US 6,279,271 B1Granted

Under-deck water shedding system

OwnerJames A. Burkart, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

This invention comprises a grid structure that with the addition of panels and panel holding components, and the further addition of a gutter and downspout provides an effective under-deck water shedding system where the grid and panel components generally are set or slid into place and generally can be lifted or slid out of place for adjustment, maintenance or removal.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A shedding apparatus, for use under decks, the apparatus comprising

a low-ledger, with an upper-face and an adjacent upstanding-face, said upstanding-face extending above said upper-face, with an upper-edge at the top of and extending normal to said upstanding-face,
a high-ledger, with an upper-face and an adjacent upstanding-face, said upstanding-face extending above said upper-face,
a plurality of sloping-members, each with an upper-face, a first-end, a second-end, and with one or more small projections from said upper-face, such as one or more partially driven nails,
a plurality of cross-members, each cross-member comprising a middle-portion and two end-portions, each end-portion with an upper-face, the middle-portion with an upper-face and two ends, said upper-face of the middle-portion and said upper-faces of the end-portions practically co-planar,
one or more panels having corrugations,
a panels holding means,
said low-ledger and said high-ledger adapted to be attached to a proximate structure,
said low-ledger and said high-ledger oriented such that said upstanding-face of said high-ledger faces said upstanding-face of said low-ledger,
said sloping-members disposed normal to said low-ledger, and each substantially extending from said upstanding-face of said low-ledger to said upstanding-face of said high-ledger, said first-end of each sloping-member resting upon said upper-face of said low-ledger, said second-end of each sloping-member resting upon said upper-face of said high-ledger, wherein said sloping-members can be positioned at generally uniform intervals along the ledgers,
said cross-members generally parallel with said low-ledger, said middle-portions substantially extending from one sloping member to the next, said end-portions of said cross-members resting upon said upper-faces of said sloping-members, each end-portion proximate one or more said small projections of said sloping-member, wherein said cross-members interface with said projections and said sloping-members, wherein the end-portions of said cross-members are held by an interface with said sloping members, and wherein said sloping-members are laterally restrained, wherein a grid support structure is formed, whereby grid members can be snapped or set into position, unsnapped or lifted out of position without requiring tools for fastening or unfastening, whereby the grid can be installed, adjusted, and uninstalled from below itself, whereby the ease of installation and removal is facilitated, and whereby, access to the area above the grid for maintenance and other reasons is greatly facilitated,
wherein the upper-faces of the cross-members are substantially co-planar,
said panels resting upon said cross-members, oriented with rise and fall of corrugations normal to said low-ledger, said panels overlapping, wherein a substantially planer shedding surface is formed over the grid, whereby said panels can be set into position, shifted or lifted out of position without requiring tools for fastening or unfastening, whereby the panels can be installed and uninstalled from below, whereby the ease of installation and removal is facilitated, and whereby, access to the area above the panels for maintenance and other reasons is greatly facilitated.

9 more elements

A grid apparatus for supporting panels, the apparatus comprising a low-ledger, with an upper-face and an adjacent upstanding-face, said upstanding-face extending above said upper-face, with an upper-edge at the top of and extending normal to said upstanding-face,

a high-ledger, with an upper-face and an adjacent upstanding-face, said upstanding-face extending above said upper-face,
a plurality of sloping-members, each with an upper-face, a first-end, a second-end, and with one or more small projections from said upper-face, such as one or more partially driven nails
one or more cross-members, each cross-member comprising a middle-portion and two end-portions, the middle-portion with an upper-face and two ends, each end-portion with an upper-face and an under-side, said upper-face of the middle-portion and said upper-faces of the end-portions practically co-planar,
said low-ledger and said high-ledger oriented such that said upstanding-face of said high-ledger faces said upstanding-face of said low-ledger,
said sloping-members disposed normal to said low-ledger, and each substantially extending from said upstanding-face of said low-ledger to said upstanding-face of said high-ledger, said first-end of each sloping-member resting upon said upper-face of said low-ledger and said second-end of each sloping-member resting upon said upper-face of said high-ledger, said cross-members generally parallel with said low-ledger, said middle-portions substantially extending from one sloping member to the next, said end-portions of said cross-members resting upon said upper-faces said sloping-members, each end-portion proximate one or more said small projections of said sloping-member, making an interface as a holding means, wherein a grid structure is formed, with a substantially co-planer upper-surface is formed, whereby the grid members can be snapped or set into position, unsnapped or lifted out of position without requiring tools for fastening or unfastening, whereby the grid can be installed, adjusted, and uninstalled from below, whereby the ease of installation and removal is facilitated, and whereby, access to the area above the grid for maintenance and other reasons is greatly facilitated,
wherein the upper surfaces of the cross-members are substantially co-planar, whereby providing a support surface for panels.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A shedding apparatus, for use under decks, the apparatus comprising

a low-ledger, with an upper-face and an adjacent upstanding-face, said upstanding-face extending above said upper-face, with an upper-edge at the top of and extending normal to said upstanding-face,
a high-ledger, with an upper-face and an adjacent upstanding-face, said upstanding-face extending above said upper-face,
a plurality of sloping-members, each with an upper-face, a first-end, a second-end, and with one or more small projections from said upper-face, such as one or more partially driven nails,
a plurality of cross-members, each cross-member comprising a middle-portion and two end-portions, each end-portion with an upper-face, the middle-portion with an upper-face and two ends, said upper-face of the middle-portion and said upper-faces of the end-portions practically co-planar,
one or more panels having corrugations,
a panels holding means,
said low-ledger and said high-ledger adapted to be attached to a proximate structure,
said low-ledger and said high-ledger oriented such that said upstanding-face of said high-ledger faces said upstanding-face of said low-ledger,
said sloping-members disposed normal to said low-ledger, and each substantially extending from said upstanding-face of said low-ledger to said upstanding-face of said high-ledger, said first-end of each sloping-member resting upon said upper-face of said low-ledger, said second-end of each sloping-member resting upon said upper-face of said high-ledger, wherein said sloping-members can be positioned at generally uniform intervals along the ledgers,
said cross-members generally parallel with said low-ledger, said middle-portions substantially extending from one sloping member to the next, said end-portions of said cross-members resting upon said upper-faces of said sloping-members, each end-portion proximate one or more said small projections of said sloping-member, wherein said cross-members interface with said projections and said sloping-members, wherein the end-portions of said cross-members are held by an interface with said sloping members, and wherein said sloping-members are laterally restrained, wherein a grid support structure is formed, whereby grid members can be snapped or set into position, unsnapped or lifted out of position without requiring tools for fastening or unfastening, whereby the grid can be installed, adjusted, and uninstalled from below itself, whereby the ease of installation and removal is facilitated, and whereby, access to the area above the grid for maintenance and other reasons is greatly facilitated,
wherein the upper-faces of the cross-members are substantially co-planar,
said panels resting upon said cross-members, oriented with rise and fall of corrugations normal to said low-ledger, said panels overlapping, wherein a substantially planer shedding surface is formed over the grid, whereby said panels can be set into position, shifted or lifted out of position without requiring tools for fastening or unfastening, whereby the panels can be installed and uninstalled from below, whereby the ease of installation and removal is facilitated, and whereby, access to the area above the panels for maintenance and other reasons is greatly facilitated.

9 more elements