Anti-slip attachment for ladders

Abstract

An anti-slip attachment for a ladder that forms a frictional engagement between the ladder and a metal gutter, so as to prevent the ladder from slipping laterally thereon. A layer of resiliently compressible material having a high surface coefficient of friction against smooth metal is mounted to the ladder so that it will bear against and be compressed by an edge of the gutter. The layer of resiliently compressible material may be at least one strip of resiliently compressible foam tape. The resiliently compressible material may be adhered directly to the side rails of the ladder so as to bear against the edge of a gutter when the ladder is rested thereon, or the layer or layers of resiliently compressible material may be mounted to a separate frame or bracket that is in turn mounted to the ladder itself. The anti-slip attachment helps to reduce the likelihood of fall injuries due to the ladder slipping sideways along a metal gutter during use.

1 . An anti-slip attachment for a ladder that forms a frictional engagement between said ladder and a metal gutter, said anti-slip attachment comprising: 
 a layer of resiliently compressible material having a high surface coefficient of friction against smooth metal; and    means for mounting said layer of resiliently compressible material to a ladder so that said layer will bear against and be compressed by an edge of a metal gutter when said ladder is rested thereon;    whereby said layer of resiliently compressible material establishes a frictional engagement that prevents said ladder from slipping laterally along said edge of said gutter.    
   
   
       2 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said layer of resiliently compressible material comprises: 
 at least one elongate strip of said resiliently compressible material.    
   
   
       3 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 2 , wherein said means for mounting said layer of resiliently compressible material to a ladder comprises: 
 a layer of adhesive on said strip of resiliently compressible material for adhering said strip to a face of at least one elongate side rail of a ladder.    
   
   
       4 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 3 , wherein said strip of resiliently compressible material comprises: 
 a roll of resiliently compressible tape having said layer adhesive formed thereon.    
   
   
       5 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said means for mounting said layer of resiliently compressible material to a ladder comprises: 
 a frame having said layer of resiliently compressible material mounted to a face thereof; and    means for mounting said frame to a ladder so that said face of said frame bears against a gutter when said ladder is rested thereon.    
   
   
       6 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 5 , wherein said frame comprises: 
 first and second clip members that are attachable to first and second side rails of a ladder so that said layers of resiliently compressible material are positioned between said side rails and a gutter when said ladder is rested thereon.    
   
   
       7 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 5 , wherein said frame comprises: 
 first and second bracket members for fitting over first and second side rails of a ladder so that said layers of resiliently compressible material are positioned between said side rails and a gutter when said ladder is rested thereon; and    a tie rod for passing through a stave of said ladder so as to join said brackets and secure said bracket members on said side rails of said ladder.    
   
   
       8 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said layer of resiliently compressible material comprises: 
 a layer of resiliently compressible foam material.    
   
   
       9 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 8 , wherein said resiliently compressible foam material comprises: 
 resiliently compressible PVC foam material.    
   
   
       10 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said layer of resiliently compressible material comprises: 
 a layer of resiliently compressible material having a durometer selected so that said layer will be only partially compressed when pressed against an edge of a gutter by a ladder at a predetermined angle and maximum load, so that said layer will retain a reserve range of compression when said ladder is fully loaded.    
   
   
       11 . The anti-slip attachment of  claim 10 , wherein said durometer is selected so that said layer will be compressed only about 50 percent when pressed against an edge of a gutter by a ladder at said predetermined angle and maximum load, so that said layer will retain a reserve range of compression of about 50 percent when said ladder is fully loaded.  
   
   
       12 . An anti-slip ladder assembly that forms a frictional engagement with a metal gutter, said ladder assembly comprising: 
 a ladder; and    a layer of resiliently compressible material having a high surface coefficient of friction against smooth metal, said layer of compressible material being mounted to said ladder so that said layer will bear against and be compressed by an edge of a metal gutter when said ladder is rested thereon;    whereby said layer of resiliently compressible material establishes a frictional engagement that prevents said ladder from slipping laterally along said edge of said gutter.    
   
   
       13 . The anti-slip ladder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said layer of resiliently compressible material comprises: 
 an elongate strip of resiliently compressible material that is mounted to a face of at least one elongate side rail of said ladder.    
   
   
       14 . The anti-slip ladder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said layer of resiliently compressible material comprises: 
 first and second elongate strips of resiliently compressible material adhered to faces of first and second side rails of said ladder.    
   
   
       15 . The anti-slip ladder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said assembly further comprises: 
 a frame having said layer of resiliently compressible material mounted to a face thereof; and    means for mounting said frame to a said ladder so that a said face of said frame bears against a gutter when said ladder is rested thereon.    
   
   
       16 . The anti-slip ladder assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said frame comprises: 
 first and second clip members that are attachable to first and second side rails of a ladder so that said layers of resiliently compressible material are positioned between said side rails and a gutter when said ladder is rested thereon.    
   
   
       17 . The anti-slip ladder assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said frame comprises: 
 first and second bracket members for fitting over first and second side rails of a ladder so that said layers of resiliently compressible material are positioned between said side rails and a gutter when said ladder is rested thereon; and    a tie rod for passing through a hollow stave of said ladder so as to join said brackets and secure said bracket members on said side rails of said ladder.    
   
   
       18 . The anti-slip ladder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said layer of resiliently compressible material comprises: 
 a layer of resiliently compressible foam material.    
   
   
       19 . The anti-slip ladder assembly of  claim 18 , wherein said resiliently compressible foam material comprises: 
 resiliently compressible PVC foam material.    
   
   
       20 . The anti-slip ladder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said layer of resiliently compressible material comprises: 
 a layer of resiliently compressible material having a durometer selected so that said layer will be only partially compressed when pressed against an edge of a gutter by a ladder at a predetermined angle and maximum load, so that said layer will retain a reserve range of compression when said ladder is fully loaded.    
   
   
       21 . The anti-slip ladder assembly of  claim 20 , wherein said durometer is selected so that said layer will be compressed only about 50 percent when pressed against an edge of a gutter by a ladder at said predetermined angle and maximum load, so that said layer will retain a reserve range of compression of about 50 percent when said ladder is fully loaded.  
   
   
       22 . A method for forming a frictional engagement between a ladder and a metal gutter, said method comprising the steps of: 
 mounting to a ladder a layer of resiliently compressible material having a high surface coefficient of friction against smooth metal; and    resting said ladder against a metal gutter so that said layer of resiliently compressible material bears against and is compressed by an edge of said metal gutter;    whereby said layer of resiliently compressible material establishes a frictional engagement that prevents said ladder from slipping laterally along said edge of said gutter.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of mounting said layer of resiliently compressible material to a ladder comprises: 
 mounting an elongate strip of said resiliently compressible material to a face of at least one elongate side rail of said ladder.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of mounting an elongate strip of said resiliently compressible material to at least one side rail of said ladder comprises 
 adhering first and second strips of said resiliently compressible material to first and second side rails of said ladder.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of mounting said layer of resiliently compressible material to a ladder comprises: 
 mounting said layer of resiliently compressible material to a face of a frame; and    mounting said frame to said ladder so that said face of said frame bears against a gutter when said ladder is rested thereon.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of mounting a layer of resiliently compressible material to a ladder comprises: 
 mounting to said ladder a layer of resiliently compressible foam material.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said resiliently compressible foam material is a PVC foam material.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of: 
 selecting said layer of resiliently compressible material to have a durometer such that said layer will be only partially compressed when pressed against an edge of a gutter by said ladder at a predetermined angle and maximum load, so that said layer will retain a reserve range of compression when said ladder is fully loaded.