Support for a roof hatch rail

Abstract

A support for a railing of a roof hatch having a coaming has an angle body with a first elongate member and a second elongate members that is perpendicular to the first elongate member. First and second brackets extend inward from the first and second elongate members, respectively. Each bracket has a coaming-receiving portion that is sized and shaped to directly engage the inner surface, upper surface and outer surface of the hatch coaming, and a flashing covering portion that is sized and shaped to receive the flashing. The bracket engages the coaming such that the angle body is supported laterally adjacent to the flashing of the coaming. One or more post supports connected to and extending outward from angle body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A support for a railing of a roof hatch, the roof hatch comprising a hatch cover supported by a hatch coaming mounted to the roof, the hatch coaming comprising an inner surface surrounding an opening in the roof, an upper surface, an outer surface and flashing extending out from an outer surface of the hatch body and spaced downward from the upper surface, the railing support comprising:
 an angle body comprising a first elongate member and a second elongate members that is perpendicular to the first elongate member;   a first bracket extending inward from the first elongate member and a second bracket extending inward from the second elongate member, each bracket having a coaming-receiving portion that is sized and shaped to directly engage the inner surface, upper surface and outer surface of the hatch coaming, and a flashing covering portion that is sized and shaped to receive the flashing, the bracket engages the coaming such that the angle body is supported laterally adjacent to the flashing of the coaming; and   one or more post supports connected to and extending outward from angle body.   
     
     
         2 . The railing support of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second elongate members are connected at a corner of the angle body. 
     
     
         3 . The railing support of  claim 2 , comprising a post support that is connected to and extends outward from the corner of the angle body. 
     
     
         4 . The railing support of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second brackets further comprise an underlying portion that extends through the opening of the roof and engages an under surface of the roof. 
     
     
         5 . The railing support of  claim 1 , wherein the brackets are pin connected to the coaming. 
     
     
         6 . The railing support of  claim 4 , wherein the underlying portion is pin connected to the under surface of the roof. 
     
     
         7 . The railing support of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more flashing insert inserted between the flashing and the coaming. 
     
     
         8 . The railing support of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more flashing inserts underlies the bracket. 
     
     
         9 . The railing support of  claim 1 , wherein the flashing engaging portion is sized and shaped to directly engage the flashing. 
     
     
         10 . A method of installing a railing around a roof hatch, the roof hatch comprising a hatch cover supported by a hatch coaming mounted to the roof, the hatch coaming comprising an inner surface surrounding an opening in the roof, an upper surface, an outer surface and flashing extending out from an outer surface of the hatch body and spaced downward from the upper surface, the railing comprising support posts and cross members supported by the support posts, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing railing supports, each railing support comprising:
 an angle body comprising first and second elongate members extending perpendicularly from a corner of the angle body; 
 a first bracket extending inward from the first elongate member and a second bracket extending inward from the second elongate member, each bracket having a coaming receiving portion that is sized and shaped to directly engage the inner surface, upper surface and outer surface of the hatch coaming, and a flashing covering portion that is sized and shaped to receive the flashing; and 
 one or more post supports connected to and extending outward from angle body; 
   installing the railing supports at each corner of the roof hatch by placing the first and second bracket over the hatch coaming such that the angle body is supported laterally adjacent to the flashing of the coaming; and   installing the support posts and the cross members around the roof hatch by installing the support posts in the post supports.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second elongate members are connected at a corner of the angle body. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising a post support that is connected to and extends outward from the corner of the angle body. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second brackets further comprise an underlying portion that extends through the opening of the roof and engages an under surface of the roof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of pin connecting the brackets to the coaming. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of pin connecting the underlying portion to the under surface of the roof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of inserting one or more flashing inserts between the flashing and the coaming. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more flashing inserts is inserted to underlie the bracket. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the flashing engaging portion is sized and shaped to directly engage the flashing.