Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to roofing tiles
and in particular, to simulated clay tiles used for
roofing.
The clay tiles which have been commonly used
as a roofing tile for centuries in Europe are attractive,
durable and resistant to most weather conditions.
However, they are heavy, expensive both in terms of
material and installation, and are brittle.
There have been attempts to provide simulated
clay tiles such as described in U.S. patent no. 1,638,755,
Tyra, 1927. This patent illustrates a sheet metal tile
simulating a Spanish tile; U.S. patent no. 4,251,967,
Hoofe III, 1981, describes a molded A.B.S. tile;
U.S. patent no. 4,262,466, Roe, 1981, describes a molded
concrete tile; and U.S. patent no. 4,498,267, Beck, 1985,
describes a laminate of fiberglass reinforced gypsum and
a gelcoat covering the latter layer.
It is important that the roofing tile have a
construction which can easily be installed, provides a
barrier to water seepage and moisture and especially
when constructed of lighter weight, more flexible
materials, can be securely fastened to prevent lifting
due to wind.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide
an improved simulated clay tile which incorporates the
advantages of the above mentioned prior art, that is of
being made of a material which is light, has the required
strength and appearance of the clay tile yet is an
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improvement thereover in the sense that it has an improved
construction which allows the tile to be securely
fastened and provides an improved moisture and water
barrier.
A roofing tile in accordance with the present
invention comprises a rectangular panel having
longitudinal edge portions adapted to extend in the slope
direction of a sloped roof and an upper lateral edge and
a lower lateral edge adapted to run parallel to the
horizontal edges of the sloped roof. The upper lateral
edge and one longitudinal edge portion have an upstanding
ledge portion while the~other longitudinal edge portion is
raised with a downwardly extending flange. The raised
edge portion is adapted to overlap the upstanding ledge
of the one longitudinal edge portion. The bottom edge
portion has a downwardly extending flange adapted to
overlap the upstanding ledge at the upper edge portion.
A lower portion of said one longitudinal edge portion
being provided with fastener access means whereby a
fastener can be passed through to anchor the tile to
the roof; and the said lower portion being provided
with a recess defined inwardly of the upstanding ledge.
The flange of the raised portion on said other
longitudinal edge portion being provided with a tab
adapted to tightly fit within the corresponding recess of
an adjacent tile such that when a fastener anchors the
lower one longitudinal edge, the tab is interlocked
within the recess.
More specifically, the tab is at a slight outward
angle such that when it engages the recess, it is in
frictional engagement therewith and the one longitudinal
edge of the tile is raised from the roof and the one
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longitudinal edge is then lowered and the fastener
engaged, tab is urged outwardly within the recess against
a wall of the recess to interlock the tab therein.
Having thus generally described the nature of
the invention, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration, a
preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tile in accordance
with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective partly exploded view
of tiles in accordance with the present
invention in an assembled position;
Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section taken
along lines 3-3 of Figure l;
Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section taken
along lines 4-4 of Figure l;
Figure 5 is a vertical cross-section taken along
lines 5-5 of Figure 2; and,
Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of
assembled tiles in the direction of
lines 6-6 shown in Figure 1.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular,
to Figures 1, 3 and 9, there is illustrated a simulated
tile 10, made of molded fiberglass material provided with
a flat thin rectangular panel 12, having a lateral upper
edge portion 14 and a lower lateral edge portion 16.
Longitudinal edge portions 18 and 20 extend between the
lateral edge portions 14 and 16. The lateral edge
portion 14 is provided with a channel shaped upright
ledge 22 having a front wall face 24, i.e., the channel
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opens towards the bottom as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
The channel shaped ledge 22 extends continuously along
the upper lateral edge 22 and around the longitudinal
edge 18 to terminate near the longitudinal edge 16 at
a cut-out portion 32. Apertures 28 and 30 are provided
on the ledge 22 near diagonal opposed corners of the tile.
These apertures 28 and 30 are provided to receive
fastening means such as nails which pass through the
apertures to anchor the tile 10 into the roof R.
The panel 12 is provided with longitudinally
extending parallel ribs 34 and 36. These ribs provide
ornamentation as well as strength to the panel 12.
The longitudinal edge portion 20 is raised in a
cylinder like portion and is identified by the numeral 38.
The raised portion 38 terminates abruptly at the lower
lateral edge 16 and is spaced from the upper lateral
edge 14, by a groove 26. The raised portion 38 is
provided with a flat surface 40 at a 45 angle to the
panel 12. The raised portion 38 includes a flange 39
! 20 with a tab 46 extending downwardly from the flange 39
as shown in Figures 2 and 6.
The lateral lower edge 16 is provided with
a downwardly extending flange 48 which is adapted to
engage, as will be described, the surface of the panel 12
in front of the wall surface 24 of the outstanding
ledge 22. The panel includes nibs 44 for supporting the
tile powerfully on the roof surface.
A recess 42, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, is
provided between the rib 34 and the raised channel
shaped ledge 22 of the longitudinal edge portion 18.
In this case, the recess 42 is provided just adjacent
the aperture 30 but in the groove formed by the rib 34
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and the upstanding ledge 22. The tab 46 extends from the
flange 39 at an angle of approximately 6 fro~ the vertical.
The dimensions of the tab 46 correspond to the dimensions
of the recess 42 such as to fit within the recess 42.
The raised portion 38 is adapted to overlap the
upstanding ledge 22 of the longitudinal edge 18 with the
tab 46 engaging within the recess 42 as will be described
further. The tiles lOa through lOe as shown in Figure 2
are assembled in a conventional manner with the lower
lateral edges 16 overlapping the upper lateral edges 14.
The lower portion of the raised portion 38 is provided
with a cut-out 50 adapted to mate within the recess 26
while the flange 48 sits between the ends of ribs 34
and 36 and the front face 24 of the upstanding ledge 22
along the lateral edge 14. The flange 39 of the upstanding
portion 38 likewise overlaps the upstanding ledge 22
of the longitudinal ledge 18.
When the tile 10 is assembled to an adjacent
tile lOa for instance, the tab 46 is first aligned
so that it enters the recess 42 between the rib 44 and
the upstanding ledge 22. The tab 46 is snap-fitted into
the recess 42 and the edge 18 is then pressed down against
the resistance of the angled tab 46 within the recess 42
until it abuts against the surface of the roof and a
fastener 52 is then inserted through the aperture 32 to
anchor that corner of the tile 10 to the roof R. Thus, a
slight torsional force is provided to the tab 46 which
extends at an angle of 6 from the vertical, within the
recess 42 to interlock with the recess 42. Finally,
a fastener 54 is provided in the upper corner through the
aperture 28 to solidly anchor the tile to the roof.
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Subsequent tiles in lateral and vertical rows are then
overlapped and laid thereon in the manner described.
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