Modular ladder for stealth cell towers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12560027-B2
Application number	US-202217881398-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2022
Priority date	Aug 4, 2022
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing access for workers to cell towers are disclosed. The system is useful on “stealth” cellular towers that do not have external ladders or climbing pegs for aesthetic reasons. The system may include a channel (e.g., a track) that may be permanently mounted to the cell tower and extends from a bottom of the cell tower to a top of the cell tower as well as a track-line (e.g., a chain, a belt, etc.) located within the channel such that the track-line acts as a loop running from the bottom of the cell tower to the top of the cell tower, and vice versa. A modular ladder with climbing pegs may be attached to the track-line and inserted into the channel such that the modular ladder may be pulled up the channel to the top of the cell tower by the track-line and then secured.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A system for scaling a tower, the system comprising:
a track-line with a length equal to at least twice a height of the tower; a channel disposed vertically on the tower to house the track-line from proximate a bottom of the tower to proximate a top of the tower; a modular ladder partially located within the channel and removable coupled to the track-line, the modular ladder comprising at least a first climbing peg and a second climbing peg, wherein at least one of the first climbing peg or the second climbing peg includes:
a vertical portion including a top connection point and a bottom connection point for connecting multiple climbing pegs together; and
a horizontal portion perpendicularly coupled to the vertical portion, the horizontal portion comprising a crossbar usable to be at least one of held on to or stepped on; and
a rotating mechanism disposed proximate the bottom of the tower attached to a first end of the track-line to pull the track-line in a first direction; wherein the rotating mechanism moves the track-line such that, in response to the track-line pulling in the first direction, the modular ladder travels to proximate the top of the tower.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the tower is a communications tower configured without pegs or a fixed ladder.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a lock box located proximate the bottom of the tower, the lock box being configured to house the rotating mechanism and the modular ladder when the modular ladder is in an undeployed position.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first climbing peg and the second climbing peg are removably coupled to one another.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism located proximate the bottom of the tower configured to couple with the modular ladder such that the modular ladder is in a fixed position once the modular ladder travels to proximate the top of the tower.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a harness wearable by a worker and removably coupled to at least one of the channel or the modular ladder.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the track-line comprises a chain or a cable.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first climbing peg or the second climbing peg includes a fall protection loop configured to couple with a safety harness.

9 . A method comprising:
attaching a channel vertically to an exterior surface of a tower; installing at least one upper pulley proximate a top portion of the tower and at least one lower pulley proximate a bottom portion of the tower to direct a track-line from proximate the bottom portion of the tower to proximate the top portion of the tower; positioning the track-line over the at least one upper pulley and the least one lower pulley such that the track-line is located within the channel; installing a rotating mechanism disposed proximate the bottom portion of the tower; and installing a modular ladder partially located within the channel and removable coupled to the track-line, the modular ladder comprising at least a first climbing peg and a second climbing peg, wherein at least one of the first climbing peg or the second climbing peg includes:
a vertical portion including a top connection point and a bottom connection point for connecting multiple climbing pegs together; and
a horizontal portion perpendicularly coupled to the vertical portion, the horizontal portion comprising a crossbar usable to be at least one of held on to or stepped on;
wherein the rotating mechanism is coupled to the at least one lower pulley such that the rotating mechanism is configured to move the track-line from proximate the bottom portion of the tower to proximate the top portion of the tower and in response to the track-line moving, the modular ladder travels to proximate the top portion of the tower.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a powered motor.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising installing a lock box located proximate the bottom portion of the tower, the lock box being configured to house the rotating mechanism and the modular ladder when the modular ladder is in an undeployed position.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising coupling the first climbing peg to the second climbing peg to form the modular ladder.

13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising installing a locking mechanism located proximate the bottom portion of the tower configured to couple with the modular ladder such that the modular ladder is in a fixed position once the modular ladder travels to proximate the top portion of the tower.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first climbing peg or the second climbing peg includes a fall protection loop configured to couple with a safety harness.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the track-line comprises a belt.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising installing a harness wearable by a worker and removably coupled to at least one of the channel or the modular ladder.

17 . A method for scaling a cell tower using a self-contained system, the method comprising:
coupling multiple climbing pegs together to form a modular ladder, wherein at least one of the multiple climbing pegs includes:
a vertical portion including a top connection point and a bottom connection point for connecting the multiple climbing pegs together; and
a horizontal portion perpendicularly coupled to the vertical portion, the horizontal portion comprising a crossbar usable to be at least one of held on to or stepped on;
coupling a first end of the modular ladder to a track-line located within a channel, the channel extending a length of the cell tower; activating a rotating mechanism located proximate a bottom of the cell tower, the rotating mechanism being coupled to the track-line such that the track-line causes the first end of the modular ladder to travel towards proximate a top of the cell tower in response to the rotating mechanism being activated; deactivating the rotating mechanism in response to the first end of the modular ladder reaching proximate the top of the cell tower; and installing a locking mechanism on a second end of the modular ladder proximate the bottom of the cell tower causing the modular ladder to be in a fixed position.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a powered motor.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising installing a lock box located proximate the bottom of the cell tower, the lock box being configured to house the rotating mechanism and the modular ladder when the modular ladder is in an undeployed position.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the track-line comprises at least one of a belt or a chain.

Assignees

• T Mobile Usa Inc

Inventors

• Lee Joseph

Classifications

• E06C7/12

  Lifts or other hoisting devices on ladders · CPC title

• B66B20/00 Primary

  Elevators not provided for in groups B66B1/00 - B66B19/00 · CPC title

• E06C9/02

  rigidly mounted · CPC title

• E06C9/14 Primary

  with non-rigid longitudinal members, e.g. rope or chain ladders, ladders of the lazy-tongs type · CPC title