Ladder tool holster

• US 6,000,669 A
• Filed: 10/31/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric Seward, Mark E. Goshay
• Original Assignee: Eric Seward, Mark E. Goshay
• Inventors: Goshay, Mark E., Seward, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEISEY, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US08/961,702
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 248/146, 248/210, 248/218.4, 248/238, 248/309.1, 248/314, 248/291.1, 206/349, 206/305, 206/320, 182/129
• US Class Current: 248/210
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 5/00 Component parts or accessories for scaffolds connections E04G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/14 Holders for pails or other equipment on or for ladders

Abstract

A tool holder for pneumatic and electric power tools to be used when working on step ladders, extension ladders, scaffolding and other precarious elevated working environments where space for maneuvering and storing tools and materials is diminished. The tool receptacle (2) of the tool holder being especially designed to allow the storage of a wide variety of nail guns in a posture with the safety tip extended and the handle conveniently facing up towards the user facilitating the insertion, removal and operation of the tool being stored. The pivoting mounting assembly enables the holder to mount to support members that are at any angle in a vertical plane. The fastening straps with adjustable, quick release buckles enable the tool holder to be quickly and securely fastened to support members that are a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The storage pockets (24) on the front wall (8) of the holder are large enough to carry full size nail clips or a pair of safety glasses. The offset cams (26) facilitate the operation of the tool, by fastening only the amount of hose or cord needed the overall weight of the tool assembly and the chance of snags are decreased.

Claims

1. A pivoting tool holding apparatus comprising a pivoting mounting assembly and a tool holder for use with stepladders extension ladder and scaffoldings, said pivoting assembly comprising a threaded stud adapted to pass through a support member and said tool holder and into a threaded fastening device, said tool holder having a tool receptacle, said tool receptacle having a front wall, a back wall and a side wall joining the vertical extremities of said front and said back wall, the inward declivity of said front wall, said back wall and said side walls making said tool receptacle substantially pyramidal, the vertex of which being truncated at a predetermined point, said side walls having a skewed section forming a narrowed constriction between the top and bottom of said tool receptacle, resulting in a safety chamber formed below said narrowed constriction, said safety chamber being wider than said narrowed constriction above, said tool receptacle being symmetrical about both the y-axis which is parallel to the top of the receptacle running from side to side and the z-axis which is parallel to the top of the receptacle running fore and aft,

whereby the holder is adapted to pivotably mount to support members at any angle from horizontal to vertical, within a vertical plane,

whereby said safety chamber allows a wide variety of nail guns of varying sizes to be stored with the safety tip disengaged and protected from accidental engagement,

whereby the apparatus allows reversible storage of tools for the interchangeable, ambidextrous access and usage of tools, when mounted to the top platform of stepladders and other substantially horizontal support members, leaving the top platform of step ladders free for the staging of materials to be installed,

whereby the apparatus mounts to support members such as legs or side rails on either side of step and extension ladders while maintaining equal access to stored tools.

2. The pivoting mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein said threaded stud passes through a mounting bracket, then passes through said tool holder and into said threaded fastening device.

3. The holder of claim 2 wherein said mounting bracket has a means of attaching adjustably and releasably to support members, said means of attaching comprising a plurality of adjustable, quick release straps being adapted to attach to said mounting bracket,

whereby the holder is adapted to pivotably mount to support members of a wide variety of shapes, sizes and orientations.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 having a series of linearly disposed offset cams being adapted to attach to the outside face of said front wall,

whereby air hoses and cords are adapted to be held in an adjustable quick release manner, allowing the overall scope and weight of the tool holding apparatus to be continually adjusted and optimized.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 having an internal clip of predetermined dimensions being adapted to attach to the inside surface of the walls of said tool receptacle for defining the internal shape of said tool receptacle,

whereby the internal shape is maintained when the overall exterior shape is changed for aesthetic or manufacturing reasons.

4. The apparatus of claim having a pocket assembly being adapted to attach to the outside of said front wall of said tool receptacle, said front wall forming one side of said pocket assembly,

whereby nail gun nail strips and safety glasses may be stored.

7. A pivoting tool holding apparatus for holding nail guns and a variety of electrical power tools when working from stepladders, extension ladder and scaffoldings, comprising:

a) a pivoting mounting assembly having a mounting bracket with a threaded stud inserted, said threaded stud passing through a tool receptacle and into a threaded fastening device, said mounting bracket having a plurality of adjustable, quick release straps being adapted to attach to said mounting bracket for mounting to support members,

b) a tool receptacle having a front wall, a back wall and a side wall joining the vertical extremities of said front and said back wall, the inward declivity of said front wall, said back wall and said side walls making said tool receptacle substantially pyramidal, the vertex of which being truncated at a predetermined point, said side walls having a skewed section forming a narrowed constriction between the top and bottom of said tool receptacle, resulting in a safety chamber, said safety chamber being wider than the narrowed constriction above, said tool receptacle being symmetrical about both the y-axis which is parallel to the top of the receptacle running from side to side and the z-axis which is parallel to the top of the receptacle running fore and aft,

whereby the apparatus is adapted to pivotably mount to support members of a wide variety of shapes, sizes and orientations, leaving the top platform of stepladders free for the staging of materials to be installed,

whereby the apparatus stores a wide variety of nail guns of varying sizes with the safety tip disengaged and protected from accidental engagement,

whereby the apparatus allows reversible storage of tools for ambidextrous access and usage of tools, without rearranging or readjusting the apparatus, when mounted to the top platform of a stepladder,

whereby the apparatus allows bilateral mounting with equal access when mounted to the legs or side rails of step and extension ladders.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 having a pocket assembly being adapted to attach to the outside of said front wall of said tool receptacle, said front wall forming one side of said pocket assembly,

whereby nail gun nail strips and safety glasses may be stored.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 having a means for holding air hoses and cords in an adjustable quick release manner, said means for holding comprising a series of linearly disposed offset cams being adapted to attach to the outside face of said front wall, whereby the overall scope and weight of the tool holding apparatus is continually adjusted and optimized.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said tool receptacle has a means for defining the internal shape of said tool receptacle, said means of defining being an internal clip of predetermined dimensions being adapted to attach to the inside surface of the walls of said tool receptacle,

whereby the internal shape is maintained when the overall exterior shape is changed for aesthetic or manufacturing reasons.

11. A pivoting tool holding apparatus for holding nail guns and a variety of electrical power tools for mounting to stepladders, extension ladder and scaffolding environments, comprising:

a) a pivoting mounting assembly having a threaded stud disposed to pass through a support member, continue through a tool holder and into a threaded fastening device,

b) said tool holder having a tool receptacle, said tool receptacle having a front wall, a back wall and a side wall joining the vertical extremities of said front and said back wall, the declivity of said front wall, said back wall and said side walls making said tool receptacle substantially pyramidal, so that nail guns which are substantially triangular in shape are adapted to settle securely into the receptacle, the vertex of the pyramidal receptacle is truncated at a predetermined point, so that long blades and bits are adapted to pass through the truncated bottom of the receptacle allowing the relatively heavy body of the tool to settle securely into the holder, said side walls having a skewed section forming a narrowed constriction between the top and bottom of said tool receptacle, resulting in a safety chamber, said safety chamber being wider than the narrowed constriction above, the narrowed constriction stops the downward settling of the tool while the safety chamber provides a space in which the safety tip of the nail gun is unengaged and protected from accidental contact, said tool receptacle being symmetrical about both the y-axis which is parallel to the top of the receptacle running from side to side and the z-axis which is parallel to the top of the receptacle running fore and aft, allowing reversible storage of tools for ambidextrous access and usage of tools as well as the bilateral positioning and mounting of the tool receptacle to the legs or side rails of step and extension ladders.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said threaded stud passes through a mounting bracket, then passes through said tool holder and into said threaded fastening device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said mounting bracket has a plurality of adjustable, quick release straps adapted to attach to said mounting bracket,

whereby the holder is adapted to pivotably mount to support members of a wide variety of shapes, sizes and orientations in a quickly adjustable and releasable manner.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 having a pocket assembly being adapted to attach to the outside of said front wall of said tool receptacle, said front wall forming one side of said pocket assembly,

whereby nail gun nail strips and safety glasses may be stored.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 having a series of linearly disposed offset cams being adapted to attach to the outside face of said front wall,

whereby air hoses and cords are adapted to be held in an adjustable quick release manner, allowing the overall scope and weight of the tool holding apparatus to be continually adjusted and optimized.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 having an internal clip of predetermined dimensions being adapted to attach to the inside surface of the walls of said tool receptacle for defining the internal shape of said tool receptacle,

whereby the functional interior shape is maintained when the overall exterior shape is changed for aesthetic or manufacturing reasons.