Patent Abstract:
An attachment apparatus is disclosed suitable for use with ladders comprising a wedging section enabling it to be wedged into a central bore of a rung of a ladder for attachment thereto. The attachment apparatus may have a wedging section formed from a resilient material. It may further include elongate engaging section whose cross-sectional dimension is less than that of a largest dimension of a central bore of a rung of a ladder for attachment thereto. It allows a user of the such apparatus to safely suspend items such as paint pots or tools from a ladder for easy reach.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to apparatus that are attachable to other items, especially ladders, and may be used to attach further items to them. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Ladders are frequently used when users have to access areas at a height. They may be widely used in such disparate fields from interior painting to maintenance of external telecommunications apparatus. 
         [0003]    They consist, in the main, of two vertical spars connected by a set of cross-members called rungs. The rungs may be of a variety of cross sections, but are typically circular, triangular or largely cuboidal. They may be constructed from many materials, but are frequently made of metal or wood. To save on weight and material, some or all of the rungs may be hollow with a central bore. 
         [0004]    They are not without their drawbacks however, and are the source of a multitude of accidents every year. Users may injure themselves by falling or the ladder slipping. Often this is caused by the user having to ascend the ladder with some form of hand-tool, paint-brush or the like in their hand, cutting down on the points of firm contact they have with the ladder. Further, this drawback may be exacerbated if the user is foolish enough to ascend or stand on the ladder with both hands occupied by such tools, for example, holding a paint-brush and a paint-pot, reducing their points of contact with the ladder to two: their feet. This can be extremely hazardous for the user, and the root cause of a great deal of injuries every year. 
         [0005]    Prior art solutions include attachments that fit over the top of a set of ladders or step ladders, which have attachment sockets to receive the top of the vertical spars. These may not be possible if, as is often the case, the top of the vertical spars are resting against a wall for example. The user may wear a tool belt, but this may not be practical if they must employ some other form of harness around their waist, or is simply not a practical solution for the paint-brush and paint-pot example described above. 
         [0006]    Further solutions include deploying an elongate bar within the hollow bore of the rung, and physically attaching it to the rung by way of a pin or a bolt arrangement. The elongate bar may be provided at one end with a shelf, allowing the user to rest, for example, a paint pot on it whilst painting. 
         [0007]    This has several drawbacks. First, further holes must be drilled on each or all of the ladder rungs that the device will be attached to. This either has to be done as a later modification, or has to be built into ladders increasing manufacturing time and cost. Second, the holes would act as stress raisers in the rung, reducing the working capacity of the ladder and substantially increasing possible failure. Lastly, the user has to climb the ladder and will generally have to use two hands to properly fit the attachment, mitigating any benefit it may have. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    According to the present invention there is provided an attachment apparatus suitable for use with ladders comprising a wedging section enabling it to be wedged into a central bore of a rung of a ladder for attachment thereto. By “wedged” the addressee skilled in the art will appreciate that the wedging section will be of a suitable form as to enable it to be placed, secured and held within an appropriate central bore, merely by the central bore compressing at least a portion of it. An interference fit of the two will then be formed, albeit that manual force should be sufficient to disengage the resultant interference fit. 
         [0009]    The wedging section may be formed from a resilient material. The resilient material may be rubber, a suitable plastics material, or some other suitable resilient material. The resilient material may be confined to the construction of the wedging section, or may be used to form other parts of the attachment apparatus. 
         [0010]    The attachment apparatus may further include an elongate engaging section whose cross-sectional dimension is less than that of a largest dimension of a central bore of a rung of a ladder for attachment thereto. 
         [0011]    The wedging section may be of a generally frustum shape. The wedging section may be of a generally conical frustum shape. The elongate engaging section may extend from the face having the smaller cross-sectional area of the frustum or conical frustum. 
         [0012]    Alternatively, the wedging section may comprise one or more lips surrounding a central wedge member. The lips may be toroids if the central wedge member is of a circular cross-section, the toroids themselves having a suitable cross-section, ranging from circular, through elliptical or rectangular or square cross section. 
         [0013]    Such an arrangement may comprise a plurality of such lips, decreasing in diameter along a central axis of the attachment apparatus in the direction of its attachment. 
         [0014]    As a further alternative, the wedging section may include a simple lug arrangement, projecting from a side of a central wedge member. There may be a plurality of such lugs, and it may be that their subsequent projecting distances decreasing along a central axis of the attachment apparatus in the direction of its attachment. Thus, a frustum like overall shape may be attained, without a fully formed frustum being required. The lugs may be arranged in ring-like sets at common distances along the attachment apparatus, or may be placed in any suitable arrangement pattern. 
         [0015]    The attachment apparatus may include further connection means, such connection means including a hook, or even a karabiner. Alternatively, the further connection means may include a snap-hook, clip, shelf or other suitable form of connection means for the application. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    Embodiments of the present invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a first embodiment of an attachment apparatus according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a part isometric view of a ladder suitable for use with the attachment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a part sectional isometric view of the attachment apparatus of  FIG. 1  attached to the ladder of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an attachment apparatus according to the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of the attachment apparatus of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation of the attachment apparatus of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a first end view of the attachment apparatus of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a second end view of the attachment apparatus of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    An attachment apparatus  10  according to the present invention is depicted in  FIG. 1 . It includes a wedge section  12 , extending from which is elongate engaging section  14 . In this particular embodiment, a flange  16  extends around the distal end of the wedge section  12 . The flange  16  in this embodiment prevents over insertion of the attachment member  10  into a ladder. 
         [0026]    The wedge section  12  and elongate engaging section  14  in this embodiment form a continuous conical frustum shape, although it will be appreciated that the form may be more discontinuous, for example the elongate engaging section  14  may be generally cylindrical, attaching to a conical frustum wedge section  12 , or indeed the elongate section  14  may be generally cylindrical, and the wedge section  12  may comprise a plurality of lips extending around it. Numerous modifications and alternatives exist to this arrangement, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
         [0027]    The wedge section  12  is formed on its outer surface from rubber, to provide suitable resilience. In this embodiment, the rubber is a layer over a metal body, but may be, for example, a fully rubber attachment, or may be based on a polycarbonate material. 
         [0028]    Extending from the flange  16  on the distal end of the wedge section  12  is further connection means  18 . The further connection means  18  includes a snap-hook or karabiner  20 . The snap-hook/karabiner  18  is attached to an end cap  22 , which itself is attached onto a connection member  24 . 
         [0029]    On this embodiment, a paint-pot  26  it shown attached to the attachment apparatus  10  via the further connection means  18 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  shows a detail view of a ladder  100  suitable for use with the attachment apparatus  10 . The ladder  100  is of a known type and includes two vertical spars  102  (only one shown in  FIG. 2 ), both being attached by a plurality of rungs  104  (only one shown in  FIG. 2 ). A central bore  106  is provided through each rung  104 . 
         [0031]    In use, the user will ascend the ladder  100  using the rungs  104  with the attachment apparatus  10  to the appropriate height. The user will insert the attachment apparatus into the ladder  100  via the central bore  106  of rung  104 . The attachment apparatus  10  will be fed into the central bore  106  engaging section  14  first. Eventually the side walls of the wedge section  12  will begin to contact the interior wall of central bore  106 . The user will feel a resistance to further insertion, as the rubber of the wedge section  12  is compressed by the action of insertion. 
         [0032]    Eventually the user will reach the point where further insertion is impeded beyond the manual force that can be exerted by the user. However, by this point, the wedge section  12  will have formed an interference fit inside the central bore  106 . 
         [0033]    This situation is shown in  FIG. 3 , with the attachment apparatus  10  engaged with the ladder  100 . In this configuration, the engaging section  14  is positioned within the central bore  106 . The wedge section  12  forms an interference fit with the interior wall of central bore  106  at the end of the rung  104  nearest vertical spar  102 . The flange  16  abuts the vertical spar  102 . 
         [0034]    The user may then attach any tool or further attachment suitable for their specific requirements. This may be a bag containing a host of suitable tools or equipment. 
         [0035]    A second embodiment attachment apparatus  200  is shown in  FIGS. 4 to 8 . The apparatus  200  comprises a frusto-conical wedge section  212  from the narrowest diameter end  212   a  of which extends a cylindrical elongate portion  214 . The frusto-conical wedge section  212  comprises a plurality of axially extending ribs  212   b . These ribs  212   b  form the frusto-conical section by projecting outwardly from the attachment apparatus  200  in a substantially linearly increasing fashion from the narrowest diameter end  212   a , to the greatest diameter end  212   c  of the frusto-conical wedge section  212 . In between each ribs  212   b  are formed spacings  212   d . The ribs  212   b  may be formed from a resilient material such as a rubber to provide suitable resilience. 
         [0036]    Extending from the greatest diameter end  212   c  of the frusto-conical wedge section  212  is a short cylindrical section  215 . It can be seen from  FIGS. 4-8  that in the present embodiment there are formed small semi-circular recesses  215   b  on the short cylindrical section  215  that are adjacent and equal in number to the spacings  212   d , forming a contiguous spacing. 
         [0037]    Adjacent the short cylindrical section  215  opposite the frusto-conical wedge section  212 , is a flange  216 . The flange  216  comprises a frusto-conical flange section  216   a , and a cylindrical flange section  216   b.    
         [0038]    A handle  217  is attached to the flange  216  opposite the frusto-conical wedge section  212 . The handle  217  is formed from a rubber grip  217   a , allowing the apparatus  200  to be manually manipulated by a user. 
         [0039]    Extending from the handle  217  is further connection means  218 . The further connection means  218  includes a snap-hook or karabiner  220 . The snap-hook/karabiner  220  is attached to an end cap  222 , from which two lugs  222   a  project. The snap-hook/karabiner  220  attaches between the two lugs  222   a  by way of a simple pin arrangement  223 . 
         [0040]    It will be obvious to the skilled addressee that the apparatus may be inserted on either side to suit a left or right-handed user. Moreover, the use of the karabiner means that a paint-pot, for example, is locked in placed and it becoming disconnected is impeded. 
         [0041]    Moreover, once in place, the use of the present invention allows the user to maintain three points of contact with the ladder at all times. For example, the user may maintain a firm grip with one hand on the ladder, use a paint-brush with the other hand, with the paint-pot being held securely in the attachment apparatus. 
         [0042]    The invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein, and further modifications and improvements may be made to the present invention without departing from its scope. 
         [0043]    For example, although described here as being a conical frustum shape, the wedging section may comprise one or more lips surrounding a central wedge member. The lips may be toroids if the central wedge member is of a circular cross-section, the toroids themselves having a suitable cross-section, ranging from circular, through elliptical or rectangular or square cross section. 
         [0044]    Such an arrangement may comprise a plurality of such lips, decreasing in diameter along a central axis of the attachment apparatus in the direction of its attachment. 
         [0045]    As a further possible alternative, the wedging section may include a simple lug arrangement, projecting from a side of a central wedge member. There would preferably be provided a plurality of such lugs, more preferably their subsequent projecting distances would decrease along a central axis of the attachment apparatus in the direction of its attachment. Thus, a frustum like overall shape may be attained, without a fully formed frustum being required. The lugs may be arranged in ring-like sets at common distances along the attachment apparatus, or may be placed in any suitable arrangement pattern. 
         [0046]    Furthermore, although described here as a karabiner, the attachment means may include a normal hook, a cord, as shelf, or other suitable form of connection means for the application. 
         [0047]    Although described herein with a smooth leading edge, the elongate engaging section  14  may be provided with a suitable mechanism for varying its effective diameter once deployed. For example, three spring-loaded fingers may be provided on the leading edge which are initially flush with the elongate member. Once the attachment apparatus is suitably engaged with a ladder, the fingers may be deployed to increases the effective diameter of the elongate engaging section  14  and biasing against the inner wall of the central bore  106 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 4