Roof scuttle safety railing system

Abstract

A roof scuttle safety railing system is provided for an existing or new roof scuttle which railing may be installed on the roof scuttle by unskilled labor without compromising the integrity of the weather seal of the roof scuttle. In one embodiment, pivotal corner brackets are secured to the capflashing of a roof scuttle with the vertical members of the safety railing being inserted in openings in the brackets. In another embodiment, an elongated bracket is used along two opposed sides of the roof scuttle which brackets are firmly held against the outside walls of the roof scuttle by tie rods, a strap or a cable. The elongated bracket has vertical openings at its distal ends for securing the vertical members of the safety railing and horizontal openings or slots for the tie rods, straps or cables. A hinged gate is also provided which preferably has a self-closing hinge.

1 - 8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . A roof scuttle and a safety railing system for enclosing a roof opening comprising: 
 a roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof having front, rear and opposed sides and a door hinged to the scuttle for moving the door to an open or closed position;    opposed elongated brackets running either along the front and rear sides or the opposed sides and having their distal ends extending outward from each edge of the curb, each end of the brackets having at least one vertically spaced through opening to hold and secure a vertical member of a safety railing and one or more horizontal through openings away from the edge of the curb; and    one or more elongated tie rods running along each side of the curb not having a bracket, the ends of each rod passing through the horizontal through openings and being fastened to the brackets holding the brackets firmly against the vertical curb; and    one or more safety railings each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a bracket vertical opening; and    optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.    
   
   
       10 . The roof scuttle and safety railing system of  claim 9  wherein the elongated brackets are channel shaped.  
   
   
       11 . The roof scuttle and safety railing system of  claim 9  wherein the gate has a self-closing hinge.  
   
   
       12 . A roof scuttle and safety railing system for enclosing a roof opening comprising: 
 a roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof having front, rear and opposed sides and a door hinged to the scuttle for moving the door to an open or closed position;    opposed elongated brackets running either along the front and rear curb or the opposed sides and having their distal ends extending outward from the edge of the curb each edge of the bracket having at least one vertically spaced through opening to hold and secure a vertical member of a safety railing and one or more horizontal through openings away from the edge of the curb; and    a flexible strap running around the periphery of the curb and passing through the horizontal openings in the brackets, which strap is fastened to hold the brackets firmly against the side of the curb; and    one or more safety railings each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a bracket vertical opening; and    optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.    
   
   
       13 . The roof scuttle and safety railing system of  claim 12  wherein the elongated brackets are channel shaped.  
   
   
       14 . The roof scuttle and safety railing system of  claim 12  wherein the gate has a self-closing hinge.  
   
   
       15 - 22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . A method for installing a safety railing on a new or existing roof scuttle used to cover a roof opening comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof having front, rear and opposed sides and a door hinged to the scuttle for moving the door to an open or closed position;    positioning opposed elongated brackets running either along the front and rear sides of the curb or the opposed sides of the curb, which brackets have their distal ends extending outward from the edge of the curb, each end of the brackets having at least one vertically spaced opening to hold and secure a vertical member of a safety railing and having one or more horizontal through openings away from the edge of the curb; and    securing one or more tie rods running along the sides of the curb not having the brackets, the ends of each rod passing through the horizontal openings and fastened to the brackets holding the brackets firmly against the vertical curb;    one or more safety railings each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a vertical bracket opening; and    optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the elongated brackets are channel shaped.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the gate has a self-closing hinge.  
   
   
       26 . A method for installing a safety railing on a new or existing roof scuttle comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof having front, rear and opposed sides and a door hinged to the scuttle for moving the door to an open or closed position;    positioning opposed elongated brackets running either along the front and rear sides of the curb or the opposed sides of the curb, which brackets have their distal ends extending outward from the edge of the curb, each end of the brackets having at least one vertically spaced openings to hold and secure a vertical member of a safety railing and having one or more horizontal through openings away from the edge of the curb; and    running a flexible strap around the periphery of the curb through each of the horizontal bracket openings and then fastening the strap together to hold the brackets firmly against the sides of the curb;    one or more safety railings each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a bracket opening; and    optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the elongated brackets are channel shaped.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the gate has a self-closing hinge.  
   
   
       29 . A roof scuttle and safety railing system for enclosing a roof opening comprising: 
 a rectangular roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof, the vertical curb having front, rear and opposed sides, a door hinged to the scuttle for moving to an open or closed position and a capflashing on the top of the curb which has a horizontal member extending outward from the curb and at least one vertical member extending downward toward the roof surface, the capflashing extending around the periphery of the curb and the vertical member having flanges with openings therein;    two pairs of brackets secured to the flanges of the capflashing with each bracket proximate each corner of the scuttle, each pair of brackets having at least one bracket which is pivotable laterally about a vertical axis and having at least one vertically spaced opening for holding and securing a vertical member of a safety railing and the other bracket of each pair also being pivotable or fixed extending outward from the vertical member and having at least one vertically spaced opening therein for holding and securing the other vertical member of the safety railing;    one or more safety railings, each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a bracket opening; and    optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.    
   
   
       30 . A roof scuttle and safety railing system for enclosing a roof opening comprising: 
 a rectangular roof scuttle having a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of an opening in the roof, the vertical curb having front, rear and opposed sides, a door hinged to the scuttle for moving to an open or closed position and a capflashing on the top of the curb which has a horizontal member extending outward from the curb and at least one vertical member extending downward toward the roof surface, the capflashing extending around the periphery of the curb and the vertical member having a flange open at its upper end and a flange open at its lower end;    two pairs of brackets secured to the flanges of the capflashing with each bracket proximate each corner of the scuttle, each pair of brackets having at least one bracket which is pivotable laterally about a vertical axis and having at least one vertically spaced opening for holding and securing a vertical member of a safety railing and the other bracket of each pair also being pivotable or fixed extending outward from the vertical member and having at least one vertically spaced opening therein for holding and securing the other vertical member of the safety railing;    one or more safety railings, each railing having two vertical members and one or more horizontal connected cross members running between the two vertical members with each vertical member being held and secured in a bracket opening; and    optionally a gate hingedly connected at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the safety railing vertical members for movement to and away from the roof opening.    
   
   
       31 . A method for installing a safety railing on a new or existing roof scuttle used to cover a roof opening comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roof scuttle surrounding a roof opening, which scuttle has a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of the opening in the roof, the vertical curb having front, rear and opposed sides and the scuttle is weather proofed and installed on the roof, the roof scuttle having a capflashing on the top of the curb having a horizontal member extending outward form the curb and at least one vertical member extending downward toward the roof surface, the capflashing extending around the periphery of the curb and the vertical member having flanges with openings therein;    securing two pairs of brackets to the flanges of the capflashing with each bracket proximate each corner of the scuttle, each pair of brackets having at least one bracket which is pivotable laterally about a vertical axis and having at least one vertically spaced opening for holding and securing a vertical member of a safety railing and the other bracket of each pair also being pivotable or fixed extending outward from the vertical member and having at least one vertically spaced opening therein for holding and securing the other vertical member of the safety railing;    providing one or more safety railings each railing comprising two spaced apart vertical members and connecting cross members;    inserting the vertical members of each safety railing into the vertical bracket openings on the opposed sides of the scuttle; and    optionally providing a gate hingedly connected to at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the vertical members of the safety railing for movement to and away from the roof opening.    
   
   
       32 . A method for installing a safety railing on a new or existing roof scuttle used to cover a roof opening comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roof scuttle surrounding a roof opening, which scuttle has a vertical curb extending upward from the roof surface and extending around the periphery of the opening in the roof, the vertical curb having front, rear and opposed sides and the scuttle is weather proofed and installed on the roof, the roof scuttle having a capflashing on the top of the curb having a horizontal member extending outward form the curb and at least one vertical member extending downward toward the roof surface, the capflashing extending around the periphery of the curb and the vertical member having a flange open at its upper end and a flange open at its lower end;    securing two pairs of brackets to flanges of the capflashing with each bracket proximate each corner of the scuttle, each pair of brackets having at least one bracket which is pivotable laterally about a vertical axis and having at least one vertically spaced opening for holding and securing a vertical member of a safety railing and the other bracket of each pair also being pivotable or fixed extending outward from the vertical member and having at least one vertically spaced opening therein for holding and securing the other vertical member of the safety railing;    providing one or more safety railings each railing comprising two spaced apart vertical members and connecting cross members;    inserting the vertical members of each safety railing into the vertical bracket openings on the opposed sides of the scuttle; and    optionally providing a gate hingedly connected to at the front side of the roof scuttle to one of the vertical members of the safety railing for movement to and away from the roof opening.