GB1371346A - Element for building purposes and apparatus for the production of such an element - Google Patents

Abstract

1371346 Laminates; seaming MKOSCHORREK 28 Oct 1971 [31 Oct 1970] 50288/71 Headings B5N and B5M [Also in Division E1] A building element 16 comprises a plastics material support stratum 10, e.g. a soft P.V.C. sheet and plastics material tubes 11, each tube being bonded to the support stratum by thermal welding. In a preferred embodiment, the tubes are substantially parallel to one another in plan and are disposed in a plurality of rows 12, 13 and 14, the tubes being welded to the support stratum at or adjacent to one end 11a of the tubes and the unwelded ends of the tubes of each preceding row overlying the welded ends of the tubes of a succeeding row so that the tubes are inclined at an acute angle with respect to the support stratum, the tubes being preferably flattened at the bonds. The tubes in a row may be of different lengths and the tubes of one row may be offset with respect to the tubes of the or each adjacent row. The row of tubes which is intended to be uppermost when the element is installed may be spaced from the adjacent edge of the support. In a further embodiment, rows of plastics tubes are disposed on an arcuate pattern on the support stratum of the element. An apparatus for producing an element according to the preferred embodiment comprises welding jaws 24 for simultaneously welding plastics material tubes, at or adjacent one end thereof to a plastics material support stratum, the jaws being arranged parallel to one another but in stepped relationship. The elements may be assembled with the tubes substantially parallel to one another in plan and with the elements installed adjacently and transversely to the general orientation of the tubes, the lateral edges of the elements extending at an angle to the general orientation of the tubes so that the tubes of adjacent elements cover the joints produced between adjacent elements. In an embodiment, an element or assembly according to the invention may be adhesively bonded to a panel, e.g. an insulating panel or an expanded plastics material. An element or assembly according to the invention may be adhesively bonded to a plastics sheet which is secured by nailing to the wooden shuttering of a roof.