Abstract:
A roof mounted gutter guard device with unfolding arms which extend for the purpose of receiving a support rail. The deployed support rail allows ladders to be supported away from the roofline and gutters in a safe and effective manner. The deployed support rail of the gutter guard device is also used to hang decorations and other accessories from the rail without placing stress on the roofline and gutters.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/572,732 filed on Jul. 21, 2011. This application relates to a roof affixed ladder mount. The entire disclosure contained in U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/572,732 including the attachments thereto, are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     SUMMARY 
       [0002]    The disclosed device is intended to be affixed to the roof of a building as a support and guide for a ladder to be mounted from the roof line to the ground so as to protect the gutter or edge of the roof from potential damage caused by the gutter or roof edge supporting the weight of a person climbing the ladder resting against the gutter or roof edge. The device can also be utilized to hang decorations or other items. The device is affixed to the planar surface of the roof so as to distribute the mechanical stress placed on the device over a wider area than the substantially linear area of contact along the gutter or roof line. The device can be a single rail-like support or a plurality of rail-like supports. The rail-like support(s) are affixed to arms so as to fold up and forward from the roof for deployment and up and back to the roof for storage. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of the installed gutter guard device. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  depicts an exploded, perspective view of the gutter guard device. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  depicts perspective views of the roof mount. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  depicts a perspective view of the extension arm. 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  depicts 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  depicts 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    An embodiment of the roof mount  1  of the present application is depicted in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 . The roof mount  1  of the gutter guard device  100  is affixed to the top of a building roof within close proximity to a gutter. The roof mount  1  is comprised of a support beam  10  affixed to an extension beam catch  15  used to lock the extension beam  50 , i.e. extension arm  50 , into a preferred position, typically substantially parallel to the top of the gutter. In an embodiment, the extension beam is rotatably affixed within the extension beam catch  15  and pivots about a hinge  26  or similar means of attachment which permits the extension arm  12  to rotate through the extension arm catch  15 . Alternatively the extension arm can be mounted outside of the extension beam catch  15 . 
         [0010]    As depicted in  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of the support beam  10  possesses at least one series of mounting bracket attachment holes  18 . In this embodiment, the support beam  10  is secured to the roof by securing at least one mounting bracket  30  over the support beam  10  and onto the top of the roof. In an embodiment, the mounting bracket  30  is substantially u-shaped and possesses two vertical bracket side walls  32  and a top bracket wall  35 . In a still further embodiment, the mounting bracket  30  possesses at least one flange  37 , and preferably two flanges  37 , extending laterally and substantially perpendicularly from the bracket side walls  32  and away from the opposing flange  37 . The mounting bracket  30  possesses at least one beam fastener hole  33  located in either a side bracket wall  32  or top bracket wall  35 . In an additional preferred embodiment, the mounting bracket  30  possesses at least two linearly aligned beam fastener holes  33  through which a beam-to-bracket fastening means, e.g. a bolt, may pass to secure the support beam  10  and mounting bracket  30  together. Each flange  37  possesses a flange mounting hole  38  through which a bracket-to-roof fastening means, e.g. lag screws, is used to secure to flange  37  of the mounting bracket  30  to the roof surface. In a preferred embodiment, two mounting brackets  30  are used to secure the support beam  10  at substantially both ends (proximal and distal) to prevent rotation of the support beam  10  about the point of attachment to the roof. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment, the extension beam catch  15  is comprised essentially at least one and preferably two vertical walls affixed to the proximal end of the support beam  10  so as to partially border the path of articulation of the extension beam  50 , the proximal end of the support beam  10  being the end mounted nearest the gutter over which the extension beam will be deployed when the support beam is mounted perpendicularly relative to the roof edge. Each vertical plate of the extension beam catch  15  functions as a stop for the extension beam  50  which is rotatably affixed to the catch  15 . In an embodiment, each vertical wall of the catch  15  possesses a catch hinge port  25  through which a hinge  26  is removably, and alternatively permanently installed, and which is mated with and passes through extension arm hinge ports  54 . In a preferred embodiment, the hinge  26  is a cylindrical bolt, rod, or pin about which the extension arm  50  rotates as it articulates toward and away from the support beam  10 . In various alternative embodiments the bolt, rod or pin acting as a hinge  26  may be threaded or alternatively unthreaded and is securely installed by methods know to those skilled in the art. In an embodiment, the walls of the catch  15  possess catch stop holes  24  through which a physical stop, e.g. a pin, will pass and which are mated with corresponding extension arm stop holes  56  in the extension beam  50 . 
         [0012]    The extension arm  50 , depicted in  FIG. 4 , is affixed to the roof mount  1  at the extension arm catch  15  so as to allow the extension beam  50  to fold up and back against the top of the support beam  1  for storage when the extension arm  50  is not deployed. When deployed, the extension arm  50  articulates up from the top of the support beam  1  and forward toward the roof edge over which it is intended to overhang. In various embodiments, the distal end of the extension arm  50  is mounted so as to articulate about the hinge  26  on the extension arm catch  15 . The extension arm  50  possesses extension arm stop holes  56  which are mated to and correspond with similarly spaced catch stop holes  24  on the catch  15 . 
         [0013]    The catch stop holes  24  are arranged in a radially oriented pattern about the catch hinge port  25 . In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of extension arm stop holes  56  are arranged at different distances from the extension arm hinge port  54  on the distal end of the extension arm  50 . The catch stop holes  24  are arranged in rows, each row arranged at a different radius from the catch hinge port  25  and corresponding to the distance of at least one of extension arm stop holes  56  on the extension arm  50 . The plurality of extension arm stop holes  56  represent varying roof pitches so as to allow the extension arm  50  to be securely positioned at a plane roughly parallel to the ground. As the distal end of the extension arm  50  articulates through the catch  15 , a stop means, e.g. pin or bolt, is passed through the catch stop holes  24  and a preferred aligned extension arm stop hole  56 . The extension arm  50 , as depicted in  FIG. 4 , further possesses a cross beam support means  58  so that a cross beam  60 , i.e. rail, can be mounted across two deployed extension arms  50  on separate gutter guard devices  100 . In a preferred embodiment, the cross beam  60  is installed as a sheath fastened over a cross beam seat  58  acting as a cross beam support means  58 . In an preferred embodiment, the cross beam support means  58  is arranged between the proximal and distal ends of the extension arm  50  so as to permit the proximal end of the extension arm  50  to act as a stop to prevent a ladder or other object resting against or affixed to the cross beam  60  from sliding laterally off of the cross beam  60 . It is further envisioned that the cross beam can be rubberized to increased sliding friction across the cross beam  60  to prevent sliding, or be notched or be formed with raised sections to act as stops to prevent sliding across the cross beam  60 . Hangers  70 , fastenable or otherwise, are envisioned to allow the use of the cross beam  60  to hang items such as lights, plants, or other decorative items from the deployed gutter guard device&#39;s  100  cross beam  60 . 
         [0014]    As depicted in  FIG. 2 , a roof gasket  38  is placed under mounting bracket  30  during installation for the purpose of providing impact and vibration protection for the roof as well as provide a seal when a threaded fastener or other fastening means is used to attach roof mounting bracket  30  on the roof surface. The extension arm  50  is held in its deployed position in a plane roughly parallel with the ground and the top of the gutter. A ladder may be placed so as to rest against the extension arm  50 , cross beam support means  58 , or cross beam  60  for the purpose of preventing damage to the gutter or roof. It is envisioned that more than two gutter guard devices  100  may be required for longer rooflines or to support more weight. 
         [0015]      FIG. 6  depicts a view of this assembly of a hanger  70  which is designed to be fitted over the cross beam  60 . In a non-exclusive preferred embodiment, an s-shaped hanger provides lateral support across the cross beam  60  through a beam support hook  72  at a distal end which can be placed over the cross beam  60  for lateral support across the cross beam  60  and forms an accessory support hook  74  at the proximal end of the hanger to hold a variety of decorative items that might be displayed such as Christmas lights, banners, or other visual displays. An alternative embodiment of a hanger  70  is depicted in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 10  shows that Large Clip  8  demonstrates that a larger structural component could be hung from the gutter guard device  100  as well as temporary securing a ladder or other structural piece 
         [0017]    While the gutter guard device  100  could be made of a wide variety of materials and with innumerable configurations of cross beams  60 , it is preferably formed as a rectangular tube formed of a non-ferrous, metallic material such as aluminum. A dense, thick-gauge structural plastic may be utilized depending upon the load to be supported. Alternatively, ferrous alloys could be employed as well and appropriately treated to inhibit rusting. Lastly, it is certainly within the scope of the present disclosure to utilize a variety of materials simultaneously to optimize strength where appropriate and to reduce mass when necessary. 
         [0018]    FIGS. ______ and ______ depict perspective views of an alternative embodiment of the roof mount having a thinner profile support for fixation along the roof. A smaller height profile provides a more aesthetically pleasing device and one that is less likely to be noticed, especially when not in use. The width of the support is a more critical parameter than height in distributing the stress of supported articles since stress distribution is accomplished across the surface area of the support in contact with the roof. An increase in support height merely provides additional strength to the support itself, but does not translate into better distribution of stress across an area of the roof in contact with the support.