Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a perfection of Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/062,809, filed on Oct. 10, 2014, the disclosure of which is fully incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention pertains to equipment used by roofers and roof installers. More particularly, it relates to safety equipment for those working on the inclines of a sloped roof (residential or commercial) for the removal of an old roof surface and installation of a new roof thereon. 
         [0003]    Roof jacks are typically used on pitched roofs to provide a temporary relatively horizontal platform for standing, placing equipment and/or supplies. One known prior art roof jack is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,254. In a typical use scenario, two or more roof jacks are attached to a pitched roof at substantially the same vertical height. These two roof jacks are then interconnected with a board or other horizontal member to form a generally horizontal platform. Unfortunately, when the area about the first arranged platform is completed, the workers must remove the first set up and move it to a second location. For a typical old roof removal, that may mean tens or possibly a hundred plus roof jack relocations depending on overall roof size. 
         [0004]    The standard method of attachment for the aforesaid roof jacks is to drive a nail or screw into a rafter (or other suitable underlying structure) through one of the grooves in the roof jack provided for this purpose. It is common to place shingles over the top portion of the temporarily installed roof jack (approximately from horizontal member 002, upward), covering the nail or screw. It is also common to temporarily install roof jacks beneath existing shingles, which requires bending back the existing shingles and awkward pounding in of the nail. 
         [0005]    To remove an installed prior art roof jack, the bottom of each jack if first hit upward with a hammer, pushing the roof jack up, along the path defined by its mounting groove. Once the nail is free of the groove, the roof jack may be fully removed and the nail hammered in. The resulting nail and nail hole compromises water-sealing integrity of the roof. In addition, it is common for the repeated installation and removal of roof jacks to damage shingles, puncture roof membranes, and de-laminate roof components (including shingles, membranes, etc.) with bending-back of shingles, hammering of each roof jack, forceful hammering in (and potential extraction) of nails, and the like. 
         [0006]    The art has not demonstrated a satisfactory attachment device for a roof jack which reduces or eliminates damage to roof components. This invention meets that very need. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Generally, the disclosed invention is directed to a roof jack foot clip that easily installs (without nails or screws) into and between the slants of a roof working area for individualized placement of a worker&#39;s boot thereon. This invention does NOT require the situating of multiple clips/stands and the placement of a board or other plank there between. Nor does the removal (and relocation) of the clip/clamp to its next work area cause any undue damage to the roof and/or new roofing materials being installed on the sloped roof surface. 
         [0008]    Currently shown versions of these clips depict a front tip notched inwardly from both sides. That may or may not be necessary or preferred. In production, however, it will be desired that each clip have an aperture or hook latch so that a plurality of clips may be carried on a common hook, wire, carabiner or the like for removing and using as needed. Furthermore, the backside interior (closest to the roof boards) and/or boot resting regions of each clip may be coated with rubber or another slip-resistant material for enhanced safety use of these clips in other than ideal (dry) conditions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings and photographs in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of one embodiment of roof jack clip according to this invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the roof jack clip from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view showing the  FIG. 1  clip at the start of its insertion between representative roof boards for illustration purposes; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view showing the clip from  FIG. 3  fully inserted between adjacent roof boards; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view showing the start of the clip from  FIG. 4  being hinged or folded down after its full forward insertion between adjacent roof boards; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view showing the top half of the clip from  FIG. 5  completely folded down between adjacent roof boards; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an upper front view of a fully installed clip between adjacent roof boards according to this invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a more “straight on” perspective view of the fully installed clip from  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a close up, bottom view of a clip user&#39;s boot resting on the fully installed embodiment from  FIGS. 7 and 8 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of the user&#39;s boot covering the fully installed clip from  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    The following detailed description is for the purpose of illustrating currently preferred embodiments of this invention. Other embodiments are still possible without deviating from the spirit and scope hereof. The accompanying drawings and particular elements discussed below use terms meant as examples and not as limitations. Functions equivalent to those illustrated in the photographs may be provided by still other device(s) or structure(s). 
         [0021]    As used herein, “releasably attachable” and “releasably connectable” are understood to be equivalent; “attach” and “connect” (and “attachable” and “connectable”) are also understood to be equivalent; and “releasable,” “releasably,” “releasably attachable,” and/or “releasably connectable” are understood to mean being able to be repeatedly connected/disconnected (or engaged/disengaged) through the use of hands, feet, or human appendage, with application of human-scale work effort, not generally requiring the use of a tool let alone any special or customized tool/tooling. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are full views of a representative roof jack clip  10  before it is used/installed between the boards of a roof for old shingle removal and/or new shingle installation. Clip  10  consists of an uppermost tip  12 , a first elbow bend  14 , a short flat portion  16  followed by a second elbow  18  that bends in an opposite direction from first elbow bend  14 . 
         [0023]    Thereafter, the clip  10  includes an elongated flat shaft component  20  whose back end  22  is meant to sit adjacent the roof boards when the jack clip is properly installed therebetween. As better seen in  FIG. 2 , a midsection  24  of flat shaft component  20  can be structurally strengthened (for holding greater user weights) by welding one or more reinforcement segments  26  thereto. 
         [0024]    At the lowermost end  28  of flat shaft component  20 , there is provided yet another elbow bend  30  (which preferably extends substantially parallel with/to first elbow bend  14 ) before the whole clip  10  terminates in a “shelf-like” user boot support portion  32 . 
         [0025]    The foregoing clip  10  leads to a pre-shaped, pre-stressed clip that somewhat resembles a lightning bolt in its zigzag, jagged design . . . but each of the pre-set folds serves a special purpose: the top folds for assisting with clip installation between adjacent roof boards B 1 , B 2  before being hinged or “flipped” downwardly against the main surface of the lower of those two adjacent roof boards B 2 . Thereafter, the user can safely rest his or her work boot W on the latter, outwardly folded and extending boot rest shelf portion/component  32 . 
         [0026]    More preferred embodiments will include rubberized coating treatments R to the exterior flat shelf component that otherwise extends adjacent the roof boards. A similar coating treatment of a non-slippery material to the upside of the boot resting shelf will also further enhance user safety especially in potentially moist conditions (i.e., from the elements—rain, drizzle, fog, etc. or from the sweat and/or spilled drinks of the workers atop a hot roof in mid summer). 
         [0027]    Yet another preferred addition (not currently shown) is the incorporation of one or more apertures A and/or hook elements into the body proper of each and every clip, most preferably in a common standard area/recess or the like. Such a common coordination would allow for a plurality of such clips to be commonly connected (on a wire, cord, even a large carabiner) for each user to transport up a ladder (or scaffolding) and onto the roof for in situ installations as needed. 
         [0028]    The main elbow bends of the clip proper are meant to extend substantially perpendicular or at mostly a ninety degree angle relative to the next adjoining clip component. That is most critical toward the bottom end of each clip. The first elbow bend may be less than or greater than 90 degrees and still accomplish the main goals of same, i.e., assisting with initial installation of the respective clips and, after proper use of same, the removal of the clip for reuse at another installation section of the same roof job. 
         [0029]    The preferred embodiment depicted has representative measurements of about 1.5 to 2 inches for the first section length, 1 inch for the short flat portion, about 8 to 10 inches for the flat shaft region ending in a boot shelf component about 5 to 6 inches long. Overall, the total length for each clip, from top to bottom, measures between about 14 to 16 inches. The width of this clip is a consistent 1.5 inches as variations in sectional lengths may interfere with the clip laying flat against the pitched roof when properly installed. 
         [0030]    The components to the aforesaid clip may be made of or from a wide range of materials non-exclusively including aluminum, steel, iron, copper, tin and alloys between and including these and other materials, as well as and/or including composites such as fiberglass, aramid, carbon-fiber, an other fibers combined with resin and/or epoxy. When made from cast iron components (for enhanced strength), the resultant clip will weigh roughly 8 to 14 ounces each. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 3 through 8  show the sequential installation of one such clip between adjacent roof boards according to the present invention. Particularly, there is the initial insertion of the clip tip  12  into the gap between adjacent boards B 1 , B 2  as seen in  FIG. 3 . Though not required in subsequent embodiments, the two inward notches N, roughly 2 inches down from the top end of clip  10  provide some indication of how far in to insert the clip head between adjoining roof boards. 
         [0032]    Once inserted a proper distance inwardly between two adjoining roof boards (as per  FIG. 4 ), the whole of the clip may next be flipped down as shown in the first stage of flipping at  FIG. 5  until fully “at rest” against roof board B 2 .  FIG. 6  shows the clip  10  after flipping has been completed. Finally,  FIGS. 7 and 8  show the fully installed clip, in place, and ready for use, from two perspectives/angles. 
         [0033]    Next,  FIGS. 9 and 10  show the work boots W of a user stepping onto the shelf-like boot support component  32  of a properly installed roof jack clip  10 . The clip itself is still visible in  FIG. 9  while the whole leg weight of its user rests on that clip shelf  32  to support him as per the top view at  FIG. 10 .

Technology Category: 0