US2084625A

US2084625A - Method and apparatus for laying sheet material

Info

Publication number: US2084625A
Application number: US699086A
Authority: US
Inventors: John D Stebbins; Frank W Yeager
Original assignee: Barrett Co Inc
Current assignee: Barrett Co Inc
Priority date: 1933-11-21
Filing date: 1933-11-21
Publication date: 1937-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1954-06-22

Description

June 22, 1937. J. 0. STEBBINS ET AL 2,084,525

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING SHEET MATERIAL Filed NOV. 21, 1933 Patented June 22, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING SHEET MATERIAL tion of New Jersey Application November 21, 1933, Serial No. 699,086

10 Claims. (01. 154-42) This invention relates to the laying of sheet material in overlapping relationship and more particularly to methods and apparatus for cementing overlapping edge portions of adjacent sheets of prepared roofing or other material which upon heating become cementitious.

One object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for joining, without the use of supplementary or additional cement, contiguous marginal portions of adjacent overlapping sheets of prepared roofing or other sheet material which upon heating become cementitious.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for sealing together overlapping edge portions of bitumen coated roofing sheets by the application of heat and pressure.

Another object of the invention is-to provide a heater of rugged construction and simple design and which can readily be employed, even by unskilled workmen, to soften the coating on overlapping edge portions of adjacentsheets of prepared roofing or other sheet material thereby causing the overlapping portions of the sheets to become cemented together and form a continuous covering.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description of this invention.

B011 roofing material, such as the usual felt base roofing saturated with asphalt and coated with asphalt or other bituminous material, is used in large quantities in covering roofs and other surfaces. At the present time, for example, such prepared roofing is finding extensive use as a temporary covering to protect concrete roads after pouring and to protect concrete floors in buildings during finishing operations carried out after the floors are laid. When used for the above purposes the roofing sheets are customarily placed in parallel rows with the marginal portions of the sheets in adjacent rows lying in overlapping and underlapping relation. Prior to this invention, it was common practice to seal the laps between the adjacent overlapping sheets by applying a cement therebetween. The use of a cement, however, invariably had one or more disadvantages. In the first place, the application of any type of cement to the joints necessarily involved the use of additional material and an increase in time and labor for laying the covering thereby considerably increasing the cost of the installation. Moreover, in applying such sealing cements frequently some of the cement dropped on the surunited or sealed without the use of supplementary cement. In accordance with our invention, a shoe-shaped housing or heater, equipped with a suitable burner or torch, is inserted between the lapped portions of the sheets and continuously and progressively pushed along the seam by an operator who follows it. The heat emanating from the heated housing softens or melts the bituminous coating on the under side of the upper sheet and on the top side of the lower sheet. As

the operator walks along, the pressure of his feet forces the edge portions of the overlapping sheet into contact with the overlapped edge portions of the underlying sheet. The soft cementitious coating material on the contacting portions of the sheets unites and forms a firm bond between the sheets.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be made to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown, by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment'of this invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus embodying this invention showing the housing and fuel burner, the burner tube leading to the fuel supply and the handle of the apparatus being broken away near the housing for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation viewing the apparatus of Fig. 2 from the right and showing the housing placed in working position between two overlapping sheets of roofing;

Fig. 4 is a small scale pictorial view in elevation showing the manner in which the apparatus of this invention may be employed in sealing or joining overlapping sheets;

Fig. 5 is a small scale side elevation of a modified lap-sealing apparatus having a portable fuel supply attached to the handle thereof.

Referring to the drawing with particular reference to Figs. 1 to 3, numeral 2 indicates in general the lap-sealing or lap-cementing device of this invention. This device comprises a shoeshaped housing 4 having vertical parallel side walls 6 and 1 separated from each other by a rectangular block 9 near the front end of the housing. The walls and block may be made of any durable fire resistant material, such as steel. Walls made of 4" sheet steel have been found satisfactory. A bolt l l passing through a hole in the walls and the block, and having a nut l2 tightly screwed thereon, serves as a fastening means to hold the block and walls in fixed relation. The block is preferably of such a width that the distance between the walls will be somewhat less than the width of the lap between adjacent sheets of roofing.

Inside wall 6 and outside wall I are of the same general shoe shape, outside wall 1 being somewhat higher and longer than the other wall, as appears from Fig. 2. Walls 6 and I are defined respectively by straight flat bottom edges l4 and i and bevelled curved upper edges I8 and I9 joining the bottom edges. Upper edges l8 and I9 are curved in such a manner that the walls rise abruptly at the front end of the housing and taper gradually from a point near the front to the rear end as shown in Fig. 2. The upper edges of both walls, as appears from Fig. 3, are bevelled from the higher side of the housing toward the lower side, i. e., from the outside of the outer wall I and from the inside of the inner wall 6, to the opposite sides of the walls, in such a manner that both bevelled edges lie in the same plane.

The end portion of bolt l I extending beyond the nut l2, passes through a hole near one end of a crank-shaped metal collar or handle support 2|, which is held securely in place on the bolt by a nut 22. Inserted into the other end of the metal support is a rod 24 which serves as a handle for pushing and guiding the housing. Due to the shape of the support 2|, the handle is positioned some distance away from the outside wall I. By means of nut 22 the support and handle may be fixed in any desired angular position with respect to the horizontal to suit the preference of the individual operator and to allow the operator to assume a normal walking position.

A metal burner-tube 26 passes from the forward end of the housing through a hole in block 9. This tube extends horizontally midway between the housing walls 6 and l and ends a short distance beyond block 9 in a suitable burner tip or orifice 30. A set screw 3| passing into a hole in the inside wall 6 and block 9 securely holds the burner tube in place and prevents it from moving relatively to the housing. The forward portion of the burner tube 26 extends upward and outward a short distance past the forward end of the outside wall I and has a flexible hose 32 leading from a suitable supply of combustible gas, such as acetylene or other fluid fuel, :attached to its end. Preferably a gaseous fuel producing a blue flame is employed. As shown in Fig. 4 the hose is preferably attached to the handle 24 which may be of wood by a clamp 34 in order to support it and prevent it from becoming loosened or pulled away from the end of the metal burner-tube. A small amount of slack hose should be provided between clamp 34 and the burner tube 26 in order to prevent the hose from being pulled away from the tube during angular adjustment of the handle and the handle support on bolt I I.

Instead of obtaining the gas or other fuel for the burner from a more or less remote source, a supply of fuel may be carried on the apparatus itself as shown in Fig. 5. In this modification the gas is confined under pressure in a suitable cylinder or other container 36 attached to the handle 24 of the device by bands 31. Flexible hose 32, leading from the end of metal burner tube 26, is attached to a suitable outlet 38 on the container, a stop cook 40 or other valve being provided for controlling the quantity of gas passing from the container.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The gas is turned on and the burner between the walls of the housing lighted and adjusted to produce a blue flame of the desired size. An operator 45 then grasps the device by the handle and inserts the housing in operating position .between the overlapping edges of two adjacent sheets of roofing 41 and 49 laidon a roof, floor,

or other surface 50. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

the straight bottom edges l4 and I5 rest on the surface of the lower sheet 41 while the curved and bevelled upper edges I8 and I9 support the marginal portion of the overlying sheet 49. The edge of the overlying roofing sheet preferably extends a short distance beyond the edge of outside wall 1 but not a sufiicient distance to touch or interfere with the burner tube or the handle of the apparatus.

The operator then slowly walks along the seam and pushes the lap-sealing device before him thus causing the housing to move along the seam between the edges of the overlapping sheets causing the overlying sheet to be elevated above the underlying sheet as shown in Fig. 4. Heat from the gas flame softens or melts the bituminous coating on the upper side of the underlying sheet 41 and on the under side of the overlying sheet 49 and causes the coating material to become cementitious. The walls of the housing confine the heat of the flame to approximately the width of the lap joint desired thus concentrating the heat and making the operation of the device rapid and readily controlled.

As the housing is continuously and progressively moved along the seam, the softened edge portion of the upper sheet slides down the tapered upper edges of the housing walls, which are especially designed for this purpose, and is again brought into contact with the lower sheet. The operator walking behind the housing, steps on the heated and cementitious overlapped por tions of the sheets and causes the coating material thereon to unite or bond and form a. continuous joint. Since the soft coating on the edge portions of the sheets quickly cools and hardens, a durable bond is almost instantly obtained.

After joining two adjacent overlapping sheets in this manner the housing is placed between another pair of overlapping sheets and the sealing process carried out in the manner hereinabove described.

It will be noted that the apparatus of this invention is simple and durable in construction and can be operated even by unskilled workmen. This device permits the edge portions of lapping sheets of prepared roofing to be sealed or cemented together in a much cleaner and more eflicient manner than has heretofore been possible. The lap-sealing apparatus also permits a substantial economy to be effected since very than those formed by methods heretofore in use.-

If desired, guides may be provided projecting outward and upward from the outside wall or may be attached to the handle to engage the edge of the overlying roofing sheet and cause the apparatus to maintain the proper relative position with respect to the lap.

The device may be provided with a roller positioned in back of the housing so that it will pass over the heated lap and press the cementitious overlapping sheets firmly together.

The procedure herein described may be employed to secure overlapping and underlapping portions of mastic sheets made from bituminous or other mixes which upon being heated become cementitious as well as any other sheet material which when subjected to heat becomes sticky.

In connection with the above description and illustration of the construction and operation of this invention, it should be understood that these are merely for the purpose of clarifying an understanding thereof. Various modifications of the forms and arrangements of the parts and of the procedure herein described may be made without departing from this invention.

We claim:

1. A device for uniting overlapped edges of sheet material comprising a housing adapted to be moved between the overlapping edges of the sheet material, means within the housing for supplying heat thereto, and operating means attached to the housing and extending therefrom outwardly and upwardly from between the overlapping edges of the sheets.

2. A device for joining overlapping edge portions of adjacent sheets comprising a shoe-shaped housing, said housing rising abruptly at the front end and tapering gradually toward the rear end thereof, means within said housing for supplying heat thereto, and a handle attached to said housing for operating the same, said handle extending outwardly and upwardly from between the overlapping edges of the sheets.

3. A device for joining overlapped sheets comprising a housing adapted to be moved between the overlapped sheets, said housing being adapted to support the overlapping sheet at a plurality of points in inclined relation to the underlapping sheet, and means within said housing for supplying heat thereto.

4. A device for sealing together overlapped marginal portions of adjacent sheets, comprising a housing having two side walls, said walls being separated from each other a distance approximately equal to the width of the overlapped portions of the sheets, and a fuel burner between said walls.

5. An apparatus for sealing together overlapping edges of adjacent sheets comprising a housing having two side walls separated from each other by a distance approximately equal to the width of the overlapped edges of the sheets and held in fixed position by a block-between said walls, said walls being of the same general shoe shape and each a different size, a fuel burner attached to the block between the walls, and a handle connected to the larger wall.

6. A lap sealing apparatus comprising a housing having two parallel side walls defined by .7

straight bottom edges and curved top edges, a block between said walls, fastening means passing through the walls and the block to hold the walls and block in fixed position, and a gas torch between said walls for supplying heat to the housing.

7. A device for uniting overlapping edges of adjacent sheets of bitumen coated sheet roofing comprising a housing having spaced parallel vertical side walls similar to each other in shape but different in size, both of said walls having straight bottom edges and curved bevelled top edges, a gas burner between said walls adapted to heat the housing, and a handle connected to the outside of the larger wall for operating the housing.

8. A device for uniting overlapping edges of adjacent sheets of bitumen coated sheet roofing comprising a housing having spaced parallel vertical side walls similar to each other in shape but difierent in size, both of said walls having straight bottom edges and curved bevelled top edges, a gas burner between said walls adapted to heat the housing, a handle connected to the outside of the larger wall for operating the housing, and a gas container carried by said handle for supplying gas to the burner.

9. The method of joining edge portions of sheet material which upon the application of heat thereto become cementitious, which comprises assembling sheets of said material with their edge portions in underlapping and overlapping relation, continuously and progressively separating the overlapped and underlapped portions of said sheets, supporting a section of the edge portion of the overlapping sheet in inclined elevated relation with respect to the edge of the underlapping sheet, continuously and progressively heating the separated portions, and continuously and progressively pressing the edge portion of the overlapping sheet into engagement with the edge portion of the underlapping sheet while another section is being heated.

10. The method of joining edge portions of sheet material which upon the application of heat thereto become cementitious, which comprises assembling sheets of said material with their edge portions in overlapping and underlapping relation, continuously and progressively separating the overlapped and underlapped portions of said sheets and supporting the separated edge portion of the overlapping sheet out of contact with the edge of the underlapping sheet, continuously and progressively heating at least one of said separated portions and continuously and progressively pressing the portions which have been separated into engagement with each other while another portion of the overlapping sheet is separated from the underlapping sheet and at least one of the separated portions is being heated.

JOHN D. STEBBINS. FRANK W. YEAGER.