Patent Application
20060021539
Typical panel roofing consists of successive metallic sheets of paneling laid side-by-side to form a roofing cover. Each roofing panel is formed by a panel producing machine from metal sheet stock, typically fed from a roll of sheet metal. Forming each panel can include molding ribs down the panel length and forming both lengthwise edges of each panel to enable a mating fit between the abutting lengthwise edges of adjacent panels. Clips interleaved between the adjacent panel edges affix the panels to the roof surface.
Some panel roofs are constructed with panels spanning the width of the roof to eliminate perpendicular seams that have compromised weather-tight integrity. However, with the advent of the Butler MR-24® Roof System, a seaming machine called a Roof Runner®, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,828, issued Feb. 11, 1964, to S. O. Grönlund, for Roof Seaming Machine, can seam the panels with water-tight integrity. This relieves roofers from having to produce and manipulate large, unwieldy panels on-site to provide a weather-impervious roofing cover.
Prior to installation of panel roofing, the panels must be hoisted to roof level for installation. Once on the roof, the panels then must be transported to a desired position on the roof. If the roof is large, roofers may need to transport the individual panels over substantial distances, including stepped up sections, as described below.
Some current roofing material carriers rely on extraneous guides or rails. See, for example: U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,526, issued Oct. 20, 1987, to M. F. McGuinness, for Roofing Shingle Separating and Laying Machine; U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,606, issued Nov. 22, 1988, to R. P. Burton, for Mechanized Roof Laying System; U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,257, issued Mar. 30, 1993, to R. J. Nietling, for Apparatus for Applying Shingles to a Roof; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,103, issued Apr. 27, 1993, to R. P. Burton, for Shingle Laying Apparatus. However, installing the extraneous guides or rails adds more tasks to an already laborious process.
Particularly large surfaces ordinarily are not roofed in a generally continuous, or single-level, surface to avoid the deleterious effects of thermal expansion naturally occurring in the individual roofing panels. That is, over large surfaces, individual roofing panels expand or contract, depending on weather and sun conditions, which may weaken inter-panel seams or even create gaps and expose the building and occupants thereof. Stepping roof sections, or elevating one section relative to an adjacent section by several inches, eliminates this exposure potential. However, stepping a roof renders material transport more problematic because roofers need to lift the heavy, elongated roofing materials over the step between adjacent sections in a coordinated fashion.
Conventional stackable trolleys are well known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,694, issued Aug. 11, 1970, to E. J. Oliver, for Dismantleable Merchandising Rack; U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,921, issued Sep. 28, 1971, to J. D. Wilson, for Dolly; U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,540, issued Jan. 27, 1998, to E. M. G. Nesting, for Roller Carriage Having Swingable Wheels; U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,720, issued Jun. 27, 2000, to K. J. Spear et al., for Portable Stackable Wagon Assembly; U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,152, issued Jul. 10, 2001, to C. Liu, for Structure of Pallet for Stacking Pallets with Wheels. However, known stackable trolleys are designed to maintain relative positioning among stacked trolleys, not allow for movement of superposed trolleys.
What is needed, and not taught or suggested in the art, is a trolley for transporting materials that traverses seams and stepped sections of a roof.
The invention is described in detail below with reference to the following figures, throughout which similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently, wherein:
Referring to
As viewed along direction A, bed 105 defines a box section 120. Box section 120 provides lateral structural integrity while minimizing weight. This lightweight construction allows roofers to move trolley 100 readily to and among seams S of roof R and, once located on roof R, hoist significant amounts of roofing material thereon. To aid in moving trolley 100 to roof R and/or among seams S thereof, bed 105 has a handhold 117 configured to receive a roofer's hand for lifting and moving trolley 100. Referring also to
Each frame 110 includes symmetrically disposed L-shaped brackets 130, each having a horizontal flange 135 and a vertical flange 140. Horizontal flanges 135 mate with and may be welded or otherwise fixed to horizontal flanges 123 of bed 120. Vertical flanges 140a and 140b each have a plurality of throughbores (not shown) that are in registry for receiving a like number of axles 145. A nut 150 retains each axle 145 in each bracket 130.
Referring to
Frames 110a and 110b are arranged so that the lateral spacing 165 between grooves 155a and 155b corresponds to the spacing between seams S, known as seam-to-seam pitch. When constructing standing seam roofs from prefabricated roof panels, this seam-to-seam pitch is fixed or consistent everywhere on the roof, except for unintended minor localized variations. Lateral spacing 165 of wheels 115 allows trolley 100 to ride along seams S along an entire roof width.
Referring to
On top of deck 603 are two simulated seams 617, which are configured, positioned and aligned similar to seams in a seamed roof. The height 670 of deck 603, vertical spacing 675 between flange 635 and axle 645, and the size of wheel 615, which determines the clearance 680 between roof Rb and frame 610, are configured to provide an overall trolley height 685, as shown in
In practice, when moving materials between stepped sections Ra, Rb of roof R, a trolley 100 is positioned on a trolley 600. Trolley 100 may be pinned or otherwise impermanently fixed to trolley 600 prior to receiving materials thereon. Once loaded with materials, roofers may roll trolley 600 along seam Sb with trolley 100 and materials firmly secured thereon. Upon reaching the step U between section Ra and section Rb, trolley 100 is disconnected from trolley 600. Trolley 100 then may be rolled onto seam Sa along with the materials.
Referring to
Referring to
A knuckle 570 is fixed at an orientation on rod 510 so that when handle 505 is generally vertical, knuckle 570 contacts frame 410 for transferring force exerted against handle 505 to frame 410, hence against trolley 400, and thereby provide motive force to move trolley 400 as desired. Thus, to move trolley 400, a roofer first must rotate either or both handle(s) 505 to distance brake pad 520 from roof R, allowing trolley 400 to move. The roofer then may use handle(s) 505 to push trolley 400 along roof R.
Referring to
Handle 305 is rotatingly mounted on trolley 200 about a pivot pin 325, while handle 307 is mounted on frame 210. Handle 305 drives rod 310 via a lever 317 extending from rod 310. Rod 310 is rotatingly connected to trolley 200 via journals 333, 335 and 340. Rod 310 is drivingly connected to pin 315 via a yoke-and-pin cantilever 330.
Pin 315 is slidingly mounted on trolley 200 via a spring-loaded cylinder 350, which is comparable to a conventional shock absorber. Pin 315 engages a coil spring (not shown) that abuts an end of cylinder 350 and normally urges pin 315 toward roof R. When pin 315 is drawn away from roof R, spring force increases, either in tension or compression, urging pin 315 to return to the normally-braked position. Pin 315 has a pad holder 345 welded or otherwise fixed thereto onto which pads 320 are mounted in a conventional manner.
The invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, rather only to the appended claims.
