Snow stop

• US 5,522,185 A
• Filed: 06/01/1995
• Issued: 06/04/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Berger Group Holdings Incorporated (WSP Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Real-Tool Incorporated
• Inventors: Cline, Roger M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Application Number:
  US08/456,423
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 52/24-26
• US Class Current: 52/24
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/10 Snow traps ; Removing snow from roofs; Snow melters

Abstract

A snow stop has a flat blade formed with curved upper and lower edges. Openings extend through the blade for weight reduction and for permitting passage of air and fluids. A slot extends upward from a center of a blade for receiving a standing seam of a metal roof, and a boss extends from the blade around the slot for fixing the blade on a roof seam. The boss has an outward extending support with a ledge, which continues outward from a top of the slot for resting on top of a standing seam. The boss extends downward and terminates downwardly in rounded lobes. Holes extend through the lobes parallel to the blade, and fasteners extend through the holes for engaging sides of a standing seam. The fasteners cooperate with the ledge to prevent movement of the snow stop on the seam.

Claims

1. A snow stop having a blade for extending across a slope of standing seam metal roof, a slot extending upward from a bottom of the blade, bosses projecting forward from the blade along the slot, the bosses having large lower ends, holes extending through the large open ends parallel to the blade, fasteners extending through the holes for clamping on a standing seam of the roof, and a foot extending outward from between the bosses adjacent the slot for resting on top of the standing seam and supporting the blade on the seam against rotation around the fasteners.

2. The snow stop of claim 1, further comprising legs projecting forward from the bosses and the foot projecting across the legs.

3. The snow stop of claim 1, wherein the bosses are generally triangular in profile and extend downward from narrow parts near a top of the blade to wide parts near a bottom of the blade.

4. The snow stop of claim 3, wherein the wide parts are rounded.

5. The snow stop of claim 4, wherein the wide parts are radiused around axes of the holes.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the holes are near a bottom of the plate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holes are opposed threaded holes and the fasteners are opposed set screws extending through the threaded holes.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the set screws have inward ends which are a rounded convex end and a concave end respectively.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a top of the slot rests on a top of a seam and wherein the opposed holes and opposed fasteners are generally centered under the top of the slot.

10. A snow stop comprising a blade and a mount a roof seam centered in the blade, the blade having lateral sections extending upward and outward from the mount and having a generally rectangular central slot extending upward from a base of the blade, the mount being joined to the blade and surrounding the slot, the mount further comprising a support having a ledge extending outward from the blade at a top of the slot for resting on a top of a standing seam on a roof, legs extending from the blade on opposite sides of the slot, holes extending through the legs parallel to the blade, and fasteners extending through the holes for engaging sides of a standing seam.

11. The snow stop of claim 10, wherein the ledge holds the blade in fixed angular alignment with the seam, and wherein the fasteners prevent sliding of the plate along the seam.

12. The snow stop of claim 11, wherein the support, ledge and legs are formed as a boss extending forward from the blade in a direction of the downward slope of a roof.

13. A snow stop comprising a flat blade formed with curved upper and lower edges, and openings extending through the blade for weight reduction and for permitting passage of air and fluids, a slot extending upward from a center of the lower edge of the blade for receiving a standing seam of a metal roof, a mounting boss extending outward from the blade around the slot for fixing the blade on a roof seam, the boss having an outward extending support with a ledge, which continues outward from a top of the slot for resting on top of the seam, the boss extending downward and terminating downwardly in rounded lobes, holes extending through the lobes parallel to the blade, and fasteners extending through the holes for engaging sides of the seam, the fasteners cooperating with the ledge to prevent movement of the snow stop on the seam.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the holes are opposed threaded holes and the fasteners are opposed set screws extending through the threaded holes.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the set screws have inward ends which are a rounded convex end and a concave end respectively.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a top of the slot rests on a top of a seam and wherein the opposed holes and opposed fasteners are generally centered under the top of the slot.

17. A snow stop apparatus comprising a clamp for engaging a standing seam of a metal roof and holding a snow stop attached to the standing seam, the clamp comprising a body having first and second legs for positioning on opposite sides of a standing seam, first and second threaded holes in the first and second legs respectively normal to the standing seam, first and second screw fasteners inserted in the first and second threaded holes respectively, the first and second screw fasteners having outer ends configured for turning with wrenches and having opposed inner ends with opposite a complementary recess in one inner end and a projection in an opposite inner end for cooperating in deforming material of the standing seam into the recess with the projection.

18. The snow stop of claim 17, wherein the fasteners prevent sliding of the plate along the seam.

19. A snow stop apparatus for mounting a blade extending across a slope of standing seam metal roof, comprising a body having a slot extending upward from a bottom of the body, bosses projecting from the body along the slot, the bosses having large lower ends, holes extending through the large lower ends parallel to the blade, opposed set screw fasteners extending through the holes for clamping on a standing seam of the roof, the fasteners having outer ends for engaging wrenches and having opposite complementary inner ends with a projection in one fastener inner end for pressing a portion of a roof seam and an opposite recess in the opposite fastener inner end for receiving a pressed portion of the roof seam.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the holes are near a bottom of the body.

21. The snow stop of claim 19, wherein the fasteners prevent sliding of the plate along the seam.

22. A snow stop apparatus comprising a mount for a blade, a roof seam centered in the mount and having a generally rectangular central slot extending upward from a base of the mount, the mount surrounding the slot, legs extending from the mount on opposite sides of the slot, threaded holes extending through the legs normal to the standing seam and threaded fasteners extending through the threaded holes for engaging sides of a standing seam, the fasteners having outer ends for engaging wrenches and having opposite complementary inner ends, one inner end having a recess for receiving a pressed portion of the roof seam, and one inner end with a projection for forcing metal from the roof seam into the recess.

23. The snow stop of claim 22, wherein the complementary recess and projection in inner ends of the fasteners prevent sliding of the plate along the seam.

24. A snow stop comprising a body, a slot extending upward from a center of a lower edge of the body for receiving a standing seam of a metal roof, a mounting boss extending outward from the body around the slot for fixing the body on a roof seam, the boss having an outward extending support with a ledge, which continues from a top of the slot for resting on top of the seam, the boss extending downward and terminating downwardly in rounded lobes, threaded holes extending through the lobes normal to the seam, the threaded fasteners extending through the holes for engaging sides of the seam, the fasteners having outer ends for engaging wrenches and having opposite complementary inner ends with a projection for pressing a portion of a roof seam and a recess for receiving a pressed portion of the roof seam, the fasteners cooperating with each other to prevent movement of the snow stop on the seam.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the holes are near a bottom of the body.

26. The snow stop of claim 24, wherein the fasteners prevent sliding of the plate along the seam.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the fasteners are opposed set screws extending through the threaded holes.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the set screws having inward ends which are a rounded convex end and a concave end respectively.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein a top of the slot rests on a top of a seam, and wherein the opposed holes and opposed fasteners are generally centered under the top of the slot.