Extension ladder with local reinforcement
AssigneeWerner Co.
InventorThomas W. Parker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An extension ladder having a base section and a fly section. The fly section has a right local reinforcement disposed inside a right fly rail of the fly section at locations of highest bending moment of the right fly rail when a force is applied to the right fly rail. The right local reinforcement is shorter than a length of the right fly rail. Loads applied to the right fly rail are transmitted to the right local reinforcement so the right fly rail may be thinner than if there was no right local reinforcement present. A method for producing a ladder rail with a local reinforcement between a top rail flange and a bottom rail flange. A method for using an extension ladder.
Claims17
An extension ladder comprising:
- a base section having a first base rail and a second base rail in parallel and a spaced relation with the first base rail, and a plurality of base rungs extending between the first base rail and the second base rail;
- a fly section having a first fly rail and a second fly rail in parallel and a spaced relation with the first fly rail, and a plurality of fly rungs extending between the first fly rail and the second fly rail;
- wherein the first base rail, the second base rail, the first fly rail, and the second fly rail are box rails having a substantially hollow cross-section;
- a first reinforcement disposed within the substantially hollow cross-section of the first fly rail and a second reinforcement disposed within the substantially hollow cross-section of the second fly rail, and extending less than an entire length of the fly section and the first and second reinforcements spanning at least two but less than all of the plurality of fly rungs, wherein the first reinforcement and second reinforcement are strengthening ribs secured within a respective one of the first fly rail and the second fly rail;
- and
- guide brackets attached to the base section engaging at least a portion of the base section and a portion of the fly section and permitting the fly section to slide relative to the base section;
- wherein the first reinforcement includes at least a first rung opening and a second rung opening, wherein the first rung opening of the first reinforcement receives a first portion of a fly rung of the plurality of fly rungs and the second reinforcement includes at least a first rung opening and a second rung opening, wherein the first rung opening of the second reinforcement receives a second portion of the fly rung of the plurality of fly rungs to secure the first reinforcement and the second reinforcement relative to the first fly rail and the second fly rail.
An extension ladder comprising:
- a base section having a first base rail and a second base rail in parallel and a spaced relation with the first base rail, and a plurality of base rungs extending between the first base rail and the second base rail;
- a fly section having a first fly rail and a second fly rail in parallel and a spaced relation with the first fly rail, and a plurality of fly rungs extending between the first fly rail and the second fly rail;
- wherein the first base rail, the second base rail, the first fly rail, and the second fly rail are box rails having a substantially hollow cross-section;
- a first reinforcement disposed within the substantially hollow cross-section of the first fly rail and a second reinforcement disposed within the substantially hollow cross-section of the second fly rail and the first and second reinforcements spanning at least two of the plurality of fly rungs but less than an entire length of the fly section, wherein the first reinforcement and second reinforcement are separate pieces that are secured within the first fly rail and the second fly rail respectively, the first reinforcement and the second reinforcement including a first flange, a second flange and a center element therebetween;
- and
- guide brackets attached to the base section engaging at least a portion of the base section and a portion of the fly section and allowing the fly section to slide relative to the base section,
- wherein the first reinforcement includes at least a first rung opening and a second rung opening disposed in the center element thereof, wherein the first rung opening of the first reinforcement receives a first portion of a fly rung of the plurality of fly rungs and the second reinforcement includes at least a first rung opening and a second rung opening, wherein the first rung opening of the second reinforcement receives a second portion of the fly rung of the plurality of fly rungs to secure the first reinforcement and the second reinforcement relative to the first fly rail and the second fly rail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.