Supporting a load on a roof

Abstract

The invention provides a system for installing a roof penetrating structure to a metal roof, the system comprising: a) a rail and closure structure adapted to be supported by adjacent rib elevations of said roof; b) a skylight adapted to be supported on the rail and closure structure; and c) a support member for sealing a cut away portion of the rib structure to divert water away from the rail and closure structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A metal panel roof, said metal panel roof comprising a plurality of elongate metal roof panels arranged side by side, such metal roof panels having lengths and widths, edges of adjacent such metal roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof, first and second ones of said rib structure portions being joined to each other to define respective elevated roof panel ribs, having rib lengths, panel flats being disposed between such elevated roof panel ribs, said panel flats having panel flat widths extending between respective ones of said elevated roof panel ribs,
 a load being mounted on said roof, a rail and closure structure underlying and supporting said load, said load having a first end and a second end, and a load length between the first end and the second end, and extending in a same direction as the lengths of said elevated roof panel ribs, said rail and closure structure comprising first and second rails, separate and distinct from said load, said rails having rail lengths extending substantially the full length of said load, said rails directly contacting underlying ones of said ribs and extending upwardly from said underlying ribs, said rails supporting said load, said underlying ribs supporting said rails between the first end of said load and the second end of said load, 
 substantially all downwardly-directed force of said load passing downwardly through said rails, and passing from said rails downwardly to said underlying ones of said ribs. 
 
     
     
       2. A metal panel roof as in  claim 1 , a distance between said first and second rails spanning an entirety of a width of a given such panel flat, further comprising end closures at up-slope and down-slope ends of said rail and closure structure, said end closures extending between said first and second rails, said load, in combination with said rail and closure structure comprising a rail and closure assembly, said rail and closure assembly forming a water tight seal with the rib elevation. 
     
     
       3. A metal panel roof as in  claim 2 , said end closures comprising an upper diverter at the up-slope end of said rail and closure structure and a lower closure at the down-slope end of said rail and closure structure. 
     
     
       4. A metal panel roof as in  claim 3 , a lower portion of an end panel of said upper diverter defining a downwardly-directed slope extending across the width of the respective panel flat thereby to direct water, flowing by gravity toward said rail and closure structure, laterally across the respective metal roof panel at said upper diverter. 
     
     
       5. A metal panel roof as in  claim 1 , said load being disposed above respective elevations of the panel flats which are next adjacent said rail and closure structure. 
     
     
       6. A metal panel roof as in  claim 1 , said load, at a given location along the length of a given said rail, being disposed above a top of the given said rail at the given location. 
     
     
       7. A metal panel roof as in  claim 1 , aid rail and closure structure surrounding an area on said roof and extending, from the underlying roof panels, upwardly to a top of said rail and closure structure, and wherein said rail and closure structure spans an entirety of the width of a said panel flat between said first and second rails. 
     
     
       8. A metal panel roof as in  claim 1 , all downwardly-directed force of said load passing downwardly through respective ones of said roof panels. 
     
     
       9. A metal panel roof as in  claim 1 , said load passing from said ribs downwardly to structural support members of said building. 
     
     
       10. A metal panel roof as in  claim 1 , upper bearing surfaces of said rails supporting said load above said ribs. 
     
     
       11. A metal panel roof as in  claim 1 , substantially all downwardly-directed force of said load passing downwardly through said rails, including along substantially the full length of said load. 
     
     
       12. A metal panel roof, said metal panel roof comprising a plurality of elongate metal roof panels arranged side by side, such metal roof panels having lengths and widths, edges of adjacent such metal roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof, ones of said rib structure portions being joined to each other and thereby defining elevated roof panel ribs, having rib lengths, panel flats being disposed between such elevated roof panel ribs, said panel flats having panel flat widths extending between respective ones of said elevated roof panel ribs,
 a load being mounted on said roof, said load being supported by a rail and closure structure, said rail and closure structure having a length and a width, and comprising first and second rails, separate and distinct from said load, said rails having lengths extending in same directions as the lengths of said elevated roof panel ribs, said rail and closure structure extending across an entirety of the width of at least one said panel flat, from a first said elevated roof panel rib to a second said elevated roof panel rib, said first rail defining a first side of said rail and closure structure, said second rail defining a second opposing side of said rail and closure structure, said first and second rails being mounted directly to said first and second ribs, said rail and closure structure defining a plurality of support flanges interfacing with said load at a common elevation above the panel flat of a respective next adjacent said first roof panel along the width and the length of said rail and closure structure, said load exerting a downwardly-directed force on said rail and closure structure at said support flanges, said rail and closure structure being disposed between said load and one or more of said roof panels, 
 substantially all downwardly-directed force of said load passing downwardly through said rails, and passing from said rails downwardly to underlying ones of said ribs. 
 
     
     
       13. A metal panel roof as in  claim 12 , said rail and closure structure further comprising an upper diverter at an up-slope end of said rail and closure structure and a lower closure at a down-slope end of said rail and closure structure, said rail and closure structure surrounding an area on said roof and extending, from the underlying roof panels, upwardly to said support flanges, each of said first and second rails, said upper diverter, and said lower closure defining elements of said support flanges, and defining upwardly-facing load bearing surfaces on said support flanges. 
     
     
       14. A metal panel roof as in  claim 12 , further comprising end closures at up-slope and down-slope ends of said rail and closure structure, said end closures extending between said first and second rails, said load, in combination with said rail and closure structure comprising a rail and closure assembly, said rail and closure assembly forming a water tight seal with the rib elevations. 
     
     
       15. A metal panel roof as in  claim 14 , said end closures comprising an upper diverter at the up-slope end of said rail and closure structure and a lower closure at the down-slope end of said rail and closure structure. 
     
     
       16. A metal panel roof as in  claim 15 , a lower portion of an end panel of said upper diverter defining a downwardly-directed slope extending across the width of the respective panel flat thereby to direct water, flowing by gravity toward said rail and closure structure, laterally across the respective metal roof panel at said upper diverter. 
     
     
       17. A metal panel roof as in  claim 12 , all of the downwardly-directed force of said load passing downwardly through respective ones of said roof panels. 
     
     
       18. A metal panel roof as in  claim 12 , said load, at a given location along the length of a given said rail, being disposed above a top of the given said rail at the given location. 
     
     
       19. A metal panel roof as in  claim 12 , said load passing from said ribs downwardly to structural support members of said building. 
     
     
       20. A metal panel roof as in  claim 12 , all downwardly-directed force of said load passing downwardly through respective ones of said metal roof panels. 
     
     
       21. A metal panel roof as in  claim 12 , upper bearing surfaces of said rails supporting said load above said ribs. 
     
     
       22. A metal panel roof as in  claim 12 , substantially all downwardly-directed force of said load passing downwardly through said rails, including along substantially the full length of said load.