Multi-Position Ladder, Method of Using and Method of Making a Multi-Position Ladder

A hinge attached to a first front rail and a first rear rail, the hinge comprising:

• a frame which is fixedly attached to the first front rail;
• a rear rail hinge portion fixedly attached to the first rear rail and pivotally attached to the frame to rotate relative to the bracket, the rear rail hinge portion having a perimeter and having a plurality of slots which extend from the perimeter, the slot of the plurality of slots corresponding with a desired position of the first rear rail relative to the front;
• and
• a lock assembly disposed in the rear rail hinge portion, the lock assembly having a lock bar, when the lock bar is disposed in one of the plurality of slots, the lock bar locks the first rear rail into a locked state in a desired position relative to the first front rail so the first rear rail cannot move relative to the first front rail, when the lock bar is disposed outside of one of the plurality of slots, the lock bar unlocks the first rear rail into an unlocked state and the first rear rail can move relative to the first front rail.

A method for using a multi-position ladder comprising the steps of:

• actuating an actuator attached to a front section of the ladder causing a first hinge to move between a locked state and an unlocked state and a second hinge to move between a locked state and an unlocked state, the first hinge attached to a first front rail of the front section of the ladder and a first rear rail of a rear section of the ladder, the second hinge attached to a second front rail of the front section of the ladder and a second rear rail of the rear section of the ladder, the actuator remote separate and apart from the first hinge and the second hinge, the rear section having a telescoping section;
• moving the rear section relative to the front section about the first and second hinges when the first and second hinges are in the unlocked state to either a leaning ladder mode, a stepladder mode, a stairway ladder mode, and a straight ladder mode;
• and
• locking the rear section relative to the front section in the desired ladder mode.

An actuator for locking and unlocking a first hinge and second hinge of a ladder, the actuator adapted to be attached to and a first front rail and a second front rail of the ladder, the actuator comprising:

• a housing, the housing having a shelf, the shelf having a first opening and a second opening;
• a first base having a first actuation lever extending through the first opening, the first base slidingly attached to the shelf;
• a second base having a second actuation lever extending through the second opening, the second base slidingly attached to the shelf;
• a first connector extending from the first base to the first hinge;
• and
• a second connector extending from the second base to the second hinge, when the first actuation lever and the second actuation lever are squeezed together, the first connector unlocks the first hinge and the second connector unlocks the second hinge.