Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
10~ L'78
This invention relates to roofln~ panels and to ~oo~ing ~.
systems incorpor~ting such panels.
The term roofing panels, as used herein, Includes panels ~-
capable of being used in the assem~ly o~ protective coverings
in various forms o~ domes~lc, industrial ancl agricultural build-
- ing structure, particularly where low cost roofing is required. ..
According to the present invention there is provided an elon- ~ :
gate roofing panel ~or assembly on a support structure wi.th a plur~
ality of like panels to form a roof covering, the panel comprising
an elongate sheet having a first elongate edge, a second elongate ~ :
edge spaced from and the opposite to the first edge, a portion of :~
the sheet which extends along the first edge being of bent confi-
guration to define a first load-bearing baam element which extends ~ ;
continuously along the first edge and is disposed generally above
the plane of the panel, a portion of the sheet which extends con~
tinuously along the second edge being of bent configuration to de-
fine a second load-bearing beam element which extends along the ~` :
second edge and is disposed generally below the plane of the panel, ;~ :
the sheet being formed with ribs spanning transversely between the
beam elements for transmitting thereto the load of the panel, the
first edge being adapted to be so secured to the support structure
- that the first beam element projects away from the support struc~
ture for supporting engagement with the second edge of an adjacent
;i panel, the second beam element being adapted to be engaged with
the first beam element of an adjacent panel to restrain the second
edge against movement normal to the plane of the panel, the
second beam element constituting a cover element to overlap and `~
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at least partially conceal the first beam elemant o an ad~acent
panel when the panels are mutually engaged. -`
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~ ccording to a further aspect of the present invention there
is provided a roofing system comprising a roof support structure,
a plurality of interlocking elongate roofing panels mounted on the
support structure to form a roof covering, each of the panels com- :~
: prising an elongate sheet having a first elongate edge, a second .
elongate edge spaced from and opposite to the first edge, the panel
being secured to the support structure only along the first elonga-
ted edge, first and second load-bearing beam elements which extend
continuously along the length of the panel and support the panel on
lG the support structure and formed by elongate portions of the sheet
adjacent the first and second edges being of bent configuration the
first beam element being disposed generally abov~ the sheet and the
second beam element being disposed generally below the sheet, a
plurality of ribs spanning transversely between the beam elements
~ for transmitting the load of the panel thereto, the first beam ele~
`1 ment supporting the second elongate edge of the next adjacent panel,
.:~ and the second beam element constituting a cover element which over- ~:
laps and at least partially conceals the first beam element of the
next adjacent panel and which engages continuously along its entire
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20 length with the first beam element of the next adjacent panel so as
to reskrain the second elongated edge against movements in a direc-
: tion normal to the plane of the panel. :~
. The panel may be mounted across sloping support rafters
with the first edge at a higher level than the second edge, and
the panel may be fixed either directly to the rafters at points
~ adjacent the first beam element, or indirectly by upwardly pro-
:. jecting brackets mounted on the rafters.
c Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings,
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in which:
Figure l is a transverse cross section of a panel
according to the invention, shown ~ixed to a support structure
with two like panels.
Figure 2 is a plan view O-r a part of the panel of Figure
l illustrating its fixing to the structure;
~igure 3 illustrates a building :including a roo~ing
system ac~ording to the invention, the panels also forming
the heat collector of a solar heating system for the building; `
Figure 4 illustrates, in transverse cross-section a
modification to the panel of ~igure l;
Figure 5 illustrates in section the joint between two
like panels o~ another embodiment; `~
~igure 6 illustrates, in perspective a mounting bracket
for mounting the panels o~ ~igure 5 to a support structure,
Figur~ 7 to lO illustrate four further embodiments by
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showing, in section the joints between respective pairs of
like panels according to the invention.
- With reference to Figures l to 3 a roofing system
comprises a plurality of elongate roofing panels l arranged
~; to span lohgitudinally across main supporting rafters 2 of a ~
roof structure, and to lock together at -their elongate edges ~; -
to provide a durable protective roof covering. The panels
extend parallel to the roof's ridge 3, from which the rafters
2 slope downwardly toward the eaves.
Each panel l is integrally formed at its two parallel
~ elongate edges with a beam element 4 and 5 respectively to
'"!;~ provide the panel with longitudinal rigidity. The beam
element 4 provides support for the panel across -the rafters -
i~ 30 2, and the beam element 5 ~orms a cover element. For the
`~ sake o~ convenience the edges at which the elements 4 and 5
are formed will hereinaf-ter be referred to as re~speFtively
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upper and lower edges in accordance with their relative
vertical dispos-tion in the assembled system of Figure 3.
~he beam elements comprise channel sections J formed at the
panel's lateral edges, of particular shape and configuration
to provide rigid interlocking of the panels and watertight
seal therebetween.
A central region 6 of the panel between the beam and
cover elements is provided with ribs 7 pressed out of the
material of the panel and spanning across the width of the
panel to provide lateral stiffness and transmit the roof load
; to the beam elemen-ts 4 J 5. Nevertheless this central region
will for the purpose of describing the shape of the beam
elements be considered as substantially planar.
The beam elemënt 4 projects generally upwardly from the
plane of the central region 6, and is produced by forming the
upper edge of the panel wi-th a number of right-angle bends to
~orm a substantially S-shaped double channel sec-tion.
One channel 8 opens downwardly toward the p:Lane of the
panel and is defined on one side by an upstandirlg wall 9
formed with a longitudinal locking rib 10 the function of
which will be explained later. An intermediate wall 11
separates the channel 8 from adjacent chan~el 12 which is
shaped, the profile of the beam element 4 terminating in a
ledge 1~, which supports the lower edge of -the next upper
¦ 25 adjacent panel in a region adjacent its cover element 5.
This cover element comprises a depending flange 14, shaped
for complementary abutment with an outer wall 15 of the
beam elemen-t ~. Projecting rearwardly from the bottom
edge of the flange 14 is an elongate strip 16 whose outer
i 30 end is bent over twice to form an engagement lip 17. ~wo
rows of ventila-tion apertures in the form of slots 56, 56a
~ are formed in the strip 16 and in the base 12a of the
:!: channel 12 respectively, to inhibit the formation of
condensation on the inside surface of the roofing panel.
Air can flow through the communicating slots 56, 56a
and into the building via the channel 12, which, i-t
should be noted, is closed only at the bracket positions.
Preferably the panel also serves as a solar heating
panel. To this end an elongate lining sheet 24 1s fixed to
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the under surface of the central region 6 to close off the
ribs 7 downwardly, thereby forming a multiplicity of
parallel transverse ducts. The sheet 24 is shaped to form -
elongate fluid entry and exit ducts 25 and 26 extending
longitudinally at the lower and upper edges of the panel
respectively and communicating with respective ends of the ~
-transverse ducts. ~luid, preferably air, supplied to the ~ -
entry duct 25 would be heated in the transverse ducts by
solar energy and would rise to the exit duct 26 where it
can be drawn off and used as will be explained later. The
sectional dimensions of the ducts 25 and 26 depend partly
upon the fluid employed. In this embodiment the sheet 2~
is formed of foamed polyurethane or other suitable cellular
material 24a lined on the underside to suit the internal
roof finish required, in this case with a thin metal sheet
24b. Such a sheet provides good thermal insulation to
reduce heat loss from the building through the roofO
When assembled as shown in Figure 1, the lower edge of
each panel is supported on the ledge 13 of the beam element
4 of the nex-t lower adjacent panel, and its cover portion 5
substantially conceals that beam element. ~he strip 16
projects toward the wall 9 and the engagement lip 17 engages
behind the lower edge of the intermediate wall and over the
locking rib 10 and is stressed between these two elements,
the relative dimensions being such that part o~ a strip 18
of compressible material, such as bituminous felt, and
fitted on the ledge 13 is compressed between beam elements
i 4 and 5 in the assembled state. This strip 18 serves to
eliminate vibration between adjacent parts of the elements
4 and 5 and enables a tight engagement between adjacent
panels to be achieved even with substantial tolerances in
~; the dimensions of the channel sections. Compressible
gaskets 18a for instance of plastics material fit over the ;~
free edge of the ledge 13 at the bracket position and
likewise serve to eliminate vibration between the brackets
and the ledge 1~.
$he panels 1 are fixed to the rafters 2 by means of
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plurali-ty of brackets 19. Each rafter has a plurality o~
such brackets affixed thereto by bolts 20 and spacea apart
by a distance corresponding substantially with the width of i
the panel, so that each panel is moun-ted on the roof structure
by means of a row of brackets, one on each rafter supporting -~
the panel. Each bracket includes a fixing plate 21 through
which the bolt 20 passes, and which is fixed thereby to the
rafter with a projecting strip 24c of the sheet 24 clamped
thereby, and a key member 22 which projects laterally into
the L shaped channel 12, and which has, near the fixing plate,
a bead 22a which cooperates with the locking rib 10 to locate
the panels. In particular, the key member 22 has a downwardly
projecting tongue 23 which engages over the upper edge of the
intermediate wall 11. The engagemen-t of the bracke-ts with the
panel prevents movement of the latter in either direction
; parallel to the rafters and in a direction normal to the
general plane of the panel.
- The above described panel construction avoids the
necessity not only to provide separate transverse beam
elements in the roof support but also to fix the panels along
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both edges, since the lower edges of the panels are restrained
by the above-mentioned interlocking engagement. Assembly of
the roofing system is thus relatively rapidly and simply
achieved by fixing each panel in turn by engaging the requisite
number of brackets 19 in the beam element 4, locating the cover
element over the beam element of the previously fixed panel,
so that the lip 17 is located as described above, and bolting
the brackets 19 to the rafters 2.
- In figure 3, eight panels form one side of a double
~ 30 pitched roof and are coupled in parallel on a solar heating
: system including a main supply and outlet ducts 27 and 28
which communicate with each entrance duct 25, and exit duct
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26 respectively. The heated ~luid, air in this case, is
directed by an air handler 29 either directly to the
interior of ths building, via duct 30 or via duct 31 to a
heat store 32, for instance a large mass of pebbles in an
insulated pit. Warm air can be extracted from the store
32 via duct 33 for recirculation to the roofing panels
via duct 34 which joins a return air duct 35 and couples
to the main supply duct 27, or for supply to the buildings
interior. ~;
Energy may be derived from the heated f`luid in many
other ways to be used for purposes other than indoor heating,
e.gO for refrigeration or power generation.
~he panel illustrated in ~igure 4 includes a transparent
cover 36t for instance of acrylic resin, fixed to the upper
sur-~ace and arranged to define an enclosed air space 37
over the ribbed central portion 7. At its lower edge the
cover 36 engages the outer sur~ace of the depending flange
14, but it does not interfere with the interlocking of the
beam elements 4 and 5. The cover improves the thermal
efficiency of the solar heating/roofing panels by reducing
in known manner, re-radiation from the panel surface. ~he
lining sheet 24 comprises, in this embodiment, a single
layer of metallic sheet 37 shaped to provide the~entrance
~ and exit ducts 25 and 2~, and does not, in this embodiment
project beyond the beam element 4. Accordingly, the ;
brackets 19 bo]t directly to the rafters, and longitudinal
movement of the panel is permitted since the key member can
slide within the elongate channel 12. This feature is
particularly advantageous in allowing for longitudinal
thermal expansion and contraction of the panel in extreme
external climatic conditions, to inhibit longltudinal
compression or t~ension forces which may cause distortion
of the panel, for instance by buckling in high temperature.
In constructing a roof using these panels, a layer of
thermally insulating material is provided beneath the
panels to optimise the efficiency of the solar heating
system.
In the embodiment of Flgures 5 and 6 the channel 8 is
reduced in depth, and the bracket ls of modified form having
a key member 22 whlch f~ts tightly within a Iongitudlnal ~
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~)60~L78
recess comprising the L ~haped channel 12. ~ depending lip
40 at the rear edge of -the ledge 13 lies flush against a
rear surface 41 of an upstanding flange 42 which spaces the
key member 22 from the rafter 2. Attachment of the brackets
to the beam elements is simply achieved by inserting the key
member 22, with its plane parallel to that of the panel, into
the channel 2 and rotating through 90.
In the embodiment of Figure 7, the bracket 19 again has
a key me~ber 22, but is adapted for attachment, ~or instance
by nailing, to the side surface 43 of a timber rafter. Again
the key member 22 and the elongate recess in the beam element
4 are correspondingly shaped, this time to provide a dovetail-
like mutual engagement. The elongate recess is formed by an
intermediate dovetail channel 44 in an ups-tanding ~lange 46
~orming the beam element 4. One advantage of this construction
is that any ~orces acting transverse to the panel ac-t across
the width of the bracket, whereas in the previous embodiments,
such forces act only across the thickness of the bracket. The
shear resistance to these forces is accordingly greater.
In the embodiment o~ Figure 8, each panel is bol-ted
direct to the rafters through a strip portion 45 adjacent the
upper beam element 4. The beam element 4 comprises an upstand-
ing ~lange 46 o~ h~ight h bent over at its upper edge to
provide the ledge 13. An intermediate ILsection channel 47
is formed in the flange 46, and lS open outwardly of the
panel, and a V-shaped ridge 48 is formed in a lower wall 49
of this U section channel 47.
The cover element 5 comprises a depending flange 14 of
height d, less than h formed with a ULsectioned lower edge 50
3 having a bent-over lip 51. The ~lange 14 also has an elongate
inner rib 52 formed by an intermediate groove.
The lip 51 is retained between the inner wall of the
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flange 46 and the ridge 4~, and the difference between
the heights h and d of the flanges 46 and 14 respectively
allows a small space for the bolt heads 5~. The rib 52
presses on a sur~ace 5~ of the U-section channel 47 to
maintain a firm interlocking engagement between the cover
and beam element. The unsightly bolt f:Lxings are substant~
ially concealed by the overhang of the cover elements, which
also conceal the convoluted form of the beam elements.
In this embodiment the ribs comprise interdigitated
fingers 54, 55 projecting from the upper and lower edges
respectively of the panel, the plane of the fingers 54 being
raised slightly above the plane of the fingers 55. ~
A single row of ventilation slots 56 provided in the ~;
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flange 46 below the U-section channel 47 can replace the
double row employed in the earlier embodiments. Air can
flow to the slots through the gap between the strip port~ion
45 and the bottom edge of the cbver element. -~
In the embodiment of Figure 9 the beam elements 4 are
bolted through their flanges 46 to brackets 55a mounted on
the support rafters. A jointing sleeve 58 has a projection
59 which fits in complementary fashion in the U-section
channel 47 and serves to join two panels together end-to-end ~ `
when the roo-f length is greater than the modular length of
the panel. Projecting ridges 48 are formed in both the ;
upper 49a and lower 49 wall of the channel 47 to provide
internal grooves in whlch ribs 59a of the projection 59
engage. The bolts 53 pass through both the flange 46 and
the sleeve 5B, and are fully concealed by the cover element
5, which is recessed at 60 to accommodate the heads of the
lower bolts 53. The Joints between panels are
conveniently sealed with self adheslve tape of
synthetic rubber or other suitable plastics
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material.
The panels illustrated in Figures 1 to 9 may be
rolled or pressed from sheet metal, for instance steel,
or alternatively formed by extrusion in a suitable plastics
material, the ribs 7 being conveniently pressed into the
material soon after it leaves the extrusion head while it
i~ still relatively pliable, and the continuous extrusion
being subsequently cut into panels of required length.
In the embodiment of ~igure 10 the panel is formed in-
tegrally with its own thermal insulation. ~he panel is madefrom a ~heet of foamed pla~tics material whose outer sur*ace
i9 cured or otherwise hardened, to ~orm a hard, tough skin
62 enclosing a core 63 of the -foamed plastics material. The ^
physical ~trength of the panel i~ provided by the skin, while
the core provides good thermal insulation. The beam element
has an upstanding flange 64 which can be secured by bolts 53
to brackets 19 mounted on the rafters. ~he top edge o~ the
~lange 64 is formed to provide a shoulder 65 under which a
lip 66 integrally formed in a cover element 5 provided at
the lower edge of the panei engages. An elongate bead 67
formed in the under surface of the panel adjacent the coyer
e~ement 5 a~ists in maintaining -the beam element and the
cover element locked together. `
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