Deck for roof of grain bin

• US 8,434,273 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greene Welding & Hardware, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Greene Welding & Hardware, Inc.
• Inventors: Greene, Rex A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Jeanette E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCKLE JR, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US13/606,296
• Time in Patent Office: 242 Days
• Field of Search: 52/82, 521/82, 521/87, 521/92, 521/93, 521/94, 521/95, 521/96, 521/97, 522/233, 522/44, 522/45, 526/503, 527/450.1, 296/45, 296/82, 296/128
• US Class Current: 52/82
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 7/065 roof constructions
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 7/22 Containers for fluent solids, e.g. silos, bunkers; Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/51 specially adapted for storing agricultural or horticultural products

Abstract

A deck for the roof of a grain bin includes a plurality of deck units each having a plate having an upper face and a lower face and openings spaced from each other and adjacent each longitudinal edge of the plate. The spacing of some of the openings is substantially the same as the spacing of openings in the roof whereby the plate may be attached to the roof. A pair of ring segments extend substantially perpendicular to the elongate plate and rest upon the plate. Openings are in the ring segments and at least one of which is aligned with openings in the plate whereby the ring segments may be attached to the upper face of the plate. A riser extends upwardly from the ring segments opposite the plate, and the riser and ring segments are attached. A deck plate is attached to the riser opposite the ring segments.

Claims

1. A deck for an inclined roof of a generally cylindrical storage structure, the deck comprising:

an elongate plate extending substantially parallel to the incline of the roof and having an upper face and a lower face facing the roof, said plate having a first pair of openings longitudinally spaced from each other and adjacent one longitudinal edge of said plate, and a second pair of openings longitudinally spaced from each other and adjacent the other longitudinal edge of said plate, the spacing of said first pair of openings being substantially the same as the spacing of openings in the roof whereby the plate may be attached to the roof with the lower face facing the roof by fastening means extending through said first openings and the openings in the roof;

a pair of ring segments spaced from each other in the direction of the incline of the roof and extending substantially perpendicular to said elongate plate and constructed and arranged to rest upon said upper face of said plate, a plurality of openings in each of said ring segments at least one of which is aligned with said second pair of openings in said plate whereby said ring segments may be attached to said upper face of said elongate plate by fastening means extending through at least one of said openings in each of said ring segments and said second openings in said plate;

a riser extending substantially parallel to the incline of the roof and upwardly from the side of said ring segments opposite said plate, said riser and said ring segments having fastening means for attaching them together; and

a deck plate extending substantially horizontally from the inclined roof and on the top of said riser opposite said ring segments, said riser and deck plate having fastening means for attaching them together.

2. The deck of claim 1, wherein said ring segments have a plurality of said openings spaced from each other along the length of said ring segments.

3. The deck of claim 2, wherein said openings in said ring segments are slots.

4. The deck of claim 3, wherein said riser is substantially triangular in outline.

5. The deck of claim 1, wherein said riser is substantially triangular in outline.

6. The deck of claim 1, including a plurality of said elongate plates, a plurality of said ring segments arranged in end to end relationship to each other and attached to each other, a plurality of said risers, and a plurality of said deck plates also arranged in end to end relationship to each other and attached to each other and to said risers.

7. The deck of claim 6, including spaced openings adjacent the ends of said deck plates, a splice plate having first openings spaced from each other and adjacent one longitudinal edge of said splice plate and second openings spaced from each other and adjacent the other longitudinal edge of said splice plate, and fastening means for fastening said splice plate between said riser and said openings adjacent to ends of said deck plates to splice adjacent deck plates together.

8. The deck of claim 7, wherein at least some of the openings at either the ends of the deck plate or in the splice plate are slots.

9. The deck of claim 6, including a plurality of hand rails comprising substantially vertical posts attached at one end to said risers, and a plurality of horizontal rails attached to said posts toward the other end of the posts.

10. The deck of claim 1, including a hand rail comprising a substantially vertical post attached at one end to said riser and at least one horizontal rail attached to said post toward its other end.

11. The deck of claim 1, wherein said ring segments flex to permit said ring segments to conform to the curvature of the roof.

12. The deck of claim 11, wherein said ring segments are substantially Z-shaped in cross section comprising an upper and lower flange extending in opposite directions from a web connecting the flanges, said lower flange including said openings in said ring segments, and said flanges including spaced slots which permit said ring segments to flex.

13. The deck of claim 1, wherein the generally cylindrical storage structure is a grain bin.

14. The deck of claim 6, wherein the generally cylindrical storage structure is a grain bin.

15. The deck of claim 6, wherein said ring segments have a plurality of said openings spaced from each other along the length of said ring segments and said openings in said ring segments are slots;

said riser is substantially triangular in outline;

spaced openings adjacent the ends of said deck plates;

a splice plate having first openings spaced from each other and adjacent one longitudinal edge of said splice plate and second openings spaced from each other and adjacent the other longitudinal edge of said splice plate; and

fastening means for fastening said splice plate between said riser and said openings adjacent to ends of said deck plates to splice adjacent deck plates together; and

at least some of the openings at either the ends of the deck plate or in the splice plate are slots;

a plurality of hand rails comprising substantially vertical posts attached at one end to said risers, and a plurality of horizontal rails attached to said posts toward the other end of the posts; and

said ring segments flex to permit said ring segments to conform to the curvature of the roof; and

said ring segments are substantially Z-shaped in cross section comprising an upper and lower flange extending in opposite directions from a web connecting the flanges, said lower flange including said openings in said ring segments; and

said flanges having spaced slots which permit said ring segments to flex.

16. The deck of claim 15, wherein the generally cylindrical storage structure is a grain bin.