GB2247258A

GB2247258A - Decorating soffits, barge-boards and facias

Info

Publication number: GB2247258A
Application number: GB9018294A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Robin Cooper
Original assignee: HUNTER BUILDING PRODUCTS PLC
Current assignee: HUNTER BUILDING PRODUCTS PLC
Priority date: 1990-08-21
Filing date: 1990-08-21
Publication date: 1992-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2010-08-21
Also published as: GB9018294D0; GB2247258B

Abstract

The soffit, facia or barge-board of a house is decorated by a finial 5, a dentil 14 or embellishments 8, 15 adapted to clip below the lower edge of a barge-board or facia. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FIXTURES AND FITTINGS FOR SOFFITS, BARGE-BOARDS AND FACIAS The present invention relates to fittings for soffits, barge-boards or facias.

A soffit Is a horizontally extending portion of a building located on the exterior of the outer walls of the building, usually found immediately under the roof.

Thus, in a typical house, the soffit extends from the wall to the guttering provided on the roof. A bargeboard is a board which extends adjacent the tiles or slates on a roof at the gable end of a roof. A facia panel Is a panel which extends horizontally, whilst lying in a vertical plane, provided on a building, such as a building having a flat or pitched roof.

It is increasingly common for timber soffits, faclas and barge-boards to be replaced with Items made of a plastics material and for these to be used on modern buildings.

In previous times, soffits, barge-boards and facia panels were often made of wood, and frequently items such as barge-boards were provided with very decorative edgings, formed by traditional means. Also facias and soffits were provided with various Items such as dentils to support a soffit, or various mouldings attached to the soffit or facia to provide a decorative effect.

The present invention seeks to provide fixtures or fittings for use with soffits, facias or bargeboards, typically soffits, facias and barge-boards fabricated from plastics material, to provide a decorative effect, and to a method of decorating such components.

According to this invention there is provided a method of decorating a component in the form of a soffit, facia or barge-board, said method comprising attaching to the component one or more decorative elements, each decorative element being adapted to be fastened to the component.

Preferably the element is provided with a clip adapted to engage an edge part of the component, the method comprising the step of clipping the element to the edge of the component.

Conveniently the clip is defined by a portion of the element of substantially channel form, the portion of substantially channel form receiving an edge part of the component.

Advantageously the component comprises a planar portion and a lip.

Preferably the said element is clipped to the lip.

Conveniently the said element is clipped to a free edge of the planar portion.

Preferably the decorative element comprises an element which visually resembles a dentil.

Conveniently the decorative element comprises an elongate extrusion.

Advantageously the extrusion presents a curvaceous face which is visible when the extrusion is in position.

Preferably the said component comprises a bargeboard or facia and the said element comprises a decorative element adapted to hang below the lower edge of the barge-board or facia.

Conveniently the element has one or more portions each defining a hook-lJke projection adapted to engage a rearwardly extending lip provided at the lower ed-ge of the barge-board or facia.

Preferably the method comprises the further step of passing a fastening screw through projections formed on the hook-like region to secure the element to the component.

Advantageously each element is provided with a telescopic connection to the adjacent element, the method comprising the steps of adjusting the telescopic connection so that the elements are evenly spaced along the barge-board.

This invention also relates to an element for decorating a component such as a soffit, facia or bargeboard, the element being provided with means adapted to clip the element onto the said component.

Preferably the means adapted to clip the element onto the component comprise means defining a channel or the like adapted to receive an edge portion of the component.

The element may be in the form of an element which has the visual appearance of a dentil.

Preferably the element having the visual appearance of a dentil is moulded from a plastics material, having two opposed side walls with a curvaceous well in between, the upper edge of the side walls being adapted to be located adjacent the under-surface of a soffit, the dentil having a clip adapted to engage the edge and upper surface of the soffit.

The element may be in the form of an elongate extrusion adapted to be connected to an edge or a lip of said component.

Preferably the elongate extrusion defines means comprising a channel adapted to be clipped onto the edge or lip of the component.

Conveniently the element further defines a curvaceous part having a free edge adapted to abut a face of the component when the extrusion is positioned on the component.

Advantageously the free edge of the element ordinarily is located in a position which would lie behind the front face of a component inserted into the channel, so that part of the extrusion is deformed as the edge of the component is inserted into the channel, so that the free edge of the element is thus resiliently biassed against the front face of the component.

The element may be in the form of an element adapted to be mounted on a barge-board, the element comprising a decorative portion and at least one hooklike region adapted to engage a rearwardly extending lip provided on a barge-board.

Preferably the hook-like portion is provided with at least one enlarged block adapted to receive a fastening device such as a screw or the like.

Advantageously means are provided to telescopically inter-connect adjacent elements.

Preferably each element Is provided with a protrusion on one side and means adapted to receive a corresponding protrusion on the other side in an adjustable or telescopic manner.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: FIGURE 1 is a front view of a house having a gable end provided with barge-boards incorporating decorative elements in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 2 is a view from beneath of the soffit and facia provided in the region of a corner of a building, again provided with decorative elements in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 3 is a view of an end part of a typical board as used nowadays for constructing soffits, facias and barge-boards; FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a decorative component for decorating a barge-board;; FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally on the line V-V of Figure 4 showing the barge-board and the decorative element when connected together; FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view of part of Figure 5; FIGURE 7 illustrates two decorative elements being connected together; FIGURE 8 is a perspective diagrammatic view illustrating a finnial for use with the barge-board and comprising decorative element of the invention; FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a decorative element for use with a facia or a barge-board; FIGURE 10 illustrates the element of Figure 9 when In position; FIGURE 11 is a view of another decorative element for use with a facia, soffit or barge-board; and FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a dentil for use with a soffit.

Referring initially to Figure 1 of the drawings, a gable end of a house is illustrated. The house consists of an end wall 1 supporting a roof 2 which Is a pitched roof, and adjacent the tiles are two bargeboards 3,4. At the apex of the roof a finnial 5 is provided. Gutters 6,7 extend at the sides of the house.

It can be seen that the barge-boards 3,4 have their lower edges decorated with embellishments 8. The gable end as thus far described is to be found on many houses, but, as will be explained hereinafter, the present invention provides a novel arrangement of barge-board, embellishment and finnial.

Figure 2 illustrates the underside of a soffit 10 provided on a building 11. The soffit extends outwardly from the wall 12 of the building and an upwardly extending facia 13 is provided at the outer edge of the soffit.

As illustrated three dentils 14 are provided located under the soffit adjacent the wall 12, at least giving the appearance of supporting the soffit. Also two decorative element 15 are provided extending along the lower edge of the facia 13 remote from the wall 12, and along the edge of the soffit 10. Again as thus far described, the structure illustrated may be found on many currently existing buildings. However, as will again be explained hereinafter, the present invention provides a new way of providing the various architectural features discussed above.

It is to be understood that it has been proposed in recent years to fabricate soffits, barge-boards and faclas, not from wood, as has been traditional for many years, but from a plastics material. Figure 3 illustrates a typical component 16 of plastics material manufactured for this purpose. The component consists of foamed cellular PVC, but the material has an impervious outer skin and is substantially rigid. It is to be noted that the component comprises a main planar portion 17 having, at one side edge an upstanding reinforcing lip 18.Elements such as the element 16 may be provided in any convenient length or width, and such components are now frequently utilized to replace existing barge-boards, soffits and facias, when the existing barge-boards, soffits and facias suffer from rot or otherwise need replacement, and also soffits, facias and barge-boards are frequently being made from such components when new buildings are built.

Figure 4 illustrates a decorative element 8 which is a component for use in accordance with the invention, to be mounted on a barge-board made from the component illustrated in Figure 3.

The element 8 consists of a main body portion 20 which is moulded from plastics material and resembles or emulates a carved wooden decorative element. In this particular instance the portion 20 defines a central recess 21 having circular extensions 22,23 and also defines substantially triangular recesses 24,25 formed in the front face of the decorative element. However, many alternative designs may be utilized.

The element illustrated in Figure 4 is intended to be mounted on a barge-board made from the component 16 illustrated in Figure 3. A barge-board is made from the component 16 of Figure 3 by mounting the main planar portion 17 vertically, with the lip 18 extending rearwardly and substantially horizontally.

Of course the entire barge-board would be inclined to have the inclination such as that of the barge-board 3 of Figure 1.

The element 8 carries, adjacent a linear edge thereof, two hook-like projections 26,27 adapted to be hooked or clipped onto the rearwardly projecting lip 18 of the barge-board. Each of these projections carries, on its upper surface, an enlarged block 28,29 which may be pre-drilled 30, as can be seen in Figure 5. Each hook-like projection defines an under portion which also carries a block 31 substantially aligned with the blocks 28,29 and again the block 31 may be predrilled 32. Thus, when the element 8 has been mounted in position on the component 16, a screw 33 may be driven into position through the board blocks, thus ensuring that the element 8 is maintained firmly in position.

As can be seen from Figure 5 the element 8 may be a hollow moulding of plastics material, although the element 8 may have any appropriate form.

Since the elements 8 will be pre-moulded of a predetermined size, it Is desirable to provide a means to interconnect the components, as they lie adjacent each other, to enable the elements 8 to be spaced apart at selected spacings, to enable the elements to be used on a roof of any particular size. Thus a telescopic connection is provided for use between adjacent elements 8 as illustrated in Figure 7. The element 8 is provided at one end with a projecting portion 34 and, at the other end with an opening 35 adapted to receive a projection such as the projection 34. As can be seen from Figure 7 when the elements 8 are mounted adjacent one another on a barge-board the projection 34 on one element 8 will be inserted into the open end 35 of the next adjacent element 8. The elements may then be slid relative to one another until there is an even spacing between the elements.Then the screws 33 can be inserted in position to secure the elements 8.

Whilst one type of telescopic connection between the elements has been described, it is to be appreciated that alternative forms of connection of variable length may be utilized. Thus each element 8 may have a projecting spigot at each end, there being a further component, which can be cut to length, adapted to be mounted on the spigots. Other methods of connection are, of course, possible.

Figure 8 is a perspective view, with parts shown in phantom, of a finnial (equivalent to the finnial 5 of Figure 1) for use in conjunction with a roof having barge-boards made from components 16 as illustrated in Figure 3. The finnial 36 may be made of a plastics material and may comprise a front face 37 having two rearwardly extending walls 38,39 at spaced-apart positions, there being substantially square reinforcing elements 40 extending horizontally between the rear face of the front wall 37 and between the interior faces of the side walls 38,39. Two channels are formed on each side of the finnial, one channel 41 being identified. The channel is formed by an extension of the front wall 37 beyond the side wall 38 and, adjacent to it, an upstanding channel formed wall 42. Alternatively the channels may be formed at positions on the side walls 38,39 spaced from the front wall 37.

A decorative projection 43 of conventional design is provided at the bottom of the finnial.

In order to mount the finnial in position, the upper end of the barge-board is cut so that it presents a vertical portion to be inserted into the channel 41 of the finnial. The part of the channel defining wall 42 which Is located where the rearwardly extending lip 18 is located is cut-away and the finnial may then be mounted on the barge-board. A similar procedure is adopted on the other side of the finnial which is then located securely in position. A top cap may be provided adapted to be mounted on the top of the finnial.

Figure 9 illustrates a decorative moulding 43 formed of an elongate extrusion of an appropriate plastics material. The moulding comprises a first portion 44 defining a channel adapted to receive in a clip-like manner one edge of an element such as the element 16 illustrated in Figure 3. The moulding further includes an arcuate portion 45 having a free edge 46 which is adapted to abut an exposed face of the element 16. In the moulding illustrated in Figure 9 the portion 44 is adapted to engage the free edge of the lip 18 and the arcuate portion is adapted to engage the front face of the planar portion 17 of the element 16.

Figure 10 illustrates the extrusion 43 when mounted in position on component 16 as illustrated In Figure 3. It can be seen that, in this particular embodiment, the rear part of the lip 18 Is cut-away to form a recess 46 which receives the clip-like part 44 of the element 43. The arcuate portion 45 is initially extruded so that the free edge 46 thereof would, in the normal relaxed state of the element, lie behind the front face 48 of the planar portion 17 of the element 16. Thus, when the clip-like extrusion is mounted In position, the free edge 46 of the arcuate portion 45 engages and is biassed firmly against the front face 48 of the planar portion 17 of the component 16.

It is to be appreciated, therefore, that if the elongate extrusion 43 of Figure 9 is mounted on an component such as the component 16 of Figure 3 in the manner illustrated in Figure 10, if the component 16 is then used to make a facia board or a soffit, the arcuate portion 45 will be exposed and will provide a decorative effect. It is to be appreciated that elements such as the element 43 may have many different designs. For example, reference may be had to Figure 11 which shows an alternative form of extrusion 49 which defines a channel-like portion 50 adapted to be clipped onto the edge of a panel or board, the base of the channel 50 extending forwardly to form an upper wall 51 which again terminates with a downwardly extending wall 52 which merges into a curvaceous moulding 53 terminating with a lower free edge 54.

It is to be appreciated that the lower free edge 54 of the component illustrated in Figure 11 will be located at such a position that it is resiliently biassed against the front face of a component, such as the component 16 when one edge of the component 16 is inserted into the channel 50. The curvaceous portion defines an aesthetically pleasing moulding.

It is to be appreciated that the extrusion illustrated In Figure 11 may be used on a soffit at a position adjacent a wall or may be used on a facia, and may thus be equivalent to the extrusions 15 illustrated in Figure 2.

Reference is now made to Figure 12 of the accompanying drawings which illustrates a dentil for use with a soffit. In this particular embodiment the dentil is formed as a hollow moulding of polyvinylchloride or some other similar material, presenting two opposed side walls 55, defining an upper edge 56 which is adapted to engage the undersurface of a soffit 57. Between the side walls a curvaceous downwardly and rearwardly extending wall 58 is formed. The dentil may have a rear wall, not shown, which extends upwardly at 59 above the level 56 and then has a forwardly extending lip 60, the lip being adapted to rest on top of the soffit 57.

Appropriate screws or the like may pass through the lip 60 and into the soffit to secure the dentil in position. The dentil is thus actually suspended by the soffit 57 but presents the appearance of a dentil which supports the soffit. Thus the described dentil is a purely decorative component and does not provide any structural rigidity for the assembly.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of decorating a component in the form of a soffit, facia or barge-board, said method comprising attaching to the component one or more decorative elements, each decorative element being adapted to be fastened to the component.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein the element is provided with a clip adapted to engage an edge part of the component, the method comprising the step of clipping the element to the edge of the component.

3. A method according to Claim 2 wherein the clip is defined by a portion of the element of substantially channel form, the portion of substantially channel form receiving an edge part of the component.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the component comprises a planar portion and a lip.

5. A method according to Claim 4 wherein the said element is clipped to the lip.

6. A method according to Claim 4 wherein the said element is clipped to a free edge of the planar portion.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the decorative element comprises an element which visually resembles a dentil.

8. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the decorative element comprises an elongate extrusion.

9. A method according to Claim 8 wherein the extrusion presents a curvaceous face which is visible when the extrusion is in position.

10. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the said component comprises a barge-board or facia and the said element comprises a decorative element adapted to hang below the lower edge of the barge-board or facla.

11. A method according to Claim 10 wherein the element has one or more portions each defining a hooklike projection adapted to engage a rearwardly extending lip provided at the lower edge of the barge-board or facia.

12. A method according to Claim 11 wherein the method comprises the further step of passing a fastening screw through projections formed on the hook-like region to secure the element to the component.

13. A method according to Claim 11 or 12 wherein each element is provided with a telescopic connection to the adjacent element, the method comprising the steps of adjusting the telescopic connection so that the elements are evenly spaced along the barge-board.

14. An element for decorating a component such as a soffit, facia or barge-board, the element being provided with means adapted to clip the element onto the said component.

15. An element according to Claim 14 wherein the means adapted to clip the element onto the component comprise means defining a channel or the like adapted to receive an edge portion of the component.

16. An element according to Claim 14 or 15 In the form of an element which has the visual appearance of a dentil.

17. An element according to Claim 16 wherein the element having the visual appearance of a dentil is moulded from a plastics material, having two opposed side walls with a curvaceous well in between, the upper edge of the side walls being adapted to be located adjacent the undersurface of a soffit, the dentil having a clip adapted to engage the edge and upper surface of the soffit.

18. An element according to Claim 14 or 15 in the form of an elongate extrusion adapted to be connected to an edge or a lip of said component.

19. An element according to Claim 18 wherein the elongate extrusion defines means comprising a channel adapted to be clipped onto the edge or lip of the component.

20. An element according to Claim 18 or 19 wherein the element further defines a curvaceous part having a free edge adapted to abut a face of the component when the extrusion is positioned on the component.

21. An element according to Claim 20 wherein the free edge of the element ordinarily is located in a position which would lie behind the front face of a component inserted into the channel, so that part of the extrusion is deformed as the edge of the component is inserted into the channel, so that the free edge of the element is thus resiliently biassed against the front face of the component.

22. An element according to Claim 14 or 15 In the form of an element adapted to be mounted on a bargeboard, the element comprising a decorative portion and at least one hook-like region adapted to engage a rearwardly extending lip provided on a barge-board.

23. An element according to Claim 22 wherein the hook-like portion is provided with at least one enlarged block adapted to receive a fastening device such as a screw or the like.

24. An element according to Claim 22 or Claim 23 wherein means are provided to telescopically interconnect adjacent elements.

25. An element according to Claim 24 wherein each element is provided with a protrusion on one side and means adapted to receive a corresponding protrusion on the other side in an adjustable or telescopic manner.

26. An element according to any one of Claims 14 to 25 connected to a component to decorate the component.

27. A method of decorating a component such as a soffit, facia or barge-board substantially as herein described.

28. An element for decorating a component such as a soffit, a facia or a barge-board substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

29. An element for decorating a component such as a soffit, a facia or a barge-board substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

30. An element for decorating a component such as a soffit, a facia or a barge-board substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.

31. An element for decorating a component such as a soffit, a facia or a barge-board substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.

32. An element for decorating a component such as a soffit, a facia or a barge-board substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 12 of the accompanying drawings.

33. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.