Trolley for transporting materials on seamed roofs

Abstract

Trolley for transporting materials that traverses seams and stepped sections of a roof includes a bed mounted on aligned frames that house wheels. Once positioned on the roof seams, roofing materials are hoisted onto the trolley for positioning where the materials are needed. The trolley may include a brake.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Typical panel roofing consists of successive metallic sheets of paneling laid side-by-side to form a roofing cover. Each roofing panel is formed by a panel producing machine from metal sheet stock, typically fed from a roll of sheet metal. Forming each panel can include molding ribs down the panel length and forming both lengthwise edges of each panel to enable a mating fit between the abutting lengthwise edges of adjacent panels. Clips interleaved between the adjacent panel edges affix the panels to the roof surface. [0002] Some panel roofs are constructed with panels spanning the width of the roof to eliminate perpendicular seams that have compromised weather-tight integrity. However, with the advent of the Butler MR-24® Roof System, a seaming machine called a Roof Runner®, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,828, issued Feb. 11, 1964, to S. O. Grönlund, for Roof Seaming Machine, can seam the panels with water-tight integrity. This relieves roofers from...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a trolley designed to transport materials to roofs that has the ability to cross seams and step sections of the roof. This is useful for roofers who need to install panels quickly and easily, as the trolley can be used to transport the panels to the roof level and then move them to the desired position on the roof. The trolley is designed to maintain the relative positioning of the panels, and can easily move over the seams and step sections of the roof. This makes the process of installing the panels faster and more efficient, as the trolley takes the heavy materials and coordinates their movement."

Problems solved by technology

However, installing the extraneous guides or rails adds more tasks to an already laborious process.

That is, over large surfaces, individual roofing panels expand or contract, depending on weather and sun conditions, which may weaken inter-panel seams or even create gaps and expose the building and occupants thereof.

However, stepping a roof renders material transport more problematic because roofers need to lift the heavy, elongated roofing materials over the step between adjacent sections in a coordinated fashion.

However, known stackable trolleys are designed to maintain relative positioning among stacked trolleys, not allow for movement of superposed trolleys.

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