A ladder having a first rail having a bottom and a web, a first flange attached to a first end of the web and a second flange attached to a second end of the web. The ladder having a second rail. The ladder having rungs attached to the first rail and second rail upon which a user steps to climb the ladder. The ladder having a foot having a plastic body with a recess which receives the end of the first rail and is positioned about and conforms to the web and the first and second flanges of the first rail. The foot has a plastic base having a top side from which the body extends. The base has an edge positioned about the body with perforations, and a rubber tread disposed along a underside of the base and extending through the perforations and along the edge on the top side of the base to form an overmolded portion of the tread that attaches the tread to the base without any mechanical or other types of fasteners. The rubber tread forms a bond with the underside of the base and the edge on the top side of the base. The foot for a bottom of a rail of a ladder. A method for placing a ladder. A method for producing a foot for a bottom of a rail of a ladder.

A ladder having a front section and a rear section. The ladder has a step attached to the front section and a cross bar attached to the rear section. The ladder has a latch attached to the cross bar and positioned on the cross bar so when the ladder is in a folded position where the front section is alongside and in parallel with the rear section, the latch latches with the step. The latch has a hook portion having a hook which engages with the step that the latch holds in place. The latch has a base portion that is fixed to the cross bar. The latch has a pinch flex portion connected to the base portion and the hook portion.

A latch for latching a first object with a second object includes a catch attached to the first object. The latch includes a hook portion having a hook which engages with the catch attached to the first object that the latch holds in place. The latch includes a base portion that is fixed to a rigid surface of the second object. The ladder includes a pinch flex portion connected to the base portion and the hook portion. When the pinch flex portion is compressed or pinch flexed downward to the base portion, the hook portion moves off of the first object, thus releasing the first object to move away from the second object. When the first object is to be held or latched to the second object, the first object is moved against a cam portion of the hook portion, pushing the hook portion back away from the first object until the first object clears the hook of the hook portion, whereupon the hook portion no longer being restrained by the first object, under a force bias created in the pinch flex portion by the pinch flex portion being compressed, automatically moves back and catches or latches the first object to the second object without any spring or other component to create the force bias. The latch is one piece. A method for latching a first object to a second object, such as a front rail and a rear rail of a ladder. A ladder.

A latch for latching a first object with a second object includes a catch attached to the first object. The latch includes a hook portion having a hook which engages with the catch attached to the first object that the latch holds in place. The latch includes a base portion that is fixed to a rigid surface of the second object. The ladder includes a pinch flex portion connected to the base portion and the hook portion. When the pinch flex portion is compressed or pinch flexed downward to the base portion, the hook portion moves off of the first object, thus releasing the first object to move away from the second object. When the first object is to be held or latched to the second object, the first object is moved against a cam portion of the hook portion, pushing the hook portion back away from the first object until the first object clears the hook of the hook portion, whereupon the hook portion no longer being restrained by the first object, under a force bias created in the pinch flex portion by the pinch flex portion being compressed, automatically moves back and catches or latches the first object to the second object without any spring or other component to create the force bias. The latch is one piece. A method for latching a first object to a second object, such as a front rail and a rear rail of a ladder. A ladder.

An adjustable step ladder system including an adjustable step ladder assembly. The adjustable step ladder assembly includes a front-assembly, a rear-assembly, a top-unit, and a tray-unit in functional and structural combination. The front-assembly includes two front-legs, a plurality of rungs, and two front-feet in functional and structural combination. The rear-assembly includes two upper-legs, a center-section, two lower-legs, and two rear-feet in functional and structural combination. The tray-unit includes a tray, and two tracks in a preferred embodiment. The plurality of rungs are affixed between and to each of the front-legs such that the plurality of rungs provides a user with a secure step to climb the adjustable step ladder assembly.

An adjustable step ladder system including an adjustable step ladder assembly. The adjustable step ladder assembly includes a front-assembly, a rear-assembly, a top-unit, and a tray-unit in functional and structural combination. The front-assembly includes two front-legs, a plurality of rungs, and two front-feet in functional and structural combination. The rear-assembly includes two upper-legs, a center-section, two lower-legs, and two rear-feet in functional and structural combination. The tray-unit includes a tray, and two tracks in a preferred embodiment. The plurality of rungs are affixed between and to each of the front-legs such that the plurality of rungs provides a user with a secure step to climb the adjustable step ladder assembly.

A materials handling system (10) comprising a first (60) and second ladder (70) section connectable together to form a longer ladder, a tensioning system (100) attached to each section for tensioning the connected ladder sections, and a trolley (110) arranged to travel along the connected ladder sections, wherein the system includes a cable (158) and pulley for moving the trolley along the connected ladder sections.

A materials handling system (10) comprising a first (60) and second ladder (70) section connectable together to form a longer ladder, a tensioning system (100) attached to each section for tensioning the connected ladder sections, and a trolley (110) arranged to travel along the connected ladder sections, wherein the system includes a cable (158) and pulley for moving the trolley along the connected ladder sections.

A step stool or ladder includes a latch that engages a cross member to prevent a step from disengaging from the cross member. The curved end of the latch has a tail that provides additional weight to the end of the latch that engages the cross member and allows for decreased tolerances in manufacturing the latch. The other end of the latch has a knob that extends through an opening in the step so that the latch is accessible and to give visual cues to the user. The knob also maintains the latch in its position in the opening in the step. A bent out portion of the latch midsection serves to limit the amount of travel between the knob and the bent portion. The latch rotates on the portion of the latch between the bent portion and travel limiter and the knob attached to the latch.

A ladder may include a first pair of spaced apart members, a second pair of spaced apart members and a first pair of hinges coupling the first pair of spaced apart members with the second pair of spaced apart members. In some embodiments, each hinge may include a first hinge component including at least a first hinge plate, the first hinge plate having a notch formed therein, the notch including a first abutment wall and a second abutment wall, a second hinge component including at least a second hinge plate, and a lock mechanism having a pivot pin and a lock pin. The lock mechanism is configured for selective engagement with the notch such that the pivot pin engages the first abutment wall and the lock pin engages the second abutment wall to lock the first hinge component relative to the second hinge component in a first hinge position.