Ladder arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a ladder arrangement (10) comprising at least two ladders (12, 14; 14, 16; 16, 18) that can be joined longitudinally and have longitudinal stiles with inner and outer sides, from which profile elements extend for connecting the ladders. A first profile element is connected to each outer side of the longitudinal stiles of a lower ladder (12; 14; 16), and a second profile element is connected to each inner side of the longitudinal stiles of an upper ladder (14; 16; 18) to be connected to the lower ladder. When connecting the lower ladder to the upper ladder, each of the first profile elements is guided and received by one of the second profile elements. One of the profile elements is a strip or a flat bar, and the other profile element is a U- or C-profile.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a ladder arrangement, in particular a step ladder, comprising at least two ladders which can be assembled in their longitudinal directions and have longitudinal stiles with inner and outer sides, from which profile elements for connecting the ladders extend, wherein a first profile element is connected to or has a respective outer side of the longitudinal stiles of a lower ladder running in the longitudinal direction of the ladder, wherein a second profile element is connected to or has a respective inner side of the longitudinal stiles of an upper ladder to be connected to the lower ladder in the longitudinal direction of the ladder, wherein when connecting the lower ladder to the upper ladder, one of the first profile elements is guided by one of the second profile elements, or vice versa, wherein one of the profile elements is or has a strip or a flat bar and the other profile element is or has a U- or C-profile with side legs,and wherein a locking element extends from at least one of the conductors, which, when the conductors are connected, penetrates into a locking receptacle of the other conductors.,

[0002] A step ladder can be found, for example, in DE 85 00 528 U1. To assemble the ladders, plug-in boxes extend from each stile into which the ends of the ladders to be connected can be inserted.

[0003] The storage boxes protrude beyond the outside of the stiles, making it difficult to store the ladders. There's also a risk that objects could get caught on the storage boxes when transporting the ladders.

[0004] US 4,226,302 A relates to a ladder assembly with an inner and an outer ladder that can be locked together. Locking elements in the form of locking pins extend from the inner sides of an upper ladder and can be locked into pivoting, hook-shaped locking receptacles extending from the outer sides of a lower ladder.

[0005] A wooden ladder according to US 319 330 A is composed of two parts connected by a dovetail joint.

[0006] In a multi-part ladder according to DE 858 632 B, guides and latches are provided to ensure a secure connection.

[0007] Pluggable ladders can also be found in US 550,175 A and JP S5099026 U.

[0008] The present invention is based on the object of developing a ladder arrangement, in particular a step ladder, of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that a secure fastening of the nested, i.e. assembled, ladders is possible without the disadvantages known from the prior art, in particular bulky elements protruding beyond the outer sides of the ladders.

[0009] To achieve the object, it is essentially proposed that the locking element has a spring-loaded bolt which can be moved in a guided manner between the side legs in the U- or C-profile when connecting the ladders.

[0010] According to the invention, the spring-loaded bolt is guided within the U- or C-profile or between its side legs when connecting the ladders. These measures enable easy assembly of the ladders, with the bolt initially providing guidance. The first profile element then engages the C- or U-profile and is guided along it.

[0011] In particular, it is provided that each outer side of the longitudinal stiles of one of the ladders is penetrated by a locking element which, when the ladders are connected, engages in the locking receptacle formed in the inner side of the longitudinal stiles of the other ladder.

[0012] The invention is preferably characterized in that each outer side of one conductor, in particular the lower conductor, is penetrated by a locking element.

[0013] Preferably, the locking element passing through the outside of one ladder should be guided in the profile element connected to or extending from the other ladder when connecting it to the other ladder.

[0014] In order to achieve a compact construction of the ladders with regard to the elements required for connecting the assembled ladders, it is provided that the first profile element is or has a strip or a flat bar and the second profile element is or has a U- or C-profile, or vice versa.

[0015] In order to ensure that an undesirable spreading of the stiles of the upper ladder is avoided when ladders are joined together, it is also proposed in an inventive manner that a securing element extends from the outside of one of the ladders, in particular the lower ladder, which, when the ladders are joined, grips the side legs of the profile element designed as a C-profile, which extends from the other ladder, in particular the upper ladder.

[0016] In a further development, the invention proposes that the locking element is located between the head region of the lower ladder and the first profile element, the longitudinal axis of which intersects the locking element.

[0017] Furthermore, at the top end of each of the longitudinal stiles of the lower ladder, a plug should be provided that extends beyond the longitudinal stiles in the longitudinal direction. When the locking element is engaged in the locking receptacle, the plug penetrates the plug.

[0018] In order to ensure that the bolt can be inserted easily into a U- or C-profile, the longitudinal stiles of each ladder are designed to converge towards each other in the direction of their head, in particular to enclose an angle α with 0° < α ≤ 4°, in particular α = 3°, in their extensions.

[0019] If the ladder arrangement is preferably designed as a step ladder, which is used in particular as a glass cleaner ladder, the connection system according to the invention can be used wherever further ladder parts are to be connected to a stepladder.

[0020] Further details, advantages and features of the invention emerge not only from the claims and the features derived therefrom - individually and / or in combination - but also from the following description of preferred embodiments derived from the drawings and their explanations.

[0021] They show: Fig. 1a four-part extension ladder, Fig. 2a lower ladder of the extension ladder according to Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 a view G in Fig. 2 , Fig. 4 a section along the line KK in Fig. 3 , Fig. 5 a first profile element, Fig. 6 a with respect to the ladder of the Fig. 2 upper ladder, Fig. 7 a view E in Fig. 6 , Fig. 8 a section along the line HH in Fig. 7 , Fig. 9 a section along the line GG in Fig. 7 , Fig. 10 a section through a second profile element, Fig. 11 a head plug, Fig. 12 a securing plate, Fig. 13 a section through the securing plate according to Fig. 12 , Fig. 14 a safety bolt, Fig. 15 the safety bolt according to Fig. 14 in a position rotated by 90° and Fig. 16 a section along the line AA in Fig. 14 .

[0022] The figure is intended to explain a conductor arrangement 10 which consists of composable or pluggable conductors, namely in the exemplary embodiment of four conductors 12, 14, 16, 18.

[0023] The ladder arrangement 10 is a step-up ladder which is used in particular as a glass cleaner ladder, without this being intended to restrict the teaching of the invention.

[0024] The ladder 12 is a lower ladder with respect to the ladder 14 and consequently the ladder 14 is an upper ladder.

[0025] With respect to ladder 16, ladder 14 is a lower ladder and ladder 16 is an upper ladder. The same applies to ladders 16 and 18.

[0026] The ladder 12, which is used as the lowest ladder when using the extension ladder or ladder assembly 10, has a base 20 designed as a crossbeam in a known manner to ensure sufficient stability during use. In this respect, reference is made to known designs, as is the case with the ladders 12, 14, 16, and 18 themselves.

[0027] The connection of the conductors 12 as lower conductors and the conductor 14 as upper conductors is explained with reference to the figure, whereby a corresponding plug connection system described below also applies to the conductors 14, 16 and 16, 18 respectively.

[0028] The lower ladder 12 has longitudinal stiles 22, 24 with inner sides 26, 28 and outer sides 30, 32. Extending between the longitudinal stiles 22, 24 are steps, two of which are designated by reference numerals 34, 36. Of course, the steps can also be rungs, for example.

[0029] The stiles 22 – as is typical for glass cleaning ladders – converge toward the head and form an angle α that is preferably in the range of 3°. Accordingly, the steps 34, 36 form an angle β of 88.5° to the stiles 22, 24. Other angles are, of course, also possible.

[0030] In Fig. 6 the ladder 14 is shown, which, as mentioned, is to be referred to as the upper ladder with respect to the ladder 12 and, accordingly, the ladder 12 is to be referred to as the lower ladder.

[0031] The ladder 14 has longitudinal stiles 122, 124 with inner sides 126, 128 and outer sides 130, 132. Between the stiles 122, 124, there are steps 134, 136, although these could also be rungs. Like the stiles 22, 24, the stiles 122, 124 converge toward the head and form an angle α of approximately 3°, so that the angle β between the steps 134, 136 and the stiles 122, 124 is 89.5°.

[0032] In order to use the ladder assembly 10, the ladders 12, 14, 16, 18 must be plugged into one another and connected in such a way that a stable arrangement is formed. According to the invention, a plug-in system is used that is structurally simple, without requiring the ladders 12, 14, 16, 18 to be significantly altered in their external dimensions, as is otherwise the case in the prior art.

[0033] In order to be able to assemble or plug together the ladders 12, 14 or 14, 16 or 16, 18 and at the same time to prevent uncontrolled loosening, the following design measures are taken.

[0034] In the head area of ​​the spars 24, 26, namely along its outer sides 30, 32, first profile elements 38, 40 run in its longitudinal direction, which, according to the illustration according to Fig. 5 have a rod, strip, or bar geometry. The first profile elements 38, 40 are, in particular, screwed to the beams 22, 24, ie, to their side walls forming the outer sides 30, 32, although welding or screwing and welding or some other type of connection is also possible.

[0035] As can be seen from the Fig. 5 a recessed area 42 is provided in the foot side end area of ​​the first profile element 38, 40, in which a securing plate 44 is fastened, as this Fig. 12 und 13 can be seen. The securing plate 44 has a trapezoidal geometry in section with longitudinal edges 46, 48, which - as explained below - engage under side legs 50, 52 of a second profile element 54, 56 in order to prevent the bars 122, 124 from bending apart.

[0036] Above and cut from the longitudinal axis 56 of the first profile element 38, 40, each spar 22, 24 is penetrated by a securing bolt 58, 60, as is self-explanatory from the drawings. The securing bolt 58, 60 is determined by the Fig. 14 bis 16 explained in more detail.

[0037] On the head side, the bars 22, 24 are surmounted by head plugs 62, 63 inserted into the bars 22, 24, which are penetrated by the securing bolt 58, 60 to secure them.

[0038] From the inner sides 126, 128 of the respective upper ladders 14 or 16 or 18, namely from their base-side areas, the second profile elements 54, 56 extend, which also run in the longitudinal direction of the stiles 122, 124 and, when the ladders 12, 14 or 14, 16 or 16, 18 are plugged together, merge into the first profile elements 38, 40 in a directionally aligned manner.

[0039] The second profile elements 54, 56 have the geometry of a C-profile, as the Fig. 10 clarified.

[0040] Each C-profile has a transverse leg 64 and, extending from it, side legs 66, 68 with angled and mutually facing edge sections 50, 52. To achieve the required strength, the side legs 66, 68 are connected to angle elements 70, 72, which in turn are attached to the outer walls of the beams 122, 124 by screws and / or welding. The L-angle elements 70, 72 are connected to the C-profile, i.e., the second profile element 54, 56, by welding. Other connection types are, of course, not excluded.

[0041] The clear width between the side legs 66, 68 and the effective height of the side legs 66, 68, i.e. the distance between the transverse leg 64 and the angled edge sections 50, 52, is designed such that the securing plate 44, which is connected to the first profile element 38, 40, can be inserted into the channel formed by the C-profile and can be moved along the second profile element 54, 56 when the ladders 12, 14 are plugged together.

[0042] To ensure smooth guidance between the ladders 12, 14 when plugging them together, the securing bolt 58, 60 engages in the space between the side legs 66, 68 of the second profile element 54, 56 and is guided in its longitudinal direction during plugging. Since the clear dimension of the stiles 22, 24 of the lower ladder 12 is smaller than the internal dimension of the stiles 122, 124 of the upper ladder 14 in the base area, smooth insertion of both the securing bolts 58, 60 and the first profile elements 38, 40 into the respective C-profile, i.e., into the second profile elements 54, 56, is ensured.

[0043] According to the explanations given, the ladder referred to as the upper ladder 14 with respect to the ladder 12, when it is the lower ladder with respect to the ladder 16, has the first profile elements 138, 140 and securing bolts 158, 160 in the head region and the upper ladder 16 with respect to the ladder 14 has second profile elements which correspond to the profile elements 54, 56.

[0044] This allows for easy connection and securing of ladders 12, 14, 16, 18, allowing for simple assembly.

[0045] The conformity of the profile elements in the end areas of the ladders 12, 14, 16, 18 is checked in particular by comparing the Fig. 4 and 8 and 3 and 7 clear, so that further explanations are unnecessary.

[0046] The safety bolt 58, 60, which corresponds to the safety bolt 158, 160, is detailed in the Fig. 14 bis 16 A cylindrical end section 74 can be seen, by means of which the locking in the stiles of the upper ladder 14, 16, or 18 takes place. For this purpose, corresponding holes are provided in the inner walls of the respective functionally upper ladders. The bolt 58 is connected to the outer side 130, 132 of the stiles 122, 124 and correspondingly to the outer sides of the ladders 16, 18 via a plate-shaped element 76, which in plan view has the geometry of a rectangle, like the Fig. 16 clarified.

[0047] The cylindrical end section 74 is connected to a handle, e.g., in the form of a wing nut 82, via a further cylindrical section 78 of smaller diameter and a section 80 having a rectangular geometry in cross-section. Furthermore, a spring element 84 extends between the cylindrical end section 74 and the fastening plate 76. In order to retract the bolt 58 against the spring force, thus enabling unlocking between the conductors 12, 14 or 14, 16 or 16, 18, the wing nut 82 is pulled outwards and then rotated by 90°, so that the section 80 having a rectangular geometry in cross-section comes to lie on the outside of the fastening plate 76. To enable rotation, a circumferential recess 81 extends between the section 80 and the section 78. The fastening plate 76 has a recess 86 adapted to the cross-section of the section 80, as shown in the Fig. 16 can be seen.

[0048] The Fig. 1 The uppermost ladder 18 shown serves to attach the extension ladder, for example, to a house wall or to a window frame, and has rollers 21 at its tip 19, as is usual with glass cleaner ladders. In the base section, a second profile element in the form of a C-profile is provided on the inside, corresponding to the further lower ladder 14 or 16, as previously explained, in order to be able to be plugged together with the lower ladder guided in relation to the ladder 18 and then locked into place.

Claims

1. A ladder arrangement (10), in particular a sectional ladder, comprising at least two ladders (12, 14; 14, 16; 16, 18) combinable in their longitudinal directions, with stiles (22, 24, 122, 124) having inner and outer sides (26, 28, 30, 32, 126, 128, 130, 132) from which profile elements (38, 40, 54, 56, 138, 140) extend for connecting the ladders, wherein each outer side (30, 32, 130, 132) of the stiles (22, 24, 122, 124) of a lower ladder (12; 14; 16) is connected to or has a first profile element (38, 40, 138, 140) extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, wherein each inner side (126, 128) of the stiles (122, 124) of an upper ladder (14; 16; 18), to be connected to the lower ladder, is connected to or has a second profile element (54, 56) in the longitudinal direction of said upper ladder, wherein during connection of the lower ladder to the upper ladder each of the first profile elements is received in guided manner by each of the second profile elements or vice versa, wherein one of the profile elements (38, 40, 138, 148) is or has a strip or a flat bar and the other profile element (54, 56) is or has a U-profile or a C-profile having side sections (66, 68), and wherein a fixing element (58, 60, 158, 160), which is inserted into a fixing receptacle of the other ladder when the ladders are connected, extends from at least one of the ladders. characterized in that the fixing element (58, 60, 158, 160) has a spring-loaded pin which is slidable in guided manner between the side sections (66, 68) in the U-profile or C-profile during connection of the ladders (12, 14; 14, 16; 16, 18).

2. The ladder arrangement according to claim 1, <b>characterized in that each outer side (30, 32, 130, 132) of the stiles (22, 24, 124, 126) of one of the ladders (12; 14; 16) is passed through by a fixing element (58, 60, 158, 160) which, when the ladders (12, 14; 14, 16; 16, 18) are connected, engages in the fixing receptacle provided on the inner side (126, 128) of the stiles (122, 124) of the other ladder.

3. The ladder arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each outer side (30, 32, 130, 132) of the one ladder, in particular of the lower ladder (12; 14; 16), is passed through by a fixing element (58, 60, 158, 160).

4. The ladder arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing element (58, 60, 158, 160) passing through the outer side (30, 32, 130, 132) of the one ladder (12; 14; 16) during connection to the other ladder is guided in the profile element (54, 56) connected thereto or extending therefrom.

5. The ladder arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower ladder (12; 14; 16) has the fixing element (58, 60, 158, 160), or the latter extends from the lower ladder.

6. The ladder arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing element (58, 60, 158, 160) is located between the top area of the lower ladder (12; 14; 16) and the first profile element (38, 40, 138, 140), whose longitudinal axis (56) intersects the fixing element.

7. The ladder arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a securing element extends from the outer side (30, 32, 130, 132) of one of the ladders, in particular of the lower ladder (12; 14; 16) and, when the ladders (12, 14; 14, 16; 16, 18) are connected, grips on the edge side the side sections (66, 68) of the profile element (54, 55), designed as a C-profile, which extends from the other ladder, in particular from the upper ladder (14; 16; 18).

8. The ladder arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plug (62, 63) projecting in its longitudinal direction beyond the stiles is arranged at the top inside each of the stiles (22, 24, 122, 124) of the lower ladder (12; 14; 16), said plug being passed through by the fixing element (58, 60, 158, 160) when the latter is engaged in the fixing receptacle.

9. The ladder arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stiles (22, 24, 122, 124) of each ladder (12; 14; 16) converge towards one another in the direction of their tops, in particular forming in their extensions an angle α of 0° < α ≤ 4°, in particular α = 3°.

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