Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A ROOFING PLATE, A PROOFING STRIP FOR A ROOFING PLATE,
AND A METHOD OF PRODUCING A RC)OFING PLATE
The present invention re1ates to a roofing plate having opposite side
5 surfaces and comprising at least one proofing strip arranged on at
least one side surface of the roofing plate and extending thereacross.
It is generally known to mount roofing plates, e.g. plates of metal,
plastics, slate, fibrous cement or a similar material or tiles, parti-
cularly tiles made from concrete, clay or fibrous cement, on a roof
10 construction made from rafters, especially wood rafters, the roofing
plates being arranged in an overlapping relationship in such a way
that one roofing plate overlaps an adjacent roofing plate. Normally,
the roof construction on which the roofing pl~tes are mounted, has a
pitch so that the roofing plates are arranged in such a way that one
15 roofing plate overlaps a lower roofing plate. By this pitch snow and
water do not collect on the upper surface of the roofing plates, but
run down the sloping roof surfaces of the roof construction owing to
the effect of gravity.
Hitherto, in connection with tiled roofs, i.e., roofs made from tiles of
20 concrete, clay or fibrous cement, the transitions between the indivi-
dual roofing plates of the roof have most often been proofed by
pointing, e.g. by putty or filler material, particularly a foamed filler
material, e.g. polyurethane foam, being mounted in the gaps between
the roofing plates from the inside of the loft under the roof. It is
25 further known to use proofing strips for proofing the gaps between
the individual roofing plates of the roof, as well as to mount a so-
called roofing underlay, e.g. of cardboard or plastics material, under
the roof rafters to produce a substantially hermetic seal of the loft in
relation to the environment.
30 These known roof proofing methods, however, suffer from a number
of disadvantages. Thus, pointing of a tiled roof is both a difficult
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and a timeconsuming operation, and particularly when foamed filler
material, e.g. polyurethane foam, is used, the connection between the
individual roofing plates of the roof tends to yive leaks after a fairly
short time, primarily due to the influence of frost and thaw. It has
5 also proved difficult to establish a weatherproof connection with long
term stability between roofing plates by the use of known proofing
strips .
A disadvantage of the roof proofing methods of the known art is,
however, that the provision of a hermetic sealing of the roof in
10 relation to the environment causes formation of condensed water in
the loft under the roof, and the formation of condensed water in-
volves a risk of rot or dry rot occurring in the wood construction of
the roof. The reason for the occurrence of this problem is first of all
the hermetic sealing of the roof in relation to the environment, but
15 the problem has obviously become more pronounced in later years,
after the houses have become better insulated. Previously, hsat leaks
to the loft caused a suction effect providing ventilation away of the
humid air before it condensed on the bottom surface of the roofing
plates of the roof. Although, to obtain a certain venting of the loft,
20 venting ducts, particulariy in the form of venting roofing plates,
have been provided in connection with the known roof constructions,
but it has turned out that these venting ducts have not been able to
compensate sufficiently for the increased risk of formation of conden-
sed water as a result of the more efficient thermal insulation, and at
25 the same time been able to provide the required proofing of the inside
of the roof against rain, snow and dust from the outside.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a roofing
plate of the above type which renders possible a labour-saving mount-
ing of roofing plates on a roof as well as eliminates the above disad-
30 vantages with regard to the formation of condensed water and anyconsequent rot or dry rot attacks on the wood construction of the
roof .
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According to the presant invention ther0 is
provided a corrugated interlocking tile roofing plate
having opposite side surfaces and comprising proofing
strip means on at least one of said surfaces and
extending thereacross for providing a substantially
watex impervious barrier while generally providing an
air and humidity permeable passageway, said plate being
adapted to be arranged on a roof partly overlapping and
partly being overlapped by adjacent roofing plates, said
roof defining an attic thereunder, and said proofing
strip means including a strip of upright synthetic
fibres located on said plate on regions thereof which
are overlapped by adjacent plates to provide a fibrous
barrier between said side surface of said roofing plate
and the opposite side surface of one of said adjacent
roofing plates which permits the passage of air in and
out of said attic and further permits the passage of
humidity to escape to outside said attic but
substantially blocks the passage of water and dust from
the outside from coming into said attic when said strip
of upright synthetic fibres is situated in abutment with
said adjacent plate.
Thus, the roofing plate according to the
invention to a great extent eliminates the use of
separate venting ducts which, as mentioned above, have
proved not to be sufficiently efficient, and at the same
time eliminates the risk of rot or dry rot attacks on
the wood construction of the roof as a result of the
barrisr forming effect of the proofing strip, which on
one side provides the required venting of the loft and
ont he other side prevents the ingress of water in the
form of rain as well as snow, and dust from the outside.
The mounting of the roofing
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plate of the invention on a roof further eliminates the necessity
of establishing a roofing underlay or of subse~uent pointing such
as has hitherto been necessary particularly in connection with
tiled roofs.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the proofing strip is
constituted by a strip of upright synthetic fibres, e.g. fibres
of plastics, polyamides, polyester, etc. The synthetic fibres
permit displacement of the roofing plates in relation to each
other as a result of thermal expansion of the roofing plates and
of the underlying wood construction, and simultaneously form the
barrier characteristic for the invention.
Dependent on the material of the roofing plate and of the free
distance between the roofing plates when they are mounted on a
roof, the sunthetic fibres may have a free length of about 1-
30mm, preferably about 3-8 mm. Dependent on the
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fibre length the synthetic fibres may have a thickness of about
0.01-0.5 mm, preferably about 0.05 mm. Normally, the characteristics
of the synthetic fibres are specified in units of dtex, i.e. the weight
in grams of a predetermined length, e.g. 10.000 m, of the fibre is
5 specified. Obviously the fibre thickness and the fibre length must be
adapted to each other in such a way that the resulting synthetic fibre
has sufficient mechanical strength to provide a mechanically stable
proofing strip. To increase the barrier forming effect of the proofing
strip, the synthetic fibres thereof may form a maze pattern. Alter-
10 natively, the proofing strip may be composed of fibres of differentlengths and/or of different thicknesses.
In another embodiment of the roofing plate according to the invention
the proofing strip is constituted by knobs which are of a hydrophobic
material and which form a maze pattern. Due to their hydrophobic
15 material, the knobs permit free passage of water, but the maze pat-
tern of the knobs blocks the passage of water and dust f rom the
outside into the loft.
In this embodiment of the roofing plate of the invention the knobs
may be made of any hydrophobic material able to withstand the mech-
20 anical loads due primarily to thermal influences, from the roofingplates of the roof, but in accordance with one embodiment of the
roofing plate of the invention the knobs are latex knobs impregnated
with silicone,
The knobs which are made of a hydrophobic material and form a maze
25 pattern, must of course, like the above synthetic fibres, have a free
height which corresponds substantially to the free distance between
the roofing plates when they are mounted on a roof. In accordance
with the invention the knobs may have a free height of about 1-30
mm, preferably about 3-15 mm, more preferably about 3-8 mm, thus
30 satisfying the requirement both to the mechanical strength and to the
barrier effect characteristic for the invention.
Conventionally, the roofing plate is of a substantially rectangular
configuration having pairs of opposite edges constituting vertical and
P~V F3764 jB F376~/HSN/lPkb 1984 09 14
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horizontal edges of the plate when the plate is arranged on the roof.
In order to provide proofing of the loft in relation to the environment
in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the proof-
ing strip may extend along one of the horizontal edges of the plate.
5 In a first embodiment of the roofing plate of a substantially rectan-
gular configuration and provided with the proofing strip extending
along one of the horizontal edges of the plate, the proofing strip is
arranged on the side surface of the plate constituting the upper side
surface when the plate is arranged on the roof. Alternatively, the
10 proofing strip may be arranged on the side surface of the plate
constituting the lower side surface when the plate is arranged on the
roof .
Whereas the above described proofing strip extending along one of
the horizontal edges of the plate provides proofing between a roofing
15 plate and another roofing plate arranged below or above the first
mentioned roofing plate in the above described overlapping relation-
ship, a further proofing strip arranged extending along one of the
said vertical edges of the plate of a substantially rectangular con-
figuration may further provide proofing between any two roofing
20 plates arranged horizontally beside each other on the roof. Although
the further proofing strip may be arranged on the upper side surface
or, alternatively, on the lower side surface of the roofing plate
fulfilling the proofing requirernents in accordance with the teaching of
the present invention, it is, however, from a productional point of
25 view, preferred to provide the proofing strip extending along said
horizontal edge of the plate and the further proofing strip extending
along one of said vertical edges of the plate on the same upper or,
alternatively, lower side surface of the plate, as the proofing strips
may be arranged on the roofing plate without providing access to
30 more than one of the side surfaces of the roofing plate, e.g. without
turning the roofing plate upside down.
In an alternative embodiment of the roofing plate of a substantially
rectangular configuration, a first proofing strip may be arranged on
said upper side surface of the plate at the uppermost horizontal edge
P~V F3764 jB F3764/HSN/l Pkb 1984 09 14
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thereof, and the second proofing strip may be arranged
on said lower side surface of the plate at the lowermost
horizontal edge thereof. Although this embodiment of
the invention provides proofing in accordance with the
teaching of the present invention, it suffers form the
above described protectional drawback, viz. that
proofing strips have to be arranged on opposite side
surfaces of the roofing plated comprising a number of
production steps involving tha provision of access from
both side surfaces or turning the roofing plate upside
down.
A further object of the present invention is
to provide a proofing strip for use in connection with a
roofing plate having opposite side surfaces and being
adapted to be arranged on a roof partly overlapping an
adjacent roofing plate and partly being overlapped by
another adjacent roofing plate, which renders possible a
labour-saving mounting of roofing plates on a roof and
eliminates the above dascribed disadvantages with regard
to the formation of condensed water and any consequent
rot and dry rot attack on the wood construction of the
roof.
In another aspect of the present invention
there is provided a proofing strip for use in connection
with a corrugated interlocking tile roofing plata ha~ing
opposite side surfaces and being adapted to be arranged
on a roof partly overlapping and partly being overlapped
by adjacent roofing platas, said roof defining an attic
thereunder, and said proofing strip comprising means for
substantially blocking passage of water while permltting
passage of air and humidity, said means including a
base layer and a strip of synthetic fibres located on
said plate in a region which is overlapped by ad~acent
6A
plates, said fibres standing upright form said base
layer to provide a barrier which permits the passage of
air in and out of said attic and further permits the
passage of humidity from the inside to escape said attic
but substantially blocks the passage of water and dust
from the outside from coming into said attic when said
proofing strip is clamped between opposite side surfaces
of adjacent roofing plates.
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The proofing strip according to the invention may be shaped in
accordance with any of the principles o~ the above embodiments of
the roofing plate according to the invention and further cGmbined
therewith, and may thus be constituted by a strip of synthetic
fibres extending upright from the base layer, or by knobs placed
on the base layer and being of a hydrophobic material and forming
a maze pattern.
The invention further relates to methods of producing a roofing
plate according to the present invention.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a
method of producing a roofing plate including the steps of
casting the plate in a mold with a groove, arranging a proofing
strip in the groove in the mold, and filling the mold with
hardening material.
Preferably, the synthetic fibres are transferred to an adhesive
layer on the roofing plate and are retained on the roofing plate
in the adhesive layer which is then cured.
When this method according to the invention is employed, the
synthetic fibres may be transferred to the roofing plate in a
simple mechanical way, e.g~ by so-called vibration application.
In accordance with a particular embodiment of the method
according to the invention, the synthetic fibres are transferred
to the adhesive layer in an electrostatically charged state of a
high potential, and the adhesive layer is maintained at a
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polarity opposite to the polarity of the fibres. The
electrostatic charging of the fibres causes them to repel each
other electrostatically, and consequently the fibres will arrange
themselves standing substantially upright from the adhesive layer
of the roofing plate.
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I n accordance with this aspect of the method of the present inven-
tion, the adhesive layer may be a layer of glue. Consequently, the
proofing strip formed by synthetic fibres may be provided on a
roofing plate which is precast or prefabricated, the synthetic fibres
5 being glued to the roofing plate by means of a layer of glue applied
thereto. This method may be carried out on a building site, if
desired, so that prior to the mounting of the roofing plates on a
roof, the roofing plates have a layer of glue applied and then a
synthetic fibre proofing strip is applied electrostatically, whereafter
1Q the layer of glue is cured.
In accordance with a special embodiment of the method of the inven-
tion, the roofing plate is of a curable material, and the synthetic
fibres are transferred to the roofing plate before the latter is cured,
and are retained in a surface layer of the roofing plate, said layer
15 constituting the adhesive layer. I n accordance with this embodiment,
the synthetic fibres constituting the proofing strip according to the
invention are cast into the material of the roofing plate itself, pro-
viding a particularly simple method of production.
The invention will now be further described with reference to the
20 drawing, wherein
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first, presently preferred embodi-
ment of a roofing plate according to the invention having proofing
strips according to the invention arranged on the upper side surface
of the roofing plate,
25 Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view through the first embodiment of the
roofing plate according to the invention shown in Fig. 1 arranged on
a corresponding roofing plate mounted on a supporting wood rafter,
Fig. 3 a perspective view corresponding to Fig. 1 of a second em-
bodiment of a roofing plate according to the invention havlng proofing
30 strips according to the invention arranged on the lower side surface
of the roofing plate,
Fig. 4 a vertical, sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2 through the
second embodiment of the roofing plate according to the invention
shown in Fig. 3 arranged on a corresponding roofing plate mounted
35 on a supporting wood rafter,
P~V F3764 jB F3764/HSN/lPkb 19~4 09 14
Fig. 5 a vertical sectional view through a slightly modified embodiment
of the first embodiment of the roofing plate shown in Fig. 1 arranged
on a corresponding roofing plate mounted on a supporting wood
rafter,
5 Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 perspective views of a third, a fourth, a fifth
and a sixth embodiment, respectively, of a roofing plate according to
the invention having a proofing strip according to the invention
arranged on the upper side surface of the roofing plate,
Figs. 10 and 11 vertical, sectional views corresponding to Figs. 2, 4
10 and 5 of alternative embodiments of the second embodiment of the
roofing plate shown in Figs. 3 and 4,
Fig. 12 a sectional view at right angles to the vertical sectional view
of Fig. 2,
Fig. 13 a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 12 through the second
15 embodiment of the roofing plate shown in Figs. 3 and 4,
Fig. 14, a sectional view corresponding to Figs. 12 and 13 through
the fifth embodiment of the roofing plate according to the invention
shown in Fig. 8,
Figs. 15 and 16 schematical views illustrating production plants for
20 carrying out methods of producing roofing plates according to the
invention in accordance with the teaching of the present invention,
Fig. 17 a schematical top view of a production plant presently con-
stituting the preferred embodiment for carrying out the presently
preferred embodiment of the method of producing roofing plates
25 according to the invention, and
Fig. 18 a diagram illustrating proofing characteristics of a conven-
tional roofing plate and of the roofing plate according to the invention
shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, a roofing plate 10 is shown which is a
30 corrugated tile made from concrete, clay or fibrous cement. In Fig.
1, a first side surface is shown, viz. the side surface facing out
wards from a roof, whereas in Fig. 3, the second side surface is
shown, viz. the side surface facing towards a loft defined within or
below the roof. It is to be understood that the terms indicating
35 directions, such as upper, lower, vertical, horizontal, etc. used in
the present context, refer to the conventional orientation of the
roofing plates or tiles when mounted on a roof supporting wood con-
P~V F3764 jB F3764/HSN/lPkb 1984 U9 14
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struction of a predetermined pitch. As is evident from Fig. 3, thecorrugated roofing plate or tile 10 is provided with a bead 12 at its
lower side surface and at its uppermost edge extending transversely
across the corrugations. As is evident from Figs. 2, 4 and 5 the bead
5 12 is adapted to catch behind a supporting wood rafter 34, when the
roofing plate or tile 10 is mounted on a bearing wood construction. At
its lower side surface, and at the lowermost edge thereof, and oppo-
site to the bead 12, the roofing plate 10 has three beads 18, 20 and
22 extending substantially across the corrugations and further two
10 grooves 24 and 26 defined between said three beads and also extend-
ing substantially across the corrugations. The roofing plate or tile 10
is a so-called interlocking tile, i . e. it is provided with projections 14
and grooves 16 extending at the vertical outer edges of the tile along
the corrugations thereof which are adapted to cooperate with corre-
15 sponding grooves and projections, respectively, of an adjacent roofingplate or tile.
In the first, presently preferred embodiment of the roofing plate or
tile according to the invention shown in Fig. 1, a first proofing strip
27 constituting a proofing strip according to the invention is arranged
20 on the upper side surface of the roofing plate or tile at the upper-
most edge thereof and extending across the corrugations of the plate
or tile. On top of the outermost bead 14 shown in the left hand side
of Fig. 1, a second proofing strip 29 constituting a further proofing
strip according to the invention is arranged and is provided with a
25 proofing strip extension 29a which is arranged at the vertical side
surface of the roofing plate or tile at the lowermost edge thereof. The
proofing strip extension 29a is adapted to cooperate with one or more
of the left hand ends of the beads 18, 20 and 22, shown in Fig. 3.
The proofing strips 27 and 29 and the proofing strip extension 29a
30 are constituted by synthetic fibres, e.g. plastics or nylon fibres,
preferably of a thickness of about 0.05 mm (22 dtex) and of a free
length of about 3-8 mm . I n the preferred embodiment, the synthetic
fibre proofing strips 27, 29 and the synthetic fibre proofing strip
extension 29a are made from a composition of synthetic fibres of a
35 length of 3 mm and of a length of 5 mm. The proofing strips 27 and
29 and the proofing strip extension 29a exhibit the unique character-
P~V F3764 jB F376~/HSN/lPkb 1984 09 14
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istic that they permit air to pass from the inside of the loft and out
and from the outside and into the loft and further permit water to
pass from the inside of the loft, but block the passage of water and
dust from the outside and into the loft. Instead of the single proofing
5 strip 29 arranged on top of the outermost bead 14, a proofing strip
of basically identical construction may, alternatively or further, be
arranged on the central or the innermost bead extending along the
corrugations of the roofing plate or tile or in any of the grooves 16
defined between the beads 14.
10 In Fig. 2 the roofing plate or tile 10 shown in Fig. 1 is mounted
above and overlapping another roofing plate 32 which is completely
identical to the roofing plate 10 and which is arranged in the above
described manner having its bead 12 catching behind the roof rafter
34. Furthermore, the roof plate 32 is fastened to the rafter 34 by
15 means of a roof hook 36. As is evident from Fig. 2, the proofing
strip 27 is clamped between the lower side surface of the roofing
plate or tile 10 and the upper side surface of the roofing plate or tile
32 providing the above described venting and blocking characteristics
and further providing an optimum venting of the loft below the roof,
20 which further eliminates the risk of rot or dry rot attacks on the
wood construction of the roof (the roof rafter 34) caused by the
formation of condensed water in the loft.
I n Fig . 3 a second embodiment of a roofing plate according to the
invention is shown. This second embodiment differs from the above
2~ described first, presently preferred embodiment of the roofing plate
according to the invention in that the proofing strips 27 and 29 and
the proofing strip extension 29a are omitted. Instead a proofing strip
28 is arranged on the lower side surface of the roofing plate or tile
10 in the groove 24 extending transversely across the corrugations of
30 the roofing plate or tile, and a proofing strip 30 is further arranged
at the lower side surface of the roofing plate or tile 10 in the central
groove 16 extending along the corrugations of the roofing plate or
tile. Obviously, instead of a singie proofing strip 28 arranged in the
groove 24, another or a further proofing strip may be arranged in
.
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the groove 26 (not shown on the drawing), and alternatively orsupplementary, one or more proofing strips may be arranged on one
or more of the beads 18, 20 and 22 extending across the corrugations
of the roofing plate or tile. Furthermore, instead of the single proof-
5 ing strip 30 arranged in the central groove 16, a further or alterna-
tive proofing strips may be arranged in the left-hand and the right-
hand grooves 16 and on one or more of the beads 14 in the left-hand
side lock of the roofing plate or tile 10.
In Fig. 4, which basically corresponds to Fig. 2, the second embodi-
10 ment of the roofing plate according to the invention shown in Fig. 3
is shown mounted above and overlapping the above described roofing
plate 32 which is completely identical to the roofing plate 10 shown in
Fig. 3. As is evident from Fig. 4, the proofing strip 28 is clamped
between the lower side surface of the roofing plate or tile, viz. the
15 groove 24, and the upper side surface of the roofing plate or tile 32
providing the above described barrier characteristics.
In the above described first and second embodiments of the roofing
plate according to the invention, the proofing strips, i.e. the proof-
ing strips 27 and 29 and further the proofing strip extension 29a,
20 and the proofing strips 28 and 30 are of a basically identical configu-
ration. However, the proofing strips may obviously be of a different
configuration, i.e. have synthetic fibres of different thickness,
length or different compositions of fibres, and furthermore, the
proofing strips extending along the corrugations of the roofing plate
25 or tile 10 may alternatively be constituted by a proofin~ strip of a
different type and/or of a different materiale, e . g . an elastic and
completely humidity-impermeable proofing material, such as a massive
latex strip impregnated with silicone.
In Fig. 5 an alternative or combined embodiment of the above
30 described first and second embodiments of the roofing plate according
to the invention is shown. In this combined embodiment, the roofing
plates or tiles 10 and 32 are each provided with a total of four proof-
ing strips, viz. the above described proofing strips 27-30 which
cooperate in pairs so that the proofing strips extending across the
35 corrugations of the roofiny plates or tiles, i.e. the proofing strips 27
P~V F3764 jB F3764/HSN/lPkb 1984 09 14
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and 28, cooperate, and so that the proofing strips extending along
the corrugations of the roofing plates or tiles, i . e. the proofing
strips 29 and 30, or the above mentioned proofing strips in cooperat-
ing grooves and beads of the interlock, cooperate with each other.
5 These cooperating proofing strips may provide a burr-like locking.
In Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 a third, fourth, fifth and sixth embodiment,
respectively, of the roofing plate according to the invention is shown.
In the embodiments shown in Figs. 6-9, the proofing strip is con-
stituted by knob-shaped bodies 40 which are made from a hydrophobic
10 material, preferably latex impregnated with silicone, and which form a
maze pattern and thus produce the barrier which, in accordance with
the teaching of the invention, permits the passage of air and water
from the inside of the loft and out and permits the passage of air
from the outside and into the loft, but blocks the passage of water
15 and dust from the outside and into the loft. The proofing strip con-
stituted by knob-shaped bodies 40 is arranged on the upper side
surface of the roofing plate or tile 10 opposite to the bead 12. How-
ever, the proofing strip constituted by the knob-shaped bodies 40
may alternatively be arranged at the lower side surface of the roofing
20 plate or tile, and a proofing strip, e.g. of a different type and/or of
a different material, such as an elastic and completely humidity-im-
permeable proofing strip of the above described type may further be
arranged in one or more of the grooves 16 or on one or more of the
beads 14. Like the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 in which the synthetic
25 fibres constituting the proofing strips 27-30, preferably have a free
length of 1-30 mm, preferably about 3-o mm, the knobs 40 in the
embodiments shown in Figs. 6-9 have a corresponding length, i.e. a
free length of about 1-30 mm, preferably about 3-8 mm.
In Figs. 10 and 11 vertical sectional views basically corresponding to
30 the vertical sectional views of Figs. 2, 4 and 5 are shown illustrating
a seventh and eighth embodiment of the roofing plate according to the
invention. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the proofing strip 28
shown in Fig. 4 has been replaced by a proofing strip 42 which is
cast into the roofing plate 10 in a bead 44 which is broader compared
35 to the bead 18. The proofing strip 42, which is produced as a
separate unit and then cast into the roofing plate as will be explained
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below, comprises a base layer 46, e. g . a plastic foil base layer or a
gauze strip base layer from which the barrier forming part 48 of the
proo'ing strip 42 protrudes. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the
barrier forming part 48 of the prool:ing strip 42 constitutes a combi-
nation of the above embodiments, as this barrier forming part 48 is
constituted by upright synthetic fibres like the proofing strips 27-30
of the first and second embodiments of the roofing plate shown in
Figs. 1-5, but the synthetic fibres in the barrier forming part 48
form a maze pattern like the knob-shaped bodies 40 in the third,
fourth, fifth and sixth embodiments shown in Figs. 6-9.
A slightly modified eighth embodiment is shown in Fig . 11, in which
the proofing strip 42, instead of a gauze strip base layer, has a base
body 50 on which the synthetic fibres which form the barrier forming
part of the proofing strip, are arranged prior to the casting of the
base body 50 into the roofing plate 10.
The embodiments shown in Figs. 10 and 11 may be modified by replac-
ing the synthetic fibres of the barrier forming part 48 of the proofing
strip 42 with latex knobs basically corresponding to the knob-shaped
bodies 40 shown in Figs. 6-9 impregnated with silicone and forming a
maze pattern.
In Fig~ 12 a horizontal sectional view through the above described
first, presently preferred embodiment of the roofing plate according
to the invention cooperating with the adjacent roofing plate is shown,
i.e. a sectional view perpendicular to the sectional view of Fig. 2. In
Fig. 12, the above described dual length proofing strips 27 and 29
are shown providing the proofing and barrier characteristics in
accordance with the teaching of the present invention.
In Figs. 13 and 14, horizontal sectional views basically corresponding
to the above described sectional view of Fig. 12 are shown. In Fig.
13 an embodiment of the roofing plate according to the invention is
shown basically of the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4. However,
the proofing strip 30 extending along the corrugations of the roofing
plate or tile and arranged in the central groove 16 is omitted. In-
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stead, the innermost of the projections 14 of the roofing plate lO is
provided with a proofing strip 52 constituting a separate unit which
is arranged on the roofing plate lO prior to the arrangement of the
roofing plate in the above described overlapping relationship with the
adjacent roofing plate 32. The proofing strip 52 has a base layer 54,
which is preferably a plastic foil or a gauze strip, and a proofing
strip forming part 56. As is evident from Fig. 13, the part 56 may be
constituted by synthetic fibres or instead be a hydrophobic elastic
mass .
Preferably, the base layer 54 has a layer of glue protected by a slip
paper which is removed before the proofing strip is arranged on the
roofing plate 10, and apart from the base layer 54 shown in Fig. 13,
the proofing strip 52 may be provided with a further base layer
arranged opposite to the base layer 54 and adapted to adhere to the
roofing plate 32 within the groove 16.
As, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 13, the proofing strip 30 shown
in Fig. 3 has been replaced by a separate proofing strip 52 to be
arranged on the roofing plata 10 prior to the arrangement of the
roofing plate 10 in the overlapping relationship with the roofing plate
32, the proofing strip 28 shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 may be replaced
by a separate proofing strip which is also arranged on one of the
projections 18, 20 and 22 or in one of the grooves 24 or 26 prior to
the arrangement of the roofing plate 10 in the overlapping relation-
ship with the roofing plate 32.
This separate proofing strip in replacement of the proo~ing strip 28
shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 may also on both sides have a base layer
and a glue layer, preferably protected by removable or tearable slip
paper or slip papers to be removed as explained above prior to the
arrangement of the strips on the roofing plate or tile, for making the
proofing strip adhere to the lower side surface of the roofing plate or
tile 10 and to the upper sids surface of the roofing plate or tile 32.
Apart from synthetic fibres for forming the batrier in accordance with
the teaching of th0 present invention, this separate proofing strip
P~V F3764 jB F37~4/HSN/lPkb 1984 0~ 14
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may have knobs o-f a hydrophobic material corresponding to the knobs
shown in Figs. 6-9 and arranged in a maze pattern. Such a separate
proofing strip having maze :>attern forming knobs may, like the above
described separate proofing strip having synthetic fibres, have a
5 single and two base layers with associated glue layers for adhering to
the lower side surface of the roofing plate or tile 10 and to the upper
side surface of the roofing plate or tile 32, respectively.
In Fig. 14 a sectional view basically corresponding to the sectional
view shown in Fig. 13 is shown through an embodiment slightly
10 modified in relation to the fifth embodiment of the roofing plate
according to the invention shown in Fig. 8. In Fig. 14 the roofing
plate 32 thus, instead of two grooves 16, has a single broader groove
58 in which two proofing strips 60 and 62 are arranged. The proofing
strips 60 and 62 may be constructed in accordance with the teaching
15 of the present invention, e.g. be of any of the above described
types, i.e. they may be constituted by upright synthetic fibres or be
made from an elastic, hydrophobic material forming a maze pattern.
Figs. 15 and 16 diagrammatically show plants for producing roofing
plates corresponding to the above embodiments in accordance with the
20 methods of the present invention.
The piant shown in Fig. 15 comprises a number of stations A-l
through which a mould or form 72 is passed by means of continously
operating conveyor means 70. In the first station A, the mould or
form 72, which has a shape complementary to the desired roofing
25 plate shape, is cleaned. In station B, proofing strips 74 and 76 are
arranged in grooves in the mould or form 72. Station C serves to
transport the mould or form with the proofing strips 74 and 76
arranged in it on to a station D in which the mould or form is filled
with casting material, which may be e.g. concrete, clay or fibrous
30 cement. From station D, the mould or form having proofing strips
arranged in it and casting material arranged on it is passed via a
station E to a station F in which the casting material is cured. From
the station F, the roofing plate which is substantially finished, is
passed via a station G to a station H, in which the mould or form 72
P~V F3764 jB F3764/HSN/lPkb 1984 09 14
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is separated from the finished roofing plate 10. In station 1, the
finished roofing plate 10 is passed to a store, while the mould or form
72 is retu rned to the station A, whe.reupon the above production
process is repeated. It should be noted that the proofing strips 74
5 and 76 are cast into the roofing plate 10 in accordance with the
method of producing roofing plates described above with reference to
Fig . 15.
The plant shown in Fig. 16 differs from the plant shown in Fig. 15 in
that the proofing strips of the roofing plate are not applied to or
10 arranged on the roofing plate until after the latter has been produced
and is substantially finished. From a station J, the roofing plate 10 is
passed to a station K in which the areas of the upper side surface or
the lower side surface of the roofing plate on which proofing strips
are to be applied, are cleaned, and a binder in the form of an ad-
15 hesive layer or glue layer is applied.
From the station K the roofing plate 10 is passed to a station L inwhich the proofing strips of the roofing plate 10 are applied. While
the proofing strips 74 and 76 described above with reference to Fig.
15 may be of any of the above types, preferably, however, compris-
20 ing a base layer corresponding to the embodiments shown in Figs. 10and 11, a strip of synthetic fibres constituting the proofing strip
according to the invention is applied directly to the roofing plate or
tile 10 in station L. The synthetic fibres are passed from a reservoir
78 to a charging chamber 80 in which the fibres are charged electro-
25 statically to a negative polarity and from which the fibres may onlyescape through a nozzle 82. The roofing plate 10 is passed over the
charging chamber 80 and the nozzle 82. As shown in Fig. 16, a
positive pole plate 84 attracting the fibres electrostatically charged to
negative polarity is arranged on the side of the roofing plate 10
30 opposite to the fibre reservoir 78 and the charging chamber 80. The
electrostatic fibres leave the nozzle 82 at great speed and are retain-
ed in the adhesive layer or glue layer applied in station K. In a
station M, the excess fibres are cleaned off. Alternatively, the syn-
thetic fibres may be charged to a positive polarity, the pole plate 84
35 then being maintained at negative polarity.
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Furthermore, apart from being operated at opposite polarity, the
electrostatical application station L may be turned upside down so that
the fibres are applied from a nozzle above the roofing plate or tile.
Consequently, the roofing plate or tile has its side surface to be
provided with the synthetic fibre proofing strips facing upwards
instead of downwards as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 16.
Furthermore, the station M serving the purpose of removing excess
fibres may advantageously be modified into a suction station.
The plant shown in Fig. 16 may, in accordance with the invention, be
modified by the roofing plate 10 shown in the station J being a cast
by as yet unhardened roofing plate or tile of e.g. clay, concrete or
fibrous cement. I n this modified method of producing roofing plates,
the synthetic fibres are retained directly in the surface of the still
wet and unhardened roofing plate or tile 10. Consequently, the use of
an adhesive layer or glue layer to be applied in the station K may be
avoided .
In Fig. 17, a schematical top view of a production plant for producing
roofing plates or tiles according to the invention is shown. From
production or casting stations in which precast or prefabricated
roofing plates or tiles are provided, a conveyor 100 receives the
roofing plates or tiles to be provided with proofing strips in
accordance with the teaching of the present invention or to be trans-
ferred to a store as indicated by an arrow at the right hand end of
the conveyor 100. The conveyor 100 cooperates with a transfer station
102 in which the roofing plates or tiles are transferred from the
conveyor 100 to four parallel conveyors 103, 104, 105 and 106 and if
necessary turned upside down so that the upper side surfaces of the
roofing plates or tiles 10 to be applied with proofing strips are facing
upwards. From the transfer station 102 which constitutes the station J
shown in Fig. 16, the conveyors 103, 104, 105 and 106 make the
roofing plates or tiles advance at a speed of approximately ten roofing
plates or tiles per minute on each of the conveyors providing a total
production speed or capacity of approximately fourty roofing plates or
tiles per minute.
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The roofing plates or tiles are advanced intermittantly by means of
the conveyors 103-106 in a direction indicated by an arrow 120 and
are transferred to the glue application station K in which -wo glue
applicators 108 and 110 apply glue to the areas of the upper side
5 surfaces of the roofing plates or tiles to have the proofing strips 27
and 29 and the proofing strip extension 29a shown in Fig. 1 arranged
thereon while the roofing plates or tiles are intermittantly stopped
below the glue applicators 108 and 110. The glue applicators 108 and
110 apply layers of water-based and acrylic basis glue and of a
thickness corresponding to a glue consumption of 300-500 g/m2.
From the discharge end of the glue application station K, the roofing
plates or tiles 10 are transferred from the intermittantly operated
conveyors 103, 104, 105 and 106 to continuously operated conveyors
111, 112, 113 and 114, respectively. The conveyors 111-114 are
moving continuously at a speed of approximately 4-5 m/min. They
serve the purpose of moving the preglued roofing plates or tiles to
the synthetic fibre application station L and to a glue drying station
N. The synthetic fibre application station L is divided into two sub-
stations designated L1 and L2, respectively. The substations L1 and
L2 serve the purpose of applying synthetic fibres of a length of 3 mm
and 5 mm, respectively, to the preglued roofing plates or tiles. The
synthetic fibres are preferably of polyamide of the type 22 dtex and
are pretreated for electrostatical application. In the fibre application
stations L1 and L2, synthetic fibres are charged to a potential of
approximately 50-100 kV of negative polarity relative to earth and the
roofing plates or tiles are maintained at opposite, i.e. positive po-
larity. Each of the synthetic fibre application stations L1 and L2
comprise two parallel applicators 116, 117 and 122, 123, respectively,
and a single excess fibre removing device 118 and 124, respectively,
constituted by vacuum suction devices which are connected to the
applicators 116, 117 and 122, 123, respectively, through return
conduits 119 and 125, respectively.
From the synthetic fibre application stations L1 and L2, the roofing
plates or tiles 10 having the synthetic fibres arranged standing
upright from the outer side surfaces thereof and adhering in the glue
P~V F3764 jB F3764/H8NilPkb 1984 09 14
layers are transferred to the glue drying station N comprising infra-
red radiators 128 and 129. In the IR drying station N the glue layers
of the roofing plates or tiles are cured so that the synthetic fibres
arranged standing upright therefrom are fastened to the roofing
plates or tiles . From the I R drying station N the finished roofing
plates or tiles are transferred to a further conveyor 130 by means of
which the finished roofing plates or tiles are transferred to the above
mentioned store as indicated by an arrow at the lower end of the
conveyor 130. Alternatively, the conveyor 130 may transfer the
finished roofing plates or tiles to a packing station O shown in the
lower right-hand side of Fig. 17.
EXAM P LE
A solid concrete tile of the configuration shown in Fig. 1 and measur-
ing approximately 42 cm x 33 cm along the corrugations and at right
angles to the corrugations, respectively, was provided with proofing
strips basically corresponding to the proofing strips 27 and 29 and
the proofing strip extension 29a shown in Fig. 1. The width of the
proofing strip extending across the corrugations at the uppermost end
of the tile, i.e. the proofing strip corresponding to the proofing strip
27 shown in Fig. 1 was 25 mm. A two component polyurethane basis
glue was applied manually to the upper side surface of the roofing
plate or tile providing a layer of glue of a thickness of approximately
0.5 mm. The proofing strips were constituted by a combination of
3 mm and 5 mm, 22 dtex polyamide fibres which had been pretreated
for electrostatic appiication (pretreated for Fiock applica-tion). The
polyamide fibres were applied to the upper side surface of the tile by
means of a test laboratory Flock application apparatus, and there-
after, the glue was cured.
In order to investigate the barrier characteristics of the roofing plate
according to the invention, a number of corrugated sidelock tiles of
the above described type, i.e. of the type shown in Fig. 1 and
described in the above example were tested by the New Technology
and Product Development Centre of Redland Technology Ltd.,
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P~V F3764 jB F3764/HSN/l Pkb 1984 09 14
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Graylands, Horsham, Sussex, England, and compared to basically
identical tiles without proofing strips according to the invention. The
tiles with proofing strips and the tiles without proofing strips were
tested in a comparison test in which very rough weather conditions
5 were simulated. A test group set-up of each of the two kinds of tiles,
i.e. the tiles with proofing strips and the tiles without proofing
strips, included a total of three courses each including three and a
half tiles per course. The overlap of the tiles was 75 mm, and the
tiles were not nailed to the supporting roof construction. The roof
10 construction defined a pitch of 30 in relation to the horizon and
exposed the outer side surface of the test group set-up to wind and
rain generated by wind and rain generators. The wind speed was
13.4 m/s and the rain fall rate was 38 mm/h. A perspect box was
arranged below the test group set-up. By reducing the pressure
15 within the perspect box, i.e. at the lower side surface of the test
group set-up, a kind of suction effect was produced resulting in an
increase in the amount of water penetrating through the tile con-
struction to the lower side surface thereof. During test, the lower
side surface pressure was reduced in increments of 10 Pa and the
20 amount of water penetrating through the tile construction during a 5
min. period was measured. The measuring results were converted into
an amount per hour and a graph was plotted illustrating the amount
of water penetrating through the tile construction as a function of the
reduced pressure at the lower side surface of the test group set-up.
25 For a more detailed explanation of the test conditions, the test set-up
and the relevance of the test procedure, reference is made to report
No. 3518-02 dated May 1984 from the above New Technology and
Product Development Centre of Redland Technology Ltd.
The graph of the measuring results are shown in Fig. 18. A first
30 curve designated S illustrates the response obtained with regard to
the tiles without proofing strips, and a second curve designated V
illustrates the measuring results obtained with regard to the roofing
plates according to the invention, i.e. the tiles with proofing strips.
These measuring results were obtained at a rig pitch of 30. By
35 reducing the rig pitch of the test groùp set-up of the tiles with
proofing strips -~rom 30 to 20 a further curve T was obtained. A
P~V F3764 jB F3764/HSNJlPkb 1984 09 14
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fourth curve designated U is an extrapolation of the initial measuring
results obtained with regard to the tiles with proofing strips and is a
compensation of the discontinuity of the V curve. This discontinuity
is believed to be caused by a "slug" effect, i.e. the water pene-
5 trating to the lower side surface of the tiles is not dripping butcreaping down the lower side surface of the tiles, and is consequently
not measured.
In a further test, the amount of water penetrating to the lower side
surfaces of the tiles during one hour was recorded, at a non-reduced
10 pressure at the lower side surface of the test group set-up.
By comparing the curves S and V or U, it is evident that the provi-
sion of the proofing strips at these extreme rough weather conditions
results in a highly improved proofing of the roof.
Although the invention has been described with reference to the
15 drawing illustrating a number of embodiments of the invention, the
invention is not limited to these embodiments. Thus the principles of
the invention may also be used in connection with roofing plates
which are not corrugated, e.g. plates of metal, plastics or a similar
material, and at the same time the synthetic fibres of the proofing
20 strip may advantageously, as mentioned above, form a maze pattern to
further increase the barrier forming effect.
`, P~V F3764 jB F3764/HSN/lPkb 1984 09 14
