GB2141463A

GB2141463A - Jointing member for ridge tiles

Info

Publication number: GB2141463A
Application number: GB08414440A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie Gerald Hammon; John Alfred Fifield
Original assignee: Anchor Building Products Ltd
Current assignee: Anchor Building Products Ltd
Priority date: 1983-06-17
Filing date: 1984-06-06
Publication date: 1984-12-19
Also published as: GB2141463B; GB8414440D0

Abstract

The member (2) is of curved or angled shape when considered in end view and, when considered in cross- section parallel to the line of a ridge, has a U-shaped portion (4) which is fitted over an end (3) of a ridge tile 1, and engagement means in the form of a projection (13) which co-operates with the undersurface (14) of the adjacent tile. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tiled Structures The present invention relates to ridge coverings for tiled roofs and is more particularly concerned with fixing or jointing members for fixing or jointing the ridge caps or tiles in position without the using of mortar. Such fixing or jointing members will hereinafter be referred to generically as "jointing members".

The published specification (No.

21 05384A) of U.K. Patent Application No.

8126622 discloses a jointing member for facilitating the laying of ridge tiles in end to end relationship without mortar, the jointing member having a curved or angular shape and an Hshaped cross-section parallel to the line of the ridge so that the opposing ends of adjacent ridge tiles can be fitted between the parallel arms of the H on opposite sides of the central web which is provided with a through hole to accept a fixing nail.

Such jointing members do, however, have a number of disadvantages. The ridge is difficult for the roof layer to fit whilst standing on the roof since two hands are required one to lift up one of the opposing ridge tiles and other to fit the jointing member on the other adjacent ridge tile. The jointing member can be difficult to fit on the ends of adjacent tiles due to variations which can occur in the thickness of the ridge tiles at their ends and to distortions which can occur in ridge tiles.

Moreover, even if these known jointing members were fitted to the ridge tiles ends at the factory the roofing layer would still have to use both hands for laying the ridges.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a jointing member for use in the laying of ridge tiles in end to end relationship which avoids or substantially reduces the aforementioned disadvantages, a ridge tile having such a jointing member fitted thereto and a roof capping or ridge including a plurality of such jointing members.

To this end, the present invention consists in a jointing member for use in the laying of ridge tiles in end to end relationship, said jointing member being of curved or angled shape when considered in end view and, when considered in crosssection parallel to the line of a ridge, having a portion which is generally U-shaped for receiving an end of a ridge tile, with the base of the U having engagement means for co-operating with the undersurface of'an adjacent ridge tile, or with another similar jointing member to be fitted on an adjacent ridge tile.

By means of the invention, a ridge can be laid with the roof layer using only one hand. Moreover, jointing members constructed in accordance with the present invention can be fitted to ends of the ridge tiles in the factory thereby further facilitating laying of the ridge.

In one embodiment of the invention, the engagement means of the jointing member is of the kind which co-operates with the undersurface of an adjacent ridge tile so that only one jointing member is required for each two adjacent ridge tiles. In such a case the engagement means preferably takes the form of an arcuate or angled projection extending substantially perpendicularly from the base of the U on its side opposite the arms of the U.

In order to provide at least one channel for the run-off of any rain water which may penetrate the gap filled by the base of the U between the opposing ends of adjacent ridge tiles, the projection may be provided with at least one ridge or upstand of which the free end engages with the undersurface of the adjacent ridge tile. Similarly, the lower arm of the U may be provided with a ridge, nib or upstand to engage with the undersurface of the other adjacent ridge tile to provide a rain water channel.

Preferably, the undersurface of the ridge tile is provided with at least one arcuate or angled depression or recess for receiving and locating the ridge or upstand on the engagement means.

In another embodiment of the invention, the fixing member is of the kind which co-operates with a similar fixing member, in which case the engagement means on the co-operating jointing members are of complementary shape and interengage. Such complementary engagement means may be constituted by a projection on one jointing member engaging in a recess in the other jointing member, preferably with a snap fit, or alternatively upwardly and downwardly directed interengaging hook like elements.

Whatever type of jointing member is used, it is essential to firmly fix the ridge tiles to the ridge to which end the ridge tiles may be provided with through holes for nails near one of their ends.

The engagement means of the jointing members may be provided with through holes for nails which are alignable with the through holes in the ridge tiles or, alternatively, are used instead of through holes in the ridge tiles.

The present invention also consists in a ridge tile having any of the jointing members defined above fitted on one of its ends and in a ridge covering or roof having a plurality of ridge tiles laid in end to end relationship with any of the jointing members defined above fitted between the ends to assist in fixing or jointing the ridge tiles to the roof without the aid of mortar.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a cross-section through a part of a ridge of a roof parallel to the ridge showing a jointing member between the opposing ends of ridge tiles, Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken along the line Il-Il of Fig. 1 and through a roof structure at the roof ridge, Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sections like that of -Fig.

1 of other embodiments, and Fig. 5 is a cross-section through a roof structure at the roof ridge taken along the line V-V of Fig. 3 or 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a ridge covering comprising ridge tiles 1 which are arranged in end to end relationship and of which two only are partly shown in Fig. 1. A jointing member 2 which is preferably of a plastics material having a degree of resilience such as uPVC or polyethylene is interposed between the opposed ends 3 of the ridge tiles 1.

The jointing member 2 is of generally arcuate configuration when considered in end view or in the section illustrated in Fig. 2, to conform generally to the shape of the ridge tiles 1. It will be seen from the section extending parallel to the line of the ridge, in Fig. 1, that the jointing member 2 comprises a portion 4 which is generally of U-shaped form and which defines a channel 5 for receiving the end 3 of the right hand (as illustrated in Fig. 1) ridge tile 1. The upper and lower arms 6 and 7 of the U-shaped portion 4 have a degree of resilience and inwardly directed ends 8 to facilitate fitting of the ridge tile end 3 into the channel and to obtain a secure fit. As will be seen from Fig. 1 the free ends 8 of the arms 6 and 7 engage with the top and undersurfaces of the right-hand tile 1 to guard against the entry of rain water into the roof space.This facility is further enhanced by the provision of an arcuate ridge 9 on the lower arm 7, which engages with the undersurface of the tile 1 to define with the base 10 of the U and the free end 8 of arm 7 two rain water channels 11 and 12. The lower arm 7 is longer than the upper arm 6 so that the end 3 of a ridge tile 1 can be placed on the lower arm and pressed downwards to increase the gap between the arm ends 8 and thereby facilitate fitting of the jointing member 2 on the ridge tile. It will be seen that the base 10 of the jointing member fills the gap between the ends 3 of the tiles 1.

On the opposite side of the base 10 to the arms 6 and 7, and in alignment with the arm 7, the jointing member is provided with an arcuate arm or projection 1 3 constituting an engagement means which co-operates with the undersurface 14 of the left hand as illustrated tile 1. The projection 1 3 has two arcuate upstands 1 5 which are located, and engage, in two arcuate recesses or depressions 1 6 to provided two min water channels 1 7 in the undersurface 14. The recesses 1 6 are outwardly flared to facilitate entry of the upstands 1 5 and are of a sufficient width to allow for size variations in the lengths of the ridge tiles which is a common occurrence.

In the embodiment illustrated, the projection 13 has a through hole 1 8 for a nail (not shown in Fig. 1), which aligns with a through hole 19 for a nail in the ridge tile. The hole 18 is elongated as illustrated so that the holes 18 and 19 will be aligned despite any differences occurring in the lengths of the ridge tiles. In an alternative mode of fixing, the holes 1 8 and 1 9 may be omitted and a through hole 20a for a nail be provided in the ridge tile as indicated in dashed lines in Fig. 1.

The ridge portion of a tiled roof structure shown in Fig. 2 comprises spaced apart pairs of wooden rafters 20 to which are secured battens 21, and the upper courses of concrete roof tiles 22 are laid on the battens. At the apex 23 of the rafters 20 are secured at spaced apart intervals supporting brackets such as 24 for a ridge batten 25 to which the ridge tiles 1 are nailed as by nails 26 passing through the jointing through holes 1 8 and 1 9 (not visible) of the fixing members 2 and ridge tiles 1 or through the nail holes 20a in the ridge tiles.

In the embodiments of Figs. 3 and 4, the jointing member 2a, 2c fitted on the end 3 of the right-hand (as illustrated) ridge tile 1 has a Ushaped portion 4 but differs from that of Fig. 1 in that the engagement means projecting from the base 10 of the U co-operates with a separate similarly shaped fixing member 2b, 2d, fitted on the end 3 of the left-hand (as illustrated) tile. The engagement means of the jointing members 2a, 2b and 2d, 2c are complementary in shape and interengage and interlock respectively with each other.In the case of Fig. 3 the complementary engagement means comprises arcuate hook-like elements 1 spa, 1 sub which project downwardly and upwardly respectively from the base 10 of the members 2a and 2b such that when the jointing members are fitted on the tile ends 2 it is a simple matter to lift up the right-hand tile and drop the hcok-like element 1 spa into the adjacent recess in the fixing member 2b with the hook-like element 1 sub entering the adjacent recess in the jointing member 2a.

The engagement means in the embodiment of Fig. 4 comprises an interlocking projection 1 sue on the jointing member 2c which engages in a complementary recess 1 5f in the fixing member 2d by pushing one tile towards the other. A through hole 1 8a for a nail is provided in a thickened base 10 of the U of jointing member 2a (Fig. 3) and a through hole 1 8b extends through a thickened base 10 of jointing member 2d and through the projections 1 sue. Alternatively through holes for nails may be provided in the ridge tile 1 instead of in the jointing members as in the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows a roof structure which is the same as that of Fig. 2 except that the jointing members are either those of Fig. 3 or Fig. 4.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the complementary engagement means of the embodiments of Figs. 3 and 4 may be of any other suitable configuration.

Claims

1. A jointing member for use in the laying of ridge tiles in end to end relationship, said jointing member being of curved or angled shape when considered in end view and, when considered in cross-section parallel to the line of a ridge, having a portion which is generally U-shaped for receiving an end of a ridge tile, with the base of the U having engagment means for co-operating with the undersurface of an adjacent ridge tile, or with another similar jointing member to be fitted on an adjacent ridge tile.

2. A jointing member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper and lower arms of the Ushaped portion have a degree of resilience to facilitate fitting on an end of a ridge tile.

3. Ajointing member as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper and lower arms of the Ushaped portion have inwardly directed free ends which are engageable with the top surface and undersurface respectively of a ridge tile.

4. Ajointing member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lower arm of the Ushaped portion is provided with an arcuate ridge which engages with the undersurface of a ridge tile when the jointing member is fitted thereon to provide at least one rain water channel.

5. A jointing member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lower arm of the Ushaped portion is longer than the upper arm thereof.

6. A jointing member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the engagement means which co-operates with the undersurface of an adjacent ridge tile is constituted by an arcuate or angled projection extending substantially perpendicularly from the base of the U on its side opposite the arms of the U.

7. A jointing member as claimed in claim 6, wherein the projection is in alignment with the lower arm of the U-shaped portion.

8. A jointing member as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the projection is provided with at least one ridge or upstand of which the free end is engageable with the undersurface of an adjacent ridge tile to provide at least one rain water channel.

9. A jointing member as claimed in claim 8, wherein one such ridge or upstand extends from the free end of the projection.

10. A jointing member as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the projection is provided with a nail hole which is elongated in the direction of the ridge.

11. A jointing member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the jointing member cooperates with a similar jointing member, and wherein the engagement means of said jointing members are of complementary shape and interengage.

12. A jointing member as claimed in claim 11, wherein the complementary engagment means comprises a projection on one of said jointing members for engagement with a recess on the other of said jointing members.

1 3. A jointing member as claimed in claim 12, wherein the projection engages. in the recess with a snap fit.

14. A jointing member as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein a nail hole passes through a thickened portion of the jointing member with the recess and through the projection.

15. Ajointing member as claimed in claim 11, wherein the complementary engagement means comprises upwardly and downwardly interengaging hook-like elements.

16. A jointing member as claimed in claim 15, wherein the base of the U-shaped portion is thickened and has a nail hole therethrough.

1 7. A jointing member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and made of a plastics material.

18. A jointing member for use in the laying of ridge tiles in end to end relationship substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

19. A jointing member for use in the laying of ridge tiles in end to end relationship substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

20. Ajointing member for use in the laying of ridge tiles in end to end relationship substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A ridge tile having a jointing member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims fitted thereto.

22. A roof capping, ridge, or tiled roof including a plurality of ridge tiles layed in end to end relationship and including, between the opposed ends of each two adjacent ridges tiles, a jointing member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, with U-shaped portions and the engagement means of the jointing members respectively fitting over a ridge tile end and engaging with the undersurface of an adjacent ridge tile or with another similar jointing member fitted on the opposed end of the adjacent ridge tile.

23. A roof capping, ridge, or tiled roof as claimed in claim 22, as appendant to claim 8 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the undersurfaces of the ridge tiles are provided with a least one arcuate or angled depression or recess adjacent one of its ends in which depression or recess the or each ridge or upstand on the projection of each jointing member respectively engages.

24. A roof capping, ridge, or tiled roof structure as claimed in claim 23, wherein the or each depression or recess has a greater width than that of the or each ridge or upstand and is outwardly flared.

25. A roof capping, ridge or tiled roof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

26. A roof capping, ridge or tiled roof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

27. A roof capping, ridge or tiled roof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.