The present invention relates to a method of supporting an appendent structure from an existing roof. In particular, although not exclusively the invention relates to a method of erecting a pergola structure alongside the exterior of a building such as a house, wherein the roof of the pergola structure is appendent to the roof of the building. However, the invention is not restricted to the construction of pergolas and may have application to other auxiliary and appendant structures such as an awning, carport or conservatory. The invention also resides in a support structure for a pergola and an appendent structure support member for supporting a pergola structure.

Background Art

Existing pergola structures which extend over a veranda or paved area outside a house are generally mounted to the fascia board of the roof of the house. This construction generates a number of disadvantages. The primary disadvantage results from the fact that council and manufacturing requirements dictate at least a five degree slope for the pergola roof to enable adequate water run off. Given that the upper edge of the pergola roof is already determined by the height of the fascia board, a five degree slope of the pergola roof may result in the lower edge being too low to allow adequate head clearance. Further, pergolas constructed in this manner suffer from a secondary disadvantage in that there is no provision for ventilation since the upper edge of the pergola roof is connected directly to the fascia board. A further difficulty arises from the fact that guttering is also connected to the fascia board and therefore attachment of the pergola roof to the fascia board may be impeded by the existence of the guttering. Additionally, the construction of the pergola may interfere with cleaning of the guttering.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pergola support member and a method of supporting an appendant structure from a roofing structure which overcomes or at least ameliorates the abovementioned disadvantages.

Disclosure of Invention

In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention there is provided an appendent structure support member for supporting an appendent structure such as a pergola from a roofing structure having roofing beams and roof cladding, the appendent structure support member including: a first attachment portion for attachment to one of the roofing beams; a second attachment portion for supporting the appendent structure; and a connecting means extending between the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion, the connecting means adapted to extend through the roof cladding.

The first attachment portion may be in the form of a bracket such as a plate, channel member or an L-shaped member. Preferably, the bracket has holes extending therethrough allowing it to be bolted to the roofing beam. The second attachment portion similarly may take the form of a bracket as described above and be attached directly to the appendent structure by fasteners or other means.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a support structure for supporting an appendent structure such as a pergola from a roofing structure having roofing beams and roof cladding, the support structure including: a plurality of appendent structure support members as described above, the support members being secured to respective roofing beams; and a support beam secured to the second attachment portion of each of the appendent structure support members.

Preferably the appendent structure support members are arranged linearly at the

same height so that the beam extends substantially horizontally. The support members are preferably located at spaced intervals, corresponding to the location of roofing beams to which they are attached. Advantageously, the roof of the appendent structure is directly secured to the beam. The appendent structure may take the form of a pergola. The roof of the pergola may comprise clear/translucent plastic material such as polycarbonate or fibreglass sheeting. In another form of the invention, the roof of the pergola could include opaque members which are moveable to control the amount of light admitted through the roof. For example, the roof of the pergola may comprise a series of pivotable strips to control the amount of light admitted therethrough.

Typically, the support structure will extend from the lower edge of the roofing structure. Thus the upper edge of the support structure will be spaced above the roof cladding at that location. Preferably, each of the appendent structure support members will extend through the roof cladding at a common distance from the fascia/guttering. This distance is preferably between half a metre and a metre.

The gap thereby provided between the roof cladding and the support beam may remain open to allow for ventilation and free flow of water down the roof cladding into the gutter. Alternatively, a barrier may be provided to minimize drafts and prevent wind driven rain from blowing through the gap. It is also envisaged that adjustable vents could be provided in the gap between the support beam and the roof cladding. The support structure may be utilized to support a pergola from flat roofs or steeply inclined roofs.

In one form of the invention, the connecting means extending between the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion comprises an elongate member such as a column or strut. Preferably the connecting means will be of smaller transverse dimensions than either of the first or second attachment portions. In a most preferred form of the invention, the appendent structure support member comprises two separable portions to simplify mounting to the roofing structure and

to reduce the size of the hole required in the roof cladding. For instance, the appendent structure support member may be separable along the length of the connecting means, the connecting means comprising two detachable parts. This will reduce the required size of the hole in the roof cladding to a size fractionally larger than the transverse dimensions of the connecting means. In this way, the first attachment portion may be secured to the roofing beam with the associated part of the connecting means extending tlirough the hole in the roof cladding. This part may then be connected to the other part of the connecting means to form the overall appendent structure support member.

Typically, the connecting means will be between 0.2 metres and 0.5 metres in length. Preferably, the length will be adjustable. As such, one part of the connecting means may be telescopically received by the other part. Alternatively, one part may threadingly engage with the other part to enable connection between the two parts and to allow length adjustment of the connecting means.

It is envisaged that the connecting means will extend in a substantially upright manner from the location at which the first attachment portion is connected to the roofing beam. Thus the connecting means is suitably designed to withstand compressive loading. However, it is appreciated that the connecting means may also extend at an angle to the vertical, although the feasibility of this may depend on the inclination of the roof. Therefore, the connecting means and the attachment portions may be also designed with transverse loading in mind. Suitably, a seal may be provided to seal between the connecting means and the hole in the roof cladding to ensure that water does not enter the roof through this hole.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of supporting an appendent structure, such as a pergola, from a roofing structure having roofing beams and roof cladding, the method comprising: extending a plurality of support members through respective holes in the roof cladding;

attaching one end of each support member to a roofing beam; and mounting part of the appendant structure at the other end of the support members.

The spacing of the support members may correspond with the location of the roofing beams. The support members may be provided in two parts enabling one part of each support member to be attached to the associated roofing beam prior to the other part of the support member being attached to the first mentioned part.

The appendent structure may be directly connected to the support members. Alternatively, a beam may be connected thereto and supported by the support members, the roof of the appendent structure then being fixed to the beam. Suitably, other support members are provided to support the distal edges of the appendent structure.

Preferably, the support members comprise appendent structure support members as described above.

Brief Description of Drawings

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one embodiment will now be described in connection with the figures in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an appendent structure support member in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a part cross-sectional view of the appendent structure support member in Fig. 1, installed in a typical roofing structure.

The preferred embodiment of the appendent structure support member will be described in connection with supporting a pergola and will hereafter be referred to a pergola support member.

Figure 2 illustrates the edge of a typical roofing structure 10 including spaced roofing beams (rafters) 12 (only one of which is shown) supporting spaced purlins 14 which in turn support roof cladding material 16 such as roof tiles or roof sheeting e.g. corrugated iron. A fascia board 20 is secured to and extends transversely to the lower ends of the rafters 12. Guttering 22 is mounted to the fascia board 20.

Figure 1 shows one pergola support member 25. A number of such pergola support members 25 may be installed in a typical roofing structure 10 to support a pergola structure 27 adjacent the edge of the roofing structure 10 as illustrated in Figure 2. The pergola support member 25 shown in the figures comprises a first attachment portion 30 in the form of a plate member bolted to the rafter 12 by means of bolts (not shown). A threaded rod 34 is welded at one end thereof to the plate member 30. The threaded rod 34 extends upwardly from the plate member 30 to be threadingly received by an internally threaded tube portion 36. A lock nut 37 is also threaded on the threaded rod 34 and can be rotated to abut against the end of the threaded tube portion 36. The threaded rod 34 and the tubular portion 36 together define a connecting means extending between the first attachment portion 30 and a second attachment portion 38. The second attachment portion 38 is in the form of an L-shaped bracket secured by bolts to a horizontally extending support bearer 42.

It will be appreciated that a plurality of such pergola support members 25 will be provided at even height along the edge of the roofing structure 10 at spaced locations corresponding to the location of the rafters 12 to wliich they are attached. The plurality of pergola support 25 members thus collectively support the bearer 42. The bearer 42 supports the roof 45 of the pergola structure 27. The bearer 42 may have an inclined upper edge 44 to determine the angle at which the roof of the pergola 45 will extend (preferably at least 5° slope). The roof 45 of the pergola structure 27 includes rafters 43 supported on the support bearer 42 which in turn supports cladding material such as clear or translucent corrugated polycarbonate or

fibreglass sheeting material which is secured to the rafters 43 and/or bearer 42 by means of fasteners 47. The outer or distal end of the pergola roof 45 is suitably supported by pillars or columns (not shown). The pergola structure 27 may also be provided with a guttering system to collect run-off from the pergola roof 45.

A seal may also be provided between the threaded rod 34 and the roof cladding 16. As shown, the seal is in the form of a flexible rubber tube 50 which extends around the threaded rod 34 or the tube portion 36. The rubber tube 50 may be secured to an appropriately shaped piece of flashing which is sealed to the roof cladding 16.