GB2141157A

GB2141157A - Roof tile

Info

Publication number: GB2141157A
Application number: GB08414062A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wolfgang Blaicher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-06-09
Filing date: 1984-06-01
Publication date: 1984-12-12
Also published as: DE3320744A1; AU2902284A; SE8403009D0; JPS6040461A; NL8401667A; SE8403009L; FR2550255A1; GB8414062D0

Abstract

A roof tile is constructed to receive earth or an inflated clay and earth mixture, may be used as the basic shape. For this purpose the upper side on the roof tile is bounded by upwardly projecting lateral walls along its two long sides and either the tile also has an overlapping element to bridge and connect adjacent walls of adjacent laid roof tiles or a separate element (e.g. a U shaped rail is clipped over adjacent walls. Means (such as elevated portions 7, 7' or a transverse wall 10) are provided at the foot part of the roof tile to prevent earth from being washed away and to form a type of retention step. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roof tile The invention relates to a roof tile with suspension elements on its rear side.

Roofs vegetated with grass turves, plants and bushes have been known in cold regions of the earth for a long time. Such roofs have good insulating properties, and the plants contribute an improvement of the air by producing oxygen and consuming carbon dioxide. They also enrich the earth with oxygen through their root system, so that process heat is liberated there by bacteria, fungi and other microbes. Upon the decomposition of the organic substances which have been built up by the plants with the aid of solar energy, the basic components for fresh growth become available once more. Besides being a sound protector and heat accumulator, the earth layer is also a water accumulator, so that violent rain showers are surrendered slowly to the ground water.

The planting of roofs is currently performed by placing a plastic fleece as a protective layer on the roof substructure and laying on the latter "co-roof" roof sealing element, upon which a mixture of expanded clay and earth is then preferably added.

The planting of flat roofs presents fewer diffficulties than the planting of roofs up to a pitch of 15 and over. Such roofs demand a totally different roof structure. Instead of horizontally oriented roof battens, it is necessary to create an uninterrupted plane surface, which is then covered with absolutely watertight foil, which provides a basis for the planting, for example in the form of a roll lawn. The required drainage, and also the construction generally, in this case is nothing but the direct transfer of flat roof planting to the conditions of the shallow-pitched roof (up to 15 ). For a steeper pitch it is necesssary with this method to absorb the shear forces by horizontal struttings.The reason why the fastening of such horizontal insulations presents such great difficulties is that the waterimpermeable foil has to be pierced, whereby however the waterproofness of entire installation is endangered.

The aim of the invention is to produce a roof tile which permits the planting of roofs even with a pitch of more than 15 , whilst the existing and customary roof construction with roof battens can be retained.

This aim is achieved by a roof tile with suspension elements on its rear side, in that its upper side is bounded, at least on the long sides, by upwardly projecting lateral walls and an overlapping element to bridge and connect mutually adjacent lateral walls of adjacently laid roof tiles is provided.

Convenient further developments of the roof tile are specified in the subordinate claims.

Such a roof tile, which does not differ in size or mode of fastening from known constructions, permits the formation of virtually self-contained earth-filled channels or small earth-filled terraces. The roof surface can be virtually "terraced" with -such a tile. The roof tile is fastened in the same manner as previously, that is to say it is suspended in horizon-tally oriented roof battens. The tightness relative to the substructure is achieved by a bridging element or overlapping element which engages over the upper edges of the side walls of juxtaposed roof tiles. The bridging element or overlapping element may also be the conventional top interlocking part of a tile, which is arranged on a long side of the tile body, whereas the opposite side of this tile body is constructed as a side interlocking part.In the tiled roof the top interlocking part of the one tile is located above the side interlocking part of the adjacent tile. The roof tile according to the invention does not demand a particular roof structure, and it is possible to replace the tiles of an already tiled roof by roof tiles constructed for the planting of the roof. The new installation of a roof provided for planting is also simpler and cheaper than previously, because it is not necessary to create an unbroken surface. The roof tile according to the invention makes it possible, for the first time, to provide steep roofs with a pitch of more than 15 for planting. The roof loading is absorbed better by steep roofs than by flatter roofs, and the planting of such roofs is therefore advantageous.

The invention is explained more fully with reference to several examples of construction illustrated in the drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a plan of a construction of a roof tile according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a side elevation viewed in the direction X-X in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of a surface covered with four tiles according to Fig. 1, in which the overlapping element, a top interlocking part in this case, has been omitted for the sake of clarity; Fig. 4 shows a side elevation viewed in the direction of the line Z-Z in Fig. 3, the overlapping and engaging top interlocking part being illustrated here; Fig. 5 shows a diagrammatic longitudinal side elevation of the tile covering according to Fig. 3;; Fig. 6 shows a diagrammatic longitudinal side elevation of two consecutively laid roof tiles, the upper sides of which are bounded each by two lateral walls and a transverse wall at the beaded part; Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a roof tile with two lateral walls and a transverse wall at the head part, also with a waterway at the foot part of the roof tile; Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of a bridg ing element or overlapping element for a roof tile according to Fig. 7: and Fig. 9 shows a longitudinal side clevation of two consecutively laid roof tiles, where the upper side of each tile is bounded by two lateral walls and a transverse wall each at the head part and at the foot part.

Identical parts of the individual constructions of a roof tile D according to the invention are designated by the same reference numerals.

The roof tile D according to Fig. 1 exhibits a conventional tile shape. A top interlocking part 1 is provided on one long side of the tile body, and a side interlocking part 2 on the opposite long side. When the tiles are laid, the top interlocking part 1 is located above a side interlocking part 2 of the adjacent tile in each case. A cut-away Al is made in the region of the head top interlocking part, and diagonally to this cutaway Al, a further cutaway A2 is made in the foot side interlocking part-this is the basic shape of a conventional interlocking tile. Now, according to the invention, the upper side 0 of this roof tile D is bounded by a lateral wall 5 and a lateral wall 6. The possibility of also arranging a transverse wall at the head part 3 of the roof tile D is indicated by a chain-dotted line.

A row of elevations 7 arranged at intervals is provided at the foot part 4 of the roof tile D. These elevations 7 prevent earth and plants from being washed away. In order to intesify the effect, such elevations 7 are conveniently arranged mutually staggered in two or more rows. However, it is also possible, as illustrated, to provide further differently shaped elevations 7' on the upper surface 0 of the roof tile D. The elevations 7 and 7 may be constructed as warts or pegs. Screens or fleeces (not shown) may also be used instead of the elevations 7 and 7'.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate the laying of the roof tiles illustrated in Fig. 1, the top interlocking part 1 located above the side interlocking part 2 being omitted in Fig: 3. The overlapping and engagement of the top interlocking part 1 is clearly visible in Fig. 4; It bridges the upper edges of a lateral wall 5 and of a lateral wall 6 of two roof tiles located underneath, and also the upper edge of the lateral wall 6 of the roof tile located beside it; The engagement over a lateral wall 5 which is actually provided with the top interlocking part 1 is possible due to the cut-away Al in the head top interlocking part. It is further clear from Fig. 4 that a roof tile D according to the Invention forms a trough which is suitable for receiving earth or a mixture of inflated clay and earth.When a roof tile according to Fig. 1 is laid, vertical channels which are suitable for planting are produced on the tiled roof.

Fig. 5 shows a side elevation of two consecutively laid roof tiles D, for example of the construction according to Fig. 1. As in the case of a customary roof structure, the roof battens 1 6 are fastened on the roof rafters 15, and on the former, suspension bars or suspension lugs 1 4 shaped on the underside of the tile are suspended; The roof tile D exhibits only two lateral walls 5 (and 6), whereas the head part 3 is clear, so that the foot part 4 of the upper roof tile D rests upon the upper side of the head part 3 of the lower roof tile D. Barriers, for example elevations according to Fig; 1, or the like, which effect a retention, are provided at least at the foot part 4.

Fig. 6 shows a view similar to Fig. 5, in which however, the roof structure exhibits a pitch of 30 in the roof to be tiled. For such a roof, a roof tile D is used which exhibits, in addition to the two lateral walls 5 and 6, a transverse wall 8 at the head part 3. In this manner, when the roof is tiled, the foot part 4 of the upper tile is placed upon the free edge of the transverse wall 8. The slope of each roof tile laid is reduced by this means, that is to say the roof tile D does not follow the pitch of the roof and therefore does not have a 30 angle, but the pitch of the roof surface formed by the laid roof tiles is determined by the height of the supporting edge of the transverse wall 8 of the respective lower tile.

In this a manner a 30 pitch can easily be modified to a 15 pitch, for example. The reduced slope causes a lower flow velocity of the water. Consequently the dwell time of the rainwater upon the roof is substantially prolonged. In order to prevent the water from running to the side, a waterway, which remains to be explained more fully with reference to Fig. 7, is provided at the foot part 4 of the roof tile D.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a roof tile with an upper side 0 bounded by two lateral walls 5 and 6 and by a transverse wall 8 at the head part. For a waterway the foot part 4 of,the tile is shortened, so that the lateral walls 5 and 6 project beyond the edge of the foot part 4 and virtually form a run-off channel for water. A web 9, the thickness of which is less than the thickness of the lateral walls 5 and 6, is shaped axially to the lateral walls 5 and 6 onto the underside of each of the projecting wall parts. In this manner a step 9a is formed on each of the two external sides between the lateral walls 5 and 6 and the webs 9, so that, when the roof tiles D are laid, the external sides of the webs 9 contact the internal sides of the lateral walls 5 and 6 of a roof tile D located underneath (Fig. 6). A downardly oriented bar 9b which is shaped on the edge 4a of the foot part 4, connects the webs 9 mutually and completes the waterway at the foot part 4 of the roof tile D. The webs 9, and the bar 9b connecting them, prevent water which is discharged from the dish or pan of the tile from seeping along on the rear side of the tile body on the one hand, and from running along at the sides of the foot part on the other hand.

The roof tile D according to Fig. 7 is illustrated without a top interlocking part.

Such a construction is possible if a separate bridging element or overlapping element is used. One is illustrated in the form of a Ushaped rail 1 2 in Fig. 8. It exhibits substantially the shape of a top interlocking part 1, as shown in Fig. 2. When the roof tiles according to Fig. 7 are laid, the U-shaped rail 1 2 is placed over the upper edges of roof tiles D laid juxtaposed.

Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically a further construction of the roof tile D according to the invention, in which, in addition to the two lateral walls 5 and 6 and the transverse wall 8 at the head part 3 (Fig. 7), a transverse wall 10 is also provided at the foot part 4 of the tile. This fourth wall has the function of a retention step" similarly to the elevations 7 and 7' in the construction according to Figs.

1 and 2. In order to anchor such a roof tile D to the roof tile beneath it, the transverse wall 10 is made U-shaped at the foot part 4 and forms a downwardly open channel 11, into which the upper edge region of the transverse wall R at the head part 3 of lower roof tile D engages; Such a roof tile is equivalent to a plant tray. The transverse wall 10 at the foot part 4 is lower than the transverse wall 8 at the head part 3 of the roof tile. Here again, the height of the transverse wall 8 determines the slope of the laid roof tiles D, and it can be chosen so that the individual roof tiles are located virtually horizontal. It is thus possible also with the roof tile according to Fig.

9-similarly as with the roof tile according to Fig. 7-to cancel the roof pitch completely and produce a horizontal surface which forms an undisturbed foundation for a new biotope.

Claims

1. A roof tile with suspension elements on its rear side, wherein the upper side (0) is bounded, at least on the long sides, by upwardly projecting lateral walls (5 and 6) and an overlapping element to bridge and connect mutually adjacent lateral walls of adjacently laid roof tiles (D) is provided;

2. A roof tile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the overlapping element consists of a top interlocking part (1) which is shaped on the free longitudinal edge (1') on the one lateral wall (5), whereas the second lateral wall (6) serves as a side interlocking part (2);

3. A roof tile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the overlapping element consists of a Ushaped rail (1 2) which engages with a press fit over mutually adjacent lateral walls (5,6) of adjacently laid roof tiles (D).

4. A roof tile as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one row of elevations (7), in the form of warts or pegs, arranged at a mutual interval, is provided at the foot part (4) on the upper side (0) of the roof tile (D).

5. A roof tile as claimed in claim 4, wherein further elevations (7, 7'), arranged mutually staggered, are provided next to the elevations (7) at the foot part (4) on the upper side (0) of roof tile (D);

6. A roof tile as claimed in claim 1, at the head part (3) of which a transverse wall (8) connecting the lateral walls (5 and 6) is arranged.

7. A roof tile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper side (0) is bounded by two lateral walls (5 and 6) and a transverse wall (8) at the head part (3) and the foot part is shortened, and webs (9), which are shaped on the underside of the lateral walls (5 and 6) which project in the longitudinal direction of the tile body due to the shortening of the foot part (4), exhibit a smaller wall thickness than the lateral walls (5 and 6) so that a step (9a) is formed on the outside of each of the projecting lateral walls (5 and 6), and a downwardly oriented bar (9b) mutually connecting the webs (9-9) is shaped on the edge (4a) of the foot part (4).

8. A roof tile as claimed in claims 1 and 6, wherein a transverse wall (10) connecting the lateral walls (5 and 6), which is provided at the foot part (4), exhibits a smaller height than the transverse wall (8) at the head part (3) and is constructed substantially Ushaped as a downwardly open channel (11).