Ladder, components thereof, and accessories for use therewith

1 . A gate assembly for a ladder having a first elongate member slidably coupled to and extending from a first rail and a second elongate member slidably coupled to and extending from a second rail, the gate assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket attached to and aligned with the first elongate member;

a first hinge bracket attached to a first end of the mounting bracket and a second hinge bracket attached to a second end of the mounting bracket; and

a gate frame pivotably attached to the first hinge bracket and the second hinge bracket via one or more mechanical fasteners forming a pivot point;

wherein the gate frame includes:

an upper tube,

a lower tube,

a side tube between the upper tube and the lower tube, wherein the side tube is disposed opposite the first and second hinge brackets and an outermost portion of the side tube is disposed beyond the second elongate member;

a bend along a width thereof such that a distal portion of the gate frame is offset from a proximal portion that is adjacent the mounting bracket; and

at least one spring-assisted hinge element having at least a spring, an anchor rivet, a plunger disposed at least partially within the spring, and a plunger bolt, wherein the at least one spring-assisted hinge element biases the proximal portion of the gate frame to be aligned with the mounting bracket, and

wherein the plunger is coupled to the first or second hinge bracket via the plunger bolt that is offset from the pivot point.

2 . The gate assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a locking bracket attached to the second elongate member with a magnet attached to an inside face of the locking bracket.

3 . The gate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gate assembly is coupled to a ladder, the ladder comprising the first rail, the second rail in parallel and spaced relation with the first rail, rungs attached to the first rail and the second rail; the first elongate member slidably attached to a top of the first rail, the second elongate member slidably attached to a top of the second rail, and the gate assembly having the gate frame pivotally attached to the first elongate member, the gate frame extending between the first elongate member and the second elongate member such that the gate frame contacts the second elongate member.

4 . The gate assembly of claim 1 wherein the mechanical fastener comprises at least one of: a bolt, a screw, or a rivet.

5 . A gate assembly comprising:

a gate frame having a first end and a second end;

one or more hinges coupled to the first end of the gate frame via one or more hinge bolts, wherein at least one of the one or more hinges includes an offset spring assisted hinge;

wherein the offset spring assisted hinge including-includes:

an anchor rivet,

a spring,

a plunger,

a plunger bolt,

the one or more hinge bolts, and

a support tube, wherein the support tube is disposed within a portion of the gate frame adjacent to the first end, wherein the anchor rivet, the spring, and the plunger are disposed within the support tube, and wherein the spring is coupled to the anchor rivet at a first end and contacts the plunger at a second end;

a stop coupled to the second end of the gate frame and configured to contact a stop mounting bracket; and

a mounting bracket attached to the gate frame and the one or more hinges via the one or more hinge bolts, wherein the gate frame is rotatably coupled to the mounting bracket via the one or more hinges forming a pivot point at the one or more hinge bolts upon which the gate frame rotates about,

wherein the plunger bolt is offset from the one or more hinge bolts and is configured to bias the spring between the anchor rivet and the plunger.

6 . The gate assembly of claim 5 , wherein the gate assembly is removably coupled to a ladder accessory, wherein the ladder accessory includes a first elongate member and a second elongate member.

7 . The gate assembly of claim 6 , wherein the gate frame extends from the first elongate member to the second elongate member.

8 . The gate assembly of claim 6 , wherein the mounting bracket is removably coupled to the first elongate member and the stop mounting bracket is coupled to the second elongate member.

9 . The gate assembly of claim 5 , wherein the gate assembly is in an open position when the stop is in a spaced relation from the stop mounting bracket.

10 . The gate assembly of claim 5 , wherein the gate assembly is in a closed position when the stop is in contact with the stop mounting bracket.

11 . The gate assembly of claim 5 , wherein the offset spring assisted hinge biases the gate assembly to a closed position.

12 . The gate assembly of claim 5 , wherein the stop mounting bracket comprises at least one magnet and a stop contact.

13 . The gate assembly of claim 12 , wherein the stop contact is formed from plastic and houses the at least one magnet.

14 . The gate assembly of claim 5 , wherein the gate frame, the mounting bracket, and the stop are formed from die cut metal.

15 . The gate assembly of claim 5 , wherein the spring is compressed approximately 40% when the gate frame is in an open position.

16 . A ladder comprising:

a first rail;

a second rail in a spaced relation with the first rail;

a plurality of rungs connecting the first rail and the second rail;

a first elongate member removably and slidably coupled to an end of the first rail;

a second elongate member removably and slidably coupled to an end of the second rail; and

a gate assembly including:

a mounting bracket;

at least one hinge attached to the mounting bracket and including an anchor rivet, a spring, a plunger, a plunger bolt, a hinge bolt, and a support tube;

a gate frame including an upper tube, a lower tube, a side tube between the upper tube and the lower tube, wherein the side tube is disposed opposite the first and second hinge brackets and an outermost portion of the side tube is disposed beyond the second elongate member, a bend along a width thereof such that a distal portion of the gate frame is offset from a proximal portion that is adjacent the mounting bracket, wherein the gate frame is pivotably attached to the at least one hinge via the hinge bolt and having a first end and a second end;

a stop; and

a stop mounting bracket;

wherein the mounting bracket is removably coupled to the first elongate member and the stop mounting bracket is removably coupled to the second elongate member,

wherein the support tube is disposed within a portion of the gate frame adjacent to the first end, wherein the anchor rivet, the spring, and the plunger are disposed within the support tube, and wherein the spring is coupled to the anchor rivet at a first end and contacts the plunger at a second end,

wherein the gate frame extends from the first elongate member and extends past the second elongate member,

wherein the gate frame is rotatable about a pivot point formed via the hinge bolt such that the proximal portion of the gate frame is adjacent a first surface of the first elongate member and the distal portion of the gate frame is adjacent to and contacts a second surface substantially orthogonal to the first surface such that the second surface of the second elongate member acts as a stop to prevent the gate frame from rotating outwards, wherein the plunger bolt is offset from the hinge bolt and is configured to bias the spring between the anchor rivet and the plunger as the gate assembly is rotated to an open position.

17 . The ladder of claim 16 , wherein the at least one hinge includes a spring assisted hinge to return the gate assembly from the open position to a closed position.

18 . The ladder of claim 16 , wherein the gate assembly includes a stop contact coupled to the distal portion of the gate frame.

19 . The ladder of claim 18 , wherein the stop mounting bracket comprises at least one magnet.