A ladder rack having a pair of side rails each having first and second ends, the pair of side rails connected by at least two cross bars. A pair of mounting brackets are connected to two of the cross bars, to attach the ladder rack to a roof rack, and a pair of ladder attachment devices are attached to two cross bars for attaching one or more ladders to the ladder rack.

A ladder latching device for a rear deploy, tilting type ladder lack that automatically extends and retracts a latch pin as ladders are loaded onto and removed from the roof of a work vehicle. The latching device has an L-shaped lever with a spring biased first leg supporting a latch pin and a second leg with a roller for cooperating with a rail of the rack's stationary bed. The latch pin is made to extend through apertures in a stop post and over a rung of the ladder to trap it only when the roller remains in contact with the stationary rail. During tilting of the load support member, the latch pin retracts.

Disclosed herein is a magnetic ladder bracket adapted to be releasably attached to any surface having ferromagnetic properties, such as steel, iron etc. The magnetic ladder bracket comprises a base coupled to a plurality of magnets one a first side of the base and two or more brackets on a second side of the base. The plurality of magnets provide a jet blast resistant securement of the magnetic ladder bracket to the ferromagnetic surface on a tug or other vehicle. The ladder is secured to the brackets by placing a rail of the ladder in the brackets and securing the ladder using a securing mechanism, such as a pin placed across the bracket. The magnetic ladder bracket further includes one or more handles for removing the bracket from the ferromagnetic surface.

Disclosed herein is a magnetic ladder bracket adapted to be releasably attached to any surface having ferromagnetic properties, such as steel, iron etc. The magnetic ladder bracket comprises a base coupled to a plurality of magnets one a first side of the base and two or more brackets on a second side of the base. The plurality of magnets provide a jet blast resistant securement of the magnetic ladder bracket to the ferromagnetic surface on a tug or other vehicle. The ladder is secured to the brackets by placing a rail of the ladder in the brackets and securing the ladder using a securing mechanism, such as a pin placed across the bracket. The magnetic ladder bracket further includes one or more handles for removing the bracket from the ferromagnetic surface.

A ladder rack assembly for use on a motor vehicle. The ladder rack assembly has a sliding member that is linearly slidable relative to a base member and a ladder mounting member that is axially and radially movable relative to the base member. A first end portion of one or more first drive members are drivingly connected to at least a portion of one or more first shafts and a second end portion is pivotably connected to a first end portion of a first side portion of the ladder mounting member. One or more first linkage members drivingly connect the one or more first drive members to the sliding member. A first end portion of the one or more first linkage members are pivotably connected top the one or more first drive members and a second end portion are pivotably connected to a first end portion of the sliding member.

One embodiment of a ladder rack system and method of use are described. The system may have a ladder rack frame with an inner rail and an outer rail. The system may also have a ladder rack bed that is selectively moveable with respect to the ladder rack frame. The ladder rack bed may have an inner beam and an outer beam. The system may also have a driveshaft and at least one driveline arm that are connected together. The driveline arm is also connected to the ladder rack bed.

A ladder latching device for a tilting ladder rack includes an inner extrusion for clamping to the load supporting member of the ladder rack. An outer extrusion is slidably mounted on the inner extrusion. The outer extrusion carries a treadle and ladder rung engaging stop. Between the two extrusions are a toothed rack and a gas spring. The outer extrusion carries a pivotable, spring-biased lever having a tooth for selectively engaging the toothed rack for releasably locking the stop at a desired location relative to a rung of a ladder being unloaded as the outer extrusion is made to slide by applying foot pressure on the treadle. Thus, a ladder may be lowered along the load supporting member until the ladder's feet engage the ground as the stop disengages from its place on a ladder rung.

A ladder rack assembly for a work vehicle has a stationary bed for attachment to the roof thereof. A pair of parallel, spaced apart rails has guides thereon that extend from the rails' first ends toward, but short their second ends. Rollers on side edges of a load support member ride on the bed rails. When the rollers are constrained by the guides, only translation of the load support member takes place. Upon exit of the rollers from the rear ends of the guides, both translation and rotation of the load support member can occur. A control arm is pivotally joined at one end to the stationary bed. Its free end has cam actuated latch pin assemblies attached to it that co-act with cams on the stationary bed during rearward displacement of the load support member to latch the load support member to the control arm whereby further rearward movement of the load support member causes it to tilt to a somewhat vertical position.

Transport of ladders and other pieces of equipment, such as those used by fire fighters, is added by a motor-powered rack comprising a ramp assembly that moves between a loading position adjacent to and at an angle of between 20 and 70 degrees to the ground and a stowed position above a vehicle used for transport and generally parallel to the ground.

A rooftop cargo carrier having a rack that can be mounted on the roof of an automotive vehicle and on which a linear rail is disposed, along which linear rail a support structure for an object to be transported can be moved between a transport position, in which the support structure is disposed above the linear rail, and an intermediate position, in which the support structure is disposed on the side as an extension of the linear rail. The configuration comprising the linear rail and the support structure can be pivoted between the intermediate position and a loading position, in which the linear rail and the support structure are disposed at a blunt angle relative to the rack. The rooftop cargo carrier also includes a retainer that allows joint pivoting movement of the linear rail and the support structure relative to the rack only after the intermediate position has been reached.