Basket caddy for a step ladder

Abstract

A vented wire mesh basket having pivotally mounted unshaped bail rod handles for installing atop a step ladder for the purpose of holding various tools and other work materials. The vented basked or ladder caddy comprises a plurality of elongated length wise and width wise wires that are formed into a substantially u-shaped pattern where the base of the u-shaped pattern is substantially flattened and the opposing sides of the u-shaped pattern are canted outward with respect to one another. The length wise and width wise u-shaped wires are attached along the length of their base interconnecting to form a vented mesh pattern for the base of the basket. The plurality of sides of the plurality of u-shaped wires form a vented wall of the basket. A top frame wire is formed into a top rim or frame portion that is connected along the top ends of the plurality of sides of the u-shaped wires. There is also a center frame wire formed in an endless loop and connected around the peripheral of the sides of the unshaped wires proximate a central portion of the sides with respect to the top end and base end of the u-shaped wire. There are also a pair of u-shaped bail rod handles that are pivotally attached to the top frame rod for installing atop a step ladder and for carrying a basket.

1 . A caddy operable to be mounted over and about a top portion of a step ladder comprising: 
 a plurality of lengthwise substantially planar u-shape wires and a plurality of widthwise substantially planar u-shape wires where the base portion of each u-shaped wire is substantially flattened and where the base portions are interconnected along the length of the base portions such that the lengthwise and widthwise wires cross to form a mesh like bottom portion of the caddy and where the opposing sides of each of the u-shaped wires are canted away from each other at an angle, and where the plurality of sides form the vented pairs of opposing longer side walls and shorter end walls with respect to each other creating a volume of the basket;    a top frame rod connected about the peripheral of the side walls at the top and center frame rod connected about the peripheral of the side walls where each is formed into a substantially closed rectangle; and    a first and second u-shaped bail rod each having opposing ends where the base of each u-shape is substantially flattened and the sides of the u-shape are substantially parallel and the opposing ends of each are pivotally mounted to a side of the substantially closed rectangle of the top frame rod.    
   
   
       2 . The caddy as recited in  claim 1 , where the substantially closed rectangular top frame rod has first and second open ended loops formed therein on opposing short sides of the top frame rods for securing electrical cords and where the first and second loops have a first and second gap wire respectively to bridge the open ends and for mounting a spool of wire.  
   
   
       3 . The caddy as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a spool rod having one end pivotally attached to the first gap wire and having a length sufficient to support the opposing end of the spool rod on the second gap wire for mounting the spool of wire.    
   
   
       4 . The caddy as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a support wire pivotally attached at one end to the first open ended loop for locking an electrical cord in place.    
   
   
       5 . The caddy as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a paint roller handle locking wire attached horizontally along one of the end walls spaced proximately beneath one of the open ended loops.    
   
   
       6 . The caddy as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a liner pan removably disposed on the bottom portion of the caddy.    
   
   
       7 . The caddy as recited in  claim 1 , where the top frame rod and the center frame rod are optimally positioned top to bottom along the sides of the caddy such that the. caddy is optimally strengthened to resist deformation of basket when in use, and where the bail rods are optimally dimensioned such that the caddy remains atop the step ladder on which it is installed and is level and where the sides of the caddy are inwardly canted top to bottom such that the caddy remains level when installed.  
   
   
       8 . A caddy operable to be mounted over and about a top portion of a step ladder comprising: 
 a vented wire basket having a generally vented rectangular bottom wall and vented pairs of opposing side and end walls formed by a plurality of u-shaped planar continuous wires having a wire base portion and side portions having a flattened base portion and outwardly canted sides portions interconnected in a mesh pattern;    a top frame rod connected peripherally about the top of the side walls forming a substantially closed rectangle and a center frame rod connected peripherally about a central portion of the side walls; and    a first and second substantially u-shaped bail rod having opposing ends and a bail rod base portion and bail rod side portions having flattened base portions and substantially parallel side portion where the opposing ends are pivotally attached to a side of the substantially closed rectangular top frame rod.    
   
   
       9 . The caddy as recited in  claim 8 , where the substantially closed rectangular top frame rod has first and second open ended loops formed therein on opposing short sides of the top frame rods for securing electrical cords and where the first and second loops have a first and second gap wire respectively to bridge the open ends and for mounting a spool of wire.  
   
   
       10 . The caddy as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a spool rod having one end pivotally attached to the first gap wire and having a length sufficient to support the opposing end of the spool rod on the second gap wire for mounting the spool of wire.    
   
   
       11 . The caddy as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a support wire pivotally attached at one end to the first open ended loop for locking an electrical cord in place.    
   
   
       12 . The caddy as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a paint roller handle locking wire attached horizontally along one of the end walls spaced proximately beneath one of the open ended loops.    
   
   
       13 . The caddy as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a liner pan removably disposed on the bottom portion of the caddy.    
   
   
       14 . The caddy as recited in  claim 8 , where the top frame rod and the center frame rod are optimally positioned top to bottom along the sides of the caddy such that the caddy is optimally strengthened to resist deformation of basket when in use, and where the bail rods are optimally dimensioned such that the caddy remains atop the step ladder on which it is installed and is level and where the sides of the caddy are inwardly canted top to bottom such that the caddy remains level when installed.  
   
   
       15 . A caddy operable to be mounted over and about a top portion of a step ladder comprising: 
 a vented wire basket portion having a substantially rectangular bottom wall and vented pairs of opposing side and end walls defining a volume for containing items therein;    a top frame rod connected peripherally about the top of the side walls forming a substantially closed rectangle and a center frame rod connected peripherally about a central portion of the side walls for reducing deformation of the wire basket; and    a bail rod pivotally connected to a long side of the substantially closed rectangular frame rod having optimal dimensions for securing the basket atop a stepladder in a level position.    
   
   
       16 . The caddy as recited in  claim 15 , where the substantially closed rectangular top frame rod has first and second open ended loops formed therein on opposing short sides of the top frame rods for securing electrical cords and where the first and second loops have a first and second gap wire respectively to bridge the open ends and for mounting a spool of wire.  
   
   
       17 . The caddy as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a spool rod having one end pivotally attached to the first gap wire and having a length sufficient to support the opposing end of the spool rod on the second gap wire for mounting the spool of wire.    
   
   
       18 . The caddy as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a support wire pivotally attached at one end to the first open ended loop for locking an electrical cord in place.    
   
   
       19 . The caddy as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a paint roller handle locking wire attached horizontally along one of the end walls spaced proximately beneath one of the open ended loops.    
   
   
       20 . The caddy as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a liner pan removably disposed on the bottom portion of the caddy.    
   
   
       21 . The caddy as recited in  claim 15 , where the top frame rod and the center frame rod are optimally positioned top to bottom along the sides of the caddy such that the caddy is optimally strengthened to resist deformation of basket when in use, and where the bail rods are optimally dimensioned such that the caddy remains atop the step ladder on which it is installed and is level and where the sides of the caddy are inwardly canted top to bottom such that the caddy remains level when installed.  
   
   
       22 . A caddy operable to be mounted over and about a top portion of a step ladder comprising: 
 a wire frame rod formed into a substantially closed rectangle peripherally connected about a plurality of interconnected substantially planar u-shaped wires having a substantially flattened base, where the interconnects are along the bottoms and where the sides of the u-shape form vented pairs of opposing side and end walls; and    a bail rod pivotally connected to a long side of the substantially closed rectangular frame rod.    
   
   
       23 . The caddy as recited in  claim 22 , where the substantially closed rectangular wire frame rod has first and second open ended loops formed therein on opposing short sides of the top frame rod for securing electrical cords and where the first and second loops have a first and second gap wire respectively to bridge the open ends and for mounting a spool of wire.  
   
   
       24 . The caddy as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a spool rod having one end pivotally attached to the first gap wire and having a length sufficient to support the opposing end of the spool rod on the second gap wire for mounting the spool of wire.    
   
   
       25 . The caddy as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a support wire pivotally attached at one end to the first open ended loop for locking an electrical cord in place.    
   
   
       26 . The caddy as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a paint roller handle locking wire attached horizontally along one of the end walls spaced proximately beneath one of the open ended loops.    
   
   
       27 . The caddy as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a liner pan removably disposed on the bottom portion of the caddy.    
   
   
       28 . The caddy as recited in  claim 22 , where the top frame rod and the center frame rod are optimally positioned top to bottom along the sides of the caddy such that the caddy is optimally strengthened to resist deformation of basket when in use, and where the bail rods are optimally dimensioned such that the caddy remains atop the step ladder on which it is installed and is level and where the sides of the caddy are inwardly canted top to bottom such that the caddy remains level when installed.