Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REMOVABLE ROOF ANCHOR
BACKGROUND OF T~IE INVENT~ON
1. Te~hni -~l Field
The present invention relates generally to safety devices for protecting
workers doing construction or repair on the roof of a building, especially a roof
having an angle. In particular, the invention relates to devices known as roof
anchors that may be te---pol~;ly fastened to a roof, and to which a safety line or
10 other device, connected to a worker, may be attached.
2. Background Inform~ti- n
Roof anchors have been developed to respond to the obvious need for some
type of safety device to protect workers on angled roofs from falling and sust~ining
serious injury. Some of these roof anchors have been developed for temporary
use, intended to be removed as repair or construction of the roof is completed.
However, there are also pe~ nP~ roof anchors intended to become a f~ture on
the roof, available for later use upon the occasion of subsequent --ailllenallce or
repairs.
Most prior devices comprise complete safety assemblies, including safety
lines or cables, line retraction devices, etc. However, many of the components of
these systems perform functions that are recllln-l~nt with other safety devices
already on the market that may be easily adapted to use with a simple anchor
device. Additionally, some prior art devices are small so as to be inexpensive, but
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these devices also have small openings for attachment of a snap hook or similar
device for attaching a safety line. However, because of the constant motion of the
person working on the roof, the snap hook tends to twist and turn in the opening of
the anchor device, and small anchor devices with small openings more easily
5 inadvellelllly release the snap hook, resulting in an unsafe condition where no fall
prevention is provided by the anchor device.
Other, more simple devices are also available, but offer limited
functionality. U.S. Patent No. 5,137,112, issued to Nichols on August 11, 1992,
discloses a two pronged "staple" that may be driven part way into a structural
10 element of the roof. When the job is fnishPcl, it may be driven completely into the
roof, or bent over to be covered by shingles. However, the staple, the small size
of which renders it convenient for certain applications, is limited by its size in the
number of devices that may be attached to it and the ease with which devices maybe attached to it.
U.S. Patent No. 4,249,713, issued to Glynn et al. on February 10, 1981,
discloses a simple anchor that may be attached to the peak of an unfni~hP~ roof.It provides an opening to which a snap hook may be attached, and at the end of the
roofing job, the projecting portion may be flattened against the roof with a hammer
to be covered by shingles. However, the range of motion comfortably permitted to20 the worker ~tt~('hP,d to the anchor is limited somewhat, to reduce the likelihood that
the snap hook will become disengaged from the anchor. Further, this anchor does
not disclose a use or adaptation on other portions of the roof than the peak.
The roof anchor of the present invention overcomes difficulties described
above and affords other featult;s and advantages her~lofor~ not available.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The pr~relled embodiment of the present invention is reusable, including
two metal fastening members ~ hPd by a flexible belt, and is removably attached
to the roof structure of a building by screwing the two metal fastening members to
30 a roofing timber or other pellllallent member of the support structure of the roof.
The roof anchor also includes an attachment member in the form of a heavy gauge
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2157~7
steel ring attached thereto by a chain, which is in turn permanently attached to the
fastening members. The attachment member, while providing safe and secure
attachment of fall protection devices, also permits a wide range of motion without
colllp~lllising the safety of the worker on the roof.
It is an object of this invention to provide a safety device for the protection
of workers doing jobs on angled, elevated surfaces such as roofs. It is a further
object of this invention to provide such a safety device that may be securely
mounted to either the flat portion of a roof or to a peaked portion of the roof. It is
also an object of this invention that the safety device should be sturdy and secure,
10 capable of h~n(lling workers of all sizes, wearing any amount of nPcess~ry safety
gear and tools. It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety device
that will lessen the risk of a snap hook or carabiner becoming detached theler~
during use. It is a further object of this invention that the roof anchor should be
removable upon completion of a roofing job. It is a further object of the invention
15 that the roof anchor, if pr~pefly used and m~int~in~d, should be reusable.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become appal~nl from
the following det~iled description and from the appended drawings in which like
numbers have been used to describe like parts throughout the several views.
BRIEF DESCRn~TION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of two separate removable roof anchors,
showing one anchor affixed to a flat portion of the roof and the other sr~nning a
peaked portion of the roof;
Figure 2 is a side elevation taken along line 2--2 of Figure 1, showing a
cross section through the roof truss;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the roof anchor; and
Figure 4 is a partial side sectional view.
DESCR~r10N OF T~E PREFE~RED EMBODIMENT
With reference to the drawings, and in particular to Figure 1, the pl~rellcd
embodiment of the removable roof anchor is generally in~1ir~ted by reference
2157947
numeral 10. Roof anchor 10 includes an attachment assembly 12 that in turn
includes two side plates or anchor plates 14 and a flexible belt member 16.
Anchor plates 14 are preferably made of 1/4 inch thick steel plate, and belt
member 16 is made of the same reinforced, rubbe~zed material commonly used for
S intl~lstri~l conveyor belts. The pr~rellc;d configuration of belt 16 is a two ply belt
having a first outer layer of rubber, a first polyester fabric layer, a middle layer of
rubber, a second polyester fabric layer, and a second outer layer of rubber. Thebelt preferably has a 150 pound per inch working tension. As best shown in
Figure 4, anchor plates 14 are f~edly attached to belt member 16 by rivets 18 that
10 pass through anchor plate 14, belt member 16 and steel clamp plate 20.
Roof anchor 10 also includes a r~;l;,inillg assembly 22 including lt;l;.il~ing
ring 24 through which passes a sturdy, flexible, elongate r~l~inin~ member such as
chain 26. Chain 26 includes a first end link 27 and a second end link 29.
R~t~ining assembly 22 is fastened to attachment assembly 12 as by studs 28, which
15 are preferably welded to anchor plates 14 (Figure 4). Studs 28 are fastened to
anchor plates 14 so as to allow easy movement of chain 26 thereabout, while at the
same time ensuring secure attachment of chain 26 to anchor plate 14. R~t~ining
ring 24 is preferably appro~llately three inches in diameter and approximately 3/8
inch thick. The links of chain 26 are preferably made of a heat treated alloy steel,
20 and chain 26 preferably includes twenty-five links. R~ot~ining ring 24 provides a
means for attachment of fall arrest equipment. It is prerellc;d that connectors
fastened to r~ ining ring 24 are not non-locking hooks. To avoid roll-out of theconnector, it is preferable to use self locking snap hooks or carabiners.
As indicated in Figure 1, removable roof anchor 10 may be fastened to a
25 flat portion of a roof or it may span the peak of a roof. In either case, it is
attached to a rafter 30 of the roof as by lag screws 32. Lag screws 32 are
preferably at least 2-1/2 inches long to ensure secure fastening of roof anchor 10 to
the rafter. Lag screws 32 pass through openings 34 in anchor plates 14. The use
of lag screws 32 also permits easy removal of roof anchor 10 following completion
30 of the roofing job.
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In use, roof anchor 10 should be inspected before each in~t~ tion to ensure
that it has not been damaged. It is important that rivets 18 be tight, and that chain
26 and r~l; inil~g ring 24 have not been damaged. Further, anchor plates 14 should
be flat and free of dents and corrosion, and belt member 16 should not be cracked
S or torn. Damaged lag screws 32 should be replaced. Following inspection, roof
anchor 10 is attached to the roof by placing lag screws 32 through the openings 34
of anchor plates 14 and driving them into a rafter 30. A safety device such as an
energy absorbing lanyard may be attached to the removable roof anchor by
attaching a self locking snap hook, for example, to ~l~inil~g ring 24. The
10 plt;rell~d embodiment of the roof anchor will support a worker with a combined
weight of up to 310 pounds, including the weight of the person and the person's
clothing, tools and safety equipment. No more than one safety device may be
attached to the roof anchor at a time. Once the roofmg job is completed, lag
screws 32 are removed from rafter 30, and the roof anchor is set aside. If it has
15 been damaged it should be repaired or replaced before using it again. Once it has
been subjected to fall arresting forces, roof anchor 10 should be removed and
discarded.
While the prefell~d embo~iment~ of the invention have been described, it
should be understood that various changes, adaptations and modifications may be
20 made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the
appended claims.
