WO2004063481A1

WO2004063481A1 - Roof construction

Info

Publication number: WO2004063481A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/000086
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donald Baker
Original assignee: Baker, Diane, Margaret
Priority date: 2003-01-15
Filing date: 2004-01-15
Publication date: 2004-07-29
Also published as: GB0300884D0

Abstract

The invention provides apparatus suitable for moving a roof truss (8) along a pair of wall plates (14,16) comprising a pair of trolleys (20) in which each trolley (20) is comprised of a .body (22) and at least one roller means (24) in which each roller means (24) is attached to the body (22) and adapted to roll along a wall plate (14,16) and a portion of the body (22) is adapted to support an end (10,12) of a roof truss (8) when each roller means (22) is in contact with the wall plate (14,16).

Description

Roof Construction

This invention relates apparatus and methods for the construction of roofs constructed with roof trusses.

It is known for a building to be constructed with a pair of substantially parallel walls upon the top edge of which are located the ends of a number of roof trusses. Each end of each roof truss rests on and is fixed to a wall plate constructed at the top edge of each of the parallel walls. The roof trusses support the roof of the building. The roof trusses are generally fabricated in a factory remote from the site of the building being constructed or at ground level near to the building. The trusses are then lifted onto the wall plates by a crane either into their desired position or to a position from which they can be manhandled into their final position, typically this position is at one end of the parallel walls where the trusses can be leant against a gable end wall of the building or a temporary structure. The former option is disadvantageous because the crane is employed for long periods of time which can add to the cost of construction. The latter option is disadvantageous because of the dangers inherent in having workmen carry heavy objects above ground level.

The roof trusses are, in their major plane, of a substantially inverted "V" shape and when forming part of a roof support, the apex of the inverted "V" is vertically uppermost and the plain of the roof truss substantially vertical. It is generally most convenient to move roof trusses around in a substantially vertical orientation.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus suitable for moving a roof truss along a pair of wall plates comprising a pair of trolleys in which each trolley is comprised of a body and at least one roller means in which each roller means is attached to the body and adapted to roll along a wall plate and a portion of the body is adapted to support an end of a roof truss when each roller means is in contact with the wall plate. It is a particular advantage of the present invention that by virtue of the provision of a trolley which is adapted to sit on and roll along a wall plate, a pair of workmen may place each end of a roof truss on a trolley and then simply push the roof truss along the wall plate until the roof truss is in the desired position along the wall plate. The vertical orientation of a roof truss whilst it is being rolled along the wall plates on the trolleys may be maintained by the workmen moving the roof truss.

Alternatively, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus of the present invention may further comprise a truss support means which is adapted to be positioned between and extend parallel to the wall plates. Most preferably, the truss support means will, in use, be vertically higher than the wall plates. In this embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention is further provided with at least one truss attachment means which is adapted to be reversibly attached to a truss and to the truss support means. The truss attachment means is most preferably adapted to be capable of being moved along the truss support means whilst attached to a truss. The benefit of such a preferred embodiment is that the truss support means may then be used to maintain the substantially vertical orientation of the roof truss whilst the roof truss is being moved into its desired position. This improves the safety of moving the roof trusses into position if a crane is not being used.

It is most preferred that the truss support means is comprised of a rope or cable extending between a pair of fixings so that the truss support means is substantially parallel to each of the wall plates. The ends of the truss support means may be attached to the gable end walls of a building if the building has a pair of gable end walls extending between the ends of the substantially parallel walls upon which wall plates are located. Alternatively, temporary fixing positions for the ends of the truss support means may be provided using known temporary structural systems such as scaffolding.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention the means for reversibly locking the truss attachment means to the support means is a clamp of known construction. A particularly preferred clamp is one comprising a cam and a fixed plate in which the cam may be rotated so as to grip the truss support means or release the truss support means or a snaffle clamp.

A particular benefit of employing a truss support means according to the present invention is that can allow all of the roof trusses to be used in the roof to be moved into and retained at substantially the correct position before any of the roof trusses are fixed into their final positions using permanent fixing means.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention each trolley is comprised of a length of channel of substantially U-shaped cross-section. In such a preferred embodiment it is most preferred that each roller means is supported between the arms of the "U". This has structural advantages and avoids unnecessary complication in the manufacture of the trolley. The body according to the preferred embodiment is also provided with a portion which is adapted to support an end of a roof truss, most preferably this portion is the face of the base of the "U" remote from the roller means.

A particular advantage of the body of the trolley being of substantially U shaped cross-sectional channel is that the side arms of the "TJ" both support the rollers and, may be so dimensioned and configured that they guide the trolley along the wall plate and prevent the trolley rolling off either side of the wall plate.

In an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention the guidance of the trolley along a wall plate may be performed by specially provided guide means. The guide means may be passive such as bars or the like extending to a position where at least the end of the bars will be adjacent to the face of the wall immediately below the wall plate, or maybe more dynamic in, for example, the form of rotatable wheels wherein the axle of each wheel is orientated so as to allow the wheel to rotate about the axle when the wheel is in contact with a face of the wall below the wall plate and the trolley is moving along the wall plate. The portion of the body of the trolley adapted to support an end of the roof truss is preferably provided with means to inhibit slippage of an end of the roof truss over the surface of the body, for example, by the addition of friction increasing surface coatings, spikes that will at least partially penetrate the roof truss, or other known means. Either additionally or as an alternative, the portion of the body adapted to support the roof truss may be provided with a means to reversibly clamp the roof truss to the trolley. This has a particular advantage in that is substantially lessens the likelihood of an end of the roof truss coming off the trolley whilst the roof truss is being moved into its desired position.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the roller means used in association with each trolley are comprised of at least one axle and at least one wheel on each axle. Most preferably, each trolley is provided with two roller means. In accordance with the present invention, use of the term wheel in association with roller means should be understood to include reference to roller bearings or the like.

A particularly preferred method of use of the present invention is commenced once all of the roof trusses have been lifted into a position wherein an end of each roof truss rests on a wall plate and all of the roof trusses are in a position where they are all at one end of the wall plates and are leaning against each other. A pair or more of workmen then position a trolley on each wall plate and move each trolley to a position adjacent to the first roof truss. The workmen then lift a roof truss onto the pair of trolleys. If a truss support means being employed then, either before or after the roof truss is lifted onto the trolley a truss attachment means is reversibly attached to the truss and to the truss support means.

The workmen then push/pull the roof truss along the wall plates either supporting the roof truss in a substantially vertical position if a truss support means is not employed, or allowing a truss support means to maintain the vertical orientation of the roof truss if the truss support means is being employed. Once the roof truss has been moved to its desired position, the roof truss is lifted slightly, either by direct lifting by the workmen or by use of levers, and the trolley removed from under the ends of the roof truss. The ends of the roof truss are then allowed to drop and make contact with the wall plates.

Once the roof truss has been substantially positioned and the trolleys removed from beneath the ends of the roof truss, the roof truss may either be fixed in its final position or can be left in the temporary position until all the roof trusses are placed in position and their positions finally adjusted. The roof trusses are then fixed relative to each other and by so doing a structure produced which will support a roof. If a truss support means has been employed, then the roof trusses most preferably remain attached to the truss support means until the or all of the roof trusses are fixed in their final position. At that time the truss attachment means is detached from at least the roof truss and the truss support means may be removed.

The present invention will be further described and explained with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic end view of a building employing roof trusses to support the roof of the building;

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a trolley according to the present invention;

Figure 3 shows an end view of the trolley of Figure 2 mounted on a wall plate; and

Figure 4 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention including an embodiment of a truss support means when in use.

With reference to Figure 1, a building (2) has first and second roof bearing walls (4,6) which support the first and second ends (10,12) of a roof truss (8). The first and second ends (10,12) of a roof truss (8) are supported via wall plates (14, 16) located at the top of the walls (4) and (6) respectively.

With reference to Figure 2, a trolley (20) is comprised of a body (22) to which are attached axles (24) as shown. Wheels (not shown) are mounted on the axles (24). An upper surface (26) of the body (20) is adapted to support an end (10 or 12) of a roof truss (8).

With reference to Figure 3, when in use, the trolley (20) has the rollers(24) placed on the upper surface of the wall plate (14 or 16). The body (22) may then support an end (10 or 12) of a roof truss (8) above the wall plate (14 or 16).

With reference to Figure 4, a truss support means (30) is comprised of a cable or a rope which is stretched between a pair of pole supports (32 and 34). The pole supports may be formed using conventional scaffolding. A truss attachment means (36) may is, when the apparatus of the present invention is in use, attached to the apex of a roof truss (8) and used to keep the roof truss (8) substantially vertically orientated while the roof truss (8) is moved into its desired position.

Claims

1. Apparatus suitable for moving a roof truss along a pair of wall plates comprising a pair of trolleys in which each trolley is comprised of a body and at least one roller means in which each roller means is attached to the body and adapted to roll along a wall plate and a portion of the body is adapted to support an end of a roof truss when each roller means is in contact with the wall plate.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the body of each trolley is a length of channel of a substantially "TJ" shaped cross section, each roller means is supported between the arms of the "TJ" and the portion of the body adapted to support the end of the roof truss is the face of the base of the "TJ" remote from the roller means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 in which the portion of the body adapted to support the end of the roof truss is provided with means to inhibit slippage of the end of the roof truss relative to the body.

4. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the portion of the body adapted to support the end of the roof truss is provided with means reversibly clamp the end of the roof truss.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4 in which each roller means is comprised of an axle and at least one wheel.

6. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5 in which each trolley is provided with two roller means.

7. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 6 in which the body is further provided with means adapted to guide the trolley along the wall plate.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim which further comprises a truss support means adapted to be positioned between and extend parallel to the wall plates, and at least one truss attachment means which is adapted to be reversibly attached to a truss and the truss support means and in which the truss attachment means may move along the truss support means whilst attached to a truss.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the truss attachment means is provided with locking means adapted to reversibly lock the truss attachment means to the truss support means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9 in which the truss support means is comprised of a cable or rope and in which the locking means of the truss attachment means is a clamp adapted to clamp onto the cable or rope.

11. A method of moving a roof truss along a pair of wall plates employing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 10 in which a roof truss is placed on the a pair of trolleys which are resting on the top of a pair of parallel wall plates, the trolleys and the roof truss are pushed along the wall plates, and the roof truss is removed from the trolleys.

12. A method according to claim 11 in which the roof truss is reversibly attached to a truss support means via a truss attachment means whilst the trolleys and the roof truss are pushed along the wall plates.