Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HUNTING LADDER ANCHOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for supporting a ladder while
raising it and
leaning it against a wall or a tree and for keeping the ladder in a secure
position on the ground.
More specifically, the present invention discloses a device for supporting a
ladder used for
hunting that contains a stand at the top and is leaned against a tree.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Hunting ladders are typically long and contain a stand where a hunter may be
stationed
while waiting for an animal to appear. This type of ladder is typically leaned
against a tree onto
which the hunter climbs and where he or she may be camouflaged. To set up such
ladders against
a tree, they must be lifted from a flat position on the ground to an erect
position. Part of the
difficulty in accomplishing this pertains to the problem of maintaining the
base of the ladder base
or legs in a fixed position while the hunter lifts the ladder and leans it
against the tree. Even after
the ladder has been set up, the legs of a ladder may slip or move thus
endangering the hunter
unless the legs are maintained in that fixed position. It would be therefore
desirable to securely
anchor the legs of the ladder in order to lift the ladder against the tree and
keep it in a stable
position when in use.
US Pre-grant publication number 20080011549 discloses a system for erecting a
ladder
stand for hunting has a pivoting base assembly connected to a bottom end of a
ladder, and a pair
of support legs pivotally attached to respective sides of an upper section of
the ladder. The
pivoting base assembly includes first and second foot pad members, anchoring
posts for
anchoring the foot pad members to the ground, a base frame pivotally connected
to the foot pad
members, and first and second receiver tubes connected to the base frame for
receiving the
bottom end of the ladder. The pivoting base assembly receives and anchors the
bottom end of the
ladder and allows the ladder to be easily moved from a horizontal position to
an upright position.
The support legs have ground pegs at their lower ends for engaging the ground
to support the
ladder stand in an intermediate position as the ladder stand is being erected.
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This device does not seem to accommodate ladders that have low rungs and its
construction appears cumbersome to use. As can be seen, a need exists for an
easy to use device
that can accommodate different style and size ladders.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, a device for anchoring a ladder onto a
ground
surface comprising a first anchoring member having a front side and a back
side and a second
anchoring member having a front side and a back side, the ladder having a
first leg and a second
leg, with each of the first and second anchoring member comprises: a channel
bracket having a
bottom, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the bottom having an
undersurface and an
oversurface; a ground-engaging member having a first end, a second end and a
length portion,
the first end of the ground-engaging member being attached to the bottom of
the channel bracket,
the second end and the length portion being adapted for engagement with the
ground; a pivot rod
having a first end and a second end, the first end being affixed to a spot on
the first side of the
channel bracket and the second end being affixed to the second side of the
channel bracket; and a
brace member having a first sidewall, a second sidewall, an open bottom, a
front wall and a back
wall, the pivot rod being threaded though an opening in the first sidewall and
an opening in the
second sidewall in a manner that the pivot rod supports the brace member and
in a manner that
the brace member is adapted for pivoting around the pivot rod in a direction
from the front side
of the anchoring member toward the back side of the anchoring member and vice
versa.
In another aspect of the present invention, a device for anchoring a ladder
onto a ground
surface comprising a first anchoring member having a front side and a back
side and a second
anchoring member having a front side and a back side, the ladder having a
first rung, the ladder
also having a first vertical side attached to a side of the first rung and a
second vertical side
attached to another side of first rung, with each of the first and second
anchoring member
comprises: a channel bracket having a bottom, a first side and a second side,
the bottom having
an undersurface and an oversurface; a ground-engaging member having a first
end, a second end
and a length portion, the first end of the ground-engaging member being
attached to the bottom
of the channel bracket, the second end and the length portion being adapted
for engagement with
the ground; a pivot rod having a first end and a second end, the first end
being affixed to a spot
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on the first side of the channel bracket and the second end being affixed to
the second side of the
channel bracket; a brace member having a first sidewall, a second sidewall, an
open bottom, a
front wall and a back wall, the pivot rod being threaded though an opening in
the first sidewall
and an opening in the second sidewall in a manner that the pivot rod supports
the brace member
and in a manner that the brace member is adapted for pivoting around the pivot
rod in a direction
from the front side of the anchoring member toward the back side of the
anchoring member and
vice versa, the brace member being adapted for supporting a first rung of a
ladder; a lateral
extension tab attached to an upper portion of the brace member front wall; and
a lateral extension
tab attached to an upper portion of the brace member back wall.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for setting up a
ladder against a
standing object, using a device comprising a first anchoring member and a
second anchoring
member, with each anchoring member containing a channel bracket, a ground-
engaging member
and a brace member, the brace member being pivotally attached to the channel
bracket, the brace
member being adapted to pivot from a front position to a rear position, the
ladder having a first
leg, a second leg and a top side, the method comprises: pre-selecting a ground
location for
anchoring the first leg and the second leg of the ladder; setting up the
ladder in a flat position on
the ground, the legs being positioned about the respective preselected ground
locations for
anchoring the first leg and the second leg of the ladder, the top of the
ladder being situated away
from the standing object; with the brace member of the first anchoring member
situated about
vertically relative to the ground-engaging member of the first anchoring
member and about
horizontally relative to the ground, positioning the first anchoring member in
a manner that a
bottom portion of the first leg of the ladder is disposed inside the brace
member of the first
anchoring member; with the brace member of the second anchoring member
situated about
vertically relative to the ground-engaging member of the second anchoring
member and about
horizontally relative to the ground, positioning the second anchoring member
in a manner that a
bottom portion of the second leg is disposed inside the brace member of the
second anchoring
member; with the bottom portion of the first leg of the ladder disposed inside
the brace member
of the first anchoring member, lifting the first leg of the ladder above
ground and pivoting the
ground-engaging member of the first anchoring member in a manner that the
ground-engaging
member of the first anchoring member positions about vertically relative to
the ground; engaging
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the ground-engaging member of the first anchoring member with the ground; with
the bottom
portion of the second leg of the ladder disposed inside the brace member of
the second anchoring
member, lifting the second leg of the ladder above ground and pivoting the
ground-engaging
member of the second anchoring member in a manner that the ground-engaging
member of the
second anchoring member positions about vertically relative to the ground;
engaging the ground-
engaging member of the second anchoring member with the ground; and pivoting
the top end of
the ladder from a position on the ground toward the standing object.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will
become
better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a bottom perspective view of a channel bracket showing a welded
attachment
of a straight post to the bottom of the channel bracket according to an
embodiment of the present
invention;
Figure 1 A is a bottom perspective view of a channel bracket showing a
threaded
attachment of a straight post to the bottom of the channel bracket according
to an embodiment of
the present invention;
Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of a channel bracket showing a welded
attachment
of a straight post containing a securing attachment to the bottom of the
channel bracket
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of a channel bracket showing a threaded
attachment of a corkscrew shaped post to the bottom of the channel bracket
according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3A is a bottom perspective view of a channel bracket showing a welded
attachment of a corkscrew shaped post to the bottom of the channel bracket
according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
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Figure 4 is a front perspective view of a channel bracket showing a pivot rod
attached to
the channel bracket used for supporting a brace member and the legs of a
ladder according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 5 is a front perspective view of a rectangular-shaped brace member
having a
notched right sidewall according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 5A is a front perspective view of a brace member with a notched right
sidewall
attached to a channel bracket according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
Figure 5B is a front perspective view of a cylindrical-shaped brace member
having a
notched right sidewall according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 6 is a front perspective view of a brace member comprising lateral
attachment tabs
and having notched left and right sidewalls according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
Figure 6A is a front perspective view of a brace member comprising lateral
attachment
tabs and having notched left and right sidewalls; the brace member is attached
to a channel
bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 7 is a front perspective view of a first anchoring member and a second
anchoring
member of the device engaged with the ground and disposed side by side with
the ladder's low
rung placed in the brace members of the first anchoring member and the second
anchoring
member; the brace members have notched left and right sidewalls according to
an embodiment
of the present invention;
Figure 7A is a front perspective view of a first anchoring member and the
second
anchoring member of the device engaged with the ground and disposed side by
side with the
ladder's low rung placed in the brace member of the first anchoring member
having notched left
and right sidewalls and the second vertical side of the ladder is placed in
the brace member of the
second anchoring member having a notched left side and an un-notched right
side according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
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Figure 8 is an exploded front perspective view of two anchoring members
engaged with
the ground and disposed side by side and a ladder having legs adapted for
placement inside the
brace members of the anchoring members according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
Figure 9 is a front perspective view of the two anchoring members engaged with
the
ground and disposed side by side with the ladder legs placed into the brace
members of the two
anchoring member respectively and showing straps fastening a rung of the
ladder to the brace
members according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 10 is an illustration of a ladder in a flat position on the ground with
a ladder leg
placed inside a brace member of an anchoring member that is anchored to the
ground according
to an embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 10A is an illustration of a ladder set up against a tree with a ladder
leg placed
inside a brace member of an anchoring member that is anchored to the ground
with the brace
member tipping over toward the tree such that the ladder is leaned against the
tree according to
an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes
of carrying out
exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in
a limiting sense, but is
made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the
invention.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally relates to a device
for supporting a
ladder and maintaining it in a stable position as it is being set up against a
tree or a building to be used,
for example, to paint a wall. More typically, however, the device is useful
for anchoring a ladder used by
hunter to climb onto as it lean against a tree by creating a stable pivot
point on the ground. Ladders used
by hunters are typically long and contain a platform on the top of the ladder
where a hunter is positioned
as he or she waits for an animal such as a deer to appear. This makes hunting
ladders cumbersome to erect
and lean against a tree from a flat position on the ground.
The device is depicted in Figures 1 ¨ 10. Referring to Figure 1, there is
shown a channel bracket
10 having a first side 43, a second side 41 a bottom underside 42 and a bottom
oversurface 42A.
Openings 26 in the first and second sidewalls are used for inserting a pivot
rod 15. A ground-engaging
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member 11 is attached to the bottom underside 42 of the channel bracket 10.
The ground-engaging
member 11 may be a straight post 22 welded to the bottom underside 42 or
threaded 21 onto it. The post
is inserted into the ground 33 to help secure and stabilize the device. In
another embodiment shown in
Figure 2, a securing attachment 44 is welded to or manufactured as part of
straight post 22 to provide
additional stability to the device. The ground-engaging member 11 may have a
corkscrew shape and
threaded 19 onto the bottom underside 42 of the channel bracket 10 or welded
19A onto it as shown in
Figure 3. A pivot rod 15 traverses between the first side 43 and second side
41 of the channel bracket 10
and is secured to the sides with nut 14 on each side as shown in Figure 4.
Rectangular-shaped brace
member 20 shown in Figure 5 comprises a first sidewall 55, a second sidewall
55A, a front wall 52 and a
back wall 23 but has an open bottom. The first sidewall contains aperture 25
and the second sidewall
contains aperture 25A. The brace member 20 is installed onto the channel
bracket 10 thereby forming the
anchoring member 30 as illustrated in Figure 5A. A cylindrical-shaped brace
member 20 shown in Figure
5B representing another embodiment of the present invention. To install the
brace member 20 onto the
channel bracket 10, the pivot rod 15 is threaded through openings 26 in the
first and second sidewalls of
the channel bracket 10 and the apertures 25 in the first sidewall and the
second sidewall 25A of the brace
member 20. The brace member 20 is configured to pivot around the pivot rod 15
from the front side to the
back side spanning at least about 180 degrees while the channel bracket 10 is
anchored to the ground 33
in a stationary position. The pivot rod 15 supports the brace member 20 as it
pivots from the front to the
back as it is set up against a tree 37 or a wall. The front wall 52 and back
wall 23 of brace member 20
contain apertures 49 used for passing through a strap 35 for further
stabilizing a ladder 70. The second
sidewall of the brace member 55A may be notched, i.e., shorter, compared to
the brace member first
sidewall 55, as may be seen in Figures 5 and 5A. In an embodiment of the
present invention, a notched
sidewall may have about half the length of the front wall 52 or a non-notched
sidewall. A notched
sidewall facilitates placement and removal of the ladder legs from the brace
member in the course of
setting up the ladder and facilitates supporting a ladder with a low rung.
Figure 8 shows two anchoring members 30 anchored to the ground 33 side by side
with ladder 70
shown having a first rung 29, legs 31 and leg bottoms 27. In this context, the
first rung is the lowest or
bottom rung of the ladder. With this configuration, the legs 31 of the ladder
70 are placed inside the brace
members 20 of the anchoring members 30. Another embodiment for enhancing the
stability of the ladder
70 is the use of straps 35 threaded through holes 49 and wrapping around a
ladder rung as Figure 9 shows.
Figures 10 and 10A illustrate a configuration for setting up a ladder 70
against a tree 37. In Figure
10, the ladder 70 having a platform stand 94 and leg 31 is laid flat on the
ground 33 having the leg bottom
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placed inside brace member 20 that is pivotally attached to the channel
bracket 10 such that it may pivot
from a front position to a back position. The ladder leg 31 is supported by
the pivot rod 15 that is not
shown in Figure 10 but which extends from tightening nut 14 and is disposed
inside the channel bracket.
In this context, the front position of the channel bracket 10 is away from the
tree 37, while the back
In order to set up the ladder, a location must first be selected for the
ladder legs. With the legs
15 The embodiments presented in Figures 1 ¨ 5, and 8 - 10 relate to
standard hunting ladders that,
for the most part, have straight legs that may be securely positioned inside a
brace member of the device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the brace member is configured
to brace a first rung of a
ladder rather than its legs. This type of situation may arise in case of, as
examples, a ladder having a low
rung and its legs are too short to be supported by the brace member in a
stable manner, a ladder having
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Figure 7A shows an embodiment in which one of the anchoring members comprises
a brace
member 20 without lateral extension tabs while the other anchoring member
comprises a brace
member 40 having two lateral extension tabs 51A and 51B. This arrangement may
be used when
ground irregularities do not allow spacing the two anchoring members to fit
the ladder legs.
The components of the ladder anchor may be manufactured of any suitable
material
including but not limited to metal, plastic, wood or combinations thereof.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary
embodiments
of the invention and that modifications of the embodiments may be made.
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