US2895432A

US2895432A - Roofing material

Info

Publication number: US2895432A
Application number: US455260A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph H Bowman
Original assignee: AMERICAN STEEL BAND Co
Current assignee: AMERICAN STEEL BAND Co
Priority date: 1954-09-10
Filing date: 1954-09-10
Publication date: 1959-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 1976-07-21

Description

United States Patent O ROOFIN G MATERIAL Joseph H. Bowman, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to American Steel Band Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application september 10, 19s4,`seria1Ne. 455,260

s claims. (ci. s-1s) rl`his invention relates to the material used to form roofs, and more particularly to a roof that includes a sheet metal deck covered with thermal insulation.

A common type of roof for industrial buildings is made of sheet metal which is covered with a thick layer of thermal insulation. The insulation, in turn, is protected by alternating layers of asphalt and treated asbestos felt, and the top may be covered with fine gravel. In the past it has been the general practice to fasten the insulation to the underlying metal deck by means of an intermediatelayer of asphalt. That is satisfactory for roofing purposes, but there have been cases in which a fire beneath the roof melts the asphalt so that it drips through the joints in `the deck and falls on the floor and machinery below, where it catches ire and adds materially to the conflagration.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a roof in which thermal insulation is attached to a supporting metal deck without the aid of asphalt or other inflammable material, and in which the connection can be made quickly and securely.

In accordance with this invention, a sheet metal roof deck is provided with laterally spaced, parallel folds projecting downward. A plurality of U-shape sheet metal clips are inserted in some of the folds at longitudinally spaced intervals. The clips are in frictional engagement with the sides of the folds. A layer of thermal insulation covers the metal deck and is fastened to it by nails that are driven down through the insulation and into the clips. Since the sides of the folds resist opening of the clips, the folds press the sides of the clips tightly against the nails to anchor them in the folds. Preferably, the upper portions of the side walls of each clip are Vfolded inwardly upon themselves to form ribs extending lengthwise of the clip and having sharp lower edges that dig into the adjoining nail or engage roughened surfaces on the nail. The insulation and the heads of the nails are covered and protected by the usual layers of asphalt and roong felt.

The preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary vertical section through my roof;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof with the layers of asphalt and roofing felt broken away;

Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the deck folds containing a clip; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the fold and clip taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, the base of the roof is formed from a plurality of metal sheets 1 of a size that is convenient to handle. The sheets overlap along their sides and ends to form a metal deck that rests on the usual beams (not shown Each deck sheet is bent lengthwise to provide it with a number of laterally spaced parallel folds 2 that project downward at uniformly spaced intervals. One of these folds extends along one edge of the sheet, While the opposite 2,895,432 Patented July 2-1, 1,959

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edge is bent downward to fit into the edge fold of the sheet beside it. The space remaining in this edge fold, is lled with caulking compound 3 to help seal the deck.` Each deck sheet preferably has its upper surface protected against moisture by a thin layer 4| of asbestos that is impregnated with a bituminous compound and bonded to the metal sheet. The amount of bituminous compound in this protective layer is so small that it will not drip from the roof in case there is a fire.

Disposed on top of the metal deck is a thick layer of thermal insulation 6, such as rigid fiber type insulation.

This is laid after the deck has been anchored in place. Nothing is used to stick the insulation to the deck, but the two are fastened together by means of nails 7 driven down through the insulation and into some of the folds .in the metal deck. Most suitably the nails extend through large sheet metal washers S that engage the asphalt-impregnated covering 9 that forms the upper surface off the insulation.

It is la feature of th-is invention that means are pror vided for anchoring the nails in the deck folds 2. Ac-

l portions of these side walls are folded inwardly on themselves to form ribs 12 that extend lengthwise of the top of the clip. In other words, the upper portion of each side wall of the clip is twice the thickness of the metal strip from which the clip is made. The shoulders 13 along the bottoms of the ribs have edges that are somewhat sharp. When the clips are made, the ribs are not pressed tightly together but are spaced and allowed to flare upwardly. Accordingly, when a clip is inserted in the fold of a deck sheet the side walls of the clip are pinched nearly closed as shown in Fig. 3. Their tendency to spring apart holds the clip in tight engagement with the sides of the fold.

When a nail is driven down through the insulation above one of these clips, the point of the nail enters the top of the clip between its ribs and spreads or bulges the clip apart. The clips are rather long, as shofwn in Figs. 2 and 4, so that it is not difficult for the nails to meet them. Due to the clip ribs being some distance from the top of the deck fold, the side walls of the fold likewise are bulged and therefore the clip is held down in the fold. The resistance of the fold to bulging holds the clip ribs tightly against opposite sides of the nail between them, and the lower edges of the ribs tend to dig into the nail and anchor it in the clip. This effect is accentuated by using a nail having a roughened or barbed lower end, which provides minute projections that the edges of the ribs can engage to hold the nail down.

After the insulation has been nailed to the deck securely in this manner, the insulation is protected by the usual layers of asphalt and asphalt-impregnated asbestos felt. Thus, a layer of asphalt 15 is applied to the top of the insulation and then a layer of felt 16 is laid on the asphalt. The roof can be built up in this manner as much as desired. After the top layer of felt has been laid it is customary to apply a further layer of asphalt 17, on which fine gravel (not shown) is sprinkled to form a fireproof covering.

In case there is -a re in a building having such a roof, overheating of the metal deck will not melt any roof asphalt which would penetrate the roof joints and drip into the building. Although layers of asphalt are used in the roof, they vwill be protected from the hot deck by the intervening thick layer of insulation. The result is that this roof does not become a hazard when there is a re, because it does not furnish asphalt that will feed the flames.

According to the provisions of the patent statues, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment.V However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.k

I claim:

l. The combination with a sheet metal roof deck provided with laterally spaced parallel narrow folds projecting downward, and thermal insulation covering the deck, of a plurality of thin U-shape sheet metal clips disposed at longitudinally spaced intervals in some of said folds in frictional engagement with their sides, each clip extending along a fold far enough to'hold itself upright, and nails extending down through the insulation and into said clips and forcing the sides of the clips apart against the resistance of the adjoining sides of the folds, whereby the nails are anchored in the folds to hold the insulation in place.

2. The combination with a sheet metal roof deck provided with laterally spaced parallel narrow folds projecting downward, and thermal insulation covering the deck, of a plurality of thin U-shape sheet metal clips disposed at longitudinally spaced intervals in some of said folds in frictional engagement with their sides, each clip extending along a fold far enough to hold itself upright, and nails extending down through the insulation and into said clips and forcing the sides of the clips apart against the resistance of the adjoining sides of the folds, the upper portions of the sidewalls of each clip being provided along their inner surfaces with ribs extending lengthwise thereof and pressed by the sides of the supporting fold tightly against 4 the nail in the clip, whereby the nails are anchored in the folds to hold the insulation in place.

3. The combination with a sheet metal roof deck provided with laterally spaced parallel narrow folds projecting downward, and thermal insulation covering the deck, of a plurality of thin U-shape sheet metal clips disposed at longitudinally spaced intervals in some of said folds in frictional engagement with their sides, each clip extending along a fold far enough to hold itself upright, nails extending down through the insulation and into said clips and forcing the sides of the clips apart against the resistance of the adjoining sides of the folds the upper portions of the sidewalls of each clip being folded inwardly into engagement with themselves to form ribs extending lengthwise of the clip and having sharp lower edges, and the sides of the folds pressing the ribs of the clips therein tightly against the nails, whereby the nails l are anchored in the folds to hold the insulation in place.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS