GB2116225A - Decking systems - Google Patents

Abstract

A plurality of rectangular panels 10 particularly for roofs have edge portions 26 to interengage portions 38 of parallel support members 36. The support members are emplaceable at spacings corresponding to widths of the panels to assist in sideways location of the panels. The panels preferably comprise sheeting carrying insulation bounded thereto or formed thereon, the sheeting extending beyond the insulation and beyond their formed edge portions to permit a substantial side overlap of adjacent panels. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Decking systems The invention relates to decking systems, particularly for roofs.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a decking system comprising support members such as purlins emplaced parallel at spacings corresponding to widths of panels that have edge portions formed complementarily to interengage support member portions for sideways location purposes. Preferred panels each comprise sheeting, usually metal, carrying insulation, usually bonded thereto if not formed thereon, say by foaming. Such preferred panels are conveniently covered and weatherproofed after installation by felting, usually two staggered and adhered layers thereof.

Extensions of the panels beyond their said formed edge portions, typically of the sheeting of the preferred panels beyond the insulation, preferably permit a substantial side overlap of adjacent panels.

In an essentially similar manner, extensions of one end portion of each panel also allow overlapped installation of ends of the panels, preferably with at least one latching mating set of complementary formations, such as transverse corrugation, fluting or impressed ribbing. Other or further transverse corrugation, fluting or impressed ribbing may serve usefully for strengthening purposes.

In one embodiment hereof, a rectangular panel normally of greater length than width has a metal sheet base carrying insulation over a rectangular portion thereof extending from one end and from one side to positions leaving free other end and side edge portions; the metal sheet base having an inset groove at and along said side position, an inset rebate at and along said one side to take the free side portion of a side-adjacent similar panel, and parallel transverse inset channel formations extending between positions inboard of both of the groove and the rebate, at least one said channel formation being beyond said end position conformingly to take a said one end of an endadjacent similar panel.

Such panels are readily affixed via purlins at similar spacings to said grooves for side-adjacent panels and serve to stiffen such purlins without, or with less, recourse to specific interconnection thereof for stiffening purposes. A suitable purlin will, of course, have an upstand to engage in said grooves, say as an end nib on the upper component of a generally Z-section purlin.

Where lengths of purlins are not an exact multiple of lengths of standard size panels, the last panel can be cut and the remainder used to start covering the gap to the next purlin with advantageous resulting staggering of end-to-end joints of the panels.

Final weatherproofing is readily done by way of felting typically using two or more superposed layers thereof over the insulation and suitable sealant/adhesive for each layer, though one layer will often be adequate.

Specific implementation of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal and transverse sections through a panel or the lines A-A and B-B, respectively; Figure 3 is a plan view of a decking hereof partly broken away; and Figure 4 is a section through a portion of a complete roofing system hereof.

In the drawings, preferred panels hereof are designated 10 and are generally rectangular with a prescribed length-to-width aspect ratio, say about 3 :1. Each panel 10 comprises a base 12 of metal sheet material carrying a generally rectangular block 1 4 of insulation of prescribed thickness suited to requirements.

The insulation 14 extends from one end 1 6 and from one side 1 8 of the base 1 2 to positions 20 and 22 that leave free edge portions 24 and 26 at the other end and other side respectively of the base 12.

At the positions 22 and extending along the length of the panel 10, the base 12 has an inset groove 28 shown with a substantially right angle bend 30 from the free side edge portion 26 to be flush with side 32 of the insulation block. Sloping of the other side 34 of the groove 28 aids engagement of the groove on an upstand of a purlin at installation of panels hereof to form a decking. A suitable purlin 1 8 shown at 36 as being of generally right-angular Z-section with a rib 38 on its upper free edge as an upstand to engage in the groove 28.

At the other side 40 of the panel 10, its base has an inset rebate 42 that will accommodate the extent and thickness of the free side edge base portion 26 of a side-adjacent panel 1 0. Between the groove 28 and the rebate 42 and from end positions 44 and 46 inboard thereof, see flats 48 and 50, the base 12 has equally spaced parallel channel formations 52 that are shown as being of 450 slope-sided flat-bottomed configuration mirror-imaging their spacings 54. The latter matching of channels 52 and spacings 54 is not essential, but the spacings 54A from the one end 16 of the base 12 is required to fit over and into the spacing 54B in the free end base edge portion 24 so that end-adjacent panels latch one to the other with close butting of their insulation 1 4.

Panels 10 as shown are of satisfactory stiffness, at least for widths up to about one metre, for there to be little or no requirement for further tying of supporting purl ins even of Z-section.

Figure 3 shows how a roof decking is formed using panels 10 hereof. Purlins 36 are parallel at spacings corresponding to grooves 28 of side adjacent panels 10. Panels 10 are used to cover spacing 60 between purlins 36, by engagement of panel grooves 28 on purlin ribs 38. Waste is at least reduced, if not virtually entirely avoided, and a staggered end-to-end jointing achieved, by cutting panels 10 and using at least most of both resulting parts. Where the lengths of the purlins are an exact whole-number multiple of the effective lengths of the panels 10, i.e. of their insulation 14, a cut panel can give various required or desired patterns of staggered end-toend joints. Otherwise, of course, i.e. for other lengths of purl ins, a pattern of staggered end-toend will be imposed naturally, or can be adjusted by further cutting with only very small waste.

After installation of the panels 10 over purlins 36 to cover their spacings 60, weatherproofing is readily achieved using suitable sheet material overlaid on the insulation 14 of the panels, conveniently using suitable sealant-adhesive in two layers 62, 64 which may be roofing felt or equivalent.

It will be appreciated that decking systems hereof permit of purlins fitment being omitted from prior construction work and left entirely to the roofing contractor, who will first install purlins having upstands to suit the panels 10. Those purlins will be at spacings to suit the panels 10 and also of a suitable strength for the roof area, etc. concerned, conveniently a matter only of purlin height, though the gauge of its constituent material could also be a variable as could the material itself. After installing purlins 66, via their lower flanges in conventional manner, say bolting, the panels 10 will be fitted with a minimum fastening requirement 68 that is readily satisfied.

Finally, of course, suitable weatherproofing will be done, usually via roofing felt in generally conventional manner.

Claims (13)

1. A decking system comprising a plurality of panels that have edge portions formed complementarily to interengage portions of parallel support members for said panels, said support members being emplaceable at spacings corresponding to widths of the panels to assist in sideways location of said panels.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said panels each comprise sheeting carrying insulation bonded thereto or formed thereon.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein extensions of said panels beyond their said formed edge portions permit a substantial side overlap of adjacent panels.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the extensions comprise the sheeting extending beyond the insulation carried thereon.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein extensions of one end portion of each said panel allow overlapped installation of ends of said panels with at least one latching mating set of complementary formations.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the complementary formations are formed from transverse corrugation, fluting or impressed ribbing.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support members are purlins.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein weather-proofing of said panels is achievable after installation thereof by overlaying at least one layer of a suitable sheet material on the insulation.

9. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said panels are adaptable to form a staggered end-to-end justing arrangement.

10. A rectangular panel for use in a decking system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 having a greater length than width, comprising a metal sheet base carrying insulation over a rectangular portion thereof extending from one end and from one side to positions leaving free other end and side edge portions; the metal sheet base having an inset groove at and along said side position, an inset rebate at and along one side to take the free side portion of a side-adjacent similar panel, and parallel transverse inset channel formations extending between positions inboard of both of the groove and the rebate, at least one said channel formation being beyond said end position conformingly to take a said one end of an end-adjacent similar panel.

11. A panel as claimed in claim 10, wherein said panel is affixable via purlins at similar spacings to said grooves for side-adjacent panels and serve to stiffen such purlins without, or with less, recourse to specific interconnection thereof for stiffening purposes.

12. A panel as claimed in claim 11, wherein said purlins each comprise an upstand adapted to engage in said grooves, said upstand comprising an end nib on a upper component of a generally Z-section purlin.

13. A decking system or a panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.