GB2263712A

GB2263712A - Roof valleys

Info

Publication number: GB2263712A
Application number: GB9200975A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Henry Spooner
Original assignee: DANELAW IND Ltd; Hambleside Danelaw Ltd
Current assignee: DANELAW IND Ltd; Hambleside Danelaw Ltd
Priority date: 1992-01-17
Filing date: 1992-01-17
Publication date: 1993-08-04
Also published as: GB9200975D0

Abstract

A roof valley trough has at each edge an edging device (10) for inhibiting matter in the form of water or leaves from passing under roof tiles (SH) or other roofing elements. The device (10) can be resilient, has a portion (12) for attachment to the rafters, and a portion (14) for abutting the upper surfaces of the roofing elements. The edge devices may be formed integrally with the trough (1), or attached thereto, and may have an apertured lower portion to allow drainage into the trough. <IMAGE>

Description

ROOF VALLEY UNITS The invention relates to roof valley units for installation at valleys between pitched roof sections.

Many buildings have a roof consisting of a plurality of overlapping shingles, such as slates, tiles or other individual units. Generally the roof is formed from several rafters and beams onto which the shingles are laid. The general shape of the roof and the overlapping of the shingles provides suitable drainage for precipitation. Conventional roofs are built up by a support frame comprising inclined rafters meeting together at a ridge and supported at their lower ends on wall plates. The lower ends of the rafters are frequently tied together by cross beams to define an A frame or truss and adjacent trusses or A frames are spanned by transversely extending batons which constitute the immediate support for the roof cladding elements secured to the batons by fixings, usually pins or nails, driven through the cladding elements into the baton.The pattern of fixing roof cladding elements from the ridge to the eave comprises rows of staggered shingles, generally offset by one half their width from adjacent overlying and underlying rows.

Where two pitched roof sections meet a valley is created at the intersection which cannot easily be covered with shingles. In order to assist drainage at such valleys it is known to provide an elongate strip or trough having a generally V or U shaped cross-section. Such strips are generally known as valley troughs.

Valley troughs may be laid along the roof valley and attached to roof batons by pinning at their edges. Shingles are laid on top of the longitudinal edges of the valley trough. Thus some drainage is provided at roofing section valleys.

However, there is an additional problem in preventing water or debris such as leaves from moving transversely across the trough and under the shingles. If wet leaves collect beneath the tiles they will tend to cause a gradual decay in the roof by, for example, rotting the rafters or batons. This is a particular problem with tiled roofs since tiles generally have a thickness of the order to 2cm compared with thinner slates. When the tiles are laid in the usual overlapping relation with one another a relatively large gap is created beneath the tiles at the edge of the roof section at the step between one tile and its overlying neighbour. This gap would allow water and debris to collect beneath the shingles if not filled and it is therefore conventional to apply mortar to the edges of valleys to seal the edge beneath the shingles.

The use of mortar is inconvenient and expensive, and roofs can now be constructed free of mortar (or "dry") except at the valley where mortar is still normally used. It would therefore be desirable to facilitate the construction of "dry" valleys.

According to the present invention there is provided a roof valley unit. In one preferred aspect the unit comprises a trough member having a central trough and also comprises laterally extending edge portions on each side of the unit.

On each side of the unit there is provided a longitudinal wall member which extends from the upper surface of the trough member and over at least an inward edge region of the respective edge portion. The trough member and the wall members may be formed as one piece or as separate pieces. At each side of the unit at least one of the wall member and the edge portion is resilient, whereby shingles of different thicknesses may be accommodated between each edge portion and the superposed part of its respective wall member.

The wall member preferably comprises a first portion which extends in a generally upward direction from the trough member and a second laterally extending portion, whereby a channel for rainwater is defined laterally of the wall member.

In one embodiment of the invention, apertures are provided at the base of the wall member for water and entrained debris to drain from the outward side of the wall to the central trough portion.

Each edge portion and the superposed part of its respective wall member may be spaced apart to define therebetween a slot for receiving the edges of shingles. However, the two parts could be contiguous in the case of a unit for a slate roof, since slates are sufficiently thin to be accommodated between two parts which are contiguous at rest, providing that there is sufficient flexibility in one or both of the contiguous parts.

In those embodiments in which the trough member and wall members are formed as separate pieces, each wall member preferably comprises a laterally extending base portion which is seated on the trough member and overlaps a marginal flange provided on the trough member. The overlapping parts are secured together, for example, by nails or other securing means passing through them into a roof structure on which the valley unit is located.

The invention includes a roof valley unit comprising a trough piece and two (or more) channel strips. The trough piece has a central trough portion and laterally extending edge portions on each side of the trough portion. A channel strip is secured to the trough piece on each side of the trough portion and each channel strip defines, optionally in conjunction its associated trough edge portion, a laterally opening resilient channel or slot to receive the edges of roof shingles. In this aspect of the invention, each channel or slot strip is provided with apertures adjacent the trough piece to enable water and debris to flow out of the channel piece into the trough portion.In order to facilitate flow of water out of the channel piece in this aspect of the invention, each channel strip preferably comprises a longitudinal channel for carrying water; any apertures are provided in the wall of the channel.

A further preferred aspect of the invention resides in a one piece resilient roof valley unit. The unit comprises a trough member having a central trough portion and, on each side of the trough portion, a longitudinal, laterally opening slot to receive roof shingles. Preferably, each slot communicates with a longitudinal channel for carrying rainwater and apertures to enable water to flow from the channel to the trough portion.

The invention includes a kit for making the roof units of the invention which comprise a trough member separate from the wall or channel members. The kit comprises a trough member and one or more wall or channel members (if only one wall or channel member is provided, it may be cut to provide two members).

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of a known valley trough; FIGURE 2 shows a perspective view of a channel strip used in the invention; FIGURE 3 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention located at the valley edge of a roof section; FIGURE 4 shows an end elevation view of the first embodiment of the invention in combination; FIGURE 5 shows an end view of a second embodiment of the invention located in contact with roof shingles; and FIGURE 6 shows a third embodiment of the invention in perspective elevation.

Figure 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention in end elevation.

Figure 1 shows a known valley trough 1 which comprises a central trough portion and laterally extending edge portions on each side thereof. More particularly the valley trough comprises edge portions in the form of marginal flanges 2 and 3. Marginal flanges 2 and 3 are used to attach the trough 1 at a valley section of a roof by pinning the flanges to batons in the roof. Shingles, such as tiles or slates, can then be laid over marginal flanges 2 and 3 in the formation of a roof. The valley trough further comprises inclined side panels 4 and 5, and lower panels 7 and 8 which together form the central trough portion 6. The valley trough is used at inclined valleys between roof sections and the valley trough 1 is generally contoured such that precipitation will drain away, under the influence of gravity, along the central trough portion 6.

Figure 2 shows a channel strip 10 which may be used together with the valley trough 1 to form one embodiment of the invention. Channel strip 10 comprises a marginal flange 12 and side panels 16 and 18. The strip 10 further comprises lower trough 20 and top panel 14. In this particular embodiment, the strip 10 can be a preformed device and as shown the panels are interconnected. Such a preformed device can be made from a resilient, rigid (or semi-rigid) material, such as injection moulded plastics or fibre reinforced plastics for example. The channel strip 10 further comprises a top lip 24 which extends from the top panel 14. The underside of the top lip 24 and top panel 14 provides a shingle abutting ridge 22.

Referring to Figure 3 there is shown a schematic representation of the channel strip 10 used in combination with valley trough 1 at the edge of a roof section. The channel strip 10 is shown abutting a series of three overlapping shingles SH.

The unit illustrated in Figure 3 comprises the trough member and laterally extending edge portions (only one of which is shown) constituted by the flanges 2 and 12.

A longitudinal wall member constituted by the side panel 18 of the channel strip extends from the upper surface of the trough member and over an inward edge region of its associated edge portion. The resiliency of the pieces enables shingles of different sizes to be accommodated in the channel strip 10.

The wall member constituted by the panel 18 can be seen to comprise a first portion which extends ina generally upward direction (i.e. the panel 18) and a second laterally extending portion (the panel 14) whereby a channel for rainwater is defined laterally of the wall member. In the illustrated embodiment the channel comprises the trough 20.

The marginal flange 12 can be seen to be located beneath the shingles SH but above the marginal flange 2 of the valley trough 1. Both marginal flanges 2 and 12 can be pinned to rafters in the roof prior to overlaying shingles SH. Due to the resilience of the channel strip 10, once it has been pinned down tiles can be placed under top panel 14 simply by pulling top panel 14 away from fixed marginal flange 12 (which is attached to the roof rafter), thereby creating a larger gap between ridge 22 and marginal flange 12. Shingles SH may then be inserted so that, for example, and as can be seen in Figure 3, the edges of the shingles overhang marginal flange 12 and are generally above trough 20.After positioning of the tiles top panel 14 can be released and ridge 22 abuts the shingles SH thereby creating a reasonably firm grip which partly maintains edging strip 10 in position and provides a seal on the top side of the shingles.

There is therefore provided a means for preventing matter such as water or leaves, passing from the valley trough 1 to the underside of shingles SH at the edge of the roof sections. This means is substantially provided by upwardly extending panel 18 which acts as a barrier adjacent the shingles.

As well as preventing matter passing from trough 1 under the shingles it is important to prevent matter passing from the top of the shingles to the underside thereof. Where the shingles SH are slates which have a relatively narrow depth, or thickness of a few millimetres, then gap G1 shown in Figure 3 will be relatively small since the overlapping slates will not provide a large depth, or step, at their lower edges. Similarly, gap G2 will be smaller thereby minimising the probability of flow from above the slate through gap G1 and then gap G2. However, when the shingles are made of tiles, which can be considerably thicker than slate, gap G1 can be considerably bigger. Water may therefore run between the shingles and ridge 22 through gap G1.It is therefore useful to provide trough 20 as part of the edging device 10 since this too inhibits water passing under the tiles. If desired it would be possible to block gap G1 by inserting some suitable material, such as foam, into the gap. Alternatively it would be possible to provide a downwardly suspended flange from the lower side of top panel 14 to fill gap G1. In this way a further feature is added to edging strip 10 in order to create a better seal against the top sides of the shingles and thereby hinder matter, such as water or leaves for example, entering into the edging strip.

Figure 5 shows a second channel strip 110 in end elevation.

The channel strip 110 is substantially the same as the channel strip 10 where like components of the channel strip 110 are represented by the same two-digit reference numerals as edging strip 10 with additional prefix number 1. The channel strip 110, however, does have an additional feature in that apertures 126 are provided in the bottom of trough 120. These apertures allow drainage of water and debris from the trough 120 into the valley trough 1.

Figure 6 shows a further roof valley unit according to the invention. Like components in this third embodiment to the first embodiment use the same two digit reference numerals prefixed with the number 2. The perspective elevation shows that the unit comprises a central valley trough 20 and on each side of the trough 201 a laterally opening slot 228a and 228b. The slots are defined by the marginal flanges 212a and 212b of the trough and a wall member extending upwardly then laterally from the body of the unit. The slots each communicate with a channel 220a and 220b for carrying rainwater, which channel preferably comprises drainage apertures (not shown) for water to drain from the channel 220a and 22b to the trough 201.More particularly the unit comprises two marginal edging strips 210a and 210b where marginal edging strip 210a comprises marginal flange 212a, trough 220a side panel 218a and top panel 214a. The roof valley unit also comprises a valley trough 201. Thus Figure 6 shows an integral roof valley unit comprising two marginal slots interconnected by a valley trough.

A fourth embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in Figure 7 comprising valley trough 301 and channel strip 310. Valley trough 301 comprises lower panel 307 which has a locating rib 309 adjacent inclined side panel 305. The locating rib 309 in this example, comprises two upstanding flanges 309a and 309b surmounted by upper portion 309c.

There is thereby created a secondary trough 306b between rib 309 and panel 305.

Channel strip 310 comprises an additional feature compared with channel strip 10 in rib 317. The rib 317 comprises upwardly extending panels 317a and 317b surmounted by panel 317c.

There is thereby created a secondary channel strip trough 320b in addition to trough 320a. In this embodiment trough 320a comprises holes 326 which allow drainage of fluids from within channel strip 310 to valley trough 301.

These additional ribs 309 and 317 in valley trough 301 and channel strip 310 hinder the movement of water under the action of wind, for example, from trough 301 into strip 310 where it might otherwise be able to get under the roof shingles. Also the provision of secondary trough 320b allows drainage of fluid down the slope of the roof; the barrier of panel 316 still being present to hinder flow to the underside of the shingles. A double barrier and drainage feature is thereby provided. It is also apparent that ribs 309 and 317 enable easy location of channel strip 310 after valley trough 301 has been laid. Alternatively the rib feature just described could be incorporated in a one piece roof valley unit such as that described in the third embodiment and shown in Figure 6.

It is apparent that any of the features of any one of the embodiments of the roof valley units just described can be incorporated in further embodiments of the invention.

Indeed, a non-symmetrical unit could be made, for example, having the features shown in the first embodiment on one lateral edge of the unit and the features of the fourth embodiment along the other side.

It is envisaged that a wide variety of materials can be used to make the valley edging device 10 according to the invention. For example, glass reinforced polyester (GRP), thermoplastic, zinc or lead can be used. Alternatively, any combination of these, or other, materials can be used for the various components of the device.

Claims

1. A roof valley unit, comprising a trough member having a central trough portion, laterally extending edge portions on each side of the unit and a longitudinal wall member on each side of the unit and extending from the upper surface of the trough member and over at least an inward edge region of the respective edge portions, at least one of the wall member and the edge portion at each side of the unit being resilient whereby shingles of different thicknesses may be accommodated between each edge portion and the superposed part of the respective wall member, and the trough member and the wall members optionally being formed as separate pieces.

2. A roof valley unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall member comprises a first portion which extends in a generally upward direction from the trough member and a second laterally extending portion, a channel for water being defined laterally of the wall member.

3. A roof valley as claimed in claim 2, wherein apertures are provided at the base of the wall member for rainwater and entrained debris to pass from the channel to the central position of the trough member intermediate the two wall members.

4. A roof valley unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each edge portion and the superposed part of the respective wall member are spaced apart.

5. A roof valley unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and made of fibre reinforced plastics.

6. A roof valley unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and which is a one piece moulding.

7. A roof valley unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 and wherein the trough member and wall members are formed as separate pieces, the laterally extending edge portions comprising a base portion extending laterally from each wall member and a marginal flange on each side of the trough member, the base portion of each wall member being seated on the trough member and at least partially overlapping its respective marginal flange.

8. A roof valley unit as claimed in claim 7 which is in situ in a roof valley and is secured by nails or other securing means which pass through the overlapping portions of the wall members and trough edge portions into the roof structure.

9. A roof valley unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, which further comprises a longitudinal rib on each side of the unit, each of which ribs extends upwardly from the surface of its respective edge portion.

10. A roof valley unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein each rib comprises two upstanding walls bridged by an upper panel.

11. A roof valley unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

12. A kit for assembling a roof valley unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 or 7 to 11, comprising a trough member and one or more pieces adapted to form the wall members of a roof valley unit as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5 or 7 to 11.

13. A roof valley unit, comprising a trough piece having a central trough portion and laterally extending edge portions on each side of the trough portion, and a channel strip disposed on each side of the trough portion, each channel strip defining by itself or together with its associated trough edge portion a laterally opening resilient channel to receive the edges of roof shingles and being secured to the trough piece.

14. A roof valley unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein each channel strip is provided with apertures adjacent the trough piece to enable water and debris to flow out of the channel piece into the trough portion of the trough piece.

15. A roof valley unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein each channel strip comprises a longitudinal channel for carrying rainwater, the apertures being provided in the wall of the channel.

16. A roof valley unit as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein each channel strip comprises a first longitudinal rib situated inwardly of its resilient channel and such that in use it is located on the underside of roof shingles received in the resilient channel.

17. A roof valley unit as claimed in claim 16 wherein the trough piece comprises a second longitudinal rib upwardly extending from each edge portion of the trough piece and in superposed relationship with one of the first longitudinal ribs.

18. The use of a channel piece as a roof valley unit channel strip for a roof valley unit as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 17.

19. A one piece resilient roof valley unit, comprising a trough member having a central trough portion and, on each side of the trough portion,a longitudinal laterally opening slot to receive roof shingles.

20. A roof valley unit as claimed in claim 17, wherein each slot communicates with a longitudinal channel for carrying rainwater and apertured to enable water to flow from the channel to the trough portion.

21. A roof comprising a roof valley unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, 19 or 20.

22. A method of making a roof comprising laying a roof valley unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, 19 or 20 at a valley in the roof.