Abstract:
An apparatus for supporting a heavy load above a tile roof without causing damage to tile members, comprising: an elongated base member adapted to lie upon the surface of the roof underneath a tile member; a lag bolt for securing the the base member to a rafter in the roof; a slidable carriage having a threaded hole therethrough, the carriage slidably engaging the base member; a threaded elongated shaft capable of being inserted through a hole in the tile member and into threaded engagement with the carriage so that the end of the shaft may be caused to engage the base member and thereby fixedly secure the shaft; and a means associated with the shaft for attaching a heavy load.

Description:
BENEFIT OF PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FILING DATE 
     This application claims the benefit of my provisional patent patent application Ser. No. 60/008,359 filed Dec. 7, 1995. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Satellite dishes and solar panels are heavy structures that often need to be supported upon a roof. Where the roof is covered with tile this presents a difficult problem, because not only must the roof support the added weight of the additional structure against wind and other disturbances, but damage to the tile must also be avoided. Damage to the tile would cause the roof to leak. 
     Generally speaking, such structures are added subsequent to the original construction of the roof. In making an installation after the roof is already completed, not only is it desirable to provide proper support for the additional structure without damage to the tile, but there also needs to be a feasible retrofitting process that is reliable and easy to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention a metal structure is provided for placement upon a tile-covered roof underneath a particular tile member so as to support a heavy load above the tile but without damage to the tile. 
     Further in accordance with the invention, a feasible method is provided for retrofitting the added structure to an existing roof. 
     In accordance with the invention a metal structure includes a generally Z-shaped frame that has a mid-portion which extends horizontally upon the roof, a lower end portion which extends downward through the roof, and an upper end portion which passes vertically upward through an opening in a selected tile member. The horizontal distance between the attachments of the upper and lower end portions to the mid-portion of the frame is adjustable in order to provide a feasible and convenient method of retrofitting to an existing roof. 
     Further in accordance with the invention, all portions of the metal frame provide support against vertical movement either up or down, as well as against side shear forces. This is very important because either a solar panel or a satellite dish antenna may encounter a strong wind force that could pull it off the roof if it were not securely anchored. 
    
    
     DRAWING SUMMARY 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a satellite dish antenna supported above a tile roof in accordance with the presently preferred form of my invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows an installation above another kind of tile; 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3; 
     FIGS. 5 through 16 show the successive steps in retrofitting the structure onto an existing tile roof in accordance with the method provided by my invention; and 
     FIG. 17 shows a modified form of apparatus in accordance with the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     (FIGS. 1-16) 
     According to the invention a satellite antenna dish 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is supported upon a frame 17 having legs 14, 15, and 16. These legs in turn rest upon a T-shaped base of frame 17 which is supported from the roof at four separate points, each point of support being achieved in accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention. With standard construction the roof includes a plurality of rafters that are arranged generally in parallel at an angle inclined to the horizontal, although only one such rafter 32 is shown in drawing FIGS. 4-8. A wooden roof plate or sheeting 34 best shown in FIGS. 3-8, is supported upon the rafters. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 show a structure completed in accordance with the present invention, with the tiles being of the type shown in FIG. 1. A particular rafter that has been selected to support leg 14 of frame 17 is designated by numeral 32 best shown in FIG. 4. The wooden roof plate or sheeting 34 is supported upon the selected rafter 32, and a lag bolt 55 extends through the sheeting and into the rafter 32. 
     Also in accordance with standard practice a plurality of identical tiles 40 are supported upon the roof best shown in FIG. 1. Each tile has its upper end portion secured to the sheeting 34 by a nail 41 as shown in FIG. 5. A selected tile 42 shown in FIG. 5 was removed as shown in FIG. 6, for accomplishing the retrofit process of the invention, and an opening 44 as is shown in FIG. 10, was made in that selected tile. 
     Turning to FIG. 4, the novel apparatus of the invention includes a generally Z-shaped frame 50 having a mid-portion 60, a lower end portion that is provided by the lag bolt 55, and an upper end portion that is provided by a threaded shaft 70. The mid-portion 60 of the frame 50 includes a channel-shaped member or elongated base member 61 and a carriage 65 that is slidable longitudinally of the channel member. As shown in FIG. 3, channel member 61 has outwardly extending flanges 62 on the upper part of its outer walls, and the carriage 65 has flanges 67 that pass underneath the flanges of the channel member. This relationship is part of the total arrangement of the structure that supports both compression forces and tensile forces imposed by the dish 10 or other load. 
     Turning to FIG. 7, there is a hole 63 in the bottom wall 61A of the channel-shaped member 61, through which the lag bolt 55 passes and provides a means for attaching the channel shaped member or base member 61 to the roof. This hole is made preferably near the longitudinal center of the channel member 61, in order to provide best support upon the sheeting or roof plate 34. In the installation process, a small hole 36 would be drilled through the roof plate 34 before the lag bolt is installed. By installation of the lag bolt as shown in FIG. 8, the longitudinal position of the channel member 61 relative to the roof is established, but the relative position of carriage 65 is still adjustable. 
     Turning to FIG. 4, threaded bolt 70 performs two functions. One is to pass through a threaded opening 66 in the carriage 65 and frictionally engage the top surface of the bottom wall 61A of the channel 61 so as to lock both the carriage 65 and the lower end of the threaded bolt itself in place. The other is to have its upper end serve as a means of attachment for the heavy load, i.e., a particular leg of the frame 17 that supports the dish 10. 
     METHOD OF INSTALLATION 
     The method of retrofitting the tile-covered roof structure to support the satellite dish or other heavy load is carried out as follows. Turning to FIG. 5, a particular tile member such as the selected tile member 42 which has a portion thereof elevated above the roof plate is chosen for removal. A chalk line 45, is made upon the top surface of several of the tiles, including tile 42, and this chalk line marks the location where channel member 61 will later extend horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the rafters. Then the tile 42 is removed, and opening (shown as 44 in FIG. 10) is formed in it. Alternatively, the opening 44 may be formed at a later time (as shown in FIG. 10). When the tile member 42 is later replaced, the position of opening 44 will establish the location where threaded bolt 70 must be downwardly inserted to engage the carriage 65. 
     Preferably the next step is then to drill a small hole 36 through the roof plate 34 and into the selected rafter 32 as shown in FIG. 6. Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the generally Z-shaped metal frame 50 is selected, which has a lower end portion 55 (the lag bolt) adapted to extend downward through the hole in 36 the roof plate, a mid-portion 60 (channel member 61 and carriage 65) adapted to rest horizontally upon the roof plate, and an upper end portion (the threaded bolt 70) adapted to pass vertically upward through the opening in the selected tile member. The channel member 61 is placed upon the roof plate such that it extends horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the rafters, underneath the chalk line 45. Turning to FIG. 4, sealing material (not shown) is placed over the drilled hole 36 in the roof plate so that there will be no leakage after the lag bolt is inserted. The lag bolt 55 is then inserted through hole 63 in the channel member, through the drilled hole 36 in the roof plate, and is driven downward so as to secure the channel member 61 not only to the roof plate, but also to the underlying rafter 32. 
     Next, the carriage 65, if not already there, is placed upon the channel member 61. The carriage is moved to a location that is approximately beneath the position that opening 44 will occupy when tile 42 is replaced. This will provide an adjustment of the horizontal distance between the lag bolt 55 and the threaded opening 66 in the carriage 65. If opening 44 has not previously been formed in the removed tile 42, that is done now. The removed tile 42 is then replaced. Opening 44 is then approximately above the carriage 65. 
     It should be noted that, generally speaking, the worker on the roof will not find it at all convenient, or perhaps even possible, to make such measurements with precision. It should also be noted that the threaded bolt 70 cannot be attached to carriage 65 before replacing tile 42, because there is insufficient space to do that. 
     Next, turning to FIG. 10, the two nuts 71, 72 on the upper end of threaded bolt 70 are tightened against each other. The lower end of bolt 70 is inserted downward through the opening 44 to engage the threaded opening 66 in the carriage 65. After initial engagement, the bolt is manipulated slightly so as to slide the carriage to an exactly correct position, as nearly as possible. The upper one of the nuts is then turned to drive the lower end of bolt 70 into biting engagement with the upper surface of the channel member 61 as dipicted in FIG. 11. At this time sealing material 150 is placed about the upper part of bolt 70 so as to completely seal the opening 44 in the tile as shown in FIG. 12. The washer 75 is slid down along the bolt 70 to engage the sealing material and hold it in place. As shown in FIG. 13, the washer 75 is then held in place by the sealing material 150. 
     Then a channel member that forms part of the T-shaped base of frame 17, which has a suitable opening in it, is placed over the bolt 70 and is supported by nut 71 after nut 71 has been screwed part way onto bolt 70. Then the upper nut 72 is tightened so as to secure the base of frame 17 in place. 
     When all four of the attachments are made in this manner, the dish 10 or other heavy load is supported from the roof, but not from any tile member. 
     ALTERNATE FORM OF APPARATUS 
     FIG. 17 shows an alternate form of the apparatus that is workable, although not preferred. The mid-portion of the metal frame is provided by a channel member 80 that has a plurality of elongated holes or slots in its bottom wall. The lag bolt may be installed into the roof plate 34 through any one of these slots, and the channel member 80 may then be slid longitudinally relative to the lag bolt 55. At the other end of the channel member 80 a nut 82 has been welded onto the top surface of its bottom wall. The threaded rod can be inserted down into the nut 82 and is then tightened against the upper surface of the bottom wall of the channel member. Before the threaded rod is tightened, the channel member may be slid longitudinally to provide a means to adjust the horizontal separation of the lag bolt and the threaded rod. On the upper extremity of the threaded bolt are the same two nuts 71, 72, used to attach the load above the tile, in the same manner as before. The difference in the installation process is that a measurement must be made to determine the correct position of the threaded bolt as it will appear under opening in the tile member; then the channel member must be secured to the roof plate in that position by positioning the lag bolt in the appropriate position in one of the elongated slots. 
     An advantage of the carriage 65 in my preferred embodiment is that it provides a quicker and easier means to establish the proper horizontal separation between the attachments of the lag bolt 55 and the threaded bolt 70 to the horizontal mid-portion of the metal frame as is best shown in FIG. 4. 
     While the presently preferred form of the invention has been disclosed in detail in order to comply with the patent laws, it will nevertheless be understood that the scope of the invention is to be determined only in accordance with the appended claims.