Safety aid for sloping roof

Abstract

The aid provides a manner of supporting a plank, on a roof, for workers to stand on. The plank is carried on plank-jacks, but the plank-jacks are not attached directly to the roof joists. Rather, the plank-jacks are suspended via rope-slings from a pair of ridge saddles, which are firmly and safely secured to the ridge of the roof. The rope-slings are adjustable, and the worker can very readily adjust the working level of the plank.

1 . Apparatus for aiding a worker working on a sloping roof, wherein: 
 [2] the apparatus includes left and right plank-jacks, which are physically capable of being used with a plank having length and thickness, and having a width of at least six inches;    [3] in respect of each one of the plank-jacks: 
 [4] the plank-jack has a base and a platform;  
 [5] the base of the plank-jack is physically capable of resting on and against the sloping roof;  
 [6] the platform of the plank-jack is physically capable of being firmly fastened underneath the plank, across the width of the plank;  
   [7] the apparatus includes an attachment-support means, by means of which a rope-sling can be attached to the apparatus; and    [8] the apparatus is physically capable, when firmly fastened to the plank, and when a rope-sling is attached to the attachment-support means, of transmitting to the rope-sling the weight of the plank-jacks, of the plank, and of a person standing on the plank.    
     
     
         2 . As in  claim 1 , wherein, each plank-jack weighs less than ten pounds, and preferably less than five pounds.  
     
     
         3 . As in  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus includes a left hook-receiving means and a right hook-receiving means, which are unitary respectively with the left and right plank-jacks, and by which respective left and right rope-slings can be hooked to the apparatus and can be unhooked from the apparatus.  
     
     
         4 . As in  claim 1 , wherein, in respect of each plank-jack, the plank-jack includes a unitary strip of metal, suitably bent such that a first portion of the strip of metal forms the platform and a second portion of the same strip of metal forms the base.  
     
     
         5 . As in  claim 4 , wherein the hook-receiving means comprises a ring, and the ring is attached to the strip of metal.  
     
     
         6 . As in  claim 4 , wherein the base of the plank-jack is of such physical configuration as to be capable of lying flat against, and in direct touching contact with, the sloping roof.  
     
     
         7 . As in  claim 6 , wherein the base of the plank-jack includes a protective bumper of relatively soft material, which, in use, lies between the strip of metal and the roof.  
     
     
         8 . As in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 [2] the apparatus includes the said plank;    [3] the platform is firmly fastened underneath the plank, across the width of the plank;    [4] the worker being capable of picking up the plank manually and of carrying the plank up a ladder, the apparatus is of such negligible weight, compared with the plank, that, when the two plank-jacks are firmly fastened underneath the plank, the assembly of plank and plank-jacks jacks is capable of being picked up, and of being carried up a ladder, as a unit, manually by the said worker;    [5] the apparatus includes an attachment-support means, by means of which a rope-sling can be attached to the apparatus; and    [6] the apparatus is physically capable, when a rope-sling is attached to the attachment-support means, of transmitting to the rope-sling the weight of the plank-jacks, of the plank, and of a person standing on the plank.    
     
     
         9 . As in  claim 8 , wherein: 
 [2] the apparatus also includes left and right rope-slings and left and right roof-fixtures;    [3] in respect of each rope-sling, the rope sling: 
 [4] includes a top-attachment-structure at an upper-end;  
 [5] includes a bottom-attachment-structure at a lower-end;  
 [6] includes a length of rope; and  
 [7] includes a rope-clamp;  
 [8] is of such physical structure that the distance between the upper-end and the lower-end of the rope-sling can be shortened or lengthened; and  
 [9] is of such physical structure that, while a force is applied in the tensile sense tending to separate the lower-end from the upper-end, the rope-clamp grips the rope and thereby prevents the lower-end from moving away from the upper-end;  
   [10] in respect of each roof-fixture, the roof-fixture: 
 [11] includes a means for attaching the top-attachment-structure of the rope-sling to the roof-fixture; and  
 [12] includes a means for attaching the roof-fixture to a roof;  
   [13] the top-attachment-structure of the rope-sling lies attached to the roof-fixture; and    [14] the bottom-attachment-structure of the rope-sling lies attached to the attachment-support-means.    
     
     
         10 . As in  claim 9 , wherein, in respect of each plank-jack, the configuration of the plank-jack is such that: 
 [2] when the base is resting against the roof, and the plank is attached to the platform, the platform of the plank-jack provides support for holding the plank in an at least roughly horizontal plane, and for preventing the plank from tipping relative to the roof; and    [3] the plank-jack provides the said support simply by resting on the roof, without being attached to the roof.    
     
     
         11 . As in  claim 9 , wherein the roof-fixture comprises a ridge-saddle.  
     
     
         12 . Procedure for aiding a person working on a sloping roof, including: 
 [2] providing the apparatus of  claim 8;     [3] attaching the roof-fixtures to the roof in a spaced-apart relationship;    [4] attaching the bottom-attachment structures of the rope-slings respectively to the plank-jacks;    [5] attaching the top-attachment-structures of the rope-slings respectively to the roof-fixtures.    
     
     
         13 . Procedure for supporting a worker on a sloping roof, including: 
 [2] providing a rope-sling, which includes: 
 [3] a top attachment-structure and a bottom attachment-structure;  
 [4] a main-length, being the distance between the attachment-structures when under tension;  
 [5] a lock, which is effective, at least so long as there is tension applied to the rope-sling between the attachment-structures, to lock the rope-sling and to prevent the main-length of the rope-sling from extending;  
 [6] an operable unlocker, which is effective, when operated, to unlock the lock, and thereby to enable the main-length of the rope-sling to be changed;  
   [7] providing a roof-saddle attached to the roof, which includes a saddle-sling-attachment means for detachably attaching the top attachment-structure of the rope-sling to the roof-saddle;    [9] attaching the top attachment-structure of the rope-sling to the roof-saddle;    [10] providing a plank-jack-sub-assembly, which includes: 
 [11] a plank, plus a plank-jack;  
 [12] a plank-sling-attachment means for detachably attaching the bottom attachment-structure of the rope-sling to the plank;  
 [13] the plank-jack includes a jack-platform and a jack-base;  
 [14] the jack-platform lies at such angle relative to the jack-base that, when the jack-base is resting flat against the sloping roof, the jack-platform is at least approximately horizontal;  
 [15] the plank is firmly fixed, width-wise, to the jack-platform;  
 [16] the plank-jack-sub-assembly has the characteristic of being light enough and manageable enough to be picked up and carried up a ladder, as a whole unit;  
   [17] providing the plank-jack-sub-assembly, as a whole unit, away from the roof;    [18] lifting the plank-jack-sub-assembly, as a unit, onto the roof; and    [19] attaching the bottom attachment-structure of the rope-sling to the plank-sling-attachment means of the plank-jack.    
     
     
         14 . As in  claim 13 , including the worker manually picking up and carrying the plank-jack-sub-assembly, as a whole unit, up a ladder, onto the roof.  
     
     
         15 . As in  claim 14 , including: 
 [2] the worker having donned a safety harness, securing the safety-harness to a harness-saddle, which is secured to the roof, where the safety-harness and the harness-saddle are capable of supporting the whole of the worker's weight; and    [3] the worker then standing on the plank, and resting their weight onto the plank.    
     
     
         16 . As in  claim 15 , wherein the procedure includes the worker adjusting the position of the plank on the roof, as follows: 
 [2] the worker transferring their weight away from the plank, thereby relieving their weight from the plank;    [3] with their weight relieved from the plank, the worker operating the unlocker;    [4] with the lock unlocked, the worker changing the main-length of the rope-sling; and    [5] the worker then transferring their weight back onto the plank.    
     
     
         17 . As in  claim 13 , including: 
 [2] providing left and right roof-saddles attached to the roof;    [3] providing left and right rope-slings away from the roof;    [4] the worker carrying the rope-slings up onto the roof, and attaching them to the roof-saddles;    [5] providing the plank-jack-sub-assembly, as a unit, away from the roof;    [6] the worker carrying the plank-jack-sub-assembly up onto the roof, and attaching the rope-slings thereto.