Ladder stabilizer assembly

Claim 1

A ladder stabilizer assembly for stabilizing a ladder, the ladder having at least one side frame disposed in a vertical side frame plane, the side frame having an upper side frame end and a lower side frame end, the stabilizer assembly comprising: (a) a stabilizer pole having an upper end and a lower end and comprising: (i) a cylindrical, hollow outer pole member having an internal surface and an internal diameter; and (ii) a cylindrical inner pole member having a first end, a second end, and an external diameter: the external diameter of the inner pole member being substantially the same as the internal diameter of the outer pole member, the first end of the inner pole member being longitudinally slidable within the outer pole member; (b) cam means for alternatively locking and unlocking the first end of the inner pole member within the outer pole member, comprising: (i) a first flexible cylindrical plug having a first end, a second end disposed opposite the first end, a diameter, a first plug longitudinal axis, and a radial surface parallel to the first plug longitudinal axis; the diameter of the first plug being substantially the same as the external diameter of the first end of the inner pole member; and the second end of the first plug being attached to the first end of the inner pole member such that the longitudinal axis of the inner pole member is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the first plug; (ii) a second flexible cylindrical plug having a first end, a second end disposed opposite the first end, a diameter, a longitudinal axis, and a radial external surface parallel to the second plug longitudinal axis; the diameter of the second plug being substantially the same as the diameter of the first plug; and (iii) plug attachment means for attaching the first plug to the second plug so that the radial surface of the first plug is parallel to the radial surface of the second plug and so that the first end of the first plug and the first end of the second plug are alternatively rotatable about a common axis between an unlocked position, wherein the first plug longitudinal axis is coincident with the second plug longitudinal axis, and a locked position, wherein the first plug longitudinal axis is not coincident with the second plug longitudinal axis and wherein the radial external surface of the second plug impinges upon the inner surface of the outer pole member; and (c) attachment means for attaching the upper end of the stabilizer pole to the upper end of the ladder side frame, comprising: (i) hinge means for pivoting the lower end of the stabilizer pole away from the plane of the ladder side frame to an angle of at least about 30°; and (ii) swivel means for pivoting the lower end of the stabilizer pole away from either side of a vertical plane running through the upper end of the ladder side frame and disposed perpendicular to the plane of the ladder side frame to angles of at least about ±45°.