US2226560A - Interlocking roofing tile - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 31, 1940 PATENT OFFICE l 2,226,560 INTERLOCKING RoorING TILE Richard Hedrick, Sr., lLos Angeles, Calif., assignor of one-half to Albert P. Myers, LosAngeles,

Calif.

Application March 31, 1939, serian No. 265,195V

y'7 Claims.

My invention relates to an interlocking roofing tile and has for its principal objects; to generally improve upo'n and simplify the construction of the existing forms of roofing tiles, to construct the tile with reiniorcementswithout materially increasing the weight of the individual tile and further, to arrange the reinforcements on the tiles so that the latter are automatically spaced when assembled and laid on a roof or the like.

Further objects of my invention are, to construct the tile so that when properly laid the individual tile are effectively interlocked with each other, thus minimizing the possibility of the tile being blown oi the roof by heavy winds, further, to construct the interlocking tile so that under certain conditions, for instance, on roofs of low pitch, the tile may be assembled to form av roof covering without the use of nails or like fastening devices and which arrangement results from the interlocking of the tile when properly assembled and further, to provide interlocking til-e of strong and substantial construction capable of 'being easily and quickly laid to form the' roof covering and the individual tile having sufficient overlap to produce maximum protection against the elements when the tile are assembled to form the covering for a roof lor the like.

A further object of my inventionis, to provide an interlocking roofing tile of the character referred to that may be laid on the roof sheeting with either side uppermost,`thus enabling two substantially different roof patterns to` be produced with the same tile and without sacrificing any of the desirable features and advantages of the tile, for instance, the strength thereof and also the interlocking effect that is produced throughout the entire length 0f the tile When assembled. y

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features Vof construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which: y

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the lower left hand comer of a roof and sho-wing a number of the tile assembled and laid thereon to form the. roof covering.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig'. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the tile and looking against the upper surface thereof.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one of the tile in inverted position.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tile that is used at the lower left hand corner of a roof covering or the like.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a relatively narrow border tile that is used at the ends or the sides of the roof.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 1.

The individual tile utilized in forming the main portion of the roof covering is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and said tile comprises a substantially rectangular slab I0, preferably COmDOSed of vitrified clay or earthern material and, the body of said tile having a length approximately twice its width.

The side edges II of the tile are beveled or inclined inwardly toward their lower edges so that the width of the upper face of the tile is slightly greater than'the width of its under face. I

Formed integral'with the central porion of the tile on the under Side thereof and extending the full length of the tile body is a at reinforcing rib I2, thethickness of which is approximately equal to the thickness of the tile body and thus it may be said that the longitudinal medial portion of the tile body is of double thickness with respect to the thickness of its side portions or those portions to the sides of the reinforcement.

The side faces I3 of the reinforcing rib I2 are beveled or inclined Iso that theunder face of the rib is slightly wider thanthat portion of the rib that is joined to the tile body I0.

Formed integral with the upper surface of the tile body immediately adjacent the beveled side edges II and extending from th-e butt end of the tile toward theopposite end, are narrow reinforcing ribs I4 that are substantially square or rectangular in4 cross section. The length of these ribs is preferably somewhat less than the over-all length of the body of the tile and said ribs determine the length of longitudinal overlap between the tile when the same are assembled -to form a roof structure.

Formed through the upper end portion of the body I0 of the tile adjacent the corners thereof are apertures I5 and if desired, corresponding apertures I6 may be formed adjacent the upper end of the tile body through the reinforcement I2. These apertures are for the reception of nails that secure the tile to the roof sheeting or other structure upon which the tile are laid.

A special tile that is used at the lower left 'hand corner of the roof covering is illustrated in Fig. V6

and this tile has the same width and length as the tile I0. I'his special tile comprises a slab II, preferably composed of vitried clay or the like and, formed on the under side of the left hand portion of the body of this tile is a longitudinally disposed reinforcement I 8, the thickness of which is substantially equal to the thickness of the body I1 of the tile so that the left hand portion of this tile has double thickness.

The longitudinal shoulder I9 between the right hand edge of the reinforcement I8 and the body II of the tile is beveled or inclined so that the under face of the reinforcement has slightly greater width than that portion of the reinforcement that joins the tile body II.

Formed on the lower portion of the upper face of the slab II immediately adjacent both side edges thereof and extending from the butt end toward the other end are narrow reinforcing ribs 20, the length of which equals the length of the reinforcing ribs I4 on the tile I0 and, these `ibs 20 are substantially square in cross section. The right hand edge 2I of the tile body I'I is inclined o r beveled inwardly. y

Formed through the upper portion of the tile body I'I and the reinforcement I8 are apertures 22 for the reception of nails or the like that are utilized in securing the corner tile to the sheeting or roof structure. i

A tile practically identical with the corner tile I'I but with the reinforcement I8 disposed on the under side of the right hand portion of the tile body is utilized as the corner tile at the lower right hand corner of the roof covering formed by my improved tile.

In order that the tile fonning the lowermost course or those tile immediately adjacent the eaves or lower edge of the roof structure may be laid in proper spaced relation, substantially rectangular slabs 23 of vitried clay or the like are provided and, each of these spacingtiles has approximately the same width as the width of the tile I0 and Il and the length of said spacing tile being slightly greater than half the length of said tile I0 and I'I. l

The side edges 24 of the spacing tile are nclined or beveled so that the upper face of each tile is slightly greater in width than the under face and when laid, these beveled faces I9 dovetail and consequently interlock with the correspondingly beveled side faces II of the tile III and the beveled side face of the reinforcing member I8 of the corner tile (see Fig. 2).

Formed through the upper portion of each spacing tile 23 adjacent its corners are apertures 25 for the reception of nails or like fastening devices.

A side border tile illustrated-in Fig. 7 comprises a narrow slab 26 of vitried clay or the like, the width of which is approximately onethird the width of the tile Il) and, formed on top of the lower portion of this border tile adjacent its side edges and extending from the butt end toward the other end are narrow reinforcing ribs 2l that are approximately ysquare in cross section and, their length being equal to the length v of the reinforcing ribs I4 and 2i).

under side of the overlying tile IIJ in the next upper course. Formed through the upper portion of this narrow border tile, is one or more apertures such as 29 for the reception of a nail or like fastening device.

Obviously, the border tile 26 used on the right hand end of the roof necessarily have their left hand side edges beveled or inclined so as to engage the right hand beveled edge I3 on the reinforcement I2 of the overlying tile I0. Y

In laying my improved interlocking tile on a roof, a narrow eaves strip E is applied to the roof sheeting S immediately adjacent its lower edge and the corner tile I1 is now laid on the corner of the sheeting with its butt portion resting on the strip E as illustrated in Fig. 8.

If the tile are to be anchored to the roof sheeting with nails or the like, the latter are driven through the apertures 22 into the roof sheeting and a series of alternately arranged -tile ID and spacing tile 23 are now laid along the lower portion of the sheeting with the lower portions of said tile resting on the strip E.

The first spacing tile 23 has its left hand beveled edge 24 dovetailed against the correspondingly beveled right hand edge I9 of the reinforcement I8 on the corner tile and, the subsequent tile` I0 of the lower course are disposed in spaced relation with the' spacing tile 23 disposed between said tile I0 and with the beveled side edges of the reinforcements I2 in dovetailed and interlocking engagement with the correspondingly inclined side edges 24 of the spacing tile.

As the lowermost course of tile I and spacing tile 23 arevthus laid, they may be secured to the roof sheeting by means of nails or the like, driven through the apertures I5, I6 and 25.

In starting the second course of tile, one of the narrow tile 2E is laid on the upper left hand portion of the corner tile I'I, with the outer edges of the two tile in alignment with each other and with the butt `end of the narrow tile 26 bearing against the upper end of the left hand one of the reinforcing ribs 20.

The tile I0 forming the second course are now positioned immediately above the tile forming the rst course and, said second course tile are positioned so that when moved downwardly the lower portions of the reinforcing ribs I2 will pass between and thereby dovetail and interlock with the correspondingly inclined side edges II of the tile in the underlying course and, this movement of the second course tile is continued until the butt ends of said second course tile engage against the upper ends of the reinforcing ribs I4 on the tile in the lower course.

'Ihus the ri'bs I4 in addition to reinforcing the lower portions of the tile serve to determine the overlap between the tiles of the succeeding courses and, the engagement between the beveled side edges on the bodies of the tile and on the reinforcernents I2 on the under sides of said tile,

provide an interlocking arrangement that eiTec-I tually maintains the tile in assembled relation and, in some instances enables the roof to be laid without the necessity for nails or like fastening devices.

Further, the dovetailing connections between the tile and the reinforcing ribs I4 provide simple and eflicient means that enables the tile to be easily and quickly assembled without the requirement for measurements and the use of guide lines and thus, the work incident to the laying of the roof is facilitated and a saving of labor is effected.

The dovetail connections between the tile min- Cil imize the possibility of the tile being blown olf the roof by heavy winds and, the reinforcing ribs on the lower portions of the upper faces of the tile preventl the latter from sliding lengthwise with respect to each other after being laid.

Inasmuch as the end portions of the wide reinforcements I2 on the under faces of the tile rest directly upon the upper end portions of the next adjacent lower course of tile and upon the roof sheeting, the tile has ample strength to resist the strains resulting from substantial weights, for instance, the weight of a person walking over the tile` Ihe manner of reinforcing my improved tile imparts to the latter certain advantages in both manufacturing, the shipping and the handling cf the tile, for such reinforcement materially cuts do-wn breakage in the handling of the tile botn before and after burning and further, such arrangement will aid greatly, due to the convenience of setting the tile in the kiln, as such reinforcements present straight lines in their construction so that they match and align with each other to advantage during production, firing, and handling.

When the roof covering composed of the interlocking tile has been completed, the ribs I4, 20 and 21 that extend along the margins of the ends of the roof prevent rain water running down the roof from running over the edges at the ends thereof and, the exposed surfaces of the tile at the ends of the roof between the pairs of ribs I4, 21 and 20 constitute practically continuous channels that carry rain water downwardly to the eaves of the roof, thus minimizing the possibility of any water overflowing the marginal ribs I4, 21 and 20.

In the foregoing description I have referred to the face of the tile having the side ribs I4 as the upper or exposed face, but it is to be understood that if desired the tile may be laid on the roof sheeting with the ribs I4 resting directly upon the roof sheeting and with the centrally arranged rib I2 on the upper or exposed face of f the tile.

The tile when thus arranged produce a roof characterized by a series of practically continuous upstanding ribs that extend from the eaves of the roof to the ridge thereof and which continuous ribs are produced by the longitudinally aligned arrangement of the ribs I2 on the individual tile.

This arrangement produces a roof of novel and pleasing effect without in any way affecting the strength of the roof or the interlocking engagement between the tile that compose the roof.

In Fig. 5 the tile is shown with the rib I2 on its uppermost face.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an interlocking roong tile that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved interlocking roofing tile, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An interlocking roofing tile comprising a flat slab, a centrally arranged reinforcing rib formed on the under face of said slab and extending the entire length thereof and a pair of reinforcing ribs formed on the upper face of the slab adjacent its side edges and extending from the butt end of the slab part way toward the other end.

2. An interlocking roofing tile as set forth in claim 1 andthe side faces of the reinforcement on the under side of the slab being beveled.

3. An interlocking roofing tile as set forth in claim 1 and the side edges of which slab are beveled.

4. An interlocking roong tile as set forth in claim 1 and there being apertures formed through said slab near its upper end for the reception of fastening means.

5. An interlocking roofing tile comprising a flat slab, theside edges thereof being beveled, reinforcing ribs formed on the upper surface of said slab along the side edges thereof and extending from the butt end thereof part away toward the opposite end and a centrally arranged reinforcing rib formed on the under face of the slab and extending from end to end thereof.

6. A roofing tile comprising a flat slab, reinforcing ribs formed on the upper surface of said slab along its side edges and extending from the butt end of the slab part way toward the other end, the side faces of which ribs are disposed at right angles to the upper face of the slab, the side edges of the slab being beveled and a longitudinally disposed reinforcement on the under face of said slab and extending the entire length thereof.

7. An interlocking roong tile comprising a fiat slab having beveled side edges, a centrally arranged reinforcing rib extending lengthwise on the under side of said slab from one end thereof to the other, which reinforcement is dovetail shape in cross section and reinforcing ribs formed on the upper surface of said slab along the side edges thereof and extending from the butt end of the slab part way toward the other end, the side edges of which ribs are disposed at right angles to the upper face of said slab.

RICHARD IIEDRICH, SR.

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