GB2359568A

GB2359568A - Roofing tile having ventilation means

Info

Publication number: GB2359568A
Application number: GB0017339A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jack Irvine Davidson Shaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-25
Filing date: 2000-07-17
Publication date: 2001-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2020-07-17
Also published as: GB0004363D0; GB0017339D0; GB2359568B

Abstract

A roofing tile 1 having at least one recess or aperture 4 filled or closed by ventilating material 8 which permits the passage of air but restricts the inflow of water or moisture. The roofing tile may be a ridge tile with an inverted V or U shaped section. The ventilating material may be reticulated foam or a "breathing material" or a multi-layer construction combining the two. The ventilating material may be triangular in cross-section and have an anti-capillary groove therein. Also disclosed is a mortar shield for use with the roofing tile to extend along a lower edge of the roofing tile.

Description

2359568 1 IMPROVED ROOFING TILE The present invention concerns an improved

roofing tile and particularly an improved ridge tile including ventilation means.

It is known to overlap the ends of ridge tiles such that the lower edges of the tiles on either sides of the ridge are slightly inclined with the result that a small air gap exists between the bottom edges of the ridge tiles and the tile therebeneath which provides a degree of ventilation although does not prevent the ingress of water.

It is also known to provide ridge tiles which rest on ventilating members which in turn rest on a tile therebeneath and separate securing means and clips are required for interconnection purposes. Such constructions involve additional instillation work and assembly and interconnection and are more complicated to install and expensive.

According to a first aspect of the present invention an improved roofing tile and preferably a ridge tile, includes at least one aperture or recess providing access to the space normally beneath and protected by the tile with each said aperture or recess being filled in or closed by ventilation means which permits the passage of air but prevents or restricts the inflow of water or moisture to such space.

The ventilating means is preferably formed of reticulated foam material or other material. The ventilating material may even be a "breathing material" which prevents the inflow of water to beneath the tile and is such as to thus ventilate the roof space and materials having such characteristic are known. The breathing material might even be such as to permit only the outflow of moisture and air. The ventilating material may comprise a multi-layer construction comprising a reticulated foam material and a breathing material.

2 Preferably with a ridge tile which is of normally inverted V or U-shape (although any other shape of ridge tile may be used), the ventilating material will be provided in each lowermost edge and preferably in one or more recesses provided in the lowermost edge and be secured thereto by suitable means e.g. adhesive or other bonding agent of waterproof nature.

The ventilating means will preferably be located normally inwardly of the outermost surface of the lower surface of the ridge tile and inwardly of an anti-capiiiary action groove (means for stopping water running inward) which extends along the length of the lowermost outermost surfaces of the tile.

It is of course possible for through aperture (5) or recess (5) to be provided elsewhere in the tile although the above described arrangement in the lower edges is preferred.

When provided in the lowermost edges of a ridge tile, the recesses may be in the form of inverted castillations with the ventilating material closing the apertures or spaces to provide a continuous/straight lower edge with the lowermost edges of the tile and extending within the apertures so that when the ridge tile is located in position the ventilated material also rests on the surface of the tile therebeneath.

The ventilating material is preferably in a form of long strips or bars preferably of right-angled triangular cross-section with the lowermost corner being truncated in the form of a flat edge to rest on the surface of the tile therebeneath or may be slightly angled to match the lower tile inclination and provide a good seal and may have an anti-capillary groove therein.

The ventilating material will be weatherproof and preferably rot proof and will form an insect barrier.

3 According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a mortar shield for use with a roofing ridge tile in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, said mortar shield comprising an elongate lower portion adapted, in use, to extend along a lower edge of the roofing ridge tile and an elongate upper portion, extending at an angle to the lower portion, adapted, in use, to extend along a portion of the rear face of the roofing ridge tile adjacent the lower edge thereof. The mortar shield allows the roofing ridge tile according to the first aspect of the invention to be used on a roof comprising non-flat profile tiles (e.g. pantiles or bold roll tiles) wherein mortar is placed between the roofing tiles and the ridge tiles. The use of such mortar shields, being placed between the ridge tile and the roofing tiles (including any mortar thereon), prevents the mortar from blocking the ventilation means of the ridge tiles.

The lower portion of the mortar shield may be provided with upstanding lugs adapted, in use, to be received in cooperating recesses in the lower edge of a ridge tile to locate the mortar shield on the lower edge of the ridge tile. Spikes may be provided on the upper face of the lower portion of the mortar shield which can, in use, be embedded into ventilating means of the ridge tile, both to hold the. mortar shield in position and provide support for the ventilation means.

The upper portion of the mortar shield may have spaced apart upstanding projections extending from the front face thereof which, in use, engage the rear face of the roofing ridge tile and maintain and air gap between the upper portion of the mortar shield and the rear face of the roofing ridge tile.

The roofing ridge tile according to the invention can provide roof space ventilation in excess of 5000 MM2 per side per metre, equivalent to that provided by the regulation 5mm gap along the ridge line for a conventional 4 roof construction, while providing improved weatherproofing and acting as an insect barrier.

The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from one side of an inverted V section ridge tile illustrating two recesses in one side filled with ventilating material; Fig. 2 is an end perspective view of part of a ridge tile similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the ventilating material in the opposite sides; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein the ridge tile is illustrated having a single recess in each side with ventilating material therein; and Fig. 4 is a section on lines A-A or B-B through a recess of a ridge tile as shown in either Fig. 1 or Fig. 3 showing ventilating material in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through a recess of a ridge tile as shown in either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 showing ventilating material in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through a recess of a ridge tile as shown in either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 showing ventilating material in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; Fig. 7 is a sectional view through a recess of a ridge tile as shown in either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 showing ventilating material in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a mortar shield according to the second aspect of the invention; Fig.9 is a detailed front view of an end part of a mortar shield as shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a sectional view along line A-A in Fig.9.

A roofing ridge tile 1 is illustrated in the drawings and is made of a suitable material such as of baked clay, cement mortar, glass reinforced plastics (e.g. RPGF), polymerised cements, metal e.g. aluminum, copper or other composite materials or other material in known manner and in the example illustrated is generally of inverted V-shaped section having identical sides 2, 7with normally lowermost edges 3, 3'. In each of which edges 3, 3' in Fig. 1 there are two recesses 4 (only two shown on one side) or a single recess 5 in each side in Fig. 3 (only one side shown). The defining edges of said recesses 4, 5 may have anti-capillary action grooves 6 running therealong in addition to the normal anti-capillary grooves 7 normally provided in the lowermost surfaces of the edges 3 of the ridge tile 1.

In each recess 4, 5 a strip 8 of ventilating material is fixed by a weatherproof bonding agent 9 provided between the uppermost surface of the strip 8 and the inner lowermost surface of the edge defining each recess 4, 5 and the opposite, upwardly extending sides of the recess 4, 5 and thus the strips 8 are bonded to all sides of the tile defining each recess 4, 5..

In one embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 the strip 8 of ventilating material is of right-angled triangular cross-section with the lowermost corner being truncated and the upper surface being bonded to the lowermost surface of the top surface of the recesses of the tile and inwardly of the anti-capillary groove 6 - each ventilating strip 8 being the same or almost the same width as the recess 4 and also being bonded at its opposite ends to the tile surface by the bonding agents.

Thus it will be apparent that each strip 8 of ventilating material may be 20 mm x 18 mm tapering in cross section reducing towards the base line of the ridge tile to approximately 2 millimeters with a possible length of, for example, 280 millimeters.

In this first embodiment the ventilating member is formed of reticulated foam grade TR20 or TR10 to act as weatherproofing and also forms an insect 6 barrier and is of a material which does not rot and is preferably TR10. The reticulated foam is such as to prevent or restrict the throughpassage of water but enables the passage of air to ventilate the roof space defined by the ridge tile in use and preferably is of a material which will enable any water vapor within said space covered by the tile 2 to pass only in one direction outwardly.

The lowermost surface of the strip 8 member may have an anti- capillary groove and/or be inclined to match the surface of inclination of a tile which would normally be located therebeneath.

In an alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the ventilating material 8 comprises a breathing material such as a selectively breathable synthetic Uk 7 M) membrane 10 (e.g. goretexAor neoprene), allowing air to pass therethrough in either direction and allowing moisture to pass from the roof space to the outside but preventing the passage of water or moisture therethrough in the opposite direction. Slots 11 are provided in all three defining sides of each recess 4,5 into which the breathable membrane 10 is bonded by means of a suitable weatherproof adhesive.

In a further embodiment shown in Fig. 6 the ventilating material 8 comprises a multi-layer construction comprising a breathable membrane 10, similar to that shown in Fig. 5, bonded to a strip of reticulated foam material 12, similar to that shown in Fig. 4. The breathable membrane 10 is secured in a slot 11 by bonding with a suitable adhesive and the strip of reticulated foam 12 is bonded to both the breathable membrane and the defining edges of each recess 4,5.

In a modified embodiment shown in Fig. 7 the strip of reticulated foam 12 is of truncated right-angled triangular cross section, similar to that arrangement shown in Fig. 4, to match the inclination of a tile which would normally be located therebeneath. The breathable membrane 10, bonded to 7 the strip of reticulated foam 12, does not extend along the full width of the strip of reticulated foam 12, leaving a compression area 'W' to allow the foam to compress against a tile located therebeneath.

It is appreciated that the present invention may be incorporated in any existing design of ridge tile with minimal expense.

Where ridges tile are to be placed on a roof formed from tiles having a non-flat profile (e.g. pantiles or bold roll tiles) mortar is frequently used to fill any gaps between the underside of the ridge tiles and the upper surface of the roof tiles. If a roofing ridge tile incorporating ventilating material is used on such a roof construction the mortar will block the ventilating material, preventing it from performing its function.

Figure 8 shows a mortar shield which is intended to be placed between a lower edge of the roofing ridge tile and the upper surface of the roof tiles in order to prevent the mortar from contacting the ventilating material of the ridge tile to allow a roofing ridge tile incorporating ventilating material to be used with roofing tiles having a non-flat profile. A pair of mortar shields are to be used on each roofing ridge tile, one under each side of the ridge tile.

The mortar shield comprises an upper part 13 which, in use, extends along the inner face of the ridge tile adjacent its lower edge and an integrally formed lower part 14 which, in use, extends along the lower edge of the roofing ridge tile. The upper part of the mortar shield has spaced projections 15 extending from the upper edge of the front face thereof and side walls 16 extending from the sides thereof. The projections 15 and side walls 16 are adapted to rest against the rear face of a roofing ridge tile to maintain an air gap between the rear face of the roofing tile and the upper part of the mortar shield. Raised portions 17, 17' may be provided on the front face of the upper part to prevent the passage of moisture past the mortar shield. The raised 8 portions may be inclined 17' or downwardly curved 17 to allow any moisture collected thereon to drain away.

Raised lugs 18 are provided on the upper face of the lower part of the mortar shield which are adapted to be received in correspondingly shaped recesses in the lower edge of a roofing ridge tile adapted for use with the mortar shield to locate the mortar shield in position on the ridge tile. Adhesive may be applied to the lugs to secure the mortar shield to the ridge tile. The lugs 18 may be formed integrally with the mortar shield or be bonded thereto and may be formed from moulded plastic or rubber. Spikes 19 are also provided on the upper face of the lower part in positions corresponding to the recesses containing ventilation material in the lower edge of roofing ridge tile such that the spikes pass into the ventilating material to maintain the mortar shield in position. The spikes 19 may be formed integrally with the mortar shield or may comprise metal pins that may pass through the lower part of the mortar shield. The spikes 19 help to hold both the ventilating material and the mortar shield in position as well as providing extra resistance against deformation under pressure of the mortar shield.

A reinforcing bead or lip 20 may be provided along the lower edge of the lower part 14 to strengthen the lower part to provide increased resistance to deformation thereof during application of mortar to the shield in use.

The mortar shield may be formed from a suitable tough weatherproof plastics material that will not perish or be affected by sunlight. The material may be between 1 mm and 3.5mm thickness. The dimensions of the mortar shield will be adapted such that it will extend along the full length of the ridge tile to which it is intended to be fitted. The upper part will be between 40mm to 150mm high and the lower part between 21 mm and 75mrn wide. The outermost edges of at least the lower part may be formed with a bead thereon for strength. The projections 13 on the upper part of the mortar shield may be between 1Omm and 20mm high and the raised details between 2mm and 9 4mm high. The lower surface of at least the lower part of the mortar shield may have a rough surface or be patterned to enable the mortar to adhere to the mortar shield.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An improved roofing tile including at least one aperture or recess providing access to the space normally beneath and protected by the tile with said aperture or recess being filled or closed by ventilating material which permits the passage of air but prevents or restricts the inflow of water or moisture to such space.

2. An improved roofing tile as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roofing tile comprises a ridge tile.

3. An improved ridge tile as claimed in claim 2 wherein the ridge tile is of inverted V or U shaped section.

4. An improved roofing tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material is formed of reticulated foam material or other material.

5. An improved roofing tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the 9 ventilating material is a!breathing material" which prevents the inflow of water to beneath the tile and is such as to thus ventilate the roof space.

6. An improved roofing tile as claimed in claim 5, wherein the breathing material permits only the outflow of moisture and air.

7. An improved roofing tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material comprises a multi-layer construction comprising a reticulated foam material and a breathing material.

8. An improved roofing tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material is provided in one or more recesses provided in at least one lowermost edge of the tile and is secured thereto by suitable means.

11

9. An improved roofing tile as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ventilating material is secured in said one or more recesses by an adhesive or bonding material of a waterproof nature.

1O.An improved roofing tile as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the ventilating material is located normally inwardly of the outermost surface of the lower surface of the ridge tile and inwardly of an anti-capillary action groove (means for stopping water running inward) which extends along the length of the lowermost outermost surfaces of the tile.

11. An improved roofing tile as claimed in any of claims 2 to 10; wherein the recesses are in the form of inverted castellations in the lowermost edges of the roofing ridge tile with the ventilating material closing the apertures or spaces to provide a continuous/straight lower edge with the lowermost edges of the tile and extending within the apertures so that when the roofing tile is located in position the ventilated material also rests on the surface of the tile therebeneath.

12.An improved roofing tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material is in a form of long strips or bars preferably of right-angled triangular cross-section with the lowermost corner being truncated in the form of a flat edge to rest on the surface of the tile therebeneath or slightly angled to match the lower tile inclination and provide a good seal

13.An improved roofing tile as claimed in claim 12, wherein the ventilating material has an anti-capillary groove therein.

14.An improved roofing tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material is weatherproof, rot proof and forms an insect barrier.

15.A mortar shield for use with a roofing ridge tile in accordance with any of claims 2 to 14, said mortar shield comprising an elongate lower portion 12 adapted, in use, to extend along a lower edge of the roofing ridge tile and an elongate upper portion, extending at an angle to the lower portion, adapted, in use, to extend along a portion of the rear face of the roofing ridge tile adjacent the lower edge thereof.

16.A mortar shield as claimed in claim 15, wherein the lower portion of the mortar shield is provided with upstanding lugs adapted, in use, to be received in co-operating recesses in the lower edge of a ridge tile to locate the mortar shield on the lower edge of the ridge tile.

17.A mortar shield as claimed in claims 15 or 16, wherein spikes are provided on the upper face of the lower portion of the mortar shield which can, in use, be embedded into ventilating means of the ridge tile, both to hold the mortar shield in position and provide support for the ventilation means.

18.A mortar shield as claimed in any of claims 15 to 17, wherein the upper portion of the mortar shield has spaced apart upstanding projections extending from the front face thereof which, in use, engage the rear face of the roofing ridge tile and maintain and air gap between the upper portion of the mortar shield and the rear face of the roofing ridge tile.

19.A mortar shield substantially as descdbed herein with reference to figures 8 to 10.

19.A roofing tile substantially as described herein with reference to the figures 1 to 7.

20.A mortar shield substantially as described herein with reference to figures 8 to 10.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. An improved roofing ridge tHe including at least one aperture or recess providing access to the space normally beneath and protected by the tile with said aperture or recess being filled or closed by ventilating material which permits the passage of air but prevents or restricts the inflow of water or moisture to suchspace.

2. An improved ridge tile as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ridge tile is of inverted V or U shaped section.

3. An improved ridge tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material is formed of reticulated foam material or other material.

4. An improved ridge tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material is a "breathing material" which prevents the inflow of water to beneath the tile and is such as to thus ventilate the roof space.

5. An improved ridge tile as claimed in claim 4, wherein the breathing material permits only the outflow of moisture but permits the inflow and outflow of air.

6. An improved ridge tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material comprises a multi-layer construction comprising a reticulated foam material and a breathing material.

7.

An improved ridge tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material is provided in one or more recesses provided in at least one lowermost edge of the tile and is secured thereto by suitable means.

14 8. An improved ridge tile as claimed in claim 7, wherein the ventilating material is secured in said one or more recesses by an adhesive or bonding material of a waterproof nature.

9. An improved ridge tile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the ventilating material is located normally inwardly of the outermost surface of the lower surface of the ridge tile and inwardly of an anticapillary action groove (means for stopping water running inward) which extends along the length of the lowermost outermost surfaces of the file.

1O.An improved ridge tile as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the recesses are in the form of inverted castellations in the lowermost edges of the roofing ridge tile with the ventilating material cAosing the apertures or spaces to provide a continuous/straight lower edge with the lowermost edges of the tile and extending within the apertures so that when the ridge tile is located in position the ventilated material also rests on the surface of the tile therebeneath.

11.An improved ridge tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material Is in a form of long strips or bars preferably of rightangled triangular cross-section with the lowermost corner being truncated in the form of a flat edge to rest on the surface of the tile therebeneath or slightly angled to match the lower tile inclination and provide a good seal 12.An improved ridge tile as claimed in claim 11, wherein the ventilating material has an anti-capill" groove therein.

13.An improved ridge tile as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ventilating material is weatherproof, rot proof and forms an insect barrier.

14.A mortar shield for use with a roofing ridge file in accordance with any of claims 1 to 13, said mortar shield comprising an elongate lower portion 1,5 adapted, in use, to extend along a lower edge of the roofing ridge tile and an elongate upper portion, extending at an angle to the lower portion, adapted, in use, to extend along a portion of the rear face of the roofing ridge tile adjacent the lower edge thereof 15.A mortar shield as claimed in claim 14, wherein the lower portion of the mortar shield is provided with upstanding lugs adapted, in use, to be received in co-operating recesses in the lower edge of a ridge tile to locate the mortar shield on the lower edge of the ridge tile.

16. A mortar shield as claimed in claims 14 or 15, wherein spikes are provided on the upper face of the lower portion of the mortar shield which can, in use, be embedded into ventilating means of the ridge tile, both to hold the mortar shield in position and provide support for the ventilation means.

17.A mortar shield as claimed in any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the upper portion of the mortar shield has spaced apart upstanding projections extending from the front face thereof which, in use, engage the rear face of the roofing ridge tile and maintain and air gap between the upper portion of the mortar shield and the rear face of the roofing ridge tile.

18. A ridge tile substantially as described herein with reference to the figures 1 to 7.