Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This application is a division of Canadian
Serial No. 310,198, fil~d Aug~st ~, 197~.
~ C;~OUN~ ~L` lll~: IN~IN~
The roof structure of an inclustrial building
typically comprises rafter beams which extend parallel to
one another across the building and slope from the center
of the building down toward its sides, arld t~urlills which
extend parallel to one another and W}liCh ~x~cnd across and
are mounted on the rafter beall)s. I~ard s~lcet~. <?I c~teri~r
roofing mateeial extend over and ~re att~lche~l to the
purlins. In the past, when a rooE structute of an
industrial building was to be insulated, elongated sheets
of insulation material were stretched across the purlins
and the sheets of hard roofing material wer~ atl:ached to
the purlins through the insulation material. The
relatively thin sheets of insulation material were ayplied
to the roof structure by the workmen using th~ sheets o
hard roofing material which were already installed in the
roof structure as a working surface. Reels of insulation
material were first unwound on the hard sheets Or roofing
material and the long sheets of insulation material were
move~ by hand over onto tl-e e~cposecl ~urlins ~d~ ellt tl-c
hard roofing material and the lengths of the slleets o~
insulation material extended across tlle lcnc3ths of the
purlins. The sheets of insulation material were stretched
to prevent sagging between the purlins, and the hard
roofing material was then placed over t)le insulation
material and connected to the purlills.
As set orth in my prior U.S. ~a~ent No.
3,559,91~, it has now become common pracLice tc~ cx~cnd the
sheets of insulation material along the lengths of the
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purlins, instead of across the P1~rlins, so as to climinatc the
seams between adjacent sheets of insulation material from being
exposed inside the building. The new procedure as set forth in
my patent has reduced hazards to workmen on the roof by ~alnt-
aining the reels of insulation material in a relatively static
and available position Oll the exposed purli]ls wit11out e~posin~
long lengths of a sheet of material to the wind while the workmen
remain on the sheets of hard roofing material, so that the occasio11s
when the workmen might be tempted to walk or climb out on the pur-
lins to place or adjust the sheets of insulation material have
been reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
.:
The invention comPrises an`insulated roof structure which
includes improved means for insulating the roof structure. The rool
structure can be comprised of a plurality of rafters spaced
approximately parallel with respect to one another. The rafters
support a plurality of purlins which are spaced approximately
parallel with resDect to one another and extend acro~s.s the ra~ters.
Each of the purlins includes an upper laterally extending flange,
a central web and a lower laterally extending flange. Sheets of
hard roofing material are supported by the upper laterally extend-
ing flanges of the purlins. Fasteners connect the sheets of hard
roofing material to the upper laterally extending flanges of the
purlins. Elongated strips of flexible sheet material extend along
the lengths of the spaces between t~1e p~ c al~cl ~pa~ .` s~-a(-ec
between adjacent ones of the purlins. The outer edges of the
strips of flexible sheet material rest on the top surfaces of the
upper laterally extending flanges of adjacent ones of the purlins.
Portions of the strips between the purlins extend down to a lower
level into the space between the central webs oE the purlins and
form troughs between the purlins. Insulation material, such as
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loose or batten heat insulation is positioned in the trouyhs
of the sheet material and substantially fills the trouyhs up
to the sheets of hard roofing mal:erial.
The invention further teaches a method for installing
insulation to a roof structure. The ste~s COIlSi~ cr unrcc~in-l
sheet material of a width wider than the space between adjacent
purlins. The unreeling may be accomplished by supporting reels
of the sheet material on pairs of adjacent purlill alld movillg
each reel along the lengths of the purlins, thUS unrecling the
sheet material. The unreeled portion of the sheets are formed
in a trouah-shape between adjacent ones of the purlins with the
edge portions of the sheets of material positioned Oll the uyper
surfaces of the upper flanges of the purlins. The edge portions
of adjacent sheets of material are sealed together placing heat
insulation material in the troughs of the sheets of material.
Hard sheets of roofing material are placed over the insulation
material and purlins. Alternately elongated flexible sheets of
material of a width wider than the spaces between adjacent purlins
are placed along the lengths of adjacent purlins and over the
spaces between adjacent purlins. The sheet material is formed
as it is placed on the purlins to locate the edge portions of the
sheets of material on the upper surfaces of adjacent purlins to
locate the central portion of the sheets of material at a lower
level between the purlins. The edge portions of adjacent sheets
are sealed together, and insulation material is place-l on thc
central portions of the sheet material.
The sheet material can be of varying width but, prefer-
ably, is at least wider than the distance between mid-points on
the top flanges of adjacent ones of purlins. Thc wider thc
sheet material, the further the
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~aterial can hang down between the adjacent purlins rcsulting in
a deeper trough and thus a thicker layer of insula-tion can be
supported by the trough. The side edges of the flexible sheet
material rest on the top surfaces of the upper laterally
extending flanges of the adjacent ones of purlins while the
center portion of the sheet material sags into the space between
the purlins. The flexible sheet material in the disclosed
embodiment is supported by a lattice of support straps bclow t]lC
sheet material extending through openings in ~he purlil-c; or
resting on the rafters, or by attaching the sheet material at
its side edges to the purlins.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the
outer edges of the sheet material overlap, on the upper
laterally extending purlin flanges, the outer edges of similar
adjacent sheets extending between the next pair of purlins.
These outer edges are held in place by the fastening of the
metal roofing panels to the purlins.
Also taught by this invention is the use of foam board
or other solid insulation material to cover insulation gaps
created by the metal purlins and the gaps between the purlins
between the hanging troughs. Solid insulation material is
fastened to the upper and lower flanges of the purlins. The
solid insulation board covering the upper laterally extending
flanges of the purlins can take the form of a board just wide
enough to cover one of the purlins or it can be wide enough to
span the space between adjacent purlins. The solid insulation
material covering the lower extending flange of the purlin need
only be wide enough to cover the flange and possibly any gaps
beneath the upper laterally extending flange of the purlin to
which it is attached and the flexible sheet material.
Thus the present invention seeks to provide an
,r~
~improved insulated roof stru ~ Qe8 ~e~ein insulation in the form
of either loose or batten insulation can be expediently
installed in the roof structure in varying desired thicknesses.
Briefly described, in this divisional application the
invention comprlses an apparatus for installing insulation
material in the roof of an industrial building and the like. A
. .
framework supports a reel of sheet material of a width greater
~ than the distance between a pair of adjacent parallel purlins in
; the roof structure. The sheet material is paid out from the,
reel. Guide means guide the framework along a pair of adjacent
parallel purlins in the roof structure. Means mounted on the
framework and extending below the guide means, at distances
;~ apart which are less than the distance between adjacent ones of
-~ the purlins, protrude downwardly between the adjacent parallel
purlins and urge the central portion of the width of the sheet
material downwardly between the adjacent ones of the purlins,
while the edge portions of the sheet material remain on the
upper surfaces of the adjacent purlins.
Other aspects, features and advantages of the present -~
invention will become apparent upon reading the following
specificatlon, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
-
Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a partially ~-
completed roof structure of an industrial building, showing a
pair of adjacent purlins, a lattice of support straps, a reel of `~
- flexible sheet material supported by a reel support framework,
and insulation material.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are eaoh side cross sectional views
of a portion of a completed roof, with each figure illustrating
different roof insulation arrangements.
Fig. 5 is a front view of the reel support apparatus.
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D~ TAI LED DE.S CRIP TIO
Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in
which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the
several vie-~s, Fig. 2 illustrates the roof structure 9
which includes a plurality of spaced parallel purlins
mounted on rafters 18. The purlins 1 each include a central
web 2, lower flange 3 and upp~r flan~e 4.
A flexible sheet material 5 is unrolled along the
upper flange 4 of adjacent ones of purlins, as shown in
Fig. 1. The outer edges 6 of the sheet material are left
on the upper laterally extending edyes 4 of the puLlins 1.
The elongate center portion of the sheet material sags down
between the central web 2 of adjacent ones of purlins 1,
thus forming a trough 7~ The trough is filled ~ith
insulation material 8, loose or batten. If batt or
blanket-type insulation 8 is used, the shape of the
structure is more flat, as shown in the drawillgs~ If loose
insulation is used, a more sagging appearance is created in
the strips of flexible sheet material 5, but a more stiff
2Q sheet material 5 tends to provide a more unifolm
appearance. Abutting edges 6 of adjacent sheets of flexible
material 5 overlap one another on top of the upper flange 4
of purlins 1 as shown in Fig. 2 at 10 an~ aee held in place
by the fastening of metal roof panel 12 to the upper flange
4 of purlin 1. Preferably, the overlapping edge- portions
of -the strips of sheet material 5 are connected together as
by adhesive or by heat sealing, depending on the
characteristics of the material, the climate conditions and
working conditions. This provides an effective vapor
barrier beneath the hard roofing material.
lattice of support straps or banding is formed
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in the roof structure, with the lattice comprising cross
straps 11 under tension extencling thro~lclll opel~ s in the
central webs 2 of the purlins 1 and with longitudinal
straps 13 extending parallel to the lengtlls of the purlins.
The lattice is used as an aid in supporting the bottom
side of the trough 7. The support lattice can be formed
from cross straps 11 extending through the pllrlills
without the longltudinal straps 13, or the lattice can
comprise longitudinal straps 13 res~ing on the ra~ters 18
(Fig. 3).
Figs. 3 and 4 show the use of solid insulation
board for insulating the gaps between the insulation
troughs 7. The upper flange 4 of purlins 1 can be
insulated by placing along the top edge o~ the upper flange
4 a piece of solid insulation board 14 which is only
slightly wider than the upper flange 4 itself or, an
insulation board 16 can be used which rests on the top side
of the upper lateral flange 4 and spans the entire space
between adjacent ones of purlins. The underside of the
Z0 purlins has a slightly wider gap to insulate and as a
result slightly wider or insulation board 16, 17 is used to
insulate the gap. If the channel insulation formed by the
strips of sheet material 5 rest on a support lattice 11-13
that is mounted on the rafters 18 of the building, flat
insulation board 16 (Fig. 3) can be used by directly
riviting the insulation boards to the bottom surface of the
lower flanges 3 of the purlin. If, however, the channel
insulation is supported by the lattice of support straps at
a higher elevation (Fig. 4) a channel-shaped board 17 is
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used with side flanges 20, and additional straps 19 can be
placed over the rafters lB to engage the flanges as
illustrated, or the straps 13 in the support lattice 11-13
on opposite sides of the purlins can be used (not shown).
The insulation board can be fabricated from various
suitable materials ,such as glass reinforced cellular
plastic isocyanurate insulation,
' ~s illustrated in ~igs. 1 and Sr the rcel support
0
framework 24 comprises a pair of triangular side frames ~,5
and 26 and lower spacer bars 28, 29 and 30 extending across
the bottom of the framework. A reel 31 oE t}le flexible
sheet material is supported at the' upper apexes o~ t:he
triangular side frames 25 and 26 on support bar 32, and the
free end of the sheet material moves from the reel 31
beneath lower spacer bars 29 and 30. Bottom runnecs 34 and
35 are mounted on the bottom of the framework 24 and hold
the framework on a pair of adjacent ones of the purlins 1.
- A pair of sheet guides 36 and 38 are slidably mounted on
0
the rear spacer bar 30, and clamps 39 and 40 of the sheet
guides are slidably mounted on the bar 30. Set screws 41
allow the clamps 39 and 40 to be attached to tl-e bar 30 at
variable positions along the length of the bar. U-shaped
guide elements 42 are mounted on the clamps 39 and 40 and
project downwardly from the framework into the space
between adjacent ones of the purlins- When the framework
is pushed along the purlins, the sheet material unrolls
from its reel 31, passes beneath the lower spacer bars 29
and 30, and the sheet guides 36 and 38 urge the central
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portion of the strip of sheet material down~ rtll~ between
the purlins. The side edge portions of the strip of sheet
material are therefore guided onto the top surfaces of the
upper flanges 4 of the purlins 1.
When the strip of sheet material has been ormed
in the manner illustrated in Fig~ 5, by forming a trough
between the purlins, the insulation material is then placed
in the trough. For example, ]oose insulation can be blown
into the troughs, batt insulation can be placed by workers
standing on the already installed hard roofing material
down into the troughs, or blanket insulation can be fed
from reels down into the troughs.
It will be understood that the foregoing relates
only to a disclosed embodiment of the present invention,
and that numerous changes and modifications may be made
therein within the scope of the invention as defined in the
following claims.
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