Tri-foot, ladder and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12084918-B2
Application number	US-201816191121-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2016
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A ladder having a first rail having a bottom. The ladder having a second rail. The ladder having rungs attached to the first rail and second rail upon which a user climbs the ladder. The ladder comprises a ladder foot rotatably attached adjacent to the bottom of the first rail. The ladder foot having three distinct and different surfaces, with the first rail resting on one of the three surfaces at any one time the first rail is up right. The first rail changing to any of the three surfaces for the first rail to be upright upon by rotating the ladder foot. A method for placing a ladder. A ladder foot rotatably attached adjacent to a bottom of a first rail of a ladder. A method for making a ladder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ladder comprising:
a first rail having a bottom;
a second rail;
rungs attached to the first rail and the second rail; and
a ladder foot rotatably attached adjacent to the bottom of the first rail at a location offset from a geometric center of the ladder foot, the ladder foot having a triangular shape formed from a first face, a second face joined to the first face, and a third face joined to the first face and the second face, wherein the first face includes a first surface, the second face includes a second surface, and the third face includes an ice pick, the ice pick comprising a generally rectangular shaped first portion that extends generally perpendicular from the third surface and a second portion that extends directly from the first portion, wherein the second portion has a serrated edge,
wherein each of the first surface, the second surface, and the ice pick are configured to contact a ground surface at a different rotational position of the ladder foot,
wherein the ice pick is configured to at least partially penetrate the ground surface, and
wherein the first surface has a first tread and the second surface has a second tread that is more coarse than the first tread, the first surface being directly connected to the second surface at a fixed angle relative to the second surface.

2. The ladder of claim 1 wherein the ladder foot has an interior with buttressing that holds a bolthole through which a bolt extends to attach the ladder foot to the first rail.

3. The ladder of claim 2 wherein the buttressing includes a first plate extending into the interior from the first face to the bolthole, a second plate extending into the interior from the second face to the bolthole, and a third plate extending into the interior from the third face to the bolthole, the first plate and the third plate being shorter than the second plate so that the bolthole is held by the buttressing in a position offset from the geometric center.

4. The ladder of claim 1 wherein the first rail has an outer face and an inner face, the ladder foot disposed on the outer face of the first rail, and including a second ladder foot rotatably attached to the inner face.

5. A ladder comprising:
a first rail;
a second rail;
one or more rungs attached to the first rail and the second rail; and
a foot rotatably coupled to a first side of the first rail by a fastener, the fastener being fed through an aperture that is held in a position offset from a geometric center of the foot by buttressing,
wherein the foot includes a first face, a second face, and a third face joined to form a triangular shape, the second face disposed at a fixed angle relative to the first face, the first face including a first surface different from a second surface of the second face, and
wherein the buttressing includes a first plate extending into an interior of the foot from the first face to the aperture, a second plate extending into the interior of the foot from the second face to the aperture, and a third plate extending into the interior of the foot from the third face to the aperture.

6. The ladder of claim 5 wherein the first surface comprises a first tread and the second surface comprises a second tread that is more coarse than the first tread.

7. The ladder of claim 5 further comprising a pick extending from the third face of the foot.

8. The ladder of claim 7 wherein the pick includes a serrated edge.

9. The ladder of claim 5 wherein the foot is selectively pivotable about the fastener between a first rotational position in which only the first face contacts a ground surface and a second rotational position in which only the second face contacts the ground surface.

10. The ladder of claim 5 wherein the third face is disposed at respective fixed angles relative to the first face and the second face such that the first face, the second face, and the third face together form the triangular shape.

11. The ladder of claim 5 wherein the first surface is directly connected to the second surface.

12. The ladder of claim 5 wherein when the buttressing holds the aperture in the position, a first shortest distance between the aperture and the first face is less than a second shortest distance between the aperture and the second face.

13. The ladder of claim 12 wherein a third shortest distance between the aperture and the third face is generally equal to the second shortest distance.

14. The ladder of claim 5 wherein the first rail has an outer face and an inner face, the foot disposed on the outer face of the first rail, and including a second foot rotatably attached to the inner face.

15. The ladder of claim 5 , wherein the first plate and the third plate being shorter than the second plate so that the aperture is held by the buttressing offset from the geometric center.

16. A ladder comprising:
a first rail and a second rail arranged generally parallel to one another;
a plurality of rungs attached to the first rail and the second rail;
a first ladder foot including a first triangle-shaped body, interior strengthening ribs, and a first aperture, the first ladder foot rotatably coupled near a bottom of the first rail via a first fastener disposed through the first aperture, which is positioned offset from a first geometric center of the first ladder foot; and
a second ladder foot including a second triangle-shaped body, interior strengthening ribs, and a second aperture, the second ladder foot rotatably coupled near a bottom of the second rail via a second fastener disposed through the second aperture, which is positioned offset from a second geometric center of the second ladder foot;
wherein the first triangle-shaped body and the second triangle-shaped body include a first face defining a first side of the triangle-shaped body, a second face defining a second side of the triangle-shaped body joined to the first face at a fixed angle relative to the first face, and a third face defining a third side of the triangle-shaped body joined to the first face and the second face;
wherein the first face includes a first tread, the second face includes a second tread that is more coarse than the first tread, and the third face includes an ice pick extending generally outward therefrom, the ice pick being formed of a flat, elongated extension of the third face; and
the first triangle-shaped body is selectively pivotable about the first fastener between a first rotational position in which only the first face contacts a ground surface, a second rotational position in which only the second face contacts the ground surface, and a third rotational position in which the ice pick contacts the ground surface.

17. The ladder of claim 16 wherein the ice pick is configured to at least partially penetrate the ground surface.

18. The ladder of claim 16 wherein the ice pick extends generally orthogonally from the third face and further comprises a generally rectangular portion with a serrated edge.

Assignees

• Werner Co

Inventors

• Mora Daniel C
• Beggs Robert D

Classifications

• E06C7/44

  Means for mounting ladders on uneven ground · CPC title

• E06C7/46

  Non-skid equipment · CPC title

• E04G5/02

  Scaffold feet, e.g. with arrangements for adjustment · CPC title

• E06C7/42 Primary

  Ladder feet; Supports therefor (for scaffold elements E04G5/02) · CPC title