US1813089A - Flashing material - Google Patents

Description

y 1931. w. M. SHAKESPEARE 1,813,089

FLASHING MATERIAL Filed March 1, 1929 A TORNEYS Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM M. SHAKESPEARE, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ANA- CONDA SALES COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE FLASHING MATERIAL Application filed March 1,

This invent-ion relates to roofing products of the composite type which consist of a base of non-metallic material resistant to water, for example, asphalt-impregnated felt, and a thin layer of metal affixed thereto, the metal being of insufficient mechanical strength to be used alone but receiving the necessary support from'the base which it in turn protects against the actionof the elements. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a metal-clad product which is especially useful as a flashing strip, and in valleys and the like, and a method by which it can be made.

In laying roofs it is standard practice to use metal for flashing strips around chimneys, etc., and also in valleys and in similar angular locations. In roofs of the better grade, sheet copper was used for that purpose for a long time because of its resistance to corrosion, but the cost of such sheet material used alone was too high to permit its use on cheaper structures. To reduce the cost without sacrificing any of the advantages of the copper sheet, there was devised the roofing material described and claimed in Robinson Patent, No. 1,663,565 of March 27 1928, which material is of the composite type and consists of a thin flexible felt web with a layer or strip of metal afiiXed thereto to cover a central zone narrower than the web. In this material, the metal is much thinner than the copper sheet previously used and is supported by the felt. The uncovered selvage edges of the felt provide means for securing a good joint where adjacent roofing elements overlap the material since the joint is felt to felt or wood to felt instead of felt or wood to metal. The patented material is in general satisfactory and ofiers the building owner the opportunity to obtain all the advantages of sheet copper flashings or valleys at greatly reduced cost.

The material of the present invention is an improvement over the product oft-he patent in the respect that the new product is so constructed that the metal is more securely bound to the base and the possibility of the seepage of water between the base and metal is overcome. The means by which these results are achieved also strengthen the material along 1929. Serial N0. 343,743.

its edges and serve to prevent water from creeping into the roof beyond the edge of the material.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a transverse sectional view through a valley in which the new material is employed Fig. :2 is a plan view of a portion of the new material;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the material illustrated in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4. is a view in side elevation partly in section diagrammatically illustrating the process of making the new material.

Referring to these drawings, the new material is shown to consist of a web of thin, flexible, non-metallic material. I prefer to make this web of thin rooting felt, referably rag felt impregnated with asp' alt. The felt used is of the grade known as cap sheet and a suitable felt for the purpose is one having a weight of26 lbs/per square. This felt is readily flexible both longitudinally and transversely. For use as a flashing, in valleys and the like, I employ a. felt web approximately Wide, although it is to be understood that the dimensions and weight of the feltmay be varied according to the requirements of the particular uses to which it is to be put.

One face of the felt web is partly covered by a strip of metal 11. I prefer to use copper for the purpose by reason of its resistance to corrosion and because of its flexibility. The copper employed is of light weight and of much less mechanical strength than would be required were this metal to be used alone for flashing and valley purposes. Preferably, I employ electrodeposited metal since metal strips of the'desired weight may be made much more cheaply by electro-deposition than by rolling. *lVhile electrodepositcd copper is relatively weak, that is a matter of no consequence in the present instance because the metal is in contact with the felt throughout its extent, is firmly secured thereto and thus is strengthened and supported by the felt. The metal employed is so thin that it does not stiffen the felt to an extent such as to interfere with the normal -use of the product.

The metal strip to be used on a web of felt wide is approximately 10% to 11" in width and the metal is disposed along the central axis of the felt so as to cover a central zone thereof, a selvage edge of felt on each side of the web being unprotected by the metal. This metal may be afiixed to the felt by means of a thin film of hot asphalt and the application of pressure. This asphalt film binds the metal and felt together with sufficient strength to prevent their separation and since the metal is highly flexiblethere is little tendency for the metal and base to separate when the asphalt is used as .the adhesive. If desired, the metal may be electroplated directly on the surface of the felt, although I prefer to produce the metal strip in a separate operation and aflix it to the felt thereafter.

Along each edge of the web on that face to which the metal is secured are next applied two strips 12 of felt of a grade similar to that used for the main web. These strips are relatively narrow and are preferably of a width sufiicient to extend from the side edge of the Web inwardly slightly beyond the side edge of the metal strip. With a felt web 20" wide having a 10% strip of metal along the center, each of the felt strips 12 is approximately 5 in width. These strips are secured in position by means of hot asphalt and by the application of pressure, the portions of the strips 12 which overlie the metal bein r secured thereto by the asphalt.

Vith the arrangement described, the portions of double thickness felt at the edges of the product strengthen the material and prevent seepage of water between the metal and base. Under ordinary circumstances, the new product will be used for purposes which require its being bent along its median line as an axis, as illustrated in Fig. 1, for example, whcre the product is bent to conform to the sides of the valley 13. The addition of the strips 12, therefore, does not reduce the case with which the new product may be bent to conform to the roof surfaces on which it is tobe laid, and, while flexibility about a. transverse axis is somewhat reduced, this is not important since even where the felt is of double thickness, it is still sufliciently flexible to permit such bending as is ordinarily required.

- The presence of the portions of double thickness along the edges of the product serve another useful purpose. The material is ordinarily laid to cover a part of the roof on each side of which are laid ordinary roofing elements 1 1. These roofing elements are placed to overlie the selvage edges covered by the strips 12 and the joint between the roofing elements and the product is provided in part i by a felt surface. If the roofing elements 14:

are of roofin felt, the joint is. felt to felt, which muc superior to the felt to metal joint obtained when sheetmetal is used alone to cover the valley. In laying the roofing elements, they are placed so that their edges 15 project beyond the inner edges 16 of the strips 12, and the inner edges of the strip 12 thus provide a dam against the entrance of water. When rain beats up the surface 17, it encounters the inner edge 16 of the strip 12. The water cannot flow between the strip 12 and the base 10, since the two are firmly bound together by the asphalt film. Entrance of water into the roof, therefore, can only occur.

by seepage through the joint between the element 14 and the upper surfaceof the strip 12 which it overlies, but the water cannot reach this joint readily because the joint is raised above the surface of the metal bythe thickness of the strip 12. The inner edge of the strip 12, therefore, forms an abutment which makes it more diflicult for rain to creep into the roof and leakage is thus avoided.

The new material is preferably made in the form of rolls of convenient length and it may be employed as illustrated in Fig. 1 for valleys, gutters and the like, or it may be cut lengthwise and the half portions thus formed used for flashing purposes. Also, a web of the new product may-be cut into individual units which may be employed for purposes illustrated and described in the Robinson patent above mentioned.

A convenient method of producing the new material involves the preparation of the felt in the ordinary way. A strip 18 of electrodeposited copper of the desired width and of indefinite length is passed over a tank 19 of hot asphalt in which is rotating a roller 20 which dips into the asphalt. The metal passes in contact with the surface of the roller and receives a coating of asphalt on its under surface. The felt web is advanced beneath the tank and the metal coated on its under surface and the felt and metal are then passed between a pair of pressure rollers 21, one of which is of yielding material, for example, rubber or a similar composition. The metal and felt are suitably guided by guides 22 so that the metal is applied to the central zone of the felt, the passage of the felt and metal between the rollers causing the two to be firmly bound together. The metal-clad felt 23 is then passed beneath another tank 24 of asphalt in which is rotating a roller 25, the surface of which lies above the liquid level. The strips 12 of felt pass over the'top of the tank in contact with the roller, being suitably guided in their movement by guides 26. The metalclad felt and the two strips which receive a coating by their contact with the roller are then led between a pair of pressure rollers 27 similar to those previously described and the asphalt-coated felt strips are caused to adhere to the metal-clad felt base. The material. continues on to be cut into suitable resistant material, a strip of metal extending lengthwise of the base spaced inwardly from the edges thereof, and strips of base material along each edge of the base and overlying the edges of the metal strip.

2. A material for roofing and similar purposes'which comprises 'aweb of flexible fibrous water-resistant material, a strip offflexible metal on the base extending lengthwise thereof, the metal being of less width than the base and lying with its edges spaced inwardly from the edges of thebase, and strips of base material one at each side of the base and extending lengthwise of the base and overlying the edges of the metal strip.

3. A material for roofing and similar purposes which comprises a web of water-resistant fibrous material, a stripof metal on the base and extending along the longitudinal axis thereof, the metal strip being about half the width of the base and lying with its edges equally spaced from the edges of the base, and a strip of base material alon eachredge of the base and of a width sufficient so that with one ed e of the strip aligned wit-h the edge of the ase the other edge overlies the edge of the metal to a slight extent.

4. A material for. roofing and other purposes Which comprisesa web of flexible waterresist-ant material, the web having lengthwise portions along its margins of double thickness, and a strip of metal on one face of the web covering only the portion of single thickness. 4

5. A material for roofing and other purposes which comprises a web of flexible waterresistant material having portions of double thickness extending lengthwise along its side edges, the width of said portions, being substantially less than half the width of the base, and a strip of metal coverin only the central zone between said thickness.

6. A material for buildi comprises'a thin flexible Wei of impregnated felt of less width than length having portions of double thickness extendin lengthwise along its side edges, thewidth 0 each portion being approximately equal to one-quarter the width of the web, and a strip of thin metal of insufficient mechanical strength to be used alone coverin that portion of the web which is of single t ickness, themetal strip being slightly wider than the distance between adjaportions of doublepurposes which cent edges of said portions andhaving both its side edgw projecting beyond adjacent edges of said portions.

7. A material for roofing and other pur- 1poses which comprises a web of flexible brous material treated to be water-resistant, the web having lengthwise portions along its margins of double thickness, and a strip of weak deposited copper on one face of the web covering only the portion of single thickness, the metal being readily flexible.

85A method for producing a material for roofing and similar purposes which comprises placing a web of base material in motion endwise, moving .a strip of metal of indefinite length in the same direction and at the same rate in spaced relation to the web,

applying an adhesivefcoating to the under, surface of the metal, placing the coated metal strip, and the web in contact and applying yielding'pressure thereto, moving a pair of strips of base material narrower than the web in the same direction as the metal-clad web and in spaced relation thereto,sapplying adhesive to the inner surface of'both strips, placing the strips in contact with the metalclad base along the edges of the latter and subjecting the base and strips to yielding pressure to cause the strips to be united to. the web along the edges thereof.

9. A material for roofing and other purposes which comprises a web of flexible fibrous material treated to be water-resistant, the web having a lengthwise portion two plies thick along.one margin thereof, and a strip of flexible metal aflixed to the web and covering the portion of single thickness.

10. A material for roofing and other purv poses which comprises a web of flexible fibrous material treated to be water-resistant, the'web having a lengthwise portion two plies 'thick along one margin thereof, and a strip thereof, anda strip of metal on one face of the web covering the portion of single thickness, said metal strip extending between said plies a short distance.

- In testimony whereof .I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM M. SHAKESPEARE.

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