Patent Application
20230014982
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The disclosure relates to ladder devices and more particularly pertains to a new ladder device for safely entering or exiting a cargo trailer.
The prior art relates to ladder devices. The prior art discloses a variety of ladders that are each attachable to a cargo trailer for entering or exiting the cargo trailer. Each of the ladders disclosed in the prior art includes novel attachment elements for attaching the ladder to the cargo trailer. None of the prior art cited includes load locks or a means of attaching the load locks to a ladder.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a pair of load locks that is each extendable between walls of a cargo trailer for securing cargo in the cargo trailer. A ladder is included that has a plurality of engagement points thereon. Each of the load locks is positionable in respective ones of the engagement points for storing the load locks with the ladder. The ladder is positionable to engage the cargo trailer to facilitate a user to safely climb into or out of the cargo trailer. A strap is removably coupled to the ladder and the strap can be slung over the user's shoulder for carrying the ladder.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A ladder 20 is included and the ladder 20 has a plurality of engagement points 22 thereon. Each of the load locks 12 is positionable in respective ones of the engagement points 22 for storing the load locks 12 with the ladder 20. In this way the load locks 12 and the ladder 20 can be removably attached to the cargo trailer at a preferred location for storage. Additionally, the ladder 20 is positionable to engage the cargo trailer to facilitate a user to safely climb into or out of the cargo trailer. In this way the user can enter the cargo trailer to install the load locks 12 with minimal risk of falling.
The ladder 20 has a pair of legs 24 and each of the legs 24 has a top end 26, a bottom end 28 and a first surface 30 extending therebetween. Each of the legs 24 is curved adjacent to the top end 26 such that the top end 26 is directed toward the bottom end 28 thereby defining a hook portion 32 on each of the legs 24. The hook portion 32 is positionable over a structural feature of the cargo trailer for securing the ladder 20 to the cargo trailer having the bottom end 28 of each of the legs 24 abutting the ground. The structural feature may be a stepping bar on the cargo trailer, a rear edge of the cargo trailer or any other suitable structural feature that is near the entry way of the cargo trailer. Additionally, each of the legs 24 of the ladder 20 has a length that is sufficient to extend between a floor of a typical semi cargo trailer and the ground.
Each of the engagement points 22 comprises a pair of tabs 36 that are each coupled to and extend away from the first surface 30 of a respective one of the legs 24. Each of the tabs 36 has an opening 38 extending therethrough. The tabs 36 are spaced apart from each other a sufficient distance to have a respective one of the load locks 12 positioned therebetween. Additionally, the plurality of engagement points 22 includes a set of first engagement points 40 and a set of second engagement points 42. Each of the first engagement points 40 is positioned on a respective one of the legs 24 and the first engagement points 40 are spaced apart from each other. Each of the second engagement points 42 is positioned on a respective one of the legs 24 and each of the second engagement points 42 is aligned with a respective one of the first engagement points 40.
A pair of feet 44 is included and each of the feet 44 is pivotally coupled to the bottom end 28 of a respective one of the legs 24. Each of the feet 44 has a resting surface 46 that is positionable at a variety of angles with respect to an axis extending through the top end 26 and the bottom end 28 of the respective leg 24. In this way the ladder 20 is facilitated to be stable when the ladder 20 is positioned at an angle.
A plurality of pins 48 is provided and each of the pins 48 is extendable through the opening 38 in each of the tabs 36 of a respective one of the engagement points 22 when the respective load lock 12 is positioned between the tabs 36. Additionally, the pins 48 extend over the respective load lock 12 to retain the respective load lock 12 between the tabs 36. As is most clearly shown in
A handle 52 is coupled to a respective one of the legs 24 of the ladder 20 for carrying the ladder 20. The handle 52 comprises a central member 54 extending between a pair of end members 56. Each of the end members 56 is coupled to and extends laterally away from the respective leg on which the handle 52 is positioned having the central member 54 being spaced from the ladder 20. A strap 58 is removably coupled to the ladder 20 and the strap 58 can be slung over the user's shoulder for carrying the ladder 20. The strap 58 has a primary end 60 and a secondary end 62, and each of the primary end 60 and the secondary end 62 is removably attachable to a respective connection point 64 on a respective one of the legs 24.
In use, each of the load locks 12 is positioned in respective engagement points 22 for storing the load locks 12 with the ladder 20 on the cargo trailer. The ladder 20 and the load locks 12 are carried to the rear of the trailer 14, the load locks 12 are removed from the engagement points 22 and the load locks 12 are placed in the trailer 14. The hook portion 32 on each of the legs 24 of the ladder 20 is positioned on the cargo trailer and the user climbs the ladder 20 to enter the cargo trailer. In this way the user can safely enter or exit the cargo trailer with minimum risk of injury due to falling from the cargo trailer.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
