GB2134581A - Ladder at least partially enclosing climber; ladder convertible to furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

The ladder has spaced sides 16 held apart by cross-member 15. The ladder may comprise telescoping sections 12 and 11. Holes 33 in the side 16 provide grips for the climber. For conversion e.g. to a bed, a support for humans is provided by sections 56, which can also act as a protective barrier for the climber. Netting 61 also acts as barrier. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to ladders and/or means including the same This invention relates to ladders and/or means including the same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ladder and/or means including the same which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention consists in a ladder formed in at least two planes about the longitudinal axis thereof, said ladder being configured and arranged to at least partially envelope the use and being provided with gripping means accessible to the user when enveloped thereby so that, in use the user may move along the length thereof.

In a second aspect the invention consists in an item of furniture formed from or including a ladder as hereinbefore set forth.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of a ladder or item of furniture according to the invention in a configuration suitable for operation as an item of furniture; Figure 2 shows an end elevation of the apparatus depicted in figure 1; Figure 3 shows the apparatus of figure 1 in a suitable configuration for operation as a ladder; Figure 4 shows an enlarged cross sectional view through one side of inner and outer sections incorporated in the apparatus depicted in figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 shows an enlarged cross sectional view through the joint between the inner and outer sections of the apparatus when in the extended configuration shown in figure 3; and Figure 6 shows the joint depicted in figure 5 from an axis perpendicular to that shown in figure 5.

Referring to the drawings according to the invention, a ladder generally designated 10 is provided which, as can be seen in figure 3, is formed in at least two planes about the longitudinal axis thereof. The ladder 10 is thus configured and arranged to at least partly envelope the user. The ladder further includes gripping means accessible to the user so that, in use, the user may move along the length of the ladder.

The term "ladder" as used herein is intended to be understood in its broadest sense i.e. anything by which a person descends or rises.

In the form depicted in the drawings the ladder is formed in two sections, an inner section 11 and an outer section 12 which are preferably telescopic with respect to one another. As further shown, each of the sections 11 and 12 has spaced sides held apart by cross members and thus the section 11 includes cross member 1 3 and two sides 14, while the section 12 includes cross member 1 5 and two sides 1 6.

It will be seen from figures 2 and 4 that the inner section 11 is positively supported within the outer section 12 and this positive support, in the embodiment depicted, is provided by a plurality of rollers 18 mounted on shafts 19. The shafts 1 9 are in turn mounted on brackets 20 projecting inwardly from the outer section 12. The peripheries of the rollers 1 8 engage in spaced channels 21 which extend along the outer surface of the sides 14 of the inner section 11.

Referring now to figure 4, the side members 14 of the inner section are preferably composite structures comprising an aluminium tubular perimeter frame, the longitudinal members of which are indicated by reference numeral 25. The perimeter frame 25 is located within structure 26 which is preferably a glass reinforced plastics (GRP) moulding but could be pressed or otherwise formed from sheet metal. Upon assembly the perimeter frame is bonded into the structure 26 using conventional fibreglass laying techniques or, if the structure 26 is formed from metal, fixed in any suitable manner. The remaining cavity is then filled with urethane foam which is indicated by reference numeral 27.

In a like manner the sides 16 of the outer section 12 comprise an aluminium perimeter frame 30 glassed into a moulding 31 and the remaining cavity filled with a urethane foam 32.

The perimeter frames 25 and 30 are preferably welded or otherwise fixed to cross members 1 3 and 1 5 respectively.

It will be noted that the GRP mouldings 26 and 31 include apertures 33 and 34 spaced there along (figure 3) and these apertures 33 and 34 provide the gripping means by which a user can ascend or descend when the apparatus is being used as a ladder. Obviously the apertures 33 and 34 are of a size sufficient to provide hand a foot holds for a user.

Stop means are preferably provided to limit the telescopic displacement of the inner section 11 with respect to the outer section 12 and prevent the sections becoming unintentionally disengaged. The stop means is preferably configured so that when the two sections 11 and 12 are fully extended with respect to one another, as shown in figure 3, the section 11 cannot pivot with respect to the section 12.

Referring now to figures 5 and 6, stop means 40 are provided between the lower edge of the outer section 12 and the upper edge of the inner section 11 and, as shown, the stop means 40 comprises an arcuate bracket 41 projecting inwardly from the perimeter frame 25 of the inner section and a further bracket 42 projecting inwardly from the perimeter frame 30 of the outer section 12 to lie beneath the bracket 41 along the axis of telescopic movement. It will be seen from figure 6 that the bracket 42 includes arcuate end sections 43 whose outer surface conforms in curvature to the inner surface of the the bracket 41.

Mounted on the mid section of the bracket 42 is a spigot 44 having a split 45 in the upper part thereof so that some radial compression of the spigot 44 can occur and provided in the mid section of the bracket 41 is an aperture 46. Thus as the inner section 11 is telescoped outwardly from the outer section 12, the upper part of the spigot 44 engages within aperture 46 which locks the two sections with respect to one another.

To avoid damage to the various components as the apparatus is positioned vertically and telescoped, some form of braking is preferably provided to brake the displacement of the inner section 11 with respect to the outer section 12 and, as shown this braking is preferably provided by two braking cables 46 projecting along either side of the apparatus described. The cables 46 are in the form of endless loops fixed between brackets 47 at opposite ends of the sides 1 6 of the outer section 12. The cables 46 pass through braking brackets 48 provided on the upper edges of the sides 14 of the inner section 11 and frictionally engage therewith and thereby provide some resistance to movement of the inner section 11 with respect to the outer section 12.

Referring to figure 4, the braking cables 46 are located between brackets 47 by guides 49 mounted, together with rollers 18, on the shafts 19.

The outer section 12 is preferably provided, at the end thereof which functions as the upper end when used as a ladder, with hooks 50 which fold from the retracted position shown in figures 1 and 2 to an operative position shown in figure 3. When in the operative position the apparatus may be suspended in the conventional vertical or near vertical configuration as shown in figure 3. The hooked members 50 are mounted in sleeves 51 which in turn are attached to the upper end of the sides 1 6 of the outer section 1 2.

The form of ladder 10 herein described has been designed particularly to double as an item of furniture and in particular as a seat, sun lounger or bed. To this end the upper edges of the sides 16 of the outer section 12 preferably mount a human support indicated generally by reference numeral 55. The support section 55 is preferably provided by a plurality of sections 56 joined end to end by pivotal joints 57 and each of the sections 56 preferably comprises a moulded ABS or GRP tray 58 supporting a flexible foam section 59.

It will be noted from figure 1 that the various sections 56 can be supported at different levels so as to provide the desired configuration for the user, suitable brackets 60 being provided to support the sections 56 in a position elevated from the upper surface of the outer section 12 if desired.

It will be appreciated that when the apparatus is in use as a ladder, the support section 55 forms a barrier which prevents the user falling outwardly off the ladder and the provision of the support section 55 also provides some psychological security to persons using the apparatus as a ladder. To continue the barrier the inner section 11 is preferably provided with a netting or like barrier 61 (figure 2) between the upper edges of the sides 14 thereof.

In use, the apparatus as herein described will commonly serve as a seat or sun lounger and the provision of the support section 55 in the form of a plurality of hinged sections 58 ensures that the configuration of the support section can be adjusted to positions most commonly required by persons using furniture of this type. When it is desired to use the apparatus as a ladder the section 11 is telescoped out of the section 12 until the locking means 40 engages and the hook members 50 are pivoted downwardly so that the apparatus can be suspended, through hooked members 50, from an elevated position. From that elevated position people can climb down through the interior of the resulting ladder using the apertures 33 and 34 as hand and foot holds.

The apparatus as herein described has been designed particularly for use in high rise appartment buildings having balconies thereon and this application is shown in figure 3, reference numeral 65 showing balcony rail on an upper floor and reference numeral 66 showing a balcony rail on a lower floor. It will be noted that the hooked members 50 are preferably engaged with the balcony rail 65 and the combined length of the telescoped sections 11 and 1 2 are such as to allow a human to precede down to the floor below.

It will be appreciated if the user wishes to proceed stiil lower then, once on the lower floor, the apparatus can be displaced slightly upwardly to release the hooked members 50 from the balcony rail 65 and the apparatus can then be lowered so that hooked members 50 engage with the lower balcony rail 66.

It will thus be appreciated that the present invention provides a relatively simple yet effective form of ladder which not only enhances the security afforded to occupants of high rise buildings, but further, as illustrated by the preferred embodiment described herein provides an item of furniture which can function every day as a type of sun lounger apparatus.

Claims (12)

1. A ladder formed in at least two planes about the longitudinal axis thereof, said ladder being configured and arranged to at least partially envelope the user and being provided with gripping means accessible to the user when enveloped thereby so that, in use, the user may move along the length thereof.

2. A ladder as claimed in claim 1 being formed in two sections which are telescopic with respect to one another.

3. A ladder as claimed in claim 2 wherein each section comprises two sides held apart by a plurality of cross members.

4. A ladder as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 including locating means to locate and guide the inner section with respect to the outer section.

5. A ladder as claimed in claim 4 wherein said locating means comprise a plurality of rollers.

6. A ladder as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein said gripping means project from or form part of said side members.

7. A ladder as claimed in claim 6 wherein said gripping means comprise apertures formed in the side members.

8. A ladder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein when said ladder is in horizontal configuration, the upper surface thereof is adapted to accommodate a human sitting or lying thereon.

9. A ladder as claimed in claim 8 wherein the configuration of said upper surface can be adjusted.

10. A ladder when constructed arranged and operable substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. An item of furniture formed from or including a ladder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

12. An item of furniture as claimed in claim 11 comprising a chair or settee wherein the support surface thereof if formed by or mounted on the base of the channel forming said ladder.