GB2304748A - Roof tile - Google Patents

Abstract

A roof tile (10) has a recess (12) in its lower face so that in use when the tile (10) is in an overlapping position relative to another tile which other tile has been affixed in situ by a fixing means such as a nail, the head of the nail (30) may be accommodated by the recess (17) thereby preventing direct contact between the tile and the nail (30) of the other tile.

Description

A ROOr TILE This nvention relates to a roof tile. In particula it relates to b concrete slate tile.

Concrete slate tiles present their own particular problems associated with mounting them on a roof. One of these diffi@ulties is that a first tile when secured to a roof bator. by a nail requires that the naii head should stand slightly proud of the tile because of the danger of cracking the tile if the nail is hammered to be flush with the tile.The next tile is then placed in an overlapping position relative to the first tile In the normal course of events, the second tile overlaps the fir. tile in the region on of the nail and thus serves to cover the nail and associated aperture in the tile for the nail However, because par: of the second tile rests on the nail, if any downward pressure due to walking on the roof in the course of tiling is applied to the second tile, the chances are that it will crack the weakest poirt of the tile such as the interlock of the tile While tile breakage may be more difficult with relatively thick tiles such as those having a thickness of at least 33mm, newer more aesthetically pleasing tiles having a thickness of about 23mm are much more prone to such breakage Furthermore, as will be observed from Figure A of the drawings, under certain windy and wet weather conditions due to the raised profile of tho ire resting on the nail, rain can penetrate under the tile which can result in water damage to the roof interior and internal structure of the building.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this problem.

The invention, therefore, provides a roof tile having an obverse face and a reverse face, the reverse face having a recess so that in use when the tile is in an overlapping position relative to another tile which other tile has been affixed in situ by a fixing means such as a nail, the head of the nail may bo acoommodated by said recess thereby preventing direct contact between the tile and the fixing moans of the other tile.

This invention will be understood in greater detail from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure I is a perspective view of the reverse face of a tile according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the obverse face of a plurality of tiles of Figure 1 of the drawings shown in situ; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the tiles o Figure 2 of the drawings showing one position of use of the tile with minimum overiap:: Figure 4 is a side elevation of the tiles of Figure 2 of the drawings showing another position of use of the tile wit maximum overlap; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the tile. of 2 of the drawing; Figure 6 is a side elevation of the tiles of Figure 2 of the drawings taken along the line A-A; Figure A is a view similar to that of Figure 3 of the drawings showing the use of tiles of the Prior Art ; Figure B is a similar view to that of Figure e of the drawings showing the use of tiles of the Prior Art.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Figure 1, there is shown a : tile 10 according to the invention having an obverse face 11, a reverse face 12 and four side edges 13, 14, 15, 16. The reverse face 12 has located therein a recess 17. In addition, the reverse face 12 has four projections in spaced part relationship 18, 19, 2C, 21. Adjacent the edge 1; there is provided a step 22 which extends the width of the tile from the edge 14 to the edge 16. The step 22 has a pair of projections 23, 24.

The obverse face 11 also has a step 25 which extends the width of the tile from the edge 14 to the edge 16. The step 25 has a pair of projections 26, 27.

The projections 26, 27 are complementary to the projections 23, 24 such that two tiles 10 placed in side by side relationship overlap with the projections 23, 24 of one tile interengaging with the projections 26, 27 of the other tile thereby providing interlocking tiles which present a flat upward facing surf ace.

Thus, a first row of tiles 10 may be positioned in interlocking arrangement as described. Each of these tiles 10 may be fixed to a baton 50 to secure the tile 10 in place. A nail 30 is the preferred method of fixing through a hole (not shown) in the tile 10. In affixing the nail 30 it is usual to allow it to stand proud of the tile 10 because of the danger of tile breakage if the nail was hammered slush with the tile.

It is also necessary for a second row of tiles lOa (similar to the tiles 10) to be placed in overlapping arrangement relative to the first row of tiles 10. In addition, it is essential that the overlapping til 10a covers the nail O. Accordingly, the recess 1" is provided.Preferably, with a tile having a thickness of between 20-25mm (preferably about 23mm) being thinner and : therefore more aesthetically pleasing than the conventional flat tile haring a thickness of 33mm, the recess 17 is approximately between 4-6mm deep (preferably about 5mm deep) being sufficient to accommodate a nail 30 stranding proud of another tile 10 with the recess 17 allowing for minimum and maximum overlaps. ft wil also be appreciated that the recess 17 allows for tolerance as regards pull and squeeze at the point cf interlock between two tiles. Of course, the tile can nave a thickness of up to 35mm.

Thus, with particular reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, two tiles 10, lOa are shown in which the tile 10 is attached to the baton 50 by the nail 3: with the nail standing proud of the obverse face of the tile 10. With the tile lOa placed in overlapping arrangement relative to the tile 10, the recess i7 located in the reverse face 12 of the tile 10a accommodates the head of the nail 30 thereby preventing any point of contact between the head of the nail 30 and the tile lOa. Thus, a force Each as roof traffic due to tiling applied to the tile 10a will not, as in the conventional arrangement, result in the possible breakage of the tile 10a. The position of the tile 10a relative to the tile 10 may be varied having regard to the dimensions of the recess 17 as will be observed in Figure 4. Contrast t the arrangement shown in Figures j and 4 with that of Figures A and 2 in which conventional tile, 110, 110a are shown ifl overlapping arrangetnent With the tile 110a in contact with the head of the nail 30 which provides a fulcrum for tne tile llOa and thus the consequent possibility of breakage.

The weakest past of the tile is at the step 22 and thus, if f a break occurs, it would be where the step 22 of one tile overlaps with the step 25 of another tile.

It will also be observed that because the tiles according to the invention will not be in the condition shown in Figure A ci the drawings, the tiled roof is substantially less likely to snuffer rain penetration due to blowback in windy conditions. The tile according to the invention when placed in situ with a plurality of similar tiies provides an aesthetically pleasing root which also overcomes the problems of tile breakage at the interlock as described above.

The invention is not limited by or to the specific embodiment described which can undergo considerable variation without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:

1. A rccf tile having an obverse face and a reverse face, the reverse face having a recess so that in use when the tile is fn an overlapping position relative to another tile which other tile has been affixed in situ b a fixing means seh as a nail, the head of the nail may be accommodated by said recess =hereby preventing direct contact between the tile and the fixing means of the other tile.

2. A tile as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the reverse face has four projections in spaced apart relationship.

3. A til as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the obverse face has projections at one edge thereof and the reverse face has projections at the opposite edge thereof so that, in use, th- obverse side projections at one edge of a firs= tile are in complementary interengagement wi:h the reverse side projections of another tile.

4 . A tile as claimed in any of Claims 1-3 having a thickness from 20mm and up to 35mm with a recess having a depth of from 4mm-6mm.

5. A A tile as claimed in any of Claims 1-4 having a thickness of from 20-25mm with a recess having a depth of from 4mm-6mm.

6. A tile as claimed n Claim 5 wherein the thickness of the tile es about 23m: and the recess has a depth of about Smm.

7. A tile substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.