GB2323624A - Roof slate securing clip - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for securing a roofing, eg a slate, to a roof batten comprises a hub (2) for attachment to the roof batten and a roofing retaining body. The roofing retaining body is attached to the hub (2), and extends downwardly from the hub (2). A plurality of roofing engaging hooks (15) are provided for engaging the bottom edge of the roofing. The roofing retaining body may comprise two elongate arms (7,8) in a 'V' shape and a reinforcing arm (13) may extend between the elongate arms (7,8). At least one roof engaging hook (15) may be slidable along the elongate arm (8) on which it is positioned and may together with the arm (8) include locking means to prevent the hook (15) from sliding away from the hub (2). The invention also covers roofing secured to a roof batten by such apparatus.

Description

ROOFING SECURING CLIP This invention relates to a roofing securing clip for securing roofing to a roof batten. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention relation relates to a roofing securing clip for securing roofing such as slates, tiles on panes of glass to a roof batten.

GB-A-2228502 discloses a slate securing clip which uses a hook at one end to engage a slate. The clip has an opening in it for receiving a nail, screw or other fastener, to fasten the clip to a roof batten. When used to secure a slate in a roof valley, the clip can comprise an L-shaped strip member having a slate retaining clip at the end of each limb.

The clip with an L-shaped strip member can prevent lateral displacement of the slate and also rotational displacement which might result from, for example, a person walking on the roof or a heavy snowfall. However, such a clip is only suitable for securing slates located at the end of a row.

Because the clip includes a restraining means which engages the side of the slate, an adjacent slate in the same row must be separated from the secured slate secured by a small gap, at least the width of the restraining means. These small gaps between the slates tend to accumulate debris such as earth, moss or lichens. The moss and lichens will eventually damage the roof reducing its water resistance.

The present invention provides an apparatus which includes a hub, a roofing retaining body and a plurality of roofing engaging hooks.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for securing roofing to a roof batten comprising: a hub for attachment to a roof batten; a roofing retaining body attached to the hub which extends downwardly from the hub when the hub is attached to the batten, and which includes a plurality of roofing engaging hooks for engaging the bottom edge of the roofing to be secured.

The apparatus of the invention has the advantage that, because it engages the roofing at a plurality of points along a common edge, it prevents roofing rotation but does not prevent adjacent roofing in the same row being positioned closely to the secured roofing.

The roofing retaining body of the apparatus can comprise two elongate arms in a V-shape relative alignment, each arm having a roofing engaging hook positioned on it.

The roofing retaining body of the apparatus can include two coplanar elongate arms, the angle between the elongate axes of the arms being not more than 90 , each arm having a roofing engaging hook positioned on it.

The apparatus of the invention can include a reinforcing arm extending between the elongate arms for maintaining the elongate arms in a fixed relative spatial alignment. This reduces the stress on the arms of the apparatus during use.

Preferably, at least one of the roofing engaging hooks can be slid along the elongate arm on which it is positioned. The roofing engaging hook and the arm can include means for locking the roofing engaging hook against being slid along the arm away from the hub. This can enable the roofing engaging hook to be correctly positioned to securely grip several sizes of roofing such as slates or tiles.

The hub can include an aperture for receiving a fixing means for fixing the apparatus to the batten. Preferably, the roofing engaging hooks of the apparatus each include a slot for receiving the roofing during use. Such a slot can grip the roofing inhibiting its rotation further.

Each roofing engaging hook of the apparatus can further include a tension arm which presses against the roofing when the clip and the roofing are engaged, increasing the friction between the roofing and the slot.

The apparatus of the invention can be fabricated from a nonmetallic material. This reduces thermal expansion and contraction of the clip so reducing wear on the roofing. For example, the non-metallic clip can be made from a polymeric material such as a polyamide, a polyolefin (especially polyethylene or polypropylene), a polyester and so on. Use of a polymeric material has the advantage that the apparatus of the invention can conveniently be formed by moulding process.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided roofing secured to a roof batten by a roofing securing apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a hub for attachment to a roof batten; a roofing retaining body attached to the hub which extends downwardly from the hub when the hub is attached to the batten and which includes a plurality of roofing engaging hooks for engaging the bottom edge of the roofing to be secured.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus of the invention Figure 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus of the invention Figure 3 is a perspective view of an apparatus of the invention in position Figure 4 is a plan view of an apparatus of a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, apparatus 1 comprises a disc shaped hub 2 having first and second substantially circular opposing faces 3, 4. An aperture 5 extends from the first face 3 to the second face 4. The thickness of the hub 2 is less than the diameter of circular faces 3, 4.

Extending from the rim 6 of the hub 2 are first and second elongate arms 7, 8. These arms lie in the plane of the hub 2.

The angle between the arms 7, 8 is between 10 and 80 , preferably between 30 and 60 , more preferably between 40 and 50".

Each of the arms 7, 8 is rectangular in cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the elongate axes of the arms. The upper 9 and lower faces 9, 10 of the arms 7, 8 also lie in a plane of the hub 2. The shorter side faces 11, 12 of the arms lie in planes perpendicular to the plane of the hub 2.

Extending between the two arms 7,8 is a reinforcement arm 13.

The reinforcement arm 13 maintains the angle between the first 7 and second 8 arms when in use. It also reduces the stress on the first and second arms 7, 8 during transport, storage and use.

Moulded into the upper surface of each arm 7,8 are a series of ridges 14 extending transversely across the arm. The ridges 14 are asymmetric, the side closest to the hub being steeper than the side remote from the hub 2.

Shown in Figure 2 is a roofing engagement hook 15 threaded on elongate arm 7. The engagement hook 15 comprises a body 16 having first and second opposed surfaces 17, 18 and an aperture 19 extending between them. The roofing engagement hook 15 can be threaded on to either of the elongate arms 7,8 by passing the elongate arm 7,8 through the aperture 19. Once threaded onto the arm 7,8 the hook 15 can then be slid towards the hub 2 if required.

Contained within the aperture 19 is a ratchet type restraining mechanism 20 (not shown) which can be slid along either of the elongate arms towards the hub 2 but not away from it. The restraining mechanism 20 is shaped such that it is deformed by the shallow side of the ridges 14 so enabling it to pass over the ridges when being slid towards the hub 2. However, if one attempts to slide the engagement hook 15 away from the hub 2 the restraining mechanism 20 engages with the steeper side of the ridges 14 preventing movement.

The engagement hook 15 also comprises a tension arm 21 extending from the body 16. The space between the tension arm 21 and the body 16 defines a slot 22 which is adapted to receive the roofing during use. A curved portion 23 of the tension arm 21 is shaped to press against the roofing during use maintaining the roofing within the slot 22.

The engagement hook of this embodiment of the invention is adapted to engage roofing material such as slates, tiles or sheets of glass.

In use, the hub 2 is positioned over a roof batten and the arms 7, 8 correctly oriented with respect to the batten. A nail is then passed through the aperture 5 in the hub 2 and the clip 1 nailed to the batten. Once the clip 1 is in the correct position a slate is then placed over it and correctly aligned with respect to the surrounding slates. The engagement hooks 15 are then slid along the arms until the slate enters the slot 22 of each hook. Finally, the portions of elongate arms 7, 8 which extend beyond the engagement hook 15 are removed.

The apparatus 1 is made from nylon and is the same colour as the slates. In an alternative embodiment the apparatus is made from another suitable plastic material.

Figure 3 shows the roofing clip 1 and roofing in use. The majority of the roofing clip 1 is concealed behind the roofing and cannot be seen from ground level.

Shown in Figure 4 is a further embodiment of the apparatus 1 of the invention. The reinforcing arm 13 of the second embodiment is substantially triangular extending from the hub 2 along the arms 7, 8.

The apparatus of the invention is a single piece manufactured by injection moulding of a plastic into a mould.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention each elongate arm 7, 8 has a number of recesses disposed along its upper face 9 and the restraining means 20 includes a protrusion for engagement with the recesses. The protrusion is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position and is resiliently biased in the extended position.

When the engagement hook is threaded on to the arm, the arm forces the protrusion into the retracted position enabling the hook to slide along the arm. However, when the protrusion passes over a recess it is biassed to its extended position, interengaging with the recess.

The recess wall includes an actuating surface which is shaped such that on sliding the hook towards the hub the actuating surface returns the protrusion to its retracted position allowing sliding to continue. However, on attempting to slide the hook away from the hub the recess wall engages its protrusion, preventing the hook from sliding.

Claims (11)

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus for securing a roofing to a roof batten comprising: a hub for attachment to a roof batten; a roofing retaining body attached to the hub which extends downwardly from the hub when the hub is attached to the batten, and which includes a plurality of roofing engaging hooks for engaging the bottom edge of the roofing to be secured.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the roofing retaining body comprises two elongate arms in V-shaped relative alignment, each arm having a roofing engaging hook positioned on it.

3. Apparatus as claimed in either of claims 1 or claim 2, in which the roofing retaining body comprises two co-planar elongate arms, the angle between the elongate axes of the arms being not more than 90 , each arm having a roofing engaging hook positioned on it.

4. Apparatus as claimed in either of claims 2 or claim 3, which includes a reinforcing arm extending between the elongate arms for maintaining the elongate arms in fixed relative spacial alignment.

5. Apparatus as claimed in either of claims 2 or claim 3, in which a least one of the roofing engaging hooks can be slid along the elongate arm on which it is positioned, the roofing engaging hook and the arm including means for locking the roofing engaging hook against being slid along the arm away from the hub.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the hub includes an aperture for receiving a fixing means for fixing the apparatus to the batten.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claim 1 to 6 in which the roofing engaging hooks each include a slot for receiving the roofing during use.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which each roofing engaging hook further includes a tension arm which presses against the roofing when the clip and the roofing are engaged increasing the friction between the roofing and the slot.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 fabricated from a non-metallic material.

10. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the description and drawings.

11. Roofing secured to a roof batten by a roofing securing apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a hub for attachment to a roof batten; a roofing retaining body attached to the hub which extends downwardly from the hub when the hub is attached to the batten and which includes a plurality of roofing engaging hooks for engaging the bottom edge of the roofing to be secured.