Abstract:
The reusable roof anchor presents a novel approach for attaching a safety line to prevent the injury of workers while working on a roof. None of the devices in the prior art combine a reusable structure that can be adapted to any pitch of roof while providing maximum range of motion. The unique structure that joins a mounting platform with an attachment device by a pivoting joint enables this device to achieve this unique combination of benefits. Also unique to this design is the combination of the above attributes with an easy method of installation and removal. This design recognizes and addresses the four most important aspects that such a device must provide: safety, ease of installation and removal, adaptability, and range of motion. While other devices in the prior art address these concerns individually or partially, none address all four. Thus the reusable roof anchor for safety lines provides a major improvement in the safety of workers in the roofing industry.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an inexpensive, reusable anchor that is adaptable to most roofs and provides a connecting point for a safety line. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A primary concern of any worker that must perform tasks atop a roof is the danger of falling and hurting themselves. A common problem in the roofing industry is injury due to accidents, some of which have been very severe. The United States Government has recognized this danger and has passed regulations requiring fall prevention systems. In order to prevent these injuries, roofers often wear safety harnesses that are connected to the roof by a safety line. If the user should lose his footing the safety line will prevent him from falling. The difficulty presented by this arrangement is the connecting of the safety line to the roof. This connection must be secure enough to withstand the force exerted by the safety line when the user&#39;s weight is thrust against it. It is also desirable that the connection can be easily adapted to the wide variety of pitches that exist in the design of roofs. The connection should be as easy and quick to install as possible since the user cannot be fully secured until this has been accomplished. It should also be removable so that the device can be used on new jobs. This feature is important since the economics of the industry require minimizing costs as much as possible 
     Workers on roofs require as much freedom of movement as possible to perform their tasks. Any connecting device should allow the user to move freely in a three hundred and sixty degree arc. Limitations on this movement would severely burden their already difficult tasks. It should also allow this movement without risking any entangling of the safety line. 
     There are inventions currently in existence for the anchoring of a safety line to a roof, but each of these have faults that make them impractical for the many jobs and types of roofs that the average roofer faces. Many designs involve a safety attachment that is permanently incorporated in the design of the roof. While this is an ideal situation, many older houses will not have this feature. It may also be deemed aesthetically undesirable to have such a feature. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the prevalent disposable anchors that are designed for one time use. These are an unnecessary recurring economic burden on roofers and lack the flexibility and ease of the present invention. All of the remaining designs lack the maximum adaptability and freedom that the present invention affords the user. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,534 to David Gleave is an example of devices existing in the prior art that are permanently incorporated into the structure of the roof. These building components are designed in a variety of ways to be fitted to common structural supports in a roof such as trusses, roof ridges and gutter systems. While the security of such a design is evident, as a practical mater it hardly aids the average roofer working on pre-existing structures. The device then incorporates a loop for connecting the safety line. In order to allow mobility for the user, the Gleave &#39;534 Patent discloses a complicated traveler and rail system. This system would be much more expensive to make then the present invention and would afford no greater mobility. It would also require maintenance to prevent blocking of the rail system and could easily jam. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,452 to Marcel Peter Pantano discloses an anchoring system that straddles the peak of a roof and is attached on either side like the present invention. It is however made in a permanent shape with a flat inflexible central portion. Unlike the hinged design of the present invention, the Pantano &#39;452 device would be limited to roofs having a specific pitch. The Pantano device also uses attachments that connect to the arms that straddle the roof and limit use to that side of the roof where the attachment is placed. This is in contrast to the unique structure provided by the present invention that provides a centrally located hoop that is hinged so as to allow the safety line to pass from the connection in any direction. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,558 to Stacy Thornton also discloses a design that straddles a roof peak and is attached on either side. The legs of this design extend at an angle from one another. The device can be conformed to any pitch of roof by bending the legs towards one another at the central point of the angle. The draw back to this approach is that the anchor can only be adapted one time and will therefore be of no use to a roofer on a new job with a different pitch. The point of attachment is once again located on either side of the roof so as to limit the user to a one hundred and eighty degree range of motion. 
     United States Patent to Dennis Bredijk discloses a complicate scaffolding device that is attached to the roof using an anchoring system that involves a bracket that is placed over the peak of a roof and uses a ballast block to secure it. This method of attachment would not provide the level of security that exists in the multiple nail down design of the present invention and only allows for attachment to one side of the roof at one time whereas the present invention connects at a central location. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,021 to Steve Nichols is an anchoring device that relies on a bracket that incorporates two parallel sides that attach on either side of a rafter and have a connector extending upward. This design provides a permanent device that would require access to the rafters of the roof, thus necessitating either installation at the time of building or major deconstruction to install. 
     U.S. Pat. No. D440,672 to Richard Alexander is a design patent for a roof anchor device. Unlike the present invention, it uses a permanently flat structure that could only be attached to one side of the roof. The connection is mounted to this flat structure by a stitched material that would not provide the level of support existing in the metallic hinged design of the present invention. 
     Therefore a need exists for a novel and enhanced tool for anchoring workers during the strenuous and dangerous task of doing roof work. Such a device should be as economical as possible and adaptable to many shapes of roof. In addition it should be designed to install easily and quickly. It should maximize the mobility of the user while providing sufficient support for large weights. In this respect, the reusable roof safety line anchor according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of connecting a safety line to a roof structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of devices for anchoring safety lines to a roof now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved combination of economy, security and adaptability, and overcomes the abovementioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved reusable roof anchor for safety lines which has all of the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a reusable roof anchor for safety lines which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in combination thereof. 
     In furtherance of this objective, the reusable roof anchor for safety lines comprises a pair of flat rectangular mount flaps designed for removable attachment to a roof. Said pair of flat rectangular mount flaps are connected by an axle which incorporates a C-shaped member for attaching a security line. The angle formed by said pair of flat rectangular mount flaps can be adjusted to any size by rotating them about said axle. 
     There has been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
     The axle in said present invention may in addition comprise a pair of pins that are attached to either end of a C-shaped member. This design will provide a central attachment site that can shift to allow maximum freedom of movement by rotationally adjusting to the location of the user. Said pair of pins will be received by a set of hinges connected to said flaps. Said flaps will movably rotate about said axle to allow adjustment to any pitch of roof. 
     An additional aspect of the reusable roof anchor for safety lines is that the above-described flaps will comprise a series of holes. Said holes are shaped to receive the standard carpenter&#39;s nail. The preferred pattern is a set of rows with the holes staggered to provide the maximum resistance to force applied by a security line. 
     Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved reusable roof anchor for safety lines that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved reusable roof anchor for safety lines that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved reusable roof anchor for safety lines that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such reusable roof safety line anchor s economically available to the buying public. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new reusable roof anchor for safety lines that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
    
    
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a roof with the reusable roof anchor for safety lines attached. 
     FIG. 2 is a right side view of the reusable roof anchor for safety lines illustrating the adjustable movement of the flaps. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional right side view of the reusable roof anchor for safety lines. 
     FIG. 4 is a front side view of the reusable roof anchor for safety lines. 
     The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-5, a preferred embodiment of the reusable roof anchor for safety lines of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . 
     In FIG. 1 is a view of the reusable roof anchor for safety lines  10  in use. Shown is the first of two mount flap platforms  12  comprising a rectangular shape and having a large width and length and a narrow breadth. This design consists of two large flat surfaces divided by a narrow distance so as to allow a standard carpenter&#39;s nail  32  to pass through and between said surfaces and penetrate the surface of the roof  14  to an adequate depth for securing said anchor  10 . In this figure the upper flat surface of said mount flap platform  12  is visible and comprises several holes  16  that are spaced evenly apart in rows so that each row is staggered. The lower surface of said mount flap  12  is flush against the upper surface of said roof  14  with its upper edge adjacent to the apex of said roof  14 . The holes receive nails  32 , which pass through them and penetrate the roof  14  so as to provide a firm grip with the surface. The large flat surface combined with the arrangement of said holes maximizes the gripping capacity of the present invention. It should be noted that this design could easily accommodate other standard fasteners such as screws or bolts. In addition, it could incorporate other attachment devices such as clamps or tie downs. 
     The materials that can be used for the abovementioned flaps  12  are numerous and should not be narrowed by the following suggestions. Said flaps  12  could be easily and cheaply made using easily shaped metal such as steel or aluminum. Other materials that might be used are strong woods or hard plastics. These materials suit the needs of being easily shaped into the desired form while having tensile strength capable of withstanding large forces without breaking. For special roof designs that might require different shapes said flap  12  could be made in a wide variety of shapes having an upper edge long enough to accommodate the present inventions uniquely hinged design. 
     In FIG.  1  and attached to the upper edge of said flap  12  is a pair of hinges  18 . Said hinges  18  comprise a cylindrical shape that has an inner bore  20 . Said bore  20  receives a pin  22  that also passes through the bore of a hinge attached to said second mount flap platform, thus creating a rotational attachment between said mount flap platforms  12 . The hinges could be easily formed from the same metal or plastic piece that embodies said mount flap platforms  12 . Metal flanges could be formed at the upper edge of said flaps  12  if it consisted of metal. These flanges could then be bent into the cylindrical shape of said hinge  18 . Alternately, if said flap  12  consisted of plastic then the molded piece could include said cylindrical shapes at the upper edge. The number of said hinges  18  could be easily varied if this would be better suited to a particular need. 
     In FIG. 1 a view of a C-shaped member  24  is shown located at the center of said mount flaps  12  and attached to said pins  22 . Said C-shaped member  24  receives an attachment device  26  that is connected to a safety line  28  which is further connected to a worker  30 . The C-shaped member  24  is supported by said mount flap platforms  12  that straddle the peak of said roof  14  and provide an immovable link between said  28  safety line and said roof  14 . It is important to note that, because said C-shaped member  24  is attached to said mount flaps  12  by its connection with said pins  22 , it can shift rotationally with the direction of said safety line  28 . This design allows for maximum range of use. Said C-shaped member  24  and said pins  22  can be incorporated into one solid piece and can be made of strong materials that can be easily shaped such as metal or plastic. Alternatively they can be made of separate materials for particular needs. Such needs might include an alternate design to replace said C-shaped member  24  to accommodate a unique safety line attachment system. A heavy-duty cord could also replace said C-shaped member  24  if this flexibility would be preferred. 
     In FIG. 2 a side view of said reusable roof anchor for safety lines  10  is shown and demonstrates the rotational motion of said flaps about the hinged design. Shown is a view of the end of a cylindrical hinge  18  and the bore  20  that it comprises. Also shown is the end of one of said pins  22 . Said pin  22  and cylindrical hinge  18  combination allows for the angle between said flaps  12  to be adjusted to any size, thus accommodating any pitch of roof. At the top of said reusable roof safety line anchor  10  is shown a side view of said C-shaped member  24 . Also shown in FIG. 2 is a bend  34  in said mount flaps at the upper edge adjacent to said cylindrical hinges  18 . Said bend  34  can be varied or excluded from the design if needed for particular uses. 
     Also shown in FIG. 2 is the outer view of the side of said C-shaped member  24 . Said member has a curved upper surface and connects to said mount flaps  12  by connection to said pins  22  that penetrate said cylindrical hinges  18 . The side of the cylindrical body of said hinge  18  is shown comprising an inner bore  20 . Also shown is the end of one of said pins  22  whose end is inserted into said cylindrical hinge  18 . Said end  22  could be closed in an alternate design. This design coordinates a hinged union of mount flaps  12  with a hinged seating for said C-shaped member  24 . This unique design serves two important purposes. The first is that said mount flaps  12  can be adjusted to any angle, accommodating any pitch of roof. The second is that said C-shaped member  12  will rotate from side to side adjusting to the direction it is pulled by said safety line  28 . This important feature facilitates maximum range of movement for the user. 
     In FIG. 3 a right side cross-sectional view of said reusable roof anchor for safety lines  10  is shown. This view is sliced down the middle of the present invention and through the center of the upper level and lower level row of said holes  16  for receiving nails  32 . The staggering of said holes  16  is illustrated by the inner rows that are not sliced by this view. In the preferred embodiment, the diameter of said holes  16  would be large enough to allow the passing of a common carpenter&#39;s nail and would be smaller then the diameter of the head of said nails. Under this design, the mount flap  12  would be sandwiched between the head of said nails  32  and the upper surface of said roof  14 . This will create a firm bond between the mount flap  12  and the roof  14 . Said holes can be sized to receive any common fastener such as a screw or bolt and can be arranged according to any desirable pattern. An alternate design might include threading on the to inner surface of said holes  16  allowing for the attachment of a bolt. Said bolt would comprise a head that would enter through the lower surface of said roof  14  and would sandwich said roof between said mount flap  12  and said head of said bolt. 
     Also shown in FIG. 3 is a sectional view of said C-shaped member  24 . In the preferred embodiment said member  24  would have a circular cross section  36  that could be substituted by any desirable shape. The upper portion of said C-shaped member  24  would be parallel to the upper edge of said mount flaps  12  and would extend downwards towards said flaps  12 . At the point where said C-shaped member  24  connects to said pins  22 , said C-shaped member  24  would have a bend  32  outward creating a smooth transition to said pins  22 . The inner edge of said cylindrical hinges  18  is pictured. The upper edge of said mount flaps  12  is connected to the lower outer surface of said cylindrical hinge  18 . Said cylindrical hinge  18  comprises an opening and a bore  20 . Said pins  22  enter said  20  bore via said opening and are connected to said C-shaped member  24 . 
     In FIG. 4 a side view illustrates said upper surface  38  of said mount flap  12  when both flaps are fully retracted so that said lower surfaces of said mount flaps  12  are flush. Said upper surface  38  comprises a rectangular shape that could be substituted by alternate shapes. The pattern of holes  16  illustrated is the preferred embodiment where the holes are placed in rows that are staggered. This arrangement creates maximum gripping capacity. Alternately, this pattern could be modified to suit uniquely shaped surfaces if roof designs so dictates. Said holes  16  pictured have an oval shape and would be large enough to receive a standard carpenter&#39;s nail  34  while blocking the passage of the head of said nails  34 . 
     Also pictured in FIG. 4 are said cylindrical hinges  18 . This view illustrates the outer surface of said hinges  18  and has a rectangular outline. Four hinges are pictured, two of which would be connected to one of said mount flaps  12  while the remaining two would be connected to the other said mount flap. The location of said hinges  18  is so that there are two outer hinges and two inner hinges. Any combination of these could be divided into the two pairs of hinges connected to each mount flap. A design where one outer hinge and the opposite inner hinge are connected to each mount flap  12  would create an interlocking design that would be desirable in some circumstances. The number of said cylindrical hinges  18  need not be limited to four. The shape of the outer surface can also be varied so long as said inner bore is cylindrical to receive said pins  22 . 
     FIG. 4 demonstrates said C-shaped member  24  located at the center of the upper edge of said mount flap  12  and between the inner edged of said cylindrical hinges  18 . The connection between said C-shaped member  24  and said pins  22  is depicted as a bend at the outer ends of said C-shaped member  24  that extends outward to meet with said pins  22 . This design can consist of a single unit incorporating each pin  22  and said C-shaped member  24  or could have separate parts if necessary. The design of said C-shaped member  24  easily accommodates the connecting of a standard safety line attachment device such as a carbiner. The shape of said member  24  could be varied to suit unique needs or could be replaced by an attachment device for specific safety line union devices that utilize a latch or clipping mechanism. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the reusable roof anchor for safety lines  10  has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. For example, any suitable resilient material could be substituted for the above described metals and plastics. And although the use in the field of roofing has been described, there are slight variations, such as shape and size that would make the invention appropriate for other tasks involving the risk of falling. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.