# US 10,501,942 B2 · Telescoping rail assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,942 B2 - Document ID: US10501942B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/788,221 - Filed: 2017-10-19 - Published: 2018-04-26 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-21 - Assignees: Air Distribution Technologies IP, LLC - Applicants: Air Distribution Technologies IP, LLC - Inventors: Steven R. Palasek; Joshua Munger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501942B2 ## CPC - E04F 11/1836: {Handrails of balustrades; Connections between handrail members} - E04B 7/18: Special structures in or on roofs, e.g. dormer windows (in connection with roof coverings E04D13/00, especially domes E04D13/03) - E04D 13/0335: {Skylight guards, security devices protecting skylights or preventing objects or persons from falling through skylight openings} - E04D 13/0354: {the parts being flat} - E04H 17/1413: {Post-and-rail fences, e.g. without vertical cross-members} - E06B 11/022: {characterised by the manner of movement} - F24F 7/02: Roof ventilation (ventilation of roof coverings E04D) - E04F 2011/187: {lengthwise adjustable, e.g. telescopic} - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) - E04D: ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS (coverings of outer walls by plaster or other porous material E04F13/00) - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00) - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) ## Abstract A telescoping rail assembly for a roof hatch includes a bracket configured to couple to the roof hatch, where the roof hatch is configured to provide access to a roof of a building, a post coupled to the bracket and configured to extend from the roof hatch and outward from the roof, and a telescoping rail having a first portion and a second portion, where the first portion and the second portion are slidably adjustable with respect to one another, and where the telescoping rail is disposed along a portion of a perimeter of the roof hatch to enable the telescoping rail assembly to enclose an area that includes the roof hatch. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A telescoping rail assembly for a roof hatch, comprising: a bracket configured to couple to the roof hatch, wherein the roof hatch is configured to provide access to a roof of a building, wherein the bracket includes a mounting post having a first side and a second side adjacent to the first side, a first bracket portion configured to couple to the first side of the mounting post, and a second bracket portion configured to couple to the second side of the mounting post, wherein the first bracket portion and the second bracket portion are coupled to one another at a joint, the first bracket portion and the second bracket portion extend away from the joint, away from one another, and along the first and second sides of the mounting post, respectively, the bracket is disposed at a corner of the roof hatch, and the mounting post extends vertically from the roof hatch; a post having an opening extending therethrough, wherein the post is configured to slidably receive the mounting post of the bracket via the opening, and wherein the post is configured to extend from the roof hatch and outward from the roof; and a telescoping rail coupled to the post, wherein the telescoping rail comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are slidably adjustable with respect to one another, and wherein the telescoping rail is disposed along a portion of a perimeter of the roof hatch to enable the telescoping rail assembly to enclose an area that includes the roof hatch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the first bracket portion and the second bracket portion are welded to the mounting post. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the first bracket portion, or the second bracket portion, or both, comprise a slot configured to receive a fastener. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 3, comprising a clip configured to be disposed over a lip of the roof hatch, wherein the first bracket portion comprises the slot configured to receive the fastener, and wherein a first opening of the clip is configured to be aligned with the slot of the first bracket portion and a second opening of the lip of the roof hatch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 4, wherein the first opening of the clip comprises threads for securing the bracket to the roof hatch with a fastener threaded into the first opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 1, comprising a telescoping gate, wherein the telescoping gate comprises an additional telescoping rail, wherein the additional telescoping rail comprises a third portion and a fourth portion that are slidably adjustable with respect to one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 6, wherein the telescoping gate is coupled to the post via hinges. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 6, wherein the telescoping gate comprises a frame member coupled to the additional telescoping rail. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 8, wherein the frame member comprises a stop device configured to block rotation of the telescoping gate at the stop device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the post, or the telescoping rail, or both comprise steel tubing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the post, or the telescoping rail, or both comprise tubing with a substantially square-shaped cross-section. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the telescoping rail is coupled to the post via a weld. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the telescoping rail comprises a first diameter, wherein the second portion of the telescoping rail comprises a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter to enable the second portion to slide along an internal surface of the first portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 1, comprising the roof hatch, wherein the roof hatch comprises a lid configured to enable access to the roof from an interior of the building, and wherein the lid of the roof hatch is disposed along an additional portion of the roof hatch when in an open position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The telescoping rail assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening of the post includes a diameter that is greater than a cross-sectional area of the mounting post. ### Claim 16 A rail system for a roof hatch, comprising: a bracket configured to couple to the roof hatch, wherein the roof hatch is configured to provide access to a roof of a building, wherein the bracket includes a mounting post having a first side and a second side adjacent to the first side, a first bracket portion configured to couple to the first side of the mounting post, and a second bracket portion configured to couple to the second side of the mounting post, the first bracket portion and the second bracket portion are coupled to one another at a joint, the first bracket portion and the second bracket portion extend away from the joint, away from one another, and along the first and second sides of the mounting post, respectively, the bracket is disposed at a corner of the roof hatch, and the mounting post extends vertically from the roof hatch; a post having an opening extending therethrough, wherein the post is configured to slidably receive the mounting post of the bracket via the opening, and wherein the post is configured to extend vertically from the roof hatch with respect to the roof; a first telescoping rail comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are slidably adjustable with respect to one another, and wherein the first telescoping rail is disposed along a first portion of a perimeter of the roof hatch to enable the rail system to enclose an area that includes the roof hatch; and a telescoping gate comprising a second telescoping rail, wherein the second telescoping rail comprises a third portion and a fourth portion that are slidably adjustable with respect to one another, and wherein the telescoping gate is disposed along a second portion of the perimeter of the roof hatch. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the telescoping gate is coupled to the post via hinges. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the telescoping gate comprises a frame member coupled to the additional telescoping rail. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the frame member comprises a stop device configured to block rotation of the telescoping gate at the stop device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the first portion of the telescoping rail comprises a first diameter, wherein the second portion of the telescoping rail comprises a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter to enable the second portion to slide along an internal surface of the first portion. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the opening of the post includes a diameter that is greater than a cross-sectional area of the mounting post. ### Claim 22 A method of assembling a telescoping rail assembly for a roof hatch, comprising: coupling a bracket of the telescoping rail assembly to the roof hatch, wherein the bracket includes a mounting post having a first side and a second side adjacent to the first side, a first bracket portion configured to couple to the first side of the mounting post, and a second bracket portion configured to couple to the second side of the mounting post, and wherein the first bracket portion and the second bracket portion are coupled to one another at a joint, the first bracket portion and the second bracket portion extend away from the joint, away from one another, and along the first and second sides of the mounting post, respectively, and the bracket is disposed at a corner of the roof hatch; mounting a post to the mounting post of the bracket by sliding the mounting post into an opening extending through the post; adjusting a telescoping rail of the telescoping rail assembly to a predetermined length by sliding a first portion of the telescoping rail with respect to a second portion of the telescoping rail; and coupling the telescoping rail to the post. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein coupling the telescoping rail to the post comprises welding the telescoping rail to the post. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, comprising coupling a telescoping gate to the post via hinges. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein coupling the bracket of the telescoping rail assembly to the roof hatch comprises: disposing a clip over a lip of the roof hatch; aligning a first opening of the clip with a slot of the bracket and a second opening of the roof hatch; disposing a fastener through the slot of the bracket, the first opening of the clip, and the second opening of the roof hatch; and threading the fastener into the first opening of the clip to secure the bracket to the roof hatch.