Rope ladder

Claim 2

A rope ladder, including in combination: (a) a series of ladder steps, each with an upper surface and a lower surface, two longitudinal edges and two end edges, each step having two spaced-apart pairs of vertical through openings, one pair spaced in from each said transverse edge, the openings in each pair being spaced apart from each other, (b) two spaced-apart pairs of ropes, each rope passing through one said through opening of each said step, (c) two pairs of wedge collars for each said step, one pair at each end of said step with an upper said wedge collar above its step and a lower said wedge collar below its step, each said wedge collar having a step-engaging end and a distal end and a single elongated through opening through which one pair of ropes pass and which at said step-engaging end is at least as wide as the overall distance between and including said step's through openings, said elongated through opening of at least said lower wedge collar curving inwardly from said step-engaging end to a narrower portion of said elongated opening at the distal end that is barely wide enough for the two ropes to pass therethrough, said pair of wedge collars having an elongated pair of vertical bolt passages through them, (d) a wedge heart in between said ropes of each pair of ropes and in each said elongated through opening of said lower wedge collar, said wedge heart having an upper surface in engagement with said lower surface of said step and tapering downwardly to an apex at its lower end and providing two rope-engaging side surfaces ending at said apex, which at said upper surface are spaced apart a distance identical to the distance between said step's through openings, so that these rope-engaging surfaces, when said wedge heart is fully wedged to place, lock their pair of ropes in place and prevent relative movement between them and said lower wedge collar and wedge heart, and (e) a pair of bolts, each with a nut, for each pair of wedge collars, to wedge said wedge heart and lock said ropes in fixed position relative to said wedge heart and said pair of wedge collars and therefore to the step between the wedge collars.

Claim 3

The rope ladder of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower wedge collars are identical.

Claim 4

The rope ladder of claim 1 wherein said wedge heart and wedge collars are made from lightweight metal.

Claim 5

The rope ladder of claim 1 wherein each said wedge collar is made in two pieces, enabling insertion directly on any said step after the ladder is already completed, said two pieces thereupon being secured together.

Claim 6

The rope ladder of claim 4 wherein said two pieces of each said wedge collar are identical to each other.

Claim 7

The rope ladder of claim 4 wherein said wedge collar has a through opening extending through it from side to side and is thereby enabled to be bolted to a said wedge collar.

Claim 8

A rope ladder, including in combination: (a) a series of generally rectangular flat steps, each with an upper surface and a lower surface, two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges, each step having two spaced-apart pairs of vertical through openings, one pair spaced in from each said transverse edge, the openings in each pair being spaced apart from each other and aligned parallel to its adjacent transverse edge, (b) two spaced-apart pairs of ropes, each rope passing through and substantially filling one said through opening of each said step, (c) two pairs of wedge collars for each said step, one pair at each end of said step with an upper said wedge collar above its step and resting against its upper surface and a lower said wedge collar below its step and in engagement with its lower surface, each said wedge collar having a step-engaging end and a distal end and a single elongated through opening through which one pair of ropes pass and which at said step-engaging end is at least as wide as the overall distance between and including said step's through openings, said elongated through opening of at least said lower wedge collar curving inwardly from said step-engaging end to a narrower portion of said elongated opening at the distal end that is barely wide enough for the two ropes which pass therethrough when side-by-side, said pair of wedge collars having an elongated pair of vertical bolt passages through them, (d) a wedge heart in between said ropes of each pair of ropes and in each said elongated through opening of said lower wedge collar, said wedge heart having an upper surface in engagement with said lower surface of said step and tapering downwardly to an apex at its lower end and providing two rounded rope-engaging side surfaces ending at said apex, which at said upper surface are spaced apart a distance identical to the distance between said step's through openings, so that these rope-engaging surfaces, when said wedge heart is fully wedged to place, lock their pair of ropes in place and prevent relative movement between them and said lower wedge collar and wedge heart, and (e) a pair of bolts, each with a nut, for each pair of wedge collars, tightened so as to cause said wedge heart and both wedge collars of each pair to bear against said step, thereby wedging said wedge heart to lock said ropes in fixed position relative to each pair of wedge collars and therefore to the step between the wedge collars.

Claim 9

A rope ladder, including in combination: (a) a series of generally rectangular flat steps, each with an upper surface and a lower surface, two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges, each step having two spaced-apart pairs of vertical through openings, one pair spaced in from each said transverse edge, the openings in each pair being spaced apart from each other and aligned parallel to its adjacent transverse edge, (b) two spaced-apart pairs of ropes, each rope passing through and substantially filling one said through opening of each said step, (c) two pairs of wedge collars for each said step, one pair at each end of said step with an upper said wedge collar above its step and resting against its upper surface and a lower said wedge collar below its step and in engagement with its lower surface, each said wedge collar having a step-engaging end and a distal end and a single elongated through opening through which one pair of ropes pass and which at said step-engaging end is at least as wide as the overall distance between and including said step's through openings, said elongated through opening of at least said lower wedge collar curving inwardly from said step-engaging end to a narrower portion of said elongated opening at the distal end that is barely wide enough for the two ropes which pass therethrough when side-by-side, said pair of wedge collars having an elongated pair of vertical bolt passages through them, (d) a wedge heart in between said ropes of each pair of ropes and in each said elongated through opening of said lower wedge collar, said wedge heart having an upper surface in engagement with said lower surface of said step and tapering downwardly to an apex at its lower end and providing two rounded rope-engaging side surfaces ending at said apex, which at said upper surface are spaced apart a distance identical to the distance between said step's through openings, so that these rope-engaging surfaces, when said wedge heart is fully wedged to place, lock their pair of ropes in place and prevent relative movement between them and said lower wedge collar and wedge heart, and (e) a pair of bolts, each with a nut, for each pair of wedge collars, tightened so as to cause said wedge heart and both wedge collars of each pair to bear against said step, thereby wedging said wedge heart to lock said ropes in fixed position relative to each pair of wedge collars and therefore to the step between the wedge collars.

Claim 10

The rope ladder of claim 7 wherein said upper and lower wedge collars are identical.

Claim 11

The rope ladder of claim 8 wherein said wedge collars and wedge heart are of lightweight metal.

Claim 12

The rope ladder of claim 7 wherein each said wedge collar is made in two pieces that are bolted together, so that it can be assembled in said ladder directly in position without having to be threaded around the ropes from one end thereof.

Claim 13

The rope ladder of claim 10 wherein the two pieces of each said wedge collar are identical to each other, with one vertical bolt passage in each.

Claim 14

The rope ladder of claim 10 wherein said wedge collar is bolted to said two wedge collar pieces of each said lower wedge collar by a transversely extending bolt extending through said wedge heart.