Patent Application
20100012428
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to end covers for ladders. More particularly, the present invention relates to end covers that can grip external surfaces. Additionally, the present invention relates to end covers with handles.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Ladders are commonly used as means for elevating persons to a specified height to perform a specified function. Users of ladders climb a series of steps, or rungs, to reach a desired height. All ladders are finite in height and have a top step which is the highest step and above which no other step exist. The prior art refers to this step as the ladder top. Ladder tops are typically adapted to fit the ladder body, which typically consists of two pairs of side rails and the rungs that extend perpendicularly between each pair of side rails. Ladders with ladder tops are self-supporting in that the ladder supports itself. That is, the ladder top is supported by both the first pair of side rails and the second pair of side rails.
Ladders with only one pair of side rails use extrinsic surfaces for support. Like all ladders, the pair of side rails are disposed in parallel-spaced relation and are interconnected by rungs extending perpendicularly therebetween. The upper ends of the side rails project upwardly from the uppermost rung a short distance so as to engage an extrinsic surface such as a vertical wall, the side of a building, and the like. The bottom ends of the pair of side rails are constructed so as to rest on another surface, such as the floor or the ground.
Ladders having only one pair of side rails are used by many professions, including painters, construction workers, and electricians. Frequently, these professions require the ladder user to rest the ladder against an extrinsic surface while climbing the ladder and while holding various tools and accessories so as to complete a given task. The weight of the ladder user, as well as the added weight of various tools and accessories, can make it difficult for the ladder user to balance on the ladder. As the user sways back and forth, the weight of the user can cause the ends of the rails of the ladder to move against the extrinsic surface. Thus, there is a need for an end cover for the rails of a ladder that holds the end of the ladder rails against an extrinsic surface. Moreover, there is a need for an end cover that has a handle that a ladder user can grab in the event the ladder user begins to lose his or her balance.
Another problem associated with using ladders against extrinsic surfaces is that the ends of the ladder rails can leave marks or damage the extrinsic surface. This is due to a rubbing of the ends of the rails against the extrinsic surface while the ladder user climbs on and off of the ladder. Thus, there is a need for an end cover for the rails of a ladder that protects the extrinsic surfaces from damage by the ladder.
Various patents have related to end covers for the rails of a ladder. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,600,103, issued on Sep. 15, 1926 to C. J. Evans, discloses an anti-slipping boot for ladders that has an elastic member having a pocket in the outer surface thereof and has a base of a greater thickness than the body thereof. The base has ribs formed on an outer face. An inner wall of the base is inclined from one end to the opposite end thereof. One of the end walls of the boot is separated from the side walls thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,382,833, issued on Jun. 28, 1921 to Hurd, discloses a foot for stepladder legs that has a base plate turned up at its end to form parallel end walls. The side edges of the plate are formed with upwardly extending side walls. The side walls extend inwardly, then outwardly and are resilient. The side and end walls are substantially conterminous with the side and end edges of the base plate. The side and end walls form a socket to receive the leg of a ladder. The pad of rubber is disposed against the underface of the base plate and riveted thereto. The end walls extend at an angle relative to vertical and are parallel to one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,925,877, issued on Feb. 23, 1960 to Wright, discloses a top bumper attachment for a ladder having side rails that has bumper caps having sockets to fit onto the rails at the top, and a flexible strap extending between the facing sides of the caps. The flexible strap connects the facing sides of the caps as a unit. The width of the strap is vertically disposed. Non-slip nubs project from the front face of the strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,319, issued on Nov. 6, 1962 to Wright, discloses a non-mark, non-slip cap for the head end of a side rail of a ladder. The cap has a top, a front, a back and side walls. Vertically-formed spaced ribs project forwardly from the front wall. A cap snugly fits on the head end of the rail of the ladder. The cap is formed of a resilient material. The ribs are formed throughout the height of the front wall. The ribs have different facial widths for variations in resiliency of each of the ribs. Interconnecting spacers transversely connect the ribs adjacent the forward edges. Maximum resiliency is at the upper end and lower end, and the resiliency gradually diminishes to a degree of substantial rigidity at an intermediate area.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,212, issued on Dec. 24, 1963 to Keatley, discloses a safety bonnet for a ladder that has side rails that converge to a point on the upper end. The safety bonnet is placed over this upper end and has a molded rubber-like bonnet having an upper horizontal end and vertical side walls that form a chamber that receives the upper end of the side rails. The vertical side walls of the bonnet include a front wall and a back wall. The bonnet also has spaced side walls that extend between the front wall and the back wall. A pair of second side walls extend from the back wall to the inner surface of the cross piece of the ladder. An undersurface flap is foldable under the underside of the cross piece of the ladder. The under surface flap has an up-turned flange that is engageable with the back surface of the cross piece. A slip-resistant member is positioned on the outer surface of the walls for preventing slippage of the ladder against an extrinsic surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,856, issued on May 16, 1972 to D'Amico et al., discloses a ladder protector for a ladder having side rails wherein electrical and bearing functions are provided for each side rails by a flexible foam body member having resilient closed gas-filled cells. The protector includes elastic walls for easy assembly and removal of the protector from each end of the ladder rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,446, issued on Feb. 23, 1988 to Perbics, discloses a protection cover for a ladder that has front and rear side walls located over and extended between the upper end of the rails of a ladder. A releasable strap holds the cover on the ladder. Pads of resilient non-electrical conductive material are secured to the back side wall to protect the support surface for the ladder from the support. A pocket is secured to the front side wall to hold tools and like objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,862, issued on Sep. 20, 1988 to Garland, discloses a top ladder guard that is telescoped over the upper end of each of side rail of a ladder to provide a protective mounting against a vertical support wall structure. Each ladder guard is a single piece cup-shaped member which is molded of a suitable soft rubber-like plastic. Each guard includes a body portion of a rectangular cross section to fit over a side rail and an integral outer curved end wall having a substantially curved configuration. The body portion includes a pair of main side walls formed as an essentially smooth continuous member of an essentially constant thickness and a pair of narrow walls joining the main sidewall. The narrow walls are molded with a serpentine cross-section to form an accordion or expandable structure permitting expanding and contracting of the narrow walls. The narrow walls provide limited flexibility of the body portion for tight telescoping engagement with different sized side rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,848, issued on Feb. 13, 1990 to Parr, discloses a guard for the upper end of a ladder side rail that telescopes over the upper end to prevent the surface against which the ladder rests from being marred. The guard includes a rigid body and a resilient pad removably affixed to the body. The resilient pad engages the surface so as to prevent the marring. The resilient pad is replaceable as it loses its resiliency or otherwise wears out so that the entire guard does not have to be replaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,591, issued on Jul. 9, 1996 to Kiska, discloses a ladder rail cap that has a shell and a clip attached to an inner surface of the shell near a top end of the shell. The shell has an inside surface defining a chamber into which a ladder rail is disposed. The shell has a top end and a bottom end having an opening in communication with the chamber. The clip meets with the end cap of the ladder rail and penetrates the ladder rail so as to hold the shell onto the ladder rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,563, issued on Dec. 21, 2002 to Bremick, discloses a protective ladder cap for fitting over the end of a rail of a ladder. The cap has an open end for fitting over the rail and a closed end. The ladder cap has tapered internal ribs for engaging the end of a side rail of a ladder. The ladder cap prevents the ladder side rail from damaging the extrinsic surface upon which the ladder leans when in use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an end cover for the rails of a ladder that grips extrinsic surfaces.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an end cover for the rails of ladders that is non-conductive.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an end cover for the rails of a ladder that can be grabbed by the user if the user happens to lose his or her balance while on the ladder.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an end cover for the rails of a ladder that minimizes damage to extrinsic surfaces.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an end cover for the rails of a ladder that can be used to transport the ladder.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an end cover for the rails of a ladder that is lightweight.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an end cover for the rails of a ladder that easily fits over the ends of the rails of the ladder.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.
The present invention is an end cover for a rail of a ladder comprising a body that has a front and a back and a first side and a second side and a top and a bottom, a hole formed in the body adjacent the back and the top, a tread affixed to the front, at least one pocket formed in the bottom of the body for accommodating an end of the rail of the ladder, a groove formed in the body extending from the bottom to the top, and a central planar portion extending downwardly from the bottom of the body. The groove has a rectangular cross section. The groove is adjacent the hole. The hole has an oval shape.
The front and the back of the body taper from the bottom to the top of the body. The pocket comprises a first pocket section formed in the body adjacent the front, a second pocket section formed in the body adjacent the second side, and a third pocket section formed in the body adjacent the back. The front has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a width greater than a width of the second portion. The tread is formed of a rubber material. The tread has a plurality of gripper sections extending outwardly from the front of the body. The body is formed of a polymeric or elastomeric material.
The end cover is positioned on and end of a rail of a ladder. The end of the rail of the ladder has a first section and a second section and a third section. The first section fits in the first pocket section of the body of the end cover. The second section fits in the second pocket section of the body of the end cover. The third section fits in the third pocket section of the body of the end cover. The central planar portion has a side adjacent the second section of the end of the rail of the ladder.
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The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction can be made within the scope of the present claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.
