GB2412386A

GB2412386A - Transition piece for ridge tiles

Info

Publication number: GB2412386A
Application number: GB0410346A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fritz Goedl
Original assignee: Norm AMC AG
Current assignee: Norm AMC AG
Priority date: 2004-03-25
Filing date: 2004-05-10
Publication date: 2005-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2024-05-10
Also published as: GB2412386B; GB0410346D0; IE20040464A1; DE202004004866U1

Abstract

A transition piece 1, for sealing a gap between adjacent ridge tiles on a roof, comprises a rib 3 extending upwards from a body 2, which at least partially fills the gap, and a plurality of tile retaining elements 4 which protrude laterally on both sides of the rib 3. The body 2 preferably has a circular arcuate shape. Preferably the rib is centrally positioned on the body 2 and has the same shape. Two identical retaining elements 4a, 4b may be provided, preferably positioned symmetrically about the body 2. A spacer (5, fig 2) may space the retaining elements 4 from the rib 3. The body 2 may have water drainage channels 6 provided on each side of the rib 3.

Description

24 1 2386 - 1 A transition piece for placement in a joint location gap

between two adjacent ridge tiles This invention relates to a transition piece for placement in a joint location gap between two adjacent ridge tiles (or ridge blocks), comprising a main body which is preferably arcuate, particularly circularly arcuate, and which serves to support the ridge tiles, comprising a joint location rib which projects upwards from the main body and which is preferably provided centrally on the main body, and which is preferably arcuate, particularly circularly arcuate, and which determines the joint location gap or which at least partially fills it, and comprising an overlap element which is provided at the top end of the joint application rib and which protrudes from the joint location rib on both sides On roofs which slope on both sides, the top closure of the covered roof generally consists of a row of ridge tiles (or ridge blocks). The term "ridge blocks" is usually applied to what are termed "false ridge tiles", namely those which do not consist of clay but of lightweight concrete. Hereinafter, the term "ridge tiles" is always employed, but this also means ridge blocks. There is, of course, a gap between ridge tiles which are disposed side by side, in the region of their joint locations. This gap permits the ingress of moisture, wind, dirt, pests or vermin, etc. Consequently, the joint location gaps are usually sealed by mortar. This sealing operation is extremely costly and nevertheless does not guarantee that the joint location gaps remain permanently sealed. Over the course of time, leaks can occur at the joint location gaps due to environmental effects such as rain, hail and frost in particular. Badly mortared joint location gaps may even leak from the outset.

For the reasons described above, transition pieces, which are also termed joint location sealing elements, are increasingly being used in the joint location gaps between adjacent ridge tiles in order reliably to seal the roof interior space from environmental effects, particularly moisture.

Various transition pieces are known of the type considered here. In this respect, for example, reference is made to German Patents 102 31 310 and 102 48 293, to German Gebrauchsmuster 297 07 372, to European Patent 0 890 686, to British Patents 2 105 384 and 2 186 606, and to US Patent Specifications 4,270,330 and 4,532,739. - 2

Transition pieces of the type which is basically concerned here are known both in one-piece form and in two-piece form. Two-piece transition pieces of the type concerned are known in particular from the aforementioned German patent specifications.

The known one-piece transition pieces of the type concerned here are those in which the overlap elements, which at the top end of the joint location rib project from the latter on both sides, are of arcuate construction like the main body (see British Patent Specification 2 105 384); in these designs the joint location gap is doubly sealed, namely once below the ridge tiles and once above the ridge tiles. Although these transition pieces perform relatively well, they are costly as regards material usage.

On the transition piece from which the present invention specifically stems (see European Patent Specification 0 890 686), the joint location rib is only provided in the region of the vertex. The overlap element, which protrudes from the joint location rib on both sides, is provided at the top end of the joint location rib, which is only provided in the region of the vertex. Although this design is advantageous as regards material usage, it is not satisfactory because this transition piece provides no assistance for aligning the ridge tiles.

The underlying object of the present invention is to provide a transition piece of the type concerned which is firstly advantageous with regard to usage of material and which secondly can also be employed for aligning the ridge tiles.

The transition piece according to the invention with which the object derived and explained above is achieved is firstly and essentially characterised in that the overlap element consists of a plurality of component overlap elements. The form according to the invention of the transition piece concerned is a successful compromise between designs in which the overlap element is arcuate in shape like the main body, and a design in which the joint location rib is only provided in the region at the vertex. Firstly, designs in which the overlap element is arcuate in shape like the main body result in a considerable saving of material, and secondly, a design in which the joint location rib is only provided in the region of the vertex makes it easier to align the ridge tiles, because the entire joint application rib is available for the alignment of the ridge tiles. - 3

In detail, various options exist for fashioning and further developing the transition piece according to the invention.

In one preferred embodiment of the transition piece according to the invention, the overlap element consists of two component overlap elements, which are preferably formed so that they are identical to each other and which are provided symmetrically in relation to the centre line. This is a particularly material-saving embodiment of the transition piece according to the invention.

The transition piece according to the invention is - functionally at least - a one-piece unit.

This one-piece character can be achieved during manufacture, namely by injection-moulding or casting the entire transition piece, which is preferably made of a plastics material.

However, this functionally one-piece transition piece can also be manufactured from a plurality of component pieces. In particular, the component overlap elements can be produced separately and can subsequently be inserted in corresponding recesses in the joint location rib. For this embodiment in particular, and also for the embodiment which is formed in one piece during its manufacture, a spacer segment can remain or can be produced between each joint location rib and the component overlap elements.

At first sight, compared with transition pieces in which the overlap element is of arcuate construction like the main body, the transition piece according to the invention has the apparent disadvantage that the joint location gap is only sealed below the ridge tiles and is not sealed above the ridge tiles. This apparent disadvantage is eliminated, however, if, according to a further teaching of the invention which is of particular importance in combination with that described above, the main body comprises, on its side facing the joint location rib, at least one water drainage channel on both sides of the joint location rib. Water which penetrates the joint location gap is then collected in the water drainage channels and is led off on both sides of the transition piece on to the adjacent roof cladding elements.

In detail, and as already indicated, numerous options exist for fashioning and further developing the transition piece according to the invention. In this respect, reference is made firstly to the claims which are subsidiary to claim 1, and secondly to the following - 4 description of a preferred embodiment which is given in association with the drawings, where: Figure I is a perspective illustration of a preferred embodiment of a transition piece according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a section along line II - II through the transition piece according to the invention shown in Figure 1.

The transition piece I which is illustrated in the Figures is intended for placement in a joint location gap, which is not illustrated, between two adjacent ridge tiles, which are likewise not illustrated. On roofs which slope on both sides, transition pieces such as these are employed to form the top closure of the covered roof. In this respect, since details of the joint location gap and of the ridge tiles are not illustrated, reference is made to German Patents 102 31 310 and 102 48 293.

The transition piece I which is illustrated in the Figures consists functionally of what in the embodiment exemplified is a circularly arcuate main body 2 which serves to support the ridge tiles, which are not illustrated, of a joint location rib 3 which projects upwards from the main body 2 and which in the embodiment exemplified is provided centrally on the main body 2 and is circularly arcuate, and which determines the joint location gap, which is not illustrated, or which at least partially fills it, and of an overlap element 4 which is provided at the top end of the joint application rib 3 and which protrudes from the joint location rib 3 on both sides.

It was stated above that the joint location rib 3 determines or at least partially fills the joint location gap. The joint location rib 3 preferably determines the joint location gap, namely the ridge tiles, which are not illustrated, abut the joint location rib 3 on both sides. If the ridge tiles, which are not illustrated, do not extend as far as the joint location rib 3, at least on one side, the joint location gap is only partially filled by the joint location rib 3.

In the installed state, the ends of the ridge tiles, which are not illustrated, are situated between the main body 2 of the transition piece 1 and the overlap element 4. Therefore, in - s - the installed state the ridge tiles, which are not illustrated, rest on the main body 2 and are overlapped by the overlap element 4; the ends of the ridge tiles are therefore situated between the main body 2 of the transition piece 1 and the overlap element 4 thereof: As shown in Figure 1, the overlap element 4 consists of two component overlap elements 4a and 4b. In the embodiment illustrated, the component overlap elements 4a and 4b are of identical construction and are provided symmetrically in relation to the centre line M. The transition piece I according to the invention is - functionally at least - a one-piece unit.

In the embodiment illustrated, this one-piece unit has been created during manufacture, namely by injection-moulding or casting the entire transition piece 1, which is preferably made of a plastics material.

However, this functionally one-piece transition piece I can also be manufactured from a plurality of component pieces. In particular, but not necessarily, the component overlap elements 4a and 4b can be produced separately and can subsequently be inserted in corresponding recesses in the joint location rib 3. These recesses are not illustrated for the embodiment exemplified.

Furthermore, the Figures show a preferred embodiment of the transition piece 1 according to the invention, since a spacer segment 5 is provided between each joint location rib 3 and the component overlap elements 4a, 4b.

Finally, the Figures show that in the embodiment illustrated the main body 2 of the transition piece 1 according to the invention comprises, on its side facing the joint location rib 3, a water drainage channel 6 on both sides of the joint location rib 3. This eliminates the apparent disadvantage of the transition piece 1 according to the invention, namely that the joint location gap, which is not illustrated, is only sealed underneath the ridge tiles, which are not illustrated, because water which penetrates the joint location gap, which is not illustrated, is collected in the water drainage channels 6 and is led off on both sides of the transition piece 1 on to the adjacent roof cladding elements, which are not illustrated. - 6

Claims

Claims 1. A transition piece for placement in a joint location gap between

two adjacent ridge tiles (or ridge blocks), comprising a main body which is preferably arcuate, particularly circularly arcuate, and which serves to support the ridge tiles, comprising a joint location rib which projects upwards from the main body and which is preferably provided centrally on the main body, and which is preferably arcuate, particularly circularly arcuate, and which determines the joint location gap or which at least partially fills it, and comprising an overlap element which is provided at the top end of the joint application rib and which protrudes from the joint location rib on both sides, characterized in that the overlap element (4) consists of a plurality of component overlap elements (4a, 4b) .
2. A transition piece according to claim 1, characterized in that the overlap element (4) consists of two component overlap elements (4a, 4b).
3. A transition piece according to claim I or 2, characterized in that the component overlap elements (4a, 4b) are formed so that they are identical to each other.
4. A transition piece according to any one of claims l to 3, characterized in that the component overlap elements (4a, 4b) are provided symmetrically in relation to the centre line (M).
5. A transition piece according to any one of claims l to 4, characterized in that a spacer segment (5) is provided between each joint location rib (3) and the component overlap elements (4a, 4b).
6. A transition piece according to any one of claims l to 5, characterized in that on its side facing the joint location rib (3) the main body (2) comprises at least one water drainage channel (6) on both sides of the joint location rib (3).