초록 ▼

A sliding bracket assembly permits adjacent metal roof panels to move relative to one another to accommodate differential thermal expansion. The assembly includes a center element which is bolted across a purlin, and a pair of wing elements, one on either side of the center element. Roof panels are

A sliding bracket assembly permits adjacent metal roof panels to move relative to one another to accommodate differential thermal expansion. The assembly includes a center element which is bolted across a purlin, and a pair of wing elements, one on either side of the center element. Roof panels are attached to the wing elements on either side. The wing elements can side lengthwise on the center element; thus the wing elements and their attached roof panels can move lengthwise relative to one another as the roof panels differentially expand and contract.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A differential expansion roof bracket for securing metal roof panels to a roof substructure while permitting differential thermal expansion of laterally adjacent roof panels, said bracket comprising: a center element having a lengthwise direction;a pair of wing elements, one on either side of the

1. A differential expansion roof bracket for securing metal roof panels to a roof substructure while permitting differential thermal expansion of laterally adjacent roof panels, said bracket comprising: a center element having a lengthwise direction;a pair of wing elements, one on either side of the center element;at least one retainer for securing both wing elements to the center element in a way that allows the wing elements to move in the lengthwise direction relative to one another and relative to the center element as the roof panels expand and contract; andfasteners for securing the roof panels to the respective wing elements. 2. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the fasteners are self-drilling self-tapping bolts. 3. A differential expansion roof bracket for securing metal roof panels to a roof substructure while permitting differential thermal expansion of first and second laterally adjacent roof panels, the bracket comprising: a center element having a lengthwise direction;first and second wing elements; the first wing element extending to one side of the center element, the second wing element extending to the other side of the center element;at least one retainer for securing both wing elements to the center element in a way that allows the wing elements to respectively move in the lengthwise direction relative to one another and relative to the center element as the roof panels expand and contract;means for fixedly attaching the first roof panel to the first wing element such that movement of the first roof panel causes movement of the first wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the second wing element, the second roof panel, and the center element; andmeans for fixedly attaching the second roof panel to the second wing element such that movement of the second roof panel causes movement of the second wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the first wing element, the first roof panel, and the center element. 4. The bracket of claim 3, further comprising: a cover configured for installation over an edge of the first roof panel and an edge of the second roof panel to prevent air, water and contaminants from passing between the edges of the panels; the cover having a first seal for sealing the cover to the first roof panel and a second seal for sealing the cover to the second roof panel; andmeans for fixedly coupling the cover to the first wing element or the second wing element but not both wing elements. 5. The bracket of claim 4, wherein the first seal comprises a flexible membrane and the second seal comprises a flexible membrane. 6. The bracket of claim 5, wherein the cover comprises a metal canopy overlying the flexible membranes. 7. The bracket of claim 1, wherein: each of the wing elements has at least one slot extending in the lengthwise direction;the center element has at least one hole alignable with the slots; andthe retainer passes through the slots and the hole and has end portions larger than the slots which retain the wing elements against the center element while permitting the wing elements to slide in the lengthwise direction with respect to one another. 8. The bracket of claim 7, wherein the retainer is a rivet. 9. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the center element is sandwiched between the first and second wing elements. 10. A roof, comprising: a substructure;first and second metal roof panels atop the substructure, wherein the first and second panels are on opposite sides of a shear line and have different lengths or different coefficients of thermal expansion; anda plurality of differential expansion brackets supporting the metal roof panels along the shear line, each differential expansion bracket comprising: a center element having a lengthwise direction;first and second wing elements; the first wing element extending to one side of the center element, the second wing element extending to the other side of the center element;at least one retainer for securing both wing elements to the center element in a way that allows the wing elements to respectively move in the lengthwise direction relative to one another and relative to the center element as the roof panels expand and contract;wherein the first roof panel is fixed to the first wing element such that movement of the first roof panel causes movement of the first wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the second wing element, the second roof panel, and the center element; andwherein the second roof panel is fixed to the second wing element such that movement of the second roof panel causes movement of the second wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the first wing element, the first roof panel, and the center element. 11. The roof of claim 10, further comprising: a cover configured for installation over an edge of the first roof panel and an edge of the second roof panel to prevent air, water and contaminants from passing between the edges of the panels; the cover having a first seal for sealing the cover to the first roof panel and a second seal for sealing the cover to the second roof panel; andmeans for fixedly coupling the cover to the first wing element or the second wing element of a respective bracket but not both wing elements. 12. The roof of claim 11, wherein the first seal comprises a flexible membrane and the second seal comprises a flexible membrane. 13. The roof of claim 12, wherein the cover comprises a metal canopy overlying the flexible membranes. 14. The roof of claim 10, wherein for each bracket: each of the wing elements has at least one slot extending in the lengthwise direction;the center element has at least one hole alignable with the slots; andthe retainer passes through the slots and the hole and has end portions larger than the slots which retain the wing elements against the center element while permitting the wing elements to slide in the lengthwise direction with respect to one another. 15. The roof of claim 10, further comprising means in each bracket for temporarily coupling the first and second wing elements to the center element to restrain movement of the first and second wing elements relative to the center element during installation of the center element to the substructure, installation of the first roof panel to the first wing element, and installation of the second roof panel to the second wing element; after the center element, the first roof panel, and the second roof panel are installed, the means for temporarily coupling being overcome such that the first and second wing elements are independently movable relative to one another and the center element. 16. The roof of claim 10, wherein each differential expansion bracket further comprises a pin temporarily coupling the first and second wing elements to the center element to restrain movement of the first and second wing elements relative to the center element until the first and second roof panels are fixed to the first and second wing elements and move relative to the center element; the pin shearing off after the first and second roof panels are fixed to the first and second wing elements due to movement of at least one of the first wing element and the second wing element relative to the center element. 17. A roof bracket for securing first and second adjacent roof panels to a roof substructure while allowing the first and second roof panels to move independently relative to one another, the bracket comprising: a base element having an attachment portion configured to be fixed to the roof substructure and a distal portion extending generally perpendicular to the attachment portion;a first wing element extending to one side of the base element distal portion;a second wing element extending to the other side of the base element distal portion; anda retainer securing the first wing element to the base element distal portion such that the first wing element is movable along the base element distal portion independent of the second wing element;wherein either the retainer or another retainer secures the second wing element to the base element distal portion such that the second wing element is movable along the base element distal portion independent of the first wing element. 18. The bracket of claim 17, further comprising: means for fixedly attaching the first roof panel to the first wing element such that movement of the first roof panel causes movement of the first wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the second wing element, the second roof panel, and the base element; andmeans for fixedly attaching the second roof panel to the second wing element such that movement of the second roof panel causes movement of the second wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the first wing element, the first roof panel, and the base element. 19. The bracket of claim 18, wherein: the first wing element has a generally horizontal portion substantially parallel to the base element attachment portion;the second wing element has a generally horizontal portion substantially parallel to the base element attachment portion; andthe horizontal portion of the first wing element and the horizontal portion of the second wing element are each spaced apart from the base element attachment portion at least as far as an upper end of the base element distal portion is spaced apart from the base element attachment portion such that the base element distal portion does not interfere with attaching the first roof panel to the first wing element and attaching the second roof panel to the second wing element. 20. The bracket of claim 17, wherein: the first wing element has a generally horizontal portion substantially parallel to the base element attachment portion;the second wing element has a generally horizontal portion substantially parallel to the base element attachment portion;the bracket further comprises a fastener for securing the first roof panel to the generally horizontal portion of the first wing element; andthe bracket further comprises a fastener for securing the second roof panel to the generally horizontal portion of the second wing element. 21. The bracket of claim 17, further comprising: a cover configured for installation over an edge of the first roof panel and an edge of the second roof panel;a first seal for sealing the cover to the first roof panel;a second seal for sealing the cover to the second roof panel; andmeans for fixedly coupling the cover to the first wing element or the second wing element but not both wing elements. 22. The bracket of claim 17, further comprising means for temporarily coupling the first and second wing elements to the base element to restrain movement of the first and second wing elements relative to the base element during installation of the base element to the substructure, installation of the first roof panel to the first wing element, and installation of the second roof panel to the second wing element; after the base element, the first roof panel, and the second roof panel are installed, the means for temporarily coupling being overcome such that the first and second wing elements are independently movable relative to one another and the base element.