Truss mounted rooftop fall protection system
A J shaped stanchion which attaches to a roof truss (or rafter) in such a manner as to enable the entire girth of the roof truss overhang (or rafter) to be the sole support for the stanchion. The enveloping connection is designed to exceed the 200 pound minimum impact currently required by OSHA for a slide guard or guardrail. This stanchion is designed to bend below the fascia and return up above the roof surface where successive stanchions similarly attached are connected via a fall protection guardtails providing fall protection for all workers. This single point of attachment allows the carpenters to attach the stanchions prior to hoisting the trusses onto the roof bearing walls. As soon as the trusses are properly braced, the guardrails can be hoisted and secured.
Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fall protection devices and systems which are attached to roofs of structures under construction. More particularly, this invention relates to fall protection devices and systems which are mounted on trusses or rafters of structures under construction, but are not attached to the fascia of such structures.
2. Description of the Problem
The Occupational Safety and Health Act mandates that every trade who must build or stand on a roof surface should have fall protection. At the very minimum a slide guard should be in place to protect the worker. The minimum slide guard is described as a two by four nominal dimension member secured on its' edge, to the roof, below the worker, to arrest his possible slide. Many trades must stand on a sloped roof to accomplish their work. Some of these trades are, the framing carpenter, the roofer, (and on roofs with multiple levels), the window installer, the house wrap installer, the siding installer, exterior trim carpenter, the soffit installer, the lathers, the stucco crew, the list could go on and on.
In practice, the framing carpenter installs a slide guard on the roof surface and it is removed when the framing is finished, since it becomes an obstacle to some subsequent trades. In practice the guards are seldom replaced. There exists a need to overcome the shortcomings of conventional fall protection devices.
3. Description of Related Art
There is some prior art which addresses this problem. However, the art which is most likely to address this concern are those with stanchions which attach to a truss below the roof line, dip down below the fascia and up above the roof and also attach to the fascia. There are at least four deficiencies with this multiple attachment. For one, a building designed with no fascia, may not use these systems. Secondly, where the fascia is the finished product, this art would damage the fascia, and it could not be used. Thirdly, where the roofing requires a metal eave drip to be installed before roofing, the fascia connection may have to be removed, rendering this system inoperable. And finally, if they are to be used at all these stanchions cannot be properly attached until the fascia is constructed. Specific devices also suffer from other deficiencies.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,689 to McNamee (2002). In abstract states “The shorter leg of each stanchion engages the underside of one of the rafters and extends downward lay there from, the longer leg of each stanchion is interconnected with the roofs fascia board by a fascia board mounting clamp and extends upwardly from the roof, while the interconnecting portion between the above noted legs extends under the fascia board.” The additional attachment to the fascia required by McNamee presents many problems. In many cases where the fascia is the finished product, the fascia would be damaged by the fascia board mounting clamp. Where the architecture requires no fascia, the McNamee stanchion could not be used. Where the roof framing requires a sub fascia, the McNamee stanchion would have to be removed prior to the installation of a finished wooden fascia with metal eave drip, leaving the roofers and other workers following the removal without fall protection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,076 to Zust (1993) uses a fall protection system attached with roof anchors directly into a roof gutter system. With this system the gutter and anchors must be in place, which interferes with the roofing process. This system cannot be used with new construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,891 to Griek Et. AI (1994) uses an assembly where the unit can only be used on a steel frame structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,227 to Hemauer (1996) in abstract states that “the bracket part of each stanchion is attached to the fascia board and also to a rafter of the building frame. Thus spreading the force caused by a falling person or large object between both fascia and rafters, providing maximum strength.” Hemauer also states “in no way interfere with the complete roof process, including gutter.” The additional attachment to the fascia required by Hemauer presents many problems. In many cases where the fascia is the finished product, the fascia would be damaged by the fascia mounting bracket part. Where the architecture requires no fascia, the Hemauer stanchion could not be used. Where the roof framing requires a sub fascia, the Hemauer stanchion would have to be removed prior to the installation of a finished wooden fascia with metal eave drip, leaving the roofers and other workers following the removal without fall protection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,559 to Lewis (1996). The device can only be installed on a wood frame building and does not allow exterior finish to go on until roof is complete.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,131 to Kettlekamp and Shafstall (1987). The illustrations show a two bolt pattern secured thru the rafter tail, the application of extreme force could split the rafter tail. The complexity of the design and the multiple parts renders this design expensive and difficult to manufacture and assemble.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,586 to Myers (1991). The completion of both the roofing and siding processes are compromised by interference of the components of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,577 to Werner (1987). The patent states that a screw clamp is to be used to attach the bracket to the structure and is best suited for structures that have a floor comprised of concrete.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,901.481 to Probst (1975) This unit is comprised of a roof plate nailed to the roof under shingles and may not be installed prior to partial sheathing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,851 to Daniels (1982) illustrations show, a side mounted post bracket attached to the horizontal board of a deck platform. Prior to this installation the fascia, sheathing, edging, and bottom row of shingles must be installed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe preferred embodiment of this invention is a J shaped stanchion which attaches to a roof truss (or rafter) in such a manner as to enable the entire girth of the roof truss overhang (or rafter) to be the sole support for the stanchion. The enveloping connection is designed to exceed the 200 pound minimum impact currently required by OSHA for a slide guard or guardrail. This stanchion is designed to bend below the fascia and return up above the roof surface where successive stanchions similarly attached are connected via fall protection guardrails providing fall protection for all workers. This single point of attachment allows the carpenters to attach the stanchions prior to hoisting the trusses onto the roof bearing walls. As soon as the trusses are properly braced, the guardrails can be hoisted and secured. This feature of the preferred embodiment has the potential of protecting every single worker during the entire construction process of the structure which involves working on the roof When all workers are safely off the roof the stanchions are easily removed and reused.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
Note that in the following detailed description, the drawings are referred to using a consistent labeling scheme. That is to say, a particular component that is visible in multiple drawings is referred to using the same label on every drawing. For example, the label 17 refers to the stanchion bracket arm of the preferred embodiment. Descriptions referring to a label in a specific drawing apply to the same label in all other drawings in which the same label appears unless specifically noted to the contrary.
The labels for the drawings are briefly defined as follows. Detailed discussion of the structure and function of critical components of the invention follow in ensuing paragraphs. 1, the stanchion as a whole; 2, a truss overhang attachment bracket; 2A, the upper rear flange of the attachment bracket; 2B, the upper front flange of the attachment bracket; 2C, the securing plate of the attachment bracket; 2D, the lower flange of the attachment bracket; 3, a slide arrest guardrail bracket; 4, attachment orifices in brackets 3 and 4; 5, a horizontal slide arrest guardrail; 6, the fascia of a structure or building; 7, the sub-fascia of a structure or building; 8, the metal eave drip of a structure or building; 9, the shingles or roofing of a structure or building; 10, plywood or roof decking of a structure or building; 11, a rafter, roof truss, or roof member of a structure or building; 12, a truss nail plate, 13, siding or exterior cladding of a structure or building; 14, a wall of a structure or building; 15, a structure or building as a whole; 16, welds used to attach a bracket to the bracket arm; 17, a bracket arm; 18, a roof edge of a structure or building; 19, slide arrest guardrail brackets; 21, a bracket arm extension.
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The operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention is as follows. Referring to
Ground level installation of the fall protection device stanchion 1,
Under construction practices known to date, current brackets/slide guards are installed on the wall, or in the truss web or on the roof itself, from a ladder, scaffolding, lift equipment or any other known equivalent. In addition other systems require multiple points of attachment and require the unprotected construction of some of the roof structure, such as the fascia, before roof fall protection becomes effective.
The process of ground level installation, although preferred, does not limit the attachment of the fall protection stanchion 1,
Optional dimensions of attachment bracket 2 are available to accommodate other nominal sizes of rafter, roof truss, roof member 11, or for any architecturally specified size rafter, roof truss, or roof member 11.
Once stanchion 1,
The fall protection devices stanchion 1,
The fall protection device stanchion 1,
This fall protection device stanchion 1,
The continuous row of the J shaped bracket arms 17,
Depending on the pitch and or overall size of a roof, OSHA requires additional slide guards at specific intervals going up the roof. As the sheathing or roofing progresses the stanchion 1,
The fall protection device stanchion 1
The truss overhang attachment bracket 2,
The fall protection device stanchion 1,
The fall protection device stanchion 1,
The fall protection device stanchion 1,
The foregoing description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. The description was selected to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application of those principles to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by the specification, but be defined by the claims set forth below.
Claims
1. A fall protection stanchion comprising:
- a bracket arm having a first end and a second end;
- the bracket arm comprising a J-shaped structure with a first end on a lower part, and a second end on a higher part;
- the first end on the lower part comprising an attachment bracket;
- the attachment bracket further comprising an upper rear flange, an upper front flange, a lower flange, and a securing plate;
- the securing plate further comprising an attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices;
- the second end on the higher part comprising a slide arrest guardrail bracket;
- the slide arrest guardrail bracket further comprising an attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices.
2. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 1, wherein said attachment bracket, with said securing bracket and said flanges attaches to an overhang portion of a roof member.
3. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 2, wherein the securing bracket further attaches to said overhang portion of the roof member with an attaching means through said attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices thus enveloping said roof member on at least three sides.
4. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 1 wherein said slide arrest guardrail bracket with said attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices attaches to a fall protection guardrail.
5. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 4, wherein said fall protection guardrail is a rope, a strap, a net, or a plank.
6. We claim a fall protection system comprising at least two fall protection stanchions and at least one slide arrest guardrail, with each stanchion comprising:
- a bracket arm having a first end and a second end;
- the bracket arm comprising a J-shaped structure with a first end on a lower part, and a second end on a higher part;
- the first end on the lower part comprising an attachment bracket;
- the attachment bracket further comprising an upper rear flange, an upper front flange, a lower flange, and a securing plate;
- the securing plate further comprising an attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices;
- the second end on the higher part comprising a slide arrest guardrail bracket;
- the slide arrest guardrail bracket further comprising an attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices.
7. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 6, wherein said attachment bracket, with said securing bracket and said flanges attaches to an overhang portion of a roof member.
8. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 7, wherein the securing bracket further attaches to said overhang portion of the roof member with an attaching means through said attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices thus enveloping said roof member on at least three sides.
9. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 6 wherein said slide arrest guardrail bracket with said attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices attaches to a fall protection guardrail.
10. The fall protection system as recited in claim 9 wherein the slide arrest guardrail is a rope, a strap, a net, or plank.
11. We claim a fall protection guardrail comprising at least two fall protection stanchions and a plurality of guardrails, with each stanchion comprising:
- a bracket arm having a first end and a second end;
- the bracket arm comprising a J-shaped structure with a first end on a lower part, and a second end on a higher part;
- the first end on the lower part comprising an attachment bracket;
- the attachment bracket further comprising an upper rear flange, an upper front flange, a lower flange, and a securing plate;
- the securing plate further comprising an attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices;
- the second end on the higher part comprising a slide arrest guardrail bracket;
- the slide arrest guardrail bracket further comprising an attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices.
- the second and higher end further comprising an extended bracket arm comprising intermediate guardrail bracket(s) and a top guardrail bracket each with an attachment orifice or a plurality of attachment orifices.
12. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 11, wherein said attachment bracket, with said securing bracket and said flanges attaches to an overhang portion of a roof member.
13. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 12, wherein the securing bracket further attaches to said overhang portion of the roof member with an attaching means through said attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices thus enveloping said roof member on at least three sides.
14. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claim 11, wherein said slide arrest guardrail bracket with said attachment orifice or plurality of attachment orifices attaches to a fall protection guardrail.
15. The fall protection guardrail as recited in claim 14, wherein the guardrails are planks or any combination of ropes, straps, nets, planks or other.
16. The fall protection guardrail as recited in claim 14, wherein the extended bracket arm is integral or removable.
17. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claims 2 wherein said truss overhang attachment bracket is double-sided, thus capable of securing the stanchion to either side of the overhang portion of a roof member.
18. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claims 7 wherein said truss overhang attachment bracket is double-sided, thus capable of securing the stanchion to either side of the overhang portion of a roof member.
19. The fall protection stanchion claimed in claims 12 wherein said truss overhang attachment bracket is double-sided, thus capable of securing the stanchion to either side of the overhang portion of a roof member.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 7, 2005
Publication Date: Jan 11, 2007
Inventors: Rafael Martinez (Tampa, FL), Joseph Martinez (Brandon, FL), James Harrison (Lithia, FL)
Application Number: 11/177,009
International Classification: E04H 17/14 (20060101);