Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Ladder and platform – Platform with ladder as support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-21
2001-03-13
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Ladder and platform
Platform with ladder as support
C182S187000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199660
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a ladder stand for attachment to a tree or post and including an improved multiple strut stabilizing device.
BACKGROUND
Portable ladder stands are widely used for hunting purposes and for gaining access to a tree or post at an elevated position thereon. Conventional ladder stands typically include a substantially straight ladder portion with or without a horizontally extending seat or rest portion at the upper end thereof.
A long-standing problem with the use of ladder stands adapted to be attached to a tree trunk or a vertically-extending post pertains to the lack of stability of the ladder stand, particularly when the stand is erected and initially ascended by the user for attachment of the ladder stand to the tree or post at the upper end of the ladder stand, or during final descent from the ladder stand after disconnecting the ladder stand from such tree or post. Accordingly, conventional ladder stands do not provide adequate stability during the initial ascent of or final descent from the ladder and the ladder tends to tilt away from the tree thereby posing the risk of serious injury to a person attempting to climb or descend the ladder.
Efforts to solve the above-mentioned problem with ladder stands have been attempted, including the provision of single rigid strut-like stabilizing devices which are attached to a lower rung of the ladder and to the tree or post against which the ladder stand is being erected. Ladder stands have also been secured to trees or posts by one or more ropes or straps. However, securement of a ladder stand to a tree or post at a lower rung by prior art stabilizing devices has not addressed the problem of instability of the ladder stand during the initial ascent.
The above-mentioned problem is further aggravated by the desire to provide maximum portability and reduced weight of ladder stands, since these structures are often carried long distances through forests or dense vegetation by persons seeking a desirable hunting spot or otherwise requiring the use of a ladder stand in a remote or heavily vegetated location. Accordingly, stabilizing devices for ladder stands should be made as light-in-weight and as easily carriable as possible.
It is to the above-mentioned ends that the present invention has been developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a ladder stand, including an improved stabilizing device therefor. In particular, the ladder stand stabilizing device of the invention is operable to minimize the chance of a ladder stand tilting away from a tree or a post during an initial ascent of the ladder stand and when the ladder stand is otherwise not secured to the tree or post at an upper end of the ladder stand.
In accordance with one important aspect of the present invention a ladder stand stabilizing device is provided which comprises a first strut including a base member which may be secured to a tree or post by a flexible strap or the like and is provided with a clevis type connector for securing the first strut to a lower rung of a ladder stand. The stabilizing device includes a second strut which is also connected at one end to the base member of the first strut, is of a greater length than the first strut and is adapted to be secured to a rung spaced above the rung to which the first strut is secured. In this way, a ladder stand connected to the stabilizing device is stabilized and does not tend to tip away from a tree or post during an initial ascent or final descent and when the ladder stand is otherwise not secured to the tree or post.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a multi-strut stabilizing device for a ladder stand is provided which is easy to assemble and disassemble, is fabricated of lightweight tubular strut members and is provided with quick release clevis pins which include retainers to minimize the chance of unwanted disconnection of the struts of the stabilizing device from each other or from the ladder stand. Moreover, the struts may be easily disassembled or folded toward each other for ease of carrying with the ladder stand to and from a hunting or work site.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, a multi-strut stabilizing device for a ladder stand is provided which includes telescoping strut members which may be adjusted in accordance with the length of the horizontal standoff portion of the ladder stand and the stabilizing device may be used with ladders or ladder stands which do not have a generally horizontally extending standoff portion.
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