BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to apparatus useful during the application of shingles on buildings, and for the protection of shingles on roofs of houses or buildings.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] In the construction, repair and re-construction of roofs on buildings or the like, the roofing contractor or carpenter typically assembles a scaffold at the base of the roof. The scaffold forms a staging for subsequent work on the remainder of the roof. Each scaffold is typically made up of a metal frame with a number of heavy planks such as a two inch by twelve inch board placed across those frames. Further scaffolding is applied along the sloped surface of the roof as the work progresses either upwardly along the slope of the roof or downwardly from the upper edge of the roof to the lower edge of the roof. Such scaffolding requires that the contractor do a lot of bending and stooping. This scaffolding is also heavy, difficult to assemble and is limiting in its ability to hold tools, shingles and provide safety on a roof.

[0005] A further problem in roofing work is that during the summertime, the intensity of the sun will often heat the shingles or the surface of the roof so as to prevent workers from working thereon due to such high heat from typically dark surfaced roofs.

[0006] It is an object of this present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0007] It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is easier to attach to a roof, provide support for tools, equipment and shingles at a variety of locations thereon through a single apparatus, provide a plurality of footholds and knee implacements for those working on a roof, minimize contractor/worker fatigue and also permit the contractor/worker to work upright while on the roof.

[0008] It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which will minimize the heat and temperature concerns of workers on a roof, and protects the shingles from damage by the worker and/or his tools thereon.

[0009] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a visible path to indicate safe footing areas on an inclined surface such as a roof, and permits workers to work more upright on roof.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention comprises a thick, flexible, rectilinear pad which is adjustably anchorable to inclined surfaces such as roofs or the like to permit travel and work thereon in relative safety. The flexible pad is in one preferable embodiment comprised of one or more layers of laminated, resilient plastic material which is readily attachable and detachable from an inclined roof surface. The pad may be defined by an upper edge and a parallel lower edge and a pair of parallel side edges. The pad has an upper surface and a lowermost surface.

[0011] A plurality of nylon straps may be attached to the pad and extended therefrom along its uppermost edge. A similar plurality of nylon straps may be attached to the lowermost edge and extend downwardly therefrom. The uppermost straps may have a grommet or securement arrangement thereon to permit attachment thereof on a temporary basis to the inclined surface such as a roof. The lowermost straps may have such a similar grommet or securement arrangement thereon to permit the lowermost edge to be attached to the inclined surface or to an adjacent protective pad.

[0012] The uppermost surface of the protective pad is in one embodiment, preferably comprised of a bright color which is reflective of sunlight so as to not absorb that sunlight and thus not add to the heat to those contractors who are working on a roof. The uppermost surface of the protective pad has a plurality of preferably uniformly distributed, spaced-apart molded depressions or inserts of generally truncated triangular configuration to provide receptive depressions for comfortable receipt of a worker's foot, knees and/or hands or equipment. The uppermost surface of the pad may also have an elongated rectilinear depression thereon for receipt and securement of a sheath of roof shingles or other building materials or tools or the like.

[0013] The overall thickness of the pad from the upper surface to the lower surface is preferably for example about 2 to 2&½ inches thick, with the depressed portions for example, approximately 1 inch deep.

[0014] In a further embodiment, the depth of the respective depressions may vary so that each depression would be deeper in that portion thereof which is closer to preferably the lowermost edge of the pad.

[0015] The lowermost surface of the protective pad may be preferably comprised of a generally temperature insensitive rubberized layer so as to frictionally engage the shingles of a roof or inclined building surface. A typical protective pad may for example be about 8 feet wide and about 6 or 7 feet in height. This would be satisfactory to allow a roofing contractor to apply a series of shingles immediately above the uppermost edge of the protective pad. The contractor would then put a further protective pad atop of those shingles just laid on the roof and go upward therefrom. Such a protective pad arrangement minimizes the number of scaffolding that a roofing contractor needs during a roofing job. Generally, the only scaffolding that is in fact needed is the first one at the lowermost edge of the roof once the first several rows of shingles have been placed thereon. The protective pads may be utilized over the entire roof, thereafter eliminating further scaffolding on the roof itself.

[0016] In a further preferred embodiment, the protective pads may be only about several feet wide and about 6 or 7 feet in height (or long), linkable one to the other adjacent their shortest (or longest) edges, so as to define a walkway with a plurality of depressions thereon, the color of the protective pad defining the path of safety over a roof or hazardous building surface.

[0017] The protective pads may also be utilized as an advertisement by the contractor wherein the contracting surface name or number may be printed on the uppermost surface while it is applied and situated on the roof being worked upon. Thus, not only does the protective pad protect shingles and the workers during the roofing operation, it also provides a very highly visable means of advertisement for that contractor.

[0018] The invention thus comprises a protective pad for providing protection and safety to a contractor on a sloped surface. The protective pad comprises a flexible pad for attachment to the sloped surface. The pad has indentations on an upper surface thereof for engagement by a contractor working on the sloped surface. The protective pad is defined by an upper edge and a generally parallel lower edge. The pad has at least one securement tab along the upper edge thereof. The indentations in the pad are generally uniformly disposed on the upper surface of the pad. The pad has at least one securement tab arranged along the lower edge for securement of the pad to the sloped surface. The indentations are of generally truncated triangular shape to provide a wider lower edge for receipt of a shoe. The indentations have a sloped inner surface for receipt of a shoe therein. The pad includes an elongated generally rectilinear indentation in the pad on the upper surface thereof, to permit receipt of a bundle of shingles or tools therein. The upper surface may be of a sunlight reflecting color to minimize sun heat absorption of the pad. The pad may be comprised of a plurality of resilient layers of material to permit the pad to be rolled up.

[0019] The invention also includes a method of protecting a roofing contractor on a sloping surface such as the roof of a building, comprising: providing a flexible, generally rectilinear pad having an upper surface and a lower surface onto the sloped roof; attaching the pad onto the roof by a securement arrangement disposed on an upped edge of the pad; and placing indentations onto the pad for secure receipt of shoes of a contractor working on the sloped surface. The method includes making the indentations of a sloped cross section with respect to the upper surface of the pad; attaching a securement tab arrangement onto a lower edge of the pad; attaching a further pad to an edge of a first pad on a sloped surface, to define a safe working and walking site; and placing a frictional material onto the lower surface of the pad to help the pad grip the sloped surface.