Rail mounting systems on roofs

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.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A metal panel roofing system, comprising:
 at least one roof eave,   a roof ridge,   roofing panels extending from the at least one roof eave to the roof ridge, said roofing panels forming a roof having rib elevations extending in parallel relation from the roof eaves toward the roof ridge and panel flats between said rib elevations,   a roof penetration in at least one panel flat of the roof between two of the rib elevations,   a skylight or other structure mounted to said side rails over said roof penetration, and   side rails mounted directly to the rib elevations adjacent said roof penetration, wherein the side rails extend in the direction of said rib elevations and engage said rib elevations over substantially the entire length of the side rails, and wherein the rib elevations provide structural support for the side rails over substantially the entire length of the side rails,   wherein each side rail has a length and is comprised of:   a vertical riser portion,   an upper flange extending from said vertical riser portion and providing a top bearing surface for supporting one side of said skylight or other structure, and   a bottom shoulder structure for engaging the rib elevations of the roof adjacent said roof penetration over the length of the side rail such that the riser portion of the side rail extends upwardly from the rib elevation over the length of the side rail.   
     
     
         27 . The roofing system of  claim 26  wherein the rib elevations of the roofing system have a cross-sectional profile, and wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each side rail is shaped to mate with the rib elevation to which it is attached over at least a portion of the cross-sectional profile of the rib elevation to which the side rail is attached. 
     
     
         28 . The roofing system of  claim 27  wherein said rib elevations have an outside facing away from the roof penetration and an inside facing toward said roof penetration, and wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each side rail is attached to and mates with the outside of the rib elevations. 
     
     
         29 . The roofing system of  claim 26  wherein the roofing system is a standing seam metal panel roofing system, and wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each side rail is attached to and mates with only one side of the rib elevations. 
     
     
         30 . The roofing system of  claim 26  wherein the vertical riser portion of each of said side rails has a top end and a bottom end and wherein said bottom shoulder structure extends from the bottom end of the riser portion. 
     
     
         31 . The roofing system of  claim 26  wherein said vertical riser portion has a top end and a bottom end and wherein said upper flange extends from the top end of the riser portion. 
     
     
         32 . The roofing system of  claim 26  wherein said vertical riser portion has a first side and a second side, and wherein the upper flange extends laterally from the first side of said riser portion and the lower shoulder structure extends laterally from the second side of said riser portion. 
     
     
         33 . The roofing system of  claim 26  wherein the riser portion of each said rails is in the form of a substantially continuous riser wall extending along the top of the rib elevation. 
     
     
         34 . A metal panel roofing system, comprising:
 at least one roof eave,   a roof ridge,   roofing panels extending from the at least one roof eave to the roof ridge, said roofing panels forming a roof having rib elevations extending in parallel relation to each other in directions extending from the at least one roof eave toward the roof ridge, and panel flats between said rib elevations,   a roof penetration in at least one panel flat of the roof between two of the rib elevations, which two rib elevations are proximate the roof penetration,   side rails, having lengths, and being mounted directly to the two rib elevations adjacent the roof penetration, wherein said side rails extend in the directions of said rib elevations and engage said rib elevations over substantially the entireties of the lengths of said side rails, and wherein said rib elevations support said side rails over substantially the entireties of the lengths of said side rails, and   a skylight or other structure mounted to said side rails and extending over the roof penetration,   wherein each said side rail is comprised of:   a vertical riser portion,   an upper flange extending from said vertical riser portion and providing a top bearing surface for supporting one side of said skylight or other structure, and   a bottom shoulder structure for engaging the respective said rib elevation of said roof, adjacent the roof penetration, over the length of the respective said side rail,   said vertical riser portion of the respective said side rail extending upwardly from the respective said rib elevation over the length of the respective said side rail.   
     
     
         35 . The roofing system of  claim 34  wherein said rib elevations of said roofing system have cross-sectional profiles, and wherein said bottom shoulder structure of each side rail is shaped to mate with the rib elevation to which the respective said bottom shoulder structure is mounted, over at least a portion of the cross-sectional profile of the rib elevation to which the respective said side rail is mounted. 
     
     
         36 . The roofing system of  claim 35  wherein said rib elevations have outside surfaces facing away from the roof penetration and inside surfaces facing toward the roof penetration, and wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each said side rail is mounted to and mates with the outside surface of the respective said rib elevation. 
     
     
         37 . The roofing system of  claim 34  wherein the roofing system is a standing seam metal panel roofing system, and wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each said side rail is attached to, and mates with, only one side of the respective said rib elevation. 
     
     
         38 . The roofing system of  claim 34  wherein said vertical riser portion of each of said side rails has a top end and a bottom end and wherein said bottom shoulder structure extends from the bottom end of said vertical riser portion. 
     
     
         39 . The roofing system of  claim 34  wherein said vertical riser portion has a top end and a bottom end and wherein said upper flange extends from the top end of said vertical riser portion. 
     
     
         40 . The roofing system of  claim 34  wherein said vertical riser portion has a first side and an opposing second side, and wherein said upper flange extends laterally from the first side of said riser portion and said bottom shoulder structure extends laterally from the second side of said riser portion. 
     
     
         41 . The roofing system of  claim 34 , a given said rib elevation having a top, and wherein said vertical riser portion of each said rail is in the form of a substantially continuous wall extending in a direction along an elongate extension of the top of the respective said rib elevation. 
     
     
         42 . A metal panel roofing system, comprising:
 at least one roof eave,   a roof ridge,   roofing panels extending from the at least one roof eave to the roof ridge, said roofing panels being arranged in side-by-side relationship to each other and thereby forming a roof having rib elevations extending parallel to each other in directions extending from the at least one roof eave toward the roof ridge, and panel flats between said rib elevations,   a roof penetration in at least one panel flat of the roof between two of the rib elevations, which two rib elevations are proximate the roof penetration,   side rails, having lengths, and being mounted directly to the two rib elevations adjacent the roof penetration, wherein said side rails extend in the directions of said rib elevations and engage said rib elevations over substantially the entireties of the lengths of said side rails, and wherein said rib elevations support said side rails over substantially the entireties of the lengths of said side rails, and   a skylight or other structure mounted to said side rails and extending over the roof penetration,   each said side rail being comprised of:   an upstanding riser,   an upper flange providing an upper bearing surface, and   a bottom shoulder structure adapted and configured to engage the respective said rib elevation adjacent the roof penetration, over the length of the respective said side rail,   said upstanding riser extending upwardly from the respective said rib elevation over the length of the respective said side rail.   
     
     
         43 . A metal panel roofing system as in  claim 42 , said upper flange extending transversely from said upstanding riser and being adapted and configured to provide such upper bearing surface to support one side of said skylight or other structure. 
     
     
         44 . A roofing system as in  claim 42  wherein said rib elevations of said roofing system have cross-sectional profiles, and wherein at least a preponderance of said bottom shoulder structure of each said side rail is shaped to mate with the cross-sectional profile of the respective said rib elevation to which the respective said bottom shoulder structure is mounted. 
     
     
         45 . A roofing system as in  claim 44  wherein said rib elevations have outside surfaces facing away from the roof penetration, and wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each said side rail is mounted to, and mates with, a such outside surface of the respective said rib elevation. 
     
     
         46 . A roofing system as in  claim 42  wherein the roofing system is a standing seam metal panel roofing system, and wherein the bottom shoulder structure of each said side rail is mounted to, and mates with, only one side of the respective said rib elevation. 
     
     
         47 . A roofing system as in  claim 42  wherein said upstanding riser of each of said side rails has a top end and a bottom end and wherein said bottom shoulder structure extends from the bottom end of said upstanding riser. 
     
     
         48 . A roofing system as in  claim 42  wherein said upstanding riser has a top end and a bottom end and wherein said upper flange extends from the top end of said upstanding riser. 
     
     
         49 . A roofing system as in  claim 42  wherein said upstanding riser has a first side and an opposing second side, and wherein said upper flange extends laterally from the first side of said upstanding riser and said bottom shoulder structure extends laterally from the second side of said upstanding riser. 
     
     
         50 . A roofing system as in  claim 42  wherein said upstanding riser of each said rail comprises a substantially continuous wall extending along an elongate extension of the top of the respective said rib elevation. 
     
     
         51 . A roofing system as in  claim 42 , said side rails being mounted to, and extending alongside, respective said rib elevations which extend alongside such roof penetrations. 
     
     
         52 . A roofing system as in  claim 51  wherein such roof penetration is confined to a single roof panel. 
     
     
         53 . A roofing system as in  claim 52  wherein such roof penetration extends onto at least one of the respective said rib elevations to which said side rails are mounted.