GB2131060A - Preventing penetration of water through tiled or slated pitched roofs - Google Patents

Abstract

Weathering members 7 which underlie the rows of tiles 1, drain any water seeping between adjacent tiles in a particular row to the upper surfaces of tiles in the next row down. Each member 7 includes a transverse channel 8 which receives the tile nibs 11 and which engages a supporting roof batten 2. Thus plane tiles or slates, which do not interlock laterally, may be laid as shown with no overlapping of the tiles in their central regions. Members 7 may incorporate tapered depressions 9. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roofing systems This invention relates to roofing systems and is particularly concerned with the weathering of roofing systems comprising overlapping rows of tiles, slates or other individual units.

In one such system, the roof tiles or like units are supported by a plurality of spaced battens secured transversely to the pitched rafters of the roof. Conventionally, the front end or head portion of each tile is provided with a transverse nib on its underside which engages the front edge of the batten upon which the tile rests so as to prevent the tile sliding from the roof. The trailing edges of the tiles in a particular row rest on top of the heads of the tiles in the adjacent lower row, such that water may run from one tile to the next down the roof without seeping into the underlying roof space.

However, it is clearly essential in such a system that water is prevented from seeping between the side edges of adjacent tiles, i.e. through the side joints of the tiles, in a particular row. To this end, many roof tiles are provided with contoured complementariiy fitting interlocking regions along their side edges and water seeping between the side edges of the tiles is collected by and runs down such regions.

However, in numerous applications, often for aesthetic reasons and in traditional roofs, interlocking roof tiles are undesirable and instead so-called plain tiles or slates are preferred which do not interlock, the side edges of one tile simply abutting against the edges of the adjacent tiles in the row. In such a system, in order to avoid water seeping to beneath the roof space it has previously been necessary to lay the tiles or slates substantially three deep in a staggered manner such that the side joints between the tiles in any one row are underlaid by tiles in at least one underlying row, staggered from the first. However, this clearly complicates the roofing process and requires an increased number of roof tiles or slates for a given roof area with resulting increase in costs.

In an attempt to overcome this problem it has been proposed to provide strips of roofing felt disposed immediately below each row of tiles which collect and drain any water seeping between the abutting side edges of the tiles.

However, this method of weathering the roof is somewhat laborious and again complicates the roofing process.

Viewed from a first aspect the invention provides a weathering member adapted to underlie a row of tiles, slates or like roofing units in a roofing system and effective in use to drain water seeping between the overlying tiles or units in that row to the upper surface of tiles or units in the adjacent lower row, said member including towards its front end and abutment on its underside adapted for engagement with the front edge of a roof batten of the system.

Thus, weathering members in accordance with the invention may be disposed beneath each row of tiles in a roofing system whereby so-called plain tiles or slates not adapted to interlock along their side edges can be laid in a conventional manner, that is such that only the front and rear portions of the tiles overlap one another. The weathering members collect and drain any water seeping between the side edges of the tiles thus preventing water entering the roof space.

The weathering member is quick and convenient to lay and does not complicate the roofing process. The member is placed in position before the tiles in a particular row are laid, the abutment of the member engaging the front edge of the underlying roof batten so as to locate the member and prevent it from sliding down the roof, the trailing edge of the member resting on the upper surfaces of tiles in the adjacent lower row.

The tiles forming the next course may then be laid in the normal way, only with the weathering member disposed directly thereunder.

The abutment may be formed in any convenient manner, for example a downward flange at the front end of the member adapted effectively to hook over the underlying roof batten. In a preferred embodiment however the member includes a transverse channel towards its front end adapted to receive in use nibs of the overlying tiles or units and defining said abutment on the under side of the member.

In a preferred embodiment the weathering member is provided with a plurality of depressions adapted to underlie the side edges of the tiles or units and defining flow channels for water seeping between the side edges. Thus, water falling on the weathering member is channeled to the upper surface of tiles in the adjacent lower row which is conventionally staggered from the first.

The invention also extends to a pitched roof incorporating weathering members in accordance with the invention, although the form of the weathering member may vary. Thus, viewed from a second aspect the invention provides a pitched roof comprising transverse rows of closely adjacent tiles, slates or like roofing units, the construction of the units and the arrangement of adjacent units in each row being such that the regions where such adjacent units meet could provide at least partial access for rainwater to the interior of the roof, the units of each row overlapping the units of the row immediately below in a single overlap arrangement such that for any region where adjacent units in a row meet, there is a part weathered by the overlying unit from the row above, a part weathered by the underlying unit from the row below and a remaining part which could still provide at least partial access for rainwater to the interior of the roof, wherein there is provided a plurality of rigid weathering members each underlying a plurality of units in a row and providing weathering for the remaining parts of said regions where adjacent units meet, the members serving to channel any rainwater which passes through such parts to the upper surfaces of the units in the row below.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a roofing system incorporating a weathering member in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of a weathering member in accordance with the invention; and Figure 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line Ill-Ill of Figure 2.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 , there is shown a roofing system including overlapping rows of plain roof tiles or slates 1 supported by transverse wooden battens 2 which are secured to the pitched rafters 3 of the roof. As is conventionai a layer of roofing felt 4 is secured between the battens 2 and rafters 3, and the trailing ends 5 of the lowermost row of tiles terminate at the eaves of the roof above a gutter 6. Thus, water may run down the roof from tile to tile and eventually into the gutter 6 without entering the underlying roof space. However, the adjacent tiles in each row do not overlap and thus water seeping between the abutting side edges of the tiles could have access to the roof space. Despite the provision of the layer of roofing felt 4, this is extremely undesirable.

In order to overcome this problem, weathering members 7 are disposed directly below the tiles in each row. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 each member 7 is in the form of an elongate strip formed with a transverse channel 8 adjacent its front end, and including a plurality of tapered depressions 9 equally spaced along its length. The strip may be formed from any suitable material, e.g. plastics or metal. During construction of the roof, the members 7 are positioned along the length of a particular batten before the tiles in that row are laid. Each member is located by engagement between the abutment 11 on its underside, formed by the channel 8, and the underlying roof batten upon which the member rests. The trailing edge of each member rests directly on the upper surfaces of tiles in the adjacent lower row.The tiles are then laid on top of the weathering members such that their nibs 11 engage in the transverse channel 8 of the respective member The tiles 1 are positioned on each member 7 such that their abutting edges or side joints are located above the depressions 9 of the member 7.

Thus, any water seeping between the side edges of the tiles in a particular row is collected by the members 7 and channeled in a depression 9 to the upper surface of a tile in the adjacent lower row, conventionally staggered from the first. Water is therefore prevented from entering the roof space.

It will be understood that a number of weathering members are provided along each row and that the abutting side edges of adjacent members are staggered from the abutting side edges of the overlying tiles.

The tiles 1 may if desired be secured to the battens 2 by means of nails which can be hammered through the weathering members into the underlying battens. Alternatively, suitable tile clips may be provided, in which case appropriately spaced apertures may be formed in each weathering member through which such clips extend; if necessary such apertures may be weathered by suitable means.

Claims (8)

1. A weathering member adapted to underlie a row of tiles, slates or like roofing units in a roofing system and effective in use to drain water seeping between the overlying tiles or units in that row to the upper surface of tiles or units in the adjacent lower row, said member including towards its front end an abutment on its underside adapted for engagement with the front edge of a roof batten of the system.

2. A weathering member as claimed in claim 1 including a transverse channel towards its front end adapted to receive nibs of overlying tiles or units and defining said abutment on the under side of the member.

3. A weathering member as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising depressions arranged to underlie the side edges of the tiles or units and defining flow channels for water seeping between the side edges.

4. A roofing system including weathering members as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3.

5. A pitched roof comprising transverse rows of closely adjacent tiles, slates or like roofing units, the construction of the units and the arrangement of adjacent units in each row being such that the regions where such adjacent units meet could provide at least partial access for rainwater to the interior of the roof, the units of each row overlapping the units of the row immediately below in a single overlap arrangement such that for any such region where adjacent units in a row meet, there is a part weathered by the overlying unit from the row above, a part weathered by the underlying unit from the row below and a remaining part which could still provide at least partial access for rainwater to the interior of the roof, wherein there is provided a plurality of rigid weathering members each underlying a plurality of units in a row and providing weathering for the remaining parts of the said regions where adjacent units meet, the members serving to channel any rainwater which passes through such parts to the upper surfaces of the units in the row below.

6. A pitched roof as claimed in claim 5 wherein the weathering members are as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3.

7. A weathering member substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A pitched roof substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.