Ladder assembly
OwnerCasey Armand Hebertinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ladder assembly for use with a tree or other vertical support includes a first tube and a second tube that is nestable within the first tube. The second tube includes at least one movable step that is movable to one end of the tube to enable almost full insertion of the second tube into the first tube for compact storage and, when the tubes are separated from one another, the movable step is movable to the other end of the tube to provide an ideal step position for a climber. The ladder assembly achieves the same functionality as a telescoping pole but with fewer tube sections because the tubes are separable.
Claims10
A ladder assembly comprising:
- first and second tubes;
- said first tube defining a first interior space;
- first, second, third, and fourth step members;
- said first step member being mounted to a first end of the first tube;
- said second step member being mounted to a second end of the first tube;
- said third step member being operatively connected to the second tube such that the third step member is selectively slidable along the length of the second tube;
- said fourth step member being mounted to a first end of the second tube;
- said ladder assembly being reconfigurable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration;
- wherein the second tube is nested within the interior space of the first tube, and the third step member is adjacent the fourth step member when the ladder assembly is in the retracted configuration;
- and
- wherein the second tube is separated from the first tube and the third step member is mounted to a second end of the second tube when the ladder assembly is in the extended configuration.
A method comprising:
- possessing a ladder assembly having first and second tubes;
- said first tube defining a first interior space;
- first, second, third, and fourth step members;
- said first step member being mounted to a first end of the first tube;
- said second step member being mounted to a second end of the first tube;
- said third step member being operatively connected to the second tube such that the third step member is selectively slidable along the length of the second tube;
- said fourth step member being mounted to a first end of the second tube;
- said ladder assembly being in a retracted configuration in which the second tube is nested within the interior space of the first tube, and the third step member is adjacent the fourth step member;
- attaching the ladder assembly to a tree;
- separating the second tube and the first tube by completely removing the second tube from the first interior space;
- moving the third step member to a position adjacent the lower end of the second tube and securing the third step member adjacent the lower end of the second tube;
- moving the second tube to a height above the first tube;
- and
- attaching the second tube to the tree.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.