Telescoping ladder with a cascading collapse mechanism

A telescoping ladder, comprising:

• a first stile,
• a second stile, the first and second stiles each having
• a plurality of columns disposed in a nested arrangement for relative axial movement in a telescopic fashion along an axis of the plurality of columns between a fully-extended position and a collapsed position, wherein, each column having a hollow body, such that when the ladder is collapsed from the fully-extended position, each column substantially nests within another column;
• a plurality of rungs extending between the first stile and the second stile, each rung connected to a column of the first stile and a column of the second stile, each rung having a hollow body;
• a plurality of connector assemblies, each connector assembly comprising a latch assembly having a locking pin operatively coupled to a release button, each locking pin being moveable between an extended position and the retracted position to permit selectively locking or releasing the columns respectively;
• and
• a plurality of actuators, each actuator being configured to actuate a corresponding locking pin such that when actuated, the corresponding locking pin moves from the extended position to the retracted position,
• each actuator having a pair of side walls, each side wall including an inner side wall surface and an outer side wall surface opposite the inner side wall surface,
• each actuator including a passage configured to receive the respective locking pin between its extended position and retracted position, the passage being defined between the inner side wall surfaces of the pair of side walls, the side walls each being shaped so as to define a ramp surface recessed in the inner side wall surface and spaced apart from the outer side wall surface, the ramp surface permitting travel of a portion of a corresponding release button thereon, such that a movement of each actuator in a direction parallel to the axis of the plurality of the columns is coupled to a movement of the corresponding release button between the extended position and retracted position in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the plurality of columns, to lock or release the adjacent columns,
• whereby the plurality of actuators permit collapsing the ladder in a sequential manner, the sequence involving collapsing the columns on a lower portion of the ladder prior to collapsing columns immediately thereabove.

A telescoping ladder, comprising:

• a first stile,
• a second stile, the first and second stiles each having
• a plurality of columns disposed in a nested arrangement for relative axial movement in a telescopic fashion along an axis of the plurality of columns between a fully-extended position and a collapsed position, wherein, each column having a hollow body, such that when the ladder is collapsed from the fully-extended position, each column substantially nests within another column;
• a plurality of rungs extending between the first stile and the second stile, each rung connected to a column of the first stile and a column of the second stile, each rung having a hollow body;
• a plurality of connector assemblies, each connector assembly comprising a latch assembly having a locking pin moveable between an extended position or a retracted position for extending into or retracting out of openings of the adjacent columns to selectively lock or release the columns respectively, wherein when the each locking pin is in the extended position, the adjacent columns are selectively locked, and relative axial movement between the adjacent columns is prevented and when each locking pin is in the retracted position, the adjacent columns are released and relative axial movement between the adjacent columns is permitted;
• and
• a plurality of actuators, each actuator having a bottom wall, and a pair of side walls perpendicular to the bottom wall, each side wall including an inner side wall surface and an outer side wall surface opposite the inner side wall surface, each actuator including a passage configured to receive the respective locking pin between its extended position and retracted position, the passage being defined between the inner side wall surfaces of the pair of side walls, the side walls each being shaped so as to define a ramp surface recessed in the inner side wall surface and spaced apart from the outer side wall surface,
• each locking pin having a transverse pin passing therethrough, the transverse pin being slidable on the ramp surface of a corresponding actuator so as to provide a slidable engagement of the locking pin and the corresponding actuator, whereby the slidable engagement of each locking pin and the corresponding actuator permitting retraction of each locking pin so as to permit relative axial movement between the adjacent columns connected to each locking pin,
• whereby the plurality of actuators permit collapsing the ladder in a sequential manner, the sequence involving collapsing the columns on a lower portion of the ladder prior to collapsing columns immediately thereabove.