GB2051938A

GB2051938A - Apparatus for Installing Roof Insulation Material Between Purlins

Info

Publication number: GB2051938A
Application number: GB8021494A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Butler Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Butler Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1977-09-12
Filing date: 1978-09-07
Publication date: 1981-01-21
Also published as: GB2051938B; GB2005756A; CA1096577A; GB2005756B; FR2402747A1; FR2402747B1; DE2839443A1

Abstract

A reel 31 of flexible sheet material 5 of a width wider than the space between adjacent purlins 1 is mounted on a support framework 24 over a space between adjacent purlins. The framework is moved along the purlins and the reel of sheet material is progressively unrolled and the sheet material is formed and guided by U-shaped guide elements 42 mounted on the framework down into the space between the adjacent purlins. Runners 34 and 35 mounted on the bottom of framework 24 hold the framework on purlins 1. Insulation material 8 is subsequently placed in the trough formed in the sheet material 5. <IMAGE>

Description

1

GB 2 051 938 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Apparatus for Installing Roof Insulation Material

This invention relates to apparatus for 5 installing insulation material in a roof structure.

The roof structure of an industrial building typically comprises rafter beams which extend parallel to one another across the building and slope from the centre of the building down toward 10 its sides, and purlins which extend parallel to one another across, and mounted on, the rafter beams. Hard sheets of exterior roofing material extend over and are attached to the purlins. In the past, when a roof structure of an industrial 15 building was to be insulated, elongated sheets of insulation material were stretched across the purlins and the sheets of hard roofing material were attached to the purlins through the insulation material. The relatively thin sheets of 20 insulation material were applied to the roof structure by workmen, using as a working surface the sheets of hard roofing material which were already installed in the roof structure. Reels of insulation material were first unwound on the 25 hard sheets of roofing material and the long sheets of insulation material were moved by hand over onto the exposed purlins adjacent the hard roofing material and the lengths of the purlins. The sheets of insulation material were stretched 30 to prevent sagging between the purlins, and the hard roofing material was then placed over the insulation material and connected to the purlins.

As set forth in our prior U.S. Patent No 3,559,914, it has now become common practice 35 to extend the sheets of insulation material along the lengths of the purlins, instead of across the purlins, so as to eliminate the seams between adjacent sheets of insulation material from being exposed inside the building. The new procedure 40 as set forth in my patent has reduced hazards to workmen on the roof by maintaining the reels of insulation material in a relatively static and available position on the exposed purlins without exposing long lengths of a sheet of material to the 45 wind while the workmen remain on the sheets of hard roofing material, so that the occasions when the workmen might be tempted to walk or climb out on the purlins to place or adjust the sheets of insulation material have been reduced. 50 The present inventon provides apparatus for installing insulation material in a roof structure, comprising a framework for supporting a reel of sheet material, means for guiding the framework along a pair of adjacent parallel purlins in the roof 55 structure, and means for urging the sheet material downwardly between the adjacent purlins.

Preferably the means for urging the sheet material downwardly between the adjacent purlins comprises a pair of guide surfaces 60 mounted on and movable with said framework and extending downwardly between the purlins.

According to a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a pair of spaced side frames between which a reel of insulation material is to

65 be supported, at least one spacer bar extending between said side frames, and a pair of sheet guides mounted in spaced relationship on said spacer bar for projecting downwardly from said spacer bar into the space between the purlins on 70 which said framework is mounted for urging the sheet material downwardly between the adjacent purlins as the framework is moved along the purlins. The sheet guides are preferably movable along the spacer bar to adjust the distance 75 between them.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of partially completed roof structure of an industrial 80 building, showing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention in use thereon; and

Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

85 Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the roof structure 9 includes a plurality of spaced parallel purlins 1 mounted on rafters 18. The purlins 1 each include 90 a central web 2, lower flange 3 and upper flange 4.

A flexible sheet material 5 is unrolled along the upper flange 4 of adjacent ones of purlins, as shown in Figure 1. The outer edges 6 of the sheet 95 material are left on the upper laterally extending edges 4 of the purlins 1. The elongate centre portion of the sheet material sags down between the central web 2 of adjacent ones of purlins 1, thus forming a trough 7. The trough is filled with 100 insulation material 8, loose or batten. If batten or blanket-type insulation 8 is used, the shape of the structure is more flat, as shown in the drawings. If loose insulation is used, a more sagging appearance is created in the strips of flexible 105 sheet material 5, but a more stiff sheet material 5 tends to provide a more uniform appearance. Abutting edges 6 of adjacent sheets of flexible material 5 overlap one another on top of the upper flange 4 of purlins 1 and are held in place 110 by the fastening of a metal roof panel to the upper flange 4 of purlin 1. Preferably, the overlapping edge portions of the strips of sheet material 5 are connected together as by adhesive or by heat sealing, depending on the characteristics of the 115 material, the climate and working conditions. This provides an effective vapour barrier beneath the hard roofing material.

The reel support framework 24 comprises a pair of triangular side frames 25 and 26 and lower 120 spacer bars 28,29 and 30 extending across the bottom of the framework. A reel 31 of the flexible sheet material is supported at the upper apexes of the triangular side frames 25 and 26 on support bar 32, and the free end of the sheet material 125 moves from the reel 31 beneath the spacer bars 29 and 30. Bottom runners 34 and 35 are mounted on the bottom of the framework 24 and hold the framework on a pair of adjacent ones of the purlins 1. A pair of sheet guides 36 and 38

2

GB 2 051 938 A 2

and slidably mounted on the rear spacer bar 30, 30 and clamps 39 and 40 of the sheet guides are , slidably mounted on the bar 30. Set screws 41

allow the clamps 39 and 40 to be attached to the 5 bar 30 at variable positions along the length of the bar. U-shaped guide elements 42 are 35

mounted on the clamps 39 and 40 and project downwardly from the framework into the space between adjacent ones of the purlins. When the 10 framework is pushed along the purlins, the sheet material unrolls from its reel 31, passes beneath 40 the lower spacer bars 29 and 30, and the sheet guides 36 and 38 urge the central portion of the strip of sheet material downwardly between the 15 purlins. The side edge portions of the strip of sheet material are therefore guided onto the top 45 surface of the upper flanges 4 of the purlins 1.

When the strip of sheet material has been formed into a trough between the purlins, the 20 insulation material is then placed in the trough.

For example, loose insulation can be blown into 50 the troughs, batten insulation can be placed by workers standing on the already installed hard roofing material down into the troughs, or blanket 25 insulation can be fed from reels down into the troughs. 55

Claims

1. Apparatus for installing insulation material in a roof structure, comprising a framework for supporting a reel of sheet material, means for guiding the framework along a pair of adjacent parallel purlins in the roof structure, and means for urging the sheet material downwardly between the adjacent purlins.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherin the means for urging the sheet material downwardly between the adjacent purlins comprises a pair of guide surfaces mounted on and movable with said framework and extending downwardly between the purlins.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, comprising a pair of spaced side fames between which a reel of insulation material is to be supported, at least one spacer bar extending between said side frames, and a pair of sheet guides mounted in spaced relationship on said spacer bar for projecting downwardly from said spacer bar into the space between the purlins on which said framework is mounted for urging the sheet material downwardly between the adjacent purlines as the framework is moved along the purlins.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said sheet guides are movable along said spacer bar for adjusting the distance between the sheet guides.

5. Apparatus for installing insulation material in a roof structure, substantially as described with reference to the.drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, Leamington Spa, 1981. Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1 AY, from which copies may be obtained.