Roof-Anchoring Systems and Methods

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/889,546 filed Aug. 17, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/876,674 filed on May 18, 2020 and now U.S. Pat. No. 11,459,779, which is a continuation-in-part from U.S. application Ser. No. 15/906,113 filed on Feb. 27, 2018 and now abandoned, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.

Different types and configurations of anchorages and anchorage systems are used for fall restraint, fall arrest, and rope access in construction, repair, inspection and other industries. Such systems are configured to prevent injury or death by restraining a person from falling and/or arresting a fall, and also used to assist with rope access.

For example, WO9949154 illustrates a safety system (for roof workers) that includes roof-fixing means adapted to be connected to a roof edge of one side of the roof along with a harness worn by a roof worker located on the opposite side of the roof A safety rope is used to connect the harness to the roof-fixing means. The roof-fixing means may be structured as a roof anchor with a hook (which, in operation, hooks or fastens to the lower edge of the roof cladding or rooftop—such as metal sheet—or roofing tile). A clamping bolt fixes the roof anchor to the cladding.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,292,030 teaches an anchoring system in which the roof-fixing means may be structured as a wheeled “hook member” that is adapted to be mounted to an eave or similar roof structure. The described hook member has a tether affixed to the hook body. The shortcoming of the described design stems from the possibility that the hook member, once mounted on the roof, can possibly move or become dislodged if the tether attached becomes loose from stretching, incorrect installation, lack of proper maintenance or any other reason and then the hook body is pulled or otherwise abruptly moved from a pull or abrupt motion from the tether that is attached to the anchoring hook. If the anchoring hook body becomes dislodged, a user is vulnerable to the risk of a serious or fatal fall.

Known to-date systems and mechanisms of related art are rather complex and difficult to cooperate with the roof, while the preparation to employing these systems is time consuming and may cause permanent damage or unattractive modification to at least a portion of the roof.

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for forming and maintaining a secure attachment to a roof of a building for use as a non-penetrating fall protection system with no nails or screws damaging the roof to prevent detrimental and/or damaging outcomes to persons and property. This method includes a step of positioning a first wheeled roof-anchoring device at or near a first edge of the roof such that a first set of wheels with a corresponding first axle are located under and in a first tensioned contact with the first edge (while a second set of wheels with a corresponding second axle are in contact with and on the roof and a first connector pivotally attached to the second axle is under tension due to a first force pulling such first connector away from the second axle along—for example, up—the roof). Here, the first roof-anchoring device includes a first arched body having first and second ends, the first axle with the first set of wheels juxtaposed with the first arched body at the first end, the second axle with the second set of wheels juxtaposed with the first arched body at the second end, and the first connector.

The method additionally includes a step of disposing a second wheeled roof-anchoring device near a second edge of the roof such that a third set of wheels with a corresponding third axle are located under and in a second tensioned contact with the second edge (while a fourth set of wheels with a corresponding fourth axle are in contact with and on the roof and a second connector pivotally attached to the fourth axle is under tension due to a second force pulling such second connector away from the fourth axle and along—for example, up—the roof). Here, the second roof-anchoring device includes a second arched body having third and fourth ends, the third axle with the third set of wheels juxtaposed with the second arched body at the third end, the fourth axle with the fourth set of wheels juxtaposed with the second arched body at the fourth end, and the second connector. Notably, the said first and second connectors are linked with a tether line under strain chosen to maintain the first and second tensioned contacts while preventing the first and third sets of wheels from moving away from first and second edges of the roof

Generally, the method may additionally include at least one of the steps of:

The attachment of the slidable and anchorable element of the harness to a lifeline, combined with the attachment of the slidable and anchorable element of the lifeline to a tether line or support line constituent to the anchor device is significant, since a person that works at a high risk job, such as cleaning rain gutters or installing Christmas lights is required to work along the edge of the roof and is at a high risk of falls. Using a rope grab as the harness element and also using another rope grab as the lifeline element, with a rope grab that will slide freely in one direction and will only go in the reverse direction with deliberate actions to the rope grab, a person can attach their lifeline to a tether line, common tether line or support line that is parallel to a roof edge, and using the slidable and anchorable element of the harness to the lifeline, he can adjust the length of his lifeline so he is able to reach the edge where he is working and not be at risk of falling from this working edge. When a person working on the roof edge moves along the working roof edge, the lifeline element will slide along the tether line or support line and will follow the person. However, if the user is working on a sloped roof edge he will have two fall hazards, he can fall off the edge where he is working and he can roll down the slope and fall off an edge that is axially connected to the edge where the user is working. The element of the harness to the lifeline will prevent the person from falling off the roof edge where the person is working and if the person starts to slide down the slope of the roof, the harness element will prevent the person from sliding down the lifeline and the lifeline element will prevent the lifeline from sliding down the tether line.

In one implementation of the method, the step of disposing includes disposing the second roof-anchoring device near or at the second edge that is opposite to the first edge. In a related and non-exclusive implementation, at least one of the steps of positioning and disposing includes at least one of the following: a) locating a chosen roof-anchoring device, from the first and second roof-anchoring devices, on the roof such that all wheels of such chosen device are in contact with a rooftop; and causing such chosen device to wheel to a corresponding edge of the roof, from the first and second edges of the roof, at least until a set of wheels of the chosen device closest to the corresponding edge loses contact with the roof; b) repositioning the chosen device along a wall of the building up towards the roof until an axle—to which a corresponding connector (from the first and second connectors) is attached—is positioned above the corresponding edge of the roof while a set of wheels on an axle opposite to the corresponding connector is under and in contact with an edge of the roof; and c) pivoting at least one of the first and second connectors at two locations with respect to a corresponding axle. Alternatively or in addition, the method may further include one of the following: i) after the steps of locating and causing, wheeling the chosen roof-anchoring device up the roof to pull the set of wheels that has lost contact with the roof under the roof in a tensioned contact with the corresponding edge; and ii) wheeling the chosen device such that an axle at a side of the chosen device with the corresponding connector travels along the roof away from the corresponding edge to pull an axle that is opposite to the corresponding connector under the roof in the tensioned contact with the corresponding edge. Additionally or in the alternative—and also with respect to this latter case—the step of locating may include placing a stopper on the roof between the corresponding edge and the axle closest to the corresponding edge; and engaging the wheels on said axle closest to the corresponding edge with the stopper to prevent further movement of the chosen device towards the corresponding edge.

Furthermore, the method may additionally include the step of positioning a third wheeled roof-anchoring device at or near a third edge of the roof such that a fifth set of wheels with a corresponding fifth axle are located under and in a third tensioned contact with the fifth edge (while a sixth set of wheels with a corresponding sixth axle are in contact with and on the roof and a third connector pivotally attached to the sixth axle is under tension due to a third force pulling the sixth connector away from the sixth axle, up the roof). Here, a structure of the third roof-anchoring device may be substantially equivalent to a structure of the first roof-anchoring device, and the third force is caused as a result of tensioned attachment of an element of the third roof-anchoring device to the tether line at a support point between the first and second roof-anchoring devices with the use of a support line, that is transverse to the tether line. Alternatively or in addition, the method may include i) attaching a first connecting element between a user's harness and the tether line or a first element of the user's harness to the tether line, and ii) attaching a second connecting element between the user's harness and said support line or a second element of the user's harness to the support line in order to permit at least one of a) one of sliding of a respective element over and along the tether line from every point of the tether line to every other point of the tether line between an end of the tether line and a support point, and anchoring the respective element at the tether line between the end of the tether line and the support point; and b) one of sliding of the other respective element over and along the support line from every point of the support line to every other point of the support line between an end of the support line and the support point, and anchoring the other respective element at the support line between the end of the support line and the support point.

In the Drawings, generally, like elements and/or components may be referred to by like numerals and/or other identifiers; not all elements and/or components shown in one drawing may be necessarily depicted in another, for simplicity of illustrations.

Roof-anchoring systems of related art do not allow a worker on the roof to be, on the one hand, securely connected to the roof to prevent falling to the ground and, on the other hand, to move about the roof, regardless of the length of the link that is between the harness of the worker and the system of anchoring to the roof The problem of operationally-inadmissible dislodging of a roof anchor, mounted to the eave (or edge, or overhang portion) of the roof with one of its wheel axles under the eave, as a result of a movement of the tether connected with such roof anchor at its opposite end is solved by tensionally straining such roof anchor against a second roof anchor that has been also mounted to another eave of the roof to form a specific anchor assembly. Such anchor assembly is structured as a system of multiple anchor devices, the respectively-corresponding single tether connecting two or more anchor devices, or tethers of which are substantially directly attached to one another at a predetermined location(s) with two or more anchor devices (configured according to the idea of the invention), with the tether line or tether lines along the roof between constituent anchors, each of which is meanwhile securely fastened to a corresponding eave of the roof due to tensile stress caused by its being connected to another anchor. Supporting tether lines can also come from the sides of the tensioned tethers, attaching axially to reinforce the original tensioned tethers and attached to another anchoring device. The location of a substantial direct attachment between the constituent, individual tethers (that, when attached to one another, form a joined or common tether line) can be varied at the discretion of the user and may be generally chosen away from the summit (ridge) of the roof—that is, on one of the roof slopes. As a result of attaching the tether line or lines of constituent anchors together substantially directly while avoiding and not forming a point of fastening of the common tether line with the roof, the user of the anchor assembly (a worker on the roof) gains an advantage of having a point of attachment of an element of the worker's lifeline to the tether line (common tether line or support line, as used interchangeably herein) connecting the different anchors to be repositionably (for example, in a sliding fashion) moved along the such common tether line if desired. This may be achieved by removably attaching a user's lifeline element (a rope grab, carabiner, snap hook, ring, or a similar device, for example) to the common tether line such as to allow this lifeline element to slidingly move along and over the common tether line to substantially any location of the common tether line between the constituent anchors while optionally avoiding a fixation of the lifeline element at any predetermined location, if preferred, or anchoring to any location along such line.

Notably, the formation of such common tether line does not prevent the user from additionally fastening the common tether line to the roof at substantially any point along the tether line, if desired, and change a location of such fastening when desired. In this specific case, the extent of relocation of the element coming from the lifeline along the common tether line is defined by a stretch of the common tether line between a constituent anchor and the location of fastening. Attachments to the tether lines from other connections or obstacles may also stop the sliding relocation but methods can be used to transfer across these obstacles.

The user of the anchor assembly (a worker on the roof) gains an additional advantage of having a point of attachment of an element of his harness to the lifeline, lifeline to be repositionably (for example, in a sliding fashion) moved along the lifeline, if desired. This may be achieved by removably attaching a user's harness element (a rope grab, carabiner, snap hook, ring or similar device, for example) to the lifeline, such as to allow this harness element to slidingly move along and over the lifeline, to substantially any location of the lifeline, between the attachment of the lifeline to the tether line, common tether line or support line while optionally avoiding a fixation of the lifeline element at any predetermined location, if preferred, or anchoring to any location along such line.

The term “exemplary” when used herein is defined to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Accordingly, any embodiment referred to as “exemplary” is not to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

To this end,illustrate an embodiment of a mobile “eave hook” device or anchor, shown in this example as having four wheels,,and, arranged in two pairs on respectively-corresponding axles. (Depending on the specifics of a particular implementation, a different number of wheels can be employed.) The wheels can generally be made of any desired materials such as rubber or plastic, for example, and may also have a surface configured to be slide-resistant.

Wheel axlesA andB in one case can be capped with capsand interconnected with one another through an arched anchor or lever or anchor bodythat extends continuously from the axleA to the axleB, forming an open hook used for engaging a roof projection (for example, a roof eave) as discussed below. The arched anchor or hookmay be constructed of any relatively strong material such as steel, for example, and preferably dimensioned to form a generally asymmetrical “C” (with the curvature of the bodyat one end being different from that at the other end). For example, as shown in, the end of arched anchor or hookthat attaches to wheel axleB is more curved than the end attached to the wheel axleA.

Now in reference to, the embodiment of the anchoring device is equipped with a connector(which is including multiple through openings,,,,) that is pivotally attached to an axle (as shown—to axleA) through and at one of the openings of the connector—to which a tether(a strap, a rope, a rod, a cord, a chain, for example) or another connector or different device may be attached directly or indirectly, and preferably to the opening that is closest to the roof when installed.

As shown in, the tethermay be optionally removably coupled with the connectorof the anchoring membervia at least one snap hook, carabiner, tensioner, or similar intermediate link/s(which is then in turn optionally removably connected to the pivotally attached connector. However, it may also be desirable to couple the tetherdirectly to the connectorwithout the use of intermediary link(s). Analysis of practical use and operation of the embodimentfor the purposes of securing a user on the roof has shown that utilizing the connectorpivotally-attached to and on the axleA in conjunction with the tetheror the combination of the tetherwith the intermediate linkremoves the risk of pulling or otherwise dislodging the deviceanchored to the roof, away from the location at which the deviceis attached to an eave or similar structure, as a result of a sudden and moderate to large force applied to an attachment of the tether to the body of the anchoring device, above the set of wheels that are sitting on the rooftop within an installed anchoring system where the wheels that are below the soffit are hanging a few inches below the soffit, as a result of improper installation, relaxing of the ropes without proper maintenance or other reasons. At on-site testing of a design currently used in related art, a wheeled anchor, as described above, was detached several times by a person, standing on the roof, pulling the tether upwards at an angle similar to a:slope in the direction of a force that would be caused by a fall from a person attached to the system on the opposite side of the roof Understandably, eliminating this risk is critically important for the practical use of the roof anchor, as a fall from the roof may cause at a minimum serious injuries.

(In a related implementation of the connector configured to be pivotally attached to the axle of the device—such as that of the connectorschematically illustrated inin cooperation with the axleA—the connectoris judiciously configured to be a bracket with two armsA,B. Such bracket is dimensioned to embrace and go around the end of the anchoring device body, (shown attached to the axleA) to be movably affixed to the axleA in two places, through two respective openings in the armsA,B. The specific shape and features of the embodiment of the connector (intermediate link)may differ—for example, the connector can include more than two openings for attachment to an axle (as would be, for example, in the case when the connector is configured to have an “M” shape for attachment to the axle at three locations).

As shown in the example of, the connectormay include a plurality of openings that facilitate attachment to other auxiliary connectors, tethers, and devices that may be used in conjunction therewith.

Additional embodiments of the improved roof-anchoring system may include a stopper, as shown in, to keep a wheeled roof anchoring systemin place on the roof during the deployment or installation thereof. As shown in, the stoppermay feature a generally trapezoidal or wedge-shaped portion,, to wedge between the wheels of the anchoring device and the surface of the roof to prevent the mobile device from descending or rolling down the roof, in operation thereof. The stopperfurther may feature a notch or trenchon a first endof the stopper, and a planar or other appropriately shaped protrusionat a second endof the stopper, upon which the wheels of the wheeled anchormay sit. In addition, a rodmay be used for insertion into the opening(s)of the stopper, or otherwise be attached to the stopper with, for example, a clamp, and used as a handle or connection point for a tether, carabiner, snap hook or another appropriate device and/or to add counterweight (e.g., if a steel rod is used) with the use of which the stopper will be removed to free the wheels of the anchoring device. This allows a user to safely remove the stop (e.g., the user can remove the stopper while standing on the ground, next to the building).

depict the use of an embodimentof the stopper with an anchor. As shown in, when the anchor or anchoring memberis lowered away from the summit of the roof along the slope of the rooftowards the edge, the stopperis used (substantially, as a wedge element) to optionally temporarily stop the anchorin a desired location before the lower wheels,of the anchorreach the edge.illustrates the moment of “release” of the anchorby, for example, pulling the tethertowards the summit of the roof to separate the wheels,from contact with the stopper (and—when the stopperis substantially at the edgeof the roof—let the stopperfall from the roof). Following the release of the stopperfrom the anchor(), the anchorcan be further lowered along the surfacetowards the edge/eave/other structure of the roof until the lower wheels,assume the position below the edge or eave (), to position the anchoring memberfirmly pressed to the eave/edge and under the eave/edge, as discussed in more detail below. (While the tether is shown into be attached to the upper through-hole of the connector, it is understood that in some implementations it is preferred to have it attached to the lower through-hole, as is schematically shown in.)

In further reference to, in one implementation of the use of the anchoring device, after a user (not pictured) ensures that the anchoring deviceis securely affixed to the tether line(via, for example, the connector), the anchoring deviceis placed on the slope of the roof to have all sets of its wheels in contact with the rooftop () and further lowered down a roof slope in a direction away from a roof ridge or peak or summit (not pictured) towards the roof edge. As the wheeled anchoring memberreaches the roof edge, the leading wheelsand(located at a lower level on the roof as compared to the wheels,) drop below the roof edge (). The anchoring device is then slightly raised by its tether so that the leading wheels of the anchoring devicethat are below the roof edge are raised up and engage the soffit or under-roof surface () with the wheels,. In other words, the anchoring deviceis further tensioned (strained) against and in contact with the roof edge as a result of pulling the anchoring device towards the roof summit so as to draw the device tightly into place, while the trailing wheels,(at the tethered axleA) remain on the roof surface above the lower wheels,now affixed in a tensioned position under the roof edge.

When used with the “stopper”, a procedure of installation of the anchoring device may involve the steps of positioning a wheeled anchoring deviceon the roof near the roof edge, with the leading wheelsandresting upon or otherwise engaging the stopper. When the user is ready to install the device, wheelsandare released or disengaged from the stopper, to preferably cause the stopper to fall. (A small auxiliary tether may be attached to the rod at the back of the stopper and also attached to the side of a ladder to catch the stopper, causing it to not fall to the ground.) Then, the leading wheelsandof the devicemay be lowered by the tetherand dropped below the roof edge such that the leading wheels of the anchoring devicehang below the roof edge to engage a soffit or under-roof surface (not pictured) with the wheels,and further secured in the so-engaged position by pulling the tetherup the roof and securing the tether in a position in which the wheels,are in tensioned contact with a surface under the edge of the roof

illustrate schematically an example of an anchoring device and a single tether that is attached to the body of the anchoring device, rather than the axle via the pivotal connectorof an embodiment of the invention. (While the tether line is illustrated to be attached at its end to the body of the anchoring device, generally it shall be attached to the corresponding pivotal connector.) A moderate to large force, suddenly applied to the anchoring device through the attached tether or a connector and a tether—as might be expected when a user of the anchoring device (attached to eave of the roof on the side of the house opposite to a part of the roof where the user is standing) stumbles or falls, creates a non-zero torque due to the non-zero spatial separation between the point of attachment of the tether and the axle of the anchoring device. This non-zero torque may separate/detach the anchoring device (on the left side of). The attachment of the tether to the pivotable connector and through it—to the axle of the anchoring device, according to the idea of the invention, avoids such possibility.

In practice, the method of forming and maintaining a secure attachment to a roof of the building includes the simultaneous use of a combination of multiple anchoring devices used simultaneously (at least two, possibly three or more—each may be structured according to the embodimentor configured to substantially resemble it). This situation is schematically illustrated in, showing (from the top) the second anchoring devicealready secured with one axle and set of wheels under the edgeA of the roof slopeand the first anchoring devicealready secured with one axle of that system under another edgeA of another, opposite roof slope. The single individual tether, labeled asA on one side andA on the other side, attached to the respectively-corresponding devices,via corresponding connectors pivotally affixed to the front (upper) axles of the devices,—is stretched along the respectively-corresponding slopes,and tensioned (with the use of a progress capture pulley, ratchet, or other tightening device) at the deviceand/or the device. (Alternatively,A andA may be two separate tethers that are attached to the respectively-corresponding anchoring devices,via corresponding connectors pivotally affixed to the front/upper axles of the devices,—are stretched along the respectively-corresponding slopes,and then attached to one another with the use of a ratchet, for example to form a common tether line extending from the deviceto the device.) This tether line is formed under tension sufficient to maintain each of the devices,in their respective positions without having the devices substantially moving away from the respective edges with respect to the edgesA,A even if a sufficient force were to be applied to at least one of the devices,. (As shown, the single tether lineA,A or common tether line formed by individual tethersA,A is passed over the multiple rooftop edges-shown in this example as A, B, C, D, E—while not being attached to any other roof fixture). The so-attached/interconnected and stretched about the roof combination of the first and second anchors,is configured, therefore, to allow the userto movably affix himself, with the use of appropriate gear and harness-such as that including a rope grab, carabiner, snap hook, ring or other similar device—to the common tether lineA,A to be able to slidably reposition such rope grab, carabiner, snap hook, ring, or other similar device over and along the single or common tether lineA,A from substantially every point of the single or common tether line to every other point of the common tether line and, therefore, to move about the roof while being secured from the fall by the systems,interconnected to one another by the strained single or common tether lineA,A.

As illustrated in the specific example, for example, the lifelinepassing through and/or attached to the belt or harness of the useris slidably attached via some combination of a lanyard, lifeline, strap or other type of line and a slidable device/s such as a rope grab, carabiner, snap hook, ring or other similar deviceto the common tetherA,A at the lifeline to the tether or the harness to the lifeline. Alternatively, in a related embodiment, the attachmentsmay be sufficiently fixed.

A person of skill will readily appreciate that formation of the common tether line as discussed results in a situation where the used anchoring deviceis prevented from moving away from the corresponding edges of the roof by the tensioned contact of the anchoring devicewith the edgeA of the roof, while the anchoring deviceis prevented from moving away from the edgeA of the roof by the tensioned contact of the anchoring devicewith the edgeA of the roof Furthermore, the useris enabled to move about the roof while connected to the tether line or common tether line via the device. Notably, with only one lifeline attached to one tether, if a user moves too close to a corner such person is at risk of falling because he/she can only be completely prevented from falling off of 1 of the 2 edges that are on either side of the corner. However, if a person anchors one lifeline to the tether, at or near the anchoring device that is closest to the corner, and anchors a second lifeline to the same tether line or common tether line at a distance away from the anchorage of the first lifeline, the person can be protected from falling from the roof edges on both sides of the corner so they can get much closer to the corner with fall protection.schematically illustrates a secure attachment to the roof similar to that of, but in which a person is using two lifelines instead of one, to better prevent a fall while working near a corner.

As an additional illustration, the schematic version of the combination of the already connected to one another systems,is shown inwhere the arrows,illustrate the tension force(s) with which the lower set of wheels with corresponding axles of the systems,are substantially unmovably pressed to the under-surface of the roof below the corresponding edgesA,A, with the tether tensioned and attached to the anchoring devices.

Notably, certain further improvements to the methodology for forming and maintaining a secure attachment to the roof are envisioned and remain within the scope of the invention. Among them—in reference to, for example, showing schematically a top view of the roof with edges,,,—there is the use of a system in which, in addition to the tether linetensionably connecting the opposing anchoring devices,that are substantially immovably affixed to and under the edges,(as discussed above), at least one additional anchoring device is used (as shown—two devices,and) that, with the use of its respective tether or support line (or lifeline; here—,) is also affixed under tension to the roof edge (,) and substantially permanently to the major tether lineat a point between the ends of the tether line (here-points,) such that the corresponding support line and the main, common tether line are transverse to one another. In a specific example, the attachment between a given support line and a tether linecan be structured with the use of a component referred to in the art as a “Goblin”. A Goblin is a certified rope access back up device that allows for both sliding and anchor on a connected line, such as a tether line, a support line, or a lifeline and also allows for a fixed connection to another device, such as a carabiner, lifeline lanyard, or harness. When two or more so-structured connecting lines (,) are present, the connecting points,can be chosen far apart from one another (substantially anywhere between the ends of the tethercorresponding to the anchors,) or close to one another (as shown). (As shown, with two tensioned tethers from the tether lineto the anchor device, and the tether lineto the anchor device, the tether lineis much stronger and the personis better protected than if the tether linetowas not included.)

This additional arrangement of the combination of the main tether line with at least one support line facilitates an additional degree of freedom as far as attachment of the user at the rooftop is concerned. Specifically, the userlocated on the roof somewhere in the area limited by the edges,and the support lineand the tether lineis now in a position to use a predefined connecting element to moveably affix the harness the user is wearing to both the support line and the tether line-thereby gaining the ability to move anywhere in the identified area and approach the corner of the roof at the intersection of edges,without the risk of falling off the roof Alternatively or in addition, at least one of the mechanical connections between the user's harness and the lines,(in this example) can be an anchored—that is, substantially immovable—connection.

Added tethers from auxiliary anchoring devices may be used to increase the safe area on the roof for the user and reinforce the existing tensioned tether line/s. (For example, to reinforce a tensioned line, a person with a 200-foot tensioned tether line, halfway between the two anchoring devices may attach a second tensioned tether to the original tether, such second tether line is attached preferably substantially perpendicularly to the original tensioned tether line and attaches to an anchorage at the roof edge, where the roof edge is nearly parallel to the original tether. This tether reinforces the original tether for a person that is attached to the original tether and is on the roof on the opposite side of the roof from the second auxiliary tether. To reinforce the original tensioned tether on both sides of the roof, a tensioned tether shall be attached to both sides of the original tether.

Yet another related non-limiting implementation is schematically shown in, in which two anchoring devicesA,B juxtaposed in cooperation with the same roof edgeare tensioned (via two tethersA,B) against the anchoring devicejuxtaposed in cooperation with the opposite roof edge.A,B illustrate back-up safety ropes and/or ropes for ascending/descending along the roof

Accordingly, referring to, an embodiment of the method for installation of a roof anchor on a roof of a building may include attaching a tetherto the front of a first anchoring device,and running the tetheracross the roof, possibly with the assistance of a line throwerand throw lineconnected at one end to the tether, lifting the anchor device, possibly with a ladder(as shown in), and positioning a first wheeled roof-anchoring device,near a first edge of the roof (as shown in). The first roof-anchoring device,includes a first arched body having first and second ends, the first axle with the first set of wheels juxtaposed with the first arched body at the first end, the second axle with the second set of wheels juxtaposed with the first arched body at the second end, and the first connector. The first connector is connected to the tether linevia a carabiner or intermediate link(as shown in). The first wheeled roof anchoring device,is positioned near the first edge of the roof as shown insuch that a first set of wheels with a corresponding first set of wheels with corresponding axle are located under and in a first tensioned contact with the first edge while a second set of wheels,with a corresponding second axle are in contact with and on the roof and a first connectorpivotally attached to the second axle is under tension due to a first force pulling the first connectoraway from the second axle up the roof via tether line, possibly from a second user/person on the opposite side of the roof that is pulling the tether linethat is coming from the anchor device. When a second user/person is not available to pull on tether line, then the first roof anchoring device,may be temporarily placed on the roof with a stopper as shown inand as previously discussed. Throw linehas a weight or weighted bagon an end opposite of that connected to the tether to aid in getting the throw line and the tether across the roof. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the line throwermay be used while a user/personis positioned on the ground (as shown in) or on a ladder(as shown in). The method additionally includes disposing a second wheeled roof-anchoring device near a second edge of the roof, generally on the opposite side of the roof from the first edge, such that a third set of wheels with a corresponding third axle are located under and in a second tensioned contact with the second edge while a fourth set of wheels with a corresponding fourth axle are in contact with and on the roof and a second connector pivotally attached to the fourth axle is under tension due to a second force pulling the second connector away from the fourth axle, up the roof. as shown in, this may be done by suspending the second anchor device-,below the second roof edge, slightly above the ground, from the tensioned tether linethat is coming from the first anchor device using a progress capture pulley or similar tensioning device, and then lifting the anchor device with the tether lineand progress capture pulley or similar tensioning device, maintaining tension on the tether to the first anchor device on the other side, and then disposing the second anchoring device on the edge E′ of the second roof edge and tensioning the tether line. Useris on a ladderand wearing a harnessand a lanyardthat is connected to a rope grabwith a carabiner. Rope grabis slidably connected to tether line. Tether lineis looped through a progress capture pulley or similar tensioning devicethat is connected to connectoron second anchor device-/. Progress capture pulley or similar tensioning devicemay be connected to a carabinerthat is connected through an aperture on connector. See the schematic illustrations of. (Here such second roof-anchoring device includes a second arched body having third and fourth ends, the third axle with the third set of wheels juxtaposed with the second arched body at the third end, the fourth axle with the fourth set of wheels juxtaposed with the second arched body at the fourth end, and the second connector). The first and second connectors are interconnected under constant tension with a common tether line to maintain the first and second tensioned contacts while preventing the first and third sets of wheels from losing contact with respective first and second edges of the roof

It should be evident that the improved roof-anchoring device, the overall anchoring system (such as that described in reference toor, for example) and any components disclosed herein may be fabricated or formed in a variety of ways and from a variety of materials. The various parts may be machined, molded or otherwise fabricated from high strength materials such as steel, aluminum alloy, reinforced aluminum, tubular alloy, high-strength plastics or wood, or be manufactured from a combination of any suitable materials and processes. The choice of materials and construction are clearly within the scope of the appended claims. A skilled artisan will readily appreciate that embodiments of the invention—as illustrated, for example, in connection with—provide a clear advantage in exploitation of the embodiment. Specifically, neither the safety feature described in connection withnor the situation when the hook or ringis repositionable substantially from every point on the common tether line to every other point of the common tether line, understandably, is not possible when a link connecting the devices,to one another includes an element that is in contact with the roof under pressure vector directed towards the roof to provide a firm hold at the roof: in this latter case, such element acts to additionally restrict or prevent the movement of a given slidable devicewith respect to the corresponding edge.)

References made throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “a related embodiment,” or similar language mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the referred to “embodiment” is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of these phrases and terms may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same implementation. It is to be understood that no portion of disclosure, taken on its own and in possible connection with a figure, is intended to provide a complete description of all features of the invention.

It is also to be understood that no single drawing is intended to support a complete description of all features of the invention. In other words, a given drawing is generally descriptive of only some, and generally not all, features of the invention. A given drawing and an associated portion of the disclosure containing a description referencing such drawing do not, generally, contain all elements of a particular view or all features that can be presented is this view, for purposes of simplifying the given drawing and discussion, and to direct the discussion to particular elements that are featured in this drawing. A skilled artisan will recognize that the invention may possibly be practiced without one or more of the specific features, elements, components, structures, details, or characteristics, or with the use of other methods, components, materials, and so forth. Therefore, although a particular detail of an embodiment of the invention may not be necessarily shown in each and every drawing describing such embodiment, the presence of this detail in the drawing may be implied unless the context of the description requires otherwise. In other instances, well known structures, details, materials, or operations may be not shown in a given drawing or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of an embodiment of the invention that are being discussed.

The invention as recited in claims appended to this disclosure is intended to be assessed in light of the disclosure as a whole, including features disclosed in prior art to which reference is made.

While the description of the invention is presented through the above examples of embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art understand that modifications to, and variations of, the illustrated embodiments may be made without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. The invention should not be viewed as being limited to the disclosed examples.