Patent Application
20050056485
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates generally to the field of ladder accessories and more specifically to ladder accessory that clamps to a ladder to hold items that are frequently used during ladder related activities.
Ladders for use in reaching areas above normal hand reach, have been in existence for thousands of years. In recent times ladders are frequently used for such chores as painting a house, construction activity, light bulb replacement and the like. Modern ladders often include a shelf member that folds out near the top rung of the ladder. This shelf is meant for resting items that are being used for a particular activity. For example, a paint can, a portable drill, a power stapler or the like. Unfortunately, items placed on such a shelf may slip off if the ladder is moved accidentally.
The shelf is frequently in the wrong position for ideal access during a particular activity. For example, when installing light bulbs, the ideal location for a shelf or other holding member would be above the top most step of the ladder. There have been a number of attempts over the last eighty five years to address the issue of an accessory holding device for a ladder. These include U.S. Pat. No. 1,243,732 by Goss, U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,793 by Brent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,449 by Brent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,594 by Dubis and U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,718 by Schumacher. Although the above patents address the issue of an accessory for a ladder allowing a person to hold various items, none of the designs shown includes the ideal combination of features that are shown in the present patent application. For example, many of the prior art patents show the accessory held to a ladder by a traditional C clamp or some close variation thereof. My experiments have shown that it is more effective to hold the accessory device onto a ladder by means of a clamshell type clamp that includes a through bolt thereby causing the two sides of the clamshell to be drawn together rather than pushing on one side of a C member. This is particularly true when the clamping member is molded from an economic material such as rigid plastic. Additionally, the present invention incorporates a cam member the the interior of the clamp to help keep the clamp from rotating on the ladder rail that it is attached to. Another deficiency in the above listed patented inventions is that they describe the holding portion as a type of tray. My experiments have shown that the ideal configuration of the holder is a deeper open toped container having side walls that include one or more U shaped cutouts, thereby allowing the holder to effectively retain a gallon paint can as well as other odd shaped items that can be gotten to by placing one's hand through the U shaped openings. Another deficiency in the previous inventions is that there is no provision for the user to easily remove the holding portion of the invention without also removing the clamping portion. My invention allows one to easily remove and carry the holding portion away from the ladder at any time. Additionally, although some of the prior inventions allow for an angle adjustment so that the tray portion remains parallel to the ground, They only allow for adjustment in one plane, whereas there may be cause for adjustment in two planes if the ladder is situated on sloping ground. My invention accommodates an angle adjustment in two planes. Finally, the prior inventions tend to be complicated to manufacture and are rather cumbersome, making them less desirable to purchase and transport from one location to another. My invention is economical to manufacture, can be stored in a small space, and is easy to carry from one location to another.
For the above reasons as well as others that will be made evident, the present invention is novel and an advancement in the field of ladder accessories.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a ladder accessory that holds items that are frequently used when using a ladder.
Another object of the invention is to provide a ladder accessory that makes using ladders safer and easier.
Another object of the invention is to provide a ladder accessory that is easy to adjust and assemble.
A further object of the invention is to provide a ladder accessory that attaches to most types and sizes of ladders.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a ladder accessory that clamps securely to a ladder.
Still yet another object of the invention is to provide a ladder accessory that can safely hold a standard gallon can of paint.
Another object of the invention is to provide a ladder accessory that can be adjusted to hold items in an upright position even though the clamping means is at an angle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a ladder accessory where the container portion can be removed and used independently of the clamping portion.
A further object of the invention is to provide a ladder accessory where the container portion can be raised or lowered according to the job being performed.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a ladder accessory comprising: a first clamp assembly, a second clamp assembly, a support pole, an open topped container, said first and second clamp assembly fixedly pinned to each other, said second clamp assembly including a pole clamping means, and said pole clamping means capable of being adjusted to insure that said pole is in a vertical position, said container bottom having a centrally located pole retaining receptacle, said first clamp assembly capable of gripping a standard ladder rail.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.
Referring now to
The above description and illustrations show that the present invention is a novel and practical device that can easily attach to a variety of styles of ladders and safely hold a variety of useful items in close proximity to a person while working on a ladder. The holding container bottom can be positioned to be perfectly horizontal and can be adjusted up or down on its support pole. The entire device is inexpensive to manufacture and can be packed into a relatively small space for shipping and storage. The container portion is removable and replaceable so that the user can transport items in the container without having to carry the clamping mechanism.
While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
