GB2570272A

GB2570272A - Rooflight

Info

Publication number: GB2570272A
Application number: GB1715117.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donnellan Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-09-19
Filing date: 2017-09-19
Publication date: 2019-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2037-09-19
Also published as: GB2570272B; GB201715117D0

Abstract

A rooflight 1 comprises a frame 10 for mounting on an upstand 2 on the roof of a building to define a window opening. A glazing panel 30 is mounted on top of the frame across the window opening and extends outwardly of the frame and the upstand. At least one upstand seal 16,17 provides a seal between a bottom of the frame and a top of the upstand. At least one glazing seal 23, 25 provides a weather‑ tight seal between the glazing panel and the frame. The glazing panel is secured on the upstand through a mechanism such as an edge element 35 mounted about a peripheral edge 36 of the glazing panel. A skirt 55 may extend downwardly from edge element. The frame may include a plurality of slots for reception of the upstand and glazing seals. A method of constructing a rooflight includes the step of centering the glazing panel on the frame such that the peripheral edge of the panel projects outwardly of the frame and the upstand.

Description

This invention relates to rooflights.

ft is wall known to 'provide a topflight comprising a glazed frame mounted ©n an .associated upstand on -a building roof. Typically, ths upstand is a rectangular boxlike structure extending upwardly from a fiat roof 'The upstand may be supplied to 10 a builder by the ?oofilght manufacturer for fitting on a roof. However. in many cases an upsland is constructed by the builder, the quality and accuracy of which is very variable, and a rooffight is later fitted on the tipstand. At any rate, the fitting of a roofiight to an upstand requires considerable skill to ensure an effective weatherproof seal is made between the upstand and the rooflight. In many cases factory 15 fitted seals on the glazed frame cannot accommodate inaccuracies in the: construction of the upstand leading to ineffective sealing of the topflight Furthermore, with many designs of robflight currently available at least some of the seals are not accessible or viewable to check that they are working correctly which presents difficulty with certification of the work. Another factor is that, In the 20 majority of cases, ths glass is sealed within the frame on site with a silicone seal after the frame in turn has been secured to the horizontal top of the upstand. Over time, the silicone joint between the glass and the metal frame will break down due to the action of freezing in winter and heating in summer. This will allow rain ingress to the inner frame area below the glass which in turn may find its way onto 25 the top of the upstand with the potential of deterioration of the timber upstand nr decorative piaster finishes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved rooflight which is relatively easy to fit and provides effective and verifiable sealing between the 30 roofligrit and ths upstand upon which it is mounted, and having a leak-proof design.

According to the invention there is provided a tooffight, including:

2a frame defining a window opening, said frame for mounting on an associated upstar-d on a roof;

a glazing^ panel mounted on fop of the frame across the window opening and extending outwardly of a periphery of fide: frame on all sides of the frame ano outwardly of the ups.tand;

at least one upsfond seal mounted between the frame and the upstand to provide a weather-tight seal therebetween;

at least one glazing seal mounted between the glazing panel and the frame to provide a weather-tight seal -therebetween; and means to seeum the glazing panel on the upstanri, in one embodiment of the invention an edge element is mounted about an outer peripheral edge of the glazing panel, and the edge element is secured to the upsrand

2.0 In another embodiment of the invention a skirt is engaged with the edge element and extends downwardly therefrom below an upper end of the upstand.

In one embodiment of the -invention the edge element hasten inwardly -facing, socket for reception of the outer peripheral edge of the glazing panel, sate socket haying ·& 25 resiifentiy deformable side wall to stamp the outer peripheral edge of the glazing panel within the socket.

In another embodiment of ths invention the socket has a pair of bpacbd-apari. opposed side waits which receive and clamp the outer peripheral edge of the 30 glazing panel therebetween, said pair of side walls comprising ah outer side wail and an inner side wall the outer side wall overlying an -outer face of the glazing panel at the edge of the glazing panel, the inner side wall being resiliently deformable and inclines inwardly towards the outer side wall such an outer end of the inner side wall engages and clamps against an inner face of the glazing panel 35 at the edge of the glazing panel in another embodiment of the invention a ledge is provided at the outer end of the inner side wall to support and retain a therma; break element against the inner face of the glazing panel.

In another embodiment of the invention .the edge element has a plurality of spacedapart through-botes forTepept>on of fastening screws for securing the edge stement to the upstand,

In -another embodiment of the invention the skirt site against an outer face of the edge element, an upper edge of the skirt forming a locking Up which engages within a -complementary receiver slot at an upper end of the outer face of the edge element, the skirt being secures to the edge element by a plurality of fasteners.

In another embodiment of the invention the frame has a plurality of slots in the top and bottom faces thereof for reception of the upsiand seal and the glazing seal.

In another embodiment of the Invention an inner upstand sea; and an outer upsiand seal are provided at an Inner edge and at an outer edge of the frame al a bottom of 20 the frame ter sealing the bottom of ttte frame with the upsiand.

In another embodiment of the invention an inner glazing seal and an outer glazing seal are provided adjacent an inner edge and at an outer edge of the frame at a top of the frame for sealing the top of the frame with the inner face of the glazing panel.

4b,

In another embodiment of the invention the inner glazing seal is a bubble seal.

In another embodiment of the invention the outer glazing seal oomprises a sponge seal at. an outer edge of the top of the frame

In another embodiment of the Invention an Inner end of the thermal break element is engaged between the outer glazing seal and the inner face of the glazing panel.

In another embodiment of the invention the outer glazing seal has a stepped upper face for reception of the thermal break element.

In another embodiment of the invention the outer glazing seal further includes a gasket mounted between a top face of the frame and the inner face of the glazing pari«i.

In another embodiment of the invention a timber frame is provided.

In another embodiment of the invention the glaring panel is a doubte^glazed panel or a triple glazed panel.

In another aspect the invention provides a method for constructing a roofhghf on a roof upstand, including.

mounting a frame defining a window opening on top of the upstand;

1«=.

t w forming a weather-tight seal between a· bottom of the frame and the top of the upstand:

mounting a glazing panel on top of the frame, centering the glazing 2G pane's on the frame such that the peripheral edge of the glazing panel projects outwardly of the frame and outwardly of the upstand, one or more seals at the top of the frame seaiingiy engaging with an inner face of the glazing panel; and

-,secu ring the glazing pa nel on the upstahd.

in another embodiment the invention provides a method for constructing a rooflight on a roof upstand, including· mounting the frame on top of the upstand;

Injecting a sealant into slots at inner and outer bottom edges of the frame to form inner and .outer seals between a bottom of the frame and 35 the top of the upstand;

counting 3 glazing panel on top of the frame, centering the glazing panel on trie frame such that fee peripheral edge of the glazmg panel projects outwardly of the frame and outwardly of the upstand, one Or § more seals at the top of the frame Seahngiy engaging with an mner face of the glazing pane):

clamping an edge efement about a peripheral edge of the glazing panel;

fixing the edge element to the upstand by means of screw fasteners:

Interlocking an outer skirt with an Outer side face of the edge element said skirt extending downwardly below an upper' end of the upstand, and fixing the skiri to the edge elemenl by means of fasteners.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the 20; accompanying drawings, in which.’

Fig. 1 is a detail perspective cut-away view showing a ropfiight according to the invention; and

Fig. 2 -s a sectional efeyattonal view of the: rooflight shown in use mounted on an upstand on a roof.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a roofhght according to the invention Indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The rooflight 1 is shown mounted on an upstand 2 oh the roof of a building. Only one side of the upstand 2 is. shows to illustrate the engagement between the roofiight 1 and the upstand 2. However, it will be appreciated that the upstand 2 essentially projects up from a flat roof in a 35 rectangular configuration. The upstand 2 typically comprises an: outer wall formed by a plywood panel 3 inside of which is mounted insulation 4 with a timber stud 5 above the insulaliar! and extending between the outer wsii 3 and an inner wail 5 formed by plasterboard which is fitted after mounting the rooflight 1 on the upstand 2. A Weather-proof outer skin 7 covers the outer face of the: outer wail 3 and top face of the slud S of the upstand 2

The rocfiight 1 comprises a timber frame/ W for mounting oh the upstand 2. A. number of fixing screws 9 extend through the frame 10 and into the timber stud S to secure the frame 10 to the top of th® upstand 2.. Typically the frame 10 wll be rectangular, although it will be appreciated that other shapes are possible. An endless inner face 11 of the frame 10 defines 3 window opening 12. Seal receiving slot® 14. 15 are provided along bottom inner and outer edges of the frame 10. Silicone seals 16. 17 are housed within these slots 14. 15' to provide a seel between: a bottom of the frame 10 and a top. face 18 of th® upstand 2,

A number of seal mounting slots 20, 21, 22 are also provided at a top of the frame 10, An inner continuous glazing seal 23, formed by a bubble seal is mounted adjacent an inner edge of the frame 10 at the top of the frame 10 and has a barbed tail 24 which mounts within the slot 20 to secure the inner glazing seal 23 m position. An outer glazing seal 25, formed by a sponge seal, is mounted in the slot 22 at an outer edge of the top of the frame 10. It will be noted that lite outer glaring seal 25 has a slopped upper face 26 for reception arte location of a thermal break element 27 mounted against an: inner fade 28 of a glazing panel 30 mounted on top of the frame 10.

The outer glazing seal further comprises a gasket 32 mounted on th® top face of the frame 1Q and sealing between the top face of the frame 10 and the inner face 28 of th® glazing panel 30. A barbed tail 33 of th® gasket 32 mounts within th® sfof 21 to secure the gasket 32 an the frame 10.

The glazing panel 30 is a triple glazed panel which sits on top of the frame 10 and extends outwardly of a periphery of the frame 10 and also outwardly of the upstand 2 as-can be seen in the drawings. In some oases, the glazing panel 30 may be a: double glazed panel.

An edge e'emsni 35 is mounted about an outer peripheral edge 36 of fhs glazing panel 30. This edge element 35 may conveniently be provided by an aluminium CiXtrus’on. The edge element 35 has an inwardly facing socket 37 for reception of the outer peripheral edge 36 of the glazing panel 30. The socket 37 is formed by a pair of spaced-apart opposed side walls which receive and ciamp the outer peripheral edge 36 of the glazing panel 30 therebetween. Said pair of side wails comprise an outer side wail 38 arid an inner side wall 39. The outer side wall 38 overlies an outer face 40 of the glaz-ng panel 30 at the edge of the glazing panel 30. It Will be noted that the inner side wall 39 is resiliency deformable and Is inclined inwardly and upwardly towards the outer side wall 38 such that an outer end 42 of the inner side wall 39 engages and clamps against the inner face 28 of the glazing pane; 30 at the edge of the glazing panel 30 That is, the edge 36 d the glazing panel 30 <« a push-fit into the socket 37< the inner side wail 39 deflecting outwardly to allow insertion of the glazing panel 30 and thereafter clamping the glazing panel 30 between the inner side wall 38 and the outer side wail 39.

A ledge 45 is provided at the outer end 42 of the inner side wall 39 to support and retain an outer end of the thermal break element 27 against the inner face 28 of the glazing panel 30.

A plurality of spaced-a part through-hoies 48 are provided in an outwardly angled bottom flange 49 of the edge element 35. Each through-hole 48 receives a screw fastener 59 to secure the edge element 35 to the upstand 2. Typically, the flange 49 jn use is angled at about 45 degrees to the vertical and the screw fastener 50 ?s 25. angled info trie upstand al about 45 degrees to the verticai/horizonial.

A downwardly depending skirt 55 is engaged with the edge element 35 and extends downwardly therefrom below an upper end of the upstand 2. This skirt 55 extends: around an outside of the edge element 35. An upper edge of ths skirt 55 forms an 30 L-shaped locking lip 56 which engages within a complementary re-entrant receiver slot 57 at an upper end of the outer face of the edge element 35 The skirt 55 is secured to the edge element 35 by a plurality of screw fasteners (not shown).

In use, the timber frame 10 is fixed to the weathered: upstand 2 on site. If the top of 35 the upstand 2 is not true, suitable packing may be provided between the frame 10 ·· 8 · and the upsland 2 to ensure the top of the frame 10 is level as required.. The fixing screws G are inserted to secure the frame 10 to the upstand 2. Then the saner upsland seal 16 and outer upstand seal 17 are farmed by injecting silicone or foam into the slots T4, 15 at inner and outer bottom edges of the frame 10 to provide a weather-proof seed between the bottom of ths frame 10 and the top of the upstand 2< This ensures that the seals are seated correctly.

The glazing seals 23, 25, 32 are pre-fitted on the frame 10 when it is manufactured.

The glazing panel 30 is mounted on fop of the frame 10. the glazing panel 30 10 seating on the glazing seals 23, 25. 32 and centrad on the upstand 2. It will be noted that the glazing panel 30 has a greater width than the upstand 2 and therefore the outer peripheral edge 30 of the glazing panel 30 projects laterally· outwardly of the frame 10 and outwardly of the upstand 2 as shewn in the drawings.

The glazing seals 23, 25. 32 engage with the inner face 28 of rhe glazing panel 30 15 to prov-de a seal between the top of the frame 10 and the Inna·· face 28 of the glazing panel 30. Th© edge element 35 is then pushed on to the outer edge of the

-glazing panel 30 and clamped thereto by the inner side wall 3S as previously described. Foxing screws 50 are then inserted through the edge element 35 and into the upstand 2 as shown to fix the edge element 35 to the upstand 2. The skirt 20 55 is then interengaged with the edge element 35 as previously .^escribed and extends downwardly of a top of rhe upstand 2 as shown in the drawings·.

Thereafter, the inside face of the upstand 2 can be neatly finished by means of the piasterboard inner wall 6, capped by a metal or plastics stop bead 60, and having a 25 sksmmed piaster inner face 61.

It will be appreciated that ths rooflight according to the invention is re’atively easy to hi, only requires a low level of skill to fit properly, and good sealing can be achieved and checked to verify correct operation of all seals.

The first principle of the design of racflight according to the invention is to size the glass unit so that it is longer and wider cn all four sides of the finished upstand created by the builder so that assuming the upstands are laid to a minimum fall of three degrees, there is no possibility of the rain gaining access to the top of the upstand with the subsequent potential damage.

-9The second principle of the rooflight of the invention is to fit the glass.· on the frame rather than hi -the frame. By separating the two, the 65 x 45 profiled timber frame can be fitted to the inner Face of the upstand ope and this greatly facilitates a few 5 things. Firstly, if the top of the upstand is irregular and not built to a true slops due to items like non-bevelled top and bottom upstands to match sloping sides or heavy folded joints in weathering membranes at corners, any of which can leave irregularities of surface from 5 to 15mm, the frame can be instated easily with packers to ensure a true plane of support for the glass. After fitting of the timber 10 frame, internal and external slots in the soffit of the frame can be sealed with silicone or foam to create a verifiable internal and external seal. Secondly, after the rooflighf arsd glass have been fitted, the timber frame offers the perfect ground to? a plaster stop bead, metal or plastic, to house the piaster slab internaliy and allow the plasterer to finish with a neat line,

The thud principle of the rrxdhght of the invention is to do away with the additional cost of a biack painted border on the perimeter of the glass which is used to caver the sometimes rough irregular finish on the top of the upstand which is visible through the glass when looking down on the upstand from above. For example, a 20 fiat rooflight fitted on a single storey extension which is adjacent to a second floor bedioom window. Slack borders are applied to glass with a tolerance of Item whereas the internal face of upstands can vary in width, length or diagonal by anything from 10mm to 30mm. so what arises- from this <s that either from underneath the oust will show an irregular black border, or if ths black border is 25 smaller in width then from above one will see an irregular portion of the rough upstand exposed, botls to same degree that the original dimensions were out by values of 10mm to 30mm. The design of roc-flighi according to the invention overcomes this by two means. Firstly, when site dimensions i.e. length, width and diagonals are taken of the inside face of ths upstand any errors can be accounted 30 for by making the timber frame smaller to that it overlaps the upstands internally to a value equal to the original error, Secondly,, everything seen through the glass from the outside of the unit is :.90% black and comes in a factory finish. The only thing applied on site is the 12mm wide line of plaster slop bead in metal or plastic which frames the ope in an attractive manner, .-10in summery, the three principles above or leakproof design.

verifiable internal and external seals, and attractive perimeter viewed externally through the glass, provide for ess®: of instaHatfor; to reriuc®_: labour-costs for fitting and minimum useof materials to reduce the retail pm chase cost of the unit.

W In this specification the terms comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising or any variation thereof and the terms hnciude. includes, included and including or any variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be afforded th® widest possible interpretation and vice versa.

The invenifon is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore- described which may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

4ι>\Μι* riubi'c;

δ a frame defining a window: opening, said Lame for mounting on an associated upstand on a roof;

a glazing panel mounted on top of the frame across the window opening and extending outwardly of a periphery of the frame on ali sides of the frame and W outwardly of the upstand;

at feast one upstand: seal mounted between the frame and the upstand to provide a weather-tight seal therebetween;

15 at least one glazing seal mounted between the glazing panel and the frame to provide a weather-tight seal therebetween, and means to secure the glazing panel on the ups-tand..

20 2, The rooflight as claimed in claim 1, wherein an edge element is mounted about er? outer peripheral edge of the glazing panel and the edge element is secured to the upstand.

3. The rooflighf as claimed tin. claim 2 wherein a skirt Is engaged with the edge

25 element and extends downwardly therefrom below an upper end of the upstand.

4. The rooflight as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the edge element has an inwardly facing socket for reception of the outer peripheral edge of the

30 glazing panel, said socket having a reailfenfiy deformable side wall to clamp the outer peripheral edge of the glazmg panel within the socket.

5. The rqoflight as claimed in claim 4 wherein the socket has a pair of spacedapart opposed side walls which receive and clamp the outer peripheral edge:

35 of the glazing panel therebetween, said pan of side walls comprising an outer

.. , • : λ.

side wall and an inner side wall, the outer side wall pyeriying an outer face of the glazing panel at the edge of the glazing panel, the inner side wall being rcsiliontly deformable and inclines inwardly towards the outer side wall such an outer end of the inner side wall engages and damps against an inner face 5 of the glazing. panel at the edge of the giazing: panel.

6. The roofiight as claimed in claim 5 wherein a ledge is provided at the outer end of the inner side wall to support and retain a thermal break element agdi-'^t she inner face of the glazing panel.

1(1

7. The roufiight as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the edge element has a plurality of spaced~apart through-holds for reception of fastening screws for secunng the edge element to the upsland<

15 8. The rodfiight as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the skirt sits against an outer face of the edge element, an upper edge of the skirt topping a lucking lip which engages within a complementary receiver slot al. an upper end of the outer face of the edge element, the skirt being secured to the edge element by a plurality of fasteners.

9. The rooflight as claimed in any preceding daim, wherein the frame has a plurality of slots in the top and bottom faces thereof for reception of the Upstand seal and the glazing seal

25 10, The rooflight as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an inner upstand seal arte an outer upstand seal are provided at an inner edge and at an outer edge of the frame at a bottom of the frame for sealing the bottom of the frame with the upstand.

30 11. The rooflight as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an inner glazing seal and an outer glazing seal are provided adjacent» inner edge and at an outer edge of the frame el a top of the frame for sealing the top of the frame with trie inner face of the glazing panel.

35 12. The rooflight as claimed in claim 11 wherein th® inner glazing seal -s a bubble

-13 seal

13. The rooflight as claimed In claim 11 or claim 12 'wherein the outer glazing seal comprises a sponge seal at an outer edge of the top of the frame.

14. The roofiight as claimed In any one of claims 6 to 13, wherein an inner end of the thermal break element is engaged between the outer glazing seal and the inner face of the glazing panel

10 15, The roollight as claimed in claim 14, wherein the outer glazing seal has a stepped upper face for reception of the thermal break element.

15. The rooflight ss claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the outer glazing seal further includes a gasket mounted between a top face of the

15 frame and the inner face of the glazing panel.

17. Th» rooflight as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a timber frame is provided.

20 18, The roofiight as claimed in any preceding claim. wherein the glazing panel is a double-glazed panel

19 The rooflight as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the glazing panel ?· a tuple glazed panel.

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20, A method for constructing a rooflight on a roof upstand. including.' mounting a frame defining a window opening on top of the upstand;

30 forming a weather· tight seal between a bottom of the frame and the top of the upstand:

mounting a glazing panel on top of the frame, centering the glazing panel on the frame such that the peripheral edge of the glazing panel

35 projects outwardly of the frame and outwardly of the upstand. one or more seals at the top of the frame sealingiy engaging with an inner lane of the glazing panel; and securing the glazing pane; on the upstand.

§

21. The method as claimed in claim 2¾ including:

mounting the frame on top of the upstand;

10 injecting a sealant into slots at inner and outer bottom edges of the frame to form inner and outer seals between a bottom of the frame arid the top of the upstand;

mounting a glazing panel on top of the frame, centering the glazing

15 panel on the frame such that the peripheral edge of the glazing panel projects outwardly of th® frame and outwardly of the upstand, one or more seals at the top Of the frame sealingiy engaging with an Inner face of the glazing par w^:,
2Q clamping ,jm edge element about a peripheral edge of the glazing panel;

fixing the edge element to tbeupstahd by means of screw fasteners;

interlocking an outer skirt with an outer side face of the edge element,

25 said skirt, extending downwardly below an upper and of the upstand, and fixing the skirt to the edge element by means of fasteners.