GB2052591A - Roofing panels for pyramidal roofs - Google Patents

Abstract

A roofing panel 14 comprises an edge frame for cladding, the frame having a lower member 24 and converging, upwards extending, side members 20, all members being of inward-facing channel section. In a pyramidal roofing structure 10 the panels 14 are interconnected edge-to-edge through base webs 30 of the back-to-back side-edge framing-member channels 20. A central apical aperture of the structure, between panels 14, is covered by transparent or translucent sheets 16. The entire structure 10 can be built up anywhere and then placed on landing-cleats 70 on hollow posts that may house rain-water down-spouts from guttering 48 on a ledge 44 of the stepped lower panel frame member 24. Adjacent structures 10 may be bolted together via lower parts 36 of the base webs of members 24. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roofing structures The invention relates to roof structures and has particular reference to their provision in the form of readily assembled prefrabricated panels.

Industrial building designs, whether for agricultural use, stores or factories, are particularly vulnerable as to their success on matters pf cost only. Embodiments of this invention give short erection times and are low on materials costs.

Appearance has often tended to be a secondary consideration where capitai investment by purely commercial organisations are concerned.

However, and fortunately for the public at large, government agencies place planning permission restrictions. We believe that embodiments of this invention will prove to be satisfactory as to appearance as well as cost. Thus, the provision as proposed herein of a roof structure made up of prefabricated panels each comprising one pitch of a four-pitch pyramidal assembly on edge-to-edge interconnection, greatly reduces on-site work, especially where, as preferred, such a pyramidal assembly is made up at ground levei with an independent structural integrity allowing it to be hoisted complete into position.

One particular aspect of this invention thus resides in a preferred panel formation having convergent sides readily interconnected to corresponding sides of other panels, preferably as channel members in base-web abutment thus securable by bolting. Advantageously such channel members comprise parts of a panel edging frame having at least a lower frame member between distal ends of the side members, conveniently also of channel section to permit mounting either by its bottom web or by a lower side web or flange to support posts, pillars or walls.

Upper side webs or flanges of such lower frame members preferably make oblique angles with their bottom webs so that roof panel cladding affixed thereto will have a desired pitch angle with those bottom webs vertical. Also, to match -with desired pitch angles and the right angle relationship of panels in a four-pitch pyramidal roof structure, the upper side flanges of the aforesaid side channel members will conveniently have an acute inclination to their base webs.

We particularly prefer that the side channel members of at least one, usually all, of our panel frames are interconnected by a further upper framing member, conveniently of hollow rectangular section. Interconnection of such panel frames, side member-to-side member, will then produce a truncated pyramid with a central aperture that may be capped by transparent or translucent material to give natural lighting within a building roofed by one or more such pyramid assemblies.

Spigot-and-socket type interconnection of the edging members of each panel frame is preferred for ease of assembly, and is particularly conveniently achieved by means of plates affixed at ends of the or each frame member extending or to extend between side frame members, each such plate carrying an appropriately angled extension to ener those side frame members, usually with a geometrically similar section sized to give a fairly close sliding fit that enhances overall rigidity and strength.

Edge-framed.panels hereof offer the further advantage that their ciadding, usually on upper surfaces of the framing members, can contribute to overall stiffness, or load-bearing structural integrity, e.g. using corrugated metal panels. That enables the strength required of the framing member per se to be lower than would otherwise be the case, and roof structures made up therefrom are lighter and more readily handled, and stress is spread through all of their component parts including cladding.

Said lower framing members may advantageously have a form, e.g. a stepped bottom channel web, that results in their upper surfaces being inset or rebated from lower parts of those members. Such lower parts are advantageously proud of any overlap of cladding and thus enable interconnection therethrough of adjacent roofing structures. Also, ledges so formed afford a most convenient location for guttering to take away rain water, say using readily available plastics channelling.

Any channel sections used for panel framing members will usually be of pressed steel plate form and the strengths of such members may be maximised, and their weight for a particular purpose thus minimised, by rolling over and inwardly the free edges of their side webs or flanges.

Another particular aspect of the invention resides in a roof structure made up from panels as aforesaid both before and after lifting onto a structure to be roofed. It should be immediately apparent that preferred rectangular such roof structures can be sized to particular requirements very readily, often using standardised panel lengths. However, and perhaps especially using channel-section lower framing members that may be bolted back-to-back, long buildings can be roofed using a succession of adjacent roofing structures hereof. Large spans can, if desired, be roofed using adjacently disposed roofing structures hereof, either simply bolted together at their lower framing members, or with no more than a post or pillar supporting their adjoining corner or corners.

We have mentioned that our roofing structures are usable on posts, pillars or walls as supports therefor. However, we particularly prefer supports in the form of posts, usually of reinforcing rectangular hollow section steel, disposed at least at corners of the roofing structures and preferably equipped with landing cleats or seats on sides of upper ends thereof to take and be secured to bottoms and sides of lower framing members of our panels. Hollow posts, offer great advantage as they may accommodate drain pipes from guttering at edges of our panels, which permits entire rain water drainage systems to be of minimum visibility and automatically provides an attractive finish to a building simply clad or bricked in between its support posts.

A yet further aspect of this invention comprehends a building system wherein posts are first erected followed by hoisting onto them a roof structure or structures hereof, which structures may be assembled on-site from our prefabricated panels.

Our roof structures may have cladding joints or gaps between adjacent panels at their rising hips flashed over in a particularly simple and convenient manner, even to the extent of permitting the same flashing to serve also over triangular capping panels of transparent or translucent materials at the apices of the structures.

Specific implementation of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are side elevation and part-plan views of erected roof structures hereof; Figures 3A and 3B are central sectional views; Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of a hip joint; Figure 5 illustrates framing interconnection of an individual roof panel.

Figures 6 and 7 are detail views of alternative supporting structures; Figures 8 and 9 show alternative drain arrangements using support posts; Figures 1 OA to 1 3B show support post head detail for various arrangements of roofing panels; and Figure 14 shows a further alternative supporting structure.

In the drawings, referring first to Figures 1 and 2, a roof structure 10 of square pyramidal shape comprises four similar pitches 12 each comprised of a prefabricated panel of truncated isosceles triangular shape surmounted by a triangular apex panel 1 6 which may be of transparent or translucent material, such as a glass reinforced plastics material, or polyvinyl chloride.

Each panel 14 (see Figures 3 to 5) has an edging frame made up of upwardly converging side members 20 and upper and lower frame members 22, 24 between ends of those side members 20. The frame is clad by a corrugated metal sheet 14 secured, typically by bolting, to upper surfaces of the framing members 20 to 24.

As best seen in Figure 4, the frame side members 20 are each of channel section with a bottom web 30 vertical, a lower side flange 32 extending inwardly of the panel and at right angles to the bottom web, and an upper side flange 34 also extending inwardly of the panel but at an acute angle to the bottom web to suit the intended pyramidal instructure. As shown in Figure 3, the upper frame members 22 are of hollow square section and the lower frame members 24 are of channel section each with a stepped bottom web 36, 38 essentially vertical, a lower side flange 40 extending inwardly of the panel and at right angles to the bottom web, and an upper side flange 42 also extending inwardly of the panel but at an obtuse angle to the bottom web to suit the desired pitch angle.The stepping of the bottom web 36, 38 rebates the upper side flange 42 inwardly by the width of a generally horizontal step or ledge 44 below a short overhang 46 of the cladding sheet 26 for the purpose of affording accommodation of a guttering channel 48. The lower frame member 24 is shown fixed to sheeting 51. The left hand side of Figure 3A shows the bottom web 40 terminating below the upper flange 42 rather than being short thereof as at the right hand side of Figure 3B, to represent preferred options.

The channel section framing members 20, 24 are conveniently of pressed steel construction. The ends of their side flanges are all shown turned over towards each other for additional strength.

It will be noted that the channel sections of the side frame members 20 readily permits adjacent panels to be bolted together through their bottom webs 30, and that the channel sections of the lower frame members 24 equally readily permits similar bolting together of adjacent roofing structures through their bottom web portions 36, and further allows bolting therethrough to support posts 50, shown as of hollow rectangular section and housing guttering down-spouts 52 that may discharge above (Figure 8) or below (Figure 9) ground.

Spigot-and-socket interconnection of the panel frame members as shown particularly in Figure 5 where the ends of the upper frame members 22 are closed by welded-in end plates 54 having angled projections 58 and the ends of the lower frame members 24 have angled projections 60, the angled projections 58, 60 being of similar but slightly smaller section to the side frame members 20 with a sliding and supportive fit therein. We prefer that bolting together of adjacent panels shall include at least one bolt clear through both the projections 58, 60 and the bottom webs 30.

Medially disposed stiffening plates similar to 56 may be employed for particularly long spans, or where support is by localised posts 50 alone and then preferably at the position of the latter.

An assembled roof structure as being described may be simply set upon walls, typically an inner 64 of a cavity wall (Figure 6), or upon reinforcing beams, typically of rectangular hollow steel sections 66 (Figure 7).

Hip joints between adjacent roof panels are readily flashed over for weatherproofing as indicated at 72, and the lower parts of the lower channel members are equally readily flashed over the support posts or studs as shown at 74. This can be done on assembly at ground or other convenient working level prior to hoisting into position.

It will be noted that the translucent or transparent "sky-light" panels 1 6 are shown overlapping the cladding sheeting 26 and also the flashing 72. Preferably, such panels 1 6 are of similar corrugation to the sheeting 14, and it is equally practicable for the flashing 72 to be run over the entire hip to the roof apex where the panels 1 6 meet.

As shown in Figure 14 panels can be provided with fascia 88 fixed to the gutter 48 and the lower frame member 24.

The edging framing and corrugated sheet metal cladding in being secured one to the other make up an integral panel structure that is stressed throughout so that such structural strength as is possessed by the cladding, which is normally very substantial, is fully utilised in the panel itself thereby enabling the use of lower strength and weight edging frame members.

It will be clear that roofing panels 14 of this invention may be fabricated either prior to sending out to a building site, or even made up there if desired. Factory prefabrication is, however, envisaged as the normal mode of practising the invention. At site, the panels 14 will be bolted together to make a pyramidal roofing structure, completed at least with central apex pieces and flashing if not also guttering, and then hoisted into position on a structure to be roofed. Normally, of course, where several such roofing structures are required, they will each be assembled and completed, then individually lifted into position and subsequently bolted together if there are supports for each of their corners. Otherwise, bolting together where corners are unsupported will take place before lifting into roofing position.

Referring to Figures 8 to 13, when using our preferred building construction with hollow vertical posts or studs 50, the latter are first erected by bolting into a concrete platform or base 80 via base plate 82 and then one or more assembled and completed roof structure hoisted and secured in position on post heads 90. The post heads 90 comprise a flange 91, usually welded on, on two, three or four sides of the post 50, the flange being supported by triangular plates 92, and a crown piece 93 having appropriate slots 94 for receiving guttering 48. Figures 1 OA and B show post head detail for supporting roofing panels at all four corners, Figures 1 IA and B at three corners, Figures 1 2A and B at two corners and Figures 1 3A and B at one corner. Usually, the rain water down-spouting will also be a prefabrication with an upper hopper or feed box 84 prefixed thereto. Cladding or bricking in sides of the building may then be done last and protected for weather. However, when using support posts, in an alternative embodiment we use landing cleats or brackets through which bolting or additional bolting may be made for roof securement.

At any desired stage at least the edge framed panel parts may be internally skinned as desired, say with thermal insulation 86.

Overall, then, the described embodiment provides panels and roof structures having stressed skin characteristics. Also, other than rectangular structures i.e. triangular or polygonal, may be made up from appropriately designed panels.

Claims (38)

1. A roofing panel comprising an edge framing to support cladding secured thereto, which framing has a iower framing member and upwardly extending and converging side members all of channel section with their base webs facing outwardly of the panel.

2. A roofing panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an upper edge frame member interconnecting upper ends of the side members.

3. A roofing panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper frame member is of substantially rectangular hollow section.

4. A roofing panel as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein said framing members are interconnected spigot-and-socket fashion.

5. A roofing panel as claimed in claim 4, wherein said lower or/and upper framing members carry plates secured in their sections at or near ends thereof with extensions appropriately angled to enter the side frame member sections.

6. A roofing panel as claimed in claim 5, wherein the extensions are also of a channel section that is geometrically similar to said side members and a substantially sliding fit therewith.

7. A roofing panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the side framing members have upper flanges that make an acute angle with their base webs.

8. A roofing panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lower framing member has an upper flange that makes an obtuse angle with its base web to match intended roof pitch angles.

9. A roofing panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the lower framing member has its base web stepped to inset upper parts thereof relatIve to lower parts thereof by an amount greater than any overlap of cladding.

10. A roofing panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein free edges of each of said channel sections are turned towards each other.

11. A roofing panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said edge framing is clad with load bearing sheet.

12. A roofing panel as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sheet is corrugated and of metal.

1 3. A roofing structure comprising a pyramidal assembly or roofing panels as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 1 2 connected together edge-toedge to make up an independently handled structure and each affording one pitch of said assembly or structure.

14. A roofing structure as claimed in claim 13, comprising flashing over hip joints between interconnected edges of the panels.

1 5. A roofing structure as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein a pitch comprises a panel truncated short of an apex of the assembly or structure, that pitch being finished to said apex by transparent or translucent material.

1 6. A roofing structure as claimed in claim 1 3 or 14, wherein each pitch comprises a panel truncated short of an apex of the assembly or structure, that pitch being finished to said apex by transparent or translucent material.

17. A roofing structure as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein said edge-to-edge interconnection of the roofing panels is by way of securement through side members of channel section in base web abutment.

1 8. A roofing structure as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 1 7 wherein adjacent panels are bolted together through their base webs.

1 9. A roofing structure as claimed in claim 18 with claim 5 wherein said bolting includes bolting through said extensions.

20. A roofing structure as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, with claim 9, further comprising guttering channels located on ledges between said upper and lower parts.

21. A roofing structure as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein its shape is rectangular using four said roofing panels.

22. A roofing structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein said rectangular shape is square.

23. A roofing assembly comprising a plurality of structures according to any one of claims 13 to 22, with claim 5, wherein adjacent ones of the structures are secured together via abutting said lower parts.

24. A method of roofing wherein at least one structure as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 22 or a roofing assembly according to claim23, is first made up and then hoisted into position on supports therefor.

25. A supported roof resulting from the method of claim 24.

26. A supported roof as claimed in claim 25, wherein the supports include a wall or walls.

27. A supported roof as claimed in claim 25 or 26, wherein the supports include a beam or beams.

28. A supported roof as claimed in claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein the supports include posts.

29. A supported roof as claimed in claim 28, wherein the posts have landing cleats for the or each roof structure which is secured by bolting through its lower framing members to the posts.

and/or cleats.

30. A supported roof as claimed in claim 28 or 29, wherein the posts are hollow.

31. A supported roof as claimed in claim 30, wherein one or more of the hollow posts accommodates drain water down-spout.

32. A supported roof as claimed in claim 31 with claim 20, wherein a hopper or feed box interconnects the or each down-spout with said guttering.

33. A building comprising a supported roof as claimed in any one of claims 28 to 32, wherein its walls are infills between said posts.

34. A method of making a building as claimed in claim 33, wherein the infilling is done after making the supported root

35. A roofing panel substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

36. A roofing structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

37. Methods of roofing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

38. Methods of building substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.