BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to horizontal hinged door assemblies such as roof scuttles and, in particular, to a safety railing which may easily be installed on new and existing roof scuttles by unskilled labor without compromising the integrity of the weather seal of the roof scuttle.
2. Description of Related Art
Horizontal hinged (covers) doors are commonly used for roof scuttles, automatic fire vents, ceiling access doors, basement doors and other access doors. The present invention will be directed for convenience to single door roof scuttles which are used to provide access to a roof but it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that the invention is applicable to other horizontal hinged doors such as double leaf roof scuttles for which a safety railing around the door is desired.
Roof scuttles are ruggedly built for long, dependable service and generally comprise a rectangular frame extending above the roofline and which surrounds the opening to be covered. A door is hinged to the frame for motion of the door between an open and closed position The conventional roof scuttle has a vertical sheet metal inner wall with an outwardly extending 90° horizontal anchoring flange at the bottom of the wall, which flange is nailed or otherwise secured to the roof deck through holes provided in the flange. Rigid fiberboard insulation extends around the inner wall and forms the outer wall of the frame. A capflashing is connected to the top of the inner wall usually by welding and extends downward over the top portion of the outer wall. Roofing materials are then used to waterproof the outer wall of the frame typically by rolling the roofing along the roof surface and then up the vertical outer walls (curb) of the frame and securing the roofing material to the curb. When the roofing material is secured a weather resistant installation is complete.
Securing the roofing material to the roof scuttle frame requires experienced and skilled labor to properly waterproof the scuttle. A number of patents have issued in this area relating to forming a waterproof seal between a waterproof roofing material and the scuttle frame surrounding a roof opening. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,596, a roofing device is shown for sealing the roofing material to a roof scuttle having a curb wherein the roofing material is wrapped over an elongated resilient filler piece which is snuggly inserted into a filler channel between the wall and a top flange of the capflashing of the scuttle. A conventional roof scuttle of the prior art is shown schematically herein in FIG. 1 wherein the inner wall 19 of the roof scuttle is bent 90° to form a base flange 23 which may be adhesively sealed and nailed or screwed in a conventional manner to the roof through openings 23a. The roof surface and outer wall curb 18a of the roof scuttle are covered with a roofing material which is then secured in place against the outer wall 18a. Another similar sealing system for a conventional roof scuttle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,300. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,008 a frame assembly is shown for surrounding an opening in a building surface and for securing a waterproof roofing material to the frame assembly. All the above patents are hereby incorporated by reference.
Use of a roof scuttle necessarily leaves an opening in the roof when the door of the roof scuttle is open as shown in FIG. 1.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is one object of the present invention to provide a roof scuttle for enclosing a roof opening which roof scuttle has a safety railing attached thereto which is easily installed by unskilled labor on any size new or existing roof scuttle without compromising the integrity of the weather seal of the roof scuttle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide methods for installing a safety railing on a new or existing roof scuttle without compromising the integrity of the weather seal, which methods are easily performed by unskilled labor.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects, which will be apparent to those skilled in art, are achieved in the present invention which relates in one aspect to a roof scuttle and safety railing system for enclosing a roof opening comprising:
- a rectangular roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof, the vertical curb having front, rear and opposed sides, a door hinged to the scuttle for moving to an open or closed position and a capflashing on the top of the curb which has a horizontal member extending outward from the curb and at least one vertical member extending downward toward the roof surface with a space between the outside wall of the curb and the inside wall of the vertical member, the capflashing extending around the periphery of the curb;
- two pairs of brackets secured to the vertical member of the capflashing with each bracket proximate each corner of the scuttle, each pair of brackets having at least one bracket which is pivotable laterally about a vertical axis and preferably having a vertically disposed pivot pin plug spaced away from the vertical member and one or more arms pivotally mounted thereto, each arm having at least one vertically spaced opening for holding and securing a vertical member of a safety railing and the other bracket of each pair also being pivotable or fixed extending outward from the vertical member and having at least one vertically spaced opening therein for holding and securing the other vertical member of the safety railing;
- one or more safety railings, each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a bracket opening; and
- optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.
Another aspect of the invention is a roof scuttle and a safety railing system for enclosing a roof opening comprising:
- a roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof having front, rear and opposed sides and a door hinged to the scuttle for moving the door to an open or closed position;
- opposed elongated brackets, preferably channel shaped, running either along the front and rear sides or the opposed sides and having their distal ends extending outward from each edge of the curb, each end of the brackets having at least one vertically spaced through opening to hold and secure a vertical member of a safety railing and one or more horizontal through openings away from the edge of the curb; and
- one or more elongated tie rods running along each side of the curb not having a bracket, the ends of each rod passing through the horizontal through openings and being fastened to the brackets holding the brackets firmly against the vertical curb; and
- one or more safety railings each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a bracket vertical opening; and
- optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.
In another aspect of the invention a roof scuttle and safety railing system for enclosing a roof opening is provided comprising:
- a roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof having front, rear and opposed sides and a door hinged to the scuttle for moving the door to an open or closed position;
- opposed elongated brackets, preferably channel shaped, running either along the front and rear curb or the opposed sides and having their distal ends extending outward from the edge of the curb each edge of the bracket having at least one vertically spaced through opening to hold and secure a vertical member of a safety railing and one or more horizontal through openings away from the edge of the curb; and
- a flexible strap or cable running around the periphery of the curb and passing through the horizontal openings in the brackets, which strap or cable is fastened to hold the brackets firmly against the side of the curb; and
- one or more safety railings each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a bracket vertical opening; and
- optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.
In another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for installing a safety railing on a new or existing roof scuttle used to cover a roof opening comprising the steps of:
- providing a roof scuttle surrounding a roof opening, which scuttle has a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of the opening in the roof, the vertical curb having front, rear and opposed sides and the scuttle is weather proofed and installed on the roof, the roof scuttle having a capflashing on the top of the curb having a horizontal member extending outward form the curb and at least one vertical member extending downward toward the roof surface with a space between the outside wall of the curb and the inside wall of the vertical member, the capflashing extending around the periphery of the curb;
- securing two pairs of brackets to the vertical member of the capflashing with each bracket proximate each corner of the scuttle, each pair of brackets having at least one bracket which is pivotable laterally about a vertical axis and preferably having a vertically disposed pivot pin plug away from the vertical member and one or more arms pivotally mounted thereto, each arm having at least one vertically spaced opening for holding and securing a vertical member of a safety railing and the other bracket of each pair also being pivotable or fixed extending outward from the vertical member and having at least one vertically spaced opening therein for holding and securing the other vertical member of the safety railing;
- providing one or more safety railings each railing comprising two spaced apart vertical members and connecting cross members;
- inserting the vertical members of each safety railing into the vertical bracket openings on the opposed sides of the scuttle; and
- optionally providing a gate hingedly connected to at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the vertical members of the safety railing for movement to and away from the roof opening;
- securing each vertical member in each vertical bracket opening.
In a further aspect of the invention a method is provided for installing a safety railing on a new or existing roof scuttle used to cover a roof opening comprising the steps of:
- providing a roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof having front, rear and opposed sides and a door hinged to the scuttle for moving the door to an open or closed position;
- positioning opposed elongated brackets, preferably channel shaped, running either along the front and rear sides of the curb or the opposed sides of the curb, which brackets have their distal ends extending outward from the edge of the curb, each end of the brackets having at least one vertically spaced opening to hold and secure a vertical member of a safety railing and having one or more horizontal through openings away from the edge of the curb; and
- securing one or more tie rods running along the sides of the curb not having the brackets, the ends of each rod passing through the horizontal openings and fastened to the brackets holding the brackets firmly against the vertical curb;
- one or more safety railings each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a vertical bracket opening; and
- optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.
In another aspect of the invention a method is provided for installing a safety railing on a new or existing roof scuttle comprising the steps of:
- providing a roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof having front, rear and opposed sides and a door hinged to the scuttle for moving the door to an open or closed position;
- positioning opposed elongated brackets, preferably channel shaped, running either along the front and rear sides of the curb or the opposed sides of the curb, which brackets have their distal ends extending outward from the edge of the curb, each end of the brackets having at least one vertically spaced openings to hold and secure a vertical member of a safety railing and having one or more horizontal through openings away from the edge of the curb; and
- running a flexible strap or cable around the periphery of the curb through each of the horizontal bracket openings and then fastening the strap or cable together to hold the brackets firmly against the sides of the curb;
- one or more safety railings each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a bracket opening; and
- optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features of the invention believed to be novel and the elements characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The figures are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed description which follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roof scuttle of the prior art.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a roof scuttle and safety railing system of one aspect of the invention using pivotal brackets.
FIG. 3 is a schematic elevational view of a curb and a door of a roof scuttle having a vertically pivotal bracket secured to the capflashing of the roof scuttle.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a roof scuttle and safety railing system of another aspect of the invention using a flexible strap to secure safety railing mounting brackets to the scuttle curb.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a roof scuttle and safety railing system of another aspect of the invention using tie rods to secure safety railing mounting brackets to the scuttle curb.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a safety railing mounting bracket used in the invention as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
FIG. 7A is a perspective view of part of a pivotal bracket used in the invention.
FIG. 7B is a plan view of the bracket of FIG. 7A.
FIG. 7C is a perspective view of a flange member used in conjunction with the bracket of FIG. 7A.
FIG. 7D is a perspective view of the assembled bracket using the components of FIGS. 7A and 7C.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fixed bracket which can be used in the invention.
FIG. 9 is a schematic elevational view of a clamp used to secure a pivotable bracket to the capflashing.
FIG. 10A is a plan view of a capflashing showing brackets on the capflashing used to secure a pivotable bracket to the capflashing.
FIG. 10B is an elevational view of a pivotable bracket of the invention for use with the capflashing of FIG. 10A.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a capflashing containing brackets to hold and secure a pivotable bracket of the invention to the capflashing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made herein to FIGS. 1-8 of the drawings in which like numerals refer to like features of the invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, a roof scuttle of the prior art without a safety railing is shown generally as 10. The scuttle has a cover or door 11 which is hinged by hinge 13 to the roof scuttle frame shown generally as 12. The roof scuttle frame 12 comprises a vertical outer wall 18a, and a vertical inner wall 19. The frame has a top capflashing shown generally as 16 having a top horizontal curb 17. The scuttle also has a spring lift mechanism 14 rotably held by a bracket 14a to the inner frame wall 19 and by bracket 14b to the door 11 to facilitate opening and closing of the roof door. A rotatable support strut shown as 15 engages L-slot 27 during opening and closing of the door and maintains the roof door of the scuttle in an open position until it is desired to close the roof scuttle door. A door handle is shown as 28. Also shown is a lock 24 and gasket 25 which travels around the door and sits on top curb 17 to seal the door when closed.
The capflashing 16 is an integral structure comprising a horizontal top curb 17 having an inner lip 17a (not shown), vertical upper outer wall 18, an angular flange 20 which is connected to a vertical flange 21 and which ends in a downwardly outwardly extending drip edge flange 22. The roof scuttle has an outside curb 18a ending at nailing flange 23 (with nail openings 23a) which nailing flange is formed by bending the inner wall 19 90° at the lower end. The curb 18a is typically rigid fiberboard insulation and the inner wall 19 sheet metal generally about ⅛ inch thick. The lip 17a of the capflashing is typically welded to the inner frame wall 19 to secure the capflashing to the door assembly. The capflashing is made from sheet metal and is generally about ⅛ inch thick.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the roof scuttle of FIG. 1 is shown having a safety railing system of the invention. Pivotable brackets 37 are shown at the corners of the roof scuttle and comprise transverse arms 41a and 41b which are attached to vertical member 21 of the capflashing by appropriate fasteners such as bolts. The bracket 37 has a pivot plug 43 disposed vertically. Two swivel brackets 45a and 45b are pivotally attached to the plug 43 and have openings in which the vertical members of the safety railing are inserted and secured. It can be seen that left railing vertical members 34a and 34b are inserted into their respective bracket openings and right railing vertical members 29a and 29b are inserted into their respective bracket openings. The right safety railing has cross members 30a and 30b and a central support 31. The left safety railing has cross members 35a and 35b and a central support 36. A gate 48 is shown hingedly connected to left safety railing vertical member 34a. The gate comprises a vertical member 49 which is hingedly connected to vertical member 34a by hinges 69a and 69b. As shown in FIG. 2, a torsion bar 59 is used to form a self-closing force for the gate. When the gate is swung outward from the roof scuttle opening, the torsion bar is rotated (twisted) creating a force which will return the gate to its original position after the opening force is released. The gate 48 comprises cross members 50a and 50b and connected vertical member 51.
Any self-closing hinge may be used for the gate of the roof scuttle of the invention. A helix hinge can be used whereby the offset hinge mechanism elevates the center of gravity of the gate during opening and likewise provides for the automatic return of the gate to the closed position.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the roof scuttle comprises an inner wall 19 with an upper inward lip 19a. Inner wall 19 has a 90° bend at the lower end thereof to form an anchoring flange 23. The upper portion of the roof scuttle has a capflashing 16 comprising horizontal curb 17 and downward lip 17a, an upper vertical outer wall 18, angled flange wall 20, vertical wall 21 and drip edge flange 22. A curb 18a completes the frame. A hinge 13 connects the frame to the door 11 and a spring lift mechanism 14 is shown rotably connected to inner wall 19a by bracket 14a. The roof scuttle is shown installed on a roof wherein the anchoring flange 23 is secured to roof 26. Three sheets of roofing material shown in composite as 32 are laid on the roof and the outer wall 18a of the frame to seal the frame. Ballast 33 is shown as part of the roofing material. An elongated filler piece (not shown) may be used to hold the roofing material as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,596, supra. It should be appreciated that the installation of this type roof scuttle requires a skilled worker to properly apply the roofing material to waterproof the scuttle.
Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 6, a roof scuttle safety railing system is shown generally as 90. An elongated bracket 60a and an opposing elongated bracket 60b are positioned at the front and rear sides of the curb. The brackets have a channel shape and have an elongated body portion 61 which is slightly longer than the side of the curb and transverse arm portions 62a and 62b. The base has one or more horizontal openings 63 to accommodate connecting tie rods and horizontal openings 64 for straps to be passed through. The arms 62a and 62b have vertical spaced openings 65a and 65b to hold and secure the vertical members of the safety railing.
Right safety railing vertical members 29a and 29b and left safety rail vertical members 34a and 34b are positioned in their respective bracket openings 65a and 65b. The right safety railing has cross members 30a and 30b and a central vertical support 31. The left safety railing has cross members 35a and 35b and central support 36. The gate 48 of FIG. 2 is not shown for clarity but would be connected to the railing as described above. A strap 80 is passed through the horizontal openings 64 in the elongated brackets 60a and 60b and extends around the periphery of the roof scuttle curb. The strap is tightened and locked and holds the two elongated brackets 60a and 60b against the front and rear sides of the roof scuttle and secures the vertical members of the railing system.
Referring now to FIG. 5, a roof scuttle railing system (shown generally as 100) similar to that in FIG. 4 is shown except that tie rods 70 are used to hold the front and rear elongated brackets 60a and 60b firmly against the side of the curb. The ends of the tie rod are preferably threaded and a nut 73 is used to secure the tie rod to the bracket. As in FIG. 4, the gate is not shown for clarity.
Referring now to FIG. 6, the elongated bracket 60 is shown in detail. The bracket is a channel shape and has an elongated flat base 61 and transverse arms 62a and 62b. The base 61 has horizontal tie rod openings 63 at each end thereof and one or more horizontal strap hole openings (shown as slots) 64 proximate the tie rods openings. The elongated bracket also has vertically axially spaced through openings in the arms 62a and 62b shown as 65a and 65b. As noted above the vertical support members of the safety railing are inserted into openings 65a and 65b to secure the railing to the brackets. All the openings in the bracket are away from the edge of the curb so that the tie rods and straps can pass through and the vertical members of the safety railing have clearance for opening and closing the door. A stop 74 is disposed under opening 65b to support the vertical railing member.
Referring now to FIG. 7A, one part of a preferred pivotal bracket used in the invention is shown generally as 37. The bracket comprises transverse arms 41a and 41b which are bent angularly outward (42a and 42b) to accommodate a pivot pin plug 43 which is welded or otherwise secured at the ends of 42a and 42b. A through opening 43a is provided in the plug 43 to accommodate a pivot pin. Openings 75 are provided for receiving the bracket to the capflashing. A plan view of the bracket is shown in FIG. 7B.
A swivel bracket member shown in FIG. 7C generally as 44 comprises a flat oval shaped bracket body 45 having a through opening 47a therein to accommodate a vertical safety rail member. The bracket body 45 also has an opening 91 and has a through opening 46 to accommodate a pivot pin. A set screw 81 is used to secure the safety railing member in the opening.
In use, as shown in FIG. 7D, the opening 46 in the swivel bracket member 44 is mated with the opening 43a of the bracket. A pivot pin 76 would then be inserted through both openings so that the swivel portion 44 can swing laterally about a vertical axis as shown by the arrows. This lateral movement allows for the use of different length safety railings and/or the ease of installing the safety railing since dimensional variations of the curb can be accommodated by swiveling the bracket. Two swivel bracket members 45a and 45b are preferably used to provide additional stability to the railing vertical members. A locking screw 81 is also preferably used to secure the railing in the opening. When the railing is inserted and secured in the bracket openings the swivel bracket members 45a and 45b are secured by tightening the pivot pin.
Referring now to FIG. 8, another bracket that may be used in the invention is a fixed bracket shown generally as 38. The bracket has transverse arms 53a and 53b, an outward extending shoulder 54 having an elongated vertically spaced member 54a connected to bracket railing holding members 55a and 55b which have axially aligned openings 56a and 56b therein to accommodate the vertical member of the safety railing. Openings 75 are provided to secure the bracket to the capflashing. A set screw 81 is used to secure the railing in the opening.
Referring to FIG. 9, a schematic elevational view of a capflashing connected to inner wall 19 is shown. The capflashing has a horizontal curb 17 and downward lip 17a, an upper vertical outer wall 18, angled flange wall 20, vertical wall 21 and drip edge flashing 22. Referring to FIG. 7D a swivel bracket member 37 may be secured to vertical member 21 of the capflashing by a clamp 101 which extends from the surface of arm 41b of the swivel bracket to the inner wall of vertical wall 21 and is secured to wall 21 by a thumb screw 102. The thumb screw 102 may also be at the other end of clamp 101. This provides a method for securing the swivel bracket to the capflashing without any penetration of the roof scuttle structure.
Referring now to FIGS. 10A and 10B, a plan view of a capflashing which has been modified by welding or otherwise securing flanges to the capflashing is shown. Thus, in FIG. 10A, flanges 103a, 103b and 103c are welded to vertical member 21 and have respective openings 106a, 106b and 106c. The swivel bracket of FIG. 7D is shown modified by having legs 104a, 104b and 104c extending downward from the lower surface of arm 41b. Legs 104a, 104b, and 104c are shown having outward nubs 107 and openings 108 which when the legs are inserted into their respective openings 106a, 106b and 106c, will snap into the openings and be held securely in the openings, thus securing the swivel bracket to the capflashing.
Referring now to FIG. 11, a perspective view is shown of a capflashing which has been modified by securing flanges 105a and 105b to vertical member 21 of the capflashing by welding or other means. Flange 105a comprises a body portion 110 and an extending leg 111 at its base and is open at its upper end. Flange 105b comprises body portion 112 and extending leg 113 and is open at its lower end. The swivel bracket of FIG. 7A is shown secured in flange members 105a and 105b and is secured to vertical member 21 of the capflashing. Thus, arms 41a and 41b of the swivel brackets extend through the openings in the flanges 105a and 105b and are held securely to the vertical member 21 of the capflashing. This likewise avoids penetration of the roof scuttle structure.
While the present invention has been particularly described, in conjunction with a specific preferred embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will embrace any such alternatives, modifications and variations as falling within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.
Patent Grant
6931793
