zhongxinladder

In the case where the supporting member constitutes another ladder section, the two central members of the two ladder sections may have slidably cooperating parts to provide captive location of one central member behind the other during all, or subsequently all, of their relative movement. According to a preferred feature, the engaging means on the central stiles of the Household ladder sections may constitute a self-tightening latch which will be described in detail hereinbelow.

According to a further preferred feature of the present invention, the central stile of a ladder section may be constructed so that the steps are angled in the horizontal plane when in the erected position to accomodate the natural splay of the feet of a person using the ladder. According to another feature, the outer stiles may be constructed with a U shaped cross section so that the steps may be received within these stiles when folded to the storage position. Building a step ladder can be relatively simple. Step ladders can be quite useful, especially if there is no support to lean a regular ladder against. Step ladders can support themselves by spreading their weight and balancing through a scissor movement.

The Ladder Manufacturer according to the present invention may be supported on the ground in a number of ways. In one preferred embodiment the outer stiles of the supported section extend downwardly beyond the lower end of the central stile to support the ladder. In another preferred embodiment the support for the ladder is provided at the lower end of the central stile. This may be accomplished by providing at least two leg structures connected to the central stile adjacent its lower end. These leg structures are conveniently provided with means for adjusting the positions of their outer ends, thereby permitting individual height adjustment to adapt to an uneven supporting surface. Like the ladder itself, the leg structures may be constructed so as to be capable of folding to a storage position in which they lie generally parallel to the central stile. Preferably, the steps and outer members may be foldable upward and the leg structures foldable downward on the central stile to the storage position.

First, decide how high you would like to have your step ladder be, and obtain two ladders of that height. Take two long metal hinges, like the ones on gates, and attach them to both ladders at the top so that the ladders can swing apart pivoted at the point of the hinges.Using a saw, cut both the ladders across the jointed section at the top so that when they are opened out, a flat surface is formed. Attach a rope to the steps of the ladder, close to three-quarters of the height so that the ladder cannot open out further than this.

When two Aluminum step ladder sections are used together, it is advantageous to provide means for locking the second section to the first when the central stiles thereof are in an aligned, parallel configuration, to permit the two ladder sections to be conveniently transported.It will be appreciated that the ladder structure according to the present invention makes possible a so-called Uni-modular design whereby the ladder is comprised of one or more identical ladder sections. In this case, since it is necessary only to provide supporting leg structures for the lowest section, means may be provided on the central stile of each ladder section for detachably retaining such leg structures.

Next, attach by the hinges a flat piece of wood that will be the top step to the main side of the ladder at the top, so that when the ladder is opened, the hinged step can then swing down on top of the joint forming a safe area upon which to stand.If after you have made the step ladder you require a longer ladder that can extend to full length, simply ensure that the hinges used to join the ladders are the type that can swing all the way. To do this, detach the rope from the step, and open the ladder all the way. Using the hinged step board to secure the ladder, it can now be used at full length.For example, in this simplified ladder the front ladder section (which remains the lower section when the ladder is extended), need not be provided with a slanted or cut away portion at the end of the central stile, or with sliding grooves along the front side of the central stile. Further, since the ladder will not be extended beyond two sections, it may not be necessary to provide a self-tightening latch.

Similarly, in a two-section Aluminum ladders the rear section will, of course, not require a latch or any other means of support for retaining a further section on its rear side.

It will be appreciated that the ladder according to the present invention combines various features which contribute to making a common device extremely safe and useful. By forming the ladder of three parallel stiles, interconnected by transverse steps, the strength of the ladder is considerably increased. This structure also increases the user's safety because the feet of the person using the ladder are constrained to the space between the centre and outer stiles, and therefore cannot slide sideways as is possible with conventional two-stile ladders.

The foldability of the ladder according to the present invention has the obvious advantage of facilitating the portability of the ladder and minimizing the space required in storage.

Finally, the ability to support the upper end of the central stile of the ladder according to the present invention achieves three principal purposes: First, it increases the safety when the Household ladder is leaned against a building or other upright supporting surface because it utilizes the principle of the "three point" contact. Second, it frees the design of side or outer stiles so that they can be more particularly tailored to their function as handrails and support members for the individual steps. And third, it facilitates the construction of a Uni-modular ladder section which, when combined with other identical sections, form an extremely useful and flexible ladder system.

source:townhall|ladder manufacturer

A foldable ladder is disclosed having a central and two outer parallel support members or "stiles" and a plurality of steps connected between the central and the outer stiles. Each step is arranged to fold between an erected position, in which it extends generally at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the stile to which it is connected, and a storage position in which the step lies generally parallel to the central stile with the outer stile to which it is connected extending parallel to and in close juxtaposition with the central stile. Engaging means are provided adjacent the upper end of the central stile for holding cooperating engaging means of a supporting member such as another Household ladder section (forming an extension ladder) or a prop extending to ground (forming a step ladder).

A good-quality ladder is an essential tool for household maintenance, whether it's used for painting, cleaning gutters, or for a variety of other sundry chores. Positioning your ladder properly is the first step in using it safely.Be sure you have the proper ladder for the job. Ladder ratings are based on their weight-bearing capacity.When examining the area where you'll be positioning the ladder, check the surface the bottom of the ladder will be on. Proper locations will be firm, flat, and stable.When placing the ladder, position it using a 1 to 4 ratio. In other words, the ladder should be 1 foot away from the wall for every 4 feet it rises.Prevent movement of tall ladders by tying it securely to a solid object.

A foldable and extendable ladder having at least two ladder sections, each section comprising:
a central elongate support member and two outer elongate members arranged one on each side of, and substantially parallel to, the central member; a series of rungs disposed at spaced intervals on each side of the central member and foldably connected to the central member and one of the outer members, each rung being arranged to fold between an operative position, in which it extends generally at right angles to the longitudinal direction of each member to which it is connected, and a storage position in which the rung lies substantially parallel to the central member with the outer member to which it is connected extending parallel to and in close juxtaposition with the central member;wherein the Ladder Manufacturer each have a front face and a rear face and are adapted to be moved relatively to one another between an aligned position one behind the other and a number of extended, partially overlapping parallel positions, the central support members having slidably cooperating parts to provide captive location of one central support member behind the other during their relative movement,whereby the rungs of each ladder section are capable of being in either the operative or storage positions in the relatively aligned and extended positions of the central support members.

Ladders are bulky, cumbersome and annoying but also often necessary. They can also break things, including your head, if you move them around without thinking. You can move ladders safely, serenely and without any shattered skulls if you use the following steps.Make sure the ladder is clear of anything hanging off it, propped against it or stuck on one of the steps or that platform that tells you "This is not a step."Clear the area surrounding the ladder and to which you wish to move the area of any debris. Also clear the pathway in between those two points.Check the height of the ladder versus what’s above it to ensure you do not crash it into any ceiling fans, garage overhangs or smoke detectors.If it’s not folded up already, fold the ladder shut.Grasp each side of the ladder firmly and slowly walk to your destination with the household step ladders held in front of you or slightly to your side.

The present invention relates generally to the art of ladders and, in particular, to ladders which may be folded to facilitate portability and storage.

As can well be imagined, the design and construction of ladders, in one form or another, may be included among man's oldest technological arts. Notwithstanding centuries of experimentation in this field, however, man has failed to arrive at the "ultimate" ladder: a ladder which may be extended by any number of available sections to reach any desired height; a ladder which may be opened into the "step- ladder" configuration; a ladder which may be stood securely on irregular surfaces or be leaned against an upright surface of any shape without deleterious effect on its stability; a ladder which may be folded to form a single pole which may be easily carried or stored; a ladder which provides non-slip surfaces and human-engineered handrails for safety and convenience of use; and, finally, a ladder which may be manufactured and sold in identical modular sections that can be assembled together to fulfill all of the user's needs, including needs that have never been met before.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ladder capable of meeting all of the requirements listed above.

This object, as well as other objects which will become apparent in the discussion that follows, are achieved, according to the present invention, by providing a foldable Aluminum step ladder having at least one section comprising a central elongate member and two outer elongate members arranged one on each side of, and substantially parallel to, the central member; a series of steps each foldably connected to the central member and one of the outer members, each step being arranged to fold between an erected position, in which it extends generally at right angles to the longitudinal direction of each member to which it is connected, and a storage position in which the step lies generally parallel to the central member with the outer member to which it is connected extending parallel to and in close juxtaposition with the central member; and engaging means, disposed on the central member adjacent its upper end, for holding cooperating engaging means of a supporting member. The central and the two outer elongate members thus constitute the three "stiles" of the ladder.

The above construction of the ladder, according to the present invention, permits the central stile to be spaced from a supporting surface by the support member when the ladder section is in a substantially upright, working configuration. For example, the supporting member may be a second ladder section either identical or different from the first, but having also a central stile which may be held adjacent and substantially parallel to the central stile of the first ladder section at a number of extended, partially overlapping positions. The supporting member may also constitute a prop which is pivoted outward from the central stile of the Aluminum step ladder section to form a generally inverted V-shaped ladder configuration.

source:townhall|aluminum step ladder