GB2374882A

GB2374882A - Roof support

Info

Publication number: GB2374882A
Application number: GB0206310A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adrian Redshaw
Original assignee: Eurocell Profiles Ltd
Current assignee: Eurocell Profiles Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-16
Filing date: 2002-03-18
Publication date: 2002-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 2022-03-18
Also published as: GB0206310D0; GB0106537D0; GB2374882B

Abstract

A roof support, e.g. for use in a ridge roof assembly or canopy roof for a conservatory, comprises for connection to a glazing bar (33,34) a support bracket (2,3) having a lower end which hingedly connects the support bracket to a relatively fixed mounting bracket (1) so as to allow angular movement of the support bracket for readily adjusting the pitch of the roof in construction as required. The mounting bracket (1) has a web (4) from which upper (5,6) and lower (7,8) jaws project, the support bracket (2,3) being hinged to the lower jaw (7,8) and having an arcuate upper flange (19,20) which slidably co-operates with a complementary arcuate surface of the upper jaw(5,6). Indicators (21,22) on the upper flange (19,20) show angular settings of the support bracket relative to the mounting bracket. Screws (39,40) fix the upper flange to the upper jaw to secure the support bracket in any angularly adjusted position.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN ROOF SUPPORTS This invention relates to roof supports, for example ridge roof assemblies or wall plates for use in the construction of roof canopies, for example for a conservatory roof.

Modern conservatories may typically be constructed in one of two forms.

In one form the conservatory may be constructed as an extension projecting from the end of the main structure of a building and may have a ridge assembly supporting the upper edge of a ridged roof with the gable end of the ridge assembly supporting the apex of a multi-faceted canopy, which extends downwardly therefrom. In a simpler form the conservatory comprises a lean-to in which the roof canopy is supported from a wall plate which is attached to the main structure of the building.

A variety of such constructions are known but they mostly suffer from the disadvantage that the configuration of the canopy, with respect to the number of lights, the pitch of each light, and at the gable end, the included angle between the adjacent triangular lights meeting in a common apex, is predetermined by the fixed configuration of the support members.

Many conservatories and similar structures are often custom-built.

Accordingly it is necessary to design and construct a special configuration of roof support to enable non-standard canopies to be assembled.' We are aware of GB 2 273 114 which discloses a roof support member comprising a roof ridge member having a plurality of arms dependable therefrom. The roof ridge member comprises an elongate rod with the arms being pivotally mounted on the rod member and being slidable along its length. Thus the arms may be continuously adjustable longitudinally

of the rod member to vary the distance between adjacent arms and the pitch of the roof canopy can be varied to suit the particular application by moving the arms angularly about the rod member as an axis.

We are also aware of GB 2 259 926 which discloses a roof support in the form of an assembly in which a component is arranged to connect glazing bars to a structural wall to which a roof unit is to be secured. Fixing screws are adjustable to determine the angular position of each glazing bar with respect to a wall plate comprising upper and lower jaws of which the lower jaw has a channel to accommodate the screws. In addition, a neoprene seal is located in the channel between the glazing bar and a neighbouring glazing bar also supported by the wall plate. This seal abuts the surface of a roof panel carried by the glazing bars, sealing the gap that, because of the position of the panel relative to the bars, would otherwise exist between the panel and the wall plate. Thus the channel conveniently serves to accommodate the fixing screws and glazing seals on opposite sides of the screws.

According to a first aspect the present invention consists in a roof support comprising a support bracket for connection to a glazing bar having a lower end at which the support bracket is hingedly connected to a relatively fixed mounting bracket for angular movement about an axis so that in use the pitch of a roof can be adjusted.

Preferably the support and mounting brackets are co-extensive.

Preferably the mounting bracket has a longitudinally extending web from which upper and lower jaws project in one direction, the support bracket being hingedly connected to an outer end of the lower jaw, and including an inwardly directed upper flange of arcuate outline adapted slidably to co-operate with a surface of the upper jaw which is of complementary

outline, as the support bracket is moved angularly about the hinged connection. By having the two brackets of similar elongate length the space between them is substantially sealed by the hinged connection and the co-operation between the upper flange and the upper jaw.

Any convenient number of glazing bars may depend from the support bracket and can be located at any desired pitch, simply by sliding the ends of the glazing bars along the support bracket.

Preferably the inwardly directed flange and the hinged connection are interconnected integrally by a wall substantially of L-shaped outline having a first arm against which an end of the glazing bar abuts and in which a groove is located to receive an upper edge of a roof panel, and a second arm normal to the first arm and which supports the glazing bar between the first arm and the hinged connection. The second arm may have a channel to receive a bolt or bolts for securing the end of the or each glazing bar to the support bracket.

The web can be secured to the wall of a building with the mounting bracket acting as a wall plate. Alternatively, in a modification, upper and lower jaws also extend outwardly from the other face of the web to form a symmetrical ridge roof assembly incorporating oppositely opposed pairs of support brackets so that sets of glazing bars can project in opposite directions from the roof support.

In either construction the roof support may be completed by the provision of upper and lower capping strips which enclose upper and lower ends of the brackets, and protect the end of each glazing bar where it is connected to a support bracket.

The or each support bracket of the preferred form described above having the wall substantially of L-shaped outline may have an associated trim strip which fits against the first arm of the support bracket and has a channelled portion which extends into the locating groove of the first arm, the trim strip being adapted to be abutted by the end of the, or the respective, glazing bar and the upper edge of the roof panel which is received into the channelled portion. The locating groove of the or each support bracket is preferably provided with a retaining groove and the channelled portion of the associated trim strip has a Tee projection which engages in the retaining groove to retain the trim strip to the support bracket.

The components of our roof support may be manufactured from metal or plastics material or a combination. Preferably, they comprise suitably extruded sections, and when assembled in a roof do not require the addition or presence of any sealing strips apart from those which may be required to seal the edges of each light.

According to a second aspect the present invention consists in a roof assembly which includes a roof support in accordance with the foregoing first aspect of the present invention.

One embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which :- Figure 1 is a section through a ridge roof assembly with glazing bars located at a relatively shallow pitch; and Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the glazing bars disposed at a less shallow, steep, pitch.

The ridge roof assembly illustrated in the drawings comprises an elongate mounting bracket 1 and a pair of symmetrically arranged similar support brackets 2 and 3. Each of the three brackets comprises an extrusion of aluminium.

The mounting bracket 1 has a central web 4 from opposite ends of which project symmetrically arranged pairs of upper jaws 5 and 6 and lower jaws 7 and 8. Each upper jaw 5,6 is arcuate or of part circular outline, and each lower jaw 7,8 is provided at its outer end with a longitudinally extending part circular groove 9 and 10 with a continuous wall extending for at least 180 and having a mouth 11,12 disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the respective lower jaw 7,8.

Each support bracket 2,3 comprises a first arm 13, 14, and a second arm 15,16 normal to the respective first arm 13,14. The free end of each second arm 15,16 carries a longitudinally extending part circular bead 17,18 adapted slidably to be received within the respective groove 9,10 at the outer end of each respective lower jaw 7,8. An inwardly directed flange 19,20 projects away from the free end of the arm 13,14 in the opposite direction from the second arm 15,16, and each flange 19,20 is of part circular or arcuate outline complementary to that of the respective upper jaw 5,6.

The engagement of each bead 17,18 in each respective groove 9,10 defines a hinge or pivot point about which each support bracket'2, 3 can be moved angularly with respect to the mounting bracket 1.

The upper surface of each inwardly directed flange 19,20 has indicators 21,22 in the form of spaced longitudinal Vee-grooves which provide visual references for setting the angle of the support bracket 2,3 relative to the mounting bracket 1 for a required roof pitch.

As illustrated each first arm 13,14 is formed with a longitudinally extending locating groove 23,24 provided in the base wall thereof with a retaining groove 25,26. An extruded plastics trim strip 27,28 fitted against the first arm has a channelled portion 29,30 which extends into the locating groove 23,24 and has a Tee projection 31,32 which is received in the retaining groove 25,26 to retain the trim strip to the support bracket 2,3.

Each of a pair of glazing bars 33,34 has a square cut end which abuts against the trim strip 27,28. Any number of glazing bars may be slidably located on each support bracket 2,3 at spaced positions as required and set at any desired pitch.

The second arm 15,16 of each support bracket 2,3 has a channel 35,36 along which bolts, not shown, slide for securing the ends of the glazing bars 33,34 to the support bracket.

Upper end edges of roof panels 37,38 supported by the glazing bars 33,34 extend into and are sealed in the channelled portions 29,30 of the trim strips 27,28.

In constructing a roof the mounting bracket is normally connected at one end to a wall of a building. The glazing bars 33,34 are then moved angularly with the support brackets hinging about their connections at the outer ends of the lower jaws of the mounting bracket 1. During this movement the flanges 19,20 co-operate slidably within the inner faces of upper jaws to stabilise the glazing bars and constitute longitudinally extending seals. The indicators 21,22 show pitch settings of the support brackets. When the support brackets are at required angles they are fixed

at those angles by screws 39, 40 secured in the upper jaws 5, 6 of the mounting bracket 1 and the flanges 19, 20 of the support brackets.

As illustrated in the drawings Figure 1 shows a construction in which the glazing bars 33, 34 are disposed at relatively shallow angles with respect to the mounting bracket, whereas as shown in Figure 2 the glazing bars are located at a steeper, less shallow, angle.

The roof support is completed by the provision of upper and lower capping strips 41 and 42 which enclose the upper and lower ends of the mounting bracket 1 and the support brackets 2, 3 for the full length of the roof support. The capping strips 41, 42 are secured in position after the engagement between longitudinally extending co-operating snap connections.

The upper capping strip 41 projects outwardly beyond the upper jaws 5 and 6 to enclose and protect the ends of the glazing bars 33, 34 where they are connected to the support brackets 2, 3.

The capping strips also comprise plastic extrusions.

The roof support illustrated in the drawings and described above can be utilised as a wall plate simply by removing the corresponding upper and lower jaws from one side of the web 4. The web can then be secured against the wall of a building and from which the glazing bar carried by the remaining support brackets 2 or 3 will extend. In such construction each capping strip is also divided down the middle.

In another construction the mounting bracket 1 can be formed by two separate extrusions each comprising a web and outwardly extending upper and lower jaws. The webs can be secured together to form a mounting

bracket, substantially as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, or can be used separately as individual wall plates, as described above.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A roof support comprising a support bracket for connection to a glazing bar having a lower end at which the support bracket is hingedly connected to a relatively fixed mounting bracket for angular movement about an axis so that in use the pitch of a roof can be adjusted.
2. A roof support according to claim 1 wherein the support bracket and mounting bracket are co-extensive.
3. A roof support according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the mounting bracket has a longitudinally extending web from which upper and lower jaws project in one direction, the support bracket being hingedly connected to an outer end of the lower jaw.
4. A roof support according to claim 3 wherein the support bracket has an inwardly directed upper flange of arcuate outline adapted slidably to co-operate with a surface of the upper jaw of complementary outline as the support bracket is moved angularly about its hinged connection with the lower jaw.
5. A roof support according to claim 4 wherein the inwardly directed flange and the hinged connection are interconnected integrally by a wall substantially of L-shaped outline having a first arm against which an end of the glazing bar abuts and in which is a locating groove to receive an upper edge of a roof panel, and a second arm normal to the first arm which supports the glazing bar between the first arm and the hinged connection.
6. A roof support according to claim 5 wherein a trim strip is provided which fits against the first arm and has a channelled portion

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which extends into the locating groove of the first arm, the trim strip being adapted to be abutted by the end of the glazing bar and the upper edge of the roof panel which is received into the channelled portion.
7. A roof support according to claim 6 wherein the locating groove is provided with a retaining groove and the channelled portion has a Tee projection which engages in the retaining groove to retain the trim strip to the support bracket.
8. A roof support according to any of claims 3 to 7 wherein the web is adapted to be secured to a wall of a building for the mounting bracket to act as a wall plate.
9. A roof support according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein there are two of the support brackets and two of the mounting brackets, each support bracket being hingedly connected to a respective one of the mounting brackets, and the mounting brackets being fixed, or adapted to be fixed, relative to one another such that the support brackets are able to be connected to glazing bars of a ridge roof.
10. A roof support according to claim 9 as dependent from any of claims 3 to 7 wherein the mounting brackets are fixed relative to one another at their webs.
11. A roof support according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the mounting bracket has a central longitudinally extending web from opposite ends of which project symmetrically arranged pairs of upper and lower jaws, and there are two of the support brackets, one to each of the pairs of upper and lower jaws, for connection to a respective glazing bar of a ridge roof and each hingedly connected to an outer end of the lower jaw of the respective pairs of jaws.

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12. A roof support according to claim 11 wherein each support bracket has an inwardly directed upper flange of arcuate outline adapted slidably to co-operate with a surface of the upper jaw of the respective pair of jaws of complementary outline as the support bracket is moved angularly about its hinged connection with the lower jaw of the respective pair of jaws.
13. A roof support according to claim 12 wherein the inwardly directed flange and the hinged connection of each support bracket are interconnected integrally by a wall substantially of L-shaped outline having a first arm against which an end of the respective glazing bar abuts and in which is a groove to receive an upper edge of a roof panel, and a second arm normal to the first arm which supports the length of the glazing bar between the first arm and the hinged connection.
14. A roof support according to claim 13 wherein each support bracket has an associated trim strip which fits against the first arm of the support bracket and has a channelled portion which extends into the locating groove of the first arm, the trim strip being adapted to be abutted by the end of the respective glazing bar and the upper edge of the roof panel which is received into the channelled portion.
15. A roof support according to claim 14 wherein the locating groove of each support bracket is provided with a retaining groove and the channelled portion of the associated trim strip has a Tee projection which engages in the retaining groove to retain the trim strip to the support bracket.
16. A roof support according to any of claims 4 to 7 or 12 to 15 wherein the upper flange of the or each support bracket has indicators which provide visual references for setting the support bracket angularly

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with respect to the mounting bracket about the hinged connection of the support bracket with the, or the respective, lower jaw.
17. A roof support according to claim 16 wherein the indicators are in the form of spaced longitudinal Vee-grooves in an upper surface of the upper flange.
18. A roof support according to any of claims 4 to 7 or 12 to 17 wherein screw means is provided whereby the upper flange of the or each support bracket is secureable to the, or the respective, upper jaw to restrain the support bracket from angular movement relative to the mounting bracket.
19. A roof support according to any preceding claim wherein the or each support bracket is adapted to receive a plurality of glazing bars at spaced positions therealong.
20. A roof support according to any of claims 5 to 7 or 13 to 15, or any of claims 16 to 19 as dependent from any of claims 5 to 7 or 13 to 15, wherein the second arm of the or each support bracket has a channel to receive a bolt or bolts for securing the end of the or each glazing bar to the support bracket.
21. A roof support according to any preceding claim wherein upper and lower capping strips are provided which respectively enclose upper and lower parts of the or each supporting bracket and mounting bracket.
22. A roof assembly including a roof support as claimed in any preceding claim.

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23. A roof support substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
24. A roof assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.