Patent Abstract:
An improved apparatus for adjustably attaching a tray to a ladder side member. The apparatus includes a first clamping member for attachment to a ladder, an L-shaped support having a support leg and a mounting leg perpendicular to the support leg, thereby forming the L-shape and first and second tray clamping members, which allow a tray to be securely fastened to a ladder The support leg provides support to the bottom of the paint container when the device is mounted to the ladder. The mounting leg is attached to the clamping assembly and is provided with elongated slots therein for bolts to pass therethrough. The bolts also pass through the clamping assembly. The bolts are provided with threaded knobs and are used to draw the first clamp, the first and second tray clamp members and the mounting leg of the L-shaped support together when tightened. An additional slot is provided so that the position of the clamping assembly can be adjusted with respect to the mounting leg to accommodate attachment to a front or back side support of the ladder.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is an improved paint tray support device that allows attachment of a tray to a ladder. The tray support device has improved features enhancing both operational characteristics including ease of ladder attachment, paint tray stability and further having geometry enabling the paint tray support device to be attached to a variety of different trays, of different manufacturers. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     A common problem encountered when painting on a ladder is the absence of a convenient support at the higher ladder elevations for paint, trays, rollers, brushes and the like within convenient reach of the workers. A number of prior art devices have addressed this problem by providing detachable trays for ladders. 
     In order to provide maximum utility and versatility the supporting structure for a ladder tray should be easily demountable, equally suited for mounting on the left or right hand side of a ladder, and possess means for adjusting the angle of the attached tray to compensate for changes in ladder angle. Further economic and utilitarian advantages are realized by providing a detachable tray supporting structure having simply constructed mounting and adjusting means capable of inexpensive fabrication and easy operation. The means by which a tray support structure is attached to a ladder should be adaptable to fit all types and sizes of ladders commonly in use, such as wood, aluminum or fiberglass, by means of simple adjustment. 
     Although numerous prior art ladder trays and ladder tray supporting structures have been developed to solve certain of the aforementioned problems, none have adequately resolved all of the problems. As will become apparent from the discussion which follows, however the present invention solves each of the previously mentioned problems in a simple, inexpensive and expedient manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a preferred embodiment, the invention may be described as a tray support device adapted to be adjustably attached to a ladder for supporting a tray containing paint or other liquid. The device includes a clamping assembly for attachment to a ladder and a tray, and an L-shaped support having a support leg and a mounting leg perpendicular to the support leg, thereby forming the L-shape. The support leg provides support to the bottom of the paint container when the device is mounted to the ladder. The mounting leg is attached to the clamping assembly. This mounting arrangement of the invention can be readily adjusted by the user to ensure that an attached tray can be maintained in a position level with the ground regardless of changes in ladder angle. 
     The clamping assembly includes a first clamping member positioned adjacent to an outside surface of the mounting leg and two tray clamp members positioned adjacent to an inside surface of the mounting leg. The first clamping member cooperates with the outside surface of the mounting leg of the L-shaped support to capture the side rail of the ladder therebetween. The first clamping member has the ability to be clamped to the side rails of aluminum, wood, fiberglass, and other types of ladders without undue stress on or deformation of the rails. The two tray clamp members are positioned adjacent to an inside surface of the mounting leg of the L-shaped support and cooperate to capture the lip and a portion of the sidewall of the paint tray therebetween. This assembly allows the paint container to be adjustably positioned at any vertical location of the ladder and is adaptable to various types of trays. It also allows for positioning of the container on either side of the ladder to accommodate both right and left-handed painters. Additionally, the assembly provides a universal mounting arrangement to accommodate most common types of ladders. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the paint tray support device showing the attachment of the device to a tray and a ladder 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the paint tray support device illustrated in FIG. 1 not connected to the tray. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the paint tray support device illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the paint tray support device illustrated in FIG.  1   
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     While the present invention will be described fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a particular embodiment is shown, it is to be understood at the outset that persons skilled in the art may modify the invention herein described while still achieving the desired result of this invention. Accordingly, the description which follows is to be understood as abroad informative disclosure directed to persons skilled in the appropriate arts and not as limitations of the present invention. 
     A preferred embodiment of the tray support device  10  of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 attached to a ladder  12  and a tray  14 . The tray support device  10  is adapted to removably mount the tray  14  to the ladder  12 . The tray support device  10  is also adapted to releasably attach to a variety of ladders including free standing, extension and the like constructed out of materials such as metal, wood and fiberglass, having either a solid or channel configuration. 
     The tray support device  10  releasably attaches to a side rail  16  of the ladder  12 . The tray  14 , which may contain paint or other liquid, releasably attaches to the tray support device  10  and is positioned so the tray  14  is parallel to the ground to prevent the contents from spilling. 
     The tray support  10  includes a first clamping member  18 , a L-shaped support  50 , a first tray clamp member  60 , a second tray clamp member  80  and a pair of fasteners  38  and  39  with adjustment knobs  41  and  43 . The first clamping member  18 , as best shown in FIG. 4, includes a front surface  20 , a rear surface  22  and a pair of apertures  24  and  26 . The front surface  20  opposes the rear surface  22  and is spaced apart from the rear surface  22  by a gap  28 . The front surface  20  has a smooth finish but may incorporate a textured finish to provide additional friction when attached to the side rail  16  of the ladder  12 . The front surface  20  further includes a flange, not shown, that extends perpendicularly and outwardly along one edge of the front surface  20 . The front surface  20  further includes a groove, not shown, that extends along the length of the face adjacent to the flange. The front surface  20  further includes an adjustable bolt  34  extending vertically from the front surface  20  centrally located on the edge opposite flange. The rear surface  22  includes a pair of ribs  36  and  37  to strengthen the first clamping member  18 . Apertures  24  and  26  are positioned at opposite ends of the edge containing flange. Apertures  24  and  26  allow for a pair of fasteners  38  and  39  to pass through in a position that is perpendicular to both the front surface  20  and the rear surface  22 . When the tray support device  10  is attached to the ladder  12 , the front surface  20  comes into contact with an inside surface  17  of the side rail  16 , shown in FIG. 1, to prevent the tray support device  10  from moving when the tray  14  is attached to the ladder  12  for use. Unlike a wooden ladder, an aluminum or fiberglass ladder side rail is a hollow, 3-sided channeled member with the channel facing the center of the ladder. When the first clamping member  18  is engaged to the ladder side rail  16  the groove, not shown, comes in contact with the edge of the side rail  16  channel and the adjustable bolt  34  comes in contact with the bottom of the side rail  16  channel. When properly attached, the first clamping member  18 , with the aid of the adjustable bolt  34  if necessary, prevents the tray support device  10  from moving when the tray  14  is attached and in use. When the tray support device  10  is attached to a solid ladder, such as one constructed out of wood which does not have a channel configuration, the adjustable bolt  34  can be removed from the front surface  20  of the first clamping member  18  thereby allowing the front surface  20  to come into direct contact with the inside surface  17  of the ladder side rail  16 . 
     The L-shaped support  50 , as shown in FIG. 3, includes a support leg  52  and a mounting leg  40  perpendicularly connected to the support leg  52  thereby forming an L-shape. The support leg  52  includes a top surface  55  and a bottom surface  56 . The support leg  52  has an attached end  51  and a free end  53  wherein the attached end is connected to the mounting leg  40  and extends outwardly. As the support leg  52  extends outwardly, the width gradually tappers so the free end  53  is narrower than the attached end  51 . A recess  57  is defined between the inner surface  42  of the mounting leg  40  and the support leg  52 . A support leg rib  59  is attached to the bottom surface  56  of ate support leg  52  and is connected to the inner surface  42  of the mounting leg  52  and passes perpendicularly through the center of the recess  57 . The recess  57  is to extend the range of travel of the first tray clamp member  60  so a tray  14  with a shorter sidewall can be attached properly to the tray support device  10 . The mounting leg  40 , as shown in FIG. 4, includes an inner surface  42  and an outer surface  44 . The inner surface  42  is adapted to allow the first surface  62  of the first tray clamp member  60  to slide vertically along the inner surface  42  so the first tray clamp member  60  can be positioned to accept the lip  15  of the tray  14 . The mounting leg  40 , as shown in FIG. 2, includes three elongated slots  46 ,  47  and  48  that allow fasteners  38  and  39  to pass therethrough, The elongated slots  46 - 48  allow adjustment of the tray support device  10  so the tray  14  can be properly fitted to the device  10  and leveled with the ground. The outer surface  44 , as shown in FIG. 4, includes a plurality of vertical ribs  49  which add strength to the mounting leg  40 . The outer surface  44  comes in contact with an outside surface  19  of the side rail  16  when the tray support device  10  is clamped to the ladder  12 , as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Also forming part of the tray support device is a z-shaped bracket  60  designated as a first tray clamp member. The tray clamp member  60  defines a pair of apertures  63  and  64  through which fasteners  38  and  39  may extend. As best shown in FIG.  4 . Another aperture  65  is provided in an upwardly extending flange  66  also adapted to receive fasteners  38  or  39  therethrough. The first tray clamp member  60  defines a first surface  62  adapted to slide vertically along the inner surface  42  of the mounting leg  40 . The first tray clamp member  60  further includes a vertically extending notch  67 , best shown in FIG. 2, or groove in the lower end of the first tray clamp member  60  adapted to fit over the support leg rib  59  that passes through the recess  57  of the support leg  52  so as to prevent relative rotation between the first tray clamp member  60  and the support leg  52 . 
     The first tray clamp member  60  also includes an L-shaped shelf  68 , as shown if FIG. 4 defined by an outwardly extending leg  69  and an upwardly extending leg  70 . The upwardly extending leg  70 , the outwardly extending leg  69  and the flange  66  together form a channel  7 l, shown in FIG. 3, that accepts the paint tray lip  15  to allow attachment of the tray support device  10  to the tray  14 . 
     Also forming part of the tray support device  10  is a L-shaped bracket  80  designated as a second tray clamping member, as shown in FIG.  4 . The second tray clamping member  80  defines an aperture  82  through which either fastener  38  or  39  extends therethrough. The second tray clamping member  80  further includes an outer surface  84  and an inner surface  86  wherein the inner surface contains a flange  88  that contacts the inside surface of the edge of the tray  14  at the same position on the tray  14  as the first tray clamp member  60 , as shown in FIG.  3 . The outwardly extending flange  88  extends downwardly from the body of the second tray clamping member  80  and creates an L-shape. When fasteners  38  and  39  are tightened, the first tray clamping member  60  and the second tray clamping member  80  clasp the edge of the tray  14  to prevent movement. 
     When the fasteners  38  and  39  are tightened, the first clamping member  18 , the mounting leg  40 , the first tray clamp member  60  and the second tray clamp member  80  are drawn together to solidify the tray support device  10  to prevent movement when mounted to the ladder  12  and the tray  14 . To mount the tray  14  to the tray support device  10 , fasteners  38  and  39  are loosened so the second tray clamp member  80  can be separated from the first tray clamp member  60 , as best displayed in the exploded view in FIG. 4, and the first tray clamp member  60  can be vertically slid along the inner surface  42  of the mounting leg  40 . The lip  15  of the paint tray  14  is positioned between the first tray clamp member  60  and the second tray clamp member  80  where the lip rests in the channel  71  of the first tray clamp member  60  and the second tray clamp member  80  inner surface  86  comes in contact with the inner portion of the edge of the tray  14 . The tray  14 , first tray clamp member  60  and second tray clamp member  80  are advanced downward until the bottom of the tray comes in contact with the top surface  55  of the support leg  52 . When the bottom of the tray  14  reaches this position, the fasteners  38  and  39  are tightened so the first tray clamp member  60  and the second tray clamp member  80  clench the lip and inner surface of the paint tray  14 . 
     To attach the tray support device  10  to the side rail  17  of the ladder  12 , fasteners  38  and  39  are loosened so that the first tray clamping member  18  can be separated from the outer surface  44  of the mounting leg  40 . Since the apertures  24  and  26  have a diameter larger than fasteners  38  and  39 , an operator can easily separate the first champing member  18  by simply grabbing and sliding the member  18  in the direction away from the mounting leg  40 . The tray support device  10  is then positioned so the front surface  20  of the first clamping member  18  and the outer surface  44  of the mounting leg  40  are in contact with the inside surface  17  and the outside surface  19  of the ladder side rail  16 . The tray support device  10  is pivoted slightly until the tray  14  is parallel to the ground. When the tray  14  is in the proper position, fasteners  38  and  39  are tightened to compress the inside surface  17  and outside surface  19  of the ladder side rail  16 . 
     In certain situations, it may be desirable to position the tray holding device  10  on either the right or left hand side of the ladder depending on the amount of space available where the ladder  12  is placed or whether the operator is right or left handed. 
     Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements merely illustrate, and that the invention is to be given its fullest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4