Improved roofing elements and system

Abstract

An improved roofing system including a batten assembly comprising support battens and clips. The clips are made of metal wire having one portion shaped to retain roof outer coverings and a further portion shaped to secure the clip to the batten by spring torsion force of part of the clip acting against the batten.

Claims

1. An improved roofing batten assembly having structural support batten with attached means of restraining or attaching roof outer coverings

2. roof covering retaining device or clip having one portion shaped to retain roof coverings and a further portion shaped to secure the clip removably or otherwise to a the batten by spring torsion force of part of the clip acting against a batten.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0042] FIG. 1

[0043] Is a perspective view of portion of a prior art Roof Structure 100 having a Ridge Line of Roof 101; Eave Line of Roof 110; Support battens 300 of timber fixed horizontally by known means to rafters 200 and said Support battens having a generally rectangular cross section of width and thickness adequate to support a calculated maximum loading between rafters; said cross sectional dimensions exclude the longest or length dimension and traditionally having a ratio of width divided by thickness of 3.0 or less; said dimension of width being taken as the larger of the two cross-sectional dimensions in calculating the said ratio.

[0044] A layer of waterproof Sarking material (not shown) extending at least from the ridge line to the eave line may be applied to cover the rafters and spaces between them before fixing the said Support battens to the Rafters; said sarking material will form a barrier to deflect water penetrating say through a broken tile to the eaves and preventing water from entering the rafters building space covered by said sarking.

[0045] FIG. 2

[0046] Is a partial perspective view of a first preferred example of the present invention. The view is similar to FIG. 1 but is additionally showing preferred Support Batten Assemblys 310 and 310A which advantageously improve upon the Support battens 300 of FIG. 1 by being manufactured to precise dimensions of width and thickness or height and having a cross-sectional dimension ratio of greater than 3 (said cross-sectional dimension ratio calculated by employing the dimensional concept and ratio calculation referred to in relation to FIG. 1 above) and said Support battens having affixed thereto prior to installation of said Support battens onto a roof structure a means 400 of holding or restraining tiles;in one preferred instance of the present invention there is shown in FIG. 2 lightweight battens 500 to which said tile holding or restraining means 400 are affixed or removably affixed (affixing means not shown); a Spacer Piece 600 being of precise dimension so that when a first Support batten 310 is located in the desired location and orientation with one long side adjacent to an eave edge then one of the long sides of a said first Spacer Pieces 600 may be abutted to the opposite long side of said first Support batten 310 such that the other of the long sides of said first Spacer Piece 600 can receive and abut against the lower long side of said next Support batten assembly 310A thereby providing a means of precisely locating the desired position of the next Support batten assembly 310A. Further Spacer Pieces and Support batten assemblys may be similarly abutted until the final Support batten is affixed adjacent to the ridge line 101. In this FIG. 2 and others, to simplify the drawings some of support battens 300 are shown without lightweight battens 500 and tile holding or restraining means 400.

[0047] Referring to the tiles or slates that comprise the roof surface together with a slate liner 140 and together held or supported by holding or restraining means 400 are not shown here but may be seen in FIG. 6e slates numbered 1200 & 1201 and Slate liner or underlayer numbered 1210 and (referring to US patents incorporated herein) at FIG. 7 of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,454,873 and 7,448,177 and elsewhere in said US patents.

[0048] FIG. 3

[0049] is a more detailed perspective view of the area in FIG. 2 occupied by portions of and showing the spatial relationship of Support batten assemblys 310 and 310A; spacer piece 600; tile holding or restraining means 400; lightweight battens 500; rafters 200; to simplify the drawing others of Support battens 300 are shown fixed in position without Lightweight Battens 500 and Tile restraining means 400 and fixings not shown.

[0050] FIG. 4

[0051] Is a partial perspective of the roof structure showing a movable tile and tools container 700 having wheels 720 which bear the weight of the container and any contents on the upper surface of at least one of Battens 310 or 300 and other wheels 740 acting on at least one of surfaces of battens 310 or 300 disposed at 90 degrees to the surface which is in contact with wheels 720; said movable container may have additional uses including a means of holding tools or the like; and which may additionally have removably attached or foldout working or standing surfaces (not shown) to assist workers or provide safety measures such as by providing a surface which can support or partially support the stance of a worker; such safety structures are useful in improving the efficiency and or safety of workers.

[0052] FIG. 5

[0053] Is a partial perspective view of modifications to corresponding abutting edges of Support batten assemblys 310 and 310A and spacer pieces 600 such that when Support batten assemblys are affixed (fixings not shown) to rafters 200 the spacer piece is held in position by the co-operating shape of edges 310B and 600C and their counterparts on the other edge of Spacer piece 600 without need for other fixings. However, to increase the level of fixings which may be desirable in geographical locations which experience cyclones or other extreme weather events the spacer pieces may be separately fixed (fixings not shown) to rafters 200

[0054] FIGS. 6a. to f. illustrate a illustrate a preferred embodiment of a clip made of metal wire which provides fixed or removable engagement means between a roof structure and Roof Coverings.

[0055] FIG. 6a

[0056] Shows a side view of a clip 800 shaped to retain roof coverings on a roof structure and having adjacent to end 807, a shape 805 configured to engage and restrain said roof coverings and at a distal end 808 a shape 806 configured to engage fixingly or removably with Support battens such as in FIG. 3 300 or lightweight battens 500. Preferably the elements of said clip configured so that; Bend or intersection 802 formed adjacent to the intersection of dotted lines B and C assists the said clip in retention of Roof Coverings. The included angle at intersection 802 is ideally greater than 95 degrees but less than 178 degrees and in one preferred instance is 168 degrees.

[0057] Bend or intersection 804 formed adjacent to the intersection of dotted lines D and A assists the said clip in retention of Roof Coverings. The included angle at intersection 804 is ideally greater than 20 degrees but less than 178 degrees and in one preferred instance is 102 degrees.

[0058] Angle 803 formed by dotted lines D and A when viewed in the present plane is a reflection of the the offset angle between elements of portion 806. A first element of said portion 806 extends from end 808 to a distal end of said first element at a point adjacent to the intersection of dotted lines ‘D’ and ‘A’ and a second element extending from a point adjacent to the vertex of angle 804 to a distal end point adjacent to a next bend corresponding in the present view with the intersection of dotted lines ‘D’ and ‘A’. A third element connects the first and second elements and said third element is preferably up to 20% of the total length of the said clip.

[0059] The disposition of the said elements disclosed herein assists with placement of portion 806 of clip 800 into a fixed or removable engagement with (referring to FIG. 6e) Support batten 300 and retention of Roof Coverings.

[0060] The included angle corresponding to angle 803 is ideally between zero degrees and 360 degrees and in the preferred embodiment disclosed is 15 degrees.

[0061] Angle 803 determines the at rest position of end 808 and consequently the amount of “spring” force to be overcome when said first and second elements are aligned to enable insertion of portion 806 of clip 800 into (referring to FIG. 6e) pocket 320 of Support batten 300. Conversely, once inserted in pocket 320 the inherent spring force stored causes end 808 to engage with the wall of pocket 320 such that clip 800 is retained in pocket 320 of Support batten 300

[0062] FIG. 6b

[0063] Illustrates an isometric view of said roof coverings retaining clip 800 shown in FIG. 6a. and having adjacent to end 807, a shape 805 to engage and restrain said roof coverings and at another end 808 a shape 806 formed to engage fixingly or removably with Support battens such as in FIG. 3 300 and FIG. 6e or lightweight battens 500

[0064] FIG. 6c

[0065] Illustrates a parallel projection view from above of clip 800 shown in FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b and having end 807and a distal end 808.

[0066] FIG. 6d

[0067] Illustrates a parallel projection view of metal clip 800 shown in FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c end view looking at end 808, and having; a shape 806 formed to engage fixingly or removably with Support battens such as in FIG. 3 300 and FIG. 6e pocket 320 or lightweight battens 500

[0068] FIG. 6e

[0069] Illustrates view from one side of clip 800 together with a section of a Support batten 300 showing the cooperation between the wall of a pocket 320 in said Support batten 300 and the end 808 and adjacent portion 806 of clip 800; end 808 is drawn in the position it would occupy with no spring force restraining it against the wall of pocket 320; dotted line elongated rectangles 1200 and 1201 partially represent a sectional view of the location of roof coverings slates restrained by clip 800. Said slates 1200 retained by co-operation of parts of its surface abutting surfaces of clip 800 especially portion 805 thereof and by co-operation of one end of slate 1201 and adjacent/abutting surface of portion 805 of clip 800 and underlayer 1210; to insert slate 1201 end 807 must be raised against the natural spring force from its at rest position abutting the proximate surface of Support batten 300 and thus when slate 1201 is in the position shown herein there is a force exerted thereby in addition to down force exerted by slate 1200 to hold said slate 1201 and underlayer 1210 against the adjacent surfaces of Support batten 300.

[0070] Walls of Pocket 320 are intended to abut closely with the adjacent surfaces of portion 806 of clip 800 but for sake of clarity are drawn herein instead with a gap.

[0071] FIG. 6f

[0072] Illustrates a perspective view of a piece of a batten assembly 310c including clip 800, support batten 300 having pockets 320 to receive clips 800. Optionally after insertion of clip 800 into pocket 320 additional clip retention means may be employed by mechanical fixing such as a such as adhesive or a nail or screw inserted into pocket 320 or through the walls of pocket 320.

[0073] FIG. 7

[0074] Illustrates another exemplar of a roof coverings retaining clip 800 whereby the clip is affixed to the batten 300 by means of portion of clip 800 inserted through the material of the batten and secured by mechanical means 810.

[0075] While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of a roof covering system including energy gathering or producing surfaces, it will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be made therein without, however, departing from the essential spirit of the disclosures herein.

[0076] All publications, patents, patent applications and other documents cited in this application are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, patent application and/or other document were individually indicated to be incorporated by reference for all purposes.