GB2170834A

GB2170834A - Roofing tile

Info

Publication number: GB2170834A
Application number: GB08603455A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Cannon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-02-13
Filing date: 1986-02-12
Publication date: 1986-08-13
Also published as: GB8603455D0; GB8503725D0

Abstract

The present invention provides a lightweight roofing tile 1 having on its underside 3 towards a lower edge 2 but spaced therefrom a generally hook shaped formation (5 Fig. 3) disposed with its open side facing towards said lower edge 2. Along its opposite side edge portions 12, 14 are provided respective lateral water flow barrier means 13, 15 formed and arranged for lateral water flow-resisting inter-engagement, directly or indirectly, with respective barrier means 15, 13 of a laterally adjacent tile 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roofing tile The present invention relates to roofing tiles.

Conventional tiles are made of relatively dense materials such as concrete and are thus relatively heavy. This in turn limits their size to relatively small dimensions in order to allow them to be readily handled. Unfortunately this has the result that a large number of tiles is required to cover any given roof area so that tiling of a roof is very labour intensive involving individual handling and fixing of large numbers of tiles. Whilst lighter materials could be used there then arises the problem of securing them adequately against lifting by strong winds whilst maintaining an adequate weather seal.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid or minimise one or more of the above disadvantages.

The present invention provides a lightweight roofing tile having on its underside towards a lower edge but spaced therefrom a generally hook shaped formation disposed with its open side facing towards said lower edge, and along its opposed side edge portions respective lateral water flow barrier means formed and arranged for lateral water flow-resisting inter-engagement, directly or indirectly, with respective barrier means of a laterally adjacent tile, in use of the tile.

Preferably the respective water flow barrier means comprise an upwardly extending first wall means extending along one side edge portion and a downwardly extending second wall means extending along the opposite side edge portion, said second wall means being formed and arranged relative to said first wall means so as to closely overlap said first wall means of a laterally adjacent said tile so as to form a barrier to water penetration laterally of the tiles.

Thus with a roofing tile of the present invention it is possible to use a very light material such as fibreglass and hence a relatively large size of tile, for example 1 metre square, which permits considerable economies in manufacture, handling and installation, whilst at the same time permitting easy fixing in a wind and water resistant fashion. Conveniently fixing is carried out with the aid of generally hook shaped fastening strips which are laid horizontally across the rafters in parallel lines spaced apart from each other at a pitch corresponding to the length of the tiles and secured to the rafters e.g. by nailing thereto.

The hookshaped formations of the tiles are then simply hooked over the fastening strips as successive rows of tiles are laid up the slope of the roof.

It will be appreciated that various other plastics materials including glass reinforced plastics may be used to make the tiles. Also the tiles may be readily made in various sizes.

Advantageously though, for aesthetic reasons, the larger sized tiles of the invention are each made with a surface configuration providing the appearance of a plurality of much smaller, i.e. conventionally sized, tiles laid adjacent each other.

Further preferred features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description given by way of example of a preferred embodiment illustrated with reference to the accompaying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first tile of the invention; Fig.2 is a detail sectional elevation across a roof tiled with tiles as show in Fig.1; Fig.3 is a detail sectional elevation up the roof of Fig.2; and Fig.4 is a perspective view of a second tile of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a grp roofing tile 1 having a lower edge 2 and on its underside 3, slightly above an overlap portion 4 (see Fig.3), a generally 'L' shaped section securing strip 5 secured thereto so as to define with said underside 3, a channel 6 open in a direction towards said lower edge 2. As may be seen in Fig.3, the strip 5 clips into a support strip in the form of a generally 'U'-shaped section 7 which is laid across the rafters 8 to which it is secured with the aid of nails or screws 9 through its lower, longer, side 10. By this means the lower edge of the tile is firmly held against lifting by wind. At the same time the upper edge 11 of each row of tiles 1 (except the topmost) is held down by the overlap portion 4 at the lower edge 2 of the tiles 1 in the upwardly adjacent row.

As may be seen in Figs. 1 and 2 the lefthand (as viewed in Fig. 1 and right-hand in Fig.2) side edge portion 12 has an upwardly extending part-cylindrical wall means 13 whilst the right-hand side edge portion 14 has a dow wardly extending part-cylindrical wall means 15 which closely overlaps the upwardly extending wall means 13 to form together therewith a barrier to lateral water flow from the outer surface 16 of one tile to the undersurface 3 of a laterally adjacent one. In addition as may be seen the edge portions 12 and 14 are formed and dimensioned so as to laterally locate adjacent tiles with a predetermined lateral pitch and extent of overlap.

Finally it may be noted that each individual tile 1 is formed and arranged, in particular on its outer, weather, surface 16 with a plurality of regularly spaced discontinuities or markings 18 to provide the appearance of a plurality of smaller individual 'tiles' 19.

In Fig.4 like parts are identified by like reference numerals. In the case of this embodiment the side edge parts 12, 14 14 are generally flat, the respective wall means 13, 15 being provided by a male ridge 23, and a female groove 25 respectively.

Claims

CLAiMS

1. A lightweight roofing tile having on its underside towards a lower edge but spaced therefrom a generally hook shaped formation disposed with its open side facing towards said lower edge, and along its opposed side edge portions respective lateral water flow barrier means formed and arranged for lateral water flow-resisting inter-engagement, directly or indirectly, with respective barrier means of a laterally adjacent tile, in use of the tile.

2. A tile as claimed in claim 1 wherein the respective water flow barrier means comprise an upwardly extending first wall means extending along one side edge portion and a dow wardly extending second wall means extending along the opposite side edge portion, said second wall means being formed and arranged relative to said first wall means so as -to closely overlap said first wall means of a laterally adjacent said tile so as to form a barrier to water penetration laterally of the tiles.

3. A tile as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 which has length and width dimensions in the range from 80 cms to 120 cms.

4. A tile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 which is made of a glass reinforced plastics material.

5. A tile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 which has on its outer, weather, surface a plurality of regularly spaced discontinuities or markings formed and arranged so as to provide the appearance of a plurality of smaller individual tiles.

6. A tile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 when secured to the rafters of a roof structure with the aid of generally hook shaped fastening strips laid horizontally across the rafters in parallel lines spaced apart from each other at a pitch corresponding to the length of the tile and secured to the rafters, the hook-shaped formations of the tile being hooked over a said fastening strip.

7. A roofing tile substantially as described hereinbefore with particular reference to Figs.

1 to 3 or Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.