Mounting device for a metal roof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11512474-B2
Application number	US-202117203483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2021
Priority date	Mar 16, 2020
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A mounting device or clamp is provided that can be secured to a roof joint without damaging the roof joint. Two roof panels can be joined at a roof joint that extends away from the roof. The clamp has a body with a slot to receive the roof joint. An insert of the clamp is rotatable relative to the body from a first position to a second position. The clamp body can be positioned over the roof joint, and the insert can rotate or pivot from the first position to the second position relative to the body to secure the clamp to the roof joint. In one embodiment, a body of the clamp has a first arm that is concave and the insert has a concave portion to engage the roof joint. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the insert can be connected to the clamp body such that either a first projection or a second projection of the insert faces a roof joint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp positionable on a bulb seam of a building surface, comprising:
a body comprising a first end, a second end, a first arm that extends to a first distal end, a leg positioned opposite to the first arm, and a recess that extends along a rotation axis that is about perpendicular to the first and second ends, wherein the recess has an opening with a first width, and wherein the first arm has a first inner surface that is concave;
an insert comprising a protrusion positionable within the recess of the body and a second arm that extends to a second distal end, wherein the protrusion has a diameter that is greater than the first width of the opening to hold the protrusion within the recess, and wherein the insert can rotate relative to the body about the rotation axis from a first position to a second position to reduce a distance between the first and second distal ends of the arms; and
an aperture that extends through the leg of the body along an aperture axis that is approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis of the recess, wherein the aperture is configured to receive a bar component to engage the insert and rotate the insert from the first position to the second position.

2. The clamp of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion of the insert extends from a neck of the insert and has a circular cross-sectional shape that complements a circular cross-sectional shape of the recess, wherein the neck has a second width that is less than the first width, and wherein the neck extends from a shoulder of the second arm that has a third width that is greater than the protrusion diameter.

3. The clamp of claim 1 , wherein the first inner surface has a first radius of curvature, and the second arm has a second inner surface which is concave with a second radius of curvature.

4. The clamp of claim 3 , wherein the first and second radii of curvature are approximately equal.

5. The clamp of claim 1 , wherein the first and second arms define a receiving space with a substantially circular cross-sectional shape to extend around the bulb seam.

6. The clamp of claim 1 , wherein the aperture through the leg is threaded.

7. The clamp of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a substantially planar upper surface that is approximately parallel to the aperture axis, and wherein a first portion of a lower surface of the body positioned between the leg and the recess opening is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the upper surface to facilitate rotation of the insert away from the first arm.

8. The clamp of claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises:
a neck connecting the protrusion to the second arm;
an upper surface of the second arm extending from a first side of the neck;
an outer surface of the second arm extending from the upper surface to the second distal end;
a finger of the second arm extending from the second distal end;
a second inner surface of the second arm extending from the finger, the second inner surface being concave; and
a stop portion of the second arm extending from the second inner surface to a second side of the neck.

9. The clamp of claim 8 , wherein the stop portion limits rotation of the insert relative to the body in one direction to the second position, and wherein the stop portion is oriented at a non-parallel angle relative to the upper surface of the insert.

10. A clamp system, comprising:
a body with:
a first arm that extends from a first side of the body to a first distal end and which includes a first inner surface that is concave;
a leg that extends from a second side of the body;
an aperture that extends through the leg along an aperture axis; and
a recess positioned between the first inner surface and the leg and that extends along a rotation axis;
an insert with:
a protrusion that is configured to rotate within the recess of the body; and
a second arm that extends to a second distal end and which includes a second inner surface that is concave, the second inner surface oriented toward the first inner surface, wherein the insert is rotatable relative to the body about the rotation axis from a first position to a second position to reduce a distance between the distal ends of the arms; and
a bar component extendable through the aperture to engage the insert and rotate the insert from the first position to the second position.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the insert comprises a deformable portion alignable with the aperture axis such that the bar component can apply a force to the deformable portion, and wherein the deformable portion comprises a channel that extends into an outer surface opposite to the second inner surface.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the aperture through the leg is threaded.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the body comprises:
an inner surface of the leg that extends from an end of the leg toward an upper surface of the body;
a first lower portion extending from the inner surface to a first side of an opening of the recess, the first lower portion oriented at an oblique angle relative to the upper surface and the inner surface; and
a second lower portion extending away from a second side of the opening, the second lower portion oriented approximately parallel to the upper surface.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the insert comprises:
a neck connecting the protrusion to the second arm;
an upper surface of the second arm extending from a first side of the neck; and
a stop portion of the second arm extending from a second side of the neck to the second inner surface, the stop portion configured to engage the second lower portion of the body to stop rotation of the insert toward the first arm.

15. A clamp configured to engage a bulb seam of a building surface, comprising:
a body comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, a first arm that projects from the lower surface and extends to a first distal end, and a recess extending into the lower surface and that extends along a rotation axis from a first end to a second end of the body wherein the first arm has a first inner surface that is concave;
an insert comprising a second arm that extends to a second distal end, a shoulder, a neck extending from the shoulder, and a protrusion extending from the neck, the protrusion rotatable within the recess of the body such that the insert is rotatable relative to the body about the rotation axis from a first position to a second position to reduce a distance between the distal ends of the arms, wherein a first upper surface of the shoulder on a first side of the neck defines a stop portion of the insert that limits rotation of the insert toward the first arm, wherein the second arm has a second inner surface that is concave, and wherein the first and second inner surfaces define a receiving space that has a generally cylindrical shape with openings at first and second ends of the clamp; and
an aperture that extends through the body to receive a bar component to engage the insert and rotate the insert from the first position to the second position.

16. The clamp of claim 15 , wherein the stop portion limits rotation of the insert to the second position by contact with the lower surface of the body, and wherein the stop portion defines a plane that is nonparallel to a second upper surface of the shoulder positioned on a second side of the neck.

17. The clamp of claim 15 , wherein the body further comprises a leg that projects from the lower surface, wherein the aperture extends from an exterior surface of the leg to an inner surface of the leg.

18. The clamp of

Assignees

• Rmh Tech Llc

Inventors

• Haddock Dustin M M
• Moss Jonathon
• Holley Nikolaus Jo

Classifications

• E04D3/362

  by locking the edge of one slab or sheet within the profiled marginal portion of the adjacent slab or sheet, e.g. using separate connecting elements · CPC title

• E04D13/10 Primary

  Snow traps {; Removing snow from roofs; Snow melters} · CPC title

• F16B2/10

  using pivoting jaws · CPC title

• F16B35/005

  Set screws; Locking means therefor · CPC title

• E04D13/00 Primary

  Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; {Protection against birds;} Roof drainage {; Sky-lights} (ventilation tiles E04D1/30; ventilation slabs E04D3/40; internal channels E04F17/00) · CPC title