AU2017100135A4

AU2017100135A4 - A roof safety anchor

Info

Publication number: AU2017100135A4
Application number: AU2017100135A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Corinne Dunkinson; Donald Arthur Dunkinson; Murray Dunkinson
Original assignee: Roof Extenda Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Roof Extenda Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2014-11-19
Filing date: 2017-02-03
Publication date: 2017-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 2023-11-12
Also published as: AU2017100135B4; AU2015101661A4; AU2015101661B4; AU2015101662A4

Abstract

A safety anchor (10) for a roof or similar structure includes a structural support 5 member (18). The safety anchor (10) includes a two-legged bracket (12). The two legged bracket is for mounting to a first side (16) of the structural support member (18) and includes a first leg (20) and a projecting leg (22) extending transversely from one side from the first leg (20) to extend under the structural support member (18). The safety anchor (10) also includes an attachment portion (26) providing an attachment 10 point for the safety anchor and an elongate connecting means (24). The elongate connecting means (24) is attached to the other side of the first leg (20) and extends to the attachment portion (26). The elongate connecting means (24) lies adjacent to and is non-removably attached to the other side of the first leg (20).

Description

A Roof Safety Anchor 2017100135 03 Feb 2017

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a safety anchor for a roof structure or similar structure. In particular, although not exclusively, the safety anchor is intended as a 5 single-point fall-arrest anchor for use On a roof to provide a tethering point for a workman on the roof. This tethering arrests the fall should the workman slip or trip on the roof. The specification also describes a method of providing an attachment point on a roof structure and the reader should also refer to our related patent specification for “Installing a Roof Safety Anchor” for aspects of the invention described herein but not 10 claimed. The present specification is a divisional specification of AU 2015101662 and the reader should also refer to this specification for aspects described herein but not claimed. The contents of AU 2015101662 are incorporated herein by reference.

Background of the invention A roof is a hazardous place for a workman. If the pitch of the roof is steep then 15 there is the risk that the workman may become unbalanced and fall either onto the roof or off the roof. Also, roofs can be hazardous with antennae cables presenting tripping hazards. Also, wind gusts may unsteady a workman or blow the workman off the roof.

Fall-arrest anchor devices are known. Not all of the known devices have sufficient strength to maintain the structural integrity of the device and its mounting to 20 the roof structure on receipt of a heavy impact force such as a workman falling off the roof.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a safety anchor for a roof or similar structure which overcomes the abovementioned difficulty or provides the public with a useful choice over known devices. 25 Reference to any prior art in the specification is not an acknowledgment or suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood, regarded as relevant, and/or combined with other pieces of prior art by a skilled person in the art. 1

Summary of the invention 2017100135 03 Feb 2017

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided, a safety anchor for a roof or similar structure which includes a structural support member, the safety anchor including: 5 a two-legged bracket for mounting to a first side of the structural support member, the two legs of the two-legged bracket being a first leg and a projecting leg extending transversely from one side from the first leg to extend under the structural support member; an attachment portion providing an attachment point for the safety anchor; and 10 an elongate connecting means which is attached to the other side of the first leg and extends to the attachment portion, wherein the elongate connecting means lies adjacent to and is non-removably attached to the other side of the first leg.

In a preferred form, the first leg may be a substantially planar main portion for mounting to the first side of the structural support member with the projecting leg being 15 in the form of a foot portion projecting from said one side of the first leg. The main portion and the foot portion are each suitably plate-like in form.

In a most preferred form, the two legged bracket, is preferably an L-shaped bracket. The two legs of the L-shape may extend at right angles to each other and preferably the bracket has a substantially uniform cross-section. The first leg of the 20 bracket may be intended to lie on the side of the structural support member (e.g. rafter) parallel to the length direction of the rafter. For this reason, the first leg is preferably elongate, being longer than its height dimension. The length of the second leg is preferably substantially the same as the length of the first leg, since both are intended to extend in the lengthwise direction of the rafter. However, the width of the second leg is 25 preferably shorter than the height of the first leg. This is because the second leg suitably extends in the width direction of the rafter.

The first leg is preferably provided with an array of apertures to enable the two-legged bracket to be bolted or otherwise fastened onto the rafter. 2

Preferably, there is also a second mounting portion for mounting to the other side of the structural support member. The second mounting portion may be in the form of a two-legged bracket like the first. However, it is preferred that the second mounting portion is in the form of a substantially flat plate. Preferably, the second mounting 5 portion has apertures which align with apertures in the first leg of the two legged-bracket. This enables bolts or other fasteners to extend from the two-legged bracket, through the rafter to the second mounting portion to interconnect the two parts. 2017100135 03 Feb 2017

The connecting means is preferably elongate, in the form of a rod which projects from the two-legged bracket. In the in-use configuration of the safety anchor, the 10 connecting means will project upwardly, but at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the rafter. The connecting means preferably extends the full height of the first leg and beyond to project above the rafter. Thus, where the two-legged bracket is in the form of an L-shaped bracket with first and second legs, the connecting means extends the full height of the first leg, and projects therebeyond in the direction away from the second 15 leg. The connecting means is preferably welded to the other side of the first leg.

The connecting means may be adjustable in length to adjust the position of the attachment portion relative to the two-legged bracket. However, it is preferred that the connecting means is a fixed length for strength reasons.

The attachment portion may be integrally formed with the connecting means. For 20 example, the connecting means and the attachment portion may be an integrally cast part. However, in a preferred form of the invention, the attachment portion is welded to the upper region of the connecting means. The attachment portion may be in the form of a curved or bent rod, which has both its ends welded to the upper region of the connecting means. Alternatively, the attachment portion may be in the form of a ring 25 welded to the top of the connecting means.

The safety anchor may further include a sealing means adapted to extend around the connecting means to provide a seal between the connecting means and the roof cladding. The sealing means may be in the form of a flexible rubber tube/grommet.

The safety anchor is preferably a retro-fitable device, which may be attached to 30 an existing roof or similar structure. Alternatively, the safety anchor may be included in 3 the original construction. The safety anchor may be a single point fall-arrest anchor. Alternatively, a plurality of such safety anchors may be used to provide multiple attachment points. 2017100135 03 Feb 2017

Described herein, but not claimed is a method of providing an attachment portion 5 for a roof or similar structure which includes a structural support member and roof cladding, the method including: providing a safety anchor including a first mounting portion incorporating the attachment portion, the first mounting portion including a two-legged bracket comprising a first leg for mounting to a first side of the structural support member and a projecting 10 leg, the safety anchor further including a second mounting portion for mounting to a second side of the structural support member, the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion being discrete members; inserting the attachment portion through a hole in the roof cladding from the underside of the roof cladding with the attachment portion projecting above the roof 15 cladding and positioning the two-legged bracket with the first leg adjacent the first side of the structural support member and the projecting leg underneath the structural support member; positioning the second mounting portion on the second side of the structural support member; and 20 interconnecting the first mounting portion to the second mounting portion.

Described herein, but not claimed, is a method of providing an attachment portion for a roof or similar structure which includes a structural support member and roof cladding, the method including: providing a safety anchor including a first mounting portion including: a two-25 legged bracket comprising a first leg for mounting to a first side of the structural support member and a projecting leg; and a connecting portion attached to the two-legged bracket for connecting the bracket to the attachment portion, the safety anchor further including a second mounting portion for mounting to a second side of the structural 4 support member, the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion being discrete members; 2017100135 03 Feb 2017 inserting at least a portion of the connecting portion through a hole in the roof cladding from the underside of the roof cladding with said portion projecting above the 5 roof cladding and positioning the two-legged bracket with the first leg adjacent the first side of the structural support member and the projecting leg underneath the structural support member; positioning the second mounting portion on the second side of the structural support member; 10 interconnecting the first mounting portion to the second mounting portion.

The attachment portion may be connected to the connecting portion after the insertion of said portion of the connecting portion through the roof cladding. Preferably, the connecting portion is non-removably attached to the first leg along the full height of the first leg. 15 The methods of the first and second aspects may also extend to providing a plurality of attachment points on the roof or similar structure by connecting, to one or more structural support members, a plurality of the aforesaid safety anchors in a similar manner, but spaced apart. They may be spaced apart on the same rafter or spaced apart on different, possibly adjacent rafters. The positioning of the anchor point(s) is 20 preferably at or towards the apex of the roof or similar structure. Where a plurality of anchor points are provided, these may be arranged at a substantially similar height.

The method may further include the step of tethering the workman to the attachment portion.

Preferably the second mounting portion is in the form of a backing plate which is 25 commensurate in size with the first leg of the first mounting portion. The backing plate is preferably superimposed relative to the first leg of the first mounting portion. Furthermore, preferably the first leg of the first mounting portion and the backing portion have alignable apertures and the method includes inserting fasteners through the aligned apertures to tether the first mounting portion to the second mounting portion. 5

Also described herein, but not claimed, is a safety anchor for a roof or similar structure which includes a structural support member, the safety anchor including: 2017100135 03 Feb 2017 a mounting bracket for mounting to a first side of the structural support member, the mounting bracket including a main portion having a height and a projecting portion 5 projecting therefrom at or adjacent the lower end of the main portion to extend under the structural support member; an attachment portion providing an attachment point for the safety anchor; and a connecting means attached to the main portion along substantially the full height of the main portion and extending to the attachment portion. 10 Any of the preferred features described above may be preferred features which could be incorporated into this aspect of the invention.

As used herein, except where the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise" and variations of the term, such as "comprising", "comprises" and "comprised", are not intended to exclude further additives, components, integers or 15 steps.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention. 20 Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one embodiment will 25 now be described, by way of example, with reference to the figures in which: 6

Figure 1 is a perspective view from below illustrating the safety anchor in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the structural support member being omitted for clarity; 2017100135 03 Feb 2017

Figure 2 is an alternative perspective view of the safety anchor of Figure 1; and 5 Figure 3 is a side elevation of the safety anchor installed on a structural support member in a roof structure,

Detailed description of the embodiments

Figure 1 illustrates the roof safety anchor 10 in accordance with the preferred embodiment. The roof safety anchor 10 comprises a first mounting portion 12 and a 10 second mounting portion 14. The first mounting portion 12 is for mounting to a first side 16 of a structural support member 18, such as a rafter (see Figure 3). The first mounting portion 12 includes a two-legged bracket having substantially planar main portion 20 and a projecting portion 22. The substantially planar main portion 20 lies substantially flat against the first side 16 of the rafter 18. The projecting portion 22 extends 15 underneath the rafter 18, Thus, the projecting portion 22 essentially defines a foot portion of the first mounting portion 12. In other words, the projecting portion 22 defines an underhang under the rafter 18, once installed.

The first mounting portion further includes a connecting means 24 which is attached to the first mounting portion. Specifically, the connecting means 24 extends 20 from the base of the first mounting portion, from where the projecting portion 22 extends, the full height of the main portion 20. The connecting means 24 is also welded to the main portion 20 for substantially the full height of the main portion 20. The connecting means 24 is welded on both sides as shown in Figure 3.

The connecting means 24 extends upwardly from the first mounting portion. In an 25 upper region thereof, an attachment portion 26 is provided. The attachment portion 26 is in a form of a bent rod 28, having both ends welded to respective sides of the connecting means 24, leaving a closed loop as an attachment point.

The roof safety anchor 10 is also provided with a second mounting portion 14, better seen in Figure 2. The second mounting portion 14 is provided in the form of a 7 1001714676 substantially flat backing plate 30. The backing plate 30 is intended to be mounted to the second side of the structural support member 16, which is the opposite side to that shown in Figure 3. 2017100135 03 Feb 2017

The main portion 20 and the backing portion 30 both have a series of aligned 5 apertures 32. On each of the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion, the aligned apertures 32 are arranged in a matrix of four holes across and three holes down. The two outer columns are arranged adjacent the ends of the first and second mounting portions and the two inner columns are arranged on either side of the connecting means 24. The holes 32 are intended for the passage of fasteners 34 10 extending through the main portion 20, through the rafter 16, through the backing plate 30 and out the other side. Preferably the fasteners are nut and bolt connections.

The retro-fit installation of the safety anchor will now be described in connection with Figure 3. Firstly, an opening 40 is provided in the roof cladding 42. The opening 40 should approximately align with the location of a rafter 18 and be generally located 15 towards the apex 43 of the roof.

Holes are drilled through the rafter 18 using a template which establishes the correct position for the holes in the rafter 18 to align with the holes in the safety anchor 10.

The safety anchor 10 is moved into position by inserting the attachment portion -0 26 through the opening 40 as well as an upper part of the connecting means 24. The first mounting portion 12 is moved into position by placing the main portion 20 against the first side 16 of the rafter 18, with the projecting portion 22 extending underneath the rafter 16. The projecting portion 22 should bear against or be adjacent to the underside of the rafter 18. 25 While the first mounting portion 12 is held in this position, the second mounting portion 14 is also brought into position on the second side of the rafter 18 so that the holes 32 in the first mounting portion 12 align with the holes 32 in the second mounting portion and the holes through the rafter 18. The fasteners are then inserted through the aligned holes to interconnect the first mounting portion 12 and the second mounting 30 portion 14. 8 1001714676

Once the safety anchor 10 is installed, a rubber grommet or boot 44 is installed to provide a seal between the connecting means 24 and the roof cladding 42. 2017100135 03 Feb 2017

The installation of the roof safety anchor 10 on the roof creates an attachment point 46 to which a workman may be tethered to prevent him from inadvertently falling 5 off the roof. The tether may include rope or chain and an appropriate removable coupling 48.

When the safety anchor 10 is loaded, some of the force will be transferred to the rafter 18 through the fasteners 34. Additionally, some of the load will be transferred by means of the projecting portion 22. The projecting portion 22 thus assists with 10 distributing the forces more evenly to the rafter 18 and thereby makes a substantial contribution to the working of the invention. Additionally, the connecting means 24 is connected to the main portion 20 along the full height of that portion. This minimises the risk of failure at the connection between the connecting means 24 and the main portion 20 and thereby makes a substantial contribution to the working of the invention. 15 The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. 9 1001714676

Claims

1. A safety anchor for a roof or similar structure which includes a structural support member, the safety anchor including: a two-legged bracket for mounting to a first side of the structural support member, the two legs of the two-legged bracket being a first leg and a projecting leg extending transversely from one side from the first leg to extend under the structural support member; an attachment portion providing an attachment point for the safety anchor; and an elongate connecting means which is attached to the other side of the first leg and extends to the attachment portion, wherein the elongate connecting means lies adjacent to and is non-removably attached to the other side Of the first leg.

2. The safety anchor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two-legged bracket is an L-shaped bracket wherein the first leg is of greater height than the Width of the second leg.

3. The safety anchor as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the connecting means is welded to the other side of the first leg.

4. The safety anchor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first leg is substantially planar and includes an array of apertures for attachment to the structural support member; and wherein the safety anchor further includes a second mounting portion for mounting to the other side of the structural support member, wherein the second mounting portion has apertures for alignment with the apertures in the first leg.

5. The safety anchor as claimed in claim 4 wherein the second mounting portion is in the form of a substantially flat plate which is substantially the same size as the first leg.