Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-22
2001-02-27
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Combined
C224S257000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193012
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an adjustable removable shoulder strap attached to a ladder for use in transporting same to save set-up time and reduce human energy expended to perform tasks requiring use of a ladder.
2. Background Art
In the past, the manufacture of a ladder has not addressed any method to facilitate the carrying of a ladder from a storage area or vehicle to the exact location where it was to be used. The present use of a ladder requires that, first, it be transported by hand to the work site with subsequent trips needed to place tools and materials at that site. This involves transporting a heavy cumbersome ladder over long distances to a work site not readily accessible by vehicle.
Advances in manufacture have resulted in a diverse range of ladder design. These include ladders intended for manhole, billboard and shelf use to industrial heavy duty (500 pound capacity) extension ladders. Their weights vary from 9-22 pounds for a four foot ladder to 127 pounds for a twenty-four foot super heavy duty aluminum extension ladder.
Carry straps currently used to transport moderately heavy loads such as luggage, garment bags, sample cases, golf clubs, tool kits, camera equipment and other such items are designed to accomodate items normally not more than three feet in height for a golf bag and small varying three dimensional configurations for luggage and garment gags. The device invented by puff (U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,482) accomodates these configurations within design limitation for light to moderate weights while the device invented by Jackson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,807) is designed for a very small item weighting approximately one-half to one pound. Such a device cannot sustain the weights the ladder caddie is designed to accommodate, even though both employ use of straps and “D” rings that are attached to an item to be transported.
In view of these considerations there is a need for a new shoulder strap designed specifically for use in transporting of ladders.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Summary
An adjustable shoulder strap that is mounted on a ladder, be it wood, metal, or fiberglass to improve the method used to transport the ladder. In many cases the ladder can exceed weights from 50 to 100 pounds. Said shoulder strap balances the ladder on the shoulder of the individual. It frees use of hands so that rather than one item being carried, the ladder, two or three items, tools or materials, can be transported at once.
Object of the Invention
Save time and reduce human energy expended in setting-up a site to perform tasks needing use of a ladder.
The present invention involves an improvement to an otherwise conventional ladder of the type employed by a myriad of users, be they governmental, industrial, commercial, agricultural or home entities. According to the invention the ladder is provided with an adjustable shoulder strap that is attached equidistant from the ladders centric point. As part of the invention, the strap is provided with severally identified items projecting longitudinally on one side of a framework consisting of two parallel sidepieces connected by a series of rungs on which a person climbs. The attachment devices may take the form of “D” rings and steel clips fixed in position on the ladder to facilitate use of the ladder caddie shoulder strap.
The attachment devices of the improved ladder will allow a shoulder strap with non-slip padding to be attached to the ladder through use of snaps that are part of the shoulder strap. One end of the shoulder strap is connected to one of the attachment devices, “D” rind, while the other snap is connected to the second device, “D” ring.
When the shoulder strap is snapped onto the ladder attachment devices, the shoulder strap forms a balanced sling that can pass over the shoulder of the person who will use the ladder. That person will than have free use of his/her hands to simultaneously transport tools and materials to the site where the ladder is needed.
Another feature of this invention is that it allows persons of smaller stature to transport a cumbersome ladder that they previously could not wield. The weight of the ladder is balanced on the shoulder thus allowing for greater weight to be carried for longer distances.
When the shoulder strap is not is use it can either be removed or adjusted to be flush with the parallel sidepiece to which it is connected thus allowing for greater safety.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2394805 (1946-02-01), Reishus
patent: 4471969 (1984-09-01), Zabala et al.
patent: 4558807 (1985-12-01), Jackson
patent: 4942995 (1990-07-01), Myers
patent: 5203482 (1993-04-01), Puff
patent: 5433288 (1995-07-01), James
patent: 5511285 (1996-04-01), Bush et al.
Stodola Daniel P.
Thompson Hugh B.
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