Patent ID: 7201255

Claim:
A ladder structure for enhancing corrosion resistance, comprising: a ladder including a pair of rails and a plurality of rungs extending between and mounted on the rails; wherein at least one of the rails and at least one of the rungs of the ladder comprise substantially tubular elements each having an interior; wherein a pair of the substantially tubular elements of the ladder are connected to each other and the interiors of the connected pair of substantially tubular elements are in fluid communication with each other; wherein the at least one rung has an end connected to the at least one rail at a connection, the end of the at least one rung being located outside of the interior of the at least one rail at the connection; wherein a first one of the connected pair of substantially tubular elements has a perimeter wall with a hole formed therein, and wherein a second one of the connected pair of substantially tubular elements has an opening located at an opposite end of the second substantially tubular element; wherein the first substantially tubular elements is connected to the second substantially tubular element in a manner such that the hole formed in the perimeter wall of the first substantially tubular elements is in fluid communication with the opening in the end of the second substantially tubular element; wherein both of the rails and substantially all of the plurality of rungs comprise substantially tubular elements with interiors, and wherein the interiors of substantially all of the rungs are in fluid communication with both of the rails; a support structure mounted on the ladder for enhancing rigidity of the ladder when the ladder is supported at an end in an extended condition; wherein the support structure includes at least one substantially tubular element with an interior in fluid communication with at least one of the substantially tubular elements of the ladder; wherein the support structure includes at least one truss assembly; wherein the support structure includes at least one longitudinal member extending substantially parallel to one of the rails of the ladder, and a plurality of cross members extending between the longitudinal member and the said one rail of the ladder, wherein the longitudinal member and substantially all of the plurality of cross members comprise substantially tubular elements with interiors, wherein the interiors of substantially all of the cross members are in fluid communication with the interior of the longitudinal member; wherein each of the cross members has a pair of opposite ends, a first one of the opposite ends being mounted on the longitudinal member and a second one of the opposite ends being mounted on the rail, at least one of the ends of the cross member being in fluid communication with the longitudinal member; and wherein the ladder includes a plurality, of buttresses, each of the buttresses extending between one of the rails and a medial region of one of the rungs, each of the buttresses being substantially tubular.