Ladder attachment
View Patent ↗A ladder attachment including an elongated one piece member preferably molded from an elastomeric material and formed with an arcuate cavity on one side sized to approximately correspond to the outside of a utility pole or tree trunk and having a pair of end parts each formed with a hole sized to receive the upper end of a ladder stile to be mountable crosswise to the upper end of the ladder. A pair of curved slits are formed into the one side of the member each extending around one side of the cavity to form a pair of concentric curved gripper wing portions concentric to the cavity which are drawn together with a strap, which has ends connected together with a cinch to secure the ends together.
1. A ladder attachment for the stiles of a lean ladder, comprising:
an elongated substantially stiff elastameric member having a concave recess formed recessed into one side thereof of a configuration to be approximately matched to the outside of a rounded upright ladder support, and having integral end parts on either side of said recess;
said end parts each having a hole extending crossways to the length of said member configured to receive an end of a respective stile of said ladder; and
said holes spaced from each other a distance substantially corresponding to a spacing of said ladder stiles whereby said member can be readily installed onto the upper ends of said ladder stiles with said integral end parts extending outboard from a respective stile; and,
a pair of arcuate slits, each slit extending into said member from a respective of said recess side adjacent a respective end of said member, each slit extending along a respective side of said recess to create a pair of opposed integral flexible gripper wing portions, each portion generally following said respective side of said recess, and a strap engaging said gripper wing portions so as to enable pulling said wing portions by tightening of said strap to enable gripping of said rounded ladder support by said gripper wing portions.
2. A ladder attachment according to claim 1 wherein said recess has a series of vertical steps formed therein for increasing frictional engagement with a pole or tree.
3. A ladder attachment according to claim 2 wherein said holes extend completely through said end parts of said member.
4. A ladder attachment according to claim 1 wherein said steps are tapered out from top to bottom to approximately correspond to an angle of said ladder when propped against a supporting surface.
5. A ladder attachment according to claim 1 and further including a groove on an outer side of each wing portion receiving said strap.
6. A ladder attachment according to claim 1 wherein each of said holes has a wall surface formed with upwardly projecting ridges to retard pull out of said stiles after insertion therein from the bottom.
7. A ladder attachment according to claim 1 further including a slot extending through said member from an end of each slit, said strap passing along said slits and through said slots.
8. A ladder attachment according to claim 1 wherein said strap has respective ends able to be cinched together to pull said gripper wing portions together to grip a rounded support.
9. A ladder attachment according to claim 1 wherein each of said end parts has a flat ribbed surface on said one side of said member able to rest against a flat support surface.
10. A ladder attachment according to claim 1 wherein said member is formed of an electrically non conductive material to prevent shocks when contacting a live conductor.