Patent Abstract:
A one piece snow brake which attaches to the vertical leg of a formed metal roof seam utilizing the formed seam and a movable wall portion to attach the snow brake without the use of penetrations or seam deformations. The snow brake is attached to a vertical seam by the use of threaded screws creating pressure on a movable wall portion or portions that form a side of a slot for enclosing the vertical seam. Roof accessories other than a snow brake can be connected to a raised seam using the disclosed movable wall attachment device. The location of the screws is such that they force the movable wall portion(s) to engage the seam.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to decorative snow brakes and to apparatus for securely mounting a snow brake or other roof accessories on a raised seam metal roof.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Snow brakes are used for preventing large sheets of ice or snow from sliding and falling from roofs, harming persons standing nearby or striking objects below such as shrubbery, cars or property located about the roof drip.  
         [0003]     Typically, snow and ice accumulated on a roof melts or its weight causes it to fall. The snow may melt from above by warmth from the sun, or from below by warmth from the roof. Water flows through the snow and runs along the roof and drips off edges of the roof. Such water frequently causes loss of adhesion between the remaining snow and ice and the roof.  
         [0004]     Particularly on standing seam metal roofs, or any metal roof with raised seams, the water makes the roof surface slick, causing heavy sheets of snow or ice to slide along the roof. Snow brakes are used so that the snow bank or ice sheets formed on the roof are retained until they melt or slide off the roof in small pieces. Snow brakes have been designed for attaching to the flat surface of the roof, and some snow brakes have been designed for attaching to the roof seams. Many of the snow brakes designs found in the prior art are fashioned to affix to such seams by attachment means which either puncture or deform the roofing material substantially in the operation of the device. Other snow brake devices found in the prior art are of designs which require multiple parts to function.  
         [0005]     Multi-part snow brakes are expensive. Snow brakes which attach to the flat surface of the roof make holes through the roof and promote water entry and destruction of the roof and its supporting surface. Snow guards which use adhesives to mount to the roof can work loose from exposure to the elements, discolor the roofing materials and are not generally preferred. Snow brakes which attach to the seams of roofs can penetrate the seams or tend to deform the seams unnecessarily for locking the snow brakes on the roof. Examples of such snow brakes can be found in prior art which provides for recesses or detents in the construction of the snow brake, which are designed to accept the deformed seam.  
         [0006]     A need exists for snow brakes which may be easily and inexpensively constructed, and which provide adequate support for snow and adequate locking to formed seams without utilizing substantial deformation of the seams as the primary anchoring point for retention of the snow brake.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
       [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,340 issued Feb. 1, 1994 to Cline et al. illustrates the problem with the prior art. Cline et al. suggest the use of a set screw which attaches the snow brake to a roof seam and holds it in place by deforming the opposite of the vertical portion of the roofs seam and pressing the displaced seam into a depression or dimple in the snow brake base on the opposite side of the set screw. Other patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,513 issued to Williams on Mar. 31, 1998, continue to show deformation of a roof seam by set screws as a primary affixing means of a snow brake. In the Williams &#39;513 patent, the deformation of the seam is necessary by the application of set screw pressure on both sides of a seam thereby creating opposing depressions or displacements of the roof seam sufficient to effectively hold the roof brake to a seam by causing a counter displacement immediately adjacent to a first displacement of the seam by one set screw. In effect, the Williams &#39;513 patent creates opposing recesses of a roof seam by displacing the seam in the opposite direction immediately adjacent to a first displacement by a first set screw.  
         [0008]     Such issued patents, as well as prior art patents which teach attachment means for snow brakes on existing fabricated metal roof seams do not teach the firm attachment of snow brakes by primarily utilizing the geometry of the existing standing seam as more fully described in the present disclosure.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention provides a light weight, easily attachable, and one piece snow brake for attachment to standing seams commonly used in fabricated metal roofs. The present invention provides an improved attachment means, transversely oriented to the roof seams used at the attachment point of metal roofs which are comprised of generally rectangular pieces. The described snow brake attaches through its mounting base by interlocking with the existing seam to hook the snow brake onto a standing seam by utilizing set screws and a movable wall portion of the base. The present invention relies on set screws affixed through the base of the snow brake to move the movable wall portion into secure engagement with the standing seam. The disclosed snow brake can be used by hooking under the roll portion of the standing seam as more fully described in the following disclosure. The disclosed snow brake provides an improvement to the state of the art by not requiring opposing indentations, recesses or openings within the internal area of the snow brake which would receive any seam engaging fastener such a set screw.  
         [0010]     Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a snow brake which has a simplified method of attachment of the brake to a seam in a metal roof which utilizes a folded seam for attachment.  
         [0011]     It is further the object of the invention to provide a snow brake in which the attachment does not rely on a depression or a recess in the snow guard base which is used to compliment the depression formed by the snow guard attachment means in the seam being displaced by the attachment means.  
         [0012]     It is still a further an object of the present invention to provide a roof snow brake which is symmetrical in design such as to allow the brake to be useable and functional when rotated 180 degrees on its longitudinal axis. In furtherance of such object, the disclosed snow brake provides a 90 degree angle from the base of the snow brake to the snow plate of the snow brake thereby allowing the rotation of the snow brake to match a given roof seam alignment whether the seam is located to the left or right of the seam.  
         [0013]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an attachment device for attaching accessories to the raised seams of a roof.  
         [0014]     The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth below in the disclosure and claims. The invention itself, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the description of specific embodiment which follows when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers refer to like parts. These, and many other objects will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art of making snow brakes, upon reading the following detailed descriptions which disclose specific embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention illustrating the entire snow brake.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a ghosted end view of the snow brake base seated over a standing seam of a typical metal roof.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a ghosted end view of the snow brake base seated over a standing seam of a typical metal roof showing the disclosed snow brake reversed 180 degrees from the position illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is an end view of one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention illustrating an entire snow brake.  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is an end view of another embodiment of the present invention illustrating an attachment device for mounting a roof accessory to a raised seam roof.  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a partial end view of another embodiment of the present invention illustrating an attachment device for a snow brake or a roof accessory to a raised seam roof. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]     Reference will now be made to the various Figures wherein like numbers represent like parts. Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the snow brake is generally indicated by the numeral  2 . The present invention has several parts which include the snow plate  4 , the snow brake base  6 , screw receiving holes  8 , base set screws  10  which operate and are inserted through screw receiving holes  8 , and the U shaped seam receiver  12  which includes a top and bottom. The top of seam receiver  12  is the receiver head  16 . Snow brake  2  operates in a conventional fashion in that it prevents the movement of snow and ice upon a roof by contacting a sliding snow or ice mass, thereby interfering with downward movement of the mass. Snow plate  4  normally contacts snow or ice sliding downward off a sloping roof. Snow or ice contacts snow plate  4  in a generally normal direction thereby transmitting such force through plate  4  to base  6 , which is an integral part of the one piece design illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Such force is thereby transmitted through the base  6  to set screws  10  more fully illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Set screw  10  is inserted in screw receiving hole  8  as shown generally in  FIG. 1 . When inserted sufficiently deep through hole  8 , it will be appreciated that screw  10  will contact the outside surface of movable wall portion  18  which is situated within the U shaped seam receiver  12 . Therefore, any force being applied to snow plate  4  is translated into base  6  and the resulting force is transmitted to the movable wall portion  18  of the seam receiver  12 . In normal operation, snow brake  2  is situated on a vertically extending roof seam by locking wall portion  22  and friction on the inner surface of the movable wall portion  18 , thereby preventing movement of snow brake  2  along the seam when the brake is firmly attached as will be more fully described below.  
         [0024]     One advantage of the snow brake of the present invention is that it is a reversible design. Whether rolled on the left side or right side of a given standing seam, as described below, the snow brake of the present invention can be fixed to the seam.  
         [0025]     Metal roofs are formed from an array of separate roof panels which interconnect along their lateral edges by what are generally referred to as standing seams. Whether formed on the site by automatic machinery or forming brakes, the standing seams are one of the most commonly found attachment means for connecting adjacent roofing panels. Roof seams are formed by rolling the edges in a fashion which provides for a watertight and secure joint.  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate a roof panel standing seam  30  as shown in the figures. Roofing material  20  is attached together using well known procedures to create such a joint. One aspect of the present invention takes advantage of the asymmetrical shape of the seam  30  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  by utilizing the roll joint head  34  to lock snow brake base  6  into position, utilizing the shape of the fixed wall portion of base  6  and set screw(s)  10  to force movable wall portion  18  toward the seam  30 . Using the very same snow brake  2 , the snow brake can operate in two different ways depending on whether it is placed with the movable wall portion  18  on one side or the other of the asymmetrical roll joint head  34 .  
         [0026]     Turning to  FIG. 2 , it will be appreciated that set screw  10  protrudes under the roll joint head  34  when inserted through snow brake base  6  through screw receiving hole  8 . In the configuration of the snow brake as shown in  FIG. 2 , it is not necessary that set screw  10  deform standing seam  30  when the set screw causes the movable wall  18  to engage the vertical portion of the roof standing seam. It is not necessary that brake base  6  contain a deformation, dimple, or any type of recess to receive a deformed portion of the roof seam. Snow brake  2  remains in place on the roof seam because of the interference that the standing seam roll joint  34  provides to any movement of brake base  6  once the set screw causes the movable wall  18  to be engaged.  
         [0027]     Since snow brake  2  of  FIG. 1  is of a symmetrical design, allowing the guard to be installed in either direction without regard to a preferred side of the snow plate  4 , it can be seen that installation of snow guard  2  might be such as to cause the orientation of the brake base  6  to be reversed, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . In such a case, the snow brake still functions normally in that the set screw causes the movable wall  18  to frictionally engage the side of standing seam  30  as shown in the illustration. Upward travel of base  6  is limited because of the interference of the roll joint  34  creates on fixed wall portion of base  6 . In this embodiment, it is not necessary that there be a depression, receiving dimple or other recess in the brake base  6  to receive any deformation of the standing seam since such deformation of the seam is not necessary for base  6  to be securely engaged to the seam.  
         [0028]      FIGS. 2 and 3  also depict an attachment device for attaching roof accessories other than a decorative snow brake to a raised seam. Thus, the base  6  in  FIGS. 2 and 3  may be provided with means to connect (e.g. threaded holes, etc.) to other roof accessories (not shown) such as bars for blocking snow/ice from sliding down the roof.  
         [0029]      FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate embodiments of the present invention. The snow brake  2  of  FIG. 4  is made of aluminum metal and the U-shaped seam receiver  12  is defined by a base  6  with a movable wall portion  18  and a fixed wall portion  22 . In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the holes  8  are drilled and tapped for 5/16″ diameter stainless steel set screws. As seen in  FIG. 5 , the following exemplary dimensions are used, although these are not to be construed as a limitation on the present invention:  
                                   Distance   Dimension                   A   .45″       B   .20″       C   .20″       D   .325″       E   .662″       F   .10″       G   .075″       H   .060″                    
         [0030]     It should be understood that the embodiment of  FIG. 5  can be used as the lower portion of a device to attach roof accessories other than a snow brake to a raised seam. Although not illustrated in the drawings, one modification of  FIG. 3  would be to provide a boss on the inner surface of movable wall portion  18  and an associated depression on the inner surface of the opposing wall of base  6 . The set screw  8  could then force the boss against the roof seam causing it to dimple into the depression. The lower end of wall portion  18  may be shaped in various ways to interact with the exterior surface of the roof seam. Thus, the inner surface of wall portion  18  of  FIG. 5  may be shaped on a bias in a planar fashion to have more or less face-to-face engagement with the outer surface of the roof seam when the set screws are tightened against wall  18  and it bends forward the roof seam&#39;s surface.  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of a snow brake which is a modified form of the snow brake of  FIG. 1 . Like parts of  FIGS. 1 and 6  are designated with the same number but the numbers of  FIG. 6  also have a prime designation (e.g.,  2 ′). The embodiment of  FIG. 6  is not designed to be reversible as is the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . Thus, the rear side of the snow brake  2 ′ of  FIG. 6  can be substantially planar. Further the base  6 ′ is not as long as the base  6  of  FIG. 1  and ends at the lower portion of the planar rear surface. Otherwise, the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 6  are similar.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  shows the end view of an attachment device for mounting a roof accessory to a raised seam roof. Like parts of  FIGS. 7 and 5  are designated with the same number but the numbers of  FIG. 7  also have a double prime (″) designation (e.g.,  6 ″). The upper portion of base  6 ″ is provided with holes which, for example, may be threaded to secure mounting bolts for roof accessories. Exemplary dimensions for the embodiment of  FIG. 7  may be found in connection with the description of  FIGS. 4 and 5  above.  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  shows the end view of a further embodiment of a base for a snow brake as shown, for example, in  FIG. 4  or an attachment device for mounting a roof accessory as shown, for example, in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 8  shows a design where the portion of the device on the right side of the centerline is repeated as a mirror image on the left side of the centerline. The dimensions A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H may be, for example, the same as those described above for  FIG. 5 . The embodiment of  FIG. 8  includes several parts similar to  FIG. 5  and they are designated as a series of numbers with the prefix  3 . Thus, for example, item  6  in  FIG. 5  is designated as  36  in  FIG. 8 . Further, the embodiment of  FIG. 8  includes a base portion  37 , a screw receiving hole  39 , and a movable wall portion  319 . Wall portion  322  is sufficiently rigid so that set screws tightened against movable wall portion  319  will cause the latter to move inwardly toward the centerline relative to portion  322 .  
         [0034]     It can be appreciated from the foregoing description and various embodiments provided that numerous changes or modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. Although certain preferred embodiments are presented for the purpose of describing the present invention either, other species or derivations from the specific embodiment of the invention are to be considered within the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4