GB2316959A

GB2316959A - Fixing flashing to brickwork

Info

Publication number: GB2316959A
Application number: GB9615820A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Hall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-07-27
Filing date: 1996-07-27
Publication date: 1998-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 2016-07-27
Also published as: GB2316959B; GB9615820D0

Abstract

A device (1) for fixing flashing to brickwork comprises two members converging at one closed end and open at the other end to form a substantially wedge shaped device. The cross-section may be U- or V-shaped, or in the form of a truncated V. The device may be of spring steel or plastics, and is preferably such that it has to be hammered in to deform the device.

Description

ROOFING ACCESSORY The present invention relates to a roofing accessory and, in particular, to an improved device for use in fixing flashing, lead aprons or the like to walls, brickwork or the like.

Flashing or aprons, typically of lead or zinc comprise strips used to prevent water penetration at the junction of a roof with a chimney, wall or other building structure. Figure 1 illustrates use of a lead flashing 2 along the joint between a sloped roof surface 4 and a chimney 6. Sections 8 of the flashing 2 have transversely extending portions (not shown) which extend between adjacent bricks on the chimney. In use, the flashing is fitted to the chimney as shown and a plurality of wedges 10 are hammered in between the sections 8 and the adjacent upper brick. Typically two wedges are required per section to hold the flashing in place. The joint is then pointed with sand and cement. Figure 2 shows use of a lead apron 12 along the front and back joint between a chimney 6 and a sloped roof 4. The lead apron comprises an angled lead strip running along the joint. The upper longitudinal edge as shown in the drawing has a transverse strip (not shown) which fits between the adjacent layers of bricks. The apron is held in place by wedges 10 wedged between the transverse strip and the adjacent layer of bricks and the joint is pointed with sand and cement.

The known wedges which are used in such applications comprise strips of lead, usually cut from scrap lead, which are rolled up and then hammered flat on one end to form a wedge shaped roll. This process is illustrated by Figure 3 wherein Figure 3(a) shows a flat strip of lead, Figure 3(b) is a perspective view of the rolled strip and Figure 3(c) is a perspective view of the rolled strip which has been hammered flat at one end to form a wedge 10.

Figure 4 is a detailed side view showing use of such a wedge as previously described. The tapered end of the wedge 10 lies closest to the cement 14 between the brick work.

Although such conventional wedges have traditionally been used, principally due to the convenience of being able to make the wedges on site as and when required from scrap lead, a number of problems are apparent.

In particular, the conventional wedge comes loose very easily so that the flashing may not be securely held before pointing. Even after the roofing work has been completed, the known wedges may work loose resulting in deterioration of the flashing joint and consequent short life-span of the joint. Furthermore, the conventional wedge is time-consuming to make and may take up a large proportion of the roofer's time spent on a particular job.

Being hand made, the wedges are not uniform and the size and shape of the wedge is dependent on the roofer's skill in making the wedges.

The present invention has been made from a consideration of these problems and in order to provide an improved device for fixing flashing or the like to brickwork or the like.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a device which holds flashing securely in place both before and after pointing. Further preferred objects of the invention include providing a device which is easy and simple to use; which requires less time to use than conventional wedges; which does not require any particular skill on the part of the user; and which provides a reliable and consistent method of fixing flashing.

According to the invention there is provided a device for fixing flashing or the like to brickwork or the like comprising two members converging at one closed end and open at the other end to form a substantially wedge shaped device. Preferably the device is formed from a single member bent at a central region thereof to form said two members. Preferably such single member comprises a substantially planar member. Preferably each of said two members is substantially planar.

Preferably, the device is spring loaded such that the two members, or at least the parts of the two members adjacent the open end, can move towards each other under pressure and return to their original position when the pressure is removed. Preferably, the spring loading is such that the members will not move towards each other under normal manual pressure but will move towards each other under increased pressure such as applied in use or by a tool. Preferably, the amount of movement is small, typically just sufficient to allow the device to be hammered into a gap using a chisel. In use, the device is located with its closed end in a gap of the brickwork or the like and a chisel is located, through the open end, on the other side of the closed end. The chisel is then hammered to cause the device to locate in the gap, the spring loading allowing the device to locate in a gap which is somewhat smaller than the dimension of the device. When located in the gap, the spring loading causes the two members to be spring biased against the adjacent wall of the gap and the flashing so that the device is securely located within the gap.

It will be appreciated that, in use, the open end may be completely closed, for example if the device is located in a substantially smaller gap. The device can be removed from the gap if desired by using appropriate tools, for example levered in behind the device.

Preferably, the spring loading is provided inherently in the device by using appropriately selected materials.

The device may be made from any suitable material but preferably the device comprises metal, such as carbon steel, or plastic.

Preferably, the device comprises spring steel. Thus, preferably the material is such that the device will not snap or deform if the two members are moved towards each other to substantially close the open end. The material or steel may be formed in a press and treated to give the desired spring loaded characteristics. The degree of spring loading may be selected according to the dimensions of the device and the dimensions of the gap for which it is intended and according to the fixing security required.

The closed end of the device may be curved, for example so that the device has a substantially U-shaped cross-section; pointed, for example so that the device has a substantially V-shaped cross-section; or, preferably, flat, for example so that the device has a substantially channel shaped cross-section. The latter shape may be more convenient for applying a chisel to the device.

The overall dimensions of the device may be selected as desired. However, it has been found that in practice three standard sizes are most useful. Typically for a flat ended device, the width of the flat end may be '16", " and %" and the width of the open end i.e. the spacing between the free ends on the two members may be s "and 1" respectively. The length of the device may be chosen according to the intended application but will typically depend on the cross-sectional dimensions of the device and may for example be in the range " to 1". The thickness of material used may be chosen as required, for example about 0.75 mm thick carbon steel is suitable.

The degree of convergence of the two members may be chosen as desired for a particular application and for the desired result. It has been found about 45 between the two members is suitable.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a device for fixing flashing or the like to brickwork or the like characterised in that the device is spring loaded such that, in use, when the device is located within a gap the device is urged against a wall of the gap and the flashing thereby causing the device and the flashing to be securely held in the gap. Preferably the device is as described above.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of fixing flashing or the like to brickwork or the like comprising locating a device of the invention in a gap between such flashing and such brickwork by hammering the device into said gap.

It will be seen that a device of the invention simplifies the roofer's task since the roofer just chooses the required size of device and hammers it into the gap in the brickwork. Furthermore, the device is easy to handle and use and can be produced at low cost. This is important given that some twenty or so wedges are typically used to secure flashing to a single chimney.

The device of the invention ensures that flashing remains securely fixed to the brickwork.

The invention will be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 to 4 relate to prior art roofing methods as previously describe; Figure 5 is a detailed side view showing use of a device of the invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of device of the invention; Figure 7 shows cross-sectional views of three different sizes of device of the invention; Figure 8 is a front view of a device of the invention corresponding to the first device shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention; and Figure 10 shows cross-sectional views of three different shaped devices of the invention.

Referring to Figure 5, a device of the invention 1 is used as a wedge between flashing 2 or an apron 12 and brickwork 6 as previously described for the conventional wedge 10. The device is spring biased against a wall of the gap between the bricks 6 and the flashing apron 2, 12.

Figure 6 shows a preferred embodiment of device of the invention having two converging members 16 joined by a base member 18. The members 16, 18 are formed from a single planar strip of metal or plastic bent at its central region to give the channel shape shown in Figure 6. The free end of one or both of the members 16 may have flanges 20.

These flanges are optional and if used the flanges abut the wall of the gap and the flashing in use.

Otherwise the free ends of the members 16 abut the gap wall and flashing. As shown in Figure 9, the flanges 20 may have serrated edges to provide an improved grip against the gap wall and flashing.

Referring to Figure 7, the device of the invention is preferably produced in three standard sizes which suit most applications, typically for brickwork joints from " to. Typically the width of the base 18 indicated by A is ", " or " and the width of the open end of the device indicated by B is 1", N" and " respectively.

The length of the device indicated by C in Figure 8 may be in the range " to 1. The degree of convergence between the members 16 indicated by angle D is preferably around 45".

Referring to Figure 10, the device of the invention may have any suitable cross-sectional shape. For example as shown the device 22 has a curved base 23 giving it an overall U shaped cross-section; the device 24 has a pointed base 25 giving it a V-shaped cross-section and the device 26 has a flat base 27 giving it a channel shaped cross-section.

In use, the closed end or base 18 of the device is located in the gap so that it lies closest to the cement 14. A chisel is placed through the open end 28 of the device to rest on the base or closed end 18. The device is then hammered into the gap, typically until the open end 28 is flush with or rebated from the outer surface of the brickwork 6. The device is securely held in place by abutment against the gap wall and the flashing so that the flashing is securely held.

It will be appreciated that the present invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiments which are described by way of example only.

Claims

1. A device for fixing flashing or the like to brickwork or the like comprising two members converging at one closed end and open at the other end to form a substantially wedge shaped device.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is formed from a single member bent at a central region thereof to form said two members.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein such single member comprises a substantially planar member.

4. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein each of said two members is substantially planar.

5. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device is spring loaded.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the spring loading is such that the members will not move towards each other under normal manual pressure but will move towards each other under increased pressure such as applied in use or by a tool.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the amount of movement is small, typically just sufficient to allow the device to be hammered into a gap using a chisel.

8. A device according to claim 5 or any succeeding claim, wherein the spring loading is provided inherently in the device by using appropriately selected materials.

9. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device comprises spring steel.

10. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the material from which the device is made is such that the device will not snap or deform if the two members are moved towards each other to substantially close the open end.

11. A device according to any preceding claim having a substantially U-shaped cross-section.

12. A device according to any of claims 1 to 10, having a substantially V-shaped cross-section.

13. A device according to any of claims 1 to 10 having a substantially channel-shaped cross-section.

14. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said two members form an angle therebetween of substantially 450.

15. A device for fixing flashing or the like to brickwork or the like characterised in that the device is spring loaded such that, in use, when the device is located within a gap the device is urged against a wall of the gap and the flashing thereby causing the device and the flashing to be securely held in the gap.

16. A method of fixing flashing or the like to brickwork or the like comprising locating a device according to any preceding claim in a gap between such flashing and such brickwork by hammering the device into said gap.

17. A device or a method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.