GB1587461A - Soffit and fascia system - Google Patents

Description

(54) SOFFIT AND FASCIA SYSTEM (71) We, MARLEY EXTRUSIONS LIMITED, a British Company of London Road, Riverhead, Sevenoaks, Kent do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a soffit and fascia system for the eaves and/or verges of a building.

In houses where, for example, the roof timbers project beyond the faces of the walls to form eaves and/or verges it is conventional to provide a fascia across the ends of the timbers, and a soffit at the lower edge of the fascia to prevent entry up into the roof between the roof timbers.

It is known to employ a timber fascia batten to which is secured, by e.g. nails, a plastics fascia sheet, for example P.V.C. In one arrangement the soffit is constituted by a plurality of interlocking plastics panels, the panel adjacent the fascia lockingly engaging in a channel extending along the bottom edge of the fascia. It is also known to use soffits of other materials such as asbestos board which can be nailed to:a batten framework, the edge of the board projecting into a channel extending along the fascia.

In this last mentioned arrangement, where the edge of the board extends into the channel but is not engaged within it, problems may arise due to thermal deformation of the fascia sheet. Thus the sheet may bow outwards away from the edge of the soffit board, so that a gap appears between the board and the fascia. This may particularly occur midway between fastening points for the fascia, e.g. between gutter brackets screwed through the fascia into the fascia batten.

There are known systems which employs a soffit bord and a so-called fascia gutter, i.e. a square section gutter, the front wall of which constitutes the fascia and carries a channel for receiving the edge of the soffit board. However, here the assembly is more rigid, and bowing out of the front wall of the gutter is not such a problem as bowing out of a fascia sheet.

An object of the invention therefore is to provide a fascia sheet and soffit board system, in which bowing out of the sheet due to thermal variations can be eliminated or substantially reduced.

According to the invention there is provided a soffit and fascia system for the eaves and/or verges of a building, comprising a fascia sheet of plastics material and a nonmetallic soffit board, said fascia sheet including an integral channel arranged to received a capped edge of the soffit board, said edge having a capping secured therealong which capping also tightly engages in the channel over substantially the whole of the length of the soffit board.

The capping could be in the form of a metal clip clipped onto the edge region of the soffit board and having means adapted to co-operate with e.g. a lip in the channel, so as to lock the board in the channel. The capping could be continuous, extending along the whole length of the soffit board, or comprise a number of separate sections.

The fascia sheet may be of a suitable thermoplastics material such as P.V.C. and the soffit board of a material such as asbestos, plywood, or Asbestolux (Trade Mark). If the material of the board is soft enough, the capping may be provided with for example barbs or sharp edges to dig into the board and firmly secure it to the board.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a soffit and fascia system in accordance with the invention, installed on a building; and Figure 2 is a section showing the engagement of the soffit board with the fascia sheet.

With reference to Figure 1, a roof construction includes roof rafters 1, one only shown, to which is secured a timber fascia batten 2. A P.V.C. fascia sheet 3 is secured at regular intervals to the batten 2, by means of nails 4. Along the lower edge of the fascia sheet 3 is provided an integral channel 5, which receives the edge of an asbestos soffit board 6. The other edge of the board 6 is nailed to a timber frame 7 secured to the roof rafters.

To engage the edge of the soffit board tightly in the channel 5, there is provided capping in the form of an elongate metal clip 8. The clip, which is of galvanized rolled steel and extends along the length of the board 6, is firmly clipped to the edge of the board. The inturned edges 9 and 10 of the clip have been guillotined and are therefore sharp; they thus dig the soft asbestos to assist in securing the clip to the board.

As seen more clearly in Figure 2, the bottom portion 11 of the clip matches the upwardly angled bottom wall of the channel 5. The top edge 12 of the clip abuts against a lip 13 formed on the upper wall 14 of the channel; removal of the soffit board by merely pulling it out of the channel is thereby prevented.

To assemble the system, the clip 8 is secured to the edge of the board 6 and the board then pushed into the channel 5. The resiliency of the upper and lower walls of the channel enables insertion of the board, and then these walls return to their original position to lock the board in the channel.

When in use on a building, gutter brackets may be secured to the fascia batten 2 at suitable intervals, by screwing through the fascia sheet 3.

It will be appreciated that it is not necessary for there to be a clip along the entire edge of the board 6; a number of spaced clips could be employed, providing that the effect is that there is capping engaging in the channel over substantially the whole of the length of the soffit board 6 is that the entire edge of the board 6 is kept within the channel irrespective of thermal deformations of the fascia sheet 3 which would normally be encountered.

By means of the invention it is possible to ensure good engagement of the soffit board and fascia sheet, without requiring the board to be specially contoured. Thus, standard board can be cut to the required size and then separate capping clips can be secured to the edge of the board.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A soffit and fascia system for the eaves and/or verges of a building, comprising a fascia sheet of plastics material and a non-metallic soffit board, said fascia sheet including an integral channel arranged to receive a capped edge of the soffit board, said edge having a capping secured therealong which capping also tightly engages in the channel over substantially the whole of the length of the soffit board.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the capping comprises a metal clip, clipped onto the edge region of the soffit board and having means adapted to cooperate with a lip in the channel so as to lock the board in the channel.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the capping has portions which dig into the board to firmly secure the capping to the board.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the capping comprises a plurality of separate sections.

5. A soffit and fascia system, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the invention, installed on a building; and Figure 2 is a section showing the engagement of the soffit board with the fascia sheet. With reference to Figure 1, a roof construction includes roof rafters 1, one only shown, to which is secured a timber fascia batten 2. A P.V.C. fascia sheet 3 is secured at regular intervals to the batten 2, by means of nails 4. Along the lower edge of the fascia sheet 3 is provided an integral channel 5, which receives the edge of an asbestos soffit board 6. The other edge of the board 6 is nailed to a timber frame 7 secured to the roof rafters. To engage the edge of the soffit board tightly in the channel 5, there is provided capping in the form of an elongate metal clip 8. The clip, which is of galvanized rolled steel and extends along the length of the board 6, is firmly clipped to the edge of the board. The inturned edges 9 and 10 of the clip have been guillotined and are therefore sharp; they thus dig the soft asbestos to assist in securing the clip to the board. As seen more clearly in Figure 2, the bottom portion 11 of the clip matches the upwardly angled bottom wall of the channel 5. The top edge 12 of the clip abuts against a lip 13 formed on the upper wall 14 of the channel; removal of the soffit board by merely pulling it out of the channel is thereby prevented. To assemble the system, the clip 8 is secured to the edge of the board 6 and the board then pushed into the channel 5. The resiliency of the upper and lower walls of the channel enables insertion of the board, and then these walls return to their original position to lock the board in the channel. When in use on a building, gutter brackets may be secured to the fascia batten 2 at suitable intervals, by screwing through the fascia sheet 3. It will be appreciated that it is not necessary for there to be a clip along the entire edge of the board 6; a number of spaced clips could be employed, providing that the effect is that there is capping engaging in the channel over substantially the whole of the length of the soffit board 6 is that the entire edge of the board 6 is kept within the channel irrespective of thermal deformations of the fascia sheet 3 which would normally be encountered. By means of the invention it is possible to ensure good engagement of the soffit board and fascia sheet, without requiring the board to be specially contoured. Thus, standard board can be cut to the required size and then separate capping clips can be secured to the edge of the board. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A soffit and fascia system for the eaves and/or verges of a building, comprising a fascia sheet of plastics material and a non-metallic soffit board, said fascia sheet including an integral channel arranged to receive a capped edge of the soffit board, said edge having a capping secured therealong which capping also tightly engages in the channel over substantially the whole of the length of the soffit board.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the capping comprises a metal clip, clipped onto the edge region of the soffit board and having means adapted to cooperate with a lip in the channel so as to lock the board in the channel.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the capping has portions which dig into the board to firmly secure the capping to the board.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the capping comprises a plurality of separate sections.

5. A soffit and fascia system, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.