FIELD

At least one example in accordance with the present invention relates generally to an accessory for ladders, and specifically to an apron for straight ladders or extension ladders.

BACKGROUND

In the construction industry, ladders are used to access elevated areas of structures, including roofs. When accessing a roof, a straight ladder is often used. A straight ladder includes two parallel rails connected by steps or rungs. A particular type of straight ladder is an extension ladder, which does not support itself, unlike an A frame ladder, such as a step ladder. During a roofing construction project, an extension ladder is leaned against an edge of a roof so that a worker can access the roof as well as carry tools and equipment to the roof.

A worker often wears a tool belt around his waist while traversing up and down the ladder to access the roof. Keeping tools and equipment on hand has a benefit of convenient access for the worker, but includes a drawback of being encumbered by additional weight and making it difficult for the worker to operate in certain positions. When ascending and descending a ladder while wearing a tool belt, particularly when loaded with tools and building materials, such as hammers, nails, and screws, the tool belt or attached tools can become snagged on the ladder, leading to possible injury of the worker.

In other situations, a worker may leave his tool belt on the roof in order to unencumber himself. Removing the tool belt is beneficial to the worker because it gives him more flexibility to handle building materials and only use the equipment he needs at the moment, such as a hammer and a handful of nails. However, the separated tool belt poses a risk of falling off the roof and injuring a person below.

What is needed is an accessory that combines the benefit of convenient access to tools and building materials with the benefit of unencumbering the worker without the drawbacks associated with previous approaches.

SUMMARY

Aspects and embodiments are directed to an apron for use with a ladder including a straight ladder and an extension ladder. In one embodiment, the apron comprises a first sleeve configured to fit over an end of a first rail of the ladder, a second sleeve configured to fit over an end of a second rail of the ladder, and a panel of material secured to the first sleeve and to the second sleeve, the panel including at least one pocket attached to a front side of the panel.

In one embodiment, each of the first sleeve and the second sleeve is enclosed on a top end thereof and is open on a bottom end thereof, the arrangement being such that the first sleeve and the second sleeve slide over the end of the first rail and the end of the second rail, respectively. The first sleeve is configured to slide over an end cap of the first rail and the second sleeve is configured to slide over an end cap of the second rail.

In another embodiment, the at least one pocket includes a flap configured to close an open edge of the at least one pocket.

In one embodiment, the apron further comprises at least one button or at least one magnet attached to the at least one pocket, the flap, or the front side of the panel.

In another embodiment, the apron further comprises at least one first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener material attached to the at least one pocket or the front side of the panel, and at least one second portion of a hook-and-loop fastener material attached to the flap.

In one embodiment, the apron further comprises a first portion of at least one metal snap fastener attached to the at least one pocket or the front side of the panel, and a second portion of the at least one metal snap fastener attached to the flap.

In another embodiment, the apron further comprises at least one button, metal snap fastener, magnet, or hook-and-loop faster configured to open and close the at least one pocket.

In one embodiment, the apron further comprises at least two pockets attached to the front side of the panel.

In another embodiment, at least one of the first sleeve and the second sleeve includes a loop configured to hold a tool.

In one embodiment, each of the first sleeve and the second sleeve includes a loop configured to hold a tool.

In another embodiment, the apron further comprises at least one safety strap secured to the panel, the at least one safety strap being configured to secure the apron to the ladder.

In one embodiment, the safety strap includes a first portion secured to one side of the panel and a second portion secured to an opposite side of the panel, a detachable buckle having a first buckle portion attached to the first portion of the strap and a second buckle portion attached to the second portion of the strap.

In another embodiment, the safety strap is affixed horizontally to the apron, such that the strap runs approximately parallel to rungs of the ladder and wraps around both the first rail and the second rail of the ladder.

In one embodiment, the safety strap includes a first portion secured to one side of the panel and a second portion secured to an opposite side of the panel, a first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener material attached to the first portion of the safety strap and a second portion of a hook-and-loop fastener material attached to the second portion of the safety strap.

In another embodiment, the apron is made of a material including one or more of: canvas, cotton, burlap, polyester, denim, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), leather, and nylon.

In one embodiment, the panel is stitched along one edge thereof to the first sleeve and along an opposite edge thereof to the second sleeve.

