GB2440741A

GB2440741A - Ladder Support

Info

Publication number: GB2440741A
Application number: GB0615894A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tuncer Mehmet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-08-10
Filing date: 2006-08-10
Publication date: 2008-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-10
Also published as: GB2440741B; GB0615894D0

Abstract

The device 10 comprises a retaining member 12 for retaining a lower end portion 14 of at least one leg 16 of a ladder 18. Two arms 24 are each coupled to the retaining member and each carry a base member 34 with a ground engaging surface 42. The retaining member may be an open-top housing shaped to accept only one leg. It may include abutment means to limit the angle of the ladder, preferably no less than 40 degrees to the horizontal. The arms may comprise a hollow, rectangular-section bar which extends in opposite directions from the retaining means, preferably forwards and backwards. Preferably each base member has a non-slip surface with asymmetric tread 44 and is carried on at least one spring-loaded leg 30. The retaining member may have a further non-slip ground engaging member 36 depending therefrom. In use, the weight of the user compresses the springs such that the central non-slip member engages the ground before the springs are fully compressed. In use, the device may be used on uneven ground and on hard ground and prevents the ladder from skidding away from a wall.

Description

LADDER SUPPORT DEVICE

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a ladder support device, particularly to such a device for preventing a ladder slipping on the ground in use.

Background of the invention

Ladders are used in a wide range of situations.

Problems can be encountered with the feet of ladders slipping on the ground, and especially where the ground is hard and slippery. This can cause the ladder to fall with potentially serious consequences for the user. Also, when used on soft ground, such as a lawn, the legs of a ladder can penetrate into the ground a significant distance. Also, if only one leg of the ladder penetrates the ground to a significant degree, this could cause the ladder to fall over.

International patent publication W02004/048742 (LADDERM8 LTD) describes a ladder support apparatus comprising a base member with a ground engaging part on the underside thereof with a plurality of spikes engageable with the ground. A ladder engaging part is provided on the top side of the base member and includes a plurality of upstanding spikes engageable with the feet of a ladder to prevent slipping thereof. While such an apparatus goes some way to providing the desired ladder safety, such an apparatus is only suitable for use on soft ground, such as lawns, whereas on hard ground such as pavements or concrete, the apparatus has no penetration and will slip. The vast majority of ladders that slip, do so on hard such ground.

There therefore remains a need for a device which provides a greater degree of security.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a ladder support device comprising a retaining member for retaining a lower end portion of at least one leg of a ladder and two arms each extending away from said retaining member and each carrying a base member, each base member having a ground engaging surface, whereby in use the weight of the user and of the ladder is transferred through the arms to the base members.

The retaining member may be in the form of an open-top housing, and may be of such a shape and size as to retain, in use, the lower end portion of only oze ladder leg.

Therefore, in use, two such devices will be used, one for each ladder leg. Means may be provided to link the two devices together for added stability, and such means may be adjustable and releasable.

* The two arms preferably extend away from the retaining member in opposite directions, such as forwards and backwards. The device may comprise a bar forming the retaining member and the arms. The bar is preferably of hollow rectangular cross-section.

The retaining member may include abutment surfaces to limit, in use, the angle of orientation of the ladder.

These abutment surfaces preferably limit the maximum angle of orientation of the ladder to an angle of less than 900 to the horizontal (defined by the plane of the ground engaging surfaces of the base members) and the minimum angle of orientation of the ladder to an angle of at least 400 to the horizontal.

The base members associated with the arms of the device may be carried on one or more spring loaded leg(s). Such legs are preferably biased in a downwards direction.

Each base member is ideally provided with a non-slip ground engaging surface, which preferably has a unidirectional non-slip characteristic. Preferably, the retaining member is also provided with a further ground engaging member, which may be provided with a non-slip ground engaging surface, optionally having a unidirectional non-slip characteristic.

In use, the weight of the user and of the ladder is transferred downwards, compressing the spring loaded legs to cause the ground engaging surface of the further ground engaging member to contact the ground before the spring-loaded legs are fully compressed. All the weight of the user and the ladder is thus taken up by the base members and the further ground engaging member. Because they are not fully compressed, the legs are able to float, i.e. the base members adapt to the profile of the ground, even if the ground is uneven. The arrangement of the device is preferably such that, in use, the arms of the device lie above and spaced from ground level.

In use, the unidirectional characteristics of the non-slip ground engaging surfaces of the base members, and that of the further ground engaging member where provided, are ideally aligned with each other.

The device may be formed of any suitable material.

Galvanised steel with a suitable degree of strength and resilience is preferred for the retaining member, the arms and the base members, while the ground engaging surface may be formed of a elastomeric material such as rubber having a suitable degree of stiffness.

The invention will now be further described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of a ladder support device according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view taken in the direction II in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line A -A in Figure 1.

As shown in the drawings, the ladder support device 10 includes a open-top housing 12 for retaining a lower end portion 14 of one leg 16 of a ladder 18 inclined against the wall 48 of a building. For the sake of clarity, the Figures show just one leg of the ladder being supported by a ladder support device. In practice, the other leg of the ladder would be supported by a similar device.

The open-top housing 12 is of such a shape and size as to retain, in use, the lower end portion of only one ladder leg. The housing 12 includes abutment surfaces 20, 22 to limit, in use, the angle of orientation of the ladder, in this example between 50 and 900 to ground level. This prevents the user from positioning the device at an angle which is too steep or too shallow to be safe.

The open-top housing is formed at approximately the mid-point of a bar 28, f hollow rectangular cross-section.

The bar 28 constitutes two arms 24 which extend away from the housing 12 in forwards and backwards directions.

Each arm 24 is provided towards its free end 32 with a pair of spring-loaded legs 30, each of which is biased in a downwards direction. The legs 30 together carry at their lower end a common base member 34.

* Each base member 34 has a ground engaging rubber surface 42 in the form of a tread 44, which bites into the ground 46. The tread is of unsymmetrical configuration and orientation to provide the ground engaging surface 42 with unidirectional non-slip characteristics, providing a greater resistance to slip in the direction away from the wall 48, than towards it, the unidirectional characteristic of the two base members being aligned in the same direction.

Centrally positioned under the housing 12 is a further ground engaging member 36 having a ground engaging rubber surface 38 in the form of a tread 40, which also bites into the ground 46 in use. The tread 40 is again of unsymmetrical shape and orientation to provide the ground engaging surface 38 with unidirectional non-slip characteristics, providing a greater resistance to slip in the direction away from the wall 48, than towards it, the unidirectional characteristic of the further ground engaging member 36 being aligned in the same direction as that of two --5-base members 34.

In use, the weight of the user and of the ladder 18 is transferred downwards, compressing the spring loaded legs 30 to cause the ground engaging member 36 to contact the ground 46. All the weight of the user and the ladder is thus taken up by the ground engaging surfaces 38 and 42. Because the legs 30 are not fully compressed, they are able to float, i.e. the base members 34 adapt to the profile of the ground 46, even if the ground is uneven. Thus, in use, only the ground engaging surfaces 38 and 42 of the device contact the ground 46, enabling the arms 24 and the housing 12 to be above and spaced from the ground. This three-point contact of the device with the ground 42 leads to maximum stability even when the ground is uneven.

Unlike prior art devices, the device according to the invention requires no permanent or temporary fixing to walls or floors. It is totally free standing and can be moved around at will.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A ladder support device (10) comprising a retaining member (12) for retaining a lower end portion (14) of at least one leg (16) of a ladder (18) and two arms (24) extending away from said retaining member and each carrying a base member (34), each base member having a ground engaging surface (42), whereby in use the weight of the user and of the ladder is transferred through the arms to the base members.

2. The ladder support device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member is in the form of an open-top housing.

3. The ladder support device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the retaining member is of such a shape and size as to retain, in use, the lower end portion of only one ladder leg.

4. The ladder support device according to any preceding claim, comprising a bar (28) forming said retaining member and said arms.

5. The ladder support device of claim 4, wherein said bar is of hollow rectangular cross-section.

6. The ladder support device according to any preceding claim, wherein the two arms extend away from the retaining member in opposite directions.

7. The ladder support device according to claim 6, wherein said opposite directions are forwards and backwards.

8. The ladder support device according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining member includes abutment surfaces (20, 22) to limit, in use, the angle of orientation --7-of the ladder.

9. The ladder support device according to claim 8, wherein said abutment surfaces limit the minimum angle of orientation of the ladder to an angle of at least 40 to the horizontal.

10. The ladder support device according to any preceding claim, wherein each base member is carried on at least one io spring loaded leg (30).

11. The ladder support device according to any preceding claim, wherein the ground engaging surface of each base member is a non-slip surface (44).

12. The ladder support device according to claim 1]., wherein each non-slip ground engaging surface has a unidirectional non-slip characteristic.

13. The ladder support device according to claim 12, wherein the unidirectional characteristics of the ground engaging surfaces are aligned with each other.

14. The ladder support device of any preceding claim, wherein said retaining member is provided with a further ground engaging member (36).

15. The ladder support according to claim 14, wherein the further ground engaging member is provided with a non-slip ground engaging surface (40).

16. The ladder support device according to claim 10 and claim 14 or 15, wherein the arrangement is such that, in use, the weight of the user and of the ladder is transferred downwards, compressing the spring loaded leg(s) to cause the ground engaging surface (38) of the further ground engaging member to contact the ground before the spring loaded leg(s) is/are fully compressed.

17. The ladder support device according to any preceding claim, wherein the arrangement is such that, in use, the arms of the device lie above and spaced from ground level.