GB2191799A

GB2191799A - A mounting system for a shingled roof or wall covering

Info

Publication number: GB2191799A
Application number: GB08713924A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Haakon Thrane-Nielsen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-06-17
Filing date: 1987-06-15
Publication date: 1987-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 2007-06-15
Also published as: GB8713924D0; GB2191799B

Abstract

Lath (4) is provided with nails (3) which project a length corresponding to the thickness (T) of the slate (1) in question, and are spaced at intervals corresponding to the distance between 5 the holes (2) of the slates. A plug (5), preferably of a plastic material with a central bore (5a) and head (5b) is provided to be pushed onto nail (3) in order to retain slate member (1), and plug (5) substantially fills the space between nail (3) and the wall of hole (2). Due to the fact that head (5b) of plug (5) projects above the surface of slate member (1) the slates are prevented from mutual contact, thus, preventing penetration of water due to capillarity between these opposed faces. In one embodiment the bore (5a) of plug (5) is a through bore with a smaller diameter than that of the head of nail (3) which is provided with an upwardly and downwardly tapering top. The top of the nail 3 snap engages with the plug 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A mounting system for equally shaped slate members on a roof or on a roof/wall The present invention relates to a mounting system for equally shaped slate members on a roof, possibly on a roof/wall, as stated in the introductory part of the following independent claim 1.

For slating/mounting slate members as mentioned above, the slates are nailed to the lath so as to bring the heads of the nails almost or slightly into contact with the slate members. Thus, the slate members are held onto the lath and are permitted to move slightly in case of heavy wind. The mentioned nailing operation to being the head ofthe nail almost into contact with the slate member is a difficult operation, since driving the nail too forcefully may cause the slate memberto break and, thus, to be discarded.

Approximately 25% discard is commonly expected.

This is the case especially when slating is carried out by unskilled labour. Skilled slaters are scarce both in Norway and abroad. Both in order to simplify slating, and to achieve more use of slates for roofs and for covering walis it would, thus, be advantageous to provide a system simpiifying slating/mounting of slate members.

This is achieved according to the present invention by the aid of the features appearing from the characterizing partofthefollowing independent claim 1, and from the remaining dependent claims.

Amounting system for slate members of equal shape is thus, provided by the invention, by the aid of which the above mentioned dificulties in nailing the slates to laths are eliminated, permitting the mounting operation to be carried out by unskilled labour. Furthermore, the above mentioned large percentage of discarded slate members destroyed in the slating operation is avoided.

Due to the fact that the lath is, in advance, provided with nails projecting by a length which at least equals the thickness ofthe slate member in question, and with intervals between nails equalling the distance between suspension holes in the slate members to be used, the slate members may be placed on the nails to be used, the slate members may be placed on the nails by hand without use of tools or the like. According to the invention a plastic plug with a central bore is slipped onto the nail after the slate member is placed, and is provided to keep the slate member in place.The plastic plug with its head will hold the slate member on the nail, and the head of the plug forms a spacer meansforthe superjacent slate, thus, preventing penetration of water by capillarity between superjacent slate members which might otherwise cause damage due to moisture on laths and the roof underneath.

In one embodiment the plugs have a blind central bore, and they are pushed or driven onto the nail and are then firmly held on the nail byfrictional cooperation between nail and bore. This is achieved by the fact that the nail is, preferably, cog shaped and/orthe bore is conical converging from the opening in the stem of the plug towards the plug head.

Itisdesirabletoachievebettercontrol of the fixation of the plug on the nail in order to ensure easy application of the plug on the nail as well as satisfactory attachment between said members, i.e.

thattheforce required to removethe plugs is greater than the force required to slip them on the nails.

Obviously,this may be achieved byvariouscog profiles of the nail, and special shapes of the bore.

However, this is a complicated approach requiring special tools forthe production ofthe nails and, if desired, of the bores in the plugs.

It is thus, another object of the present invention to provide an attachment between plug and nail which is readily achieved with full control of the force of application, and the force of removing the plug from the pin, respectively, and consequently, with full control of the attachment of the slate on the lath which is provided with a pin, bythe aid ofthe plug.

According to the invention this is achieved by the aid ofthefeatures appearing from the characterizing part of the following dependent claim 7, and subsequent dependent claims.

If, as stated in claim 7, the plug is provided with a through bore having a smaller diameter than that of the head of the nail, which is shaped with atop tapering upwards, the plug may be urged down over the head of the nail and retained there either by the nail head being trapped in the upper portion of the bore, or by the nail being long enough to have its head projecting from the bore of the plug. In the latter case the nail may be readjusted by being driven into the bore by the aid of a hammer. The retaining force between plug and nail depends on the difference between the head of the nail and the bore of the plug as well as on the resiliency of the plug material.In case of no great difference between said diameters and great resiliency of the plug material the retaining forcewill be low. It maythen be increased by reducing the resiliency of the plug material and/or by increasing the difference in diameters.

If the head of the nail has a flat underside the periphery of the nail head will have a sharp edge tending to seize in the bore and, thus, provide a retaining force that is hard to control. In orderto avoid this the underside of the nail head is designed with an inclination from the periphery ofthe nail head towards the stem of the nail in the opposite direction of that ofthetop of the nail. The angle of inclination may be equal, but is preferably larger than the angle of inclination of the top of the nail head. Thus, it is achieved that less force is required to puttheplug ontothe nailthantheforce requiredto remove the plug from the nail.

In this embodiment ofthe plug and the nail the plug is not much movable on the nail and, thus, the slate member retained by the plug on the nail will not be able to move much. Especiallywhen slate membersareto be replaced in a covered area twill be suitable to have slightly movable slate members, so that they may be raised slightly at the free end turning to a certain degree abouttheirfixation on the nail. To achieve this the plug should suitably be slightly movable radially in relation to the nail. Thus, a slate member can more readily be turned upto permit access to the retaining plugs on an underlying slate member, which can then be loosened for removing said underlying slate memberto be replaced.

According to the invention this is achieved bythe fact that the bore ofthe plug has en enlarged end portion in the head of the plug. The enlarged portion has a diameter that is equal to, or preferably, larger than the diameter of the nail head. By ensuring that the nail head is placed in said enlarged portion when the slate member and the associated plug are mounted the plug will be able to move slightly in a radial direction on the nail and permit said turning up of the slate member. This is due to the factthatthe head of the nail resides in said enlarged portion, and the stem ofthe nail extends in the bore which has a larger diameterthan the stem ofthe nail.

In order to adjust any possible minor deviations between the mutual distance between nails on the lath and suspending holes in the slate members, a recess may be provided about the nail in the face of the lath intended for receiving the free end ofthe stem of the plug which has a slightly larger length than the thickness of the slate member in question.

In case of a possible deviation between the center line ofthe nail and the center of the suspending hole the plug can more easily bend the nail, when the plug is provided on the nail and is inserted through the suspending hole og the slate member. It will bend the nail about its point of attachment in the recess in the lath, and the plug can then more easily be inserted/driven down through said hole and onto the nail with the free end ofthe plug stem into said recess.

Further characterizing features ofthe invention will appearfrom thefollowing claims and from the following description ofvarious embodiments ofthe invention with reference to the drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a slate member, Figure2 shows a lath with nails in perspective, and with a slate member suspended from a nail, Figure3 is a view in section of a lath with a nail and a slate member, Figures 4and Sshow a first embodiment at a larger scale ofthe plug, as seen in section and in a view from below, Figure 6is an axial section of a second embodimentofthe plug with a nail mounted on a lath, and with the slate member indicated by dotted lines, Figure 7shows the plug with an alternative nail having an inclined underside to facilitate removal of the plug, Figure8shows a plug with a bore having an enlarged end portion, with a nail, and Figure 8a shows another embodiment of the bore, and Figures 9showsthe nail head of Figures 7 and 8at a larger scale.

Figure9 shows the nail head of Figures 7 and 89 at a larger scale.

Slates for slating a roof, if desired a roof/wall may have many different shapes to achieve different decorative effects. In Figure 1, however, a quite ordinary slate member is shown with a straight upper edge, two parallel sides and a lowertongue contributingtoformthetonguelike pattern of a slated roof. The shown slate member 1 has two holes 2 for being suspended in its upper portion 1 a. Holes 2 are intended for cooperation with nails 3 correspondingly arranged on a lath 4, as shown in Figure 2,which is commonly placed on a roofto supportthe slates (not shown).

Laths 4 are provided with nails 3 in advance at intervals A corresponding to the distance between holes 2 of the slate members. By ensuring that the distance between holes 2 and the lateral edge of slate member 1 corresponds to half a center distance between holes 2 the nails 3 on lath 4 may be provided with equal center distance A along the entire length of lath 4. If the holes 2 are situated in any other manner in the slates 1 this must be taken into consideration when nails 3 are provided in laths 4.

Figure 3 shows a section at scale approximately 1:1 through a lath 4with a slate member 1 suspended on the lath, and a slate member 1 on top of the first mentioned slate with said last mentioned slate being supspended from a lath at a higher level.

Nail 3 which is preferably a cog, is driven into lath 4 and projects beyond the slate face by a distance corresponding to the thickness of slate member 1.

Hole 2 in slate member 1 has a largerdiameterthan nail 3, and slate member 1 is kept in place on the end of nail3 bytheaid of a plug 5with a head 5banda central bore 5a that is urged down onto nail 3. The stem of plugs fills the space between nail 3 and the wall of hole 2. The plastic plug is preferably shaped so asto wedge about the clog shaped nail and atthe sametimeto press against the sides in hole 2. This is, e.g. achieved by a slightly conical stem of the plastic plug converging from the free end of the stem towa rds the plug h ead 5b. Bo re 5a m ay at the sa me time also be conical and converge from the opening towards head 5b.

The head 5b of the plug, preferably has a flat upper face, but with an underside that is slightly conical for contact against the surface of the underlying slate member 1. The underside of head 5b is, thus, in contact with the surface of the slate member close to the stem of plug 5, whereas the periphery ofthe head has a slight distance from slate 1. This permits a slight movement of the slate in a strong wind without causing lifting movements of the plug 5 itself to tear it off.

Due to the fact that plug 5 is provided with a head 5b projecting above the surface of slate member 1 contact between two adjacent slate faces is prevented. In case of such contact capillaritywould cause absoprtion of water which might reach the upper edge ofthe slate member and flow down behind the slate onto lath 3 and the underlying roof structurewheredamagesmightresultdueto moisture.

Plastic plug 5 also prevents direct contact between nail 3 and slate member 1. Heavy corrosion ofthe nail which is common due to direct contact between nail and slate member is, thus, prevented as well.

With the disclosed mounting system breakage during slating is also prevented and slate members are readily replaced. Slating operations can be carried outvery rapidly and, as mentioned above, may largely be carried out by unskilled labour.

In a further development ofthe plug and nail to achieve better control of the force for applying the plug on the nail as weli as the force for removing the plug a second embodiment of the plug is, as shown in Figure 6, provided with a through central bore 5a having a smaller diameter than that of the head 3a of the nail 3. The head 3a of nail 3 is provided with a top 3b tapering towards, and a flat underside.

Consequently, the plug 5 can readily be driven or pushed down on nail 3, and nail 3 may be beaten in by a hammer if the nail projects to far in relation to the length of the plug, as indicated in Figure 6. With this embodiment of the head 3a of nail 3 there will be a relatively sharp edge at the periphery of nail head 3a which may cause a very strong engagementwith bore 5a of the plug 5. Itwill, thus be difficultto pull the plug 5 off nail 3 in case a slate member 1 must be replaced. In orderto achieve a more controlled engagement between nail head 3a and the bore 5a of plug Sthe nail head may, as shown in Figure 7, be provided with an underside3cwhich is inclined from the periphery of nail head 3a towards the stem of nail 3 in an opposite direction to the top 3b of the nail head 3a.It is, thus, achieved that the obtained wedge shape of the nail head 3a reduces the engagement with bore Sa. Consequentiy, plug 5 can more readily be pulled off the nail. By shaping the underside 3c of nail head 3a with an angle of inclination athat is equal to or largerthan the angle of inclination ss of top 3b of nail head 3a, but extending in an opposite direction, it will be possible to apply plug 5 on nail head 3a with less force than is necessary for pulling plug 5 off the nail head 3a (see Figure 7).

In order to achieve a certain movability between plug 5 and nail 3when mounted on lath 4, the bore5a of plug 5 is provided with an enlarged portion Sc in the head of plug 5, and with a diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of nail head 3a. When plug 5 is pushed onto nail 3 nail head 3a will,thus, repose freely in the enlarged portion 5c, whereas the stem of nail 3 extends freely in bore 5a of plug 5. The plug may, thus, be slightly moved radially relative to the nail and, thus, the slate member 1 to be held by plug 5may be raised slightly in a mounted position, as indicated by an arrow in Figure 3. In this manner it is possible to get access to the fastening plug 5 of an underlying slate member in orderto remove said plug and the slate member if it needs replacement.

In Figures 6, 7, and 8 stem 5d of plug 5 is longer than the thickness T of the slate member 1 in question, and there is a recess 6 for receiving the free end of plug stem 5d around nail 3 in the surface of lath 4. The depth 6a of recess 6 corresponds to the difference between the length of stem 5d of plug 5 and the thickness T of slate member 1. As mentioned above, nail 3 can, thus, more readily be bent about its point of fixation to provide for a certain displacement of plug 5to adapt to holes in slate member 1 ifthere should be a small deviation between the center of hole 2 and the nail 3.

In an advantageous embodiment plug 5 may have a small enlargement 5e i the lower end of bore 5, i.e.

at the free end of plug stem, for receiving the head 3a of nail 3. Thus, plug 5 is more readily mounted in hole 2 of the slate member 1. By providing a small collar5fattheopeningoftheenlargementplug5 may be snapped onto nail head 3a and retained until the plug is beaten down onto the nail into a final position for retaining slate member 1.

Such a collar or lip 5f, as mentioned above, may also be provided in the enlarged portion Sc in the head of plug 5. A loose nail 5 can then be inserted into the plug from its head end and be retained in the bore 5a of plug 5 due to the fact that nail head 3a is prevented from falling out by said lip 5f. This may be of importance when, e.g. slate members 1 are to be arranged in a certain pattern on a surface, independently of the above mentioned laths 4with projecting nails. Plug 5 and nail 3 can then form a unit. When the slate member is placed in a correct position on the support said unit is inserted in hole 2 bythe plug 5 being pushed into the hole at the same time as nail 3 is pushed upwards bythe plug.Then the nail may be beaten down by a hammer, so that nail head 3a is again placed correctly in the enlarged portion Sc of plug 5.

Claims

1. A mounting system for slate members of equal shape on a roof, if desired on a roof/wall, each slate member (1) having at least one, preferably two, suspension holes (2) at their upper rim portion (1 a) for attachment by the aid of nails (3) to laths (4) extending in parallel and art a mutual distance that is adapted to the size of slate member (1), across the direction of inclination of a roofforforming a roof/wall cover, characterized in that the lath (4) is on one lateral face provided with nails (3) which project with a length at least corresponding to the thickness (T) ofthe slate member in question, and with intervals (A) between nails corresponding to the distance between holes (2) in the slate members (1) in question for suspending the slates on said nails (3) by hand, and by a plug (5), preferably made of plastic material, with a central bore (5a) for pushing the plug onto nail (3), said plug substantially filling the space between nail (3) and the wall of said suspension hole (2).

2. A mounting system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that plug (5) projects above the surface of slate member (1 ) in a mounted state to form a spacer against a superjacent slate member (1), thus, preventing penetration of water due to capillarity between superimposed slate members.

3. A mounting system as defined in claim 2, characterized in that the projecting portion of plug (5) constitutes a head (5a).

4. A mounting system as defined in claim 3, characterized in that head (5b) has a plane upper side and an underside which is inclinedfromthe periphery of head (5a) towards the stem of plug (5) and axially towards its end to form an inclined contact surface with an underlying slate member (1).

5. A mounting system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the underside of plug (5) is slightly conical for wedge cooperation with the suspension holes (2) in slate member (1).

6. A mounting system as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the bore (5a) of plug (5) is slightly conical and converges inwards.

7. A mounting system as defined in claim 2 or3, characterized in that the bore (5a) of plug (5) is a through bore with a smaller diameterthan that ofthe head (3a) of nail (3) which is shaped with an upwards tapering top.

8. A mounting system as defined in claim 7, characterized in that the underside of nail head (3a) is inclined from the periphery of nail head (3a) towards the stem (3b) of nail (3) in the opposite direction to the top of nail head (3a), and with an angle of inclination (a) that is equal to or largerthan, but opposite to the angle of inclination ((3)ofthetop of nail head (3a).

9. A mounting system as defined in claim 8, characterized in that bore (5a) of plug (5) has an enlarged portion (5c) in the head (5a) of plug (5)with a diameter that is equal to or larger than the diameter of the nail head (3a).

10. A mounting system as defined in claims 7-9, characterized in that stem (5d) of plug (5) is longer than the thickness (T) oftheslate member(1) in question, and thatthere is a recess (6) around nail (3) in the face of lath (4) to receive the free end of plug stem (5d).

11. A mounting system as defined in claim 10, characterized in that the depth (6a) of recess (6) corresponds to the difference between the length of the stem (5d) of plug (5) and the thickness (T) of slate member (1).

12. A mounting system as defined in any og the preceding claims 7-11, characterized in that the bore (5a) of plug (5) has an enlarged portion (5e) at its lower end opposite to the head (5b) of plug (5) to receive head (3a) of nail (3).

13. A mounting system as defined in claim 9, characterized in an inward facing annular lip (5f) at the opening of said enlarged portion (5c) for snap cooperation with head (3a) of nail (3) and releasable attachmentofsaid head in the enlarged portion (5c).

14. A mounting system for mounting to a roof or wall surface a pluraiity of covering members of equal shape, and substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1 to 3,4 and 5,6,7,8 or8a of the accompanying drawings.