AU594958B2 - Roof tiles - Google Patents

Description

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Form PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OF-FICE USE 594958 Short Title: Int. CI: Application Number: t Lodged, 657,3 ?6 Cqrnplete Specification-Lodged:, Accepted: Lapsed: Published: Priority: 15 July 1985 30 April 1986 Rnltatnd Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT ,Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: MACGR0L~-NE-PAPSI0RF-KG Au gsbu rge-Stra-s-s e--2.

-D U8l0 -Rturs-t e n-fe d br We s-tL-G-erM-any ue~k-, \rjar\cocA\/er-jr4~ 641 um ca rvccd a 1 \I 6e, a4 Hs Kurt Rolf Papsdorf Address for Service: -C L E A F RD -W L

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2OY-i Level, National Mutual Centre,3 44 Market Street SYDNE-Y,--N-,S W Zo 00, Complete Specification for the Invention entitled: ROOF TILES The following stahemenh Is. alull description of this Invention, Including the best mnettod of perormning It knownV:.

to t Signature. To: THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS.

i- -2- According to the invention there is provided a roof tile comprising an upper side and an under side, first and second lateral edges, first and second transverse edges, a downward-oriented flange running longitudinally along one lateral edge of said tile auxd a complementary upward-facing channel running longitudinally along the other lateral edge of said tile whereby a flange of one said tile will rest loosely in said channel of a second neighbouring said tile, a transversa groove running laterally along the upper side of said tile adjacent one transverse edge thereof and a complementary downward-facing ridge running transversely along the under side of said tile adjacent the other transverse edge thereof whereby said ridge of one tile will rest loosely in said groove of a second neighbouring tile, said tile being thereby adapted for interlocking engagement t t t with laterally neighbouring tiles and overlapping engagement with longitudinally neighbouring tiles, said tile further comprising means for fastening said tile to a roof whereby said tile is provided with an aperture for receiving a I20 resilient plug, said plug having a surface for bearing against said tile and being adapted to receive fastening means for fastening said plug to said roof and thereby resiliently fastening said tile to said roof.

Li Preferably the plug comprises a head portion having a width greater than the width of said aperture, and a neck portion connected to said head portion, said aperture being adapted to receive said neck portion with said head portion -'Ii r bearing againot the upper outer edge of said aperture.

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-3- Also preferred that the fastening means comprises a base element which releasably receives the end of said plug opposite said head portion, and which base element is in turn adapted to be fastened to a vertical element of said roof.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical affect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 shows, in top plan view, a roof tile in accordance with the invention; Fig 2 shows, in bottom plan view, the roof tile of Fig 1; Fig 3, 4 and 5 show respectively views according to III-III IV-IV and V-V in Fig 1; Fig 6 shows, to a smaller scale laying of roof tiles '15 according to Fig 1; Fig 7 and 8 show, to a larger scale, views corresponding to VII-VII and VIII-VIII of Fig 6; and Fig 9 shows the fastening of the tiles by means of fastening elements, cross bars and connecting elements to the 0 "20 purlins in a view corresponding to Fig 7.

A roof tile is accordance with the invention is now described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings.

The roof tile is generally indicated by reference numeral The roof tile 10 has a top 12 which is generally flat and a bottom 14 which is dished. It has a rear 16, a front -4- 18 and first and second sides 20, 22. It is substantially square having sides of about 300 mm.

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The tile 10 has longitudinal interlocking formations to effect interlocking with simi'ar tiles in a longitudinal direction. The longitudinal interlocking formations generally extend laterally. The tile 10 also has lateral interlocking formations to effect interlocking with similar tiles in a lateral direction. The lateral interlocking formations extend generally longitudinally, For purposc- of this specification "longitudinal' and "lateral" must be interpreted from the r eyes of an observer standing squarely in front of a roof and looking toward the roof on which roof tiles are laid. "Longitudinal" will be in ie- the direction in which he is looking. The front 18 of the tile will be near him, and the rear 16 will be remote from him. "Lateral" will be toward his left or right.

I "The longitudinal interlocking formations include a first interlocking formation 24 standing proud of the top 12 and disposed toward the rear 16, and a complemental second interlocking formation 26 S. in the bottom 14 and toward the front 18. The first and second interlocking formations 24, 26 are complemental in the sense that they can co-operate with respective first and second interlocking formations of other, identical tiles. When tiles are laid on a roof the first interlocking formation of one tile will co-operate with the second interlocking formation of another tile to the rear and overlapping the first tile. The second interlocking formation of one tile will co-operate with the first interlocking formation of yet another tile to the front of and underlying said one tile.

4 1 i6 The first interlocKing formation 24 comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced male flanges 32, 34. The flanges 32 and 34 are parallel to each other and to the rear 16 of the tile. At the centre'of the tile, the flanges 32 and 34 are interrupted to provide a passage 36 to accommodate a fourth interlocking formation of an overlappinq tile.

The second interlocking formation 26 is defined by a pair of tclosely spaced laterally extending ribs 38, 40 defining a groove 44 therebetween, and by laterally aligned slots 46 in short longitudinal r* ribs 42 extending toward the front 18 from the rib 40. The width of the S'i groove 44 in relation to the thickness of the flange 34 is such that they engage frictionally to resist withdrawal. The outer extremities of the ribs 38, 40 and 42 are co-planar.

r it S, The lateral interlocking fc.'mations include, along the first i:>t side 20, a downwardly turned flange 28 forming a third interlocking formation. The flange 28 extends from the rear 16 toward and nearly up *aa to the front 18. The lateral interlocking formations includes also a fourth interlocking formation in the form of a channel formation along the second side 22. The channel formation 30 includes a flange 48 Sdefining the second side 22 and forming a channel 50 inward thereof and adapted to receive a flange 28 of an adjacent tile with clearance. The clearance fit allows the channel 50 to act as a channel for water. The bottom of the channel formation 30 is co-planar with the outer extremities of the ribs 38, 40, 42.

A"':i 1 :1r 4 *r (4 4 1! The tile 10 includes in its bottom 14, toward its rear 16, a laterally aligned row of bosses 52. The height of each boss 52 is such that its outer, free end is co-planar with the bottom of the channel formation 30 and the outer extremities of the ribs 38, 40, 42. 'An aperture 54 is provided centrally through each boss 52 through the tile 10. In use, the apertures 54 can pass nails for securing tiles 10 to support structure. In addition to or instead of the bosses 52 and the apertures 54 there are provided apertures 55 which are preferably of square or rectangular shape and which are used for securing the tile by means of fastening elements inserted through the apertures 55 as described below under reference to Figure 9. These apertures 55 can be provided in bosses 53 (see Figure 9) in the same manner as the apertures 54 in the bosses 52.

In the region of the bosses 52, there is provided a rib 56 in zig-zag shape. Further ribs 58 are provided in the form of a diagonal cross over the central portion of the bottom 14. The ribs 56 and 58 are provided for strengthening purposes.

A lateral front portion 60 adjacent the front 18 of the tile slopes downwardly to a sharp edge providing the front 18 co-planar with the channel formation 30, bosses 52 and ribs 38, 40, 42. Front corners are chamfered as indicated at 62.

Tiles 10 laid on a roof are now described in more detail with reference to Figures 6, 7.and 8. ~_W~aRiiiiiplD~P~Ye~AILBL~- '8 Tiles are arranged in rows generally indicated at 70 such that tiles 10 in adjacent rows are in bonded formation. Tiles in one row overlap tiles in a lower row.

Longitudinal interlocking is illustrated in Figure 7. The flange 34 of a first tile 10 is frictionally engaged in the groove 44 of Ian overlapping tile 10. Similarly, the flange 32 is received within j slots 46 of the overlapping tile 10. Each tile 10 is nailed by means of T S roof screws 64 to purlins 66 via the apertures 52. It is to be appreciated that the bosses 52 are flush with channel formations 0 allowing the tile to lie flat on the purlin 66. A head of the screw'64 is covered by the front portion 60 of the overlapping tile. In this regard it is to be appreciated that the bosses 52 are arranged to be inbetween longitudinal ribs 42 of an overlapping tile.

It is further to be appreciated that the front 18, longitudinal ribs 42 and lateral ribs 38, 40 as well as the channel 1i formation 30 of each tile are .co-planar. This allows an overlapping tile to rest flush on the top 12 of an underlying tile. This is h conducive to preventing wind from entering between overlapping tiles.

The frictional engagement of the first and second interlocking means further prevents wind thus entering. Furthermore, should wind enter to a limited degree, it prevents an overlapping tile from being lifted. It has the further advantage that tiles seal relatively tightly against one another thus limiting ingress of dust and other undesirable matter.

9 Lateral interlocking is illustrated in Figure 8. The flange 28 of one tile is received with clearance within the channel 50 of an adjacent tile. The clearance fit accommodates slight irregularaties in support structure for the tiles. The channel 50 acts as a channel for rain water to conduct it to the centre of an underlying tile.

Figure 9 illustrates a method and arrangement of securing the tiles 10 by interconnecting elements to the purlins 66 instead of directly securing them to the purlins as shown in Figure 7. This method and arrangement shown in Figure 9 has particularly the advantage that the b tiles can be positioned relatively to the purlins with a higher degree of freedom and that irregularities in the positions of the purlins can be compensated and that fewer purlins are necessary to secure the same number of tiles to the roof construction.

As can be seen from Figure 1, there is provided a protrusion 15 11 on one side of the tile 10 in the region of the front end of the II 4* tile. On the other side in the region of the front end of the tile (see Figure there is rrovided a cut out 13 which receives the protrusion 11 of a similar tile. This prevents the tile to a great extent from being lifted, e.g. by wind, etc. The cut out 13 is complementary 0 to the protrusion 11, however, with enough clearance to accomodate thermal expansion of the tiles.

The tile 10 shown in Figure 9 is secured to the purlin 66 by means of a fastening element 72 which is inserted through the aperture 55 in boss 53 and fastened to a cross bar 74 which in turn is fastened by nmeans of a connecting element 76 to the purlin 66.

The fastening element 72, at one end thereof, has a head 78 which is larger than the aperture 55 and a shank 80 which has a square or rectangular cross-section adapted to the aperture 55. The shank has a slot 82 and serrations 84 at the other end so that it can be inserted elastically into an opening 86 in the upper part of the cross bar 74 and is retained by engagement of serrations 84 with shoulders 88 of the opening 86. The opening 86 is continuous along the length of the cross bar 74 so that the fastening element 72 which also has a general square or rectangular cross-section in its serrated portion can be fastened to the cross bar 74 at any desired position along the cross bar on which the tile 10 bears with the upper end of boss 53 and with channel 50, the lower extremities of which are co-planar. The cross bar 74 in turn is shiftably inserted in an opening 90 of the plate shaped connecting element 76 which holds the cross bar and secures it to the S purlin 66. To this end, the connecting element 76 has through holes 92 for fastening, preferably by nailing or screwing it to one lateral side of the purlin 66.

The material of the tiles is such as to be weather-, and especially sunlight, resistant.

The physical characteristics of the tiles result in a number of advantages.

c ~e 11 First, the tiles are of low mass. The Inventor believes that the mass of tiles to cover a square metre of roof area, will, typically, be about 3 to 4 kilograms. In comparison, the mass of galvanized steel roof panels measure, typically, about double, and the mass oF concrete roof tiles measure, typically, about te.n to fifteen times as much as that of tiles of the invention. The low mass has a number of advantages, inter alia, ease of handling during manufacture, storing, transport and building; low transport cost; allowing a relatively light and inexpensive support structure.

tO Second, the method of manufacturing (moulding) allows the tiles to be accurately sized to provide a neat appearance. Tops 12 of the tiles have a slightly textured surface giving a matt appearance.

Tiles of different colours can easily be manufactured. Translucent and possibly even transparent tiles can be provided if desired. Thus, if portions of a roof only are to be transparent or translucent above areas accommodating geysers or other devices to be worked on from time to time) the whole of the roof can nevertheless be of a homogenous material as far as mass, heat expansion and shrinkage, physical sizes, and the like, are concerned. It is thus not necessary to make use of subframes, reinforcing, varying spacing in purlins, or the like, in the roof support structure.

The tiles are slightly flexible, allowing irregularities, curves, and the like in the support structure to be accommodated. The Inventor believes that slight stressing of the tiles by bending may even i -12enhanced interlocking as it increases friction between interlocking portions in some cases.

Synthetic plastics material, when suitably selected, can withstand mechanical handling better than some traditional roofing materials such as slate. The synthetic plastics material can be shaped by cutting accurately and easily. Off-cuts can be recycled, resulting in practically no waste.

The material may include a flame retardent polycarbonate material or a fibre glass reinforced flame retardent polyester material. The mass percentages of respectively the fibre glass and the polyester may be about and about The tile may be of substantially rectangular shape having sides at most about 500 mm long, conveniently not more S* than about 400 mm, preferably about 300 mm.

The Inventor believes that the overall cost of a roof covered by tiles in accordance with the invention will be low. Cost savings can be obtained because of light and inexpensive roof structure; 1 ease of handling and transport of the tiles which are of light mass; practically eliminating waste due to inadvertent i breakage owing to the mechanical strength of the tiles; recycling of off-cuts; ease and speed of laying of tiles owing to accurate sizing and low mass; and homogenous roof where portions are translucent/transparent i~ -12a- A special advantage of the invention is that the roof tiles can be laid from left to right and/or from right to left and/or from bottom to top and/or top to bottom of a roof in conjunction with fastening elements, cross bars and connecting elements, which elements are preferably formed and/or constructed as described above.

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Claims (8)

1. A roof tile comprising an upper side and an under side, first and second lateral edges, first and second transverse edges, a downward-oriented flange running longitudinally along one lateral edge of said tile and a complementary upward-facing channel running longitudinally along the other lateral edge of said tile whereby a flange of one said tile will rest loosely in said channel of a second neighbouring said tile, a transverse groove running laterally along the upper side of said tile adjacent one transverse edge thereof and a complementary downward-facing ridge running transversely along the under side of said tile adjacent the other transverse edge thereof whereby said ridge of one tile t E will rest loosely in said groove of a second neighbouring r ft tile, said tile being thereby adapted for interlocking t i engagement with laterally neighbouring tiles and overlapping engagement with longitudinally neighbouring tiles, said tile further comprising means for fastening said tile to a roof 0 *S°6 whereby said tile is provided with an aperture for receiving •a a resilient plug, said plug having a surface for bearing I against said tile and being adapted to receive fastening *0 means for fastening said plug to said roof and thereby resiliently fastening said tile to said roof. I*

2. The roof tile of claim 1 wherein said plug comprises a i4 t head portion having a width greater than the width of said aperture, and a neck portion connected to said head portion, said aperture being adapted to receive said neck portion with said head portion bearing against the upper outer edge E I I -14- of said aperture.

3. The roof tile of claim 2 wherein said aperture is located in a raised boss which forms a seat for said head of said plug.

4. The roof tile of claim 2 wherein said fastening means comprises a base element which releasably receives the end of said plug opposite said head portion, and which base element is in turn adapted to be fastened to a vertical element of said roof.

The roof tile of claim 4 wherein said end of said plug opposite said head is provided with ridges for grippingly 4 engaging said base element.

6. The roof tile of claim 5 wherein said base element comprises a vertical fastening plate for fastening to said vertical element of said roof and a plug-receiving element r .secured to said fastening plate further comprising an aperture having a shoulder for releasably engaging said plug.

7. The roof tile of claim 6 wherein said aperture in said S plug-receiving element is extended in one direction. 'FP,

8. The roof tile of claim 1 further comprising a tab extending from one lateral edge thereof and an upwardly protruding element located centrally of the upper side of a transverse edge thereof and having a slot therein for c i receiving said tab, whereby overlapping rows of said tiles may be interlocked. Dated this 21st day of July, 1989. EVERTILE BUILDING SYSTEMS CANADA LIMITED Patent Attorneys for the Applicant PETER MAXWELL ASSOCIATES