EP1690567A2

EP1690567A2 - Roof anchor

Info

Publication number: EP1690567A2
Application number: EP06075310A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Renatus Anthonius Steenmetz
Original assignee: Steenmetz Daktechniek BV
Current assignee: ORANJEDAK B.V.
Priority date: 2005-02-15
Filing date: 2006-02-14
Publication date: 2006-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 2026-02-14
Also published as: EP1690567B1; EP1690567A3; NL1028279C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a roof anchor comprising a baseplate for mounting on a flat roof and an anchoring eye which is connected to the baseplate, wherein a damping element is arranged between the eye and the baseplate, by means of which element the eye is fastened releasably to the baseplate, and to a building with a flat roof provided with a roof anchor; a fall restraint system for a flat roof comprising at least a roof anchor, a safety line and a harness; and use of a roof anchor in a fall restraint system for a flat roof.

Description

The present invention relates to a roof anchor which is intended for use on a flat roof, in particular a flat roof provided with a bituminous roof covering system.
The roof anchor according to the present invention is intended particularly for carrying out work of short duration, such as small repairs, inspection work, maintenance and the like, on installations on flat roofs. When reference is made here to flat roof, this is also understood to mean a slightly sloping roof. Both types of roof are suitable for a bituminous roof covering system.
Governments provide regulations for fall restraint systems for performing work on roofs. The roof anchor according to the present invention finds application in such a fall restraint system. It is attached to a flat roof and used in combination with a safety line and safety harness as fall restraint system in the performing of work, particularly work of short duration.
The roof anchor must be able to withstand a static load of 1000 kg for three minutes, as well as a dynamic load of 100 kg in the case of a free fall from a height of 2 metres. The roof anchor according to the present invention has been tested and meets these requirements.
Known roof anchors are described in, among others, US 5,287,944 and GB 2 351 789. Known roof anchors are intended particularly to support a number of people, form constructions permanently connected to the roof and are relatively expensive.
The object of the present invention is to provide a roof anchor which can obviate the above stated drawbacks.
The roof anchor according to the invention is provided for this purpose with a baseplate for mounting on a flat roof and an anchoring eye which is connected to the baseplate, wherein a damping element is arranged between the eye and the baseplate, by means of which element the eye is fastened releasably to the baseplate.
Because of the damping element the roof anchor is able to meet the dynamic requirement set by government authorities for such a roof anchor. In addition, the roof anchor can be partially disassembled after use. Only the baseplate remains behind on the roof. A relatively simple and inexpensive construction is hereby obtained, using which a person can carry out work of short duration on a flat roof.
In a preferred embodiment the baseplate comprises a threaded end onto which the damping element with anchoring eye can be screwed. When the work on the roof is completed, the damping element with the eye can simply be removed from the baseplate. The damping element with anchoring eye can thus be utilized for subsequent work on another roof, while a relatively inexpensive component of the roof anchor, i.e. the baseplate with threaded end, remains behind on the roof.
In order to enable a good distribution of the forces transmitted via the anchoring eye and the damping element to the flat roof, a cover plate is preferably arranged between the baseplate and the damping element.
In order to allow fixed as well as watertight mounting of the baseplate on the flat roof, the baseplate is fixed to the roof by means of at least one layer of roof covering material.
When the flat roof is provided with a bituminous roof covering system, the layer of roof covering material is formed by a layer of bitumen.
Two roof covering systems are distinguished, i.e. a partially mechanically fixed roof covering system and a ballasted roof covering system. In the former system a first layer of bitumen is fixed to the underlayer with self-tapping screws, whereafter a layer of bitumen is torched onto the first layer. In the case of the ballasted roof covering the first layer is formed by loose and partly overlapping pieces of bitumen, whereafter a second layer of bitumen is torched onto the first layer. Finally, gravel is spread as ballast over the layers of bitumen. The roof anchor can be fixed to both roof covering systems, wherein it must be noted that in the case of a ballasted roof covering a part of the gravel is first pushed aside or removed before the baseplate, preferably by means of a layer of bitumen, can be connected watertightly to the bitumen.
The invention is not however limited to use on bitumen roof covering systems, it also being possible to apply a roof anchor with a plastic roof covering, such as PVC or EPDM. In order to connect the baseplate watertightly here to the roof, the same material is used as that from which the roof is made.
In a further embodiment a plastic plate is preferably arranged between the baseplate and the cover plate. Together with the cover plate, the plastic plate provides for a uniform distribution of the forces on the baseplate, which in turn transmits these to the roof. In addition, the plastic plate provides protection for the layer of roof covering material with which the baseplate is connected watertightly to the roof.
Finally, the invention relates to a building with flat roof which is provided with a roof anchor as described herein, to a fall restraint system consisting of at least a roof anchor, a safety line and a safety harness, and to the use of a roof anchor in a fall restraint system for a flat roof.
The present invention will be further elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1: shows a building with a flat roof provided with a number of roof anchors according to the invention,
Figure 2A: shows a roof anchor according to the invention in assembled position,
Figure 2B: shows a part of the roof anchor that is permanently connected to the roof,
Figure 3: shows a roof anchor according to the invention with exploded parts,
Figure 4: shows a damping block with anchoring eye in assembled position,
Figure 5: shows the damping block of figure 4, wherein several parts are detached,
Figure 6: shows a cross-section according to VI-VI in figure 5, and
Figure 7: shows a cross-section according to VII-VII in figure 5.

Figure 1 shows the use of a roof anchor according to the invention in a fall restraint system for a flat roof. Work must be carried out for a short time by for instance a roofer 3 on a building 1 provided with a flat roof with bituminous roof covering 2. Different roof anchors 4 are fixed to the roof. Each roof anchor 4 has an anchoring eye 5 (see also figure 2). Roofer 3 wears a harness or belt 6 to which is fastened a safety line 7. Safety line 7 can preferably be coupled using a snap hook to the anchoring eye 5 of one of the roof anchors 4.
Figure 2A shows a roof anchor 4 in assembled position. Roof anchor 4 comprises a damping block 6 onto which the anchoring eye 5 is screwed, in addition to a cover plate 7 and a bitumen disc-like plate 14 by means of which roof anchor 4 is mounted watertightly on the flat roof.
Figure 3 shows the whole roof anchor 4. The damping block with the anchoring eye 5 screwed thereon is once again designated with reference numeral 6. Lying thereunder is cover plate 7, preferably of stainless steel, and a plastic protective plate 8. Designated with reference numeral 9 is a baseplate which is provided with a threaded end 10. Threaded end 10 is preferably arranged in the middle of the round baseplate 9. Baseplate 9 is preferably of stainless steel and the threaded end is welded thereon. Baseplate 9 is further provided on its periphery with holes 11 to enable the baseplate to be fixed to the surface using self-tapping screws 12. Two bitumen disc- like plates 13, 14 of different cross-sections are used to mount baseplate 9 fixedly on the substrate. A watertight attachment of baseplate 9 to the roof is hereby also effected.
Baseplate 9 can be pre-treated with a primer in order to bring about a better adhesion between the stainless steel and the bitumen substrate. For mounting on the roof the baseplate 9 is heated, as is also the bitumen top layer of the roof. Baseplate 9 is subsequently arranged at its position. Self-tapping screws 12 or the like can optionally be used additionally or instead for the purpose of fixing baseplate 9 to the substrate. The small disc-like plate 13 of bitumen is then first laid over the baseplate and torched onto the substrate. It can also be connected to the roof using adhesive instead of by torching. The large disc-like plate 14 of bitumen is then arranged over the small disc-like plate 13 and baseplate 9 and torched onto the substrate. It is also the case here that the large disc-like plate can also be fixed to the substrate using adhesive instead of by torching. The position according to figure 2B is then obtained. Baseplate 9 is then mounted on the roof fixedly and watertightly by the bitumen disc- like plates 13, 14.
In order to allow the roof anchor to be taken into use, first the plastic plate 8 and then cover plate 7 are placed over threaded end 10, whereafter finally the damping block 6 with anchoring eye 5 can be screwed fixedly onto threaded end 10. The roof anchor is ready for use (see figure 2A).
Figures 4-7 show the construction of damping block 6 with anchoring eye 5. Damping block 6 consists of two outer plate parts 15, 16 with a piece of damping material 17, such as rubber, lying therebetween. Two slotted holes 18 and a central threaded hole 19 are provided in the upper plate part 15. Two passages 20 are arranged in the piece of damping material 17. Finally, three threaded holes 21, 22 are provided in the lower plate part 16. Threaded hole 21 is located centrally in the plate, while threaded holes 22 are arranged in the line of passages 20.
For mounting of anchoring eye 5 a bolt 23 is screwed into threaded hole 19. In order to hold plate part 15, 16 and damping material 17 together in the case damping material is torn away, two bolts 24 are screwed fixedly through slotted holes 18 via passages 20 into threaded holes 22 as additional locking. It is also noted that slotted holes 18 are provided to allow shearing of damping block 6 without thereby breaking bolts 24.
The whole damping block 6 with anchoring eye 5, as shown in figure 4, can be connected releasably to baseplate 9 by screwing thereof onto the threaded end 10 of baseplate 9. The threaded end 10 of baseplate 9 herein comes to lie in threaded hole 21 of damping block 6. The position according to figure 2A is then obtained. When work has to be carried out on the roof, a safety line can be fastened to anchoring eye 5 of roof anchor 4 shown in figure 2A. After the work has been carried out, damping block 6 with anchoring eye 5 is simply unscrewed from threaded end 10, and roof anchor 4 remains behind on the roof as according to the position of figure 2B. Only a piece of threaded end 10 then protrudes upward from the roof surface.
The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings. It is for instance also possible to apply as damping element a sandwich construction with damping material of the size of the baseplate. In order to protect or recognize the threaded end 10 a cap can be placed thereover.

Claims

Roof anchor comprising a baseplate for mounting on a flat roof and an anchoring eye which is connected to the baseplate, wherein a damping element is arranged between the eye and the baseplate, by means of which element the eye is fastened releasably to the baseplate.
Roof anchor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the baseplate comprises a threaded end onto which the damping element with anchoring eye can be screwed.
Roof anchor as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a cover plate arranged between the baseplate and the damping element.
Roof anchor as claimed in any of the claims 1-3, further comprising at least one layer of roof covering material with which the baseplate is fixed to a flat roof.
Roof anchor as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flat roof is provided with a bituminous roof covering system, wherein the layer of roof covering material is a layer of bitumen.
Roof anchor as claimed in any of the claims 1-5, further comprising a plastic plate arranged between the baseplate and the cover plate.
Building with a flat roof provided with a roof anchor as claimed in any of the claims 1-6.
Fall restraint system for a flat roof, comprising at least a roof anchor as claimed in any of the claims 1-6, a safety line and a harness.
Use of a roof anchor as claimed in any of the claims 1-6 in a fall restraint system for a flat roof.