Automatic blockading system device for ladders or folding portable stepladder in transversal sense

A ladder comprising a pair of laterally positioned substantially parallel elongate struts with opposed upper and lower ends, a plurality of rungs extending between said struts at spaced points therealong, said rungs each having opposed outer ends, pivot means joining each rung outer end to a corresponding strut, each of said rungs comprising a pair of separate aligned rung sections respectively extending inward from the opposed outer ends thereof and terminating in inner rung section ends, a central bar parallel to said struts centrally therebetween and movable between a lower in use position and an upper collapsed position, a fastener member between said inner ends of each pair of rung sections, separate pivot members joining said inner ends of each pair of rung sections to the corresponding fastener member, separate means fixing each fastener member to said central bar for movement therewith and for selective movement of said rung sections of each rung between a linear alignment in said in use position with said struts laterally remote from each other, and a generally parallel orientation in said collapsed position adjacent said central bar and with said struts laterally adjacent each other, said inner ends of each pair of rung sections being laterally spaced from each other in said in use position, and stabilizing means joined to said struts below a lowermost one of said rungs, said stabilizing means, in said in use position, extending into supporting engagement with the lowermost one of said rungs thereabove for stabilizing said struts and said rungs wherein lateral shifting of said struts and rungs is precluded, said stabilizing means including a pair of elongate stabilizing rods below said lowermost one of said rungs, each rod having a lower end and an upper end, a joinder member between said upper ends of said rods, means pivotally joining each of said rod upper ends to said joinder member, said joinder member being freely slidable on said central bar, and means pivotally joining said rod lower ends, one to each of said struts, wherein movement of said central bar relative to said struts between said in use position and said collapsed position effects a corresponding pivotal movement of said rung sections and a lateral movement of said struts, said lateral movement of said struts effecting a pivotal movement of said stabilizing rods, said joinder member, in said in use position, abutting beneath the inner ends and the fastener member of the rung sections of the lowermost rung for retention of the rung sections of each rung in linear alignment.