Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Pitched roof conforming scaffold
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-13
2001-07-31
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Pitched roof conforming scaffold
C182S113000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267201
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus or systems for use in roof construction work, particularly but not exclusively for large industrial buildings during erection or maintenance of roof structures.
2. State of the Art
The construction and more particularly the maintenance, repair or replacement of roof structures in large industrial buildings such as factory roofs presents numerous problems, particularly with ensuring the safety of workers. For example, factory roof structures sometimes need major work including replacement as a result of deterioration after years of use. Some factories produce or use corrosive substances which are present in the atmosphere in the factory and over periods of time can cause severe corrosion of roof structures including the roofing materials and the support structure for the roofing materials including particularly roof purlins. Such corrosion and deterioration of roofing materials and the roof support structure can make it particularly dangerous to attempt to repair or replace the roof structure by walking on the roof. To solve this problem it has been usual in the past to erect scaffolding within the factory to enable the maintenance or replacement of the roof structure by workmen supported by the temporary scaffolding erected for the purpose. However, the erection and disassembly of such scaffolding can be time consuming and expensive and can substantially interfere with normal operations in the factory.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,341 (Shaffstall) discloses a pitched roof mounted construction scaffold for providing a horizontal platform enabling work to be carried out on a vertical or inclined surface adjacent to the pitched roof on which the scaffold is erected. The scaffold is not movable.
U.K. patent specification 2,192,660 (Robathan) discloses a kit of parts for assembly into a pitched roof mounted construction scaffold. Robathan also provides a horizontal platform enabling work to be carried out beyond the boundary of the platform. The Robathan scaffold is assembled in situ and is not movable.
Each of Shaffstall and Robathan provides a scaffold which rests at its lower end on the roof itself and the roof drops further away from the horizontal platform in the outwards direction, so neither enables work to be carried out on the pitched roof itself
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of performing roof construction work which can enable erection, maintenance, repair, or replacement work to be carried out on a roof structure in an effective manner.
According to the present invention there is provided a method of performing roof construction work on a roof having inclined rafters, the method comprising the steps of: providing a frame, an upper work surface secured to the frame, a safety barrier disposed about the frame and a plurality of mounting feet secured to the frame to support the upper working surface spacedly above the inclined rafters and generally parallel thereto; lifting the frame into a position on top of the roof; securing the frame to the rafters of the roof wherein the upper work platform is positioned generally parallel to the inclined rafters and sufficiently above the roof such that workers positioned on the work surface may perform operations on the roof; and performing roof construction work on the roof from a position atop the upper work surface.
Preferably the method further includes the step of performing roof construction work to that portion of the roof positioned elevationally below the upper work surface.
In one possible embodiment, the upper work surface further includes a removable panel, which is removable to define an opening in the upper work surface, and the method further includes the step of removing the panel to permit a workman positioned on the upper work surface to access the roof through the opening so as to perform roof construction work on the roof. For safety purposes there may be a mesh provided beneath the panel configured to preclude passage of a workman through the opening.
For roof repair or maintenance or replacement purposes, the step of performing roof construction work on the roof may comprise the step of removing material from the roof and securing the material to the frame so as to be slung beneath the frame. The method may further include the steps of lifting the work platform from the roof together with the material from the roof slung beneath the frame and lowering the frame together with the material from the roof slung beneath the frame to the ground.
For roof erection or replacement purposes, the method may include the step of releasably securing roofing materials for the roof to an underside of the frame prior to the step of lifting the frame into a position on top of the roof, followed by lifting the frame into position on top of the roof so that the roofing materials are positioned as desired on the roof, the step of performing roof construction work on the roof comprising fastening the roofing materials secured to the underside of the frame to the roof.
For use in the method of the present invention, I have developed a work platform for roof construction work useable on a roof structure in which there are spaced parallel rafters for supporting roofing materials, the work platform including a structural frame, an upper work surface mounted by the frame on which a worker can move about on the platform, a safety barrier around at least part of the periphery of the upper work surface, a plurality of mounting feet secured to the frame and located at predetermined positions enabling the feet to rest on the rafters of the roof structure with the feet supporting the work surface a short distance above the rafters so that the worker can perform work on the roof structure, and releasable fastening means associated with at least two of the feet and operable to secure the platform in position for work on the roof structure and being releasable to enable the platform to be moved.
Preferably the upper work surface includes multiple removable sections which are independently removable temporarily by the worker to enable access to an area of the roof structure below the work surface where a respective one of the removable sections has been removed.
In this embodiment, the upper work surface may include a walkway extending generally around the perimeter of the frame, and the walkway may comprise a number of selectively removable panels constituting the removable sections so that the worker can remain on one panel of the work surface and access an area below the adjacent removed panel. The removable sections of the work surface may be hinged to the frame for hinging movement upwardly.
The mounting feet may include abutment feet which rest on the rafters of the roof structure and which are clamped to the rafters by the releasable fastening means. In this embodiment, each of the releasable fastening means may comprise a clamping means which acts between the respective foot and the rafter to prevent lifting movement of the abutment foot relative to the rafter and to prevent movement of the abutment foot transverse to the longitudinal line of the rafter. In the case where the rafter comprises a steel I-beam having in section an upright web and upper and lower transverse flanges, the abutment foot may include a plate for resting on the top of the rafter, and the clamping means may comprise hooked members which extend downwardly from the plate and which project beneath the upper transverse flanges of the I-beam cross section.
In an alternative embodiment, or in a work platform having different types of mounting feet at least one mounting foot may comprise a fixable mounting foot which can be releasably fastened to the roof structure to prevent lifting movement, longitudinal sliding movement, and lateral displacement of the work platform relative to the associated rafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4050257 (1977-09-01), Parks
patent: 4371139 (1983-02-01), Clark
patent: 4676341 (1987-06-01), Shaffstall
patent: 468
Chin-Shue Alvin
TraskBritt PC
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