Ladder and accessory for a ladder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12595702-B2
Application number	US-202117497759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2021
Priority date	Oct 14, 2020
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

An accessory for a ladder rail with a rung having a housing to be removably and fixedly attached to the rail. The accessory having an elongate member attached to the housing and extending beyond the housing. The accessory having a first locking assembly attached to the housing having a lock state which locks the housing to the rail, and an unlocked state which unlocks the housing from the rail so the housing is able to be removed from the rail. A method for attaching an accessory to a ladder rail with a rung. A ladder having an accessory for leaning against an edge, such as a roof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An accessory for a ladder rail with a rung comprising:
a housing removably attached to the ladder rail, the housing including at least two engagement slots; an elongate member coupled to and extending from the housing and including at least two elongate slots corresponding to the at least two engagement slots of the housing; and a first locking assembly coupled to the housing, wherein the first locking assembly includes a locked position and an unlocked position, in the locked position the housing and the elongate member are held onto the rail, and in the unlocked position the housing and the elongate member is permitted to be removed from the rail, wherein the housing has a rung slot which allows the housing to fit over an end of the rail and around the rung.

2 . The accessory of claim 1 further comprising a first bracket coupled to the housing.

3 . The accessory of claim 1 wherein the first locking assembly includes a first knob, a first jaw, and a second jaw which are engaged with the first knob and the rail, wherein rotation of the first knob causes the first jaw and the second jaw to clamp onto or separate from the rail.

4 . The accessory of claim 3 , wherein the housing has a first jaw slot and a second jaw slot, the first jaw positioned within the first jaw slot and the second jaw positioned within the second jaw slot, wherein, when the first locking assembly is in the locked position, the first jaw and the second jaw contact the rail through the first jaw slot and the second jaw slot and clamp the housing to the rail.

5 . The accessory of claim 4 wherein the first jaw aligns with one of the at least two elongate slots through which the first jaw extends to contact the rail.

6 . The accessory of claim 3 further comprising a second locking assembly including a second knob, a third jaw, and a fourth jaw which are engaged with the second knob and the rail, wherein rotation of the second knob causes the third jaw and the fourth jaw to clamp onto or separate from the rail.

7 . The accessory of claim 1 wherein a cross-section of the housing is rectangular shaped and the housing is hollow and includes a perimeter which is greater than a perimeter of a cross-section of the rail such that the housing fits around the end of the rail.

8 . The accessory of claim 1 wherein the elongate member comprises a first ladder grip for a walk through.

9 . The accessory of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a handle.

10 . The accessory of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a latch and a latch spring which are configured to prevent the housing from being inadvertently removed from the rail.

11 . The accessory of claim 1 further comprising a first bracket coupled to the housing.

12 . The accessory of claim 11 wherein the first locking assembly is coupled to the first bracket and includes a first knob, a first jaw, a second jaw, and a connector, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are connected via the connector and movable with the connector, and wherein the first jaw and the second jaw engage the rail by passing through the at least two engagement slots of the housing and the at least two elongate slots.

13 . The accessory of claim 12 wherein when the first locking assembly goes from the unlocked position to the locked position, the first knob is rotated which causes the connector to move towards the first knob and cause the first jaw and the second jaw to clamp towards the rail.

14 . The accessory of claim 12 further comprising a lift bracket disposed within the first bracket, and wherein the lift bracket contacts a portion of the first jaw, the second jaw, and the connector.

15 . A ladder comprising:
a first rail; a second rail in parallel and spaced relation with the first rail; at least one rung attached to the first rail and the second rail; a first housing removably and fixedly attached to the first rail and the at least one rung, the first housing including at least two first engagement slots; a second housing removably and fixedly attached to the second rail and the at least one rung, the second housing including at least two second engagement slots, the second housing distinct and independent of the first housing; a first elongate member coupled to and extending from the first housing; a second elongate member coupled to and extending from the second housing; a first locking assembly coupled to the first housing; and a second locking assembly coupled to the second housing, wherein the first locking assembly and the second locking assembly include a locked position and an unlocked position, in the locked position the first housing and the first elongate member are held onto the first rail and the second housing and the second elongate member are held onto the second rail, and in the unlocked position the first housing and the first elongate member are permitted to be removed from the first rail, and the second housing and the second elongate member are permitted to be removed from the second rail, wherein the first housing and the second housing include a latch and a latch spring which are configured to prevent the first housing and the second housing from being inadvertently removed from the first rail and the second rail.

16 . The ladder of claim 15 further comprising a first bracket coupled to the first housing and a second bracket coupled to the second housing.

17 . The ladder of claim 16 wherein the first locking assembly is coupled to the first bracket and includes a first knob, a first jaw, a second jaw, and a first connector, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are connected via the first connector and movable with the first connector, and wherein the first jaw and the second jaw engage the first rail by passing through the at least two first engagement slots of the first housing, and wherein the second locking assembly is coupled to the second bracket includes a second knob, a third jaw, a fourth jaw, and a second connector, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are connected via the second connector and movable with the second connector, and wherein the third jaw and the fourth jaw engage the second rail by passing through the at least two second engagement slots of the second housing.

18 . The ladder of claim 17 wherein when the first locking assembly and the second locking assembly go from the unlocked position to the locked position, the first knob and the second knob are rotates which causes the first connector and the second connector to move towards the first knob and the second knob and cause the first jaw and the second jaw to clamp towards the first rail and the third jaw and the fourth jaw to clamp towards the second rail.

19 . An accessory for a ladder rail with a rung comprising:
a first housing and a second housing, the first and second housings removably attachable to a respective first rail and a second rail, the first and second housings each including at least two engagement slots; a first elongate member and a second elongate member coupled to and extending from the first and second housings and including at least two elongate slots corresponding to the at least two engagement slots of the first and second housings; and at least a first clamp and a second clamp, the first clamp and the second clamp each having a bracket and jaws rotatably coupled to the bracket.

20 . The accessory of claim 19 further comprising a knob and a square nut, wherein the knob is threaded through the square nut,

Assignees

• Werner Co

Inventors

• Lopez Ivan D

Classifications

• E06C7/48

  Ladder heads; Supports for heads of ladders for resting against objects {(ladders attachable to structures such as poles E06C1/34)} · CPC title

• E06C7/183

  situated along the ladder · CPC title

• E06C5/02

  with rigid longitudinal members · CPC title

• E06C1/04

  Ladders for resting against objects, e.g. walls poles, trees (supports for ladder heads E06C7/48) · CPC title

• E06C7/182 Primary

  situated at the top of the ladder · CPC title