Ladder

Abstract

 The present application relates to a ladder, comprising a first upright, provided with rungs, hingedly connected at one end in the longitudinal direction to the end in the longitudinal direction of a second upright, wherein the second upright is provided with at least one eye which can be removably closed for the rotatable fastening of the ladder directly about a vertically extending tubing of a scaffold upright, as well as a scaffolding, comprising a system of scaffold uprights, there being at least one vertically extending tubing part with an essentially round cross section and at least one platform carried by the scaffold uprights and forming a work surface provided with such a ladder.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a ladder, in particular a ladder for fastening to a scaffolding. Such ladders are also called stairs or landing stairs, and are known per se, for example from American patent US 3 997 024 and American patent US 4 807 719, and they serve respectively to enable climbing onto the scaffolding and to encourage climbing onto the scaffolding in the prescribed manner, that is, from the side.

[0002] The ladders of the prior art have various drawbacks, however. First of all, they are not universally applicable to any given scaffolding, but rather a scaffold has to be outfitted with a special fastening device for them.

[0003] In addition, the known fastening designs are such that the scaffold increases in width, which is a disadvantage when moving such a scaffold, especially when the moving must be done through relatively narrow openings, such as door frames.

[0004] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to create a ladder for use on a scaffolding which does not have the aforementioned drawbacks, and which is a usable alternative to the prior art.

[0005] To that end, the invention proposes a ladder comprising a first upright, provided with rungs, hingedly connected at one end in the longitudinal direction to the end in the longitudinal direction of a second upright, wherein the second upright is provided with an eye which can be removably closed directly about a vertically extending tubing of a scaffold upright, so that the ladder can be rotated about the vertically extending tubing of the scaffold upright.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the removably closable eye has a first position in which the eye is open, in order to enable placement on or removal of the ladder from the scaffold, a second position in which the eye encloses a vertically extending tubing of the scaffold so that the ladder can be rotated about the vertically extending tubing of the scaffold upright, and a third position in which the eye encloses a vertically extending tubing of the scaffold so that the ladder grasps the vertically extending tubing of the scaffold upright such that the ladder is fixed relative to the scaffold.

[0007] The ladder according to the invention offers various advantages. First of all, it can be used on any standard scaffold constructed from round tubing, or at least on any scaffold containing at least one vertically extending round tubing part.

[0008] Likewise, the ladder offers the advantage that the scaffold does not need to become wider as a result, and in particular it does not need to be fastened to any protruding parts, which substantially reduces the chance of damaging the room in which the scaffold is used.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the eye is connected to the second upright such that when the ladder is coupled to a scaffold, with the second upright of the ladder extending in a plane parallel to the one in which the scaffold upright extends, it does not extend any further in the width direction than the thickness of the eye material along the scaffold upright.

[0010] Such a fastening can be achieved, for example, by securing the eye, viewed in a direction of a person standing in front of the ladder in order to climb upon it, by means of a holder which essentially sticks out straight back. The eye itself can be formed from an extruded material part, such as aluminium, which can consist of two parts that can be removably joined together, in order to simplify the fastening. These parts can be provided with a quick release, or can be fastened to each other by means of bolts, for example.

[0011] The eye can consist, for example, of two parts that can be removably joined together, which parts can be fastened to each other by means of a quick release. Such a quick release consists, for example, of a hook fastener, wherein one of the parts of the eye can be hooked by means of a hook behind the other part of the eye. In order to achieve a stable connection, the hook part for example is forced beyond a dead point and then optionally latched to the other eye part.

[0012] The inner circumference of the eye is preferably chosen such that in the above-described third position it is very firm if not form-fitting to the scaffold tubing in order to ensure stability during use of the stairs. In the above-described second position there is a gap which enables the stairs to be folded, rotated and vertically shifted along the upright in order to hang the stairs in the resting position thereof.

[0013] In another embodiment, the first upright is longer than the second upright, with the result that a stable unfolded condition can be achieved in which the second upright extends vertically. In this case, the second upright can be placed parallel to the upright, which facilitates a stable fastening to the scaffold.

[0014] In order to prevent unintentional folding up of the ladder during use, it can be provided with a latch to keep the ladder in the stable unfolded condition. Such a latch can be formed with a disengaging piece which can be locked by pushing it beyond a dead point.

[0015] Provision can also be made to prevent an unintentional twisting of the ladder with respect to the scaffold. To that end, for example, the second upright of the ladder can be provided with an engaging means to secure this second upright to a horizontal tubing of the scaffold. Such an engaging means can comprise a lip, for example, by means of which the ladder can be hung across the horizontally extending tubing of a scaffold.

[0016] In such an embodiment, it is advantageous for the hook to be arranged at such a height that the ladder can be secured to a scaffold in at least two vertical positions, wherein in a first position the ladder is supported on a base surface on which the scaffold stands, and in a second position the ladder is supported above the base surface on which the scaffold stands. The first position can be employed during use of the ladder, while the second position is used for storing of the ladder or for moving the ladder together with the scaffold.

[0017] The invention also relates to a scaffolding, comprising a system of scaffold uprights, there being at least one vertically extending tubing part with an essentially round cross section and at least one platform carried by the scaffold uprights and forming a work surface, characterized by a ladder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one eye is arranged around the tubing part with the essentially round cross section, and also such a scaffolding wherein the ladder is secured such that it can rotate between a position in which it is laid against a longitudinal side of the platform in order to get onto the platform via the ladder and a position in which it is laid against a width direction of the platform in order to transport the scaffold and/or store the ladder. In this case, the scaffolding can be provided with a vertically extending tubing, wherein the fastening means of the ladder engages with the vertically extending tubing.

[0018] The invention will now be explained by means of the following figures, in which:

• Figure 1 shows various views of the invention in a first condition;
• Figure 2 shows various views of the invention in a second condition;
• Figure 3 shows a first detail of the invention; and
• Figure 4 shows a first detail of the invention; and
• Figure 5 shows a detail of a removably closable eye according to the invention; and
• Figure 6 shows a detail of a first eye part of Figure 5; and
• Figure 7 shows a detail of a second eye part of Figure 5.

[0019] Figure 1 shows various views of the invention in a first condition. One can see a ladder 1, comprising a first upright 2, provided with rungs 3, hingedly connected at one end 4 in the longitudinal direction to the end in the longitudinal direction of a second upright 5, wherein the second upright 5 is provided with at least one removably closable eye 6, for directly fastening the ladder 1 rotatably about a vertically extending tubing 7 of a scaffold upright 8. The figure also shows a scaffolding 9, containing a system of scaffold uprights 10, there being at least one vertically extending tubing part 7 with an essentially round cross section 11, and at least one platform 12 carried by the scaffold uprights 10, forming a work surface, characterized by a ladder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one eye is arranged about the tubing part 11 with the essentially round cross section.

[0020] The eye 6 is connected to the second upright such that when the ladder 1 is coupled to an upright 9, with the second upright of the ladder extending in a plane parallel to the one in which the scaffold upright extends, it does not extend any further in the width direction than the thickness of the eye material along the scaffold upright. The first upright 2 is longer than the second upright 5, so that a stable unfolded condition can be achieved in which the second upright extends vertically.

[0021] The ladder 2 is provided with a latch, to keep the ladder 2 in the stable unfolded condition, and the second upright 5 is provided with an engaging means 13 for fastening the second upright 5 to a horizontal tubing of the upright 9.

[0022] Figure 2 shows the same ladder 1 and the same upright 9 from figure 1, in a condition in which it is laid against a longitudinal side of the platform 12, in order to get onto the platform via the ladder, in contrast with the condition shown in Figure 1, in which it is laid against a width direction of the platform 12.

[0023] Figure 3 shows in detail the removably closable eye 6.

[0024] Figure 4 shows that the engaging means has a hook or lip by which the ladder can be hung across the horizontally extending tubing of an upright.

[0025] Figure 5 shows an eye (21) which can be removably closed directly about a vertically extending tubing (20) of a scaffold upright, which eye (21) ensures that a ladder provided with the eye (21) can be rotated about the vertically extending tubing (20) of the scaffold upright. The eye (21) consists of two parts (23, 24) which can be removably joined together, which parts can be joined together by means of a quick release (25).

[0026] The quick release (25) consists of a hook lock (25), wherein one of the parts (23) of the eye (21) can be hooked by means of a hook (26) behind the other part (24) of the eye (21). The quick release has 3 positions, namely: "fixed", "loose/fixed" and "loose", as described above. To obtain a stable locking, the hook part (23) is pushed/pulled for example by an actuator (27) past a dead point and then latched behind the other eye part (24).

[0027] Figure 6 shows a first part (23) of the removable closable eye (21) from Figure 5. The part (23) is provided with a fastening means (28) for securing to a ladder (not shown), a hook (26) for closing the first part (23) and the second part (24) and a connection means (29) for connecting the first part (23) to the second part (24) of the removable closable eye (21).

[0028] Figure 7 shows a second part (24) of the removable closable eye (21) from Figure 5. The part (24) is provided with a protrusion (30) behind which the hook (26) can engage, and a connection means (31) for connecting the first part (23) to the second part (24) of the removable closable eye (21). The connection means (29, 31) shown engage with each other and allow mutual rotation about a common axis (A).

Claims

1. Ladder, comprising:

- a first upright, provided with rungs, hingedly connected at one end in the longitudinal direction to the end in the longitudinal direction of a second upright,

characterized

- in that the second upright is provided with an eye which can be removably closed directly about a vertically extending tubing of a scaffold upright, so that the ladder can be rotated about the vertically extending tubing of the scaffold upright.

2. Ladder according to Claim 1, wherein the eye consists of two parts that can be removably joined together, which parts form at least part of a quick release and/or can be fastened to each other by means of a quick release.

3. Ladder according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the removably closable eye has a first position in which the eye is open, in order to enable placement on or removal of the ladder from the scaffold, a second position in which the eye encloses a vertically extending tubing of the scaffold so that the ladder can be rotated about the vertically extending tubing of the scaffold upright, and a third position in which the eye encloses a vertically extending tubing of the scaffold so that the ladder grasps the vertically extending tubing of the scaffold upright such that the ladder is fixed relative to the scaffold.

4. Ladder according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the eye is connected to the second upright such that when the ladder is coupled to a scaffold, with the second upright of the ladder extending in a plane parallel to the one in which the scaffold upright extends, it does not extend any further in the width direction than the thickness of the eye material along the scaffold upright.

5. Ladder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first upright is longer than the second upright, with the result that a stable unfolded condition can be achieved in which the second upright extends vertically and wherein both the first and the second upright are supported on the base surface.

6. Ladder according to Claim 5, provided with a latch to keep the ladder in the stable unfolded condition.

7. Ladder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second upright is provided with an engaging means to secure the second upright to a horizontal tubing of the scaffold.

8. Ladder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the engaging means comprises a hook by which the ladder can be hung across the horizontally extending tubing of a scaffold.

9. Ladder according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein the hook is arranged at such a height that the ladder can be secured to a scaffold in at least two vertical positions, wherein in a first position the ladder is supported on a base surface on which the scaffold stands, and in a second position the ladder is supported above the base surface on which the scaffold stands.

10. Scaffolding, comprising a system of scaffold uprights, there being at least one vertically extending tubing part with an essentially round cross section and at least one platform carried by the scaffold uprights and forming a work surface, characterized by a ladder according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one eye is arranged around the tubing part with the essentially round cross section.

11. Scaffolding according to Claim 10, wherein the ladder is secured such that it can rotate between a position in which it is laid against a longitudinal side of the platform in order to get onto the platform via the ladder and a position in which it is laid against a width direction of the platform in order to transport the scaffold and/or store the ladder.

12. Scaffolding according to Claim 10 or 11, comprising a vertically extending tubing, wherein the fastening means of the ladder engages with the vertically extending tubing.

Drawing