GB2609290A

GB2609290A - Modular roof cabinets

Info

Publication number: GB2609290A
Application number: GB2207900.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Boyt Paul
Original assignee: Nicholson Sts Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Nicholson Sts Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2021-05-28
Filing date: 2022-05-27
Publication date: 2023-02-01
Also published as: GB202107729D0; GB202207900D0

Abstract

A modular system of roof cabinets for assembling a weatherproof enclosure mounted on a roof at the top of a building riser which comprises two or more generally box-like structures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, each having at least one outer uninterrupted side wall 6 of matching shape and size so that the structures can be abutted to form a compartmented enclosure, a waterproof roof member across the top of each box-like structure, and a weathering apron 20 extending across the side walls of the structures except on the uninterrupted side walls. The cabinets are used to cover ducting, pipework, utilities, plant or power passing through an aperture in a roof. The roof members may be pitched and the box-like structures may include weatherproof seals on the abutting sides to prevent water ingress between the structures.

Description

MODULAR ROOF CABINETS

This invention relates to modular roof cabinets for installation on roofs at the top of service risers in buildings.

In many multi-storey modern buildings, whether for domestic use such as blocks of flats or commercial use such as office blocks, it is often the case that plant and equipment is located on the roof and connected via appropriate means to services within the building.

In order to enable this to occur, it is common to provide one or more vertical shafts or risers extending up through the building and terminating in an aperture in the roof through which pipes, ducts, cables or other mechanical, electrical or plumbing services can be routed in order to connect the plant on the roof with the systems within the building. The horizontal cross-sectional shape of the shaft or riser may vary, but is commonly rectangular, sometimes in the shape of an oblong, particularly if the shaft is to carry several different services, for example piping for fuel supply, ventilation ducting, and cabling for electrical power and/or signal transmission.

It is necessary in such cases to provide appropriate structures to surround and protect the aperture through which the connecting pipes, ducts, cables or services pass and to ensure that there is no ingress, for example of rain or snow into the vertical shaft or riser. It is also important that the risers are well sealed to prevent warmed air to escape to atmosphere, thus wasting energy.

The necessary procedures for constructing and fitting durable, air sealed and well detailed, weather-proof protection against the elements at the point at which they pass through the roof can be difficult, particularly where the connecting ducts, pipework, cables and the like have not been installed with the final weathering in mind. Further, if carried out as a completely retrospective operation, the end results can be less than satisfactory and require downstream attention either before the building is completed or later during the service life of the building.

According to the present invention we provide a modular system as defined in the main claim following this description. Various preferred features and ways of putting the invention into practice are identified in the subclaims, and described in more detail below. By using a modular approach, for example by providing a plurality of housing elements of generally box-like structure, often referred to as "cabinets", which are all or mostly of the same shape and size, these can be designed to be fitted together in modular fashion to provide an overall weather-proof housing covering and protecting the open top of a riser. The individual housing elements may be configured to sit directly on the surface of the roof, or they may be arranged on a kerb or upstand surrounding the open top of the riser and which can be constructed as part of the roof structure prior to the installation of the plant, equipment and housings in accordance with the present invention.

Particular benefits may be obtained by pre installing ductwork, pipework and the like into the individual housings prior to placing them on the roof. Not only is there the obvious benefit of being able to manufacture the units in controlled factory conditions where the quality is unaffected by on site" conditions, but the provision of weatherproof detailing may be effected in a way which materially reduces the risk of the weatherproofing being found inadequate after installation. Separately, if services are to be able to pass through a wall of the housing, for example via a duct, it is possible to ensure that the weatherproofing between the wall of the housing or cabinet and the duct is carried out under controlled factory conditions so that the maximum potential for completely weatherproof performance once installed is achieved.

If the assembly of the ductwork, equipment or the like and its installation in each housing takes place in controlled factory conditions off site, the so completed individual housings can then be placed in their final position as a unit ready to be connected to whatever pipes, conduits, ducts or the like are installed in the riser. This may be done simply by craning the units on to the roof, and this is particularly easily achieved by having the edges of the usually slightly pitched roof of each housing turned down to provide a lifting flange. A simple clip or hook system or a lifting strap may be used then to lift each housing by its roof, and potential weatherproofing problems which are often met with if the housings, as is common practice, have lifting eyes secured into their tops, are avoided. It important, in this connection, to provide adequate strength in the connection between the roof and the remainder of the housing structure that when the roof is lifted, the entirety of the housing and its content is supported. In some cases however, particularly where design considerations mean that the interior of the housing must be accessible from above, it is possible to use a removable roof, ensuring that it is well sealed to the remainder of the housing once installed, in order to ensure weatherproofness.

Each individual housing may be constructed to meet the relevant building regulations. For example the housings may include thermal insulation in order to provide, when installed, compliance with thermal performance regulations for buildings. They may also be manufactured using non-combustible materials in order to meet relevant building regulations.

They may also be rendered airtight so that when installed the building airtightness regulations are complied with. In particular, the enclosures may have a floor portion which is made of suitably thermally insulated material through which pipes ducts or the like may be fitted and where the insulating material floor portion is sealed in an airtight fashion around the ducts or the like.

In the case of plant or equipment requiring ventilation, one or more walls of the enclosures may include weather-proof louvres or like structures in order to enable ventilation to occur but to avoid water penetration.

In practical terms, sets of housings may be produced suited to the amount of and size of ducts and services to be installed in them, preferably before they are themselves installed on the roof, and a typical range of sizes is of width 0.75m to 1.5m metres, 0.6m to 1.5m in height and any length. The height may be smaller if the individual enclosures are to be fitted onto an upstand or kerb surrounding the open top of the riser. If there is no such kerb, the overall height of the enclosures may be greater, with the enclosure having a skid portion of the side walls which effectively acts as an upstand.

The modular approach identified by the present invention can provide a substantial improvement in building design and efficiency, in particular by enabling the provision of a modular, weatherproof unit at the top of a riser which can be pre-installed with services and/or ductwork and has been made and weatherproofed offsite under factory conditions. This enables rapid installation on site and reduces the risks of performance failure once installed.

The invention is illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings and the description which follows.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a simplified sketch of the arrangements in a typical multi-storey building; Figure 2 shows a series of enclosures to be fitted onto a kerb which has been formed around the open top of a riser; Figure 3 shows a series of enclosures to be fitted around the top of an open riser, Figure 4 is a diagrammatic section through an enclosure which has been pre-fitted with a duct; Figure 5 is an isometric view of an individual section showing how the housing may include an access hatch, and how it may be provided with means to locate against a similar housing and be fixed to it in weatherproof fashion; Figure 6 shows a series of enclosures fitted onto a kerb which has been formed around the open top of a riser; together; Figure 7 shows how the enclosure to be fitted at the end of a set of enclosures which together span the open top of an elongated riser; and Figure 8 shows how the enclosure of Figure 7 can be lifted to enable it to be installed covering the end of an elongated riser.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 shows diagrammatically and not to scale a typical arrangement in a four storey building. The external walls of the building are denoted 1 and the flat roof 2. As can be seen from the diagrammatic sectional view of the building, as shown in Figure 1, there is a shaft 3 in the centre of the building and extending from top to bottom. This is often referred to as a "service riser" because mechanical, electrical and plumbing services are installed within it. Shown on the roof 2 to the left and right of the upper end of the service riser, denoted 4, are two plant units 5, for example air conditioning plant.

Figures 2 and 3 show diagrammatically a number of different housings each being preformed and consisting of an outer casing having four walls and a roof. The roof is in two sections at a slight angle to one another, i.e. the roof of each housing unit is a low pitched roof so that water does not accumulate on the top of the housing. The housings may be conveniently formed of sheet metal, the walls and roof being fixed to one another by welding or riveting to provide a sealed joint between its components. The base of each such housing is open or closed as desired.

The side walls of each of the housings, denoted 6 are of identical matching shape and size for all of the units, though the width of the units can vary. The depth of each unit corresponds to the width of the riser opening at roof level.

The five individual units shown in each of Figures 2 and 3 show typical housings containing for example a weathering hood entry for cable penetrations in the housing shown on the left and denoted 10, a circular duct denoted 15 in each of the housings 11 and 12, a square section duct denoted 16 in the case of housing 13 and a ventilation louvre grille 19 fitted to one wall of a housing 14.

When the five units are all installed above the riser 4, the external perimeter of the group carries a weathering apron flashing 20 which acts to deflect rain water running down the sides of the housings. This apron flashing 20 is located at the bottom of the housings shown in Figure 2 because those housings are designed to fit onto an upstand or kerb denoted 22 which surrounds the open top 4 of the riser. In the arrangement shown in Figure 3 the base of each of the housings 10 to 14 sits directly on the upper surface of the roof 2, and the flashing 20 is set a shod way up each of the exposed walls of the individual units.

Figure 4 shows a vertical section through housing 11 showing the duct 15 and the base of the walls of the housing 11 sitting on the surface of the roof 2. Externally to the housing is seen a thermally insulating roof covering 24 abutting the front and back surfaces of housing 11, while inside the housing a layer of thermal insulation 26 surrounds the duct 15 acting as a thermal and air tight barrier between the interior of housing 11 and the interior of the riser 4.

Figure 5 shows an alternative housing unit 17 having an access door 19 fitted to one wall. As seen in Figure 5, it is hinged on its left and the right hand edge is fitted with standard latch fixings of known type, enabling the door 19, which has a peripheral rubber seal strip, to be held firmly closed and sealed against water ingress. Figure 5 shows weatherproofing strips 21 which can be applied bridging the transition from one enclosure to the next, and Figure 6 shows the positioning of those strips in a four-unit assembly.

Figure 7 shows a housing similar to housings 11 and 12, but where it is to be located at one end of the row of housings, which is why it has an apron flashing 20 going round three sides. All of the housings shown in Figures 5 to 8 show a flange 23 at their base, which serves to assist in making a weatherproof seal at their base between the housing structure and the flat top of a roof 2. Figure 8 shows a housing ready for lifting by means of a crane having four lifting cables or chains of equal length terminated by hooks designed to engage in holes in four clips 25 positioned at the corners of the roof of the housing, and engaged on a turned-down edge either side of the roof member.

The installation of a series of housings such as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 6 is straightforward and can be carried out quickly and easily by successively craning each of the housings up to the top of the building in question and locating it in the correct position. The units may then be fastened down in standard fashion and any necessary weatherproofing or sealing around the perimeter of the assembly of housings carried out. Thereafter, particularly in the case where the individual housings have already been fitted out with appropriate plant, services or the like, it is straightforward, working within the building, to connect the pipework, ducts, cables or the like and which extend downwards through the top of the riser 4, to the equipment within the building.

Claims

CLAIMS 5
A modular system of roof cabinets for use in assembling a weatherproof enclosure mounted on a roof at the top of a riser formed in a building structure, which comprises two or more generally box-like structures of substantially the same shape and size, each having at least one outer uninterrupted side wall of matching shape and size so that two or more such structures can be butted together to form a compartmented enclosure, a waterproof roof member extending across the top of each box-like structure, and a weathering apron extending across the side walls of the box-like structure save in the case of the uninterrupted side walls which abut one another.
A modular system according to claim 1 where one or more of the box-like structures includes preinstalled and weather-sealed ductwork or services or dampers to which a service connection may be made between plant or equipment within the box-like structure and services provided via the riser.
A modular system according to claim 1 or 2 and comprising three or more structures wherein and including at least one box-like structure having two opposite outer uninterrupted side walls.
A modular system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the roof member is pitched with a ridge running perpendicular to the plane of the uninterrupted side wall or walls.
A modular system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein one or more of two opposite or three adjacent side walls includes one or more access panels enabling access to the interior of the structure to be obtained, and the access panel(s) are fitted to the side walls in a waterproof fashion A modular system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the edge of the roof member projects past two opposite side walls of the box-like structure.
A modular system according to claim 6 wherein the edges of the roof member are turned down to form two flanges enabling the boxlike structure to be lifted by engagement of one or more engagement members with the flange, and the roof member is fixed to the remainder of the box-like structure sufficiently firmly to take the load imposed on it when the structure is lifted in such fashion.
A modular system according to any one of the preceding claims and including weatherproof sealing members mounted to one or both sides of the abutting sides of two adjacent housing members and acting to prevent water penetration between those abutting sides.
9 A modular system according to claim 8 wherein the sealing members are weathering strips covering the adjacent edges of the side walls and roof members of two abutted box-like structures and attached to each of the box-like structures.