EP0074437A1

EP0074437A1 - Artificial thatch roof

Info

Publication number: EP0074437A1
Application number: EP19810201020
Authority: EP
Inventors: W.H.C. Dr. Kerkhoff
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-09-11
Filing date: 1981-09-11
Publication date: 1983-03-23

Abstract

Thatch (2) made of artificial, preferably fire proof or fire resistant raw material (e.g. polyprop), the thatch (2) having an uneven surface structure, the processing of which may be effectuated in the same way as natural thatch is processed.

In another processing method pre-fab base-sheets (1) may be produced, covered with artificial thatch (2), suspension hooks (3) on the back side of the sheets allowing the affixation of the sheets directly on the rafters (4). For certain purposes the artificial thatch tubes may be provided with a profile over their lengths.

Description

The invention concerns the application of a thatch roof, the thatch being manufactured of an artificial raw material.
A roof constructed with natural thatch has certain advantages over roofs constructed with f.i. roofing tiles or slates; thatch has exellent sound- and temperature isolation qualities and allows further a fine, esthetic shaping.
Natural thatch however also has considerable disadvantages:

Under the influence of weather conditions rotting occurs after some time, as a consequence of which thatch roofs have a limited longevity. and require much maintenance over time. Besides, with increasing rotting increasing amounts of insects house in natural thatch, which stimulate further rotting and which attract birds, that may cause considerable extra damage. Further, natural thatch sets by the rotting process and gets grown over with harmful and defacing moss and other plants. Finally natural thatch is, of course, fire-risky, which is negative in itself,but which also brings thatch-roofed buildings in the highest insurance-rates.

Many of the cited disadvantages may, with the retention of the named advantages be removed by using thatch made of artificial raw mater- rial instead of the natural product.
Artificial thatch may be produced with existing production-methods (f.i. extrusion processes). As an example one may think of the production of lemonade-straws or wire-coats, which represent modes of production that deliver thatch-like products. Most existing products however do have a smooth surface. Such products used as alternative for natural thatch may shift, whilst they are usually of a deviating colour; and apart from this, the raw material processed is not fire-free as a rule. But with adapted colours and processing fire-free or -resistant material (f.i. pcly prop) existing production-methods may be used for the production of artificial thatch.
For the production of artificial thatch the principle of a hollow tube must be maintained; but for the application of artificial thatch in the same way as natural thatch, the surface of the tubes must be roυgh-hεwn. This can be done by several modes (see Fig.1).
Fig.1: artificial thatch tubes with an unsmoothed surface.
Bundles of artificial thatch as described above may be processed by the same methods as natural thatch.
For a faster and a more efficient processing method a pre-fab product may be produced. On a base-sheet (Fig. 2.1) manufactured of ventilating artificial raw material artificial thatch is fitted in the desired structure. One can manufacture this pre-fab product in sheets, that may be vertically (Fig.2) or horizontally (Fig.3) processed. The advantage of such pre-fab sheets is that one may attach them directly on the rafters (Fig.2.4) with suspension-hooks (Fig.2. 3) fitted on the back side of the sheets.
Fig.2: Artificial sheets (2:1) to be vertically processed, covered with artificial thatch (2.2) with suspension-hooks (2.3) on the back side.
Fig.3: Artificial sheets (3.1) to be horizontally processed, covered with artificial thatch.
The attachment of the artificial thatch on the pre-fab sheets may be realized by two distinguished modes: one can produce the artificial thatch together with the sheets from the same material as a whole (extrusion of the artificial thatch from the base-sheets (Fig.4) or one can fix loose thatch-elements on the base sheet by way of glueing, melting or welding (Fig.5).
Fig.4: Base sheet and thatch-elements produced as a whole
Fig.5: Base sheet (Fig.5.1) with glued, melted or welded thatch-elements (Fig.5.2).
For the processing of pre-fab thatch sheets parts of the sheets should be uncovered; the uncovered parts should be used to overlap one- another (Fig.6, Fig.7).
Fig.6: Overlap (6.5) for pre-fab sheets to be processed vertically.
Fig. 7: Overlap (7.5) for pre-fab sheets to be processed horizontallyl.
If pre-fab sheets are processed in the described way and the artificial thatch is in a fixed position, it is possible to use a thatch- tube with a profiled surface. Profiled artificial thatch (like Fig.8) might guarantee a better water support and allows thereby the application of less artificial thatch layers.
A surface-profile as indicated in Fig.1 is not necessary if artificial thatch is arranged in a stable structure on base-sheets as indicated in Figures 2 through 7.
Fig.8: Artificial thatch with a length-profile
With the application of artificial thatch in the ways indicated the advantages of natural thatch are preserved. Extra advantages of the application of artificial thatch are:

- a less heavily built roof construction: artificial thatch does not absorb water and thus weighs less;
- no rotting phenomena: thus no micro-organisms, no insects, no overgrowth and thus considerable higherdogevity;
- less maintenance and the possibility to wash a filthy roofing;
- if using the pre-fab sheets: no leak-risks, a quicker and more efficient processing and no shifting thatch;
- if using profiled artificial thatch: a better water support, the possibility to use less thatch-layers and the possibility to work with roof-slopes of less than 45°;
- if using fire-free raw material (f.i.poly prop): less fire- risk and lower insurance premiums;
- the possibility to use other than natural colours ( f.i. for temperature-regulation).

One may conclude, that the invention developed may result in considerable improvement in the field of house-building.

Claims

1. Artificial thatch manufactured of fire-free raw material supplied with a surface-profile (Fig.1) to be processed in bundles the same way as natural thatch.

2. Artificial thatch attached to (Fig.5' or forming a whole (Fig.4) with pre-fab sheets to be processed vertically (Fig.2) or, horizontally (Fig.3).
For processing pre-fab thatch sheets parts of the sheets should be uncovered for overlap (Fig.6,Fig.7).

3. Pre-fab sheets as described in conclusion 2 prevailed with artificial thatch with a profile over its length (Fig.8).