Roof top archery practice platform

Abstract

A platform adapted for mounting on the roof of a garage or other building and being capable of supporting a hunter, thereby enabling such hunter to practice shooting from a level above ground level at a target at or near ground level.

Description

This invention relates to a platform of such size as to provide comfortable and secure support for a person atop the roof of a building so as to enable the person to practice archery from an elevated position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is common for archers who hunt deer and other animals to practice and improve their skill by shooting arrows at a target while standing on the ground at a predetermined distance from the target which also is on the ground. A person can become quite proficient in having the arrows strike the target at a selected position thereof.

It also is common for persons during deer or other animal hunting season to occupy a tree stand which locates the person at a desired level above ground so as to minimize early detection by the animal. In the case where the hunter's weapon comprises a bow and arrow, the trajectory of an arrow shot from a bow toward a target on the ground and from an elevated position often is quite different from that of an arrow shot toward a target on the ground by an archer who is also on the ground. As a consequence, it is not uncommon for a hunter using archery equipment from an elevated tree stand to miss the target.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention enables an archer to practice shooting an arrow from an elevated position to a target on the ground and thereby become sufficiently proficient to improve the likelihood of having the arrow strike the target.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A person-supporting platform comprises a base of such size as to provide sufficient area to support at least one person in a sitting or standing position atop the roof of a building and at a selected height above ground level, such as twelve to fifteen feet. A typical installation is on the roof of a garage or pole barn which typically has a pitched roof having two downwardly inclined sections extending in opposite directions from a ridge line forming the peak of the roof. The platform is supported by vertically extending frame members which extend both below and above the platform. Preferably, there are four such frame members and each of them is secured at its lower end to an inverted V-shaped frame comprising two beams which underlie the platform and which diverge from the central part thereof at angles corresponding to the pitch of the underlying roof sections. The platform is fixed to the roof of the building by means of an anchor member at the lower end of each of the supporting frame members. The anchor member has a flat section which may underlie a shingle and be secured to the roof by nails or the like. Each anchor member also has an extension which extends beyond the overlying shingle and overlies the next adjacent shingle. The extension is provided with at least one upstanding flange which may be nailed or otherwise secured to the associated frame member, thereby fixing the platform to the roof without risking leakage of moisture through the shingles.

At a level above the base the frame members are spanned by braces and rails which provide protection against a user's falling off the base. Hooks or other supports may be secured to the rails or supporting frame members for the removable support of an archer's bow, quiver, clothing, or other equipment.

THE DRAWINGS

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is fragmentary, isometric view illustrating the platform supported in an elevated position on a shingled roof.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the platform;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the platform; and

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged, isometric view illustrating the application of a platform-anchor member to a shingled roof.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention is adapted for installation atop a garage, pole barn, or other appropriate building 1 having a roof 2 at a height above ground level of a selected distance and corresponding substantially to the level at which a tree stand (not shown) may be affixed to a tree. Typically, the height of the roof 2 is such that a person-supporting platform 3 will enable a person to occupy a level between about twelve-fifteen feet above ground. However, the platform can be mounted atop the roof of a building of any height.

The roof 2 is covered by shingles 4 each of which, as is shown in FIG. 4, has a mat section 5 from which a plurality of tabs 6 extend, each tab being spaced from its adjacent tab by a slot 8, as is conventional. Each shingle conventionally is placed on an underlayment (not shown) atop the roof structure and is nailed, stapled, or otherwise secured to the roof structure, such nails or staples passing through the mat portion of the shingle. The shingles are so arranged that the mat portion of a lower shingle underlies the tabs of the next adjacent upper shingle and the tabs are so arranged as to overlie the nails or staples by means of which the mat section of each shingle is secured to the roof.

As is shown in FIG. 1, the roof 2 is a pitched roof and has two sections 9 and 10 which extend in opposite directions from a ridge line 11. The sections 9 and 10 diverge downwardly from the ridge line and at the same or substantially the same angle to the horizontal.

The person-supporting platform 3 comprises a base 12 having a flat upper surface on which a person may stand or sit. The base is secured in any suitable manner to a framework 13 comprising four parallel, spaced apart, upright frame members 14 joined together by braces 15 and cross members 16. The upper ends of the frame members 14 are spanned by rails 17 which, together with the cross members 16, provide security against a person's falling off the base 12. The frame members and rails extend along three sides of the platform. The fourth side is open in a direction away from the adjacent roof edge to enable a person safely and easily to access the base.

A stabilizing structure 18 underlies the platform 12 and overlies some of the shingles 4 of the roof 2. Reinforcing structures are provided and each includes an inverted, V-shaped frame member 19 fixed to the base 12 by known securing plates 20. Opposite ends of the members 19 are secured to the frame members 14 adjacent the lower ends thereof by means of additional securing plates 21. The angle at which the members 19 diverge from the center region of the base 12 corresponds to the pitch angle at which the roof sections 9 and 10 diverge from the ridge line 11. Thus, each of the reinforcing frame members 19 lies flat upon the upper surface of the roof shingles.

It is contemplated that the platform 1, after installation atop a roof, will remain in such position for at least a limited period of time, such as a few days before and during a hunting season. To guard against the platform's being displaced by wind, a known anchor member 22 is provided at the lower end of each of the frame members 14. Each anchor member comprises a preferably metal body 23 having a flat mounting section 24 adapted to be placed in a position in which it underlies a shingle tab 6 and overlies a shingle mat 5, as is shown in FIG. 4. The mounting section 24 is provided with a plurality of openings, some of which are shown at 25, through which headed nails 26 may pass so as to secure the anchor member 23 to the roof and in a position atop the mat section 5 of an underlying shingle.

Each anchor member 22 has an attaching section 27 provided with a pair of parallel, spaced apart flanges 28, the spacing between the flanges forming a groove having a width corresponding substantially to the thickness of the lower end of a frame member 14. Each flange has openings 29 therein through which nails may pass to secure the flanges to the lower end of the adjacent frame member 14. To enable as secure as possible the connection between the frame member 14 and the anchor member, the lower end of each frame member is inclined as is shown at 30 in FIG. 2 so as to correspond to the pitch of the associated roof section inasmuch. Each anchor member will occupy a position in which its body sections are parallel to the underlying roof section.

To condition the apparatus for use, the platform is installed on the roof of the building and, preferably, adjacent one end thereof. A target 31 may be placed on the ground or on the trunk of a tree 32 at a distance from the building corresponding substantially to that at which the user intends to shoot at the animal being hunted. Since the platform and a hunter sitting or standing thereon are at an elevated level with respect to the target, the hunter will be able to practice shooting from an elevated position to a target at ground level and thereby improve the chances of striking an animal on the ground.

As a convenience, some or all of the rails 17 may be provided with hooks 33 from which hunting equipment and/or garments may be suspended.

When desired, the platform may be removed from the roof by lifting the shingle tabs which overlie the attaching part 24 of the anchor member, removing the nails 26, and then removing the anchor device from the roof. Whatever tabs have been lifted may be restored to their flat condition atop the underlying shingle mat so as to cover the holes through which the nails 26 passed, thereby preventing exposure of the nail holes to rain or snow.

This disclosure is representative of a preferred embodiment of the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A platform construction adapted to provide support for a person atop a pitched, shingled roof having adjacent inclined roof sections extending in opposite directions from a ridge, said construction comprising a base member; a framework for supporting said base member atop a roof, said framework having frame members extending to a level below that of said base member for engagement with selected shingles on said roof; an anchor member having a first section adapted to underlie part of a selected one of said shingles and a second section adapted to overlie at least part of another of said shingles underlying said selected one of said shingles; means for securing said second section of said anchor member to said framework; and means for securing said first section of said anchor member to said roof in underlying relation to said selected one of said shingles.

2. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said framework includes reinforcing frame members connected to said base member and extending therefrom at angles corresponding substantially to the pitch of said roof sections.

3. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said frame members extend to the level above that of said base member, selected ones of said frame member being spanned by safety rails above said base member.

4. The construction according to claim 1 and wherein said second section of said anchor member has at least one upstanding flange engageable with an adjacent frame member.

5. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said second section of said anchor member has a pair of spaced, upstanding flanges, the space between said flanges corresponding substantially to the thickness of an adjacent frame member.

6. The construction according to claim 1 wherein the means for securing said first section of said anchor member to said roof comprises openings in said first section for the accommodation of nails.

7. A platform construction for supporting a person atop a roof having shingles and two adjacent sections extending at corresponding angles to the horizontal in opposite directions from a ridge between said sections, said construction comprising a flat base member; a framework having upstanding frame members fixed to said base member and extending to levels above and below that of said base member, said framework also having frame members supported atop shingles on said roof and extending at angles corresponding to the angles at which said roof sections extend; anchor means securing said framework to said roof, said anchor means comprising a plurality of body members each of which has a first section underlying a selected one of said shingles and a second section joined to said first section and extending therefrom a distance to overlie another shingle adjacent said selected shingle; attaching means upstanding from said second section; and means affixing said attaching means to an adjacent frame member.

8. The construction according to claim 7 wherein said attaching means comprises at least one flange extending upward from said second section of said anchor member a distance sufficient to bear against a face of said adjacent frame member and being fixed thereto.

9. The construction according to claim 8 wherein said attaching means comprises a second flange parallel to and spaced from said first flange a distance sufficient to form a groove in which said adjacent frame member is accommodated.

10. The construction according to claim 7 wherein each of said frame members has a free lower end inclined at an angle corresponding to the pitch of the adjacent roof section.