GB2299980A - Powered Ladder - Google Patents

Abstract

A power operated ladder has a carriage movable up and down by means of an electric motor carried by the carriage and operating a pinion or the like running in fixed chains carried by the ladder stiles. Preferably one or more switches provide stopping, starting, forward and reverse movement. The ladder may have an accessory for carrying wood, bricks, etc. and a bucket for sand or liquid. The accessory may also act as a handle. Other means of powering and propulsion systems are disclosed.

Description

P OWERLAD This invention is a mechanical equipment which enables an individual to be moved up and down a ladder.

This invention will now be described by way of example with references to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 shows a somewhat perspective view of the complete assembly of Powerlad.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the ladder which is a major component of the invention.

Figure 3 shows a perpective view of the carriage which is a major component of the invention.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the copper strips.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the special insulator.

Figure 6 shows Powerlad in use.

Figure 7 shows a somewhat oblique form of the loader which is an accessory of the invention.

Figure 8 shows a perspective and side view of the bucket which is an accessory of the invention.

With reference to the drawings, Powerlad comprises of a Ladder and a Carriage as illustrated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 respectively.. The ladder Fig. 2 provides the tracks 3 and 4 on both rails 1 and 2. The tracks 3 and 4 are two long transmision chains rigidly bolted or welded along the length of each rail 1 and 2. The carriage as illustrated in Fig 3, is designed in such a way that it can be easily assembled onto the ladder Fig. 2. as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The carriage Fig. 3 provides the transmission from an electric motor 5 or by other means (not shown). The electric motor 5 is bolted to the side of the carriage as illustrated in Fig 3. which provides power to the transmission shaft 7 by means of two bevelled gears 8 and 9 or by other means (not shown) which merge at right angle as illustrated in Fig. 1. The carriage has four sprockets or pinions to move it along the tracks. Two srockets or pin ions provide the drive, the other two are idle. The transmission sprockets, one of which 10 is illustrated in Fig. 1 are fitted to the transmission shaft 7.The teeth of these sprockets 10 merge with the two transmission chains 3 and 4 upon assemble as illustrated in Fig. 1 When the two major components are assembled as illustrated in Fig. 1., the the teeth sprocket 10 like the other sprockets fitted under the carriage, merges in the tracks 3 and 4 as illustrated in Fig. 1. The flanges 12 and 13 which form the base of the carriage as illustrated in Fig 3, enables the carriage to be held in position when Powerlad is raised in working position as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The flanges 12 and 13 are fixed or can be made adjustable.

The power which enables the carriage Fig. 3 to traverse along the tracks 3 and 4 can be provided by electric motor 5 as illustrated in Fig. 1 or any other means (not shown). When a Powertad is designed as illustrated in Fig. 1 to use any ground base power such as electric mains from a house or a generator, two strips copper plates Pand N as illustrated in Fig. 4 equal the length of the ladder are fitted in a recess under rail 2. as illustrated in Fig. 2 to act as Positive and Negative conductors. The conductors P and N as illustrated in Fig.4 are protected by a special double split type rubber as iilüsir iea in rig. 5 -wnicri cis as insulator or any other means (not shown).

The conductors P and N ar connected to a three point plug 14 as illustrated in Fig. 1. When the carriage as illustrated in Fig. 3 is assembled as illustrated in Fig. 1, the contact plate 15 as illustrated in Fig. 3 is screwed onto the flange 13 to able the spring loaded positive and negative points 16 and 17 as illustrated Fig. 3 to make contact with the two strip copper plates P and N as illustrsted in Fig. 1. When the mains power as illustrated in Fig.6 or any other ground source of power (not shown) is connected, the movement of the carriage is controlled by a switch 18 fitted on it. The switch 18 has a forward, stop and reverse positions on it.

The Powerlad comes with other special accessories such the adjustable handle as illustrated in Fig. 7. The legs 22 and 23 can be fitted to the recesses 21 and 22 of the carriage as illustrated in Fig. 3. Bolts can be screwed on to hold it firmly in position. When the handle is adjusted to the required position, a nut 24 is tightened to hold it firmly in position. The same handle can be used to carry bricks, wood, paint or whatever up and down the Powerlad.

Another special accessory is the bucket as illustrated in Fig. 8, the catches 26 and 27 can easily hung on to the steps 28 of the carriage. The bucket can be used to carry sand, water or whatever up and down the Powerlad.

Claims (3)

1. Powerlad is a mechanical equipment for carrying an individual or anything up and down the ladder.

2 Powerlad can be powered by electric energy, fuel energy, mechanical energy, solar energy, wind energy or any other source of energy in use now or the future.

3 Powerlad can be made of any suitable material such metal, wood, plastic or fibre glass in any shape and size.

4 The tracks of the ladder as illustrated in Fig 2 can be rack, chain, belt, cable or any other suitable means which will enable the carriage to be moved up and down.

5 The tracks as claimed in Claim 4 can be positioned anywhere on the ladder.

6 The carriage as illustrated in Fig. 3 can be fitted with pinions, sprockets, wheels, pulleys or any other suitable means which will enable the carriage to move up and down the ladder as claimed in Claim 4.

7 The carriage as claimed in Claim 6 can be fitted with an electric motor, petrol motor or any type of powered motor which will enable the carriage to move up and down.

8 The carriage as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 7 can be moved up and down by means of switch with three or four positions, start, forward, stop and reverse or any other suitable means which will control the movements of the carriage.

9 The switch as claimed in Claim 8 can be located anywhere on the carriage.

10 Powerlad can have an additional switch for ground use.

11 Any other suitable means of electrical connections can be adopted to fit Powerlad other than those illustrasted in Fig.

2, Fig 3, Fig.4 and Fig.5.

12 Any other suitable means of mechanical connections as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 2 can be adopted for use on Powerlad as illustrated in Fig. 2. and Fig.

3.

13 The carriage as illustrated in Fig. 1 can be held in position by adjustable flanges or any other suitable means.

14 The ladder of Powerlad as claimed in Claim 1 and 5 can be used like an ordinary ladder.

15 Powerlad can be flitted with a suitable accessory called the loader which can be used to carry bricks, wood or any suitable material.

16 The loader as claimed in Claim 15 can be used as a handle.

17 Powerlad can be used to carry liquid, sand or other suitable material using its special accessory, the bucket.

18 Powerlad as claimed in Claim 1 can be designed to carry more than one person.

19 Powerlad subtantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-8 of the accompaying drawing.