GB2318593A

GB2318593A - Roof batten spacer

Info

Publication number: GB2318593A
Application number: GB9622031A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Frederick Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-10-24
Filing date: 1996-10-24
Publication date: 1998-04-29
Also published as: GB9622031D0

Abstract

A roof batten spacer (1) comprises a material that does not rot and through which a nail can be readily driven. In plan view it's dimensions will approximate to the width of a rafter and it's shape may be a small square, circle, triangle, rectangle, trapezium or parallelagram with an upstanding part or parts about one end only and is all relatively thin in section. The upstand part or parts (2) serve to easily locate and hold the main body (1) of the roof batten spacer in the ideal position under the batten and directly over the rafter (which is below the roof underlay) to facilitate nailing through the roof batten, the roof batten spacer, the roof underlay and into the rafter using one nail. Once fixed , the main body of the roof batten spacer seperates the normal wood batten from the roof underlay below by the thickness of the roof batten spacer beneath the batten.

Description

Roof Batten Spacer This invention relates to a Roof Batten Spacer.

Roof battens are made of wood, which rots, the process of rot is accelerated by : condensation within the batten and on its surfaces due to the micro - climate of it's position in the roof, the lack of fully exposed underside batten surfaces to the effects of air movement and drying, lack of continuous drainage down the roof underlay and under battens, even with draped underlay, lack of effective drainage down the roof underlay when the roof underlay is not draped or is supported.

Wood preservative treatment of the batten merely extends its life expectancy but still leaves most areas of any roof with a serious and costly repair problem as well as a dangerous condition within a lifetime.

Furtherrnore the traditional method of roof batten fixity ( horizontal only or with counter-battens ) does little to promote general air movement over the top of the underlay which is essential if vapour pressure release and conditions for limiting condensation above and below the roof underlay are to be rxaximised It is also essential with traditional methods of roof batten fixity to have the roof underlay draped for effective drainage but this can cause ponding at the eaves and valleys, uplift "flapping" of the underlay against the roof finish in high winds and excessive heat loss at the felt laps and poor weathering before the roof is finished According to the present invention there is provided a roof batten spacer comprising a material that does not rot and through which a nail can be readily driven . In plan view it's dimensions approximate to the width of a rafter and it's shape may be a small square circle, triangle , rectangle , trapezium or parallelagram with an upstanding part or parts about one end only and is all relatively thin in section. The upstanding part or parts serve to easily locate and hold the main body of the roof banen spacer in the ideal position under the batten and directly over the rafter (which is below the roof underlay) to facilitate nailing through the roof batten, the roof batten spacer, the roof underlay and into the rafter using one nail . Once fixed, the main body of the roof batten spacer seperates the normal wood batten from the roof underlay below by the thickness of the roof batten spacer beneath the batten.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which : Fig. 1 shows in perspective the roof batten spacer in position on a pitched roof.

Fig. 2 shows in plan view the roof batten spacer nailed in position.

Fig. 3 shows in section the roof batten spacer nailed in position.

Fig. 4 shows in perspective an enlarged view of the roof batten spacer.

Fig. 5 shows in section the space between underlay and batten, created by the roof batten spacer.

Refering to the drawing the roof batten spacer comprises a main body 1 and an integral upstand part 2, see fig. 4. On plan it is a small square shape approximating to the width of a rafter and a batten see fig. 2 and in section is all relatively thin, see fig. 3. The main body 1 material will accept a nail being driven through it in similar fashion to a piece of wood.

In order to fix the roof batten spacer it is offered to the underside of a batten with the upstanding part 2 uppermost and aligned slightly to the fore of the head (fire pointing up the roof slope) of the batten and the main body 1 parallel with the underside of the batten and beneath it, both the upstanding part 2 and the main body 1 are then brought into contact with their opposing batten surfaces and the whole roof batten spacer is then slid along the batten to a point which is directly over a rafter, see fig 2.

In this position as shown in fig. 3 the batten and roof batten spacer (1 and 2) are held in contact with the roof underlay and a nail is then driven through the batten, the roof batten spacer , the roof underlay and into the rafter thus fixing all those elements together.

The resulting roof construction consequently has a space beneath the batten to the underlay which is caused by the relatively thin section depth of the main body 1 of the roof batten spacer as shown in fig. 1 and 5

Claims

Claims A A roof batten spacer comprising a material that does not rot and through which a nail can be readily driven In plan view it's dimensions approximate to the width of a rafter and it's shape may be a small square, circle, triangle, rectangle, trapezium or parallelagram with an upstanding part or parts about one end only and is all relatively thin in section . The upstand part or parts serve to easily locate and hold the main body of the roof batten spacer in the ideal position under the batten and directly over the rafter (which is below the roof underlay) to facilitate nailing through the roof batten, the roof batten spacer, the roof underlay and into the rafter using one nail Once fixed , the main body of the roof batten spacer seperates the normal wood batten from the roof underlay below by the thickness of the roof batten spacer beneath the batten
2 A roof batten spacer as claimed in claim 1 wherin the upstanding part or parts will be about one end only and be in the form of either a thin membrane, an upturned part of the main body or a protruding impression or moulding .
3 A roof batten spacer as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the upstanding part or parts are actually on one end.
4 A roof batten spacer as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein any surface of the main body part may be roughened, dimpled or ribbed.
5 A roof batten spacer substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 - 5 of the accompanying drawing.

5 A roof batten spacer substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 - 5 of the accompanying drawing.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows A A roof batten spacer comprising a material that does not rot and through which a nail can be readily driven . In plan view it's dimensions approximate to the width of a rafter and it's shape may be a small square, circle, triangle, rectangle, trapezium or parallelogram and is all relatively thin in section.

The main body of the roof batten spacer is held under the batten and directly over the rafter (which is below the roof underlay) to facilitate nailing through the roof batten, the roof batten spacer, the roof underlay and into the ratter using one nail Once fixed , the main body of the roof batten spacer separates the normal wood batten from the roof underlay below by the thickness of the roof batten spacer beneath the batten.

2 A roof batten spacer as claimed in claim 1 wherein an upstanding part or parts will be about one end only and be in the form of either a thin membrane, an uptumed part of the main body or a protruding impression or moulding.

3 A roof batten spacer as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the upstanding part or parts are actually on one end.

4 A roof batten spacer as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein any surface of the main body part may be roughened, dimpled or ribbed.