Apparatus For Mounting Equipment On A Roof

Abstract

Apparatus for Mounting Equipment on A Roof includes cooperating compartmented members which pivot on each other to provide a level platform and compartmented housing which mates with the cooperating members and continues the compartments.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to the mounting of equipment on a roof, and more particularly to the mounting of heating and air conditioning equipment on a pitched roof.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The development of compact air conditioning and heating equipment has led to the widespread use of such equipment, particularly in the warmer areas of the country. The engineering developments associated with heating and ventilating have led to the design of more compact and lighter weight equipment than was developed and put into widespread residential use during the 1950's and early 1960's. In many areas of the country, such as the southwest, the need for air conditioning equipment to cool particularly residential structures has been greater than the need for heating equipment to heat the homes during the winter months. Accordingly, a number of units have been developed in which means for heating have been included with means for cooling. The compact and lightweight engineering of heating and cooling and/or combination units has led to the proliferation of roof mounted units rather than units which are termed "split systems." In such split systems, the condenser and compressor units of an air conditioning system are located exteriorally of the dwelling structure and the evaporator coils are located within the structure, typically within ductwork associated with a furnace or heating unit. Such system requires the extensive use of piping and electrical equipment between the split units of the systems.

In recent years the trend has been more and more to locate air conditioning units, with or without an associated heating unit, on a roof. The roof mount provides closer proximity for all portions of the cooling and/or heating unit. However, one of the problems associated with roof mounted units is the means for mounting the unit to the roof. In typical situations, the units are simply supported by a number of supports or legs which are secured to the roof and extend upwardly so as to provide a level support for the unit which is then fastened to the supports. The other end of the unit generally rests on a frame which is secured directly to the roof. In other situations, four supports or legs are used to hold the unit up from the roof. These supports, when secured to the roof, provide a level platform or base upon which the unit may be secured. Ductwork then extends in both cases from the unit into the roof and connects within the dwelling or residence structure to ductwork which then transmits the cooled and/or heated air throughout the home.

One of the problems associated with roof mounting systems is that virtually no two roofs are of the same pitch and thus in order to level the equipment, or to provide a level base for the equipment, each leg or support for the equipment must be custom made for each individual roof. This necessitates a substantial amount of effort in order to provide custom dimensioned legs for each unit.

Vibration is also a problem with roof mounted equipment. The equipment, as it is normally running, has a substantial amount of vibration associated with it and when there are only four primary suspension points between the vibration equipment and the roof, there is a substantial amount of vibration transmitted through the support members into the roof and underlying structure.

Roof mounted equipment under prior art circumstances requires compactness at the expense of ease of maintenance. With the use of the present invention the equipment may be modularized for ease of maintenance.

The present invention provides a means for leveling and supporting roof mounted apparatus. The apparatus may be universally used on roofs having a pitch up to about 51/2 inches per foot. The apparatus is functional in reducing the vibration transmitted to and within the structure and in providing a level platform on which to mount the equipment. The apparatus also provides ease of maintenance for the equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein described and claimed comprises apparatus for mounting equipment on a pitched roof and includes means for providing a level platform which may be universally adapted to a wide variety of pitched roofs or sloping surfaces. The apparatus includes a plurality of modules, each of which has a specific function with respect to the overall invention. A maximum of four modules are required for a steeply pitched roof, and a minimum of three modules may be used for a flat roof.

The following are among the objects of this invention:

to provide new and useful apparatus for mounting equipment on a roof;

to provide new and useful apparatus for mounting equipment on a pitched roof;

to provide new and useful modularized apparatus for roof mounted equipment;

to provide new and useful apparatus in module form for mounting on a roof;

to provide a new and useful level platform for equipment mounted on a sloping surface; and

to provide new and useful housing for equipment mounted on a slope.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention illustrating the assembled apparatus on a pitched roof environment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view showing a modification of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of another embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 discloses a perspective view of the preferred embodiment in the environment of its usage, which is a pitched roof. Included in the figure are the various modules, in assembled form, of the present invention. The complete or assembled apparatus is designated by reference numeral 10. Base frame 20 is secured to shingled roof 12 by a plurality of fasteners 21, well known in the art. The fasteners 21, three of which are shown, are secured through an exterior flange 28 which extends about the periphery of the base frame. Levelling frame 40 is secured to the base frame 20 also by well known fastening means. The levelling frame pivots on the base frame about a pair of fastening and pivot means 58 (only one of which is shown) and is raised at its front until it provides a level platform for enclosure 60. When the levelling frame is indeed level, it is secured in place to the base frame by appropriate fasteners, such as indicated by reference numeral 59, which may be similar to fastening means 58.

Enclosure 60 may be secured to the levelling frame from the interior. Hood 80 is appropriately hinged to enclosure 60. The hood 80, which includes a top panel and a pair of side panels, provides a cover for equipment located within the enclosure 60. The side panels of the hood are adjacent mating portions of the side panels of the enclosure 60.

It will be noted that the apparatus herein described and claimed may be fabricated out of any appropriate material, such as aluminum, galvanized sheet metal, or the like. Each of the modules herein disclosed, either three or four in number, may be appropriately fabricated and the various members, panels, and brackets may be secured together by well known techniques, such as welding, crimping, or the like. The modules may be secured together also by well known techniques, such as by sheet metal screws, bolts, or the like.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1. The base means 20 includes a side wall 22 and a side wall 23 which are of tapered configuration. The wall panels are narrow at the rear end adjacent a rear wall 26 and are wider at the front end adjacent a front wall 24. Rear wall 26 is rectangular in configuration, and may tilt slightly rearward, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Front wall 24 is slightly curved or concaved in the vertical direction on a radius between a pivot line which stretches or extends between aperture 29 in end wall 23 and aperture 29a in side wall 22. While the apertures 29 and 29a are for fasteners, such as fastening means 58, the apertures and the fastening means also comprise pivot points for the base frame and the levelling frame. Thus the front wall 24 of the base frame and the front wall 44 of the levelling frame are both slightly curved on a radius about the pivot line to provide a rather close fit as the levelling frame is pivoted on the pivot points on the base frame means. The side walls 22 and 23 of the base frame also include the same radius at the front portion thereof to provide a mating contour on which the front wall is fastened at its opposite ends to the side walls.

An exterior flange 28 extends about the periphery of the base frame. The flange provides additional support for the base frame and for the entire apparatus as it is supported on the roof. The flange 28 includes a number of apertures extending therethrough for the purpose of securing the base frame to a roof by appropriate fastening means (see FIG. 1).

With respect to dimensions, the base frame comprises a square configuration. That is, the walls, including side wall 22, front wall 24, side wall 23, and rear wall 26, are each of the same length. However, their vertical dimensions are different.

For descriptive purposes, the base frame will have a longitudinal direction or axis which comprises the direction from the front to the back, or vice versa, and a transverse axis or direction, which extends from one side to the other. Thus, according to such terminology, interior member 30 within the base frame extends longitudinally of the frame between the front wall and the rear wall. The interior member 30 is of substantially the same configuration as the side walls, and it is parallel to them, and centrally located between them. Interior members 32 and 32a extend transversely of the frame between the side wall 23 and the interior member 30 and side wall 22 and interior member 30, respectively, and they are centrally located with respect to the distance from the front wall and rear wall. Interior flanges 36 and 36a extend at right angles to interior members 32 and 32a, respectively, and interior flanges 38 and 38a extend at right angles to the interior member 30 on either side of interior members 32 and 32a, and all are in the same plane as exterior flange 28. The purpose of the interior flanges 36, 36a, 38, 38a, is the same as that for exterior flange 28. That is, since they extend from the bottom of the vertical members and are terminated at the side walls and front and rear walls, they provide additional bearing surfaces or supporting surfaces for the apparatus on any given roof. Accordingly, it will be seen that the weight of the entire apparatus, including the heating and/or ventilating equipment installed within the apparatus, is distributed over a substantially larger area of any given roof than prior art devices. The distribution of the weight also distributes and reduces the vibration from any apparatus over a greater area of support and accordingly diminishes the total vibration distributed to the roof and to the underlying supporting structure.

The interior members extend in a generally vertical direction as do the exterior members, which include the side walls and the front and rear walls. The interior and exterior members define a plurality of compartments, four in number, each of which is substantially the same with respect to base or aperture area. However, it will be noted that since the side walls are tapered and that the front wall is substantially higher, vertically, than the rear wall, and that the interior member 30 is of the same approximate size as are the side walls, the volume or overall size of the compartments defined by the interior and exterior members is not the same. This, however, is immaterial with respect to the invention. Since the base frame 20 is of a generally square configuration, the base area of the four interior compartments is generally square also.

The levelling frame 40 comprises a pair of side walls 42 and 43, each of the same general configuration as side wall 22 and 23, a front wall 44 of the same general configuration, including substantially the same radius, as front wall 24, and a rear wall 46 which is of the same general configuration as rear wall 26. However, the levelling frame exterior members, which comprise the side walls 42 and 43, the front wall 44, and the rear wall 46, are slightly larger with respect to vertical height or dimension than the base frame 20. The exterior frame members are secured together and thus comprise also a generally square configuration, similar to that of the base frame means 20. The levelling frame 40 is slightly larger than the base frame, and provides a sliding fit over the base frame, and, as mentioned previously, pivots on the base frame through a line extending between apertures 29 and 29a of the base frame and through matching apertures 49 and 49a of the levelling frame 40. The levelling frame thus fits over the base frame and aperture 49 mates with aperture 29 and aperture 49a mates with aperture 29a. Appropriate fastening means, such as shown at 58, may be used to secure the base frame and the levelling frame together at the pivot points.

Levelling frame 40 includes an interior member 50 which extends longitudinally of the frame between the front wall 44 and the rear wall 46, and approximately centrally disposed with respect to the side walls. The interior member 50 is of substantially the same general configuration and size as side walls 42 and 43. The interior member 50, when the base frame and the levelling frame are secured together, is substantially parallel and adjacent to the interior member 30 of the base frame, and is in sliding contact therewith.

The levelling frame also includes interior members 52 and 52a extending transversely between outer wall 43 and interior member 50, and between interior member 50 and outer wall 42, respectively. The interior members 52 and 52a are substantially the same height as the outer walls and the inner member 50 at the lines of intersection therewith. When the levelling frame and the base frame are secured together, the interior members 52 and 52a are substantially parallel and adjacent, and in sliding contact, with interior members 32 and 32a, respectively, of the base frame means.

In order to accommodate vertical displacement of the respective interior members, the interior member 32 of the base frame 20 includes a notch 33 adjacent side wall 23 and a notch 34 adjacent interior member 30. Interior member 32a includes a notch 34a adjacent interior member 30 and a notch 33a adjacent side wall 22. Similarly, interior member 52 of the levelling frame 40 includes a notch 53 adjacent side wall 43 and another notch, not shown, adjacent interior member 50. Interior member 52a includes notch 55 adjacent the interior member 50 and another notch, not shown, adjacent side wall 42. Interior member 50 includes a notch 54 disposed adjacent the interior members 52 and 52a. It will be seen from the exploded view of FIG. 2 that as the levelling frame 40 and the base frame 20 are assembled or mated together, the notches enable movement in a vertical direction of the levelling frame 40 about the pivot points on the base frame 20. It will be noted that interior members 32 and 32a of the base frame 20, and interior members 52 and 52a of the levelling frame 40, have a slight curve to them in the vertical direction, and are substantially parallel to, and of the same radius, as front walls 24 and 44 of the base frame 20 and levelling frame 40, respectively. The reason for the curvature is the same as for the curvature of the front walls, which is simply to provide a smooth pivotal radius for the movement of the levelling frame over the base frame. The curvature of the front walls and the interior members is illustrated more clearly in FIG. 3.

The exterior and interior members of the levelling frame also define a plurality, four in number, of compartments. Each compartment, as with the base frame, is substantially square in configuration and substantially equal in base area, but not in total volume. The compartments of the levelling frame, when assembled with the base frame, are substantially parallel and contiguous to those of the base frame.

in practice, the base frame is secured to a roof, with any two adjacent compartments located above or superimposed on holes or apertures in the roof which are in turn connected to the supply air and to the return air ductworks of the structure. It is not necessary that the apertures and ductwork of the structure be the same size as the apertures of the base frame that is superimposed on the ductwork. Appropriate sealing and insulating enables the apparatus to have great flexibility with respect to such matters. Appropriate insulative means and fastening means may be employed to the base frame means and to the roof of the structure to which it is secured. The levelling frame is then secured to the pivot points of the base frame, as by appropriate fastening means 58 through the mating apertures in the base frame and levelling frame, such as 29 and 29a, and 49 and 49a, respectively. The levelling frame 40 is then pivoted about its pivot point and is raised in order to compensate for the pitch of the roof to a level position. When the top of the levelling frame is in a level, horizontal position, then appropriate fastening means, such as bolts or sheet metal screws, are used to secure the levelling frame to the base frame on either or both the front panels and/or the side panels. It will be obvious that prior to the levelling process, it would not be possible to drill holes through either the side panels or the front panels. Accordingly, when the levelling transpires, it is only necessary to drill through, for example, front walls 24 and 44 and secure by appropriate fastening means, or, in the alternative or in addition to, holes may be drilled through side walls 22 and 42 and through side walls 23 and 43 for appropriate fastening. By proper dimensioning of the side walls and the front and rear walls of both the base frame 20 and the levelling frame 40, it is possible to compensate for various pitches encountered in roofs. For example, typical roof pitches in homes built today vary between about 2 inches per foot to about 51/2 inches per foot in pitch. That is, a vertical rise of 2 inches to 51/2 inches in a horizontal distance of 12 inches is typical. Such pitch variation may be easily compensated for by the base frame and levelling frame of the present invention.

When the base frame and levelling frame have been adjusted and secured together, the adjacent apertures or openings over which the apparatus will extend are appropriately insulated to provide for substantially air-tight compartments. The term "air-tight" in the heating and ventilating trade means simply that the air flow out of or into the compartment or ductwork is minimized between adjacent compartments or between the duct work and the "outside" air. Accordingly, asbestos sheets may be used to insulate the supply duct and tape may be used to seal the return air ducts. The exterior and interior members of both the base frame and the levelling frame define compartments which are continuing, or are in alignment, with respect to each other.

A top flange 48 extends inwardly about the exterior members of the levelling frame. The interior members also include top flanges. Member 52 includes a flange 57, and member 52a includes a top flange 57a, extending at right angles thereto also. The purpose of the flanges is to provide additional support for the enclosure 60 which is disposed thereon and fastened thereto.

The enclosure 60 includes a side panel 62 and a side panel 63 which are of substantially the same configuration. They include a straight bottom edge and a curved rear edge which rises vertically and then curves forward and extends on the top parallel to the bottom edge for a distance of about one third of the overall length of the panels. The front edge extends vertically from the front of the bottom edge at a slightly obtuse angle with respect to the bottom edge. The front edge is quite short with respect to the overall height of the panels. Top edges 74, 75 extend from the top of the front edge of each side panel at an angle which is generally diverging, from front to back, with respect to the bottom edge. The top edges end in short vertical edges 76, 77 which extend to the termination of the rear edge. A relatively short front wall panel 64 extends between the front edges of the side panels and is secured thereto. A floor 66 extends between the side panels 62 and 63 and is secured to the bottom edges of the side panels and to the bottom edge of the front wall panel 64, which extends at a slight obtuse angle with respect to the floor 66. The floor is of generally rectangular configuration, and extends approximately two-thirds of the distance from the front wall to the rear of the enclosure. A back and top panel 70, which includes a curved portion, extends between, and is secured to, the side wall panels 62 and 63 in a vertical direction from the rear of the panels and the enclosure, over and across the top about one third of the total distance from the rear to the front of the enclosure. The curved back and top panel terminates adjacent the short vertical edge of the side panels. In addition to the large opening in the front-top of the enclosure, there is also a sizeable opening at the bottom-rear of enclosure between the side walls, the floor, and the rear wall.

Within the enclosure a vertical partition or interior wall 68 extends from the floor 66 to the curved back and top panel 70 and separates the bottom rear opening of the enclosure into two separate portions or apertures. The vertical partition or interior wall 68 is configured to fit the curvature of the curved back and top panel 70 and is secured thereto and is also secured to the rear or trailing edge of floor 66. The wall 68 is parallel to the side wall panels 62 and 63 and is centered between them. Hinged members, such as piano hinge members 72, are secured to the leading or forward edge of the curved back and top panel 70.

The base area of the enclosure is substantially of the same square configuration and dimensions as are the base and levelling frames. The enclosure is situated and oriented appropriately on the levelling frame after the base and levelling frames have been levelled and secured together.

Since both the base frame 20 and the levelling frame 40 are of substantially square configuration and may be situated or located over the duct work or openings in a structure with any two adjacent apertures of the compartment of the base and levelling frames extending over such openings in the structure, and since the base of the enclosure is also of substantially the same square configuration, the enclosure may be appropriately oriented on the levelling frame so as to have the openings or apertures of the enclosure extending over and communicating with the compartments above the openings in the roof of the underlying structure. This of course gives the apparatus a great deal of flexibility. That is, the apparatus may be located in such a manner as to take advantage of the prevailing air flow for purposes of cooling and heat exchanging, or to orient the apparatus in a manner so as to shield the equipment within the enclosure from the direct rays of the sun, or to protect the equipment from prevailing storms, or merely to orient the apparatus for aesthetic appeal.

The enclosure 60 is thus appropriately oriented on the levelling frame 40 and is secured thereto. The top flanges 48, 56, 57, and 57a of the levelling frame 40 provide support for the enclosure and also provide structural members for appropriately securing the enclosure to the levelling frame.

Hood or cover 80 includes a pair of side panels 82 and 83, and a top panel 86 having a front edge 85 and a rear edge 87 parallel to the front edge. The side panels 82 and 83 are secured and extend at right angles to the top panel 86 and depend downwardly from side edges thereof. The top panel 86 is of a generally rectangular configuration and is slightly larger than the floor 66 of the enclosure 60, with front and rear edges 85 and 87 being longer in dimension than the side edges. Each of the side panels 82, 83 is of a configuration that is similar to an elongated "triangle" with the base of the "triangle" adjacent the front edge 85 of the top panel 86 and the long side or edge extending from the "top" of the "triangle" downwardly from a side edge of top 86 at a diverging angle thereto. The "base" edges of the side panels 82 and 83 are designated by reference numerals 95 and 96, respectively, and the long sides are respectively designated by reference numerals 97 and 98. A portion of the "top" of the "triangles" is cut off to match the vertical edges 76, 77 of the side panels 62 and 63, respectively, of the enclosure. The long edges of the side panels 82 and 83 are substantially parallel to the top edges 74, 75 of the wall panels 62 and 63. Piano hinge members 88 are secured to the rear edge 82 of the top panel 86 of the hood 80. They cooperate with the piano hinge members 72 secured to the leading edge of the curved back panel 70 of the enclosure 60. A piano hinge pin, such as illustrated by reference numeral 90, extends through the cooperating piano hinge members and the hood 80 pivots thereon.

While the top panel 86 is substantially parallel to the floor 66 of the enclosure in the closed or "lower" position and is of the same general configuration, it is slightly larger than the floor 66, and thus the side panels 82 and 83 of the hood, when the hood is in the lower or closed position, extend slightly outside the side panels of the enclosure, and are thus slightly overlapping. When the hood is in its lowered or closed position, brackets, such as illustrated at 92, extend inwardly and downwardly and are secured to the side panels 82 and 83 to provide support for the side panels and the top 86 against the top edges 74, 75 of the side wall panels 62 and 63, respectively, of the enclosure. In the closed or lower position the top panel also overhangs or extends beyond the front wall panel 64 and the floor 66. If the open area of the apparatus, that is, the area defined by or between the front edge 85 of top panel 86 and the base edges 95 and 86 of side panels 82 and 83 of the hood 80 and the front wall panel 64 of the enclosure 60, is not sufficient to provide enough air for the equipment enclosed within the apparatus, additional air may be drawn into the apparatus through side louvers such as illustrated at 94.

When the hood is in the raised or upright position access is provided to the interior of the enclosure. With such access, maintenance work is extremely easy to accomplish on equipment enclosed within the apparatus. With the hood in the closed or lower position, the equipment within the apparatus is protected from rain, snow, blowing dust, and the like. The enclosure is of such a design as to provide ease in modularizing any type of equipment to be used with the apparatus. That is, the floor 66 of the enclosure provides a level platform and a support for equipment that can be placed in any convenient location thereon. Evaporator coils, for air conditioning, may be located directly over one or the other of the apertures provided by the enclosure and thus directly over the supply air compartment and duct work leading into the underlying structure. The interior wall provides for the convenient separation of the supply air and return air for equipment within the enclosure, with respect to the ease of connecting thereto. And a compressor can be conveniently located with respect to the condenser coils and to the evaporator coils, and any heating equipment, such as heating elements or the like may be also located in a most convenient spot. Any required wiring may conveniently be brought into the apparatus in the form of a wiring harness and may be distributed to the required controls, motors, and the like. For overall simplification of installation, a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser could each be in separate modules. Also, a heating unit could be included as a separate module. Heating means such as gas, with a heat exchanger and burner, or an electric heater, such as a heat strip or heating coils, could also fit within the enclosure as a separate module. With external base dimensions of about 48 by 48 inches, the apparatus of the present invention could accommodate 2, 3, or 4 ton air conditioning units within the enclosure. Thus, great flexibility of use is available in a standard configuration or size.

FIG. 3 discloses details of the cooperation between the base frame 20 and the levelling frame 40. The base frame 20 is shown with its exterior lower flange 28 in a fixed position on a roof of a given pitch. The curvature of the front wall 24 and of the transversely extending interior members 32a is shown on a radius about the pivot point 29a shown in phantom. The rear wall 26 of the base frame is also shown, and illustrates the angular displacement from the vertical of the rear wall with respect to the base frame flange 28. The levelling frame 40 is superimposed on the base frame 20, and is shown with its front wall 40 substantially parallel and adjacent to front wall 24 of the base frame, and both front walls 24 and 44 have substantially the same radius of curvature. The rear wall 46 of the levelling frame 40 is shown slightly behind and at an angular disposition with respect to the rear wall 26 of the base frame. The transversely extending interior member 52a of the levelling frame 40 is shown substantially parallel and adjacent to the transversely extending side wall 34a of the base frame 20. While the front wall 44 of the levelling frame is forward or in front of and overriding the front wall 24 of the base frame, the transversely extending interior member 52a of the levelling frame is disposed behind or rearwardly of the interior member 34a of the base frame. FIG. 3 also shows the notch 54 of the longitudinally extending interior member 50 of the levelling frame. The top flange 48 of the levelling frame and the interior top flange 57a of interior member 52a is also shown. The flanges 48 and 57a are level, or are horizontal. In phantom, beneath the base frame 20, is shown another position for the base frame 20 as an example of the use of the base frame and levelling frame on a steeper pitched roof than illustrated. For illustrative purposes, the front walls 24 and 44 and the interior members 31a and 52a are shown slightly separated. In actual usage they are in substantial sliding contact and are substantially parallel, as are the other corresponding interior and exterior members of the base and levelling frames.

If it is desired to locate the present apparatus on a flat roof, or a roof of zero pitch, such may be accomplished by reversing the levelling frame on the base frame. That is, rather than pivoting the levelling frame about the base frame with the rear panels and front panels adjacent to each other, the levelling frame may be assembled to the base frame in the reverse, with the rear panel 26 of the base frame secured to the front panel 44 of the levelling frame and the rear panel 46 of the levelling frame secured to the front panel 24 of the base frame. With the slight radius or curvature of the front wall panels and the transversely extending interior members, such reversal of frames may be accomplished without any warping or twisting or tearing of any of the cooperating adjacent interior or exterior members. On the other hand, it is also obvious that a single base frame, of uniform height, with respect to the interior and exterior members, may also be fabricated and used with the enclosure and hood as discussed above. In such a case, the single base frame would include the bottom exterior and interior flanges of the base frame 20 and would also include the top interior flanges of the levelling frame 40.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view illustrating how the base frame 20 and the levelling frame 40 may be used on a flat roof or a roof of zero pitch. The levelling frame 40 is oriented on the base frame 180 degrees from that shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. In the reversal of the levelling frame, the front wall 24 of the base frame 20 is positioned adjacent and secured to the rear wall 46 of the levelling frame 40, and the front wall 44 of the levelling frame is positioned adjacent and secured to the rear wall 26 of the base frame. There is somewhat of a change with respect to the interior members of both frames. However, the curvature of the front walls and the transverse interior members does not prevent such reversal and does not prevent the insulation of the interior compartments or the orientation of the enclosure in any desired manner.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of a single module base frame 120 which is used on a flat roof if such is preferred to the reversal of modules as shown in FIG. 4. The base frame includes front wall 124 and rear wall 126 and side walls, only one of which is shown, and interior members (not shown) which are all vertically extending and are of the same height. The interior configuration includes substantially the same arrangement as shown in FIG. 2 for base means 20 except that no notches and no curvatures are required. A lower flange 128 and an upper flange are included in the base frame 120. The four walls, front, rear and sides, are all of the same general dimensions and the frame is thus substantially symmetrical.

With the apparatus of both FIGS. 4 and 5, there is no problem with the mounting of the enclosure, and such may be accomplished as previously described.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A housing for mounting apparatus on a pitched roof, comprising, in combination:

base frame means secured to a roof and including interior and exterior members defining a plurality of compartments;

leveling frame means secured to and pivoting on the base frame means for providing a level plat-form and including interior and exterior members parallel and contiguous to the members of the base frame means for further defining the plurality of compartments;

enclosure means secured to the levelling frame means for supporting and enclosing apparatus, including a front wall, a pair of parallel side walls secured to the front wall and including curved portions, a rear wall secured to the side walls and including a curved portion extending between and secured to the curved portion of the side walls, and floor means extending from the front wall and secured to the front wall and to the side walls, and hood means hinged to the enclosure means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the enclosure means includes a pair of adjacent apertures each of which communicates with a compartment of the base and levelling frames.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the enclosure means includes an interior wall extending from the floor means to the rear wall.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which a wall extends between the apertures and said wall is parallel to the side walls and extends from the floor means to the rear wall.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the base frame means includes a lower flange.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the levelling frame means includes an upper flange.