Patent Application
20200157885
The present disclosure is directed to a ladder standoff for attachment to a ladder and a ladder incorporating the ladder standoff.
According to a 2014 report from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2011 alone, ladder falls resulted in 113 deaths, 15,460 non-fatal injuries where a worker had to miss at least one day of work due to the injury, and an estimated 34,000 non-fatal injuries that resulted a person in seeking treatment at a hospital emergency department. These injuries and losses of life are tragic enough, but adding to that is the loss of skilled workers, work productivity, and medical and/or legal expenses that may result.
To minimize the risk of injury or fatality, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has passed regulations for the use of ladders in general industry (29 CFR Part 1910 Subpart D (2017)). 29 CFR 1910.23(d) governs the standards for fixed ladders. A fixed ladder is a ladder that includes side rails and individual horizontal rungs attached to the side rails. 29 CFR 1910.23(d)(2) specifically requires that employers ensure that the minimum perpendicular distance from a fixed ladder to the nearest permanent object in the back of the ladder be 7 inches. The minimum 7 inch distance is what OSHA believes is necessary for a worker to get a safe foothold on the rungs of a fixed ladder. The surfaces of vertical building walls are not always uniform and often include protrusions that impact the 7 inch minimum perpendicular distance required by 29 CFR 1910.23(d)(2). Ladders include standoffs to distance the ladder from the building wall surface. Many ladder standoffs are welded directly to the ladder and have a fixed length. These welded ladder standoffs of fixed length are not able to accommodate wall surfaces with protrusions of varying sizes.
Provided is standoff for a ladder. The ladder standoff comprises a first plate having a first portion for engaging a surface and a second portion substantially perpendicular to said first portion including at least one opening configured for receiving a fastener, a first connection plate configured to detachably couple said first plate to a rung of a ladder, said first connection plate including at least one opening configured for receiving a fastener, wherein at least one of said first plate and said first connection plate includes a plurality of openings spaced along at least a portion of the length of said first plate and/or first connection plate, and wherein said ladder standoff is horizontally adjustable.
Also provided is ladder comprising spaced apart and substantially parallel elongated side rails, a plurality of vertically spaced apart ladder rungs extending horizontally between said elongated side rails, and at least one ladder standoff detachably connected to at least one of said ladder rungs, said ladder standoff comprising a first plate having a first portion for engaging a surface and a second portion substantially perpendicular to said first portion including at least one opening configured for receiving a fastener, a first connection plate configured to detachably couple said first plate to a rung of a ladder, said first connection plate including at least one opening configured for receiving a fastener, wherein at least one of said first plate and said first connection plate includes a plurality of openings spaced along at least a portion of the length of said first plate and/or first connection plate, and wherein said ladder standoff is horizontally adjustable.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the ladder standoff and ladder disclosed herein, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the ladder standoff and ladder disclosed herein and, together with the description, serve to illustrate the embodiments described herein, but are not intended to limit the specification or any of the claims in any manner whatsoever.
The present disclosure is directed to a ladder standoff for use in combination with a ladder. The ladder standoff comprises a first plate having a first portion for engaging a surface and a second portion that extends substantially perpendicular to the first portion and includes at least one opening configured for receiving a mechanical fastener. The ladder standoff further includes a first connection plate that is configured to detachably couple the first plate to a horizontal rung of a ladder. The first connection plate includes at least one opening configured for receiving a mechanical fastener. At least one of the first plate and the first connection plate includes a plurality of openings that are spaced along at least a portion of the length of either the first plate, the first connection plate, or both the first plate and the first connection plate. The length of the ladder standoff is horizontally adjustable in relation to the vertically extending ladder (ie, the length of the ladder standoff is adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the vertically extending ladder) to provide longer and shorter lengths in a direction perpendicular to the ladder. The ladder standoff is configured to accommodate a variety of distances between the ladder and the vertically extending building wall to which the ladder is secured.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, the first plate of the ladder standoff includes a plurality openings that are spaced along at least a portion of the length of the first plate. According to other illustrative embodiments, the first connection plate includes a plurality of openings that are spaced along at least a portion of the length of the first connection plate. According to yet further illustrative embodiments, the first plate of the ladder standoff includes a plurality openings that are spaced along at least a portion of the length of the first plate, and the first connection plate includes a plurality of openings that are spaced along at least a portion of the length of the first connection plate. The openings on the first plate and/or first connection plate are arranged in spaced apart columns (when viewed from the top edge to bottom edge of the plate) or rows (when from a first end to a second end of the plate) positioned along at least a portion of the length of the plates. The length of the ladder standoff is adjusted by aligning a desired column of openings of the first plate with a desired column of openings on the first connection plate, and detachably coupling the first plate to the first connection plate by passing mechanical fasteners through the aligned openings.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, the first plate of the ladder standoff comprises at least one bent plate that is configured to be detachably engaged with at least one ladder rung through at least one connection plate. The connection plate is configured to be detachably connected to both the bent plate of the ladder standoff and to a ladder rung of the ladder. The ladder may include one or more of the ladder standoffs attached to it. The ladder may include a plurality of ladder standoffs that are attached to different rungs of the ladder and that are vertically spaced along the height of the ladder. The ladder standoff secures the ladder to a vertically extending structure, such as a building wall, by attaching the one or more of the disclosed ladder standoffs to the ladder and to one or more vertically spaced points along the vertical building wall.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, the first connection plate of the ladder standoff may include at least one U-shaped slot extending from an edge of the first connection plate and that is configured to engage a portion of one ladder rung of a ladder. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the height of said U-shaped slot of the first connection plate is at least one-half of the height of the first connection plate. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the first connection plate includes at least two further slots communicating through the thickness of the first connection plate and being bordered on all sides. The height of the at least two slots is at least one-half of the height of the first connection plate. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the height of the at least two slots is about ⅔ of the height of the first connection plate. The plurality of slots enables connection of the first connection plate at various points along the slots to the bent plate and/or to a second connection plate. The height of the slots provides for vertical adjustment of the bent plate of the ladder standoff structure.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, the bent plate comprises a first portion configured to be substantially parallel with a vertically extending building wall and a second portion configured to be substantially perpendicular to a vertically extending building wall. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the second portion of the bent plate is longer than the first portion of the bent plate. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the second portion may be at least twice as long as the first portion. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the second portion may include a plurality of holes communicating through the thickness of the second portion of the bent plate. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the plurality of holes of the second portion of the bent plate may arranged in at least one column. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the second portion may include a plurality of columns with each of the plurality of columns having a plurality of holes. Each column of holes of the second portion of the bent plate are vertically spaced from lower edge of the bent plate to the upper edge of the bent plate. The columns of holes may be horizontally spaced along a least a portion of the length of the second portion of the bent plate from a first end of the second portion of the bent plate to a second opposite end of the second portion of the bent plate. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the columns of holes are substantially evenly spaced apart along a portion of the length of the second portion of the bent plate. The plurality of holes enable connection of the first connection plate, either alone or via a second connection plate, to various points along the length of the second portion of the bent plate.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, the ladder standoff may further include a second connection plate. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the second connection plate comprises a U-shaped slot extending from an edge of the second connection plate and that is configured to engage a portion of a ladder rung. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the plurality of holes of the second connection plate may arranged in at least one column. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the second connection plate may include a plurality of columns with each column having a plurality of holes. Each column of holes of the second connection plate are vertically spaced from lower edge of the second connection plate to the upper edge of the second connection plate. The columns of holes may be horizontally spaced along a least a portion of the length of the second connection plate from a first end of the second connection plate to a second opposite end of the connection plate. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the columns of holes are substantially evenly spaced apart along a portion of the length of the second connection plate. The plurality of holes enable connection of the second connection plate, either alone or via the first connection plate, to various points along the length of the first portion of the bent plate.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, the first connection plate is in adjacent contact with the second connection plate, and the second connection plate is in adjacent contact with the bent plate. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the first connection plate, the second connection plate, and the bent plate are detachably engaged with one another with at least one plurality of mechanical fasteners. According to certain illustrative embodiments, the first connection plate, the second connection plate, and the bent plate are detachably engaged with one another by a plurality of mechanical fasteners.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, provided is a ladder with at least two elongated side rails. The elongated side rails of the ladder are spaced apart and substantially parallel. The ladder includes a plurality of rungs that extend horizontally between the elongated side rails. The opposite ends of the horizontally extending ladder rungs are attached to the spaced apart elongated side rails. At least one ladder standoff is detachably connected to one or more horizontally extending ladder rungs between the spaced apart elongated side rails of the ladder. According to certain embodiments, a plurality of ladder standoffs are detachably connected to one or more horizontally extending ladder rungs between the spaced apart elongated side rails of the ladder.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, two ladder standoffs are detachably connected to the same horizontally extending ladder rung between the spaced apart elongated side rails of the ladder. According to additional illustrative embodiments, two ladder standoffs are detachably connected to each of a plurality of vertically spaced apart and horizontally extending ladder rungs between the spaced apart elongated side rails of the ladder. According to certain embodiments, the ladder standoffs are detachably attached to the same horizontally extending ladder rung at points that are equidistant from the center of the long axis of the ladder rung. According to certain embodiments, the ladder standoffs are each detachably attached to the same horizontally extending ladder rung at points that are near the opposite longitudinal ends of the ladder rung. According to yet further embodiments, the ladder standoffs are each detachably attached to the same horizontally extending ladder rung at the opposite longitudinal ends of the ladder rung and in adjacent contact with the elongated side rails of the ladder.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, the ladder also includes side guard rails extending from the top of the ladder. The side rails are positioned at the top of each spaced apart elongated side rails of the ladder. The side guard rails extend substantially perpendicularly from the top of the ladder. The side guard rails extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing surface so as to comply with OSHA requirements. According to certain embodiments, each of the side guard rails may be P-shaped guard rails.
According to certain illustrative embodiments, the ladder also includes side guard rails extending from the top of the ladder. The side rails are positioned at the top of each spaced apart elongated side rails of the ladder. A swing gate extends between to the two spaced apart side guard rails. The swing gate may be hingedly attached to one of the spaced part side guard rails. According to certain embodiments, each of the side guard rails may be P-shaped guard rails.
According to further illustrative embodiments, the ladder additionally includes a platform extending substantially horizontally from the top of the ladder. The platform comprises an elongated and substantially planar surface configured to support pedestrian traffic. The elongated and substantially planar traffic surface is supported by underlying spaced apart elongated support rails. The elongated support rails of the platform are connected to the ladder through horizontally adjustable connection assemblies. The horizontally extending platform is configured to support the weight of a person while traversing the platform from the ladder to an upper landing surface, such as a roof of a building.
The ladder may also include a vertically extending safety line assembly. The vertically extending safety line assembly includes a post, referred to in the art as an “antenna,” that is attached to ladder rungs near or at the top of the ladder, and which extends vertically above the top rung of the ladder. The safety line system includes attachment modules at the top of the antenna and bottom of the ladder. The safety line assembly includes a safety line that extends vertically from the top of the antenna and the bottom of the ladder. The safety line is connected to the ladder through the upper and lower attachment modules.
Still referring to
The second connection plate 50 may fit around at least a portion of a ladder rung 62 via the U-shaped slot 56. The second connection plate 50 is adjacent and detachably connected to a first connection plate 30 by at least one mechanical fastener 66. The at least one mechanical fastener 66 passes through a slot 32 in the first connection plate 30 and a hole 54 in the second connection plate 50. The first connection plate 30 contains a plurality of slots 32. The first connection plate 30 includes a U-shaped slot 38 configured to fit around at least a portion of a ladder rung 62.
According to certain embodiments, the U-shaped slot 38 of the first connection plate 30 may fit over at least a portion of the top of a ladder rung 62, while the U-shaped slot 56 of the second connection plate 50 fits under and around at least a portion of the bottom of the ladder rung 62. According to certain embodiments, the U-shaped slot 38 of the first connection plate 30 may fit over at least a portion of the top of a ladder rung 62, while the U-shaped slot 56 of the second connection plate 50 fits under and around at least a portion of the bottom of the ladder rung 62, and thereby the U-shaped slots of the first connection plate 30 and second connection plate 50 combine to circumscribe the ladder rung 62.
According to certain embodiments, the U-shaped slot 38 of the first connection plate 30 may fit over at least a portion of the bottom of a ladder rung 62, while the U-shaped slot 56 of the second connection plate 50 fits under and around at least a portion of the top of the ladder rung 62. According to certain embodiments, the U-shaped slot 38 of the first connection plate 30 may fit over at least a portion of the bottom of a ladder rung 62, while the U-shaped slot 56 of the second connection plate 50 fits under and around at least a portion of the top of the ladder rung 62, and the U-shaped slots of the first connection plate 30 and second connection plate 50 combine to circumscribe the ladder rung 62. Whether by detachable connection via the second connection plate 50 or by direct detachable connection with the first connection plate 30, the first connection plate 30 detachably connects the bent plate 10 with the ladder rung 62 connected to an elongated side rail 68 of the ladder 60.
Still referring to
According to certain embodiments, the U-shaped slot 38 of the first connection plate 30 may fit over at least a portion of the top of a ladder rung 62, while the U-shaped slot 56 of the second connection plate 50 fits under and around at least a portion of the bottom of the ladder rung 62, and the U-shaped slots of the first connection plate 30 and second connection plate 50 combine to circumscribe the ladder rung 62. According to certain embodiments, the U-shaped slot 38 of the first connection plate 30 may fit over at least a portion of the bottom of a ladder rung 62, while the U-shaped slot 56 of the second connection plate 50 fits under and around at least a portion of the top of the ladder rung 62. According to certain embodiments, the U-shaped slot 38 of the first connection plate 30 may fit over at least a portion of the bottom of a ladder rung 62, while the U-shaped slot 56 of the second connection plate 50 fits under and around at least a portion of the top of the ladder rung 62, and the U-shaped slots of the first connection plate 30 and second connection plate 50 combine to circumscribe the ladder rung 62. Whether by detachable connection via the second connection plate 50 or by direct detachable connection with the first connection plate 30, the first connection plate 30 detachably connects the bent plate 10 to the ladder rung 62 connected with an elongated side rail 68 of ladder 60.
It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary, and that one skilled in the art may make variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as described and claimed herein. Further, all embodiments disclosed are not necessarily in the alternative, as various embodiments of the invention may be combined to provide the desired result.
