CA2159380A1 - Enlarged skylight support platform and skylight guard assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

An enlarged skylight support platform and skylight guard assembly, comprising a platform that can span the width of multiple panels, and further comprising galvanized sheet metal or aluminum rail screen for the prevention of injury from stepping or falling through a skylight in a trapezoidal standing seam metal roof. Standing seam edges along both sides of the platform allow for seaming with adjacent trapezoidal standing seam roof panels.

Description

ENLARGED SKYLIGHT SUPPORT PLATFORM
AND
SKYLIGHT GUARD ASSEMBLY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for mounting and ~up~ g a skylight anda skylight guard assembly onto a metal roof. More particularly, the present invention is a prefabricated curb with a safety guard assembly for use with fiberglass reinforced plastic skylights installed on a Ll~e~oidal st~n~iing seam metal roof.
o Sheet metal buil(iings have proven to be cost effective for many industrial, storage, and commercial purposes. Metal buildings are constructed of sheet metal on a structural steel framework. The roofs of metal buildings are typically pitched or inclined and have steel I-beams l~ ning from a ridge line down to the eaves. The ~ t~nce between these load-bearing I-beams can vary, but are typically from 20 to 25 feet apart. Somewhat lighter Is weight support beams, called purlins, run parallel to the ridge line with a typical sp~cing of 4 to 6 feet. Accordingly, the roof has structural members which form a lattice onto which the sheet metal is ~tts~
The sheet metal itself is typically galvanized or pl~ ~.ah~t~d steel between 18 and 26 gauge. In order to increase the strength of the sheet metal without adding greatly to the e.. l,ense or weight, the metal is typically corrugated, ribbed, or has st~n-lin~ seams. These metal sheets are inct~lled side by side, starting along the bottom or eave ofthe roof. The side of each sheet is typically ov~lla~ed or otherwise coupled with each adjacent sheet to form a continuous barrier to rain and other outdoor elements. By inct~lling the sheets in successively higher rows, the bottom edge of a higher row overlaps the top edge of the lower row. This overlapping arrangement allows rainwater and other debris to be shed without being trapped or leaked into the building.
Trapezoidal st~n.ling seam roof panels have an upwardly directed rib, referred to as a sPn-lin~. seam, along both sides. At the outer edge ofthe seam, the sheet metal is bent over to provide a means for joining two adjacent panels along the entire side of the panel. Each panel has one male edge and one female edge so that when the panels are placed side by side, 21~9380 -they are snapped together or seamed to form a waterproof, continllous roof.
Depending on how the building is to be used, the metal building may be modified slightly to acco~ odate vents, skylights, access doors, air conditioner units, and other eqllirmPnt These modifications often require certain devices or eqllipn~ t to be mounted on the building.
With respect to skylights, various attempts have been made to mount skylights onsheet metal roofs in the past, including:

1. U.S. Patent No. 3,521,414, which discloses a one-piece, o molded, plastic base for mounting ventilators, skylights, trap doors and the like. In this manner, the weight of the device is reduced.

2. U.S. Patent No. 4,559,753, which discloses a prefabricated curb unit adapted to be seamed into the double lock st~ntling seams used to interjoin roofpanels. However, this unit has to be r~L~ cl to the sheet metal panels above and below the unit for support. Support çh~nnel~ are shown which can be mounted on the purlins to further support the curb.

3. U.S. Patent No. 5,027,576 discloses an arrangement for sealing an opening in a roof deck by mounting a baffle plate in the roof deck so as to provide a through going ducting channel. The opening of the roof deck i~ se~ at least one raised seam joint and the baffle plate extends beyond the opening to overlap the roof deck for sec~ ring A capping member is disclosed for capping and sealing the area where the baffle plate, the raised seam joint, and the opening converge.
None of these allenll)ts at mounting devices on a sheet metal roof has exhibitedsufficient strength or stability for large or heavy applications. Wind, rain, snow, debris, 2iS9380 vibration and heat will affect the weight exerted on the panel and the strength of the panel and may contribute to fatigue or failure.
In addition, to the difficulties in accommodating the weights of skylights on roofs, the there are many dangers inherent in the actual skylight eq lirm~nt Skylights for s ll~;~idal st~ntling seam roofs typically consist of a ll~spaLelll or translucent fiberglass or plastic panel f~tençd on one side to a male edge and on the other side to a female edge of a Ll~e~idal st~n~lin~ seam panel. The male and female metal edges of the skylight are inte.collllected or seamed with ~djac~nt st~n(ling seam panels in the usual fashion.
Typically, only certain individual panels are replaced so that a sequence of ~Itt rn~tin~ metal 0 and plastic panels is created. In this manner, each plastic panel is enco"~rA~ecl and ~u~polled by adjacent metal panels. In addition, locating the plastic panels or skylights evenly over the roof provide an even illumination throughout the interior of the building.
Trapezoidal st~n~ling seam plastic panels are usually ~ch~;ed with a fiberglass mat for additional strength. Since lldpe~idal st~n-ling seam plastic panels must be made of a light gauge to begin with, the plastic resin used in these trapezoidal st~n-ling seam plastic panels is typically not light stable and can become brittle and suffer discoloration after a few years of ultraviolet exposure. After the plastic panel becomes brittle, the only significant m~tçri~l left to provide s~ is the layer of fiberglass mat. However, the layer of fiberglass mat alone will not support the weight of a person.
For all of these reasons, a person stepping onto a roof co~ g one or more l,~;~idal st~ntling seam plastic panels may be in real danger. Although a prudent person would be able to avoid intentionally stepping on such panels of which he was aware, there are a number of reasons that a person might accidentally step on a weakened or embrittled plastic panel. For ~Y~mrlç, the plastic panels are at the same level as the rest of the roof and 2s are not readily ident fi~ble by looking at the roof, especially if the trapezoidal st~n~ling seam plastic panel has been painted to match the l,apezoidal st~n-1ing seam metal panel.
Trapezoidal st~n-ling seam plastic panels are sometimes painted over when they become ineffective as a skylight due to the discoloration of the plastic panel. Moreover, if there is a thin layer or ice, snow, leaves or other debris on the roof, a person can easily step or slide 215938~

onto a L~cG~idal st~ntlin~ seam plastic panel. If the panel is not strengthened or otherwise secured, there is a real h~7~rd that a person may fall through.
There are several reports which further illustrate the hazardous conditions which may exist on a roof which co.llains one or more trapezoidal st~n-ling seam plastic panels. The s United States National Tn~tit~lte for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports, in NIOSH PublicationNo: 90-100, that during the period 1980-85, 28 deaths resulted from falls through skylights, and 39 deaths resulted from falls through roofs and roof openings. This danger is corroborated by reports of the United States Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) which records the incidence of in~ tri~l and work-related injuries. Report 0 No. 91-660 describes an accident which occurred in Grand Island, Nebraska to a painting contractor. The report states that the "[e]mployee was walking along a roof when he stepped on a roof skylight. He fell through the fiberglass skylight, 22 feet to the lower level, and was killed in the fall." A second report sets out a similar accident involving an employee of a refractory ...~..,.r~ el. This report states that "[w]hile he was walking around a roof, victim stepped on a fiberglass covered skylight opening. He fell 25 feet to the floor below and was fatally injured."
Another OSHA report, ID 0352410, describes another incident as follows:
Several employees were rc~ ni~g a metal roof ... located 20 feet above a conclelc floor. The roof co..l 1;..ed 8 uncovered fiberglass skylights, 11 feet by 3 feet. Employee #1, the folclll~l, had warned the other employees to be careful around the skylights. The job was 50% complete.
It was a Friday, and the employees had started to clean up. Employee #l duln~)ed the water cooler and started to walk across the roo He stepped onto a skylight and fell through it to the concrete floor. He died of massive head 2s injuries. The skylights were not covered nor otherwise guarded, and were painted the same color as the roof.
As a result of these and man~ other accidents involving skylights, OSHA has recognized the dangers posed by skylights and has promlllg~ted requirements for a standard skylight screen as follows:

Skylight screens shall be of such col~llu ilion and mounting that they are capable of with~tAn~ling a load of at least 200 pounds applied perpendicularly to any one area of the screen. They shall also be of such construction and mounting that under ordinary loads or imractc, they will not deflect dowllw~d sufficiently to break the glass below them. The co~ u~;tion shall be of grillwork with openillg~ not more than 4 inches long or of slatwork with openings not more than 2 inches wide with length ume~l~icted.
Therefore, the number of deaths and the reslllting OSHA regulations illustrate that there exists a need for a cost effective means of guarding against falls through trapezoidal stAn-ling seam fiberglass skylights. Further, it would be desirable to have a unitary e~ nt mounting platform or curb which could withstand significantly greater loads with increased stability while being simple to install.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a skylight support system, including a skylight with a skylight guard. The system comrri~es an llpst~n-ling rigid curb adapted to secure and support subst~nti~l weight and sp~nning at least two purlins. It further comrri~es a flange with a top edge, a bottom edge, and two side edges, which extends ou~w~ly from the curb.
The flange is of a width sllbst~nti~lly equivalent to the width of two trapezoidal st~n-ling seam roof panels. Each side edge of the flange is shaped as a ll~zoidal st~n-ling seam roof, and is sealable with corresponding side edges of trapezoidal st~n~ling seam roof panels.
The bottom edge is further adapted to be overlapped by trapezoidal st~n~ling seam roof panels. The invention fi~ther comrri~s a cap member e~tPn~ing from the metal curb to the bottom edge of the flange, and is co,ltouled to fit closely over a st~n~ing seam. The skylight, which has a pair of rails in a parallel configuration, each having a horizontal base member, a vertical member, is mounted directly on the curb. There is a metal screen coupled to the rails, secured to prevent its lateral movent, and positioned at a spaced distance above the skylight.
s BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more particular description ofthe invention, briefly ~ ;d above, may be had by ler~lce to the embo~liment~ illustrated in the appended drawings It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only the plefe.l~d s embo-lim~nt~ of this invention, and are thelerol~, not to 6e considered limiting of its scope, since the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
Figure l details a p~l~pe~ e view of the invention, illustrates the skylight support platform and the guard assembly.
Figure 2 details a perspective view of the skylight support without the guard assembly or skylight.
Figure 3 details a perspective, exploded view of the guard assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention is a skylight support system with a guard assembly installed on a roof formed with trapezoidal st~n~ling seam roof panels.
The pl~rt;lled embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 p~efçrrin~ to Figures l and 2, a skylight support system 1 is shown installed over the roof of a metal building. The system 1 is ~u~olled on I-beams, such as I-beam 2, which support ho. ;~ ly running purlins 3 and 4. The system 1 has a platform 5 having a width that is equal to at least twice the width of an ordill~ TSSR panel, with trapezoidal st~n~ling seam edges 6 and 7 to mate with surrounding TSSR panels. A rectangular opening is cut in the flange 8 and a rigid metal curb 9 is adapted for connection with the flange 8 by various means, inclll-ling welding. The curb 9 is of sufflcient size and strength to support a skylight and its associated guard assembly.
The skylight support pl~ rm 5 is set into place with its bottom edge 11 overlapping a sllfficirnt portion of panels 13 and 14 to provide a continuous barrier to sun and rain. The platform 5 is then ~tt~rhrd to purlins 3 and 4 with f~trnrr~, such as metal screws.
A cap member 15 extends from the bottom edge 11 of the flange 8 up to the metal curb 9 at side 16. The contour ofthe cap m~mber 15 fits closely over the top of a lla~e;~oidal ~ 2lss3sa st~ntling seam 20 formed by adjar,~nt TSSR panels 13 and 14. In order for the cap member 15 to closely fit over seam 20, the flange 8 has a notch 17 which extends from the lower edge 11 up to the downhill side 16 to point 21.
It is illlpoll~ll that the TSSR panels be in~t~lled prior to the installation of platform to allow the bottom edge to overlap panels . Where any two TSSR panels are placed end-to-end, it is likewise hllpol l~lt that the upper panel overlap the lower panel.
In ~(l(lition, platform 5 has a curb 9 having an upper edge or surface 18 adapted for conn~ction with a skylight. The downhill side 16 of curb 9 is shown to be sufficiently taller than the uphill side 19 to produce a level surface defined by the upper edge 18. However, the downhill side 16 of curb 9 may be of equal or lesser height and still operate within the scope ofthe present invention. The curb 9 is of such size that the downhill side 16 of curb 9 sits directly over the purlin 3 and the uphill side 19 of curb 9 sits directly over the purlin 4.
By providing a curb with downhill and uphill sides which sit directly over the purlins, s the system ofthe present invention can support greater weight than when the curb does not extend belv~een the purlins and is ~uppolled only by the flange. Therefore, the flange surrounding the curb is not a load bearing member, and can be made of sheet metal as used on the rçm~in~d of roof .
Referring to Figure 3, the safety guard assembly portion of the invention is att~r.hecl as follows: two metal rails, only one of which is shown 22, each with hori~olll~l base members 23 and a vertical side members 24, are att~rh~l to the curb 9 of the support platform 5. An adhesive, double-faced l"e;,~ule tape or other att~chin~ means 25 may be used to fasten each rail to the resl,cclive curb sides.
The rail 22 is shown having notches or other conl-~cl;l-g means 26, 27 which may be used to attach a metal screen 28. The notches 26, 27 of the rail 22 have a vertical channel 29whichiscontiguouswithhh.;"...~Slchannel30,forrningaret~ininglip31. Thisret~qining lip 31 holds the metal screen 28 in place on the rail 22. The notches 26, 27 are spaced to match the spacing of the transverse wires 31, 32 of the metal screen 28.

Dowllw~.l bending of a plurality of the transverse wires 31, 32 at point 33 or the use of other seCllring means is preferably used to prevent lateral movement of the metal screen 28 on the rail 22. The screen 28 is further secured from displ~c~m~nt by positioning the holi~lltal channel 30 of the rail 22 in the dowllw~d direction along the slope of the roof.
In this manner, a deliberate lifting force is required to remove the screen.
The metal screen 28 may be further secured to the rails 22 by positioning longit~ in~l wires 33 along the interior surface of the vertical side members 24 of the rail 22, respectively. Alternatively, longitudinal wires 33 may be positioned along the exterior surface of the vertical side m~mb~rs 22 to prevent lateral movement of the metal screen 28.
0 It will be understood that certain combinations and subcombinations ofthe invention are of utility and may be employed -without ,~r~ rellce to each other. This is co,.~ ted by and is within the scope of the present invention. As many possible embo-limt nt.~ may be made of this invention -without departing from its spirit and scope. For example, the platform portion of this invention may be used for the support of eqllipm~nt other than skylights.
Therefore, it is to be lmtl~rstQod that all matters set forth within this disclosure or shown in the accolllp~ljillg drawings are to be hll~.~leled as illustrative and not limiting in any way.

Claims (20)

1. A skylight support system for installation on a roof formed with trapezoidal standing seam roof panels, comprising:
an upstanding rigid curb adapted to secure and support substantial weight, said curb having sufficient length to span at least two purlins and being secured to and supported directly by said purlins;
a skylight mounted on said curb;
a flange extending outwardly from the curb and having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two side edges, wherein the flange is of a width substantially equivalent to two trapezoidal standing seam roof panels, and wherein each side edge is a trapezoidal standing seam edge, and wherein said top edges are adaptedto overlap said trapezoidal standing seam roof panels, and wherein said bottom edge is adapted to be overlapped by trapezoidal standing seam roof panels, and wherein said side edges are sealable with corresponding side edges of trapezoidal standing seam roof panels;
a cap member extending from the metal curb to the bottom edge of the flange and contoured to fit closely over a standing seam;
a pair of rails in a parallel configuration, each having a horizontal base member, a vertical member, each rail attached to opposite sides of said skylight;
a metal screen coupled to the rails, secured by the rails at a spaced distance above the skylight;
means for securing the metal screen to the rails to prevent lateral movement of the metal screen;
wherein each of the trapezoidal standing seam roof panels to which said flange side edges is fastened to at least to purlins.

2. The system of Claim 1 further comprising a diverting plate in a spaced relation above the top edge of the flange.

3. The system of Claim 1 further comprising a support member extending from the top edge of the flange to the metal curb that is contoured to fit under and provide support to a standing seam.

4. The system of Claim 1 wherein the means for connecting a skylight is a flange.

5. The system of Claim 1 wherein the rigid metal curb extends upwardly so that the top edge defines a level surface.

6. The system of Claim 1 wherein the metal screen is a welded wire mesh having aplurality of spaced transverse wires and a plurality of spaced longitudinal wires, and wherein the longitudinal wires are made of a lighter gauge than the transverse wires.

7. The system of Claim 1, wherein the metal screen is an expanded metal sheet.

8. The system of Claim 1, wherein the attaching means is an adhesive.

9. The system of Claim 8, wherein the adhesive is double-faced pressure tape.

10. The system of Claim 6, wherein the connecting means comprises a plurality ofnotches in the vertical side member of the rail, and wherein the notches are spaced to correspond with the transverse wires of the metal screen.

11. The system of Claim 10, wherein the width of the notches is greater than the width of the transverse wires in order to account for possible variations in the spacing of the transverse wires of the metal screen.

12. The system of Claim 11, wherein the notches further comprises a substantially vertical channel contiguous with a substantially horizontal channel which together create a retaining lip in the vertical side member of the rail.

13. The system of Claim 6, wherein the securing means comprises a downward bending of a plurality of the ends of the transverse wires of the metal screen.

14. The system of Claim 6, wherein the securing means comprises a longitudinal wire of the metal screen positioned adjacent to the interior surface of the vertical side members of the rails.

15. The system of Claim 6, wherein the securing means comprises a longitudinal wire of the metal screen positioned adjacent to the exterior surface of the vertical side members of the rails.

16. The system of Claim 1, wherein the pair of rails are made of galvanized sheet metal.

17. The system of Claim 1, wherein the pair of rails are made of extruded aluminum.

18. A method of installing a skylight support system on the roof of a metal building, comprising the steps of:
(a) installing roof panels having edges arranged for interlocking by seaming along a first side of a support platform area for receiving a support platform having a top and bottom edge of width equal to an integer number of standing seam roof panels and side edges of sufficient length to span between an upper and a lower purlin;
(b) installing lower roof panels below the support platform area and extending downward from the lower purlin, wherein the width of all the lower roof panels is equal to the width of the platform area;

(c) installing the skylight support platform in the platform area so that the bottom edge overlaps the lower roof panels and is supported by the lower purlin, the top edge is supported by the upper purlin, and a side edge is positioned for interlocking with roof panels along the first side of the platform area;
(d) installing upper roof panels above the support platform to overlap the top edge of the support platform and extend upward from the upper purlin, wherein the width of all the upper roof panels is equal to the width of the platform; and (e) installing roof panels along a second side of the support platform.

19. The method of Claim 18 further comprising the step of attaching a diverted plate to the upper roof panels above the support platform for diverting water around the platform.

20. The method of Claim 18 further comprising the step of repeating steps (a) through (e) for each of a plurality of skylight support platforms to be installed in the roof.