AU643320B2

AU643320B2 - Roof and wall structure

Info

Publication number: AU643320B2
Application number: AU83842/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Graham Byrnes
Original assignee: Comalco Aluminum Ltd
Current assignee: Rio Tinto Aluminium Ltd
Priority date: 1990-09-26
Filing date: 1991-09-12
Publication date: 1993-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2011-09-12
Also published as: AU8384291A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990,

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invenation Title: ROOF AND WALL STRUCTURE 0Ie The following statement is a full description of this inventi on, including the best method of performing it known **to me:- ROOF AND WALL STRUCTURE This invention relates to a roof or wall structure.

The object of the invention is to provide a panel for a roof or wall structure which can form a roof or wall which provides effective cover for fixings used to fasten the panel to thereby provide protection from water.

The present invention provides a roof or wall system for a building comprising: a roof or wall panel having a first portion of a housing at one end and a second portion of the housing at the other end; the first portion of the housing comprising a first wall and a second wall extending from the panel, a base extending between the first and second walls substantially planar with said panel to define a compartment for receiving a fastener so that the fastener 20 can pass through the base to secure the.panel to a building; .the second portion of the housing comprising a third wall extending from the panel and a roof section extending outwardly from the third wall and beyond the said other end of the panel; and wherein the first portion of the housing of one panel is engageable with the second portion of the housing of an adjacent panel by arranging the third wall of the :adjacent panel alongside the first wall of the said one 30 panel so the roof section extends over the first housing portion of the said one panel to the second wall of the first housing portion of the said one panel to complete a housing for enclosing the fastener to thereby protect the fastener from the outside environment.

Since the fastener is protected from the outside environment it is not subject to rain water or salt from the sea and therefore corrosion in the vicinity of the fastener is not likely to occur. Thus, the roof or wall structure according to the invention is not likely to deteriorate and enable rain water or the like to enter the facility and destroy products stored in the facility.

Preferably, the base has an opening for the fastener comprising an elongate slot so that during thermal expansion the panels can expand and move relative to the fastener with relative movement between the panel and the fastener being accommodated in the elongate slot.

Preferably, the said one end of the panel at which the first portion of the housing is formed and the said other end of the panel at which the second portion of the housing is formed comprise the two longest edge. of the *o o*

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A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a building or facility in which the roof or wall structure of the invention can be utilized; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line II-II of a roof or wall panel; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing two wall panels coupled together; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

With reference to Figure 1, the invention is b 6 particularly adapted to a roof structure and will be egosdescribed in conjunction with the roof of a building 0@ee shown in Figure 1. However, it would also be possible to use the structure according to the invention as a wall of a building and the use of the structure as a wall is intended 20 to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

Figure 1 shows a building 10 having a roof 12.

The roof 12 includes a plurality of purlins 14 which are formed from steel or other suitable material. The roof structure according to the preferred embodiment of the 25 invention is formed from a plurality of panels 20 which will be described in more detail with reference to Figures and 3. For a bulk sugar terminal typical dimensions of the panels 20 are approximately 348.5 mm in width by up to meters in length.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a panel generally along the line I-II of Figure 1 by which only shows a single panel for ease of illustration. The panel includes a panel section 22 which is stepped as shown in Figure 2 to provide strength to the panel section 22. At one end of the panel section 22 is a first portion 24 of a housing and at the other end of the panel section 22 is the second portion 26 of a housing. The first portion of the housing 24 comprises a wall 28 which has a barb 5 extending outwardly of the panel section 22. A second wall 32 is provided with a tab 34 which extends in the opposite direction to the barb 30 and a curved flange section 36.

OTe second housing 26 is formed by a generally verticalAwall 40 which has a barb or projection 42 extending outwardly in the opposite direction to the barb The wall 40 has a-eeoocnd wall section 41 which w3ll form a roof of a complete housing when a number of the panels 22 are joined together. The second housing portion 26 is completed by a downwardly projectingA---trd wall portion 44 which has a contoured or curved flange section 46 which generally matches the contour of the section 36 on the first housing portion 24. The flange 46 may end in a bulb 48.

q* 15 A base 44 is provided between the walls 28 and 32 of the first housing portion and is generally integral with Wee.

the remainder of the panel 22. The entire panel 22 as shown in Figure 1 can be formed from aluminium and is preferably formed by an extrusion process.

o, 20 Figure 3 shows two panels joined together, and the panels are labelled 20a and 20b for ease of illustration.

In order to join the panel sections together a fastener such as a bolt 50 or the like is inserted through 25 an elongate slot 52 (see Figure 4) formed in the base 44 of the panel 20b. The bolt 50 is screw-threaded into a purlin in-the roof of the building. The panel section 20a is then engaged with the panel section 20b by sliding the panel section 20a relative to the panel section 20b so that the 30 contoured flange 46 of the panel 20a underlies and matches :with the contoured flange 36 of the panel 20b. The barb of the wall 28 of the panel 20b engages with the barb 42 of the wall 40 of the panel 20a so that the engagement between the barbs 42 and 30 formns a weather-proof seal as does the engagement between the contoured flanges 36 and 46. Thus, an elongate housing 100 is formed by the engagement of the housing portion 24 of the panel 20b and the second housing C.TI>. portion 20a. In the housing portion the wall 32 and the 6 wall 40 form the walls of the housing with the wall 28 rooT secior forming an internal wl. TheAccnd a 42 forms a roof together with the h wall portion 44 and the engaging flanges 36 and 46. Thus, the housing 100 is weather-proof and protection is provided for the bolt 50 within the elongate housing 100. Of course, a number of bolts would be provided along the housing 100 and connected to purlins 14 along the length of the panels Since the fastener 50 is protected in the housing in a water-proof environment, it will not be subject to sea water or rain which could cause corrosion, and furthermore, since the base 44 is protected by the housing 100 the slot 52 can be used to accomodate expansion of the panels with respect to the bolt 50 without fear of water entering the f 15 slot 52.

Thus, weather-proofing of the bolts 50 is provided as is the ability for the panels to expand due to thermal conditions and this therefore greatly increases the life of the roof structure according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Capping and end pieces can be provided at the apex of the roof of the building and also at the ends of the roof to seal the apex and ends of the roof structure.

The preferred embodiment of the invention .0 25 therefore provides the following advantages: 0o Leak problems associated with holes through which 0000 the fastener extends are overcome since the holes and therefore the fasteners are accommodated in a weather-proof housing. Water permeation over the walls is prevented in 30 view of the sealing engagement of the barbs 30 and 42 and 0 00 u the contoured flanges 36 and 46. The fabrication is simple since the components can be extruded and easily connected by sliding movement relative to one another. The structure also assists in preventing corrosive pockets and lends itself to simple wash-downs and cleanliness of surface.

This structure also prevents harbouring of foreign matter on top of the roof and good water drainage along the "panels. Sideways movement of water is also prevented by 7 the housings 100 which project upwardly from the panel surface. This structure also allows for expansion and minimizes holes in purlin sections.

In other embodiments of the invention, not shown, it will be possible to provide internal channelling within the housing 100 in the unlikely event that any water should make its way into the housing 100 to channel the water around the bolts 50 to prevent the water from gathering in the vicinity of bolts 50 to cause corrosion.

Since the panels 22 are preferably formed from aluminium and the purlins may be formed from steel it may be desirable to include a coating or other protective layer between the purlins and panels in order to prevent corrosion due to electrolysis.

15 Since modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled within the art, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described by way of example hereinabove.

4e 3*

Claims

1. A roof or wall system for a building comprising: a roof or wall panel having a first portion of a housing at one end and a second portion of the housing at the other end; the first portion of the housing comprising a first wall and a second wall extending from the panel, a base extending between the first and second walls substantially planar with said panel to define a compartment for receiving a fastener so that the fastener can pass through the base to secure the panel to a building; the second portion of the housing comprising a third wall extending from the panel and a roof section extending outwardly from the third wall and beyond the said other end of the panel; and wherein the first portion of the housing of one S* panel is engageable with the second portion of the housing of an adjacent panel by arranging the third wall of the adjacent panel alongside the first wall of the said one 4* panel so the roof section extends over the first housing ea portion of the said one panel to the second wall of the first housing portion of the said one panel to complete a housing for enclosing the fastener to thereby protect the ,fastener from the outside environment. a' S

2. The system of claim 1 wherein, the base has an opening for the fastener which comprises an elongate slot so that during thermal expansion the panels can expand and move relative to the fastener with relative movement between the panel and the fastener being accommodated in the elongate slot.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2 wherein, said first wall has a prong and said second wall having a curved flange, the prong of the first wall engaging a prong on the third wall when the first and second housing portion engage one another, a fourth wall extending from said roof section and having a curved flange coupled thereto which matches the curvature of the curved flange on the second wall of the first housing portion.

4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein, the said one end of the panel at which the first portion of the housing is formed and the said other end of the panel at which the second portion of the housing is formed comprise the two longest edges of the panel.

A roof or wall system for a building substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 0 Dated this 18th day of August 1993 S COMALCO ALUMINIUM LTD. By Its Patent Attorneys: GRIFFITH HACK CO. Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. 9

6. 9 91 .o. S. ABSTRACT A roof or wall structure for a building is described which provides weather protection for fasteners used for fastening the roof or wall of the building. The system comprises a panel having a first part (24) of a housing at one end and a second part (26) of a housing at the other end. The first part of the housing comprises walls (26 and 32) with the wall (32) having a contoured portion The second part of the housing comprises a wall a roof section a wall section (44) and a contoured section When two light panels are joined together the two parts of the housing join with the contoured portions generally engaging one another to form a complete housing for protecting a fastener 0 0r 0 *o b *8 0* *6 r 0