GB2299352A - Tilting roof at eaves - Google Patents

Abstract

A roof tilting fillet for an eaves construction comprises a sheet (1) having a line of weakness (4) extending along its length, the arrangement being such that the sheet can be readily fixed on one side of the line of weakness to the prepared ends of the rafters (10) and on the other side of the line of weakness to the top faces of the rafters. The fixing holes (6, 7) may be preformed in the sheet (1). The sheet material may be of a rigid, corrosion resistant, material, e.g. aluminium, stainless or galvanized steel, or plastics, and the line of weakness may comprise a longitudinally extending groove or a series of aligned slots (4). Conveniently a line of ventilation slots (14) are provided on that side of the fillet to be fixed to the rafter ends.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO ROOF TILTING FILLETS This invention relates to roofs, particularly pitched roofs. In such roofs it is standard practice for the eaves construction to comprise a fascia board which is fixed to the rafter ends. The fascia board normally supports a gutter along its length and, to ensure that water drains from the roof into the gutter, the first (eaves) row of roof tiles overhang the fascia board.

Between the tiles and rafters an underlay is normally provided which also overhangs the fascia board to enable rainwater which penetrates the roofspace to drain into the gutter. To prevent the underlay sagging and forming a water trap behind the fascia board, a continuous or noncontinuous wood fillet can be fixed across the top edges of the rafter ends immediately behind the upper edge of the fascia board. This wood fillet is generally wedge-shaped so as to present a sloping upper face for ensuring that water drains into the gutter. Because the dimensions to ensure proper draining varies from building to building, these wood fillets are normally prepared on-site, which is time consuming.

One object of the invention is to provide an alternative roof tilting fillet in which on-site preparation is kept to a minimum.

According to this invention, a roof tilting fillet comprises a sheet of an appropriate material and of generally elongate rectangular form having a line of weakness extending along its length, the arrangement being such that the sheet can be readily fixed on one side of the line of weakness to the prepared ends of the rafters with said line of weakness extending parallel to the rafter ends and roof tile line, said sheet being either pre-bent, or bent on site, to an appropriate tilt angle along the line of weakness, and fixed on the other side of the line of weakness to the top faces of the rafters.

Conveniently, a line of fixing holes is preformed in the sheet adjacent each of its longitudinal edges to facilitate fixing onto the rafter ends and rafter top faces.

The sheet material is preferably of a rigid, corrosion resistant, material e.g. aluminium, stainless or galvanized steel, or plastics. The line of weakness may be provided by a series of aligned slots along the length of the sheet, or by a longitudinal groove which provides a web of material thin enough to be bendable to a required tilt angle.

Advantageously, a series of ventilation slots are spaced along the length of the fillet parallel to the line of weakness on that side of the fillet to be fixed to the rafter ends.

A tilting fillet in accordance with the invention is particularly advantageous for use in an eaves construction utilising fascia boards of plastics material. Thus, increasingly, fascia boards comprising foamed plastics material with a smooth outer skin, such as those sold under the Registered Trade Mark CELUFORM, are being used in place of timber. Such boards have obvious advantages; in particular they do not require painting and they are not subject to rotting. However, a disadvantage of such boards is that structurally they are not as strong as wood. In particular, some foamed cored fascias cannot reliably retain a fixing nail, or screw. As a result, gutter brackets are normally fixed through into rafter timber or through into timber introduced to the eaves specifically for the purpose of fixing gutters.

Furthermore, the eaves line of roof tiles cannot be held down in position by fixing nails driven directly into the upper edge of the fascia board. However, with a tilting fillet in accordance with the invention, tiles can be fixed either into the slots along the line of weakness or into the tilting fillet between the line of weakness and the fixing point where it is secured to the top face of the rafters. Thus, to fit a gutter and/or to hold down the eaves tiles, self drilling screws can be used to tap through, and thereby be retained by, the thickness of the sheet material.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, one embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a tilting fillet in accordance with the invention, and Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the tilting fillet in an eaves construction.

Referring to Figure 1, the tilting fillet comprises a length of sheet material 1, generally of elongate, rectangular form which is provided intermediate its longitudinal edges 2, 3 with an axial line of weakness 4.

In this embodiment the sheet material is of a corrosion resistant metal, e.g. aluminium, or galvanized steel, and the line of weakness is formed as a series of aligned slots 5. Alternatively, the line of weakness could be formed by rolling or otherwise forming a groove in the metal.

The sheet material may alternatively be of an extruded length of a suitable, substantially rigid, plastics (e.g. pvc), in which case the fillet could be made by extrusion or moulding and the line of weakness could be extruded as a groove providing a web of material thin enough to be readily bendable to a required tilt angle. To facilitate fixing of the tilting fillet, lines of fixing holes 6, 7 are provided adjacent each longitudinal edge.

As shown in Figure 2, the tilting fillet 1 is fixed to the ends of the rafters 10; through predrilled holes 6, if provided, adjacent to edge 2. The tilting fillet, if not pre-bent, is then bent to the required angle by creasing it along the line of weakness 4, and the fillet is fixed to the top faces of the rafters 10, through predrilled holes 7, if provided, adjacent to edge 3. The fillet thereby provides the required continuous sloping surface for supporting the underlay 11.

The fascia board 8, which in this embodiment is of foamed plastics with a smooth outer skin, is then fitted on to the rafter ends and fixed to either the rafter ends by the use of conventional fixings or into the tilting fillet using self drilling, or self tapping screws, as appropriate.

The gutter support brackets 9 are then fixed to the fascia board by conventional fixings into the rafter ends, or by the use of self drilling, or self tapping screws, as appropriate, into the tilting fillet. Furthermore, the eaves course of tiles 12 can be fixed down using fixing members 13 designed for use with the roofing tiles. The fixing members are secured by, e.g. self drilling screws, into the sheet material of the fillet.

It will be appreciated that a tilting fillet in accordance with the invention is extremely adaptable on-site and therefore needs the minimum of on-site preparation. Furthermore, when used with e.g. CELUFORM fascia boards, it provides the structural strength required for fixing gutters and fixing and supporting the eaves course of roof tiles.

Current building regulations stipulate that adequate provision shall be made to prevent excessive condensation in a roof or in a roof void above an insulated ceiling.

This requirement is usually met by providing ventilation openings at eaves level to promote cross ventilation of roof spaces.

With reference to Figure 1, by incorporating a series of ventilation slots 14 spaced along the length of the tilting fillet below the line of weakness 4 on the eaves side of the fillet, this requirement of the regulations can be met without the need for additional components.

With reference to Figure 2, it will be noted that, in use, the ventilation slots 14 are conveniently hidden from view behind the gutter. However, it will also be noted that the plastics fascia board 8 terminates at a required distance below the line of weakness to expose and leave clear these ventilation slots.

Claims (10)

1. A roof tilting fillet comprising a sheet of an appropriate material and of generally elongate rectangular form having a line of weakness extending along its length, the arrangement being such that the sheet can be readily fixed on one side of the line of weakness to the prepared ends of the rafters with said line of weakness extending parallel to the rafter ends and roof tile line, said sheet being either pre-bent, or bent on site, to an appropriate tilt angle along the line of weakness, and fixed on the other side of the line of weakness to the top faces of the rafters.

2. A tilting fillet according to Claim 1, wherein a line of fixing holes is preformed in the sheet adjacent each of its longitudinal edges to facilitate fixing onto the rafter ends and rafter top faces.

3. A tilting fillet according to Claim 1, or 2, wherein the sheet material is of a rigid, corrosion resistant, material, e.g. aluminium, stainless or galvanized steel, or plastics.

4. A tilting fillet according to Claim 3, wherein the line of weakness comprises a longitudinally extending groove which provides a web of material thin enough to be readily bendable.

5. A tilting fillet according to Claim 3, which is of metal, wherein the line of weakness is provided by a series of aligned slots.

6. A tilting fillet according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein a series of ventilation slots are spaced along the length of the fillet parallel to the line of weakness on that side of the fillet to be fixed to the rafter ends.

7. An eaves construction having a tilting fillet according to any one of Claims 1 to 6.

8. An eaves construction according to Claim 7, and in which a fascia board of plastics material is utilised, wherein the areas of the sheet material on either side of the line of weakness are used as a fixing layer for the guttering and/or eaves course of roof tiles.

9. An eaves construction according to Claim 7, wherein fixing is effected to the sheet material via self-drilling, or self-tapping, screws as appropriate.

10. A tilting fillet, or eaves construction utilising such a fillet, arranged and adapted substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.