GB2212183A

GB2212183A - Conservatory with rafters pivotally connected to longitudinal beams

Info

Publication number: GB2212183A
Application number: GB8825606A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pat Pinnington
Original assignee: Universal Components Ltd
Current assignee: Universal Components Ltd
Priority date: 1987-11-06
Filing date: 1988-11-02
Publication date: 1989-07-19
Anticipated expiration: 2008-11-02
Also published as: GB2212183B; GB8825606D0; GB8726057D0

Abstract

Elongate structural members are connected pivotally so that standard extrusions can be used to construct a wide range of conservatory shapes. Thus a roof may employ rafters 54 extending from a wall plate 14 mounted to an existing wall, to an eaves beam 60. Adjacent the wall plate 14 the rafters 54 are fast with a carrier plate 18 which is pivotally coupled to the wall plate 14. Adjacent their other ends, the rafters 54 are coupled to a mounting plate 66 which also supports glazing panels and is pivotally coupled to the eaves beam 60. <IMAGE>

Description

CONSERVATORY The present invention relates to conservatories and to building elements useful in their construction.

Conservatories are often fitted to existing buildings, and required to fit around existing features such as doorways and windows. This imposes many constraints. In order to be able to accommodate these, and to allow the customer some say in the external form of the conservatory, it has been necessary to manufacture a great many different components, and time-consuming intricate work has been required. For example, the roof angle may be determined by the height at which the roof must join the existing wall of the building. This affects the components used for attachment to the building and at the eaves. The form of the roof (e.g. the number of bays, and the angling of different portions) has also previously been largely dictated by the availability of standard components.

The present invention provides a conservatory construction which includes building members which are pivotally connected so that the angle of connection is variable (at least during the construction process). Thus there may be means for connecting a roof to an upright wall comprising a roof member carrier which is pivotally connected to a mounting member for attachment to said wall. There may be eaves connection means comprising an eaves beam for mounting at the top of a conservatory wall, and a roof carrier that is pivotally connected to the eaves beam. There may be a hip bar assembly comprising a pair of roof portion carriers for carrying roof portions that extend away from a hip bar on respective sides; and a hip bar to which the carriers are pivotally connected so that the angle between the planes of the roof portions is variable.There may be a hip bar/ridge beam connection means to permit different forms of bay to be provided at the end of the ridge beam.

A kit of elements embodying the invention may include means for providing a roof with adjustable features at the ridges, eaves and hip bars. Construction of a roof can thus proceed from a few standard components.

The only operation apart from assembly that is required after manufacture is the simple cutting to length of various bars. Most components are desirably aluminium extrusions.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conservatory embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a wall plate, rafters, and eaves; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the region of a wall plate; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a further form of rafter showing its connection to a purlin; Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the eaves region, transverse to the eaves beam; Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the valley region; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a finial support and associated ridge and hip beams; Fig. 8 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the finial and ridge cap; Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section through the region of the ridge beam;; Fig. 11 is a like view of the region of a hip; and Fig. 12 shows the connection of a hip bar to the finial support.

The conservatory shown in Fig. 1 has a body B' running along the wall 10 of a house (not shown in Fig.

1). A wing W projects, ending in a polygonal bay B. The body, wing and bay all have sloping roofs R connected to vertical walls V via eaves E. The body B' is connected at the top of its roof to the house wall through a wall plate assembly 12. The wing W adjoins the body B' at a valley V. The wing W has an apical ridge R running from the house wall to the bay B, where it terminates in a central finial F.

An adjustable wall plate assembly 12 is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The assembly comprises three aluminium extrusions 14,16,18 which form a box section (here approximately triangular). A mounting plate 14 is fast with the wall 10. An upper portion has a tongue 20 and shoulder 21 that engages a hooked flange 22 of an apron plate 16 in a manner that allows the plate 16 to be raised to accommodate different roof angles. This extends forwardly and downwardly. Alternative plates 16 extending at different angles (e.g. from 1240 to 300 to the horizontal) may be available. Adjacent the front edge, there is an Lshaped flange 24 terminating in a limb 26 extending rearwardly.

The mounting plate 14 has, at its lower end, an upwardly open channel 28. A carrier plate 18 has a lower flange ending in a bead 30 pivotally received in the channel 28. The plate 18 has an upper flange 32 that extends parallel to the limb 26 of the apron plate 16, to which it is sealed with a silicone sealant 34. (By pivoting about the channel 28 the carrier plate can be angled appropriately to the angle of the apron plate 16.) A flexible flashing 36 is dressed over the apron plate 16 and adjacent part of the wall 10; its upper margin 38 may be embedded in the wall as shown.

Roof members extend away from the wall plate assembly, parallel to the apron plate 16. The carrier plate 18 has a lower carrier formation 40 that provides a narrow inner channel 42, a main Section channel 44, and an outer T-section channel 46, all open upwardly.

Adjacent the upper flange 32 there is a dovetail channel 48. A retainer extrusion 50 is engaged between the dovetail channel 48 and the inner channel 42. It carries roof glazing 52. Rafters 54 are also carried by the apron plate 16: see Fig. 2. The ends of the rafters 54, are shaped as shown in Fig. 2 to fit the carrier plate 18.

The transverse section of a rafter 54 approximates to an inverted "T". The horizontal limb has an upwardly open narrow-mouthed channel 55 at each end. In the upright limb there are a pair of oppositely directed channel formations 130,132 which provide screw sockets (as do similar formations 104 of the hip bars shown in Fig. 11).

Fig. 4 shows another form of long span rafter 56.

This, like other elongate components described herein, is suitably an aluminium extrusion which can be produced in convenient lengths and easily cut as required. The rafter 56 has a wide base 120 and a central wall 122 which terminates in an upper beam portion 124. Slightly above the base 120 are a pair of coplanar flanges 126 that extend parallel to the base. At their outer ends they provide upwardly open narrow-mouthed channels 128.

A purlin 134 is an extrusion having a base 136, a central limb 138 forking to define a channel 140, and a pair of lateral limbs 142 terminating in narrow-mouthed channel formations 144. The purlin 134 sits on the wide base 120 of the rafter 54, and water can drain from the purlin to the rafter. Scroll pins 142 are mounted to the rafter 54 (in the glazing upstand) to locate the purlin 134 at a required position.

Figs. 2 and 5 show the eaves region. An eaves beam 60 has an approximately square box section with an upwardly projecting rear wall 62. This has notches 63 so it can be broken to a desired height. At the front, the beam 60 has a channel 64 on top. A roof glazing mounting plate 66 has a flange which projects downwardly, ending in a bead 67 that is pivotally received in the channel 64.

Thus the mounting plate 66 can be angled as required for a desired roof angle, and the rear wall 62 can be cut or broken to the requisite height. Fig. 5 shows the mounting plate 66 snap-engaged with a glazing carrier 66a which embraces a pair of flanges (66b) with external detents.

Fig. 2 shows how clips 66c for engaging rafters are engaged between the flanges 66b.

The underside of the eaves beam is coupled to a retainer extrusion 68 which supports upright glazing 70 of the conservatory wall.

Fig. 6 shows the valley V. A valley beam 200 extends from the eaves to the junction of the wallplate 12 and the ridge R. It has an upright wall 202 from the bottom of which a pair of arms 204 extend at slight upward angles, terminating in upwardly open channel formations 206. These hold carriers 208 for glazing 210. The carriers 208 have beads 212 pivotably received in the channels, so that different angles of roofs (and hence of glazing members 210) can be accommodated.

The bay B has a central finial F mounted on a finial support 74, shown in Figs. 7 and 8. This example is for a five-segmented bay B. A ridge girder 72 carries a cap 72'. The girder 72 is coupled to the support 74. This has a central member 76 having a head 78 screwed to the girder 72, and providing a channel 80 at either side. A limb 82 extends forwardly, ending in a forwardly open channel 84. At either side a respective hip bar carrier 86 is mounted. Each carrier 86 has an outer wall composed of a plurality of planar segments 88 (three in this example), each having an outwardly-open narrow-mouthed channel 90. A limb 92 extends rearwardly to engage a channel 80 of the central member 76. A short limb 94 is received in the channel 84 of the central member's limb 82.

Fig. 9 shows the finial/ridge assembly, including a finial 220 and a ridge cap 222. The finial 220 is retained by a threaded rod passing through the support 74 to a nut.

The form of the hip bars 96 can be seen from Figs.

11 and 12. The profile provides, at the top, an upwardly open channel 98 for engaging downwardly extending selftapping screws. A cover 96' like that (72') of the ridge girder is supported on top. At the bottom, a pair of Lshaped flanges 100 provide a pair of upwardly open channels 102. At intermediate regions, two channel formations 104 provide sockets for longitudinally extending screws 106. The inner end of the bar 96 is angled so that when the heads of the screws 106 are engaged in a channel 90, the bar extends at a preselected angle.

As shown in Fig. 11, the angles at which roof portions extend from the hip bars are variable. A roof portion, comprising glazing 108, is borne by a carrier 110,111 having a bead 112 pivotally mounted in a channel 102, so that they can be mounted for different roof angles. The carriers 110,111 can be identical to the retainer extrusions 50 of the wall plate assembly.

Lateral limbs 116 of the cover 96' overlie the carriers 110,111 and are sealed to them (by silicone sealant 118).

Figs. 7 and 10 show a ridge beam assembly. The beam 72 has at either side a glazing carrier 230 pivotally mounted similarly to analogous components (50,110) already described.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A structural assembly for use in a conservatory construction, comprising at least one first structural member which is an elongate roof member; and means for connecting at least one said first structural member to at least one transversely extending second structural member, said connecting means comprising a pair of mutually pivotally connected components whereof respective ones are provided by or adapted to be coupled with respective ones of said first and second structural members.

2. A structural assembly according to claim 1 wherein said at least one second structural member comprises a wall plate adapted to be mounted fast with a wall from which a conservatory roof is to extend.

3. A structural assembly according to claim 2 comprising a wall plate assembly comprising said wall plate and a carrier plate adapted for connection to the ends of rafters constituting said first structural members, said wall plate and carrier plate having complementary formations whereby they are pivotally connected.

4. A structural assembly according to claim 3 wherein the wall plate assembly further includes an apron plate which extends outwardly from the wall plate so that the wall, carrier and apron plates define a triangular box section; the carrier and apron plates having mutually adjacent flanges which are relatively displaced by the pivoting.

5. A structural assembly according to claim 4 wherein the gap between the flanges is sealed with sealant composition.

6. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim wherein said at least one second structural member comprises an eaves beam.

7. A structural assembly according to claim 6 wherein a first one of said pivotally connected components is adapted for connection to a plurality of rafters constituting said first structural member.

8. A structural assembly according to claim 7 wherein said first pivotally connected component has means for engaging rafters and roof glazing members.

9. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim including a plurality of first structural members, connected via said connecting means to a single second structural member.

10. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim further including at least one valley and/or ridge and/or hip beam pivotally coupled to one or more carriers of transversely extending roof elements.

11. A structural assembly for use in a conservatory construction substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

12. A conservatory comprising a roof comprising a structural assembly according to any preceding claim and roof panels supported by the elongate roof members; and a wall extending downwardly from an edge region of the roof.

13. A conservatory substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.