A railroad freight car may have external fittings, such as trackside-accessible ladder fittings that permit personnel to climb onto the decks and walkways of the car. Several embodiments of movable ladder assemblies are described that provide an extended or deployed or raised position of a handhold, and a retracted or lowered, or stored position. In other embodiments, the assembly is provided with a compliant member that allows the handhold resiliently to flex when encountered by solid objects such as shipping containers.

A railroad freight car may have external fittings, such as trackside-accessible ladder fittings that permit personnel to climb onto the decks and walkways of the car. Several embodiments of movable ladder assemblies are described that provide an extended or deployed or raised position of a handhold, and a retracted or lowered, or stored position. In other embodiments, the assembly is provided with a compliant member that allows the handhold resiliently to flex when encountered by solid objects such as shipping containers.

A railroad freight car may have external fittings, such as trackside-accessible ladder fittings that permit personnel to climb onto the decks and walkways of the car. Several embodiments of movable ladder assemblies are described that provide an extended or deployed or raised position of a handhold, and a retracted or lowered, or stored position. In other embodiments, the assembly is provided with a compliant member that allows the handhold resiliently to flex when encountered by solid objects such as shipping containers.

A railroad freight car may have external fittings, such as trackside-accessible ladder fittings that permit personnel to climb onto the decks and walkways of the car. Several embodiments of movable ladder assemblies are described that provide an extended or deployed or raised position of a handhold, and a retracted or lowered, or stored position. In other embodiments, the assembly is provided with a compliant member that allows the handhold resiliently to flex when encountered by solid objects such as shipping containers.

An access system (10) for an earth moving equipment (100) to allow a person to travel from ground level to an elevated position, said access system (10) includes an access means (12) mountable on to the earth moving equipment (100), and a retraction mechanism (50) to move the access means (10) between a deployed position (14) wherein a person can ascend or descend on the access means and a retracted position (16) wherein the access means (10) is stowed, and a locking means (52) moveable to an operative position wherein the locking means (52) restrains movement of the access means (10) in the retracted position (16).

An access system (10) for an earth moving equipment (100) to allow a person to travel from ground level to an elevated position, said access system (10) includes an access means (12) mountable on to the earth moving equipment (100), and a retraction mechanism (50) to move the access means (10) between a deployed position (14) wherein a person can ascend or descend on the access means and a retracted position (16) wherein the access means (10) is stowed, and a locking means (52) moveable to an operative position wherein the locking means (52) restrains movement of the access means (10) in the retracted position (16).

An access ladder assembly for a machine includes a fixed section, a movable section, a biasing member, a locking member, and a release assembly. The fixed section includes a pair of guide members and a fixed step. The movable section is mounted on and is movable along the fixed section between extended and retracted positions. The movable section includes a pair of sidewalls, and at least one horizontal step and is biased towards the retracted position by the biasing member. The locking member locks the movable member at the extended position. The release assembly operates to release the locking member. A manually engagable actuator of the release assembly may be disposed adjacent the fixed step. The movable section may include rails that slide within a hollow portions of the guide members as the movable section moves between the extended and retracted positions.

An access ladder assembly for a machine includes a fixed section, a movable section, a biasing member, a locking member, and a release assembly. The fixed section includes a pair of guide members and a fixed step. The movable section is mounted on and is movable along the fixed section between extended and retracted positions. The movable section includes a pair of sidewalls, and at least one horizontal step and is biased towards the retracted position by the biasing member. The locking member locks the movable member at the extended position. The release assembly operates to release the locking member. A manually engagable actuator of the release assembly may be disposed adjacent the fixed step. The movable section may include rails that slide within a hollow portions of the guide members as the movable section moves between the extended and retracted positions.

A railroad freight car may have external fittings, such as trackside-accessible ladder fittings that permit personnel to climb onto the decks and walkways of the car. Several embodiments of movable ladder assemblies are described that provide an extended or deployed or raised position of a handhold, and a retracted or lowered, or stored position. In other embodiments, the assembly is provided with a compliant member that allows the handhold resiliently to flex when encountered by solid objects such as shipping containers.

A railroad freight car may have external fittings, such as trackside-accessible ladder fittings that permit personnel to climb onto the decks and walkways of the car. Several embodiments of movable ladder assemblies are described that provide an extended or deployed or raised position of a handhold, and a retracted or lowered, or stored position. In other embodiments, the assembly is provided with a compliant member that allows the handhold resiliently to flex when encountered by solid objects such as shipping containers.