A solar panel attachment assembly including a purlin bent into a U-shaped channel with a mounting wall, an upright wall and a cross piece attached to the upper edge. A solar panel having a frame with a lower horizontal wall forming a mounting surface and a vertical wall forming an outer surface. An inwardly directed channel formed on the upper edge of the vertical wall surrounds and fixedly engages the edges of solar sensors. Attachment bolts with a portion of the body being threaded and a tip portion of the body having a drill bit formed therein. The drill bit has an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the bolt threads, and the attachment bolts are positioned to extend through the cross piece of the purlin and through the lower horizontal wall of the cross-section to hold the solar panel in abutting engagement with the purlin.
A two-axis roll forming apparatus for forming sheet metal includes a first carriage and a second carriage each reciprocally movable parallel to a longitudinal axis. The second carriage is spaced apart from the first carriage and separated therefrom by a gap. A first bending station is carried by the first carriage and reciprocal moveable parallel to a transverse axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A second bending station is carried by the second carriage and reciprocal moveable parallel to the transverse axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
B21D 5/08 - Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves by drawing procedure making use of dies or forming-rollers, e.g. making profiles making use of forming-rollers
B21B 1/38 - Metal rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-sectionSequence of operations in milling trainsLayout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of standsSuccession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling sheets of limited length, e.g. folded sheets, superimposed sheets
A sonic drilling apparatus with adapter for emplacing columns includes a sonic drilling apparatus generating vibrational waves and having a fitting. An adapter is coupled to the fitting for removably attaching a column to the sonic drill apparatus. A centering assembly is positioned below the adaptor for receipt of a column therethrough.
E21B 7/24 - Drilling using vibrating or oscillating means, e.g. out-of-balance masses
B23P 19/033 - Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some deformationTools or devices therefor so far as not provided for in other classes for connecting objects by press fit or for detaching same using vibration
E04H 12/34 - Arrangements for erecting or lowering towers, masts, poles, chimney stacks, or the like
E04H 12/22 - Sockets or holders for poles or posts
A sonic drilling apparatus with adapter for emplacing columns includes a sonic drilling apparatus generating vibrational waves and having a fitting. An adapter is coupled to the fitting for removably attaching a column to the sonic drill apparatus. A centering assembly is positioned below the adaptor for receipt of a column therethrough.
A sonic drilling apparatus with adapter for emplacing columns includes a sonic drilling apparatus having a fitting. An adapter is coupled to the fitting. The adapter includes a base having a socket extending upwardly therefrom and coupled to the fitting, and a coupling mechanism extending downwardly from the base. A tubular polygonal column is removably attached to the adapter by the coupling mechanism.
A purlin mounting system for use in a flat roof structure includes a purlin with a flat mounting wall and an upright wall extending perpendicularly from the mounting wall. First and second mounting shelves are attached to the upright wall and extend outwardly in opposite directions. Each mounting wall is positioned to receive an edge of a roof section thereon. The flat mounting wall and the upright wall define a vertical mounting channel extending from a lower surface of the flat mounting wall a distance less than the distance of the first and second mounting shelves from the mounting wall. A purlin positioning and mounting device is designed to be attached to a roof beam and includes a vertically extending support wall designed to extend upwardly from a supporting roof beam when attached to the supporting roof beam and to nest within the mounting channel.
E04C 3/07 - JoistsGirders, trusses, or truss-like structures, e.g. prefabricatedLintelsTransoms of metal with substantially solid, i.e. unapertured, web at least partly of bent or otherwise deformed strip- or sheet-like material
E04B 7/02 - RoofsRoof construction with regard to insulation with plane sloping surfaces, e.g. saddle roofs
E04D 12/00 - Non-structural supports for roofing materials, e.g. battens, boards
E04C 3/02 - JoistsGirders, trusses, or truss-like structures, e.g. prefabricatedLintelsTransoms
E04C 3/06 - JoistsGirders, trusses, or truss-like structures, e.g. prefabricatedLintelsTransoms of metal with substantially solid, i.e. unapertured, web
E04D 13/16 - Insulating devices or arrangements in so far as the roof covering is concerned
E04C 3/04 - JoistsGirders, trusses, or truss-like structures, e.g. prefabricatedLintelsTransoms of metal
E04B 1/34 - Extraordinary structures, e.g. with suspended or cantilever parts supported by masts or tower-like structures enclosing elevators or stairsFeatures relating to the elastic stability
Column/beam forming apparatus including an initial channel-forming station forming received strips of sheet metal alternately into intermediate upwardly and intermediate downwardly opening channel. A final channel-forming station positioned to receive intermediate upwardly and intermediate downwardly opening channels and complete bending the received intermediate channels into upwardly opening and downwardly opening C-shaped channels. Each downwardly opening C-shaped channel being positioned in an aligned overlying relationship to a mating upwardly opening C-shaped channel upon exiting the final channel-forming station. A channel-welding station positioned to weld the upwardly opening C-shaped channel and downwardly opening C-shaped channel in the aligned overlying position along an interface between adjacent surfaces of the upwardly opening C-shaped channel and downwardly opening C-shaped channel.
A purlin mounting system for use in a flat roof structure includes a purlin with a flat mounting wall and an upright wall extending perpendicularly from the mounting wall. First and second mounting shelves are attached to the upright wall and extend outwardly in opposite directions. Each mounting wall is positioned to receive an edge of a roof section thereon. The flat mounting wall and the upright wall define a vertical mounting channel extending from a lower surface of the flat mounting wall a distance less than the distance of the first and second mounting shelves from the mounting wall. A purlin positioning and mounting device is designed to be attached to a roof beam and includes a vertically extending support wall designed to extend upwardly from a supporting roof beam when attached to the supporting roof beam and to nest within the mounting channel.
E04C 3/02 - JoistsGirders, trusses, or truss-like structures, e.g. prefabricatedLintelsTransoms
E04B 7/02 - RoofsRoof construction with regard to insulation with plane sloping surfaces, e.g. saddle roofs
E04C 3/07 - JoistsGirders, trusses, or truss-like structures, e.g. prefabricatedLintelsTransoms of metal with substantially solid, i.e. unapertured, web at least partly of bent or otherwise deformed strip- or sheet-like material
E04C 3/04 - JoistsGirders, trusses, or truss-like structures, e.g. prefabricatedLintelsTransoms of metal
E04B 1/34 - Extraordinary structures, e.g. with suspended or cantilever parts supported by masts or tower-like structures enclosing elevators or stairsFeatures relating to the elastic stability
9.
Tiltable beams for flat roof solar sensor structures
A tiltable flat roof structure includes vertical columns and horizontally oriented hollow beams. Each hollow beam has a downwardly facing opening in a mounting area with the upper end of a column positioned therein. Holes are defined in the upper end of each column oriented in a regular pattern. Arcuate slots are defined in the mounting area of each beam with each of the slots having a length equal to an amount of relative rotation between the beam and the column. The slots are oriented in a regular pattern matching the regular pattern of the mounting holes so that the holes are aligned with the slots throughout the amount of relative rotation. Nuts are affixed to the inner surface of each of the columns in alignment with each of the holes and bolts are inserted through the holes and matching slots to fixedly orient the beams relative to the columns.
A solar panel clamp and method of fabrication for use in affixing solar panels in the channels of elongated purlins includes a strip of sheet metal bent into an elongated U-shaped channel with a longitudinal mid-portion designated a clamp end. The channel defines a base or bight of the U-shape and channel sides extending substantially perpendicular to the base. Portions are removed from both channel sides adjacent the clamp end. The elongated channel is bent into a U-shape with the clamp end defining a bight of the U-shape and including substantially parallel, spaced apart opposed legs extending from the clamp end with the removed portions allowing limited movement of the spaced apart legs toward and away from each other. A position fixing device is associated with the clamp and designed to move the spaced apart legs toward each other in a clamping orientation.
F16B 2/06 - Clamps, i.e. with gripping action effected by positive means other than the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening external, i.e. with contracting action
H02S 20/24 - Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object specially adapted for buildings specially adapted for roof structures specially adapted for flat roofs
An elongated purlin for use in roof structures includes an elongated mounting wall designed to be mounted to and supported on roof beams, an upright wall affixed to the mounting wall and extending longitudinally approximately the length of the mounting wall, and first and second horizontally outwardly opening channels affixed to the upright wall and extending approximately the length of the upright wall. The first and second channels open outwardly in opposite directions and each of the first and second channels is designed to receive an edge of a solar panel or roof section engaged therein.
E04C 3/07 - JoistsGirders, trusses, or truss-like structures, e.g. prefabricatedLintelsTransoms of metal with substantially solid, i.e. unapertured, web at least partly of bent or otherwise deformed strip- or sheet-like material
E04C 2/32 - Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure formed of corrugated or otherwise indented sheet-like materialBuilding elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure composed of such layers with or without layers of flat sheet-like material
E04C 3/04 - JoistsGirders, trusses, or truss-like structures, e.g. prefabricatedLintelsTransoms of metal
A flat roof support structure includes a plurality of vertical columns, an elongated generally horizontally oriented beam associated with and positioned atop each vertical column, and attachment structure fixing the upper end of each vertical column to a mounting area of the associated elongated beam. The attachment structure includes U-shaped attachment members affixed to opposed sides of the vertical columns at the upper end of each column with the attachment members opening in an outwardly directed orientation parallel to the associated elongated beam. A pair of attachment plates is fixed to opposed sides of each elongated beam in the mounting area. The attachment plates extend downwardly below a lower surface of the elongated beam a distance equal to a portion of the U-shaped attachment members so as to overlap the portion. Attachment devices fix the attachment plates to the U-shaped attachment members and are assembled on-site.
A solar support structure includes a plurality of sections, each section including a channel member having a flat major wall and opposed side walls extending therefrom. The major wall of each section is covered with a thin film solar laminate and each section further includes an electrical connection box positioned adjacent one end and electrically coupled to the thin film solar laminate. The sections are formed into a roof panel by channel-shaped beams attached to opposed ends of each section and the beams mount the sections in a parallel abutting relationship. Columns are affixed to the beams and mount the roof panel in a desired orientation relative to an underlying surface. Electrical wiring from the boxes is positioned in one of the beams and extends into one of the columns.
patents