Ladder support

Feb. 19, 1935. n. p. larsen 1,991,900

LADDER SUPPORT

Filed July 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US1991900A_D0001.tif" />

Feb. 19, 1935. n. p. larsen 1,991,900

LADDER SUPPORT Filed July 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Feb. 19, 1935

1,991,900

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

1,991,900

LADDER SUPPORT

Neil P. Larsen, University Heights, Ohio, assignor to The American Coach and Body Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio

Application July 29, 1932, Serial No. 625,811

Claims. (Cl. 224—29)

This invention relates to a ladder supporting device and is adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle repair or service truck and has for one of its objects to provide such a device which is 5 simple in construction, efficient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ladder supporting device which while a permanent fixture for the motor vehicle is adjustable to 10 adapt it to receive and support ladders of various sizes.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a support which holds the section or sections of a ladder in such a manner as to prevent 15 rattling or accidental disengagement.

With the objects above indicated and other objects hereinafter explained in view, the invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed. 20 Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a ladder supporting device embodying the present invention and attached to the side of a motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a ladder sup25 porting device embodying the present invention, but adapted to support the ladder in a modified manner;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the ladder supporting 30 device shown in Fig. 3, but on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a rear view of that shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the upright members and connection therefor shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a side view of a modified connection shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of that shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a detail view of a modified form of 40 locking means for the ladder supporting device shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a motor vehicle of the repair or service type employed by the utilities companies and has a compartment 11 45 mounted upon the chassis and closed by means of doors 12 pivotally connected at their outer edges to the adjacent walls of the compartment.

On one side of the motor vehicle 10, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a plurality of upright members ⁵⁰ 13 are slidably mounted in brackets 14. The brackets 14 for the rear upright member are secured to the side of the compartment 11, white the brackets 14 for the intermediate upright member 13 are secured to the forward end of ⁵⁵ the compartment 11. The forward upright member 13 has its upper end connected by a bracket 15 to the upper hinge member of the door of the motor vehicle, while the lower end is pivotally connected with a bracket 16 secured to the fender or running board, as may be desired. 5 It will be noted, therefore, that these upright members 13 are spaced apart and extend in parallel relation.

A plurality of outwardly extending members 17 are slidably and adjustably mounted on said 10 upright members 13 and are adapted to be secured in adjusted position by lock bolts 18. One member 17 is provided for each upright member 13 and said members are preferably disposed in horizontal alignment. is

The intermediate upright member 13 has an outwardly extending member 19 similar to the member 17 which is detachably secured to a union 20 mounted upon the upper end of the upright member 13, as more clearly shown in 20 Fig. 4.

Slidably mounted on the outwardly extending members 17 and 19 are ladder engaging members 21 secured in any desired position by lock bolts 22 and having upwardly extending arms 23 be- 25 tween which the runners of a ladder 24 are maintained. Tubular sleeves 25, preferably of rubber, surround the extending members 17 and 19 and extend between the ladder engaging members 21. 30

The runners of the ladders 24 are adapted to be nested in overlapping relation, as shown in Fig. 4, with portions of the runners resting upon the sleeve 25 and the arms 23 in engagement with the adjacent edges of the runners of the ladder. 35 These ladder engaging members 21 are adjustable relatively so as to position the arms 23 in close proximity to the runners of the ladder while the extending members 17 are vertically adjustable upon the upright members 13 to receive the lower 40 runner of the ladder at the proper location when the upper runner of the ladder is resting upon the extending member 19.

As the ladders have a tendency to rattle and become disengaged from their support, a suitable 45 retaining means is provided. This preferably consists of a tubular member 25' closed at one end and open at the other and secured in a horizontal transverse position by a bracket 26 at the closed end which is attached to the forward end 50 of the compartment 11 while the open end is screwthreaded and cooperates with a screwthreaded opening in the union 20. The union is provided with an opening 27 communicating with the interior of the tube 25' and receives 55

1,981,900 therein a rod 28. The inner end of the rod 28 is screwthreaded to receive a nut 29 against one side of which abuts the end of a coil spring 30 surrounding the rod within the tube 25'. The 5 opposite end of the spring abuts the inner end of a sleeve 31 secured within the tube 25' and normally tends to force the nut 29 rearwardly within the tube, thus exerting a force upon the rod 28 in the same direction. The outer end of the rod 10 28 is formed with a hook 32 adapted to engage the rungs of the ladder, as shown in Fig. 4. This hook may be disengaged from the rungs or engaged therewith by rotating the hook about the longitudinal axis of the rod to the position de15 sired for accomplishing the purpose intended.

In Figs. 2, 5 and 9 a modification of the invention is illustrated, and consists of a pair of upright members 33 secured to the rear portion of the compartment 11 by brackets 34 which are 20 attached to the sides of the compartment adjacent the rear end thereof. These upright members are vertically adjustable and secured in any adjusted position by means of lock bolts 35. At the forward end, the upright members 36 ex25 tend on opposite sides of the motor vehicle and are pivotally connected at their lower ends to brackets 37 secured to the running board or fender, as may be desired. Adjacent the upper portion of the upright members 36 are brackets 38 30 which are slidably and adjustably mounted upon the uprights 36 and are pivotally connected to the upper hinges of the doors at 39. The upright members 33 and 36 extend in parallelism and in longitudinal alignment on opposite sides of the 35 motor vehicle, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

Transversely extending members 40 have their opposite ends adjustably mounted upon the upper ends of the upright members 33 and 36 respectively, as indicated at 41, and are held in ad40 justed position by means of lock bolts 42. These transversely extending members 40 are adapted to support the ladder sections, only one of which is shown in Fig. 5, and the ladders are positioned centrally or in any desired position there45 on by means of upwardly extending arms 43 slidably mounted upon the transverse members 40 and secured in any adjusted position by lock bolts 44. The upwardly extending arms 43 are adjustable relatively along the transverse mem50 bers 40 so as to receive ladders of varying widths and one of the upright arms 43 is provided with a spring resisted pin 45 which engages with an opening provided in the runner of the ladder adjacent thereto, details of which are more clearly 55 shown in Fig. 9. This securing means prevents accidental displacement of the ladders as well as preventing the ladders from undue rattling.

It will be noted that the transversely extending members 40 are also vertically adjustable upon 60 the upright members 33 and 36 so that the ladders may be supported above any interfering portion of the motor vehicle.

While I have described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood 65 that I am not to be limited thereto inasmuch as changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.