GB2110734A

GB2110734A - Roofing

Info

Publication number: GB2110734A
Application number: GB08133287A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Anthony Zabell
Original assignee: ESSEX ALUMINIUM CO Ltd
Current assignee: ESSEX ALUMINIUM CO Ltd
Priority date: 1981-11-04
Filing date: 1981-11-04
Publication date: 1983-06-22

Abstract

A roofing system comprising a plurality of generally parallel and generally horizontal tile support members (1) fixedly mounted on rafters (2) or like roof support members and which tile support member are elongate channel members which in cross-section have an opening narrower in width than at least a portion of the interior of the channel; and a plurality of tiles (3) supported on said tile support members, each tile comprising a body member having a downwardly extending shaped lip (10, 11) extending from the upper portion of the body, which lip snap-engages in a channel of a support member (1) so that the lower end of the tile is downwardly directed towards said rafter or like roof support members. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roofing This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to roofing systems and, more particularly, is concerned with roofing systems for tiled roofs tiled with tiles formed of a resilient material, e.g. a metal such as aluminium or an alloy thereof or a rigid resilient plastics material.

According to the invention there is provided a roofing system comprising a plurality of generally parallel and generally horizontal tile support members fixedly mounted on rafters or like roof support members and which tile support member are elongate channel members which in cross-section have an opening narrower in width than at least a portion of the interior of the channel; and a plurality of tiles supported on said tile support members, each tile comprising a body member having a downwardly extending shaped lip extending from the upper portion of the body, which lip snap-engages in a channel of a support member so that the lower end of the tile is downwardly directed towards said rafter or like roof support members.

In practice, it is generally preferred that both the tile support members and the tiles themselves be formed of aluminium or an alloy thereof and in the following description reference will only be made to such support members and tiles. It is however, to be appreciated that other materials, e.g. metals such as steel (which has been appropriately treated to render it resistant to corrosion) or rigid plastics materials may also be employed.

In order that the invention may be well understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a partial cross-section through a roofing system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a partial section view illustrating one form of tile and tile support member in accordance with the invention; and Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view through another form of tile and tile support member in accordance with the invention.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings a roofing system in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of tile support members 1 fixedly mounted upon rafter 2 and supporting tiles 3 which overlap in a manner conventional for roof tiles. Although not shown in the drawings, the tiles in alternate rows will be in staggered relationship, again as is common for roof tiles.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the elongate tile support member 1 comprises a generally flat base 4 engaging with rafter 2 and fixedly secured thereto, for example by sc ewing or nailing. At the lower end of base 4 is upstanding wall 5 and a second upstanding wall 6 extends from a portion of the base intermediate the two edges thereof, whereby walls 5 and 6 define a generally rectangular channel. The upper edge of wall 5 is provided with inwardly directed lip 7 extending downwardly towards base 4 and towards wall 6. The tile 3 comprises a body member 4 in the form of an inverted generally rectangular box, the base 8 of which forms the upper surface of the tile. The upper side wall 9 of the box-like body of the tile is provided with an extending lip 10 which in turn has an angled lip 11 directed towards the body of the box.As shown in the drawings, the projection formed by lips 10 and 11 of the tile snap-engages in the channel formed between walls 5 and 6 with the upper face of lip 10 engaging with the inner surface of wall 6 and the edge of lip 11 engaging in the angle between wall 5 and lip 7. As will be appreciated the tile may simply be secured to the tile support member by pressing the projection formed by lips 10 and 11 into the mouth of the channel formed by walls 5 and 6 until the edge of lip 11 engages in the angle between wall 5 and lip 7 thereof. The tile is thus fixedly mounted in and supported by the tile support member.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the tile support member comprises an elongate channel defined by base 1 2 and side walls 1 3 and 1 4 each, respectively, extending inwardly and upwardly from base 12, wall 1 3 being provided with at the upper edge thereof an outwardly curved lip 1 5 to facilitate insertion of the support engaging projection of a tile therein. The tile 1 has a box-like body, similar to that shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and has, extending from the upper edge thereof a projection 1 5 which is so shaped as to fit tightly in snap-engagement with the channel defined by base 1 2 and walls 1 3 and 14.

As will be appreciated, in the two embodiments shown the tile support members may conveniently be formed of aluminium by an extrusion process and similarly the tiles may be formed from sheet aluminium by suitable bending and stamping operations.

1. A roofing system comprising a plurality of generally parallel and generally horizontal tile support members fixedly mounted on rafters or like roof support members and which tile support member are elongate channel members which in cross-section have an opening narrower in width than at least a portion of the interior of the channel; and a plurality of tiles supported on said tile support members; each tile comprising a body member having a downwardly extending shaped lip extending from the upper portion of the body, which lip snap-engages in a channel of a support member so that the lower end of

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Roofing This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to roofing systems and, more particularly, is concerned with roofing systems for tiled roofs tiled with tiles formed of a resilient material, e.g. a metal such as aluminium or an alloy thereof or a rigid resilient plastics material. According to the invention there is provided a roofing system comprising a plurality of generally parallel and generally horizontal tile support members fixedly mounted on rafters or like roof support members and which tile support member are elongate channel members which in cross-section have an opening narrower in width than at least a portion of the interior of the channel; and a plurality of tiles supported on said tile support members, each tile comprising a body member having a downwardly extending shaped lip extending from the upper portion of the body, which lip snap-engages in a channel of a support member so that the lower end of the tile is downwardly directed towards said rafter or like roof support members. In practice, it is generally preferred that both the tile support members and the tiles themselves be formed of aluminium or an alloy thereof and in the following description reference will only be made to such support members and tiles. It is however, to be appreciated that other materials, e.g. metals such as steel (which has been appropriately treated to render it resistant to corrosion) or rigid plastics materials may also be employed. In order that the invention may be well understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a partial cross-section through a roofing system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a partial section view illustrating one form of tile and tile support member in accordance with the invention; and Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view through another form of tile and tile support member in accordance with the invention. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings a roofing system in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of tile support members 1 fixedly mounted upon rafter 2 and supporting tiles 3 which overlap in a manner conventional for roof tiles. Although not shown in the drawings, the tiles in alternate rows will be in staggered relationship, again as is common for roof tiles. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the elongate tile support member 1 comprises a generally flat base 4 engaging with rafter 2 and fixedly secured thereto, for example by sc ewing or nailing. At the lower end of base 4 is upstanding wall 5 and a second upstanding wall 6 extends from a portion of the base intermediate the two edges thereof, whereby walls 5 and 6 define a generally rectangular channel. The upper edge of wall 5 is provided with inwardly directed lip 7 extending downwardly towards base 4 and towards wall 6. The tile 3 comprises a body member 4 in the form of an inverted generally rectangular box, the base 8 of which forms the upper surface of the tile. The upper side wall 9 of the box-like body of the tile is provided with an extending lip 10 which in turn has an angled lip 11 directed towards the body of the box.As shown in the drawings, the projection formed by lips 10 and 11 of the tile snap-engages in the channel formed between walls 5 and 6 with the upper face of lip 10 engaging with the inner surface of wall 6 and the edge of lip 11 engaging in the angle between wall 5 and lip 7. As will be appreciated the tile may simply be secured to the tile support member by pressing the projection formed by lips 10 and 11 into the mouth of the channel formed by walls 5 and 6 until the edge of lip 11 engages in the angle between wall 5 and lip 7 thereof. The tile is thus fixedly mounted in and supported by the tile support member. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the tile support member comprises an elongate channel defined by base 1 2 and side walls 1 3 and 1 4 each, respectively, extending inwardly and upwardly from base 12, wall 1 3 being provided with at the upper edge thereof an outwardly curved lip 1 5 to facilitate insertion of the support engaging projection of a tile therein. The tile 1 has a box-like body, similar to that shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and has, extending from the upper edge thereof a projection 1 5 which is so shaped as to fit tightly in snap-engagement with the channel defined by base 1 2 and walls 1 3 and 14. As will be appreciated, in the two embodiments shown the tile support members may conveniently be formed of aluminium by an extrusion process and similarly the tiles may be formed from sheet aluminium by suitable bending and stamping operations. CLAIMS

1. A roofing system comprising a plurality of generally parallel and generally horizontal tile support members fixedly mounted on rafters or like roof support members and which tile support member are elongate channel members which in cross-section have an opening narrower in width than at least a portion of the interior of the channel; and a plurality of tiles supported on said tile support members; each tile comprising a body member having a downwardly extending shaped lip extending from the upper portion of the body, which lip snap-engages in a channel of a support member so that the lower end of the tile is downwardly directed towards said rafter or like roof support members.

2. A roofing system as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.