Abstract:
A ladder is stabilized in a plurality of planes so it will not twist, slide or fall once it is in place. Telescoping legs are mounted on each side rail of the ladder, a cable system acts as a harness rail and an anti-roll bar is mounted on top of each side rail. The cable system allows the harness to be extended on an extension ladder.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to the general art of ladders, and to the particular field of ladder stabilizers.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Ladders are used extensively in a number of different situations such as construction, painting, building maintenance, etc. A ground supported ladder is generally used in an inclined position with its upper end portion resting on or against a suitable support. When a downwardly directed force is applied to the ladder by someone standing on it there is a nature tendency for the base of the ladder to move in a horizontal direction away from the supporting surface. Most serious accidents involving ladders of this type can be attributed to failure to provide a sound ladder footing. Long straight ladders and particularly extension ladders are inherently unstable when supported on uneven ground.  
         [0003]     At times, the surface a ladder needs to be placed on is uneven or inclined. Placement of a ladder on an uneven surface renders the ladder unstable, which increases the possibility of the ladder toppling over, resulting in injury to workers. When such a ladder is used on irregular or sloping surfaces it is common practice to block or shim the ladder to compensate for the irregularity of the supporting surface. This is an extremely dangerous practice, but in many instances the practice cannot be avoided. This is particularly true where there is no provision for adjusting the effective length of the ladder side rails.  
         [0004]     A number of devices have been developed to adjust the level of the ladder legs so that the ladder is firmly supported, even when placed on uneven surfaces. However, often, ladders may be unstable in a variety of planes. For example, the ladder may be subject to twisting on the top while subject to slipping in at least two planes on the bottom.  
         [0005]     The inventor is not aware of any stabilizing device that can effectively stabilize a ladder, especially an extension ladder, in a multiplicity of planes. Without such effective multi-plane stabilization, there is a danger that the ladder can become unstable.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, it is the general objective of the present invention to provide an improved ladder stabilizing unit which will provide a wide support base to assure firm footing for a ladder. It is a further objective of the invention to provide a ladder stabilizing device which may be readily adjusted to compensate for irregularities in the ladder supporting surface and may be adjusted to provide support in a variety of different planes.  
         [0007]     Storage of ladders is another important consideration. A ladder is generally a bulky and sizable item and therefore may take up an inordinate amount of storage space. Any item that exacerbates this problem will likely not be successful. Accordingly, there is a need for a ladder stabilizer that can be moved into a position for storage and which will not unduly increase the storage bulk of a ladder.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The above-discussed disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by a ladder stabilizer system that supports the ladder, including an extension ladder, in a plurality of planes, including a roll plane, a tilt plane and a fall back plane. The stabilizer system includes an anti-roll bar on the top of each side rail of the ladder, a telescoping anti-slide leg on the bottom of each side rail for stabilizing the ladder in a slide plane with respect to the ladder, and a telescoping anti-fall back leg on the bottom of each side rail for stabilizing the ladder in a fall back plane with respect to the ladder. A safety harness system includes a cable that is mounted on one side rail of the ladder. The cable system permits adapting the harness to the chosen size of an extension ladder, and the harness adds a further safety feature to the ladder.  
         [0009]     Using the ladder stabilizer system embodying the present invention will permit stabilization of a ladder, including an extension ladder, in a plurality of planes whereby the ladder is quite secure. The harness system adds further safety features to the stabilized ladder.  
         [0010]     Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGS.  
       [0011]     The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a ladder stabilizer embodying the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the ladder stabilizer shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a stabilized ladder unit  10  which is stabilized in a plurality of planes.  
         [0015]     Ladder unit  10  comprises a ladder  12  which can be an extension ladder and includes two side rail units  14  and  16 . Each side rail unit includes a plurality of sections which slidably fit together. A first section  20  is a top section when the ladder is in use as shown in  FIG. 1  and a second section  22  is a bottom section when the ladder is in use. A longitudinal axis  24  extends between the first section and the second section.  
         [0016]     Each section of each side rail has an inner surface  26 , an outer surface  28 , a longitudinal axis  30  which extends between the direction of longitudinal axis  24 , a first side edge  32  which is an upper side edge when the ladder is in use and a second side edge  34  which is a lower side edge when the ladder is in use. A plurality of rungs, such as rung  40 , extend between the two side rail units. The rungs are located in a first plane P 1  on each section of the ladder.  
         [0017]     An anti-roll unit  50  includes bars  52  and  54 . Each bar is mounted on the outer surface of a side rail of the first section of the ladder to extend away from the side rail on which it is mounted in a direction transverse to longitudinal axis  30  of the side rail on which it is mounted. The bars are located in first plane P 1 .  
         [0018]     An anti-tilt unit  60  includes a telescoping leg, such as telescoping leg  62 , pivotally mounted on the outer surface of each side rail of second section  22  of the ladder to extend at an oblique angle θ 1  to side rail on which it is mounted. Each telescoping leg is located in a plane P 3  that is oriented at an oblique angle θ 2  to first plane P 1 .  
         [0019]     An anti-fall unit  70  includes a telescoping leg, such as telescoping leg  72 , pivotally mounted on the upper side edge of each side rail of second section  22  of the ladder to extend at an oblique angle θ 3  to the side rail on which it is mounted. Each telescoping leg is located in a plane P 4  that is oriented at an oblique angle θ 4  to first plane P 4  and at an oblique angle θ 5  to the telescoping leg of the anti-tilt unit mounted on the side rail on which the telescoping leg of the anti-fall unit is mounted and at an oblique angle θ 6 with respect to the bars of the anti-roll unit. Multi-planar support is thus provided to the ladder by the above-discussed units.  
         [0020]     Further support for a user is provided by a harness unit  80  mounted on the ladder. Harness unit  80  includes a cable housing  82  on one side rail, a cable guide  84  on the outer surface of one side rail of the first section of the ladder, a cable  86  which extends between the cable housing and the cable guide on one side rail of the ladder, a cable loop  88  movably attached to the cable, and a cable grip portion  90  attached to each cable loop. A cable control unit is contained in housing  82  and includes a spring unit or the like to rewind the cable when the ladder is collapsed and to allow the cable to be dispensed as the ladder is extended. A brake unit is also contained in the housing to catch the cable  86  when a sharp pull is exerted thereon in the manner of a motor vehicle seat belt so a user will be able to easily extend and retract the cable, but will have a stable and secure element to catch him if he begins to fall off of the ladder. In one form of the invention, cable  86  is formed of steel. A user wears a harness which connects to cable grip  90  to further secure himself to the ladder.  
         [0021]     Use of stabilized ladder unit  10  will be understood by those skilled in the art based on the teaching of the foregoing disclosure. Accordingly, use of unit  10  will be only briefly discussed. A user extends ladder  12  to the desired height, then places anti-roll unit  50  against the support surface. The user then extends the legs of the anti-tilt unit  60  and the legs of the anti-fall back unit  70  to stabilize the ladder in two more planes. The user then ascends the ladder and connects his harness to grip portions  90 . Cables  86  unwind from housings  82  as the sections of the ladder are extended, and will rewind under spring bias or the like as the sections are collapsed for storage. The pivotal connections of the legs will permit the legs to be moved into the most desirable orientation for supporting the ladder and to be moved into a storage position next to the ladder when the ladder is to be stored so the ladder occupies the least volume during storage.  
         [0022]     While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.