The present invention relates generally to the field of ladder stabilizing device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel ladder securing device for extension ladders, enabling users to attach the ladder to a gutter, roof, scaffolding, and more, with ease. The device has a pair of clamp arms, each having a swivel pad, wherein the clamps secure around a surface to secure the ladder enabling users to ascend and descend the ladder while the ladder remains stable against the desired structure or surface. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, as a bricklayer, carpenter, gutter cleaner, roofers and more, safety is of paramount importance when working on different job sites. Ladders are an essential tool for reaching high places and getting work done, but they can be dangerous if not used properly. One common problem with ladders is maintaining stability when they are placed up against a wall, gutter, or building exterior. This can be especially difficult when working on uneven or sloped surfaces.
Conventionally, one or more additional individuals hold and stabilize a ladder while a person climbs and works while on the ladder. This requires additional manpower and results in additional cost. People also use ropes and other items to tie off the ladder and keep it stable against a desired surface. However, this method can be unreliable and even dangerous. If the ropes are not tied securely or if they slip, the ladder can become unstable and cause a fall. People desire a ladder securing system that can overcome the problems associated with conventional methods of securing ladders against a surface.
Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securing system that provides a safer and more reliable way to stabilize ladders. There is also a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securement system that obviates requirement of additional individuals to hold a ladder. Additionally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securing system that can be used with any type of surface for securing a ladder. Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder stabilizing device that obviates use of ropes for securing ladders against a surface. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securing device that avoids bad judgements and therefore decreases chances of incidence of injuries. Furthermore, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securement device that allows users to ascend and descend the ladder while it remains stable against the desired structure. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder stabilizing system that prevents serious injury due to unstable ladders, which ultimately lead to falls.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a ladder securing device for ladders. The device is attached to a rung of an extension ladder for securing the ladder to various surfaces, such as gutters, roofs, and scaffolding. The device includes a brace positioned between two steps or rungs of a ladder, a pair of hose clamps for securing the device to the ladder, a spacing tube extending transversely from the top ends of the opposite elongated edges of the brace, the spacing tube is positioned transverse to the secured ladder; a chamber or housing configured for housing a pair of pivot blocks, wherein the pair of pivot blocks is used for providing pivotal movement to an upper clamp arm and a lower clamp arm; each of the upper clamp arm and the lower clamp arm having a swivel pad along the curved distal ends thereof respectively, and a pulley disposed on the chamber and coupled to an elongated rope, wherein the rope can is eased off for pivotally moving the clamp arms enabling the upper clamp arm swivel pad and the lower clamp arm swivel pad to move towards each other until the pads abut against each other or any surface therebetween.
In this manner, the extension ladder securing device of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides users with a securement system for extension ladders, enabling users to attach the ladder to a gutter, roof, scaffolding, and more, with ease. The device is attached to a rung of the ladder and clamps onto a surface, thereby securing the device to the ladder and clamp arms secure the device and the ladder to the desired surface. The device obviates manual holding of a ladder and securing the ladder using ropes and other similar items.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a ladder securing device for ladders. The device is used for securing an extension ladder to various surfaces, such as gutters, roofs, and scaffolding. The device further comprising a one-piece brace with rounded corners and elongated edges having a length substantially equal to the space between two steps or rungs of a ladder, wherein the bottom lateral edge of the brace rests on one rung of the ladder; a pair of hose clamps positioned on the opposite ends of the top edge of the brace, wherein the first hose clamp secures a ladder by accommodating a portion of the rung using a first ladder rung stopper, and the second hose clamp secures the rung by accommodating another portion of the rung using a second ladder rung stopper; a spacing tube extending transversely from the top ends of the opposite elongated edges of the brace, wherein the spacing tube is supported by supporting gussets that help in pivotal movement of the spacing tube relative to the brace; a chamber configured for housing a pair of pivot blocks, wherein the pair of pivot blocks is used for providing pivotal movement of an upper clamp arm and a lower clamp arm; each of the upper clamp arm and the lower clamp arm having a swivel pad along the curved distal ends thereof respectively, and a pulley disposed on the chamber and coupled to an elongated rope, wherein the rope can be eased off or pulled by a user for pivotally moving the clamp arms enabling the upper clamp arm swivel pad and the lower clamp arm swivel pad to abut against each other or any surface therebetween for securing the device and the ladder.
In yet another embodiment, the upper clamp arm includes a pair of connected elongated edges, each edge having a respective curved distal end, each edge having an upper torsional spring extending from a notch to trailing edge of the spacing tube.
In yet another embodiment, the lower clamp arm includes a pair of connected elongated edges, each edge having a respective curved distal end, each edge having a lower torsional spring extending from a notch to trailing edge of spacing tube.
In yet another embodiment, a method of securing an extension ladder to a surface using a portable ladder securing device is described. The method includes the steps of providing the ladder securing device, the ladder securing device including a generally rectangular or square brace and a pair of hose clamps, a spacing tube, pivot blocks, and a plurality of torsional springs, a pulley and a pair of clamp arms; resting the bottom lateral edge of the brace on a first rung and securing the hose clamps to a second rung above the first rung for supporting the ladder; pulling the rope attached to the pulley to pivotally move the clamp arms towards each other until an upper swivel pad and a lower swivel pad abut against the surface to which the ladder is secured to; attaching the upper swivel pad and the lower swivel pad to the surface; and ascending and descending the ladder for performing an operation.
In yet another embodiment, the ladder securing device of the present invention is easily and efficiently manufactured, marketed and available to consumers in cost-effective manner and is easily used by users to ascend and descend the ladder while it remains stable against the desired structure or surface.
Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securing system that provides a safer and more reliable way to stabilize ladders. There is also a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securement system that obviates requirement of additional individuals to hold a ladder. Additionally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securing system that can be used with any type of surface for securing a ladder. Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder stabilizing device that obviates use of ropes for securing ladders against a surface. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securing device that avoids bad judgements for ladder placement and therefore decreases chances of incidence of injuries. Furthermore, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder securement device that allows users to ascend and descend the ladder while it remains stable against the desired structure. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a ladder stabilizing system that prevents serious injury due to unstable ladders which ultimately lead to falls.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a method of securing an extension ladder to a surface using a portable ladder securing device. The method includes the steps of providing the ladder securing device, the ladder securing device including a generally rectangular or square brace and a pair of hose clamps, a spacing tube, pivot blocks, and a plurality of torsional springs, a pulley and a pair of clamp arms; resting the bottom lateral edge of the brace on a first rung and securing the hose clamps to a second rung, above the first rung, for supporting the ladder; pulling the rope attached to the pulley to pivotally move the clamp arms towards each other until an upper swivel pad and a lower swivel pad abut against the surface to which the ladder is secured to; attaching the upper swivel pad and the lower swivel pad to the surface; and ascending and descending the ladder for performing an operation.
Referring initially to the drawings,
A spacing tube 124 extends transversely from the top ends 126, 128 of the opposite elongated edges of the brace 102 as illustrated in
The pivot blocks 136, 138 of the chamber 134 is also configured for providing pivotal movement of a lower clamp arm 162 relative to the chamber 134 as illustrated in
A pulley 158 is disposed on the chamber 134 and is further coupled to an elongated rope 160 as illustrated in
Referring to
Referring to
The pulley 158 is disposed on the chamber 134, preferably around the center of the chamber 134 wherein a hinge 202 is used for rotation of the pulley 158 around the hinge 202 (
The chamber 134 has a pair of pivot block openings 204, 206 for accommodating and securing the lower clamp arm 162 to the pivot blocks 136, 138. Similar, pivot block openings (not shown) are positioned for the upper clamp arm 144 for connecting to the pivot blocks 136, 138.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “ladder securement device”, “ladder securement system”, “ladder securing device”, and “device”, are interchangeable and refer to the portable ladder securing and stabilizing device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the portable ladder securing and stabilizing device 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the portable ladder securing and stabilizing device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the portable ladder securing and stabilizing device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the portable ladder securing and stabilizing device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the portable ladder securing and stabilizing device 100 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/335,476, which was filed on Apr. 27, 2022, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63335476 | Apr 2022 | US |