GB2206143A - Sealing element for use between roof ridge tiles - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to sealing elements 2 for use at the ridge of a roof between mono-pitch roof tiles 40. The elements 2 are manufactured as a generally planar flexible PVC blow moulding and each comprises contiguous portions 3, 4 and 5 joined by hinged portions 27 and 28 to facilitate the bending and retrofitting of the elements 2 to ends of the tiles 40. The elements 2 are of inverted "T" shape in longitudinal cross-section and each comprises a vertical stem 10 locatable, in use, between said ends of adjacent tiles 40 with lateral arms (11 and 12 Fig 2) of the "T" being locatable, in use, on underlying edge portions of the adjacent tiles 40. The sealing elements 2, which replace the traditional mortar joints between mono-pitch ridge tiles, may also be used with duo-pitch ridge tiles and "mansard" tiles. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN SEALING ELEMENTS The present invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to sealing elements and is particularly concerned with improvements in sealing elements for use with roof tiles as hereinafter defined.

By the term roof tiles it is meant those tiles commonly used at the ridges of mono-pitch or duo-pitch roofs or mansard tiles used at the joint line of roofs and similar structures.

In the past mono-ridge tiles, i.e. tiles which are adapted for use at the ridge of a mono-pitch roof, have been laid using mortar as a sealing means between the ridge tiles and the roof tiles with mortar also being used to seal the gaps between adjacent mono-ridge tiles.

One major disadvantage of such practice is that the integrity of the seals is destroyed when the mortar cracks due to differential movement of the roof structure on which the tiles are laid.

The development and general acceptance of dry fixings for roofs of some dwellings has resulted in the use of ridge to ridge seals. This practice has negated the disadvantages met with mortar.

Such seals are generally formed as rigid plastics mouldings which are of complementary shape to that of the ridge tiles with which they are to be used. No such seals have been proposed hitherto for use with mono-ridge tiles even though it has become common practice to utilise rigid plastics ridge to roof seals with mono-ridge tiles.

The present invention seeks to rectify this situation and thus conveniently provides an elongate flexible sealing element comprising at least one hinge section, said element being adapted to provide a seal between adjacent tiles as hereinbefore defined wherein the hinge sections connect adjacent contiguous portions of the element to enable, in use, the relative dispositions of the contiguous portions to be modified in accordance with the cross-section of the tiles with which the sealing element is used characterised in that the element is of inverted "T" shape in cross-section with a vertical stem of the "T" adapted to be located, in use, between end faces of adjacent tiles with opposite lateral arms of the "T" shaped element located under respective end portions of said tiles.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has three such contiguous portions connected by two hinge sections.

The preferred sealing element provided by the invention is provided with ribs extending along the lateral arms thereof to provide, in use, drainage channels in said element, the ribs associated with each contiguous portion being conveniently arranged in line one with the other or substantially so.

Conveniently the sealing element is formed as a thin section moulding of a plastics material.

Preferably the sealing element is blow-moulded from polyvinylacetate or the like material.

There now follows by way of example a detailed description of one embodiment of the invention, which description is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is an end view of a sealing element of the present invention, a mono-ridge tile and other associated components; Figure 2 is a plan view of a sealing element of the present invention as moulded; Figure 3 is a side view of the element shown in Figure 2 as seen in the direction of the arrow III; and, Figures 4,5,6 and 7 are section views taken along lines IV-IV, V-V, VI-VI and VII-VII respectively of Figure 2.

The sealing element 2 of this invention is a unitary moulding of thin section plastics material e.g. pvc and is initially formed to the shape shown in Figures 2 and 3 by a conventional blow-moulding technique.

The element 2 comprises first, second and third contiguous portions 3,4 and 5.

The portions 3,4 and 5 are substantially of inverted "T" shape in cross-section, see Figures 4,5 and 6 with a hollow central rib 10 thereof being provided by a vertical stem of the "T". The element 2 also has sideways extending wing portions 11 and 12 provided by opposite lateral arms of the The portions 11 and 12 are provided with upwardly projecting ribs 13 and 14 respectively which are spaced from said rib 10 to define upwardly facing channels 15 and 16. The ribs also add strength and rigidity to the sealing element which nevertheless remain flexible within acceptable limits.

The portions 11 and 12 are also provided with upwardly projecting flanges 17 and 18 at opposite outer edge portions respectively, see particularly Figures 4, 5 and 6. The flanges 17 and 18 together with the ribs 13 and 14 define upwardly facing channels 19 and 20 the purpose for which will be made clear hereinafter. The channels 19 and 20 are arranged outwardly of the channels 15 and 16 respectively and are substantially parallel therewith, see Figures 2, 4, 5 and 6.

The element 2 also comprises a hinge section 27. between the portions 3 and 4 and a hinge section 28 between the portions 4 and 5, see Figures 2, 3, and 7, the purpose of these hinge sections will also be made clear hereinafter.

At one end of the element 2, i.e. the upper end in Figures 2 and 3, there is provided a small upstanding wall portion 30 while, at the opposite end of the element, i.e. the lower end in Figures 2 and 3, there is also provided a small upstanding wall portion 32.

The wall portion 32 is also provided with a central rib 33 which lies in a plane and is coincident with the ribs 10 of the portions 3,4 and 5. The purpose of the wall portions 30 and 32 and the rib 33 will become clear hereinafter.

The sealing element 2 provided by the present invention may be used to seal the joint between two sideways adjacent mono-ridge tiles 40, only one of which is shown in Figure 1. A roof structure in which the novel elements 2 are to be used, comprises a facia 41, a roof batten 42, a tile 43 located on said batten 42 and a ridge to roof sealing element 44 of the type disclosed in the Applicant's United Kingdom Patent No. 2030629 B.

In order to assemble the mono-ridge tile 40 and the element 2 in situ on the roof, the element 2 is bent into the shape required, i.e. a shape that approximates to the cross-section of the mono-pitch tile 40, see Figure 1.

Assuming that a ridge of the roof on which mono-ridge tiles 40 and elements 2 are to be used is constructed from a right hand end thereof, a tiler procures an element 2 and shapes it, i.e. he bends it to suit the shaped of the mono-ridge tile. Bending of the element 2 to the required shape is facilitated by the hinge sections 27 and 28 and the inherent flexibility of the element 2. The tiler then locates the element 2 in engagement with a left hand end of the tile 40 as shown in Figure 1.

In this position the wall portions, 30 and 32 of the element 2 are engaged by respective opposite end portions 45 and 46 of the tile 40 as shown in Figure 1 and the wing portion 12 of the element 2 is located under a left hand edge portion of the tile 40.

The tiler then places the tile at a right hand end of the ridge where an appropriate closure member is provided, not shown. He then secures the tile to the fascia 41 by means of a conventional fastener 47, see Figure 1.

The tiler then shapes a next element 2, retro its it to a tile 40 and secures the tile to the ridge as hereinbefore described.

It will be appreciated that the right hand end of the second tile 40 will be arranged to overlie the wing portion 11 of the preceding sealing element 2. This procedure is repeated until the ridge is completed. Viewing Figure 1, it will also be appreciated that the ribs 10 of the elements 2 provide an effective seal throughout. the length of adjacent ridge tiles 40 with the channels 15,16,19 and 20 providing means for ensuring that rainwater, etc., does not enter into the roof space.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the invention, e.g. the sealing elements 2 may comprise more than three contiguous -portions and the elements 2 may be made from any suitable material.

It is also within the scope of the present invention that the novel sealing element may be used with mansard tiles or indeed conventional ridge tiles.

Claims (6)

1. An elongate flexible sealing element comprising at least one hinge section, said element being adapted to provide a seal between adjacent tiles as hereinbefore defined wherein the hinge sections connect adjacent contiguous portions of the element to enable, in use, the relative dispositions of the contiguous portions to be modified in accordance with the cross-section of the tiles with which the sealing element is used characterised in that the element is of inverted "T" shape in cross-section with a vertical stem of the "T" adapted to be located, in use, between end faces of adjacent tiles with opposite lateral arms of the "T" shaped element located under respective end portions of said tiles.

2. A sealing element according to Claim 1 comprising three such contiguous portions conncected by two hinge sections

3. A sealing element according to either one of Claims 1 and 2 comprising ribs extending along the lateral arms thereof to provide, in use, drainage channels in said elements, the ribs associated with each contiguous portion being arranged in line one with the other or substantially so.

4. A sealing element according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the element is a thin section moulding of a plastics material.

5. A sealing element according to Claim 6 wherein the plastics moulding is blow-moulded from polyvinylacetate or the like material.

6. A sealing element substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.