Extension ladder, ladder components and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12435567-B2
Application number	US-202418649878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2024
Priority date	Nov 4, 2014
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A ladder is provided having a base section and a fly section slidably coupled with the base section. The base section includes a first pair of spaced apart rails and a first plurality of rungs extending between and coupled to the first pair of spaced apart rails. The fly section includes a second pair of spaced apart rails and a second plurality of rungs extending between and coupled to the second pair of spaced apart rails. The various rungs may be coupled with their associated rails in an offset relationship such that they are not centered along a longitudinal center axis line of the rails. A rung lock device may be used which includes an arm pivotally coupled with the base section and configured to selectively engage various rungs of the second plurality of rungs to maintain the fly section in a desired position relative to the base section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ladder comprising:
a base section comprising a first pair of spaced apart rails and a first plurality of rungs extending between and coupled to the first pair of spaced apart rails;
a fly section comprising a second pair of spaced apart rails and a second plurality of rungs extending between and coupled to the second pair of spaced apart rails, the fly section being slidably coupled to the base section; and
at least one rung lock device configured to selectively maintain the fly section in at least two different positions relative to the base section, wherein the at least one rung lock device includes:
an arm pivotally coupled with a rail of the first pair of spaced apart rails, wherein the arm is configurable to a neutral support position configured to allow a rung of the second plurality of rungs to contact the arm;
a flipper displaceable relative to the arm while the arm remains in the neutral support position and the fly section slides relative to the base section between the at least two different positions; and
wherein the at least one rung lock device is configured to selectively and consecutively engage a lower surface of each of at least two different rungs of the second plurality of rungs.

2. The ladder of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rung lock device is configured so that a majority of the at least one rung lock device is positioned below an engaged rung when the ladder is in an orientation of intended use.

3. The ladder of claim 2 , wherein no part of the at least one rung lock device extends beyond an upper surface of the engaged rung.

4. The ladder of claim 3 , wherein an upper portion of the arm includes a concave support surface.

5. The ladder of claim 4 , wherein each of the second plurality of rungs includes an arcuate lower surface for substantially mating with the concave support surface.

6. The ladder of claim 2 , wherein each of the second plurality of rungs exhibits a substantially inverted triangular cross-sectional geometry.

7. The ladder of claim 2 , wherein each of the first plurality of rungs is positioned closer to a rear surface of the first pair of spaced apart rails than to a front surface of the first pair of spaced apart rails.

8. The ladder of claim 7 , wherein a rear surface of the second pair of spaced apart rails is positioned along a line that is about half way between the front surface of the first pair of spaced apart rails and the rear surface of the first pair of spaced apart rails.

9. A ladder, comprising:
a first assembly including a first pair of rails spaced apart from each other and a first plurality of rungs extending between the first pair of rails;
a second assembly including a second pair of rails spaced apart from each other and a second plurality of rungs extending between the second pair of rails, the second pair of rails being slidably coupled with the first pair of rails, a back surface of the first pair of rails being positioned between a front surface of the second pair of rails and a back surface of the second pair of rails;
an arm pivotally coupled with the second assembly and biased toward the front surface of the second pair of rails, wherein a majority of the arm is below a rung of the first plurality of rungs while the arm is engaging the rung; and
a latch directly pivotally coupled with the arm and configured to extend over a top surface of the rung.

10. The ladder of claim 9 , wherein the latch is configured to be locked in place when positioned above the rung.

11. The ladder of claim 9 , wherein the arm includes a concave support surface contacting the rung when the arm is engaging the rung.

12. The ladder of claim 9 , wherein the second assembly further comprises a limiter positioned between the front surface of the second pair of rails and the back surface of the second pair of rails, wherein the arm is biased to abut the limiter.

13. The ladder of claim 9 , further comprising a biasing member biasing the arm toward the front surface of the second pair of rails.

14. A ladder, comprising:
a fly assembly including a first pair of rails and a first plurality of rungs extending between the first pair of rails;
a base assembly including a second pair of rails and a second plurality of rungs extending between the second pair of rails, the base assembly being slidably coupled with the fly assembly; and
a rung lock including:
an arm coupled to the base assembly and movable between a support position aligned with a plane of the first plurality of rungs and a displaced position rearwardly offset from the plane, the arm having a rung support surface; and
a flipper movable between:
a first latch position relative to the arm;
a second latch position rotated toward the rung support surface relative to the first latch position; and
a third latch position rotated away from the rung support surface relative to the first latch position;

wherein in response to sliding the fly assembly in an upward direction relative to the base assembly, a rung of the first plurality of rungs contacts the flipper and causes the flipper to move from the first latch position to the third latch position while the arm is in the support position; and
wherein in response to sliding the fly assembly in a downward direction relative to the base assembly, the rung contacts the flipper and causes the flipper to move from the first latch position to the second latch position while the arm is in the support position.

15. The ladder of claim 14 , wherein in response to sliding the fly assembly in the upward direction, the arm moves from the displaced position to the support position.

16. The ladder of claim 14 , wherein in response to sliding the fly assembly in the downward direction relative to the base assembly while the flipper is in the first latch position, the arm moves from the support position to the displaced position.

17. The ladder of claim 14 , wherein a rung of the first plurality of rungs is positionable between the arm and the flipper.

18. The ladder of claim 17 , wherein the rung engages a concave surface of the arm when positioned between the arm and the flipper.

19. The ladder of claim 14 , wherein a rung of the first plurality of rungs is configured to engage the flipper to move the flipper from the first latch position to the second latch position.

Assignees

• Little Giant Ladder Systems Llc

Inventors

• Ballard Jay
• Smith Christian
• Jonas Gary
• Peterson Sean
• Russell Brian

Classifications

• E06C7/06

  Securing devices or hooks for parts of extensible ladders · CPC title

• E06C7/46

  Non-skid equipment · CPC title

• E06C1/12 Primary

  extensible, e.g. telescopic · CPC title