Abstract:
The present invention is a method and apparatus for attaching a ladder to a vehicle or trailer which is capable of securing and locking a ladder in place with a reduction in complexity and increased ease of use.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/452,468, filed on Apr. 16, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/432,997, filed on Sep. 24, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/825,227 filed on Jun. 28, 2010, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an apparatus for mounting, securing and locking a ladder to a vehicle or trailer. 
         [0003]    Ladders are traditionally mounted on a vehicle or trailer in various ways, most of which involve a ladder rack, or hooks to which the ladder is attached. A ladder rack is typically mounted to the top or side of the vehicle or trailer, and the ladder is placed upon the rack (if top mounted) or hooked onto a rack or series of hooks (if side mounted). In this way, the ladder either rests on the rack above the vehicle or trailer, or is dangling from the side on attachments points mounted vertically on the vehicle or trailer. 
         [0004]    While this may provide a user with a way to attach a ladder to a vehicle or trailer, the need may also arise wherein a user is also in need of securing a ladder to the vehicle or trailer to prevent unauthorized use, or simply to ensure the ladder does not detach from the vehicle or trailer unexpectedly. Having the ladder only resting or dangling leaves it susceptible to accidental dismounting while the vehicle is in motion, which can cause damage not only to the ladder, but severe damage to other vehicles and persons who may come in contact with a ladder that becomes dismounted from the vehicle or trailer. Thus, sometimes it is preferable to secure the ladder to the vehicle or trailer. In order to reach that end, some ladder users will attempt makeshift techniques to secure a ladder, such as bungee cords, chains with or without padlocks, or in the alternative, some locking mechanisms have been proffered in the industry which utilize cumbersome mechanisms and/or apparatus to lock and/or secure a ladder. 
         [0005]    Clear downsides to the current mode of attaching a ladder to a vehicle or trailer exist. Firstly, a simple easy solution for mounting has not yet been available in the field. Secondly, even while the common method of attaching a ladder to a vehicle or trailer may perform the task of keeping the ladder mounted well enough to function, no known solution secures the ladder and prevents the unauthorized removal of the ladder in any reasonable fashion. This leaves the ladder vulnerable to theft, or use by an unauthorized party who may cause injury to themselves or others. For those methods employed by others to secure the ladder, the process is overwrought and typically not a unified locking system, and is therefore inherently subject to failure and damage because the solution is not designed as part of the ladder mount. 
         [0006]    The consequence of these issues is the inherent ineffectiveness of the current state of the art for mounting ladders. The absence of a solution which provides a secure, lockable and easy way to mount a ladder to a vehicle or trailer has yet to be developed. The present invention provides a simple, secure and lockable apparatus for ladders to be detachably affixed to a vehicle or trailer. The present invention of a locking ladder rack is thus a novel, needed and functional answer to the problems in the field relating to securing ladders. 
         [0007]    All of these aspects of the current state of ladder mounts for vehicles or trailers lead to an increased need for a revised method of implementation with minimized cost and complexity, all of which the present invention addresses. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    One object of the invention is to provide a lockable ladder mounting system. 
         [0009]    An additional object of this invention is to provide a simple apparatus for securing a ladder to a vehicle or trailer. 
         [0010]    Another object of this invention is to provide a secure ladder mounting system. 
         [0011]    Yet another object of this invention is to provide a ladder mounting system that is lockable. 
         [0012]    Still another object of this invention is to provide a ladder mounting system that is easy to use. 
         [0013]    Other objects and advantages of this invention shall become apparent from the ensuing descriptions of the invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    According to the present invention, a method and apparatus for attaching a ladder to a vehicle or trailer is disclosed which is capable of securing and locking a ladder in place with a reduction in complexity and increased ease of use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The accompanying drawings and figures illustrate an embodiment of this invention. However, it is to be understood that this embodiment is intended to be neither exhaustive, nor limiting of the invention. They are but examples of some of the forms in which the invention may be practiced. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the locking ladder rack. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a left side view of the locking ladder rack. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a right side view of the locking ladder rack. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of the locking ladder rack. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the locking ladder rack. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the locking ladder rack. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the locking ladder rack. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a view of the locking ladder rack installed on a truck. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Without any intent to limit the scope of this invention, reference is made to the figures in describing the various embodiments of the invention.  FIGS. 1 through 8  depict various aspects of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0025]    The present invention relates to lockable ladder rack  100  as pictured in  FIGS. 1 through 7  and mounted to a vehicle as see in  FIG. 8 . Any type of vehicle  200  can conceivably be used, but most often, vehicle  200  would be a truck, van or trailer. Lockable ladder rack  100  is, in one exemplary embodiment, constructed primarily of mounting plate  101 , u-shaped member  104  and securing member  108 . Mounting plate  101  can be configured to mount to vehicle or trailer  200  as seen in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0026]    Mounting plate  101  has first opposite end  102  and second opposite end  103 , and is, in this exemplary embodiment, constructed of a durable and strong material, such as steel, but could be aluminum, or high-impact plastic, provided the material was capable of supporting the weight of ladder  201 . The shape of mounting plate  101  can also be of various types, such as circular, square or rectangular. In the pictured embodiment, a rectangular design is employed. Between first opposite end  102  and second opposite end  103  of mounting plate  101 , is affixed mounted u-shaped member  104 . 
         [0027]    U-shaped member  104  can be constructed of a similar material as mounting plate  101 . The general u-shape of u-shaped member  104  can be a sweeping u-type as pictured in the Figures, or could be a more squared off shape, provided the shape permits ladder  201  to be hung thereon. U-shaped member  104  can be affixed anywhere between first opposite end  102  and second opposite end  103  of mounting plate  101 , however, in the exemplary embodiment pictured in the Figures, u-shaped member  104  is mounted at the approximate midpoint between first opposite end  102  and second opposite end  104 . U-shaped member  104  also has two ends, namely, first receiving end  105  and second receiving end  106 . Both ends  105 ,  106  can be configured as pictured with a circular or other void-providing shape such as a loop, where first receiving end  105  forms a first loop  113  and second receiving end  106  forms a second loop  114 , which will permit a locking mechanism such as a pin, lock or the like to pass though. U-shaped member  104  additionally has radial midpoint  107 , which would be typically where u-shaped member  104  would be affixed to mounting plate  101 . 
         [0028]    Securing member  108  can be of various shapes, but in the pictured embodiment of the Figures, it is a cylindrical member having first engaging end  109  and second engaging end  110 , and wherein first engaging end  109  is shaped to be similar to receiving end  105  of u-shaped member  104  by forming a third loop  115 . Second engaging end  110  is similarly configured to be similar to second receiving end  106  of u-shaped member  104  by forming a fourth loop  116 . In this way, a locking mechanism  111 , such as a pin, cable, lock or the like can be inserted through both pairs of loops to enable locking the apparatus  100 . 
         [0029]    A structural support member  112  can also be employed to support the load of whatever is placed in u-shaped member  104 , or can be used to fortify the strength of u-shaped member  104  and mounting plate  101  if necessary, desired or preferred. 
         [0030]    In operation, then, mounting plate  101  of lockable ladder rack  100  is affixed to a vehicle or trailer  200 , as seen in  FIG. 3  either by bolts, screws, welding, adhesive or any other choice of affixation for two or more locking ladder racks  100 . In the exemplary embodiment, u-shaped member  104  is permanently affixed to mounting plate  101 , but an alternate arrangement such as a detachable connection with screws or bolts is perfectly feasible and within the scope of this invention. Ladder  201  is then placed within the confines of locking ladder racks  100  along the length of ladder  201 . For each locking ladder rack  100 , securing member  108  is put in place by first attaching first receiving end  105  to first engaging end  109 . Next, second receiving end  110  is attached to second engaging end  106 . Both attachments are performed by the use of locking device  111 , such as pin, cable or the like by passing through both first loop  113  and third loop  115  and second loop  114  and fourth loop  116 . This effectively secures ladder  201  within locking ladder rack  100 , and thus to vehicle or trailer  200 . 
         [0031]    Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.