Abstract:
A roofing clamp is arranged on a corresponding roof seam for receiving a Z-shaped clamp for attaching to the end of a solar collector and receiving a U-shaped clamp for attaching to the sides thereof for attaching the solar collector to the roof without insertion within said roof.

Description:
(Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/590,321 filed Nov. 6, 2009 now abandoned). 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With the increasing costs of combustion fuels, solar energy collection has become an important source of heat and electric energy. Various arrangements for mounting solar collectors, such as solar panels are currently available. 
     Two such arrangements are described within U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,362 entitled “System for Removably and Adjustably Mounting a Device on a Surface” and U.S. Pat. No. 7,260,918 entitled “Apparatus and Method for Positioning a Module on an Object”. 
     Both of the aforementioned Patents require one or more pair of track rails that are affixed to the roof surface and upon which the solar panels can be removably attached. 
     A further arrangement is described within U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,491 entitled “Roof Support for a Solar Panel”. This arrangement describes a method for attachment, which requires drilling_the mounting base to the roof rafter. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,758,011 entitled “Adjustable Mounting Assembly for Standing Seam Panels” describes an assembly for installing a solar module on a building that requires a stud utilizing a pair of nuts, one fixed on the stud and another movably arranged on the stud for attaching the solar module to a roof clamp. 
     It would be economically advantageous, and much simpler, to install the solar panels to the roof via a roof clamp without having to drill into the roof, without requiring the use of track rails or a pair of bolts arranged on a stud. 
     One purpose of the instant invention, accordingly, is to describe a simple and economically feasible arrangement for the attachment and removal of solar panels to a roof without insertion within the roof, per se. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A roofing clamp is arranged on a corresponding roof seam for receiving a Z-shaped clamp for attaching to the ends of solar collectors and receiving U-shaped clamps attaching the sides thereof. The Z-shaped and U-shaped clamps are threadingly engaged with the roofing clamps for convenient connection and removal therefrom without requiring insertion within the roof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view a roofing clamp attached to a roof eave in accordance with the Prior Art; 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the Z-shaped clamp of the invention prior to attaching an end of a solar panel to the roofing clamp of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the Z-shaped clamp of the invention attached intermediate the end of the solar panel and the roofing clamp of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the U-shaped clamp of the invention prior to attaching a side of a solar panel to the roofing clamp of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the U-shaped clamp of the invention attached intermediate the side of the solar panel and the roofing clamp of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  depicts a roofing clamp  10 , such as described within U.S. Pat. No. 7,386,922 entitled “Snow-Guard Clamping Unit”, attached to a roof seam  12  by placement of the top piece  11  over the base piece  13  and inserting a first elongated screw  14  within the threaded opening  15  extending within the top and base pieces  11 ,  13 . 
     In accordance with the invention, a second threaded opening  16  extends within the top piece  11  for receiving a second elongated screw  25  as best seen by now referring to  FIG. 2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the end  22 A of a solar panel, such as that described within U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,518 entitled “Photovoltaic Roof System”, is positioned on the roofing clamp  10 , affixed to the roof seam  12  in the manner described earlier, and arranged such that the clearance opening  24  on the solar panel end plate  23  overlies the second threaded opening  16  on the roofing clamp  10 . 
     A first means of attachment is a Z-shaped clamp  17  defining a vertical top  18  having a curved end  18 A, horizontal center  19  and vertical bottom  20  is arranged such that the clearance opening  21  on the horizontal center  19  overlies the clearance opening  24  on the solar panel end plate  23  and the second threaded opening  16  on the roofing clamp  10 . 
     The second elongated screw  25  is inserted thru the clearance openings  21 ,  24  for threadingly engaging the second threaded opening  16  within the roofing clamp  10  to attach the solar panel end  22 A to the roofing clamp  10  via the Z-shaped clamp  17  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The solar panel end  22 A is shown attached to the roof seam  12  via the roofing clamp  10  with the solar panel end plate  23  secured via the vertical bottom  20  and second elongated screw  25  and with the top surface  22 B of the solar panel end  22 A captured under curved end  18 A of the vertical top  18 . 
     To release the Z-shaped clamp  17  from the solar panel end  22 A, the elongated screw  25  is loosened to allow clearance relation between the top surface  22 B of the solar panel end  22 A, without having to remove the Z-shaped clamp  17 , per se. 
     A second means of attachment is a U-shaped clamp  26 , as shown in  FIG. 4  defining a pair of upstanding sides  27 ,  28  having outwardly curved ends  27 A,  28 A joined by a planar center piece  29  is arranged such that the clearance opening  30  on the center piece  29  overlies the clearance opening  24  on the solar panel end plate  23  on the end of the solar panel  22 A and the second threaded opening  16  on the roofing clamp  10  ( FIG. 2 ) affixed to the roof seam  12 . 
     A similar elongated screw  25  is inserted thru the clearance openings  30 ,  24  for threadingly engaging the second threaded opening  16  within the roofing clamp  10  to attach the solar panel end  22 A to the roofing clamp as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The solar panel side piece  22 A is shown attached to the roof seam  12  via the roofing clamp  10  with the solar panel end  23  secured via center piece  29  and elongated screw  25  and with the top surface  22 B of the solar panel side piece  22 A captured under curved end  27 A of the side  27 . 
     Although omitted for purposes of clarity, another sidepiece similar to that depicted at  22 A is arranged with the top surface of the other solar panel side piece also captured under curved end  28 A of the side  28 . 
     To release the U-shaped clamp  26  from the solar panel side pieces  22 A, the elongated screw  25  is loosened to allow clearance relation between the top surface  22 B of the solar panel side piece  22 A, without having to remove the U-shaped clamp  26 , per se. 
     The use of releasable U-shaped and Z-shaped clamps is an important feature of the invention when the associated solar panels are to be attached for Summer usage, and later removed to allow connection with snow-guards for Winter usage as described within the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 7,386,922, with the U-shaped and Z-shaped clamps remaining in place throughout the Summer and Winter seasons.