Patent Application
20190234076
The present invention is generally directed toward devices for anchoring or securing people and/or objects to a roof, and more particularly to anchors, brackets or other devices that can be removably fixed to a standing seam of a roof panel.
Roofing brackets and anchors designed for positioning a platform and supporting a worker thereon are routinely utilized in the roofing industry. Typically, when a roof is inclined, it can be difficult for a worker to safely perform work while standing or maneuvering on the inclined plane of the roof. Regardless of the incline of a roof, workers and objects (e.g., tools, roofing materials, etc.) should be secured to the roof.
As is known in the art, roofing brackets are secured to a roof and a platform is positioned and retained in place. A plurality of roofing brackets provides a means for establishing a generally horizontal configuration onto which a plank is removably attached such that a generally horizontal plane is provided and a worker may be supported in that generally horizontal position. After a particular section of roofing has been installed, the roofing brackets are removed and repositioned to enable the worker to safely reach another section of the roof.
One significant problem with conventional roofing brackets and anchors, particularly when installing standing seam roof panels, for example a metal roof, is that roofing brackets can cause damage to roofing panels. For example, roofing brackets are typically fastened to roofing panels using set screws or nails compressed against the roof structure (e.g., against standing seams). The use of fasteners such as screws or nails to temporarily fasten a roofing bracket to the underlying roof structure, such as a metal roof panel seam, is detrimental to the roof structure. For example, if a fastener such as a set screw or nail is compressed against or otherwise contacts the surface of a standing seam, the fastener can remove the paint and/or galvanization layer on the seam at the area of contact, which can result in a roof that is less aesthetically pleasing and more prone to rust and corrosion.
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a roofing anchor configured to be removably secured to a seam of a roofing panel. The roofing anchor includes a first segment having a first flange configured to contact a first side of the seam upon closing the roofing anchor, and a second segment opposing the first segment, the second segment having a second flange opposite the first flange, the second flange configured to contact a second side of the seam upon closing the roofing anchor. The roofing anchor also includes a hinge mechanism formed by respective features on the first segment and the second segment, the hinge mechanism configured to open the roofing anchor to separate the first flange and the second flange by a distance greater than at least a top of the seam, the hinge mechanism configured to close the roofing anchor to bring the first flange and the second flange in contact with the seam. The roofing anchor further includes a securing mechanism configured to apply a compressive force on the seam via the first flange and the second flange.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method of removably securing an object or person to a roof by a roofing anchor, which includes opening the roofing anchor, the roofing anchor including a first segment having a first flange, a second segment opposing the first segment, the second segment having a second flange opposite the first flange, and a hinge mechanism formed by respective features on the first segment and the second segment, where opening the roofing anchor includes separating the first flange and the second flange by a distance greater than at least a top of a seam of a roofing panel on the roof. The method also includes disposing the roofing anchor over the seam, closing the roofing anchor via the hinge mechanism to bring the first flange into contact with a first side of the seam and to bring the second flange into contact with a second side of the seam, and securing the roofing anchor to the seam by engaging a securing mechanism to apply a compressive force on the seam via the first flange and the second flange.
A further embodiment of the present invention is directed to an anchoring system for a standing seam roof, which includes a first roofing anchor configured to be removably secured to a first seam of at least one roofing panel, the first roofing anchor including a first pair of opposing segments, the first roofing anchor secured to the first seam by closing the first roofing anchor to bring the first pair of opposing segments in contact with the first seam and maintaining a compressive force on the first seam via the first pair of opposing segments. The anchoring system also includes a second roofing anchor configured to be removably secured to the first seam or to a second seam of the at least one roofing panel, the second roofing anchor including a second pair of opposing segments, the second roofing anchor secured to the second seam by closing the second roofing anchor to bring the second pair of opposing segments in contact with the second seam and maintaining a compressive force on the second seam via the second pair of opposing segments. The anchoring system further includes an attachment configured to be attached to the first roofing anchor and the second roofing anchor, the attachment including an elongated body having a first end and a second end, a first bracket configured to be connected to the first end to attach the elongated body to the first roofing anchor, the first bracket having a first pivot structure configured to permit rotation of the elongated body about a first pivot point proximate to the first end, and a second bracket configured to be connected to the second end to attach the elongated body to the second roofing anchor, the second bracket having a second pivot structure configured to permit rotation of the elongated body about a second pivot point proximate to the second end.
Devices, systems and methods for anchoring or securing people and/or objects to a roof are provided. An embodiment of a roof securing device and/or system includes at least one anchoring assembly, which includes opposing segments connected by a hinge mechanism. The anchoring assembly is configured to be opened via the hinge mechanism to allow the anchoring assembly to be disposed on a raised seam or other feature of a roof (e.g., a metal roof), and tightened or closed to clamp the opposing segments. The opposing segments and the hinge mechanism allow the anchoring assembly to be fixedly secured to a roof seam without requiring set screws or other mechanisms that could potentially damage the roof seam.
In one embodiment, the opposing segments each include an upper portion that forms part of the hinge mechanism and a lower portion that forms opposing flanges, ridges or inwardly extending protrusions that engage a raised roof seam. In one embodiment, the opposing segments have an identical shape or have at least enough similarity to allow both segments to be formed by a single extrusion.
In one embodiment, the anchoring assembly can be opened and closed as a single unit, i.e., without having to remove any parts. For example, the segments each include one or more holes through which one or more bolts can be inserted. Nuts on the bolts can be partially loosened or unscrewed to allow a gap between the flanges to be widened in order to dispose the anchoring assembly on the roof seam, and can subsequently be tightened or screwed to narrow the gap between the flanges and hold the anchoring assembly in place by a compressive force on the roof seam. Each bolt has a length sufficient to allow the flanges to be separated by a selected distance (e.g., corresponding to a width at the top of the roof seam) without having to remove the bolt.
The anchoring assembly has features including the hinge mechanism that allow the anchoring assembly to be compatible with a wide variety of roof panel and/or seam types and sizes. For example, the hinge mechanism allows the opposing segments to be separated by a variety of distances to accommodate different seam widths. In addition, in one embodiment, the opposing segments define a cavity having a selected width so that the anchoring assembly can be fit over relatively wide parts of a seam. The hinge and the opposing segments are designed so that the anchoring assembly can be opened and installed onto a seam without having to remove bolts or other parts of the assembly, thereby allowing installation without resulting in any loose parts.
The anchoring assembly can be utilized as a safety tool and/or as part of a safety system that can be easily installed on a roof and effectively used as part of a safety feature or safety system for a roof. For example, the anchoring assembly can be connected to a cable or rope and connected to a worker so that, if the worker falls off the roof he or she does not hit the ground. In another example, a guardrail system can be used in conjunction with the use of a safety rope or in place of the safety rope.
The anchor 10 includes a first anchor segment 12 and a second anchor segment 14, which are operably connected via a hinge mechanism. In one embodiment, the hinge mechanism includes one or more cylindrical or semi-cylindrical features 16 at an upper portion of the first segment 12, and one or more cylindrical or semi-cylindrical features 18 at an upper portion of the second segment 14. The cylindrical or semi-cylindrical features 16 and 18 each have internal bores having a size selected to receive a cylindrical rod 20. The rod 20 acts as a pivot and defines a rotational axis (the hinge axis), about which the segments rotate to open the anchor 10. A set screw 21 or other fixing mechanism may be employed to hold the rod 20 in place. In one embodiment, the rod includes a notch into which the set screw 21 is inserted to prevent the rod 20 sliding out of the bores.
The segments 12 and 14 also define respective lower portions that are configured to engage a roof seam to clamp the anchor 10 in a fixed position relative to the seam. The lower portions define respective flanges, ridges or other protrusions that extend inwardly, i.e., at least partially perpendicular to the hinge axis and toward one another. For example, the first segment 12 includes a first inwardly extending flange 22 and the second segment 14 includes a second inwardly extending flange 24.
In an open position, as shown in
Another example of the flanges 22 and 24 is shown in
The segments 12 and 14 may be made from any suitable material, such as aluminum, stainless steel, plastic, etc. In one embodiment, the segments 12 and 14 are each made from a single material, e.g., extruded or otherwise formed (e.g., casted, printed) as a single rigid piece or part.
The anchor 10 also includes a securing mechanism configured to apply a force to clamp the anchor 10 and the flanges 22 and 24 against a roof seam. In one embodiment, the securing mechanism includes one or more elongated members, such as one or more bolts 30, each of which extends through a first hole 32 in the first segment 12 and a second hole 34 in the second segment 14. Although the elongated member is described in embodiments as a bolt, it is not so limited. Reference to a bolt is understood to mean any suitable rod, pin, screw, bolt or other elongated member.
Each bolt 30 is secured to the segments via a nut 36 and washers 38. The bolt 30 also has a threaded section onto which the nut 36 is screwed. Each nut 36 can be screwed to close the anchor 10 and/or apply a compressive force via the flanges 22 and 24 against the sides of the seam. Likewise, each nut 36 can be unscrewed to allow the anchor 10 to be opened. In this way, the distance between the flanges 22 and 24 can be regulated by screwing and unscrewing the nut 36.
In one embodiment, the length of the bolt 30 and the length of the threaded section are selected so that the anchor 10 can be open and closed without having to remove any parts. For example, the nut 36 can be rotated in a first direction to open the anchor and create a separation between the segments 12 and 14 that allows the anchor 10 to be lowered past the top or other relatively wide part of the seam. The nut 36 can then be rotated in an opposite direction to pull the segments 12 and 14 together and hold the anchor 10 in place against the seam via a compressive force generated by screwing the nuts. The actions of opening the anchor 10 and pulling the segments 12 and 14 together can, in this embodiment, be performed without having to remove any bolt 30 and any nut 36.
In one embodiment, the holes 32 and 34 are shaped to accommodate the diameter of each bolt 30 and allow some clearance so that rotation of the segments 12 and 14 can be achieved while each bolt 30 is in place. For example, as shown in
The holes 32 and 34 may be designed so that the bolts 30 (or other fasteners) are not screwed directly into the body of either opposing segment, and can be inserted through the holes 32 and 34 and held in place by compression via nuts. The holes 32 and 34 thus do not need to be threaded, which reduces manufacturing cost and complexity. In addition, this hole design reduces wear on the opposing segments so that the useful life of the anchor 10 is extended. For example, threading can wear over time, and thus by excluding threading from the holes 32 and 34 there are no threads to wear. In addition, as threads wear on the bolts, only the bolts need be replaced, thereby avoiding having to replace the opposing segments or the entire anchor 10. This is advantageous over, e.g., tools that have internal threading; as threading wears, the entire tool must be replaced. This eventuality is avoided by the design described herein.
The segments 12 and 14 may include other features to facilitate operation of the anchor 10. For example, as shown in
In the embodiments described herein, the force required to secure the anchor 10 is provided by screwing each of one or more nuts 36 onto a respective bolt 30. However, the anchor 10 is not so limited, and could have a number of additional or alternative features for applying a force to the segments 12 and 14 or otherwise holding the anchor 10 in a fixed position on the seam, such as a spring mechanism.
The anchor 10 may include one or more components for facilitating attachment of persons and/or objects to the anchor 10. For example, as shown in
Another example of a component that can be removably attached to the anchor 10 is shown in
The guardrail post 50 is connected to the anchor 10 via a bracket 54 that includes structures that allow the guardrail post 50 to be rotated and may also include structures that can hold the guardrail in one or more selected position. For example, the bracket 54 includes a first bracket component 56 and a second bracket component 58. The bracket components are removably attached to the opposing segments 12 and 14, e.g., the first bracket component 56 is removably attached to the first segment 12 and the second bracket component 58 is removable attached to the second segment 14.
As shown in
To allow for rotation of the guardrail post 50, the bracket components 56 and 58 each include a pivot hole opposing each other, and the guardrail post 50 includes a respective hole 64 configured to be aligned with the pivot holes. A pivot pin 66 can be inserted through the pivot holes and the respective hole 64 to establish a pivot point about which the guardrail post 50 rotates. To allow for maintaining the guardrail post 50 at one or more intermediate positions, each bracket component 56 and 58 includes one or more adjustment holes 68, and the guardrail post 50 includes a corresponding hole 70. To maintain the guardrail post 50 at a selected intermediate position, the guardrail post 50 is positioned so that the corresponding hole 70 is aligned with a selected pair of adjustment holes 68, and an adjustment pin 72 is inserted through the adjustment holes 68 and the corresponding hole 70.
It is noted that the bracket 54 is not limited to the examples shown herein and may have any suitable shape or form. For example, the bracket components 56 and 58 may include holes or other features that overlap the holes 32 and 34 (shown in
The anchoring system 80 includes an attachment configured to engage both of the first anchor 82 and the second anchor 84. The attachment, in this embodiment, is a beam, rod or other elongated body 86, which can be made from any suitable material. For example, the elongated body 86 can be a rigid body made from aluminum, steel or other suitable material, or can be a flexible body made from, e.g., plastic. Various components can be attached to the elongated body 86, such as a threaded loop 88 (e.g., an eye bolt). Any type of component can be attached to the elongated body 86, and can be attached to the elongated body at a central location of the elongated body and/or at one or more other locations of the elongated body 86.
The elongated body 86 includes a first end 90 that is rotatably attached to the first anchor 82 and a second end 92 that is rotatably attached to the second anchor 84. For example, the ends 90 and 92 are attached (e.g., via a bolt or screw) to respective attachment brackets 94 and 96, so that each end rotates about a respective pivot point 98 and 100. The pivot point 98 in this embodiment is formed by a hole 102 that extends at least substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body 86, a hole through the elongated body 86 at or near the first end 90, and a pin or bolt 104. Similarly, the pivot point 100 is formed by a hole 106 that extends at least substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body 86, a hole through the elongated body 86 at or near the second end 92, and a pin or bolt 108. The anchoring system 80 can be secured to standing seams at a variety of locations and having a variety of distances therebetween. For example, the feature of the elongated body 86 being able to pivot proximate to each anchor allows the anchoring system 80 to be adjusted to accommodate a selected distance between seams. In addition, due at least to the system's ability to swivel or pivot, the anchoring system can be adjusted to accommodate different distances without having to modify the anchors themselves.
Any of a variety of objects and/or a person can be secured to the roof 122. In this example, a safety lead or rope 124 is attached to the elongated body 86 and also attached to a worker 126 to prevent the worker 126 from falling off of the roof 122. Alternatively or in addition to the anchoring system 80, a worker 126 can be secured to a single anchor 10 via, e.g., a safety lead or rope 124.
The example of
It is noted that the anchor 10, the anchoring system 80 and other embodiments may be used on a roof having any pitch, including a flat roof. Workers on flat roofs may desire or need to have an anchoring device or system, e.g., due to applicable regulations.
Although in some embodiments a single anchor 10 is secured to a standing seam, they are not so limited. Multiple anchors 10 can be secured to a single seam, either in a connected or attached manner (i.e., the anchors are connected to each other, proximate to each other and/or in contact with each other) or separately. For example, two or more anchors can be secured to a single seam. In one embodiment, multiple anchors 10 can be secured to a single seam and connected via a suitable attachment or component. For example, the anchors 10 of the anchoring system 80 can be secured to different seams (as shown, e.g., in
A method of removably securing an anchor 10 includes a number of steps described as follows. In one embodiment, the method includes all of the steps in the order described. However, the method may include fewer than all of the steps and/or the steps may be performed in a different order.
The method is described in conjunction with the anchor 10, but is not limited thereto and may be applicable to any suitable anchoring device or mechanism having characteristics of the anchor 10, such as a hinge mechanism, a cavity defined by opposing segments and/or a cavity defined by inwardly extending flanges. The method is also described in conjunction with the roof 122 of
In a first step, the anchor 10 is assembled. The segments 12 and 14 are brought together so that the features 16 and 18 line up along the hinge axis. The rod 20 is inserted through the features 16 and 18, and optionally a component such as the anchor point 40 is installed on the rod 20. One or more bolts 30 are then inserted through holes 32 and 34 and one or more nuts 36 are screwed onto threaded lengths of the bolts 30. One or more other components, such as a guardrail post or platform support structure, may be installed on the anchor 10 and held on the anchor 10 by one or more of the bolts 30.
In a second step, the anchor 10 is set to an open position by rotating the segments 12 and 14 about the hinge mechanism so that the flanges 22 and 24 are separated by a distance that is greater than the width of the top of a seam, e.g., a standing seam 120 or 130. The nuts 36 are screwed counter clockwise as necessary to permit the flanges to be separated by the selected distance.
In a third step, the anchor 10 is disposed at the seam by lowering the anchor 10 on to the seam so that the flanges 22 and 24 are below the seam and the cavity 26 surrounds a length of the top of the seam. In a fourth step, the segments 12 and 14 are rotated to bring the flanges 22 and 24 into contact with the seam, and the nuts 36 are rotated clockwise to apply a compressive force to the seam and hold the anchor 10 in place. If a component is installed on the anchor 10 via one or more bolts 30, rotating the nuts 36 to secure the anchor 10 also serves to hold the component in place. In a fifth step, a platform, guardrail, safety line or other object or device is connected to the anchor 10.
It is noted that at least the second step through the fourth step may be performed without completely removing any of the bolts 30 or other parts of the anchor 10, thereby allowing a worker to install the anchor 10 without removing any components or having any loose parts.
Embodiments described herein provide a number of advantages and improvements over prior art devices and systems. One significant problem with the roofing brackets known in the art, particularly when installing standing seam roof panels, for example a metal roof, is that the roofing brackets are fastened to the roof seams using nails or other fasteners compressed against the roof structure. The use of fasteners such as nails or screws to temporarily fasten a roofing bracket to the underlying roof structure is detrimental to the standing seam roof panel substrate. The embodiments described herein eliminate the need for such fasteners and thereby reduce or eliminate damage to roof seams.
In addition, the roofing anchor described herein avoids much of the complexity inherent in prior art devices and provides a relatively compact anchor that can be easily transported to a roof top. Further advantages of the embodiments include allowing the roofing anchor to be easily installed, e.g., with one hand, and allowing the anchor to be installed without requiring the removal of bolts or other components.
Although this invention has been shown and described with respect to the detailed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed in the above detailed description, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
