US 9,038,776 B2Granted

Collapsible safe ladder

AssigneeLock N Climb, LLC

InventorsJeffrey Green, Floyd LaVern Vestal

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Abstract

A ladder system is disclosed which allows for stabilizing a ladder on multiple surfaces without the need for a second person or a great deal of setup time. The collapsible ladder system includes a larger ladder section and a smaller ladder strut section which are pivotally connected at a point which is at or below the midpoint of the larger ladder section. The larger ladder section and smaller ladder strut section are connected by a rigid adjustable linkage, or spreader, at a point that is below the pivotable connection. The ladder further includes a means for stability on a variety of surfaces. At the ground contact point, the point where the ladder side rail ends and the ground meet, there are adjustable gripping feet, which can be independently or in combination vertically or angularly adjusted for maximum stability.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for stabilizing a ladder, comprising:

connecting first and second support rails using one or more longitudinal cross members such that the first and second support rails are substantially parallel, wherein each support rail has a first distal end, a second distal end, and an adjustable shaft located at the second distal end,
wherein each of said first and second support rails is a continuous length of flat material having a bend positioned between said first distal end and said second distal end,
wherein the bend divides the continuous length of flat material to define (i) a first substantially linear portion between said first distal end and the bend, and (ii) a second substantially linear portion between said second distal end and the bend,
wherein said first substantially linear portion and said second substantially linear portion are positioned in substantially the same plane and positioned at an obtuse angle relative to one another;
inserting a rod through a hollow ladder rung situated at, or below, a longitudinal midpoint of the ladder, wherein the longitudinal midpoint is the point equidistant from the base end and upper end of the ladder when the ladder is fully extended, such that the rod's first and second ends protrude from each side of the hollow ladder rung;
pivotally connecting the first distal end of the first parallel support rail to the first end of said rod such that the first substantially linear portion of the first parallel support rail extends to achieve a substantially perpendicular angle in relation to the ladder rails;
pivotally connecting the first distal end of the second parallel support rail to the second end of said rod such that the first substantially linear portion of the second parallel support rail to achieve a substantially perpendicular angle in relation to the ladder rails;
and
connecting one or more spreaders between said first and second support rails and one or more ladder rails.

6 more elements

An apparatus for stabilizing a ladder, the ladder having a first side rail and second side rail, each of said first and second side rails having an inner surface, an outer surface defining a surface plane, a base end, an upper end, and a hollow ladder rung joining the inner surface of the first side rail to the inner surface of the second side rail at, or below, a longitudinal midpoint of the rails and disposed to lie generally perpendicular to said first and second side rails, the apparatus comprising:

(i) first and second support rails adapted for pivotal connection to said first and second side rails,
wherein each of said first and second support rails is a continuous length of flat material having a first distal end, a second distal end, and a bend positioned between said first distal end and said second distal end,
wherein the bend divides the continuous length of flat material to define (i) a first substantially linear portion between said first distal end and the bend, and (ii) a second substantially linear portion between said second distal end and the bend,
wherein said first substantially linear portion and said second substantially linear portion are positioned in substantially the same plane and positioned at an obtuse angle relative to one another;
(ii) a rod for pivotally attaching the first distal end of each of said first and second support rails to the ladder, wherein said rod, which has a first rod end and a second rod end, is configured to be inserted through said hollow ladder rung such that the first and second rod ends protrude on each side of said hollow ladder rung, thereby enabling the first distal end of each of said first and second support rails to be removably attached to said ladder,
wherein said first support rail is configured to selectively extend from the base end of the first side rail, said first support rail selectively extending in a plane that is substantially parallel to the first side rail's surface plane,
wherein said second support rail is configured to selectively extend from the base end of the second side rail, said second support rail selectively extending in a plane that is substantially parallel to the second side rail's surface plane;
(iii) a spreader having a first spreader end and a second spreader end, said spreader being configured to fold at a point between said first spreader end and said second spreader end,
wherein the first spreader end of said spreader is pivotally connected to the first support rail and the second end is configured to be attached to said ladder,
wherein full extension of the spreader aligns the first support rail such that the first substantially linear portion of the first support rail is positioned at a substantially perpendicular angle relative to the length of the first side rail;
and
(iv) a shoe coupled to the second distal end of each of said first and second support rails, and located at a ground contact point.

9 more elements

A ladder system, comprising:

(i) a first side rail and second side rail, each of said first and second side rails having an inner surface, an outer surface defining a surface plane, a base end, and an upper end;
(ii) a hollow ladder rung, said hollow ladder rung configured to join the inner surface of the first side rail to the inner surface of the second side rail at, or below, a longitudinal midpoint of the rails and disposed to lie generally perpendicular to said first and second side rails;
(iii) first and second support rails adapted for pivotal connection to said first and second side rails,
wherein each of said first and second support rails is a continuous length of flat material having a first distal end, a second distal end, and a bend positioned between said first distal end and said second distal end,
wherein the bend divides the continuous length of flat material to define (i) a first substantially linear portion between said first distal end and the bend, and (ii) a second substantially linear portion between said second distal end and the bend,
wherein said first substantially linear portion and said second substantially linear portion are positioned in substantially the same plane and positioned at an obtuse angle relative to one another;
(iv) a rod for pivotally attaching the first distal end of each of said first and second support rails to the ladder, wherein said rod, which has a first rod end and a second rod end, is configured to be inserted through said hollow ladder rung such that the first and second rod ends protrude on each side of said hollow ladder rung, thereby enabling the first distal end of each of said first and second support rails to be removably attached to said ladder,
wherein said first support rail is configured to selectively extend from the base end of the first side rail, said first support rail selectively extending in a plane that is substantially parallel to the first side rail's surface plane,
wherein said second support rail is configured to selectively extend from the base end of the second side rail, said second support rail selectively extending in a plane that is substantially parallel to the second side rail's surface plane;
(v) a spreader having a first spreader end and a second spreader end, said spreader being configured to fold at a point between said first spreader end and said second spreader end,
wherein the first spreader end of said spreader is pivotally connected to the first support rail and the second end is configured to be attached to said ladder,
wherein full extension of the spreader aligns the first support rail such that the first substantially linear portion of the first support rail is positioned at a substantially perpendicular angle relative to the length of the first side rail;
and
(vi) a shoe coupled to the second distal end of each of said first and second support rails, and located at a ground contact point.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/228,054Filed 8 Sep 2011 · continuation in part
Priority: 3 Apr 2009
Published: US 2012/0048647 A11 Mar 2012
Granted: 26 May 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

E06C 7/44
Ladder feet; Supports therefor: means for mounting ladders on uneven ground
E06C 1/16
Ladders capable of standing by themselves: with hinged struts which rest on the ground
E06C 7/42
Component parts, supporting parts, or accessories: ladder feet; Supports therefor
E06C 7/423
Ladder feet; Supports therefor: ladder stabilising struts

Family

Application12/418,035Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 3 Apr 2009
Application12/877,310Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Sep 2010
US 2012/0048647 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Mar 2012
US 8,485,316 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2010/0252364 A1Published application
US 2011/0017548 A1Published application
US 9,038,776 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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