Stepladder with stabilizer

A stabilizer device (41) for use with a stepladder (11) facilitating use of the stepladder on sloped and non-level surfaces, the stepladder having a pair of front side rails (13) that are in spaced apart relationship and lie in a common plane, the front side rails (13) are spaced apart in a diverging relationship from the top of the stepladder (11) to the bottom of the stepladder (11), a pair of rear side rails, designated generally (15), that are in generally spaced apart relationship in a manner to also provide a diverging relationship from the top of the stepladder (11) to the bottom of the stepladder (11) and lie in a common plane, a plurality of steps (21) secured to and extending between the front rails (13) and, in use, the top surfaces (23) thereof lie in a plane generally parallel to the supporting surface, when the stepladder is in its' A-frame expanded configuration comprising:

• the stabilizer (41), removably attachable to the stepladder (11) in its folded configuration, wherein the stabilizer (41) includes a mounting structure (51) adapted for attachment to a portion of the stepladder (11), the mounting structure (51) includes a cross member (53) in the shape of an F having two depending legs (55), connected together by a bight portion (57) of a plate (59), the legs (55) and bight portion (57) forming an open face channel (61), in which a portion of the stepladder (11) is received to facilitate use of the stepladder (11) while on a sloped surface with the bottom portions of the stepladder rails (13) and (15) resting on a lower elevation portion of the sloped surface, while a lower end of the stabilizer (41) rests on a higher elevation portion with the stepladder (11) being in a leaning back position, forming an A-frame configuration.