GB2207933A

GB2207933A - Roof valley gutter

Info

Publication number: GB2207933A
Application number: GB08819140A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Young
Original assignee: PROFORM
Current assignee: PROFORM
Priority date: 1987-08-13
Filing date: 1988-08-11
Publication date: 1989-02-15
Also published as: GB8819140D0; GB8719137D0

Abstract

An elongate roof valley gutter 1 has at least two steps 9, 10 which form both primary water barriers and edges 13, 14 for the alignment of e.g. tiles or slates forming the roof covering, the valley 1 being mountable on a roof structure by means of clips 20, Fig. 3 which do not perforate the water impermeable surface of the valley 1. <IMAGE>

Description

ROOFING VALLEYS This invention relates to roofing valleys.

Roofing valleys are used between adjoining roofing sections to collect and channel away water from the two roof sections and prevent ingress of water into the roof space. The roofing sections may be clad in customary fashion with tiles or slates, the lowest course of which, or the edges of courses of which overlie the valley in between the two roofing sections.

A standard well known way of forming a roofing valley is by using a generally V-section, elongate preformed member which has an inwardly turned lip along each longitudinal edge. These lips form anti-capillary barriers to prevent water being pushed up the sides of the valley and entering the roof space under the effect of wind.

However, these valleys are sometimes subject to damage during installation, as the lips along the free edges may be compressed or trodden flat by roofers walking on them and therefore be of no use as a water barrier.

According to the present invention, there is provided a roofing valley assembly for location between two sections of a roof comprising a generally V-section, elongate member and a plurality of clips, the member having at least two steps, one in each arm of the V-section and portions adapted to engage the clips.

Preferably, each step forms part of a wedge.

The step acts in practice as a first barrier to water being pushed up the sides of the member and into the roof space. It has further advantages, however. One of these is that the step may be used as a cutting line for slates or tiles overlying the member, much facilitating installation and the production of a neat looking roof. A second advantage is that the step may act as a resilient bed for the lower edge of the roof cladding.

Advantageously, each arm of the V-section is folded to form a lip portion, the clips being shaped to engage these portions to mount the member on a roof.

The member may be extruded or formed from flat sheet metal or other suitable material.

Suitable materials for the member include aluminium, zinc or stainless steel or any similar material which is resistant to weathering i.e. rain, sunlight etc. Plastics extrusions of appropriate grade may be used.

The member may be symmetrical about the apex of the V-section, or non-symmetrical depending on the particular application in which it is to be used.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective view of a valley according to the invention; Figure 2 is a simplified section through the Figure 1 valley; Figure 3 is a schematic, perspective view of a clip which is used to attach the valley of Figures 1 and 2 to a roof; and Figure 4 is a schematic, perspective view of the clip of Figure 3 mounting the valley of Figures 1 and 2 to a roof.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a generally V-section, elongate roofing valley 1 comprises a flat sheet of metal which has been folded symmetrically to form a central, longitudinally extending crease 2, and a pair of wedge portions 3 and 4 which also extend longitudinally but are positioned one each side of the central crease 2. Lip portions 5 and 6 are also formed in the valley 1 along its free edges 7 and 8 respectively. The wedge portions include steps 9 and 10 and ramp portions 11 and 12, meeting at ridges 13 and 14. Ridges 13 and 14 may be used as cutting edges as explained below. The section may be produced in standard lengths or any other lengths according to the desired application.

In cladding a roof structure, one or more than one overlapped sections of the valley 1 are first attached to the roof between two roof sections which, when covered with slates or tiles, define two adjacent roof spaces.

The slates or tiles are then laid, with the lowest course of slates or tiles, or the end slates or tiles of each course, being positioned to cover the ramp portions 11 and 12. Subsequent courses of slates or tiles are then laid over the previous ones and fixed e.g. to battens to clad the roof sections.

Before the first tiles or slates which overlie the valley edges are fixed in place, the slates or tiles may be placed in the correct positions and then marked by drawing a marking implement along edge 13 or 14. The marked slates or tiles are then removed, cut along the mark, replaced and fixed in place, e.g. on a batten. This method of working gives an accurately aligned edge to the tiles or slates of the roof covering along the valley and having an overlap of between 6mm and 12 mm. Alternatively in some situations the lower edges of the first course of slates or tiles may be aligned with the cutting edges 13 and 14.

A clip 20 is shown in Figure 3 which is used to attach the valley previously described to a roof structure. The clip 20 comprises a hook portion 21 which is formed integrally with a flat portion 22. The hook portion 21 is dimensioned so that it can fold over and engage either one of the lip portions 5, 6 of the valley 1 (as shown in Figure 4). The flat portion 22 is elongate and has a fixing hole 23 for receiving a fixing pin.

Figure 4 shows the clip 20 being used to fix the valley 1 to a roof structure depicted generally by battens 24, 25.

The hook portion 21 of the clip 20 is engaged wit-h the lip portion 5 and the valley 1 is then fixed to the batten 24 by means of a fixing pin 26 which passes through fixing hole 23 formed in the flat portion 22 of the clip 20 and then into the batten 24. This securely attaches the valley 1 to the battens without having to perforate the water impermeable surface with nails, spars or any other conventional mounting means.

The valley 1 may be folded from flat sheets of zinc, zinc alloy, aluminium, aluminium alloy or stainless steel.

Other materials may be used which can be folded and which also provide the resistance to weathering. Zinc and aluminium and alloys based thereon are suitable in this respect as they form protective oxide surface layers which prevent subsequent corrosion. Typical values of thickness are 3mm (llSWG) for zinc and 0.7mm (22SWG) for aluminium.

The valley may also be formed using extrusion processes.

Aluminium or aluminium alloys are suitable materials for forming a valley using such a process. Plastics extrusions may also be used, e.g. of polypropylene or unplasticised polyvinyl chloride.

The clip so may be made from any suitable weather-resistant material, for example, zinc, zinc alloy, aluminium, or aluminium alloy or stainless steel.

Advantageously, the clips 20 can be formed in a single punching/folding operation.

The fixing pin 26 is preferably made from stainless steel.

Once installed in a roof, the steps 9 and 10 generally are to prevent water being blown up the sides of the valley and passing into the roof space. However, if some water does pass over steps 9 and 10 in severe conditions, the lip portions 5 and 6 form anti-capillary barriers to reduce the risk of water entering the roof space even in such severe conditions.

Furthermore, by using clips to mount the valley on a roof, the water impermeable surface of the valley itself is not perforated by nails etc which allow water to penetrate into the roof space.

In the prior art roofing valleys, the only protection against the penetration of water into the roof spaces is the edge lip portion, which if it is damaged provides no protection against the. ingress of water. The roofing valley of the present invention still provides protection against the ingress of water if the lip portions are damaged as they now constitute only secondary barriers, the steps 9 and 10 being the primary barriers.

In the described embodiment, the -roofing valley is symmetrical about a central crease 2, but in some circumstances, for example, where roof sections are angled differently, a non-symmetrical roofing valley would be more suitable.

The valley of the invention also serves to reduce the risk of lifting of the slates or tiles due to the wind and prevents loosening of fixings due to the wind vibration if the slates or tiles-are fixed with their edges accurately aligned against the edges of the steps, with an overlap of between 6mm and l2mm.

Typical dimensions for a domestic home roofing valley are: steps height (9,10) approximately 2cm, ramp width (11,12) approximately 5cm, and a lip portion of about 5mm. A convenient standard length for sections of valley is 240cm.

Claims

1. A roofing valley assembly for location between two sections of a roof comprising a generally V-section, elongate member and a plurality of clips, the member having at least two steps, one in each arm of the V-section and portions adapted to engage the clips..

2. A roofing valley assembly according to Claim 1, wherein each step forms part of a wedge.

3. A roofing valley assembly according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the step forms a cutting line for slates or tiles overlying the valley.

4. A roofing valley assembly according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein each arm of the V-section is folded to form a lip portion.

5. A roofing valley assembly according to Claim 4, wherein the clips are shaped to engage the lip portions of the member to mount it on a roof.

6. A roofing valley assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the member is formed from flat sheet metal.

7. A roofing valley assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the member is formed by an extrusion process.

8. A roofing valley assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the member is of aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

9. A roofing valley assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the member is of zinc or a zinc alloy.

10. A roofing valley assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the member is of stainless steel.

11. A roofing valley assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the member is symmetrical.

12. A roofing valley assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.