred ladder rung  15  as best seen in FIG. 11 of the drawings. 
     It will be seen that a variety of tool holder accessories can be added to and supported by the unique multiple channeled configuration of the extrusion member  11  and adjustably positioned thereon. 
     An example of such holder accessories is illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 of the drawings wherein a ladder stabilization standoff bracket assembly  50  can be seen having an elongated mounting extrusion  51  that is registerable within the side channel  13  in this example chosen for illustration. A spring urged locking pin  52  extends through aligned apertures at  53  and selectively engages selective apertures  54  in the extrusion member  11 . An L-shaped extension member  55  extends from the end of the mounting extrusion  51  having a resilient structure engagement pad insert  56  in its free end as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. 
     The above description will illustrate that by using a pair of tool holders  10  with attached ladder standoff bracket assemblies  50  the ladder L in use will be held in spaced stabilized engagement against a structure (not shown) as is typical of a ladder standoff device. 
     It will thus be seen that a new and novel ladder tool holder device has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4