There are no related applications.
The present invention relates generally to the field of an attachment for an extension ladder.
There is a seemingly endless list of activities performed at home, work, and in m any other environments that require the use of a ladder in order to allow its user to gain access to areas that otherwise would be inaccessible. However, as handy as ladders are, they are not without their disadvantages. Perhaps the biggest disadvantage is that they do not provide a work area or storage area for the person on the ladder. This requires the person to carry any tools or supplies needed for the task with them in either in their hands, pockets, or tool belt. This obviously compromises safety as the user must constantly remove and replace each tool.
Extension ladders also suffer from the fact that there is often very little frictional force created between ladders and the supporting structure, making it dangerous to climb upon them due to the ease at which the ladder can slide and fall over. Ladder standoffs have been developed in order to remedy this situation, however they are large bulky and require burdensome adjustment for each use.
Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which the safety of extension ladders can be enhanced with regard to a safe work platform and standoff capability in order to address the shortcomings as described above. The development of the extension ladder attachment is such a solution.
The inventor has recognized the aforementioned inherent problems and lack in the art and observed that there is a need for an attachment for an extension ladder.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a ladder platform device, including a tray, a non-slip pad and a plurality of lengthwise support structures. At least two (2) of the plurality of support structures are removably secured to an underside portion of the tray. A first end of each of the plurality of support structures is removably secured to a first side of the non-slip pad. A second end of a first pair of each of the plurality of support structures are configured to be removably secured to a first ladder rung. A second end of a second pair of each of the plurality of support structures are configured to be removably secured to a second ladder rung. The pad is configured to lean against a vertical support structure thereby presenting the tray in a horizontal manner suitable for a usable surface for a user of the ladder. In a separate embodiment, the plurality of lengthwise support structures may be adjustable.
The plurality of support structures may include a first upper support arm, a second upper support arm, a first lower support arm and a second lower support arm. The pad may provide a first pad fastener which is secured to the first side of the non-slip pad, a second pad fastener which is secured to the first side of the non-slip pad and adjacent the first pad fastener, a third pad fastener which is secured to the first side of the non-slip pad which is adjacent the second pad fastener and a fourth pad fastener which is secured to the first side of the non-slip pad and adjacent the third pad fastener.
The pad further includes a pad block which is disposed on a second side of the non-slip pad being opposite the non-slip pad first side. The tray may further comprise a plurality of apertures and at least one depression. The underside portion of the tray may further provide a first spring clip which is adjacent a first tray corner, a second spring clip which is adjacent a second tray corner, a third spring clip which is adjacent a third tray corner and a fourth spring clip which is adjacent a fourth tray corner.
The first upper support arm may include a first upper support arm connector which has a first upper support arm connector first side and a first upper support arm connector second side, a first upper support arm first half which has a first upper support arm first half first end removably secured to the first upper support arm connector second side while also having a first upper support arm first half second end, a first upper support arm second half which has a first upper support arm second half first end which is removably secured to the first upper support arm first half second end while also having a first upper support arm second half second end and a first upper support arm connection tab which is secured to the first upper support arm second half second end. The first upper support arm connector may be secured to the first ladder rung. The first upper support arm may be removably secured between the first spring clip and the second spring clip. The first upper support arm connection tab may be removably secured to the second pad fastener.
The second upper support arm may provide a second upper support arm connector, which has a second upper support arm connector first side and a second upper support arm connector second side, a second upper support arm first half which has a second upper support arm first half first end removably secured to the second upper support arm connector second side and also having a second upper support arm first half second end, a second upper support arm second half, having a second upper support arm second half first end which is removably secured to the second upper support arm first half second end while also having a second upper support arm second half second end and a second upper support arm connection tab which is secured to the second upper support arm second half second end. The second upper support arm connector may be removably secured to the first ladder rung adjacent the first upper support arm connector. The second upper support arm may be removably secured between the third spring clip and the fourth spring clip. The second upper support arm connection tab may be removably secured to the third pad fastener. A first support brace may be secured at a first support brace end and across a distance between the first upper support arm connector and the second upper support arm connector.
The first lower support arm may include a first lower support arm connector, which has a first lower support arm connector first side and a first lower support arm connector second side, a first lower support arm first half, which has a first lower support arm first half first end removably secured to the first lower support arm connector second side, and also has a first lower support arm first half second end, a first lower support arm second half, which has a first lower support arm second half first end removably secured to the first lower support arm first half second end and also having a first lower support arm second half second end and a first lower support arm connection tab secured to the first lower support arm second half second end. The first lower support arm connector may be removably secured to the second ladder rung which is subjacent to the first ladder rung and the first lower support arm connection tab may be removably secured to the first pad fastener.
The second lower support arm is a second lower support arm connector which has a second lower support arm connector first side and a second lower support arm connector second side, a second lower support arm first half which has a second lower support arm first half first end which is removably secured to the second lower support arm connector second side while also having a second lower support arm first half second end, a second lower support arm second half, which has a second lower support arm second half first end which is removably secured to the second lower support arm first half second end while also having a second lower support arm second half second end and a second lower support arm connection tab which is secured to the second lower support arm second half second end. The second lower support arm connector is removably secured to the second ladder rung which is adjacent the first lower support arm connector. The second lower support arm connection tab may be removably secured to the fourth pad fastener. A second support brace may be secured at each second support brace end and across a distance to between the first lower support arm connector and the second lower support arm connector.
The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:
The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within
The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one (1) of the referenced items.
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The connection of the upper support arms 45 and the lower support brace 50 to the upper rung 55 and the lower rung 60 respectively are facilitated by four (4) “U”-shaped connectors 65 (of which only two (2) are shown due to illustrative limitations). Further description of the “U”-shaped connector 65 will be provided herein below. The tray 20 is connected horizontally across the two (2) upper support arms 45 (of which only one (1) is shown due to illustrative limitations) by use of four (4) spring clips 70 (of which only two (2) is shown due to illustrative limitations). Installation of the tray 20 is accomplished by pushing the tray 20 along a travel path 75 whereupon the tray 20 is held in place by friction fit.
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The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. It is envisioned that the system 10 would be constructed in general accordance with
After procurement of the system 10 it would be utilized in the following manner. First, attach the upper support arms 45 to the upper rung 55 using two (2) of the “U”-shaped connector 65 along with a pin and the support plate brace 180; attach the lower support brace 50 to the lower rung 60 using the other two (2) of the “U”-shaped connector 65 along with a pin and the other support plate brace 180; adjust the length of the lower support brace 50 using the adjustable length connector 170; attach the opposite end of both upper support arms 45 and both lower support brace 50 to the mounting plate 100 using fasteners 105; snap the tray 20 onto both upper support arms 45 using the spring clips 70 along a travel path 75. Finally, ensure that the extension ladder 15 is on stable grade. At this point in time the system 10 is ready to be utilized.
During utilization, various tools and supplies are placed upon the tray 20 to allow for more efficient and safer work at elevated heights. Any variations in center of gravity of the user 40 are more readily accommodated, the large surface area of the non-slip pad 30 prevents damage to the vertical elevated surface 35 and prevents slippage. After use, the abovementioned process is reversed to remove the system 10 whereupon it is stored for reuse at a future time in a cyclical manner.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
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