Platform for a ladder assembly of a fire apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12522489-B2
Application number	US-202117555827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2021
Priority date	Nov 24, 2014
Publication date	Jan 13, 2026
Grant date	Jan 13, 2026

Abstract

A ladder assembly includes a ladder and a basket. The ladder has a first end and an opposing second end configured to couple to the fire apparatus. The basket is coupled to the first end of the ladder. The basket includes a subfloor frame assembly, a floor panel coupled to the subfloor frame assembly, and an upper frame assembly extending upward from and around a periphery of the floor panel. The upper frame assembly includes a front portion, a rear portion, opposing side portions coupled to the rear portion; and a pair of doors extending between the front portion and the opposing side portions. The pair of doors are positioned proximate front corners of the basket and oriented at an angle relative to the front portion and the opposing side portions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A ladder assembly for a fire apparatus, the ladder assembly comprising:
a ladder having a first end and an opposing second end configured to couple to the fire apparatus; a basket coupled to the first end of the ladder, the basket including:
a subfloor frame assembly;
a floor panel coupled to the subfloor frame assembly; and
an upper frame assembly extending upward from and around a periphery of the floor panel, the upper frame assembly including:
a front portion;
a rear portion;
opposing side portions coupled to the rear portion; and
a pair of doors extending between the front portion and the opposing side portions, the pair of doors positioned proximate front corners of the basket, each of the pair of doors including a panel that, when the pair of doors are closed, is (a) oriented at an angle relative to the front portion and the opposing side portions and (b) neither parallel with nor perpendicular to the front portion or the opposing side portions.

2 . The ladder assembly of claim 1 , wherein the basket includes a platform extension that extends forward of the floor panel in front of the front portion and the pair of doors.

3 . The ladder assembly of claim 2 , wherein side portions of the platform extension positioned in front of the pair of doors are oriented at an angle to correspond with the angle of the pair of doors.

4 . The ladder assembly of claim 2 , wherein the basket includes platform supports that extend between the front portion of the upper frame assembly and a central portion of the platform extension.

5 . The ladder assembly of claim 2 , wherein the basket includes side platform supports that extend longitudinally forward from each lateral side of the basket, the side platform supports positioned to support the platform extension along opposing lateral sides thereof.

6 . The ladder assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rear portion defines a rear opening in alignment with the first end of the ladder, and wherein the basket includes a rear door extending across the rear opening.

7 . The ladder assembly of claim 1 , wherein the basket includes a first rear support and a second rear support coupled to the subfloor frame assembly.

8 . The ladder assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first rear support defines a first pivot point and the second rear support defines a second pivot point, wherein the first end of the ladder includes a mount that engages with the first pivot point and the second pivot point such that the basket is pivotable relative to the mount about a pivot axis (i) positioned beneath the floor panel and (ii) extending through the first pivot point and the second pivot point.

9 . The ladder assembly of claim 8 , further comprising an actuator extending between the mount and the basket, the actuator positioned to facilitate pivoting the basket about the pivot axis.

10 . The ladder assembly of claim 9 , wherein the mount includes a first set of plates and a second set of plates positioned laterally outward of the first set of plates, wherein the first set of plates engage with an interior side of the first rear support and the second rear support, and wherein the second set of plates engage with an exterior side of the first rear support and the second rear support.

11 . The ladder assembly of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is positioned between (i) one of the first set of plates and (ii) one of the second set of plates that are adjacent each other.

12 . The ladder assembly of claim 7 , wherein the subfloor frame assembly includes a first central support and a second central support, wherein the first central support and the second central support extend (i) under a central portion of the floor panel and (ii) between the front portion and the rear portion of the upper frame assembly, and wherein the first rear support is aligned with the first central support and the second rear support is aligned with the second central support.

13 . The ladder assembly of claim 7 , wherein each of the first rear support and the second rear support has an upper end positioned above the floor panel and a lower end positioned beneath floor pane, wherein the lower end of the first rear support defines a first pivot point and the lower end of the second rear support defines a second pivot point, wherein the first end of the ladder includes a mount that engages with the first pivot point and the second pivot point such that the basket is pivotable relative to the mount about a pivot axis (i) positioned beneath the floor panel and extending through the first pivot point and the second pivot point.

14 . The ladder assembly of claim 13 , further comprising an actuator extending between the mount and the first rear support.

15 . The ladder assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rear portion defines a rear opening in alignment with the first end of the ladder, and wherein the basket includes a rear door extending across the rear opening.

16 . The ladder assembly of claim 15 , wherein the rear door includes:
a first interface coupled to a first portion of the rear portion positioned at a first side of the rear opening; a second interface coupled to the first portion of the rear portion positioned at the first side of the rear opening; a first lateral member extending across the rear opening, the first lateral member having a first lateral end selectively received by the first interface and an opposing second lateral end pivotably coupled to a second portion of the rear portion positioned at an opposing second side of the rear opening; a second lateral member extending across the rear opening and vertically offset from the first lateral member, the second lateral member having a third lateral end selectively received by the second interface and an opposing fourth lateral end pivotably coupled to the second portion of the rear portion positioned at the opposing second side of the rear opening; a handle pivotably coupled to the first lateral member and the second lateral member to form a four bar mechanism that includes the handle, the first lateral member, the second lateral member, and the second portion of the rear portion at the opposing second side of the rear opening.

17 . A basket for a ladder of a fire apparatus, the basket comprising:
a floor assembly; a frame assembly extending upward from and around a periphery of the floor assembly, the frame assembly including:
a front portion;
a rear portion defining a rear opening;
opposing side portions; and
a rear door extending across the rear opening, wherein the rear door includes:
a first interface coupled to a first portion of the rear portion positioned at a first side of the rear opening;
a second interface coupled to the first portion of the rear portion positioned at the first side of the rear opening;
a first lateral member extending across the rear opening, the first lateral member having a first lateral end selectively received by the first interface and an opposing second lateral end pivotably coupled to a second portion of the rear portion positioned at an opposing second side of the rear opening;
a second lateral member extending across the rear opening and vertically offset from the first lateral member, the second lateral member having a third lateral end selectively received by the second interface and an opposing fourth lateral end pivotably coupled to the second portion of the rear portion positioned at the opposing second side of the rear opening; and
a handle pivotably coupled to the first lateral member and the second lateral member t

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Archer David W
• Betz Eric D
• Linsmeier Eric R

Classifications

• B66F11/044

  Working platforms suspended from booms · CPC title

• E06C7/16

  Platforms on, or for use on, ladders, e.g. liftable or lowerable platforms (aspects relating to the lifting B66F) · CPC title

• E06C5/04 Primary

  capable of being elevated or extended {; Fastening means during transport, e.g. mechanical, hydraulic} · CPC title

• A62C27/00

  Fire-fighting land vehicles · CPC title

• B60Y2200/49

  Movable platforms, Load ramps, e.g. working platforms · CPC title