Standing seam mounting brackets

Abstract

A standing seam mounting bracket and a method of using two or three to provide attachment points along a standing seam roof is provided. The standing seam mounting brackets enable complementary use of commonly-owned equipment for enabling roof maintenance and construction. The standing seam mounting brackets may be used in concert with roof jacks, roof ladders, scaffolding members and the like that are commonly owned by most contractors so as to facilitate safe and easy horizontal and vertical movement along the sloped roof.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A method for securing a rectangular cross member to a standing seam roof, comprising:
 removably sandwiching a first mated portion of the standing seam roof between a first compression member and a rear surface of a planar base of a first mounting bracket, the first mounting bracket further comprising a front surface opposite the rear surface, an opening extending between the front surface and the rear surface, and a bottom side, the bottom side being substantially parallel to a planar upper surface of the standing seam roof; and   inserting a first end of the rectangular cross member through the opening such that a first surface of the rectangular cross member is substantially parallel to the planar upper surface.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 removably sandwiching a second mated portion of the standing seam roof between a second compression member and a rear surface of a planar base of a second mounting bracket, the second mounting bracket further comprising a front surface opposite the rear surface, an opening extending between the front surface and the rear surface, and a bottom side, the bottom side being substantially parallel to the planar upper surface; and   inserting a second end of the rectangular cross member through the opening of the second mounting bracket.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the rectangular cross member has a cross section with a first dimension that is greater than a second dimension, and the first surface corresponds to the first dimension. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the rectangular cross member has a cross section with a first dimension that is greater than a second dimension, and the first surface corresponds to the first dimension. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the planar base has a generally rectangular shape. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the planar base further has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and the first mounting bracket further comprises a first flange perpendicularly joined to the planar base along at least a portion of the first end, wherein the first flange extends from the front surface. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first flange includes at least one attachment hole. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first mounting bracket further comprises a bottom flange perpendicularly joined to the bottom side of the planar base, wherein the bottom flange extends from the front surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising a second flange perpendicularly joined to the planar base along at least a portion of the second end. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first mounting bracket further comprises a bottom flange perpendicularly joined to the bottom side of the planar base, wherein the bottom flange extends from the front surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the opening is elongated in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom side. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the opening in the planar base has a closed perimeter. 
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 attaching a first mounting bracket to a first mated portion of a standing seam roof;   attaching a second mounting bracket to a second mated portion of the standing seam roof that is parallel to the first mated portion; and   extending a rectangular piece of lumber between the first and second mounting brackets to form a brace that is substantially perpendicular to the first mated portion.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 inserting a first end of the piece of lumber through a first opening in the first mounting bracket.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first opening is elongated in a direction substantially parallel to a planar upper surface of the standing seam roof when the first mounting bracket is attached to the first mated portion. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the opening has a closed perimeter. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 extending the rectangular piece of lumber between the first and second mounting brackets such that a first surface of the rectangular cross member is substantially parallel to a planar upper surface of the standing seam roof.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the rectangular piece of lumber has a cross section with a first dimension that is greater than a second dimension, and the first surface corresponds to the first dimension. 
     
     
         26 . A method, comprising:
 removably attaching a bracket to a mated portion of a standing seam roof such that a closed-perimeter opening through a substantially planar surface of the bracket is elongated in a same direction in which the mated portion extends.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the opening has a first straight inner edge portion and a second straight inner edge portion that is substantially parallel to the first straight inner edge portion, and the first straight inner edge portion is substantially parallel to a planar upper surface of the standing seam roof when the bracket is attached to the mated portion.