Mounting system for supporting objects

Abstract

A new mounting system for elevating and supporting objects such as solar panels and satellite dishes either upon a roof or above ground. The mounting system utilizes extruded aluminum horizontal members and a means to secure an object upon the horizontal members. This means to secure is an end clamp having a lip for gripping and either having a heeled distal end or one that instead of incorporating a heel, uses a wedge or half-moon washer to perform the same function. The heel, positioned above the horizontal member prevents the end clamp from rotating as it is screwed into frictional engagement with the member. Such rotation is undesirable since it would reduce the area of the lip in gripping contact with an adjacent object.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A mounting system for mounting an object above a roof having flashing and fastened to at least one roof rafter, said mounting system comprising: 
 a) at least one roof mount for fastening to a respective roof rafter, each roof mount comprising: 
 a base and an integrated hollow cylinder, said cylinder having an offset wall and an insertion opening pointing away from the roof; an alignment means for ensuring that a pilot hole drilled into a rafter will be drilled at a perpendicular angle to the rafter; and a means for fastening the base to a rafter;  
   b) at least one stanchion having a top end and a bottom end, said bottom end being fitted into a respective insertion opening of a base section, thereby orientating said stanchion away from the roof, each of said stanchions being of sufficient length to extend at least to the top of the flashing material;    c) support means for an object; said support means positioned upon at least one stanchion; and    d) means to attach said support means to at least one stanchion.    
     
     
         2 . The mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said alignment means is a guide tunnel formed in said offset wall and said base whereby said guide tunnel can receive a drill bit for drilling a pilot hole into a rafter.  
     
     
         3 . The mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said means for fastening comprises a hole extending from the hollow cylinder through said base so that a single lag bolt may be received through said insertion opening and fasten a base to a roof rafter.  
     
     
         4 . The mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said support means comprises at least one horizontal support member and a respective pair of end clamps slidably connected to each said horizontal support member, where an object, once positioned upon said horizontal support member, is thereafter secured to said horizontal support member by the use of said pair of end clamps.  
     
     
         5 . The mounting system of  claim 1  wherein said means to attach said support means comprises threadably engaging the support means to the top end of at least one of said stanchions.  
     
     
         6 . The mounting system of  claim 2  wherein said means for fastening comprises a hole extending from the hollow cylinder through said base so that a single lag bolt may be received through said insertion opening and fasten a base to a roof rafter.  
     
     
         7 . The mounting system of  claim 2  wherein said support means comprises a pair of horizontal support members and a plurality of clamps slidably connected to said horizontal support members, where an object once positioned upon said pair of horizontal support members is thereafter secured by the use of said clamps.  
     
     
         8 . The mounting system of  claim 2  wherein said means to attach said support means comprises threadably engaging the support means to the top end of a pair of said stanchions.  
     
     
         9 . The mounting system of  claim 3  wherein said support means comprises a pair of horizontal support members and a plurality of clamps slidably connected to said horizontal support members, where an object once positioned upon said pair of horizontal support members is thereafter secured by the use of said clamps.  
     
     
         10 . The mounting system of  claim 3  wherein said means to attach said support means comprises threadably engaging the support means to the top end of a pair of said stanchions.  
     
     
         11 . A support for supporting an object which is mounted above ground comprising: 
 a pair of extruded horizontal members; each horizontal member having a track;    at least two inserts for each horizontal member, each of said inserts adapted for slidable movement within the track of said horizontal member and each of said inserts having an aperture; and,    a pair of end clamps for each horizontal member, each of said end clamps having an aperture for allowing the threaded stem of a bolt to pass through, said end clamps capable of being positioned for securing an object therebetween when said pair of end clamps are secured to a respective insert when said insert is within the track of said horizontal member; and,    means for attaching said pair of horizontal members to a fixture.    
     
     
         12 . The support of  claim 11  where said means for attaching comprises the attachment of said horizontal members to a plurality of base mounts secured to respective roof rafters.  
     
     
         13 . The support of  claim 11  where said means for attaching comprises U-shaped members operatively attaching a horizontal member to a pipe support.  
     
     
         14 . A unitized end clamp comprising: 
 a base section;    a lip section, said lip section extending substantially horizontally away from said base section, said lip section having a bottom surface for frictional engagement;    an aperture extending through said base section in perpendicular relation to said bottom surface of said lip section; and,    a heel section distally located from said lip section, said heel section extending downward from said base section on the side opposite of said aperture from said lip section.    
     
     
         15 . A method for securing an object upon mounting equipment for support above the ground, comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one horizontal member upon which the weight of the object will be supported;    providing a pair of end clamps for each respective horizontal member, each said end clamp having a lip end, a vertical orientated aperture used to secure an end clamp to said horizontal member while frictionally engaging a portion of an object with said lip end;    providing a heel means between a portion of said end clamp and said respective horizontal member, where said heel means function is to, while said end clamp is being operatively secured to a horizontal member, prevent said end clamp from rotation and to enhance the frictional contact between the lip end and an object by orientating the lip end inward at  90  degrees to fully engage the object.    securing said object between said end clamps by inserting a threaded stem through said aperture where said stem is operatively secured on one side to said horizontal member and on the other side by either a bolt head or nut where the object is secured between the end clamps in response to the tightening of the nut or bolt.    
     
     
         16 . The heal means of  claim 15  which is said end clamp further comprising a heel section extending downward and distally located on said end clamp from said lip end.  
     
     
         17 . The heal means of  claim 15  which is an item sized to be positioned between a respective end clamp and said horizontal member, said object further being positioned on the side of said aperture opposite from said lip end.  
     
     
         18 . The item of  claim 17 , said item being a wedge.  
     
     
         19 . The item of  claim 17 , said item being a half-moon washer.