Coping assembly

Details Coping assembly Coping assembly

2000-06-09

2001-04-17

Safavi, Michael (Department: 3635)

Static structures (e.g., buildings)

Vertical structure with upper terminal bearing plate or cap

C052S060000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06216408

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved coping assembly for covering the top of a wall such as a parapet.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Coping assemblies are used to protect the top of a wall from water and weather and to provide an attractive appearance. A coping assembly should be easy to install with a minimum of time and effort, should be strong and durable, should be able to fit walls of various thicknesses and should be inexpensive to fabricate. Despite a long standing need, known coping assemblies have not satisfied all of the these requirements.
U.S. Pat. No. Re 28,870 discloses a coping structure with a cap or channel member that is not continuously supported along its length and therefor lacks strength unless an expensive, strong material is used for the cap. In addition, all of the components of the coping structure are sized for one wall thickness. None of the components of a structure of this type can be used with a range of wall thicknesses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,158 discloses a coping mounting plate that attempts to address the problem of adaptability to a range of wall thicknesses. It includes two clamps that have interlocking keys and keyways so that the width of the clamps when assembled is adjustable to fit different wall thicknesses. The use of keys permits width adjustments only in discrete steps and continuously variable width adjustment is not possible. The clamps with keys and keyways are complex and expensive extruded parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,406 discloses a coping structure that has a fixed width that is not suited for a range of wall thicknesses. Moreover, in order to provide sufficient strength, the structure includes a rigid anchor bar that is a complex, expensive extruded part.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved coping assembly for covering the top of a wall. Other objects are to provide a coping assembly that is continuously variable in width to accommodate a range of wall thicknesses; to provide a coping assembly that avoids the use of complex and expensive extruded parts; to provide a coping assembly that provides ample strength with the use of simple formed sheet metal supporting cleats; and to provide a coping assembly that overcomes problems encountered with coping assemblies used in the past.
In brief, in accordance with the invention there is provided a coping assembly for covering the top of a wall having front, rear and top surfaces with fastener receiving areas on the front and top surfaces. The coping assembly includes an elongated sheet metal outside cleat having a uniform cross section throughout its length. The outside cleat includes a vertical outside panel with a lower edge, the vertical outside panel overlying the fastener receiving area of the front surface of the wall. The outside cleat also includes a horizontal top panel overlying the fastener receiving area of the top surface of the wall. A spring portion is inclined upwardly at the rear boundary of the horizontal top panel. The vertical outside panel extends upwardly beyond the plane of the horizontal top panel, and a strut portion extends upwardly and forwardly from the forward boundary of the horizontal top panel to the top of the vertical outside panel to define a triangle shaped brace. An elongated sheet metal inside cleat has a uniform cross section throughout its length and has a vertical inside panel with a lower edge. An elongated cap has a uniform generally U-shaped cross section throughout its length, the cap having a top section and depending outside and inside wall sections both having lower extremities, the outside and inside wall sections respectively overlying the vertical outside panel and the vertical inside panel. The lower extremities of the outside and inside wall sections including structure interlocking with the lower edges of the vertical outside and inside panels. The spring portion supports a central region of the top section and the brace supports a forward region of the top section.


REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 28870 (1976-06-01), Attaway et al.
patent: 4083158 (1978-04-01), Wolma
patent: 4858406 (1989-08-01), Lane et al.
patent: 4964248 (1990-10-01), Braine et al.
patent: 5289662 (1994-03-01), Castle

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