Apparatus for Marking Lines on a Metal Roofing Panel Having a Raised Profile

Abstract

A measuring apparatus for marking a cut line on roofing panels having a raised rib configuration is formed with an elongated base member and a cross member pivotally connected to the proximal end of the base member permitting rotation of the cross member relative to the base member. The cross member includes a protractor section, including indicia indicative of the angle of rotation of the cross member, to define the desired angle of a cut line. The base member includes at least two seating members removably retained within the C-channel shape of the base member to provide a stable seating of the base member on the roofing panel rib. The seating members can be interchanged to match the rib configuration. A locking mechanism secures the rotated position of the cross member to enable the measurement of the desired and then handed off to mark the cut line.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for marking lines on a metal panel having a raised rib profile including shaped ribs oriented in a longitudinal direction, comprising:
 an elongated base member formed as a channel having a pair of opposing vertical legs terminating in a first plane;   a cross member formed in an L-shaped configuration with a lip terminating in a second plane, said cross member being pivotally connected to said elongated base member by a pivot oriented along a centerline of said elongated base member at a proximal end thereof, said cross member incorporating a protractor portion having a pointer defining the angular position of said cross member relative to said base member and being mounted on said elongated base member in alignment with said centerline; and   at least two seating members secured to said elongated base member between said opposing vertical legs, each said seating member being formed with a relief corresponding to the shape of said ribs so that said elongated base member can be mounted in a stable manner on top of a selected rib.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism operatively interconnecting said cross member and said elongated base member to secure said cross member at a selected angular relationship with respect to said elongated base member. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said protractor portion includes an arcuate slot having angular indicia associated with said pointer to indicate the angular relationship of said cross member relative to said elongated base member. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said cross member includes distance measurement indicia along said lip. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said locking mechanism comprises:
 a fastener passing through said arcuate slot in said protractor and received within said elongated base member so as to clamp said protractor to said elongated base member. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said locking mechanism includes a retention tab engaged with slots forms in said protractor portion, said retention tab being movable in response to engagement with a locking button. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said second plane is above said first plane such that the terminus of said lip will be located proximate to the multiple ribs of said metal panel while the terminus of said vertical legs is below the rib selected for the mounting of said elongated base member. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said seating members are formed from a polymeric material and are inserted into said channel so that said vertical legs can retain said seating members between said vertical legs and within said channel. 
     
     
         9 . A measuring apparatus to establish a cut line on roofing panels having a raised rib profile, comprising:
 an elongated base member formed as a channel having a pair of opposing vertical legs;   a cross member having a lip along an exterior edge thereof, said cross member being pivotally connected to said elongated base member by a pivot oriented along a centerline of said elongated base member at a proximal end thereof, said cross member incorporating a protractor portion defining an angular position of said cross member relative to said base member; and   at least two seating members secured in spaced apart locations within said elongated base member between said opposing vertical legs, each said seating member being formed with a relief corresponding to a selected raised rib configuration so that said elongated base member can be mounted in a stable manner on top of a selected raised rib.   
     
     
         10 . The measuring apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said protractor portion includes an arcuate slot having angular indicia along said arcuate slot to indicate the angular relationship of said cross member relative to said elongated base member and a plurality of slots spaced circumferentially along said protractor portion. 
     
     
         11 . The measuring apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a locking mechanism operatively interconnecting said cross member and said elongated base member to secure said cross member at a selected angular relationship with respect to said elongated base member. 
 
     
     
         12 . The measuring apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said locking mechanism includes a retention tab engagable with a selected one of said slots to secure the protractor portion in a desired angular relationship with respect to said base portion, said retention tab being operably connected to a lock button to affect movement of said retention tab. 
     
     
         13 . The measuring apparatus of  claim 9  wherein vertical legs of said base portion terminate in a first plane, said lip has a vertical portion terminating in a second plane, said second plane being above said first plane such that the terminus of said lip can rest upon multiple ribs of said metal roofing panel while the terminus of said vertical legs is below the rib selected for the mounting of said elongated base member. 
     
     
         14 . The measuring apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said cross member is rotatable through an angular displacement of 180 degrees to place said lip adjacent a vertical leg on a selected side of said elongated base member to position said apparatus into a storage position, said locking mechanism being operable to secure said apparatus in said storage position. 
     
     
         15 . A method of cutting a roofing panel having a raised rib profile comprising the steps of:
 acquiring a measuring apparatus having an elongated base member formed as a downwardly facing C-channel fitted with at least two seating members within said C-channel, and a cross member pivotally connected to an end of said base member and rotatable relative thereto to measure an angular dimension corresponding to a deflection of said cross member relative to said base member;   placing the measuring apparatus on a raised rib of an existing roofing panel with the at least two seating members engaged with the surface of the raised rib;   rotating the cross member to conform to the desired cut for an adjacent roofing panel; and   securing the measurement of the angular deflection of the cross member.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of:
 duplicating the measurement of the angular deflection on a second roofing panel to become the adjacent roofing panel; 
 marking a cut line; and 
 cutting the second roofing panel along said cut line. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said securing step includes the step of:
 locking the rotated position of said cross member with a locking device carried by said measuring apparatus. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said securing step includes the step of:
 communicating the angular measurement to a remote party to form said cut line; and 
 utilizing a second measuring apparatus to perform said duplicating step and said marking step. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said seating members are selected from a set of seating members to have a relief profile corresponding to the shape of the raised rib to be engaged therewith.