Patent ID: 7503454

Claim:
A multifunctional receptacle which is suited for use on a ladder having a set of steps, which includes: a base member having a plurality of interconnecting upwardly extending side members which form part of a storage compartment, said side members including a first pair of opposing side members and a second pair of opposing side members, said base member further including a bottom side forming another part of said storage compartment with a lower portion thereof defining a recessed surface extending through said first pair of opposing side members providing a forward retention lip and rear retention lip and configured to complementary receive a step surface of the ladder in a manner to prevent at least one degree of front and rear movement therebetween when said base member is disposed on the step and wherein one of said second pair of opposing side members is characterized as a forward side member and another of said second pair of opposing side members is characterized as a rear side member and wherein said first pair of opposing side members is characterized to include a first side member and a second side member; a first generally U-shaped handle having a transverse member and two opposing parallel side arms extending therefrom in a first direction, said side arms including a first side arm and second side arm and wherein said first side arm is pivotally connected to said first side member proximate said forward side member and said bottom side and a second side arm is pivotally connected to said second side member proximate said forward side member and said bottom side; a second generally U-shaped handle having a transverse member and two opposing parallel side arms extending therefrom in a common first direction, said side arms including a first side arm and second side arm and wherein said first side arm is pivotally connected to said first side member proximate said rear side member and said bottom side and a second side arm is pivotally connected to said second side member proximate said rear side member and said bottom side and wherein said first side arms are spaced apart a distance between said pivotal connections to said first side member and said second side arms are spaced apart a distance between said pivotal connections to said second side member; said U-shaped handles are configured to move between a first position wherein said transverse members are disposed adjacent one another above said storage compartment and wherein said transverse member of said first U-shaped handle includes an integrally connected retaining hook extending therefrom which is configured to removably retain said transverse member of said second U-shaped handle and a second position wherein said arms of said U-shaped handles are configured to move below said storage compartment and be disposed against the ladder when said base is disposed on a step of the ladder.