Tank safety ladder

A safety ladder and work platform for installation on the convex outside surface of a tank for a tank vehicle, to provide safe access between the top surface of the tank and a support surface beneath the vehicle, comprising:

• platform means to be supported by the surface of the tank and adapted to extend over at least a portion of the top surface of the tank and outwardly from one side thereof in a plane substantially parallel to said support surface,
• a pair of spaced, substantially parallel step support means for supporting therebetween a plurality of spaced step means, said step support means having a free end and an upper extent secured to said platform means, said upper extent being spaced outwardly from said tank by said platform means when said platform means is supported on said tank, said step support means extending substantially perpendicular to said platform between said platform and said free end with said free end spaced above said support surface when said platform means is supported over the top surface of said tank,
• handrail means secured to said step support means to provide a continuous gripping surface from an upper handrail extremity spaced above said platform and inwardly of said step support means over said platform to a lower handrail extremity between said platform and the free end of said step support means, said handrail means extending from said lower handrail extremity outwardly of and substantially parallel to said step support means to provide a continuous, unbroken gripping surface to a point above said platform;
• and
• a plurality of step means supported by said step support means and secured at spaced intervals between said pair of step support means at right angles thereto, said step means each having a supportive, nonslippery bearing surface whereby the ladder may be ascended or descended.

A safety ladder and work platform for installation on the outside of a vehicle supported tank having a convex exterior surface to provide access between the top surface of the tank and a support surface beneath the vehicle, comprising:

• platform means to be supported by the surface of the tank and including a work platform adapted to extend over at least a portion of the top surface of the tank and outwardly from one side thereof in a plane substantially parallel to said support surface,
• a ladder having an upper extremity attached to said work platform and a plurality of spaced rungs including an upper and lower rung, said ladder extending substantially perpendicular to said work platform in the area between said upper and lower rungs and terminating at a lower ladder extremity spaced above said support surface when said platform means is supported over the top surface of said tank, and
• handrail means adapted to provide a continuous gripping surface for said ladder and work platform extending in spaced relationship to both said ladder and said work platform, said handrail means including spaced handrails connected at one end to said ladder between said work platform and lower ladder extremity and extending from said connection with said ladder in spaced, substantially parallel relationship with said ladder to a first point spaced above said work platform, said handrail means extending from said first point above and over said work platform in spaced, substantially parallel relationship thereto, being connected to said ladder and work platform to provide an unbroken gripping surface between said first point and said connection with said ladder.