US3488248A

US3488248A - Selvage-edge roofing-and-insulation product and method of manufacture

Info

Publication number: US3488248A
Application number: US415377A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest Guinne Long
Original assignee: Johns Manville
Current assignee: Johns Manville Corp; Johns Manville
Priority date: 1964-12-02
Filing date: 1964-12-02
Publication date: 1970-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 1987-01-06

Description

3,488,248 LATION PRODUCT UFACTURE Jan. 6, 1970 E. G. LON SELVAG-E-EDGE ROOFING-AND-I AND METHOD OF Filed Dec MAN w M mmm m mL/w ///wm m m, I w M E 6 Y B United States Patent US. Cl. 161-117 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Insulation along an edge of a roof product comprising a laminate of insulation and roof membrane material is adapted to be broken away and removed in the field to permit the remaining corresponding portion of membrane to be used in forming a lap joint with an adjacent laminate. The insulation before being removed protects the selvage edge of the membrane.

This invention relates to a combined roof insulation and roof membrane laminate of the type wherein the membrane extends beyond one side edge of the insulation material to permit a lap joint to be formed between adjacent laminates. More particularly, this invention relates to such a combined laminate wherein the selvage or extending edge portion of the membrane is protected from damage during handling and shipping. This invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a combined laminate.

It is well known to provide roofing products with a selvage edge portion so that the edge of an adjacent roofing member can be overlapped to form a watertight lap joint. A lap joint is often preferred over a butt joint since the latter type of joint requires that the abutting edges of adjacent roof members be taped to make the joint waterproof. This procedure not only requires additional material but also increases the installation time of the roof covering, thus increasing the overall cost of the roof. It is also known to provide combination roof insulation and roof membrane laminates with a selvage edge portion. With this type of combined product, the edge portions of adjacent layers of insulation materials are abutted and the selvage or extending roof membrane portion overlies the adjacent laminate to form a lap joint.

One objection to this type of arrangement, however, is that the projecting unsupported portion of the roof membrane material is subject to damage during manufacture, packaging, shipping and installation. Moreover, when workmen attempt to install laminates regardless of slight damage which might have occurred to the projecting portion of the membrane during shipping and unpackaging, an imperfect lap joint may well result. paving the way for possible subsequent roof failure. Furthermore, if all of the combined roof insulation and roof membrane laminates have undamaged selvage edges, the installation of the members is greatly facilitated, thereby further decreasing the time of installation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a combined roof insulation and roof membrane laminate having a selvage edge portion, that is, a portion of the roof membrane material projecting beyond the adjacent edge of the insulation material, which portion is protected during manufacture and subsequent handling thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cornbination roof insulation and roof membrane laminate with a support for the selvage edge, which support is easily removable in the field.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive method of manufacturing a combined roof insulation and roof membrane laminate having a protected selvage edge portion.

Another object is to provide a method of manufacturing such a product which utilizes a foamed insulation material.

The above objects are satisfied by the present invention which, briefly described, comprises a flexible waterproof membrane, insulating material adhered to the membrane adjacent one edge portion thereof by a relatively weak bond, and insulating material adhered to the membrane over the remainder thereof by a relatively strong bond. This arrangement enables a worker in the field to readily separate the insulation material from the roof membrane at the edge portion where the bond is relatively weak, thereby permitting that portion of the membrane which is adapted to be the selvage edge portion to be protected and supported during manufacture and subsequent handling. To further facilitate removal of the insulation material at the selvage edge portion, it may be manufactured so that it is completely separate from the rest of the insulation or it may be connected thereto by a relatively weak connection adapted to be easily broken by hand.

The invention provides for the manufacture of this combined roof insulation and roof membrane product in a simple, efficient manner. By the process of manufacture, described more fully hereinafter, the insulation is laminated and bonded to the membrane in varying strengths in a single operation. Further, the step of separating the insulation material at the selvage portion, to assist the workmen in the field to separate the edge portion of the insulation, can be accomplished at the same time that the edges of the laminate are trimmed to size.

The nature of the invention will be more fully understood and other objects may become apparent when the following detailed description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial pictorial representation of a combination roof insulation and roof membrane member;

FIG. 2 is a partial pictorial representation of a lap joint formed of two combination roof insulation and roof membrane members;

FIG. 3 is a partial transverse section of the combined roof insulation and roof membrane member of the present invention, showing the selvage edge portion of the roof membrane with the roof insulation material supporting it and being only weakly connected to the remaining insulation material;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, but showing the protecting insulation material separated from the remainder of the insulation material;

FIG. 5 is a partial transverse view similar to that f FIG. 3, but showing a modification of the combined roof insulation and membrane member;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of a manufacturing operation for producing the laminate of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the diagrammatic representation of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a combined roof insulation and roof membrane member, indicated generally at 10, comprises a layer of insulation material 12 laminated to a roof membrane 14.-Such laminates are known in the art and may be comprised of various materials. For example, the insulating material is usually comprised of low density fibrous or foamed material while the roof membrane material is flexible and waterproof and adapted to be readily laminated to the insulation material.

As shown in FIG. 2,.a lap joint 16 is a preferred type of joint for ease of installation and for providing a strong,

waterproof joint. In this illustration,

insulation layers

18 and 20 of

laminates

22 and 24, respectively, are abutted as indicated at 26. The membrane of laminate 24 termlnates at the edge of insulating layer 20 while the membrane terminates a substantial distance beyond the edge of its insulating layer 18. By extending membrane 30 of the laminate 22 over the membrane a lap joint 16 is formed, thus completely covering the abutting edges of

insulating layers

20 and 18 and obviating any necessity for taping of the joints.

One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 3, which shows a roofing laminate 32 having a selvage edge portion 34 protected and supported by insulation material. The laminate 32 is comprised of insulation material 36 laminated to a roof membrane 38, the edge portion 34 thereof adapted to be a selvage edge for overlapping the abutting side edge of a similar laminate when installed on the roof. The insulating material 36 is shown as being comprised of a foamed insulating material such as, for example, foamed polyurethane. Although foamed insulating material is preferred due to its excellent insulating qualities, its strength and low density, and the ease with which it can be manufactured and laminated to a roof membrane, the laminate of the present invention is by no means limited to such foamed material but can utilize other types of insulating material as well. As previously stated, the roof membrane material may be any flexible waterproof membrane adapted to be laminated to the insulating material and preferably, one which is readily commercially available. Examples of economically feasible, commercial materials which are well suited for this use are neoprene and polyisobutylene films.

The major portion of the insulating material 36 is bonded to the membrane 38 by a relatively strong bond capable of maintaining the insulation adhered to the membrane and resisting separation of the laminate materials by hand. The portion 40 of the insulating material underlying the selvage edge portion 34 of the membrane is bonded to the membrane by a relatively weak bond, that is, one which can be readily broken by hand. Although other methods might well be suggested to those skilled in the art, one manner of providing a relatively weak bond is through use of a paper or other membrane 42 which is adhered to the insulation portion 40 by about the same bonding strength as that exhibited in the bond between the insulation portion 36 and the membrane 38, but which is only weakly adhered to the membrane portion 34. This readily can be accomplished by coating the side of the paper or membrane 42 in contact with the membrane portion 34 with a relatively weak pressure sensitive adhesive, so that the resulting bond between the paper 42 and the membrane portion 34 can easily be separated by hand. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the insulation material is provided with a slot 44 which extends almost completely through the thickness of the insulation layer but terminates just short of the membrane 38. The slot 44 preferably is located in a plane substantially in alignment with the inner edge of the paper or membrane 42 so that when the workman in the field breaks the small connecting portion of insulation material at 46 and separates the insulation material 40 from the remainder of the insulation layer 36, the structure illustrated in FIG. 4 will result.

While it is preferred that a small or weak connecting link between the insulation material underlying the selvage portion 34 of the membrane 38 be provided for assurance that the insulating material 40 will remain in place and will perform its intended function until removed in the field by a roof applicator, it is not essential that this be done. As shown in FIG. 5, the insulation material 48 underlying the selvage edge portion 49 of the membrane 50 is separated from the remainder of the insulating material 52 by a slot 54 which extends completely through the thickness of the insulation material and terminates at the membrane 50. This arrangement insures that the side edge of the insulating material 52, after the insulating portion 48 has been removed, will be straight throughout and will accurately abut the side edge of an adjacent similar laminate in a roofing arrangement. If the slot extends completely through the insulation material, the bond between the insulation portion 48 and the selvage portion 49, that is, between the paper or tape 42 and the membrane 50, should be such that, while easily separable by hand, it has sufficient holding power to prevent the insulation portion 48 from becoming separated before the panel is ready for installation.

The method preferred for manufacturing the laminate of the present invention when the insulation material is a foam is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. Membrane material 56 is continuously pulled over guide roll 59 by power means (not shown) from a roll 58, and the ingredients of the foam material are deposited on the membrane from a distributor 60. Anti-stick paper 62 is shown being drawn from a roll 64 for the purpose of providing a top cover against which the ingredients can foam during passage through the foaming zone 66, where the ingredients are heated and cured. The anti-stick paper 62 is illustrated as being rewound on roll 68 for later use. The manner of foaming the material against the membrane is illustrative only and any convenient commercial manufacturing process can be utilized to laminate the foam material against the roof membrane material.

In order to provide that the insulating material adjacent the selvage edge portion of the roof membrane be only weakly adhered to the membrane, a relatively narrow paper or other suitable membrane 70 is drawn from roll 72 and passes under guide or combining roll 73 where it is adhered to the edge of membrane 56 prior to the deposition of the foam ingredients on the membrane. As best shown in FIG. 7, the paper 70 is applied along the edge portion of the membrane 56 which is to be the selvage edge portion of the laminate, and the paper 70, as well as the membrane 56 is covered by the deposition of ingredients which later foam to make the foamed insulation. As stated previously, the surface of the paper 70 which engages the membrane 56 is coated with a relatively weak pressure sensitive adhesive which is sufiiciently strong to hold the paper against the membrane but which permits the paper to be readily separated from the membrane merely by pulling them apart by hand. The foam ingredients will bond to the paper 70 as well as the membrane 56 so that subsequently, when the paper 70 is pulled from the membrane 56, the foam adhering to the paper will be removed from the laminate. At a point beyond the curing zone 66 of the foam, the side edges of the laminate are trimmed by knives 74, and an additional knife 76 is provided to slit the foam substantially in alignment with the inner edge of the paper 70. In order to provide the slight connecting portion 46, illustrated in FIG. 3, between the insulation material underlying the selvage edge and the remainder of the insulation material, the knife 76 is set so that it does not extend down to the membrane 56 but terminates just short thereof. Should it be desired to provide a slit completely through the thickness of the insulation, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the knife 76 would ofcourse be set so that it extended down to the membrane 56 without cutting the membrane. While a slit is preferred because it is simple to effect and is highly effiment for its purpose, other means of suitably weakening the layer of insulation to permit it to be broken or otherwise separated may be employed.

The dimensions of the laminate produced by the present invention may vary as desired. A typical laminate may comprise, however, a membrane 25 mils thick laminated to foamed insulation of /2 inch thickness, with the selvage edge of the laminate extending beyond the edge of the foam by about 2 inches.

From the foregoing disclosure it should now be apparent that the present invention provides a simple yet effective solution to the problem of selvage edge damage in a laminated combination roof insulation and roof membrane member. The laminate can be packaged and shipped either in fiat panel form or, if it is of a suitable type, it may be rolled into cylindrical form without damaging the selvage edge portion of the membrane since that portion will be supported throughout by the insulation material.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications f the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It also is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be interpreted as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but only in accordance with the appended claims, when read in the light of the foregoing disclosure.

What I claim is:

1. A combination roof insulation and roof membrane laminate comprising:

(a) a first flexible, waterproof membrane having an exposed weather surface,

(b) a second flexible membrane substantially narrower than the first membrane laminated to the other surface of the first membrane along an edge portion thereof,

(c) the bond between the first membrane and the second membrane being relatively weak and capable of being broken by hand,

(d) a layer of foamed insulating material laminated to both the first and second membranes by a relatively strong bond, and

(e) the insulating material being slotted through at least a major portion of the thickness thereof in a plane transverse to the membranes and substantially in alignment with the edge of the second membrane remote from the edge of the first membrane, whereby removal by hand of both the second membrane and the insulation material bonded thereto is facilitated.

2. A combination roof insulation and roof membrane laminate as recited in claim 1, wherein the relatively strong bond between the insulating material and the membrane is a bond created by foaming the insulating material in place directly against the membrane.

3. A process for manufacturing a combination roof insulation and roof membrane laminate, comprising the steps of:

(a) laminating a relatively narrow, flexible membrane by a relatively weak bond to a relatively wide, ficxible, waterproof membrane adjacent one edge portion of the relatively wide membrane,

(b) depositing materials adapted to foam on the ex posed surface of the relatively wide membrane and on the surface of the relatively narrow membrane,

(c) foaming and curing the materials deposited to form a layer of foamed insulation laminated by a relatively strong bond to the membranes, and

(d) slitting the layer of insulation, in a plane transverse to the membranes and substantially in alignment with the edge of the relatively narrow membrane remote from said one edge of the relatively wide membrane, through at least a major portion of the thickness thereof to facilitate removal by hand of both the relatively narrow membrane and the insulation material bonded thereto.

4.. A process for manufacturing a combination roof insulation and roof membrane laminate as recited in claim 3, wherein the insulation material is slit completely through its thickness, the slit terminating at the membranes.

' References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,153,887 4/1939 Greider et a1 16l117 2,294,347 8/ 1942 Bauer et a1. 16l-146 3,035,957 5/1962 Morgan 161406 3,111,787 11/ 1963 Chamberlain. 3,307,306 3/1967 Oliver 161-147 MORRIS SUSSMAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.