Snow guard apparatus and method

Abstract

A snow guard for a raised portion on a building metal roof surface, having a unitary transparent mounting body is formed from a polycarbonate material. A transparent acrylic snow-holding bar fits into the transparent mounting body. An ice-holding bar also is provided and is formed from clear acrylic. In one aspect, the mounting body includes vertical structural stiffeners 30 by walls 42 of bar supporting central columns 32 and by outside surface 38 of wall 24 and horizontal stiffeners 27 extending downwardly under top 26 and which are integral part of the mounting body and of walls 24 providing a rigid, strong connection of the two structural support sides 28, top portion 26 and horizontal stiffeners 27 and structural support sides 28 all molded in one piece, made of ultraviolet proof, high impact, high izod polycarbonate plastic. In one aspect, the mounting body include bar insertion cavities 46 and stops 52 to prevent snow-holding bar 8 from sliding through its insertion cavities.

1 . A snow guard comprising: 
 (a) a snow guard attachable to a raised portion on a building roof surface;    (b) a unitary transparent mounting body on said snow guard;    (c) a transparent snow-holding bar capable of fitting into said transparent mounting body; and    (d) vertical structural stiffeners and horizontal stiffeners integral to said mounting body.    
   
   
       2 . A snow guard as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said vertical structural stiffeners and horizontal stiffeners integral to said mounting body comprise: 
 vertical structural stiffeners  30  by walls  42  of bar supporting central columns  32  and by outside surface  38  of wall  24  and horizontal stiffeners  27  extending downwardly under top  26  and which are integral part of the mounting body and of walls  24  providing a rigid, strong connection of the two structural support sides  28 , top portion  26  and horizontal stiffeners  27  and structural support sides  28  all molded in one piece, made of ultraviolet proof, high impact, high izod polycarbonate plastic.    
   
   
       3 . A snow guard as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said vertical structural stiffeners and horizontal stiffeners integral to said mounting body further comprise: 
 bar insertion cavities  46  and stops  52  to prevent snow-holding bar  8  from sliding through its insertion cavities.    
   
   
       4 . A snow guard as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said mounting body is formed from a polycarbonate material.  
   
   
       5 . A snow guard as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said transparent snow-holding bar is formed from clear acrylic.  
   
   
       6 . A snow guard as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said transparent snow-holding bar is formed from clear acrylic.  
   
   
       7 . A snow guard as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising an ice-holding bar formed from clear acrylic.  
   
   
       8 . A snow guard as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said mounting body comprises: 
 vertical structural stiffeners ( 30 ) provided by walls ( 42 ) of bar supporting central columns ( 32 ) and by outside surface ( 38 ) of wall ( 24 ) and horizontal stiffeners ( 27 ) extending downwardly under top ( 26 ) as an integral part of said mounting body and of said walls ( 24 ), to form a rigid connection of two structural support sides ( 28 ), top portion ( 26 ), horizontal stiffeners ( 27 ), and structural support sides ( 28 ) molded in one piece of ultraviolet proof, high impact, high izod polycarbonate plastic.    
   
   
       9 . A snow guard as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said mounting body further comprises bar insertion cavities ( 46 ) and stops ( 52 ) to prevent snow-holding bar ( 8 ) from sliding through its insertion cavities.  
   
   
       10 . A method of providing a snow guard, comprising: 
 (a) providing a snow guard having a transparent mounting body;    (c) attaching said mounting body to a metal roof having a first roofing panel and a second roofing panel, the first and second roofing panels each having a substantially longitudinal edge, wherein the longitudinal edge of said first roofing panel is positioned in close proximity to the longitudinal edge of said second roofing panel to form a standing seam; and    (d) providing vertical structural stiffeners and horizontal stiffeners in said mounting body.    
   
   
       11 . A method of providing a snow guard as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said transparent snow-holding bar is composed of clear acrylic.  
   
   
       12 . A method of providing a snow guard as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said transparent snow-holding bar is formed from clear acrylic.  
   
   
       13 . A method of providing a snow guard as set forth in  claim 12 , further comprising providing an ice-holding bar formed from clear acrylic.  
   
   
       14 . A method of providing a snow guard as set forth in  claim 13 , comprising: 
 providing vertical structural stiffeners ( 30 ) by walls ( 42 ) of bar supporting central columns ( 32 ) and by outside surface ( 38 ) of wall ( 24 ) and horizontal stiffeners ( 27 ) extending downwardly under top ( 26 ) as an integral part of said walls ( 24 ), and providing a rigid connection of two structural support sides ( 28 ), said top portion ( 26 ), said horizontal stiffeners ( 27 ), and said structural support sides ( 28 ) molded in a one piece ultraviolet proof, high impact, high izod polycarbonate plastic.    
   
   
       15 . The method of providing a snow guard as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising providing bar insertion cavities ( 46 ) and stops ( 52 ) in said mounting body to prevent snow-holding bar ( 8 ) from sliding through its insertion cavities.  
   
   
       16 . A snow guard capable of being attached to a metal panel roof, each metal panel having a substantially longitudinal edge, the longitudinal edge of the first roofing panel positioned in close proximity to the longitudinal edge of the second roofing panel forming a seam, said snow guard, comprising: 
 (a) a transparent polycarbonate mounting body having first and second structural support sides, a bottom portion and a top portion, and a central longitudinal opening located in the bottom portion of said mounting body, wherein said mounting body is locatable on a metal roof by placement of said central longitudinal opening about a segment of a seam;    (b) a transparent snow-holding bar adapted to connect to said transparent block;    (c) vertical structural stiffeners and horizontal stiffeners in said mounting body; and    (d) bar insertion cavities and stops in said mounting body to prevent said snow-holding bar from sliding through its insertion cavities.    
   
   
       17 . The snow guard as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising a transparent ice-holding bar connected to said mounting body.  
   
   
       18 . The snow guard device as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a set screw translocatable within a threaded hole wherein driving the set screw into the threaded hole causes the mounting body to be fixedly located on said seam.    
   
   
       19 . The snow guard as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said transparent snow-holding bar is composed of clear acrylic and said transparent ice-holding bar is composed of clear acrylic.  
   
   
       20 . The snow guard as set forth in  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 vertical structural stiffeners ( 30 ) provided by walls ( 42 ) of bar supporting central columns ( 32 ) and by outside surface ( 38 ) of wall ( 24 ) and horizontal stiffeners ( 27 ) extending downwardly under top ( 26 ) as an integral part of it and of walls ( 24 ) to form a rigid connection of two structural support sides ( 28 ), top portion ( 26 ), horizontal stiffeners ( 27 ), and structural support sides ( 28 ) molded in a one piece ultraviolet proof, high impact, high izod polycarbonate plastic; and    bar insertion cavities ( 46 ) and stops ( 52 ) in said mounting body to prevent snow-holding bar ( 8 ) from sliding through its insertion cavities.