Patent ID: 8763324

Claim:
A metal panel roofing system, comprising: at least one roof eave, a roof ridge, roofing panels extending from the at least one roof eave to the roof ridge, said roofing panels forming a roof having rib elevations extending in parallel relation from the roof eaves toward the roof ridge and panel flats between said rib elevations, a roof penetration in at least one panel fiat of the roof between two of the rib elevations, side rails mounted directly to the rib elevations adjacent said roof penetration, wherein each side rail has a length and is comprised of an upstanding riser portion, an upper flange extending from said upstanding riser portion, and a bottom shoulder structure for engaging the rib elevation of the roof adjacent such roof penetration over the length of said side rail, and the riser portion of said side rail extends upwardly from the rib elevation over the length of said side rail, wherein, when said side rails are so mounted to said rib elevations, said side rails extend in the directions of said rib elevations and engage said rib elevations over substantially the entire lengths of said side rails, and wherein said rib elevations provide structural support for said side rails over substantially the entire lengths of said side rails, and a skylight or other structure mounted to said side rails over said roof penetration.