U.S. patent application number 13/555150 was filed with the patent office on 2013-03-07 for gutter guard device.
The applicant listed for this patent is Ronnie Eugene Snyder. Invention is credited to Ronnie Eugene Snyder.
Application Number | 20130055648 13/555150 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47752062 |
Filed Date | 2013-03-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130055648 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Snyder; Ronnie Eugene |
March 7, 2013 |
Gutter Guard Device
Abstract
A roof mounted gutter guard device with unfolding arms which
extend for the purpose of receiving a support rail. The deployed
support rail allows ladders to be supported away from the roofline
and gutters in a safe and effective manner. The deployed support
rail of the gutter guard device is also used to hang decorations
and other accessories from the rail without placing stress on the
roofline and gutters.
Inventors: |
Snyder; Ronnie Eugene;
(Pikeville, KY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Snyder; Ronnie Eugene |
Pikeville |
KY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
47752062 |
Appl. No.: |
13/555150 |
Filed: |
July 22, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61572732 |
Jul 21, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/11 ;
52/745.21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D 13/04 20130101;
E06C 7/486 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/11 ;
52/745.21 |
International
Class: |
E04D 13/04 20060101
E04D013/04 |
Claims
1. A roof mounted gutter guard device comprising: a. a roof
support, wherein said roof support comprises a support beam
attachable to a roof surface and an extension arm catch; b. an
extension arm, wherein said extension arm is rotatably affixed at
said extension arm catch so as to fold over onto a top surface of
said support beam and unfold for deployment away from said support
beam about a point of attachment at said catch, said extension arm
further comprising a cross beam support means to support one end of
a cross beam attached thereto; c. a stop means in said catch for
fixing the deployed position of said extension arm at a plurality
of angles relative to said support beam.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said device further includes a
cross beam, said cross beam having a length, a height, a width, and
having a mounting means on said cross beam to mate with a cross
beam support means of said extension arm.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein said cross beam is fastened onto
said cross beam support means.
4. The device of claim 2, wherein said cross beam support means is
arranged between the proximal and distal ends of said extension arm
so as to allow the proximal end of said extension arm to act as a
stop for an accessory resting on and capable of sliding across said
cross beam.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein said cross beam has a rubberized
coating which increases sliding friction relative to an uncoated
said cross beam.
6. The device of claim 4, wherein said cross beam possesses cross
beam stops along said cross beam length.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein said cross beam stops along said
cross beam length are selected from the group consisting of notches
in said cross beam surface and protrusions above said cross beam
surface.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein a gasket is affixed to said
bottom surface of said roof support.
9. The method of deploying a rail along the length of a roofline by
mounting a plurality of gutter guard devices of claim 1 on a roof
surface at a roof support so as to orient the length of said roof
support substantially perpendicular to a roofline so that deployed
extension arms of said gutter guard devices will overhang said
roofline in a plane substantially parallel to said ground when each
extension arm catch engages its respective said extension arm and
fixes its angular position relative to said roof support, and
mounting a cross beam between consecutively deployed said extension
arms.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said cross beam is deployed so
as to permit an object to rest against said cross beam so as to
support the mass of the object at a distance from a roofline or
installed gutter over which said cross beam is deployed without
damaging said roofline or said installed gutter.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein hangers are supported by said
cross beam is deployed so as to permit an object to hang from the
length of said cross beam so as to support the mass of the object
at a distance from a roofline or installed gutter over which said
cross beam is deployed without damaging said roofline or said
installed gutter.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/572,732 filed on Jul. 21, 2011. This application
relates to a roof affixed ladder mount. The entire disclosure
contained in U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/572,732 including
the attachments thereto, are incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY
[0002] The disclosed device is intended to be affixed to the roof
of a building as a support and guide for a ladder to be mounted
from the roof line to the ground so as to protect the gutter or
edge of the roof from potential damage caused by the gutter or roof
edge supporting the weight of a person climbing the ladder resting
against the gutter or roof edge. The device can also be utilized to
hang decorations or other items. The device is affixed to the
planar surface of the roof so as to distribute the mechanical
stress placed on the device over a wider area than the
substantially linear area of contact along the gutter or roof line.
The device can be a single rail-like support or a plurality of
rail-like supports. The rail-like support(s) are affixed to arms so
as to fold up and forward from the roof for deployment and up and
back to the roof for storage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of the installed gutter
guard device.
[0004] FIG. 2 depicts an exploded, perspective view of the gutter
guard device.
[0005] FIG. 3 depicts perspective views of the roof mount.
[0006] FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of the extension arm.
[0007] FIG. 5 depicts
[0008] FIG. 6 depicts
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] An embodiment of the roof mount 1 of the present application
is depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. The roof mount 1 of the gutter
guard device 100 is affixed to the top of a building roof within
close proximity to a gutter. The roof mount 1 is comprised of a
support beam 10 affixed to an extension beam catch 15 used to lock
the extension beam 50, i.e. extension arm 50, into a preferred
position, typically substantially parallel to the top of the
gutter. In an embodiment, the extension beam is rotatably affixed
within the extension beam catch 15 and pivots about a hinge 26 or
similar means of attachment which permits the extension arm 12 to
rotate through the extension arm catch 15. Alternatively the
extension arm can be mounted outside of the extension beam catch
15.
[0010] As depicted in FIG. 2, an embodiment of the support beam 10
possesses at least one series of mounting bracket attachment holes
18. In this embodiment, the support beam 10 is secured to the roof
by securing at least one mounting bracket 30 over the support beam
10 and onto the top of the roof. In an embodiment, the mounting
bracket 30 is substantially u-shaped and possesses two vertical
bracket side walls 32 and a top bracket wall 35. In a still further
embodiment, the mounting bracket 30 possesses at least one flange
37, and preferably two flanges 37, extending laterally and
substantially perpendicularly from the bracket side walls 32 and
away from the opposing flange 37. The mounting bracket 30 possesses
at least one beam fastener hole 33 located in either a side bracket
wall 32 or top bracket wall 35. In an additional preferred
embodiment, the mounting bracket 30 possesses at least two linearly
aligned beam fastener holes 33 through which a beam-to-bracket
fastening means, e.g. a bolt, may pass to secure the support beam
10 and mounting bracket 30 together. Each flange 37 possesses a
flange mounting hole 38 through which a bracket-to-roof fastening
means, e.g. lag screws, is used to secure to flange 37 of the
mounting bracket 30 to the roof surface. In a preferred embodiment,
two mounting brackets 30 are used to secure the support beam 10 at
substantially both ends (proximal and distal) to prevent rotation
of the support beam 10 about the point of attachment to the
roof.
[0011] In an embodiment, the extension beam catch 15 is comprised
essentially at least one and preferably two vertical walls affixed
to the proximal end of the support beam 10 so as to partially
border the path of articulation of the extension beam 50, the
proximal end of the support beam 10 being the end mounted nearest
the gutter over which the extension beam will be deployed when the
support beam is mounted perpendicularly relative to the roof edge.
Each vertical plate of the extension beam catch 15 functions as a
stop for the extension beam 50 which is rotatably affixed to the
catch 15. In an embodiment, each vertical wall of the catch 15
possesses a catch hinge port 25 through which a hinge 26 is
removably, and alternatively permanently installed, and which is
mated with and passes through extension arm hinge ports 54. In a
preferred embodiment, the hinge 26 is a cylindrical bolt, rod, or
pin about which the extension arm 50 rotates as it articulates
toward and away from the support beam 10. In various alternative
embodiments the bolt, rod or pin acting as a hinge 26 may be
threaded or alternatively unthreaded and is securely installed by
methods know to those skilled in the art. In an embodiment, the
walls of the catch 15 possess catch stop holes 24 through which a
physical stop, e.g. a pin, will pass and which are mated with
corresponding extension arm stop holes 56 in the extension beam
50.
[0012] The extension arm 50, depicted in FIG. 4, is affixed to the
roof mount 1 at the extension arm catch 15 so as to allow the
extension beam 50 to fold up and back against the top of the
support beam 1 for storage when the extension arm 50 is not
deployed. When deployed, the extension arm 50 articulates up from
the top of the support beam 1 and forward toward the roof edge over
which it is intended to overhang. In various embodiments, the
distal end of the extension arm 50 is mounted so as to articulate
about the hinge 26 on the extension arm catch 15. The extension arm
50 possesses extension arm stop holes 56 which are mated to and
correspond with similarly spaced catch stop holes 24 on the catch
15.
[0013] The catch stop holes 24 are arranged in a radially oriented
pattern about the catch hinge port 25. In a preferred embodiment, a
plurality of extension arm stop holes 56 are arranged at different
distances from the extension arm hinge port 54 on the distal end of
the extension arm 50. The catch stop holes 24 are arranged in rows,
each row arranged at a different radius from the catch hinge port
25 and corresponding to the distance of at least one of extension
arm stop holes 56 on the extension arm 50. The plurality of
extension arm stop holes 56 represent varying roof pitches so as to
allow the extension arm 50 to be securely positioned at a plane
roughly parallel to the ground. As the distal end of the extension
arm 50 articulates through the catch 15, a stop means, e.g. pin or
bolt, is passed through the catch stop holes 24 and a preferred
aligned extension arm stop hole 56. The extension arm 50, as
depicted in FIG. 4, further possesses a cross beam support means 58
so that a cross beam 60, i.e. rail, can be mounted across two
deployed extension arms 50 on separate gutter guard devices 100. In
a preferred embodiment, the cross beam 60 is installed as a sheath
fastened over a cross beam seat 58 acting as a cross beam support
means 58. In an preferred embodiment, the cross beam support means
58 is arranged between the proximal and distal ends of the
extension arm 50 so as to permit the proximal end of the extension
arm 50 to act as a stop to prevent a ladder or other object resting
against or affixed to the cross beam 60 from sliding laterally off
of the cross beam 60. It is further envisioned that the cross beam
can be rubberized to increased sliding friction across the cross
beam 60 to prevent sliding, or be notched or be formed with raised
sections to act as stops to prevent sliding across the cross beam
60. Hangers 70, fastenable or otherwise, are envisioned to allow
the use of the cross beam 60 to hang items such as lights, plants,
or other decorative items from the deployed gutter guard device's
100 cross beam 60.
[0014] As depicted in FIG. 2, a roof gasket 38 is placed under
mounting bracket 30 during installation for the purpose of
providing impact and vibration protection for the roof as well as
provide a seal when a threaded fastener or other fastening means is
used to attach roof mounting bracket 30 on the roof surface. The
extension arm 50 is held in its deployed position in a plane
roughly parallel with the ground and the top of the gutter. A
ladder may be placed so as to rest against the extension arm 50,
cross beam support means 58, or cross beam 60 for the purpose of
preventing damage to the gutter or roof. It is envisioned that more
than two gutter guard devices 100 may be required for longer
rooflines or to support more weight.
[0015] FIG. 6 depicts a view of this assembly of a hanger 70 which
is designed to be fitted over the cross beam 60. In a non-exclusive
preferred embodiment, an s-shaped hanger provides lateral support
across the cross beam 60 through a beam support hook 72 at a distal
end which can be placed over the cross beam 60 for lateral support
across the cross beam 60 and forms an accessory support hook 74 at
the proximal end of the hanger to hold a variety of decorative
items that might be displayed such as Christmas lights, banners, or
other visual displays. An alternative embodiment of a hanger 70 is
depicted in FIG. 7.
[0016] FIG. 10 shows that Large Clip 8 demonstrates that a larger
structural component could be hung from the gutter guard device 100
as well as temporary securing a ladder or other structural
piece
[0017] While the gutter guard device 100 could be made of a wide
variety of materials and with innumerable configurations of cross
beams 60, it is preferably formed as a rectangular tube formed of a
non-ferrous, metallic material such as aluminum. A dense,
thick-gauge structural plastic may be utilized depending upon the
load to be supported. Alternatively, ferrous alloys could be
employed as well and appropriately treated to inhibit rusting.
Lastly, it is certainly within the scope of the present disclosure
to utilize a variety of materials simultaneously to optimize
strength where appropriate and to reduce mass when necessary.
[0018] FIGS. ______ and ______ depict perspective views of an
alternative embodiment of the roof mount having a thinner profile
support for fixation along the roof. A smaller height profile
provides a more aesthetically pleasing device and one that is less
likely to be noticed, especially when not in use. The width of the
support is a more critical parameter than height in distributing
the stress of supported articles since stress distribution is
accomplished across the surface area of the support in contact with
the roof. An increase in support height merely provides additional
strength to the support itself, but does not translate into better
distribution of stress across an area of the roof in contact with
the support.
* * * * *