Assembly for attaching a securing line to a roof beam structure
An assembly for attaching a securing line to a roof structure beam covered with a panel has a bracket, an attachment member, and a fastener. The attachment member has a hook on the second end thereof which is inserted through a panel aperture in the panel and hooked around the beam supporting the panel in abutment therewith. The first end of the attachment member extends outwardly through the panel aperture when the hook is hooked around the beam in abutment therewith and is extended through a member aperture of the bracket. The fastener is then fastened to the first end of the attachment member in abutment with the bracket and with the bracket abutting the panel, thus securely attaching the bracket to the panel and beam. The secure line, connected to the bracket, is thus secured to the panel. An optional reinforcing block is used for attaching the assembly to corrugated roof panels.
The present invention relates to assemblies for attaching a securing line to a roof for anchoring persons thereon, and is more particularly concerned with an assembly for attaching a securing line to a roof beam structure for anchoring persons thereon, and that makes it easy for the persons to hook themselves to the security line in order to have their hands free to work.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIt is well known in the art to attach securing lines to roofs for anchoring persons to the roofs. Such securing lines are often cords made of sturdy, yet flexible material such as metal or plastics, for example flexible metal cords. However, such securing lines may also include chains or ropes. Typically, the securing lines are securely connected, directly or indirectly, to a person on the roof and to an assembly attached to the roof either to the exterior surface thereof or to an interior metallic roof panel upon which the exterior surface is subsequently installed. Thus, the securing lines prevent persons anchored thereby to the roof, and more specifically the roof structure when covered with panels, from falling off the roof. Such securing lines and assemblies are particularly useful for preventing workers from falling while working on a roof in proximity to an edge thereof.
Numerous examples of such cord attachment assemblies for attaching cords to roofs or metallic roof panels thereof are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,661, issued to Cutter et al., teaches an assembly having first and second brackets which are connected to beams below the roof and which are interconnected to one another with an anchorage, the securing line being connectable to the anchorage. However, the assembly requires perforation of a large number of holes through the roof panel for attachment thereof to the underlying structure beams, which may be undesirable both in terms of time and effort required for attachment and aesthetic reasons since the holes have to be patched or fixed after use. Further, the assembly is large and cumbersome.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,233, issued to Olsen et al., discloses an assembly having rectangular plates connected to a spring-loaded hinge assembly which normally biases the plates toward one another in a completely folded configuration. Each plate defines an aperture aligned with the opposing aperture when the plates are completely folded together, and through which the securing line is attached. A double locking safety hook may be clipped through the apertures, and prevents the plates from being unfolded. Each plate includes a retention post fixedly attached thereto and extending outwardly beyond the rear edge of the associated plate. Each retention post has an enlarged head with two flat surfaces. The flat surfaces may be aligned with the slot in the beam and inserted therethrough into a recessed cavity when the plates are completely unfolded. When the plates are then folded together, the retention posts rotate relative to the slot and the enlarged heads become engagingly retained within the recessed cavity and behind the narrower slot. Thus, the assembly can be attached to the beam without perforations therein. However, this assembly is conceived for direct attachment to beams, i.e. without the roof panel attached thereto, and requires use of beams having slots therein.
Furthermore, for a variety of reasons, most of the known attachment assemblies are not suitable for approval under most building codes and/or from most agencies, especially the more severe ones.
Accordingly there is a need for an improved assembly for attaching a securing line to roof structure covered by an interior panel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved assembly for attaching a securing line to a roof structure, typically supporting panels, for anchoring a person situated on the roof panel thereto.
An advantage of the present invention is that the assembly for attaching a securing line to a roof beam is suitable for the most severe regulatory requirements.
An advantage of the present invention is that the assembly may be easily attached and then removed after use.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the assembly requires perforation of only one panel aperture in the roof panel for each assembly, with the aperture being essentially not visible after use while not affecting the structural characteristics of the panel such that it can remain unpatched or unfixed after use.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that visibility of panel apertures may be minimized, and therefore the panel(s) needs not to be fixed or replaced after use.
Another further advantage of the present invention is that the assembly may be attached to either corrugated or flat roof panels.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assembly for attaching a securing line to a roof beam covered with a roof panel, the assembly comprises:
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- at least one fastener;
- a bracket having at least one line aperture, through which the securing line passed and attached to the bracket, and at least one member aperture;
- an attachment member having a generally straight first end and a second end shaped as a hook, the attachment member being configured for extension of the hook-shaped second end through a panel aperture in the panel and hooking around and in abutment with a first proximal beam member of the beam, the first proximal beam member at least partially abutting the panel, and with the first end extending through the panel aperture and the member aperture for fastening of the bracket thereupon in abutment with the panel by the fastener for securing the bracket, and thereby the securing line, to the beam.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided herein, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the description in association with the following Figures, in which similar references used in different Figures denote similar components, wherein:
With reference to the annexed drawings the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be herein described for indicative purpose and by no means as of limitation.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Preferably, the beam 46 also has, for each proximal beam member 46a,b a corresponding distal beam member 46c, 46d which is situated distal the panel 38 below the proximal beam members 46a, 46b. Further, distal beam members 46c, 46d are also preferably aligned in parallel with each other in the same fashion as the proximal beam members 46a, 46b. Distal beam members 46c, 46d are, preferably, connected to proximal beam members 46a, 46b by connector members 52 which extend therebetween and are connected thereto, preferably with connector beam pairs 54 of adjacent connector members 52a,b slanting inwardly and upwardly towards each other from the distal beam members 46a,b to the proximal beam members 46c, 46d. The connector beams 52 of each pair 54 are, preferably, slightly spaced apart from each other at the point where they are connected to the proximal beam members 46a, 46b, which preferably coincides with a point at which the panel 38 is in contact with the proximal beam members 46a, 46b.
The proximal beam members 46a, 46b, preferably but not necessarily, have a descending portion 58 which extends downwardly away from the lower panel face 48 of the panel 46, preferably substantially perpendicular thereto. As such, when there are two proximal beam members 46a, 46b, the descending sections 58a,b, extending spaced apart in substantially parallel alignment with one another, form a beam channel 56 into which the connector members 52 extend. For example, and as best shown in
Referring still to
The panel aperture 72 is perforated in the panel 14, in the canal 40 when the panel 38 is perforated, between the proximal beam members 46a,b and descending portions 58a,b when present. Further, the panel aperture 72 is preferably perforated so as to extend in parallel alignment proximal beam members 46a,b and descending portions 58a,b, when present, to provide for cases where the attachment member 12 must be inserted therethrough in parallel alignment with the proximal beam members 46a,b and descending portions 58a,b so as to fit therebetween, and subsequently rotated to hook around the first proximal beam member 46a. As the panel aperture 72 is perforated between proximal beam members 76a, 76b, and descending portions 58a, 58b when present, the visibility of the panel aperture 72 is advantageously minimized, including after any repair thereof, versus conventional attachment assemblies. The visibility of the panel aperture 72 is still further reduced when the beam 44 has distal beam members 76c, 76d.
Referring to
Referring to
The fastener 26 is adapted for fastening to the attachment member 18 to maintain the assembly 10 in deployed configuration, shown generally as 78 and best illustrated in
When the panel 38 is corrugated, an optional reinforcing block 76 having a reinforcing block channel 80 extending therethrough from first block side 82a to a generally opposed second block side 82b and adapted, i.e. sized and shaped, for aliognment with the panel aperture 72 and member aperture 30 for passage of at least the first end 20 of the attachment member 18 therethrough. The reinforcing block 18 is further adapted for, when the assembly 10 is in the deployed configuration 78, placement in the recessed canal 40 with the first end 20 of the attachment member extending therethrough and a portion of the outer bracket face 68 of the first bracket plate 34 intermediate the first bracket plate ends 70 in abutment with the first block side 82a thereof and the second block side 82b abutting the upper panel face 50 in the recessed canal 40. At the same time the first bracket plate ends 70 rest in abutment with the elevated ridges 42, as previously described, and the fastener 26 is fastened to attachment member 12 in abutment with the outer bracket face 68 of first bracket plate 34, thus securing the assembly 10 to the beam 44 and panel 38 as previously described. Thus, the reinforcing block 80 reinforces the first bracket plate 34 between the ends 70 thereof and the panel 44 in the recessed canal 40 when the assembly is the deployed configuration 78. The reinforcing block 76 is, preferably, a metal block 76, but could also be constructed of plastic, rubber, or other solid and resistant material.
In light of the foregoing, the deployment of the assembly 10 into the deployed configuration 78 can now be simply described. Initially, the panel aperture 72 is perforated in the panel 38, notably the recessed canal 40 thereof, as described previously. The attachment member 12, specifically the second end 22 and hook 24, is inserted through the panel aperture 72 below the beam 44 or element 46, 58 thereof and, if necessary, rotated or otherwise manipulated, to align the hook 24 for hooking therearound. The attachment member 12 is subsequently drawn upwards on the first end 20 until the hook 24 is hooked around the beam 44, or element 36, 58 thereof, in abutment therewith. Either prior, concurrently, or after the hook 16 is hooked around the beam 44 or element 36, 58 thereof in abutment therewith, the first end 22 of attachment member 12 is inserted through the support block 76, if present, and then the member aperture 30. Once the hook 24 is hooked around the beam 44, or element 36, 58 thereof, in abutment therewith and the first end 22 of attachment member 12 is inserted through support block 76, if present, and the member aperture 30, the bracket 28, and block 76 are displaced along the attachment member 12 until the outer bracket face 68 of first bracket plate 34 abuts the panel 38 and block 78, if present, and the block 78, if present, abuts the panel in the recessed canal 40, as previously described. The fastener 26, i.e. nut 26, is then fastened to the attachment member 12 in abutment with outer bracket face 68 of first bracket plate 34 to securely fasten the assembly 10 in the deployed configuration 78. The fastener 26, i.e. nut 26 for the embodiment shown, is typically fastened by tightening thereof on the first end 20 of the attachment member 12. The additional fastener 26b, typically disposed above the fastener 26a, is fastened in a similar fashion to the first fastener 26a. By reversing this process, and notably removing fastener 26a and, if present, 26b, the assembly 10 may be easily removed. The securing line 12, 12′ is typically secured, as previously described, via line aperture 32 after the assembly 10 is placed in deployed configuration 78, although the securing line 12, 12′ could also be secured through the line aperture 32 prior to deployment in deployment configuration 78 if desired.
Although the present assembly been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the disclosure has been made by way of example only and that the present invention is not limited to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated herein, but includes all variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Claims
1. An assembly for attaching a securing line to a roof beam covered with a roof panel, the assembly comprising:
- at least one fastener;
- a bracket having at least one line aperture, through which the securing line passed and attached to said bracket, and at least one member aperture;
- an attachment member having a generally straight first end and a second end shaped as a hook, said attachment member being configured for extension of said hook-shaped second end through a panel aperture in the panel and hooking around and in abutment with a first proximal beam member of the beam, the first proximal beam member at least partially abutting the panel, and with said first end extending through the panel aperture and said member aperture for fastening of said bracket thereupon in abutment with the panel by said fastener for securing said bracket, and thereby the securing line, to the beam.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said attachment member has a thread on said straight first end and said fastener includes a threaded nut, said threaded nut being adjustably and removably fastenable on said member, by rotation thereof on said first end, towards said bracket, until said nut securely retains maintains said bracket in abutment with the panel with said second end hooked around the first proximal beam member in abutment therewith.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said attachment further includes a reinforcing spacer block having a block channel extending from a first block side to a generally opposed second block side thereof, said reinforcing block being adapted for placement of said block in a recessed canal of the panel extending between two elevated ridges thereof with said block channel generally aligned with said member aperture and the panel aperture for extension of said straight first end through said block channel and said member aperture for fastening said fastener to said attachment member with said first block side abutting said bracket, said second side abutting the panel, said second end hooked around the first proximal beam member in abutment therewith, and said bracket disposed between said first block side and said fastener and said bracket extending across the recessed canal and extending at least partially over the elevated ridges in abutment therewith.
4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said bracket is an L-shaped bracket including a first bracket plate and a second bracket plate extending substantially perpendicularly from said first bracket plate to form an L shape therewith, said member aperture being disposed on said first bracket plate and said line aperture disposed on said second bracket plate.
5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said second end is further adapted for extension through the panel aperture between the first proximal beam member and a second proximal beam member, upon which the panel also rests, through a beam channel defined by respective descending portions of the first and second proximal beam members which extend downwardly and substantially perpendicularly away from the panel in substantially parallel alignment with one another, the panel aperture being disposed on the panel between the descending portions, thereby reducing visibility of the panel aperture.
6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein said second end is further adapted for hooking around the first beam member in abutment therewith by hooking around the respective descending portion of the first proximal beam member in abutment therewith.
7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the panel aperture is disposed on the panel in substantially parallel alignment with the beam channel, said second end being further configured for extension through the beam channel with said second end substantially parallel to the descending portions until said second end is below the descending portion of the first proximal beam for subsequent rotation of said attachment member to align said second end therewith for raising said hooked second end to hook therearound in abutment therewith.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 2, 2007
Publication Date: Feb 5, 2009
Inventor: Luc Letourneau (Vercheres)
Application Number: 11/882,472
International Classification: E04G 3/20 (20060101);