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US4606432A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Adjustable ladder leg

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1984-10-29
•
Granted: 1986-08-19
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Expires: 2004-10-29
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Abstract

Abstract A ladder leveling leg has a universal clamping arrangement adapted for fastening to the rail of a ladder of various cross sectional configurations. The leg is adjustably mounted within a guide channel secured to brackets to which a clamping member is adjustably fastened to lock the guide channel to the rail of the ladder. The leveling leg is slidably mounted within the channel and may be secured thereto in selected positions by means of a detent resiliently urged toward cooperating holes in the leveling leg and the channel. Gripping members on the clamping member and one bracket frictionally engage the front and rear walls of the rail as the clamping member is secured to the brackets.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ned W. Belt

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-22 19:26
CPC Classifications
E; E06; E06C; E06C7/00; E06C7/42; E06C7/44

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 253 words
Ladder leveling apparatus adapted to be secured to a rail of a ladder, said rail having at least a pair of spaced surfaces separated and interconnected by an outer wall remote from the rungs of the ladder, said apparatus comprising an elongated substantially rectangular hollow guide channel, said guide channel having a first wall including a plurality of holes spaced apart in the direction of elongation, said channel having a second wall spaced from said first wall, an elongated slot formed in said second wall and opening outside said channel, a substantially rectangular elongated leveling leg telescopically disposed within said channel for movement relative to the channel in said direction of elongation, means defining a hole in said leg disposed for alignment with a selected one of the holes in said first wall, releaseable detent means mounted in said leg aligned with said hole in said leg and adapted for entry through said hole and a selected one of the holes in said channel, said detent means including a control member extending through said leg and said elongated slot for access by an operator, and at least a pair of spaced clamping means for securing said guide channel to the rail at spaced locations, each clamping means comprising bracket means secured to said channel and a clamp adjustably fastened to said bracket means, said clamp and said bracket means including frictional gripper members for tightly grasping said pair of spaced surfaces of said rail when said clamp is fastened to said bracket means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 253 words
Ladder leveling apparatus adapted to be secured to a rail of a ladder, said rail having at least a pair of spaced surfaces separated and interconnected by an outer wall remote from the rungs of the ladder, said apparatus comprising an elongated substantially rectangular hollow guide channel, said guide channel having a first wall including a plurality of holes spaced apart in the direction of elongation, said channel having a second wall spaced from said first wall, an elongated slot formed in said second wall and opening outside said channel, a substantially rectangular elongated leveling leg telescopically disposed within said channel for movement relative to the channel in said direction of elongation, means defining a hole in said leg disposed for alignment with a selected one of the holes in said first wall, releaseable detent means mounted in said leg aligned with said hole in said leg and adapted for entry through said hole and a selected one of the holes in said channel, said detent means including a control member extending through said leg and said elongated slot for access by an operator, and at least a pair of spaced clamping means for securing said guide channel to the rail at spaced locations, each clamping means comprising bracket means secured to said channel and a clamp adjustably fastened to said bracket means, said clamp and said bracket means including frictional gripper members for tightly grasping said pair of spaced surfaces of said rail when said clamp is fastened to said bracket means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 191 words
Ladder leveling apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said bracket means comprises a first bracket member having a first leg secured to said first wall of said channel adjacent to the outer wall of said rail and a second leg disposed angularly relative to said first leg, a second bracket member having a first leg secured to said first wall of said channel adjacent the outer wall of said rail and a second leg disposed angularly relative thereto and extending away from said channel adjacent to and beyond one of the spaced surfaces of said rail, said second leg of said second bracket carrying a first set of frictional gripper members projecting therefrom for abutment with said one of the spaced surfaces, said clamp comprising a clamping member having a first leg carrying another set of frictional gripper members projecting therefrom for abutment with the other of the spaced surfaces of said rail, and adjustable fastening means for fastening said clamping member to said second leg of each of said first and second brackets to draw all of said frictional gripper members tightly against the respective surface of said rail.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 123 words
Ladder leveling apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said releasable detent means comprises a pin, a detent receivable within said holes mounted on one end of said pin and said control member being secured to the other end of said pin, a coil compression spring disposed about said pin, said spring having one end abutting said detent for forcing said detent toward said first wall of said channel, and an abutment surface in said leveling leg, the other end of said coil spring being seated against said abutment surface, whereby said detent may be withdrawn from a selected hole upon pulling said control member away from said first wall of said channel to permit movement of said leveling leg within said channel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 91 words
Ladder leveling apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said first leg of said clamping member extends away from said channel beyond the surfaces of said rail and terminates in a second leg, said second leg of said clamping member extending toward the second leg of said second bracket, said adjustable fastening means including threaded means for connecting the first leg of said clamping member to the second leg of said first bracket and for connecting the second leg of said clamping member to the second leg of said second bracket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 123 words
Ladder leveling apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said releasable detent means comprises a pin, a detent receivable within said holes mounted on one end of said pin and said control member being secured to the other end of said pin, a coil compression spring disposed about said pin, said spring having one end abutting said detent for forcing said detent toward said first wall of said channel, and an abutment surface in said leveling leg, the other end of said coil spring being seated against said abutment surface, whereby said detent may be withdrawn from a selected hole upon pulling said control member away from said first wall of said channel to permit movement of said leveling leg within said channel.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2936849A Cited
US3484814A Cited
US3861500A Cited
US3948352A Cited
US3998293A Cited
US4209078A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-08-18 1990-02-17 1990-08-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-08-18 1994-02-17 1994-08-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-08-18 1998-02-17 1998-08-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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