Bracket for ladder

Abstract

The bracket includes an upwardly opening U-shaped element which, in use, is adapted to receive a rung of a ladder for maintaining the ladder upright. The bracket includes a plate which is attached to the U-shaped element and has a number of parallel slits spatial apart from one another. Each slit is oriented upwardly at an oblique angle and receives a nail for fastening the bracket to a wall or roof.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to brackets and more particularly to a bracket for removably attaching a ladder to a wall or roof of a building.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to attach ladders to the walls and roof of a building by means of brackets or clamps that are bolted or otherwise fastened to either the legs or the rungs or a ladder. For further security, chains are used for ensuring that the ladder remains firmly attached to the walls and roof when in use. In addition, shaped brackets or channels that engage several rungs of a ladder are provided in some ladder supports. Examples of known ladder supports having such components are to be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,994,188 B2, 6,932,191 B1, 3,568,801, 4,331,217, 4,369,860, 4,502,566, 4,615,412, 4,823,912 and 5,010,979.

Known ladder supports such as those described in the above-noted patents have a number of shortcomings. Some are composed of a number of components which are expensive to construct and which are time consuming to assemble. Others have numerous fasteners which must be tightly secured prior to use. Considerable time is required to attach and detach the fasteners of such ladder supports and for that reason such supports are undesirable for persons installing shingles since such persons, to operate efficiently, must move frequently and quickly on the roof of a building. Other ladder supports do not support a ladder at an angle that is convenient for a person who is working on the ladder.

We have invented a support for a ladder that is simple of construction, easily portable and simple to install and remove. Briefly the support of our invention consists of a bracket which includes an upwardly opening U-shaped element which, in use, is adapted to receive a rung of a ladder for maintaining the ladder upright. A plate is attached to the U-shaped element and has a number of spaced parallel slits. Each slit is oriented upwardly at an oblique angle and is adapted to receive means for fastening the bracket to a wall or roof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The bracket of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawing and photographs in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bracket;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of bracket in conjunction with lower portions of a ladder and a sloping roof;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the bracket, ladder and shingles illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bracket, ladder and a figure standing on a roof; and

FIG. 5 is an elevation of the bracket and ladder illustrated in FIG. 4.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bracket of the invention, generally 10, has an upwardly opening U-shaped lower element, generally 12. The lower element is defined by a lower web 14 and a pair of outer and inner flanges 16, 18 respectively. The web, in use, extends horizontally while the flanges extend upwardly and are spaced apart from one another. The web and flanges together define a space for receipt of a rung 20 of a ladder 22.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the bracket may support the lowermost rung 20a of the ladder as illustrated in FIG. 2 or two brackets may be used, one to support the lowermost rung 20a and the other to support the uppermost rung 20b, as illustrated in FIG. 4. In general, one bracket for supporting the lower rung 10a is all that is required to safely support a ladder which rests on an inwardly sloping roof. An upper bracket is usually not necessary but may be provided to provide an extra measure of safety to persons who are working on the roof.

By contrast, where the bracket is used to support a ladder which is adjacent to a vertical wall of a building, a second bracket must be used to support a higher rung so that the ladder remains firmly attached to the wall and does not swing outward and away from the wall.

With reference again to FIG. 1, an upper plate 24 has a lower segment 26 which is integral with and extends upwardly from the inner flange 18. The lower segment narrows upwardly i.e. its side edges 26a,b converge upwardly. The segment terminates at an upper segment 28 which is integral with the lower segment. The latter segment has vertically extending parallel side edges 28a,b. A number of vertically spaced slits 30 are formed in the upper area. The slits are parallel to each other and each commences at side edge 28a and extends upwardly at an oblique angle. Preferably the angle 36 between the side edge and each slit is about 45 degrees.

The slits are adapted to receive a nail 40 or other means for attaching the bracket to a roof or a wall of a building. Should the ladder be composed of wood, a second nail can be passed through the opening 42 in the outer flange of the bracket in order to secure the bracket to the ladder.

With reference to FIGS. 2-5, brackets 10a,b serve to attach the lower and upper rungs of a ladder to an inwardly sloping roof. The lower bracket 10a is nailed through a shingle 44 in a lower course 46 of shingles while the upper bracket is nailed to an upper plywood panel 48 of the roof before shingles are nailed to the panel.

A second course 50 of shingles immediately above course 46 is over the upper segment of the bracket and under the uprights 52 of the ladder. Succeeding courses of shingles are laid above course 50.

It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in the structure of the bracket of the invention without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bracket for attaching a ladder to a wall or roof comprising: an upwardly opening U-shaped element which, in use, is adapted to receive a rung of said ladder for maintaining said ladder upright; and a plate attached to said U-shaped element and having a plurality of spaced parallel slits, each of which being oriented upwardly at an oblique angle and being adapted to receive means for fastening said bracket to said wall or roof.

2. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said U-shaped element is defined by a pair of upwardly extending spaced apart outer and inner flanges and a web which extends between a lower edge of each said flange, said web, in use, extending horizontally, said plate extending upwardly from said inner flange.

3. The bracket of claim 2 wherein said plate has a lower segment having oppositely facing side edges which converge upwardly of said inner flange and terminate at an upper segment, said upper segment having oppositely facing parallel side edges, said slits extending inwardly and upwardly from one said side edge of said upper segment.

4. The bracket of claim 3 wherein the angle between said one side edge of said upper segment and each said slit is about 45 degrees.

5. A bracket for attaching a ladder to a wall or roof comprising: an upwardly opening U-shaped element defined by a pair of upwardly extending spaced apart outer and inner flanges and a web which extends between a lower edge of each said flange, said web, in use, extending horizontally, said U-shaped element, in use, being adapted to receive a rung of said ladder for maintaining said ladder upright; and a plate extending upwardly from said inner flange, said plate having a lower segment having oppositely facing side edges which converge upwardly of said inner flange and which terminate at an upper segment, said upper segment having oppositely facing parallel side edges and further having a plurality of spaced parallel slits, each of which slit extending inwardly and upwardly from one said side edge of said upper segment and being oriented at an oblique angle relative to the latter said side edge, said slits being adapted to receive means for fastening said bracket to said wall or roof.