Easy ladder safety protector

[57] ABSTRACT

A ladder protector for a ladder having side rails is disclosed wherein electrical and bearing functions are provided for each end of the side rails by a flexible foam body member having a plurality of resilient closed gas filled cells. The protector includes elastic wall means for easy assembly and removal of the protector from each end of the ladder rails.

Claims, 5 Drawing Figures

UNITED STATES PATENTS

2,138,171 11/1938 Johnson.................................182/111

3,046,004 7/1962 Struthers...........................297/DIG. 2

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PATENTED may 16197?

3,662,856

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3,6 1

EASY LADDER SAFETY PROTECTOR BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of In vention

This invention relates generally to bearing type protectors and more particularly to a protector for a ladder.

2. Prior Art

Problems of long standing in the art are those of protecting a surface upon which a ladder will rest and to protect the user of the ladder electrically. In the past, the ladder user had to resort to wrapping cloth or plastic around the ends of a ladder to prevent marking or scratching a surface upon which the ladder would rest. Attempts have been made to overcome this problem by providing solid plastic covers at the ends of the ladder and securing the same by riveting or molding. Generally, these plastic parts wear out before the ladder and therefore the problem still exists. Thus molded or riveted inserts oyer the ends of the ladder while Satisfactory initially are not satisfactory when worn since replacement is difficult and the danger of marking or scratching the surface upon which the ladder rests is present. Further, the worn inserts do not provide proper electrical insulation. Accordingly there is a pressing need for a protector for a ladder, which protector is inexpensive, easy to manufacture, provides electrical insulation and can be easily replaced if worn.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Briefly described the present invention solves the aforesaid problems in a ladder safety protector in a preferred embodiment comprising a flexible body member of foam plastic having a plurality of resilient gas filled cells which provide resilient bearing supporting cells. The body member includes elastic wall means for yieldingly mounting the body member over one end of a rail of a ladder. The elastic wall means is adapted to receive one end of a ladder rail in yielding relationship so that the protector may be interposed between the ladder and the surface upon which the ladder rests. The enclosed gas filled cells between the ladder and the surface provide a conforming resilient mount. The wall means has a longitudinal axis about which the wall means is symmetrical and therefore the protector may be rotated for longer life. The protector may be used in pairs to provide protectors at the top or bottom of the ladder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a ladder with ladder protectors in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the ladder of FIG. 1 with four ladder protectors in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ladder protector which is used with the ladder shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view with parts broken away showing a pair of ladder protectors mounted on the ends of the ladder rails of the ladder shown in FIGS. 1,2,3; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an electrical circuit for forming a receptacle in the ladder protector for receiving an end of the ladder rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although the present invention is suited for more general types of ladders, it is particularly suited for ladders having rungs such as the type shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 4. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, four ladder protectors 10, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention are shown on a ladder 11. The ladder 11 includes a plurality of rungs 12 evenly spaced apart supported by parallel right and left side rails 13,14 respectively. For illustration of the present invention, the ladder 11 is shown supported by a 75

52,856 horizontal surface 15 such as the surface of a roof and a vertical surface 16 such as the surface 16 of a building 17 having shingles 18. The upper ends 18, 19 of the right and left side rails 13,14 respectively rest against the vertical surface 16 5 while the lower ends 21,22 of the right and left rails 13,14 respectively rest on the surface 15. In accordance with the invention, the protector 10 protects the surfaces 15,16 and also provides electrical insulation at the upper ends 18 19 and lower ends 21,22 of the ladder 11.

Referring to FIG. 3, the protector 10 includes a body member 30 of flexible foam plastic having a plurality of resilient closed gas filled cells 31. The body member 30 is made of flexible foam plastic such as foam polyurethane, ₁₅ polyester or the like having a plurality of resilient closed gas filled cells 31. Preferably, most of the cells 31 in the foam plastic should be closed gas filled cells 31; however some of the cells such as the cells on the exterior of the body member 30 may be open cells. Polyurethane, polyester plastics are 2o available with over 50 percent of the cells 31 being gas filled cells. These plastics have been formed to work satisfactorily for the protector 10. The protector 10 includes elastic wall means 32 for yieldingly mounting the protector 10 on the upper ends 18,19 and lower ends 21,22 of the ladder 11. The 25 elastic wall means 32 are an integral part of body member 31 and includes flexible wall portions 33,34,35 and 36 which form a receptacle 37 for receiving one of the upper ends 18,19 or lower ends 21,22 of the ladder 11 therein. The receptacle 37 has a rectangular cross-sectional area corresponding to but 30 smaller than the Cross-sectional area of the right and left side rails 13,14 of the ladder 11. Thus the flexible wall portions 33,34,35 and 36 yieldingly embrace any one of the upper ends 18,19 or lower ends 21,22 of the ladder 11, and yet the protector 10 may be easily removed from the upper ends 18,19 or 35 lower ends 21,22 of the ladder 11.

The receptacle 37 is symmetrical so that the body member 30 may be mounted in at least two different positions about a longitudinal axis of the receptacle 37. This is particularly ad40 ^vanta8^{eous sin}ce the life of the protector 10 may be extended by at least a factor of two by shifting the position of the protector 10 on the rails 13,14.

The body member 30 includes a cover portion 38 which provides for resilient bearing at the lower ends 21,22 of the ladder 11.

The closed gas filled cells in the flexible wall portions 33,34,35,36 and the cover portion 38 provide a resilient bearing means and electrical insulation or the ladder 11.

The protector 10 may be used singly or in pairs with the 50 l^adder H ²⁵ shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 4. The protector 10 in operation may be stretched over any one of the upper ends 18 19 or lower ends 21,22 of the rails 13, 14 respectively. The ladder 11 floats on the resilient gas filled cells 31 while the body member 31 conforms to the surfaces 15 and 16 and also 55 provides electrical insulation.

The body member 30 is shown in FIGS. 1-5 as being a hexahedron but it should be understood that other shapes may also be used in accordance with the invention. The plurality of resilient closed gas filled cells support the ladder 11. It is ₆₀ therefore important that the gas filled cells be interposed between the ladder 11 and the surface upon which it rests such as surfaces 15,16.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an electrical circuit 50 is shown for forming the receptacle 37 in the body member 30 of the pro65 tector 10. The electrical circuit 50 includes an electrically heated element 51 which has a cross-section corresponding to the receptacle 37. The heated element 51 may have other shapes, for example, a channel shape. Of some of the foam plastic materials, polyurethane and polyester have been found 70 to flow and evaporate when in contact with the heated element 51 without hardening or loss of flexibility. Thus the receptacle 37 may be easily formed for different ladder types and rail sections. The heated element 51 is connected to ground at 52 and in series with a temperature regulator 53 and switch 54 to a source of electrical energy such as an alternat3,662,856 ing current source shown at 55. The temperature regulator 53 may be of the bi-metal or thermistor type to control the temperature of the heated element 52.

It will be apparent that many changes and modifications of the several features described herein may be made without de- 5 parting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, apparent that the foregoing description is by way of illustration of the invention rather than limitations of the invention.