GB2268203A

GB2268203A - Canopies,roofing structures and cladding systems

Info

Publication number: GB2268203A
Application number: GB9313447A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Geoffrey Parry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-07-01
Filing date: 1993-06-30
Publication date: 1994-01-05
Also published as: GB9313447D0

Abstract

A plastic sheeting section, which can be used in the construction of a carport canopy, roofing structure or cladding system, includes first and second planar portions (11 and 12) located at different levels. A connecting portion (13) is located between the first and second planar portions (11 and 12) and a boundary portion (14), which includes a ridge (19), is provided on the free edge of planar portion (12). A tapered beam (28) (Fig. 3, not shown) may be provided at each end of a carport canopy, the beam comprising upper and lower booms of wood encased in glass-fibre reinforced resin, there being an interconnecting resin web. A vent (41) (Fig. 5, not shown) may be mounted on the sheeting. <IMAGE>

Description

CANOPIES, ROOFING STRUCTURES AND CLADDING SYSTEMS Field of the Invention One aspect of this invention relates to canopies and, in particular, to cantilevered carport canopies. Other aspects of the invention are concerned with roofing structures and cladding systems, which roofing structures and cladding systems have features in common with the canopies in respect of which the invention has initially been developed.

One form of carport canopy is described in Patent Specification No. 2166463 and comprises glass-fibre-reinforced plastic sheeting of stepped form in cross-section supported on a number of spaced beams the upper surfaces of which are of stepped form corresponding to the stepped form of the plastic sheeting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved canopy design which is more versatile than that of Patent Specification No. 2166463.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a canopy design which comprises sheeting of stepped form which can be secured to cantilever beams having planar upper surfaces.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a roofing structure which includes sheeting of stepped form, as for the canopy, so that a common sheeting configuration can be used for both canopies and roofing structures.

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a cladding system which includes sheeting of stepped form, as for the canopy and/or the roofing structure, so that a common sheeting configuration can be used for cladding as well as for canopies and/or roofing structures.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a canopy which includes sheeting of stepped form supported on a plurality of spaced beams one end of each of which can be secured to a wall, each of the beams having an upwardly presented surface inclined at a predetermined acute angle to the horizontal, said sheeting comprising two or more parallel sheeting sections joined together, and each sheeting section comprising:: a) first and second planar portions which, in use, extend substantially horizontally and are located at different vertical levels, b) a connecting portion interconnecting said first and second planar portions, said connecting portion including a first part which extends substantially vertically downwards from the adjacent edge of the upper of said first and second planar portions and a second part which is contiguous with the lower of said first and second planar portions and is inclined at said predetermined acute angle to the horizontal, c) a boundary portion provided on the free edge of the upper of the first and second planar portions, which boundary portion includes a first part which is inclined at said predetermined acute angle to the horizontal and is co-planar with the second part of the connecting portion and a second part in the form of a ridge which has a substantially vertical face directed towards the connecting portion, said sheeting section being secured to the beams by fasteners which pass through the second part of the connecting portion and the first part of the boundary portion.

The lower of the first and second planar portions preferably terminates at its free edge in a substantially vertical flange such that, when one sheeting section is fitted so as to overlap a lower sheeting section, said flange overlies the substantially vertical face of the ridge of the lower sheeting section, the two sections then being joined together by fasteners which pass through the flange and the vertical face of the ridge.

The boundary portion provided on the free edge of the upper of the first and second planar portions preferably includes a further part which is inclined at said predetermined acute angle to the horizontal, said further part being located between the ridge and the adjacent planar portion.

The ridge is preferably defined by a downwardly facing channel, one side of which is defined by said vertical face.

The top of the ridge, i.e. the base of the channel, preferably extends horizontally, and the other side of the ridge is preferably inclined at a small acute angle, for example 10 , to the vertical.

Flashing is preferably provided along the upper edge of the canopy and a fascia board along the lower edge of the canopy, the flashing comprising an elongate element which is secured by fasteners to the vertical face of the adjacent ridge.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a roofing structure comprising a plurality of roof beams arranged with their upper surfaces inclined at a small acute angle to the horizontal and sheeting secured to said roof beams, said sheeting comprising a plurality of sheeting sections having the features specified in detail above.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a cladding system comprising a vertical, or substantially vertical, structure to which sheeting is secured, said sheeting comprising a plurality of sheeting sections having the features specified in detail above, except that the sheeting sections are arranged vertically, or substantially so, such that the first and second planar portions of each sheeting section are inclined at a small acute angle to the vertical.

The sheeting sections may be formed of a glass-fibrereinforced polyester or other resin. They may alternatively be formed from steel or some other metal.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view of part of a carport canopy, Figure 2 is a sectional view of a sheeting section forming part of the canopy shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a carport canopy, Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of one of the beams of the canopy, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a vent which can be incorporated in the canopy.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments The sheeting section 10 shown in Figure 2 includes a lower horizontal planar portion 11, an upper horizontal planar portion 12, a connecting portion 13 interconnecting the upper and lower planar portions 11 and 12 and a boundary portion 14 at the free edge of the upper planar portion 12. It is to be appreciated that, although the drawings show the section as having sharp corners, all the corners will, in fact be rounded and will have a common radius.

The connecting portion 13 includes two parts, namely a first part 15 which extends vertically downwardly from the adjacent edge of the upper planar portion 12 and a second part 16 which is contiguous with the lower planar portion 11 and is inclined at an angle of 100 to the plane of the lower planar portion 11. The beams to which the sheeting section 10 is to be attached have an upper surface 17 which is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of 100.

The boundary portion 14 includes a first part 18 at the very edge of the sheeting section 10 and a second part 19 in the form of an up-standing ridge and located inwardly of the first part 18. The first part 18 of the boundary portion 14 is inclined at an angle of 100 to the plane of the upper planar portion 12 and is disposed in the same plane as the second part 16 of the connecting portion 13.

The ridge or second part 19 of the boundary portion 14 comprises a downwardly facing channel having a side wall 20 which extends at right angles to the plane of upper planar portion 12 and is thus vertical, a base 21 which extends parallel to the plane of the upper planar portion 12 and is thus horizontal, and a side wall 22 which is inclined at an angle of 100 to side wall 20.

The boundary portion 14 also includes a further part 23, intermediate the ridge and the adjacent edge of the upper planar portion and this further part 23 is again inclined at an angle of 100 to the plane of upper planar portion 12 and is disposed in the same plane as the second part 16 of the connecting portion 13 and the first part 18 of the boundary portion 14.

The sheeting section 10 also includes a flange 24 which is located at the free edge of the lower planar portion 11 and extends at right angles to the plane of said lower planar portion 11.

Figure 1 shows the connection of two such sections 10 to the upper surface 17 of a beam and to each other. As can be seen, fasteners 25 are used to secure the second part 16 of the connecting portion 13 and the first part 18 of the boundary portion 14 of each section 10 to the beam. The flange 24 of one section overlies the vertical face of the ridge or second part 19 of the boundary portion 14 of the other section and is secured thereto by fasteners 25.

Flashing 26 is used to provide a seal between the canopy structure and the wall to which the beams are attached. The flashing 26 includes a vertical flange 27 which overlies the vertical face of the ridge or second part 19 of the boundary portion of the adjacent section and is secured thereto by fasteners 25.

Turning next to Figure 3, this shows diagrammatically a carport canopy comprising a plurality of sheeting sections, each as described above, secured to a pair of cantilever beams 28. A fascia board 29 is secured to the lower edge of the canopy and guttering (not shown) can be attached to the fascia board 29. Means are provided for preventing water from being blown off the side of the canopy and comprises an upstand 30 in the form of an angle-section element fixed in position to each end beam 28 of the canopy structure.

Figure 4 shows the detailed construction of a beam 28. It comprises upper and lower members 31 and 32, which may be of wood or other construction material encased in a glass-fibrereinforced polyester resin. The upper and lower members 31 and 32 are inclined relative to one another (as can be seen from Figure 3) and are interconnected by a plastic panel 33, also formed of a reinforced polyester resin. The panel 33 can be formed integrally with the resin encasing the upper and lower members 31 and 32. The beam 28 is thus light in weight and of high strength.

In some instances, the area covered by the canopy will be relatively enclosed and such that, without adequate venting, considerable condensation will occur. For example, the free edge of the canopy may be against a neighbouring wall and one side of the canopy adjacent a garden shed or other structure.

In such situations, one or more vents 40 as shown in Figure 5 will be employed. An opening is formed in portion 12 of a section 10 and the vent 40 is then secured in position over the opening. The vent 40 is formed as a glass-fibrereinforced plastic moulding and includes a continuous upper surface 41, a front wall 42 formed with an elongated aperture 43 and a pair of side walls 44 each of which is formed with an elongated aperture 45. The sides of the vent 40 include fixing portions 46 which receive fasteners 47 for screwing the vent 40 in position.

The elongated apertures 43 and 45 will provide ventilation and, at the same time, because the apertures are formed in vertical surfaces of the vent, the amount of rainwater which can pass through the apertures 43 and 45 will be minimised.

It is to be appreciated that the configuration of the sheeting sections 10 is such that other uses thereof are possible. For example, the sheeting sections can be used in the erection of a roof. Sealing strips will be used where adjacent sections overlap and flashing, similar to that shown in Figure 1, will be used at the apex of the roof.

The sheeting sections can also be used as part of a cladding system. In such an arrangement, the portions 11 and 12 of a section 10, which extend horizontally when the section is used in the construction of a canopy, will be inclined at an angle of 100 to the vertical.

It is also to be appreciated that the detailed description given above is of a preferred form of the invention and that many variations thereof can be effected without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims

Claims:

1. A canopy which includes sheeting of stepped form supported on a plurality of spaced beams one end of each of which can be secured to a wall, each of the beams having an upwardly presented surface inclined at a predetermined acute angle to the horizontal, said sheeting comprising two or more parallel sheeting sections joined together, and each sheeting section comprising:: a) first and second planar portions which, in use, extend substantially horizontally and are located at different vertical levels, b) a connecting portion interconnecting said first and second planar portions, said connecting portion including a first part which extends substantially vertically downwards from the adjacent edge of the upper of said first and second planar portions and a second part which is contiguous with the lower of said first and second planar portions and is inclined at said predetermined acute angle to the horizontal, c) a boundary portion provided on the free edge of the upper of the first and second planar portions, which boundary portion includes a first part which is inclined at said predetermined acute angle to the horizontal and is co-planar with the second part of the connecting portion and a second part in the form of a ridge which has a substantially vertical face directed towards the connecting portion, said sheeting section being secured to the beams by fasteners which pass through the second part of the connecting portion and the first part of the boundary portion.

2. A canopy as claimed in Claim 1, in which the lower of the first and second planar portions terminates at its free edge in a substantially vertical flange such that, when one sheeting section is fitted so as to overlap a lower sheeting section, said flange overlies the substantially vertical face of the ridge of the lower sheeting section.

3. A canopy as claimed in Claim 2, in which the two sections are joined together by fasteners which pass through the flange and the vertical face of the ridge.

4. A canopy as claimed in Claim 1, in which the boundary portion provided on the free edge of the upper of the first and second planar portions includes a further part which is inclined at said predetermined acute angle to the horizontal, said further part being located between the ridge and the adjacent planar portion.

5. A canopy as claimed in Claim 1, in which the ridge is defined by a downwardly facing channel, one side of which is defined by said vertical face.

6. A canopy as claimed in Claim 5, in which the top of the ridge, i.e. the base of the channel, extends horizontally.

7. A canopy as claimed in Claim 6, in which the other side of the ridge is inclined at a small acute angle to the vertical.

8. A canopy as claimed in Claim 1, in which flashing is provided along the upper edge of the canopy and a fascia board along the lower edge of the canopy.

9. A canopy as claimed in Claim 8, in which the flashing comprises an elongate element secured by fasteners to the vertical face of the adjacent ridge.

10. A canopy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

11. A sheeting section for use in the production of a canopy, roofing structure or cladding system, said sheeting section having a configuration substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A roofing structure comprising a plurality of roof beams arranged with their upper surfaces inclined at a small acute angle to the horizontal and sheeting secured to said roof beams, said sheeting comprising a plurality of sheeting sections as claimed in Claim 11.

13. A cladding system comprising a vertical, or substantially vertical, structure to which sheeting is secured, said sheeting comprising a plurality of sheeting sections as claimed in Claim 11, each sheeting section being arranged vertically, or substantially so, such that the first and second planar portions of each sheeting section are inclined at a small acute angle to the vertical.