Rail mounting system for mounting skylights and the like directly to rib elevations of a raised rib metal panel roofing system

Abstract

A rail mounting system for mounting skylights and the like directly to rib elevations of a raised rib panel roofing system has a side rail for each side of a skylight or run of skylights that mount to the metal panel roof's rib elevations. Each side rail includes a vertical riser wall, an upper flange structure extending from the riser wall to provide a top bearing surface for one side of a skylight or run of skylights, and bottom shoulder structure extending from the raiser portion, which is adapted for attachment to a rib elevation of a raised rib panel roofing system. The rib elevations on which the side rails of the rail mounting system are attached provide structural support for the skylight or run of skylights supported on the side rails for substantially the entire length of the skylights or run of skylights.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A rail mounting system for mounting a skylight or other structure on a metal panel roof having parallel rib elevations and a roof penetration between parallel rib elevations, and wherein the skylight or other structure has parallel extending sides and the rib elevations of the metal roof are substantially identical in form, said rail mounting system comprising:
 side rails for supporting the parallel extending sides of the skylight or other structure directly on parallel rib elevations of the metal panel roof, each of said side rails having a length and being comprised of   a vertical riser portion,   an upper flange structure extending from said vertical riser portion and providing a top bearing surface for supporting one of the parallel extending sides of a skylight or other structure, and   a bottom shoulder structure extending substantially the entire length of the side rail, said bottom shoulder structure having a form over substantially the entire length thereof that corresponds to the form of a rib elevation of the metal panel roof, wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each side rail allows the side rail to be attached to a parallel rib elevation of the metal panel roof adjacent the roof penetration so that the side rail extends lengthwise along and is supported by the rib elevation over substantially the entire length of the side rail.   
     
     
         2 . The rail mounting system of  claim 1  wherein the rib elevations of the metal panel roof have a profile, and wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each side rail has a shape that allows the shoulder structure to mate with the rib elevation to which the side rail is attached over substantially the entire length of the side rail. 
     
     
         3 . The rail mounting system of  claim 2  wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each side rail has a shape that allows the bottom shoulder structure to mate with and attach to only one side of a rib elevation of the metal panel roof 
     
     
         4 . The rail mounting system of  claim 2  wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each side rail is shaped to mate with and is attachable to one side of a rib elevation of a standing seam metal panel roof 
     
     
         5 . The rail mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said vertical riser portion has a top end and a bottom end and wherein said bottom shoulder structure extends from the bottom end of the riser portion. 
     
     
         6 . The rail mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said vertical riser portion has a top end and a bottom end and wherein said upper flange structure extends from the top end of the riser portion. 
     
     
         7 . The rail mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said vertical riser portion has a first side and a second side, and wherein the upper flange structure extends from the first side of said riser portion and the lower shoulder structure extends from the second side of said riser portion. 
     
     
         8 . The rail mounting system of  claim 1  wherein the riser portion is in the form of a substantially continuous riser wall. 
     
     
         9 . A rail mounting system for mounting a skylight or other structure to parallel rib elevations of a metal panel roof between which there is a roof penetration, wherein the skylight or other structure has parallel extending sides, and wherein the rib elevations have a cross-sectional profile, said rail mounting system comprising:
 side rails for supporting each of the parallel extending sides of the skylight or other structure, each of said side rails having a length and being comprised of   a vertical riser wall having a top end and a bottom end,   an upper flange structure at the top end of said riser wall, said upper flange structure providing a top bearing surface for supporting one of the parallel extending sides of a skylight or other structure, and   a bottom shoulder structure at the bottom end of the riser wall and extending substantially the entire length of the side rail, said bottom shoulder structure conforming in shape to at least a portion of the cross-sectional profile of the parallel rib elevations of the metal panel roof to which the skylight or other structure is mounted, such shape conformance extending over the substantially the entire length of the side rail to allow the bottom shoulder structure to mate with at least a portion of the cross-sectional profile of the rib elevation for substantially the entire length of the side rail.   
     
     
         10 . The rail mounting system of  claim 9  wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each side rail has a shape that substantially conforms to the profile of one side of the rib elevations of the metal panel roof, wherein, when attached to the rib elevations, said bottom shoulder structure closely fits to said one side of the rib elevations over substantially the entire length of the side rail. 
     
     
         11 . The rail mounting system of  claim 10  wherein said bottom shoulder structure is provided in a shape that substantially conforms to a profile of one side of a rib elevation of a standing seam metal panel roof. 
     
     
         12 . The rail mounting system of  claim 9  wherein said upper flange structure extends laterally from the top end of said riser wall to provide a substantially horizontal top bearing surface for supporting one side of a skylight or other structure. 
     
     
         13 . The rail mounting system of  claim 9  wherein said vertical riser wall has a first side and a second side, and wherein the upper flange structure extends from the first side of said riser wall and the lower shoulder structure extends from the second side of said riser wall. 
     
     
         14 . The rail mounting system of  claim 9  wherein rib elevations of the metal panel roof have an outside and an inside relative to the roof penetration between the rib elevations, and wherein each side rail is configured for mounting to the outside of one of such rib elevations. 
     
     
         15 . The rail mounting system of  claim 9  wherein rib elevations of the metal panel roof have an outside and an inside relative to the roof penetration between the rib elevations ,and wherein each side rail is configured for mounting to the inside of one of such rib elevations. 
     
     
         16 . A rail mounting system for mounting a skylight or other structure to parallel rib elevations of a metal panel roof in which there is a roof penetration, wherein the skylight or other structure has a first supportable side and a second supportable side opposite said first supportable side and wherein the rib elevations of the metal panel roof have a cross-sectional profile, said rail mounting system comprising:
 a first side rail for supporting for supporting the first side of the skylight or other structure, and   a second side rail for supporting the second side of the skylight or other structure, each of said first and second side rails having a length and being comprised of:
 a continuous vertical riser wall having a top end and a bottom end, and a first side and a second side, 
 a continuous upper flange structure at the top end of said riser wall, said upper flange structure providing a top bearing surface for supporting one of the first or second sides of a skylight or other structure, and 
 a continuous bottom shoulder structure at the bottom end of the riser wall and extending substantially the entire length of the side rail, said bottom shoulder structure conforming in shape to at least a portion of the cross-sectional profile of the parallel rib elevations of the metal panel roof to which the skylight or other structure is mounted, such shape conformance extending over the substantially the entire length of the side rail to allow the bottom shoulder structure to mate with at least a portion of the cross-sectional profile of the rib elevation over substantially the entire length of the side rail, 
   wherein, when the first and second side rails are attached to parallel rib elevations of the metal panel roof adjacent the roof penetration, the side rails provide support for the first and second parallel extending sides of the skylight or other structure over substantially the entire length of the side rails, and   wherein, when mounted to the side rails, the skylight or other structure supported by the first and second side rails of the rail mounting system extends over the roof penetration so that the first and second sides of the skylight or other structure align with the parallel rib elevations to which the side rails are attached.   
     
     
         17 . The rail mounting system of  claim 16  wherein said vertical riser wall has a first side and a second side, and wherein the upper flange structure extends from the first side of said riser wall and the lower shoulder structure extends from the second side of said riser wall so as to mate with at least a portion of the cross-sectional profile of the rib elevation. 
     
     
         18 . The rail mounting system of  claim 16  wherein the rib elevations of the metal panel roof have an outside and an inside, and wherein each side rail is configured to mate with the outside of a rib elevation. 
     
     
         19 . The rail mounting system of  claim 16  wherein rib elevations of the metal panel roof have an outside and an inside and wherein each side rail is configured to mate with the inside of the rib elevation. 
     
     
         20 . The rail mounting system of  claim 16  wherein the bottom shoulder structure of said first and second side rails is shaped to mate with one side of a rib elevation of a standing seam metal panel roof.