AU2004218599B2

AU2004218599B2 - Fall arrest anchor point for standing seam and corrugated metal roofs

Info

Publication number: AU2004218599B2
Application number: AU2004218599A
Authority: AU
Inventors: James Laurence Curtin
Original assignee: Kroupa Invest Pty Ltd
Current assignee: KROUPA INVESTMENTS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2003-10-02
Filing date: 2004-10-05
Publication date: 2008-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 2024-10-05
Also published as: AU2004218599A1

Description

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PATENTS ACT 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention title Fall Arrest Anchor Point For Standing Seam And Corrugated Metal Roofs The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing known to me.

IP Australia SYD C 2 1 OCT 2004

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Batch: This invention relates to height safety equipment. More C-i particularly although not exclusively it discloses an O improved anchor plate for securing restraint points to roofs.

Working at height on roofs requires the use of safety lines and fall arrest points which meet specified technical 00 standards. In Australia restraint points sre required to have Ci a load carrying capacity of at least 15 kn in order to connect with safety lines and function as fall arrest points.

In order to install restraint points that have this load carrying capacity on metal roofs it is current practice to drill and then insert a bolt down through the roof sheet and purlin where it threads into a nut. This method has the disadvantage that access is required to the underside of the purlin to fit and tighten the nut. With many roofs this i's either not feasible or is difficult and adds to the cost and time required for the installation.

It is therefore an object of this invention to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages and accordingly a restraining point anchor for a standing seam or corrugated sheet roof is disclosed, said anchor including a plate dimensioned to bridge between two spaced apart seams or corrugations of said roof, a restraining line attachment member located on an upper face of said plate and inclined portions adjacent opposite plate edges whereby in a position of use on the roof said portions are inclined downwardly for mechanical attachment to respective sides of said seams or corrugations facing away from the attachment member.

Preferably but not exclusively the plate is rectangular.

It is further preferred that the restraining line attachment member is located about midway between said opposite plate edges.

It is further preferred that said inclined portions are adapted to receive fastening screws or the like.

It is further preferred that the restraining line attachment member is pivotally mounted to the plate by an anchor bolt extending therethrough.

Two currently preferred examples of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings in which: figure 1 figure 2 figure 3 is an upper side perspective view of an anchor plate according to the invention for installation on a standing seam metal roof such as that sold under the trade name "KLIP LOC".

is a schematic end elevation view of the plate of figure 1, is an upper side perspective view of a second embodiment of an anchor plate according to this invention for installation on a corrugated sheet roof, and -3figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the anchor plate Salong the lines A-A of figure 3.

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Referring first to figures 1 and 2 there is shown a generally square 3 mm thick steel plate 1 which with this embodiment has overall length and width dimensions of about 290 mm.

00 Adjacent opposite edges the plate is turned downwardly at an angle of about 650 to form fastening flanges 2 and then to the horizontal to provide base flanges 3. Preferably there are apertures in these flanges for roofing screws 4 or the like to secure the plate as described later in more detail.

A strap 5 is located at the centre of the plate. One end of the strap is pivotally connected to the plate by a 12 mm anchor bolt 6 and the other free end is formed into a connection ring 7 for a restraint line (not shown). The strap intermediate its ends is bent obliquely across its width at 0 to facilitate attachment of the restraining line through the ring and also provide a low profile connection which minimises bending moments on the bolt and surrounding plate area from the restaining line force.

As the bolt and ring are formed from a different metal (316 stainless steel) to the plate (zinc plated 250 mild steel) a neoprene washer 8 and shank collar (not shown) are preferably fitted to the bolt to electrically isolate these components and prevent electrolysis. The washer has also be found to reduce pivoting friction for the connection ring 7. The bolt 6' is secured on the underside of the plate by nylex type Slock nuts 8A.

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0 CI In use, as shown in figure 2, the plate is placed directly over a roof purlin 9 and positioned to bridge between two spaced apart roof seams 10. The downwardly inclined support 00 flanges 2 are angled to engage the outwardly facing sides 11 of the seams and fastening screws 4 of any suitable type 12 gauge roofing screws) are turned into the seams through the aforementioned apertures in these flanges.

Additional screws 4 are turned through the centre of the base flanges 3 and roof sheet 12 to seat in the support purlin.

In order to additionally secure the plate it is preferably bedded on a layer of flexible metal glue such as that sold under the trade name of SIKA-FLEX by Sika (Australia) Pty.

Ltd. of Wetherill Park NSW. This creates a flexible gasket which seals against the entry of moisture and also reduces electrolysis between the plate and metal roof sheet. The glue also provides increased resistance to tensile forces when the plate is arresting a fall.

With the second embodiment of the invention shown in figures 3 and 4 the main components of the plate which correspond in function to those of figures 1 and 2 are indicated by the same numbers which however are primed to distinguish them.

In this case the roof sheet 14 is of a typical corrugated CI design with alternating ridges 14 and troughs 15. With this o embodiment of the plate the base flanges are omitted. The plate is adapted to bridge non-adjacent ridges in a manner such that the support flanges 2' engage outwardly facing sides 16 of said ridges. Roofing screws 4' are turned through 00 the flanges into the roof sheet and a layer of adhesive is ^C preferably also applied as described for the first embodiment. As best shown in figure 4 the plate is dimensioned to bridge an even number of ridges 14 so that the anchor bolt 6' and locking nut 8A' can extend down into a centrally located trough 15. There are also additional centre screws 16 which are adapted to turn down through the roof sheet 14 and into a support purlin 17 underneath.

Although not shown in the drawings it is also within the scope of the invention to extend the anchor bolt down through the roof sheet and into the underlying structure where greater force resistance is required.

It will thus be appreciated that this invention at least in the form of the embodiments disclosed provides a novel and improved restraining point anchor for use on metal roofs.

Clearly however the examples described are only the currently preferred forms of the invention and a variety of modifications may be made. For example the size and configuration of the plate, the placement and type of fasteners used and the nature of the adhesive may all be o changed following further development by the inventor. Also, Cl while stainless steel is preferred for the line attachment O ring and mounting bolt and mild steel for the plate the invention extends to other suitably strong materials.

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Claims

2. The restraining point anchor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inclined portions are adapted to receive fastening screws or the like which turn into and grip the sides of said seams or corrugations.
3. The restraining point anchor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the restraining line attachment member includes a strap, one end of said strap being pivotally connected to said plate and the other end being formed into said connector ring. 00 4. The restraining point anchor as claimed in claim 3 wherein 0 said strap intermediate the ends thereof is turned obliquely across its width to facititate attachment of the restraining line through the ring and also provide said low profile connection. V) 5. The retraining point anchor as claimed in claim 1 wherein 00 in a position of use said inclined portion extends downwardly at an angle of about 65 degrees.
6. The restraining point anchor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate is rectangular.
7. The restraining point anchor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the restraining line attachment member is located about midway between said opposite plate edges.
8. The restraining point anchor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the restraining line attachment member is pivotally mounted to the plate by an anchor bolt extending therethrough.
9. The restraining point anchor as claimed in claim 8 wherein a neoprene washer and shank collar are fitted to the bolt to electrically isolate said restraining line attachment member from said plate. A restraining point anchor for a standing seam or corrugated sheet roof, said anchor being substantially AS described herein with reference to figures 1 and 2 or 3 and 4. Dated This 7th Day Of August 2008 James Laurence Curtin By His Patent Attorney MICHAEL ANDERSON-TAYLOR