Supporting a load on a roof
AssigneeT&M Inventions, LLC
InventorsTimothy Pendley, Michael J. McLain
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides a system for installing a load on a metal panel roof, the system comprising a rail and closure structure adapted to be supported by ribs defined by the roof panels, and a load adapted to be supported on the rail and closure structure. In some embodiments, standing seams on ribs, and side rails on the rail and closure structure, extend parallel to each other, and optionally parallel to opposing sides of a hole in the roof. In some embodiments, substantially all of a downwardly-directed force of the load passes downwardly through the rail and closure structure to the ribs, and from the ribs to underlying structural members of the building.
Claims20
A rail mounting system for mounting a skylight or other load on a metal panel roof in which edges of adjacent elongate metal roof panels are joined to each other, the rail mounting system comprising:
- a plurality of parallel rails for supporting the skylight or other load, for engaging a plurality of elevated ribs formed at junctions of the metal roof panels, and for distributing a downward force from the skylight or other load along such elevated ribs, each such rail including:
- a lower shoulder having an angled shape to engage a corresponding angled profile of one of the elevated ribs, and
- an upstanding web attached directly to and extending above the lower shoulder;
- the rail mounting system further comprising:
- a first transverse support member and a second transverse support member disposed opposite each other, each of the first and second transverse support members attached directly to the plurality of rails and extending across a panel flat portion of the metal panel roof between two adjacent ones of the elevated ribs;
- wherein the lower shoulder of each rail extends along and engages its corresponding elevated rib from the first transverse support member to the second transverse support member.
A rail mounting system for mounting a skylight or other load on a metal panel roof in which edges of adjacent elongate metal roof panels are joined to each other, the rail mounting system comprising:
- parallel, spaced-apart rails for supporting the skylight or other load, for engaging elevated ribs formed at junctions of the metal roof panels, and for distributing a downward force from the skylight or other load along such elevated ribs, each such rail including:
- a lower shoulder having an angled shape to engage a corresponding angled profile of one of the elevated ribs, and
- an upstanding web attached directly to and extending above the lower shoulder;
- the rail mounting system further comprising:
- a first transverse support member and a second transverse support member disposed opposite each other, each of the first and second transverse support members attached to each of the rails and extending across a panel flat portion of the metal panel roof;
- wherein the lower shoulder of each of the rails extends a given length from the first transverse support member to the second transverse support member such that a downward force from the skylight or other load is transmitted through the upstanding web to the lower shoulder of each such rail along the entire given length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.