BUILDING COMPONENT

ELEMENT DE CONSTRUCTION

English Abstract

A building component comprises a block unit (8, 8') having a capping portion
(10, 10'') and an overhang portion (12) with the outer face of which serving
as a barge/fascia board (14A). A lower face of the overhang portion serves as
a soffit. The block unit is for use with others of its kind in being laid side-
by-side as a course on top of a gable wall (16) or front/rear wall (17).

French Abstract

L'invention porte sur un élément de construction comportant un bloc (8, 8') comprenant une partie couvrante (10, 10'), et une partie en surplomb (12) dont la face extérieure sert de bandeau (14A), et la face inférieure d'avant toit. Placés côte à côte des blocs de ce type peuvent constituer un cordon au sommet d'un mur pignon (16) ou d'une façade (17).

Claims

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CLAIMS
1. A building component for use in constructing a roof of a building having a
double-skinned wall provided with a cavity between its inner and outer skins, said building
component comprising a block unit (8') having an intermediate capping portion (10'),
an outer overhang portion (12) extending downwardly at right angles to the capping
portion (10') and an inner leg portion (9) extending downwardly at right angles to the
capping portion (10'), the overhang portion having an outer face serving as a
barge/fascia board (14A), an under face serving as a soffit (14B) and an inner face, the
capping portion (10') being shaped with a flat top face extending from its inner edge to
its outer edge and a flat under face which is parallel to the flat top face and which
extends from the inner face of the overhang portion (12) to an oppositely facing outer
face of the inner leg portion (9), the shape of the capping portion (10') enabling it to be
positioned over, and straddle, the outer skin of a double-skinned wall (17) with the outer
overhang portion (12) projecting outwardly beyond the outer skin and the inner face of
the overhang portion (12) lying opposite the outside of the outer skin.
2. A building component as claimed in claim 1 and including a batt of insulation
material (28) secured to an inner end of the block unit (8').
3. A building component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner end of the capping
portion (10') is rebated to accommodate a heat insulation batt (28) such that the capping
portion (10') and leg portion (9) have, at their inner end, said insulation batt (28) to abut
or nearly abut the outside of the inner skin of the double-skinned wall (17).
4. A building component as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein a marked orrecessed panel 26 is provided in the flat top face, and above the flat under face, of the
capping portion (10').
5. A building component as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the under face
of the overhang portion (12) serving as a soffit (14A) has an outer edge and wherein a
drip channel (24) is provided in the under face of the overhang portion (12) adjacent to

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its said outer edge.
6. A building component as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the capping
portion (10') is of equal weight to, or heavier than, the overhang portion (12) to
counterbalance or overbalance inwardly the block unit (8') when laid on the outer skin
of a double skinned wall (17), said overhang portion (12) being, hollow, or having
multi-cavities therein or being cellular.
7. A building component as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the block unit
(8') is made of any durable material.
8. A building component as claimed in claim 7, wherein the durable material is acementitious material.
9. A building component as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the capping
portion (10') is of equal weight to, or heavier than. the overhang portion (12) to
counterbalance or overbalance inwardly the block unit (8') when laid on the outer skin
of a double skinned wall (17), and wherein the block unit (8') is cast from two
cementitious mixtures, one containing a stone aggregate in respect of the capping portion
(10') and the other containing a lightweight aggregate in respect of the overhang portion
(12) which is said.
10. A building component as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the block unit (8') is
moulded in a manner in which the overhang under face serving as a soffit (14B) and/or
overhang outer face serving as a fascia/barge board (14A) is/are provided with a wood
grain or other ornamental effect.
11. A building component as claimed in. claim. 7 to 10. wherein the cementitious material
has a mat or fibre reinforcement of synthetic material.
12. A building component for use in constructing a roof of a building having a
double-skinned wall provided with a cavity between its inner and outer skins. substantially as

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hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 5A and 5B of the accompanying
drawings.
13. A building component for use in constructing a roof of a building having a
double-skinned wall provided with a cavity between its inner and outer skins, substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 6A and 6B of the accompanying
drawings.
14. A roof of a building having a double-skinned wall (17) provided with a cavity
between its inner and outer skins and comprising a building component as claimed in any
one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the block unit (8') is laid in side-by-side relationship with
others of its kind as a course at the top of the wall (17).
15. A roof of a building having a double-skinned wall provided with a cavity between
its inner and outer skins, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig.
2A of the accompanying drawings.
16. A roof of a building having a double-skinned wall provided with a cavity between
its inner and outer skins, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig.
2B of the accompanying drawings.
17. A building component as claimed in Claim 1 when used on a single-skinned
wall.

Description

CA 02220~69 1997-11-10
WO 96t35848 PCT/GB96101124
BUII nlNG COMPONENT
This invention relates to a building component for use in constructing a
roof for a building primarily, but not only, a building constructed having a
"double skin" outer wall(s) particularly, but not necessarily, having a cavity
between said skins, the cavity normally being filled or substantially so with an5 insulation material. A requirement of building regulations currently in force is
the capping or closing-off of the top of such cavity. This capping operation is
normally achieved by fabrication on site using a board of natural or synthetic
material in the same, a preceding or a succee~ing operation including a gable
wall overhang, a barge board and a sofft. While this invention is primarily
0 concerned with the provision of gable wall overhangs, barge boards and soffits,
it is also applicable to the provision of fronVrear wall overhangs, fascia boards
and soffits. Heretofore, oveil,angs have been constructed of timber as have
barge boards and soffits which require regular painting maintenance with both
barge boards and soffts being susceptible to rot and decay and requiring
15 periodic replacement. Barge boards and soffits have also been provided of
synthetic plastics material. While these are beneficial in requiring little
maintenance they tend to degrade when exposed to sunlight, due to ultra violet
radiation and thermal stresses. These existing building components are
disadvantageous and an object of the present invention is to obviate or
20 mitigate these disadvantages.
Accordingly, the present invention is a building component comprising a
block unit having a capping portion and an overhang portion, the outer face of

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the overhang portion being to serve as a barge/fascia board. A lower face of
the overhang portion beneficially serves as a soffit.
The block unit is desirably for use with others ol its kind in being laid
side-by-side as a course on top of a wall. Alternatively, a multi-block unit maybe provided of desired length for use with others of its kind. The capping
portion of the block unit is of tile shape, in a first embodiment, to be positioned
over a double-skinned wall and, in a second embodiment, is shaped to be
positioned over and straddle the outer skin of the wall. In both embodiments,
the overhang portion projects outwardly beyond the wall.
o The capping portion is preferably of equal weight to or heavier than theoverhang portion to counterbalance or overbalance inwardly the block unit
when laid on a wall or the outer skin thereof.
Preferably, the block unit is made of any durabie material, for example
cementitious material. The overhang portion is beneficially hollow or may have
15 multi-cavities therein, or may be cellular. The block unit may alternatively be
cast from two cementitious mixtures, one containing a stone agyr~:gdle in
respect of the capping portion, and the other containing a light-weight
aggregate in t~:s~e.il of the overhang portion which is solid.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of
20 example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a top and one gable of a building
showing a roof support structure with a gable overhang, a barge board and a
soffit constructed conventionally;
Fig. 2A is a perspective view of a part of a top and one end of a building
25 showing a roof support structure with a course of block units according to a first
embodiment of the present invention; overlying the top of a gable wall;

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Fig. 2B is a perspective view of a part of a top and one end of a building
showing a roof support structure with a course of block units according to a
second embodiment, overlying both the top of a gable wall and a front wall;
Figs. 3A and 3B are similar perspective views of a block unit according
to a first embodiment showing different shaped hollow configurations provided
in an overhang portion thereof;
Figs. 4A and 4B are respectively, a perspective view and a side
elevational view of a modified block unit according to the first embodiment;
Figs. 5A and 5B are respectively, a perspective view and a side
o elevational view of a block unit according to a second embodiment; and
Figs. 6A and 6B are respectively, a perspective view and a side
elevational view of a modified block unit accordi, lg to a second embodiment
having a baK of insulation material secured to the inner end of the block unit.
Referring to the drawings, a building component cor"~Jrises a block unH
8, 8' having a capping portion 10 /10' and an overhang portion 12 with the
outer face of portion 12 serving as a barge or fascia board 14A and a lower
face as a soffit 14B.
The block unit 8, 8' is for use with others of its kind in being laid side-by-
side as a course on top of a double-skinned wall 16 with the capping portion
20 10 thereon and the overhang portion 12 projecting outwardly beyond the outer
skin of the wall 16.
The capping portion 10 is of equal weight to or heavier than the
overhang portion 12 to counterbalance or overbalance inwardly the block unit
8, 8' when laid on a gable wall 16.
The block unit 8, 8' is made of any durable material, for example
cementitious material, and can be coloured to suit a particular colour scheme
for the rest of the normally painted or coloured parts of a building, for example

CA 02220~69 1997-11-10
WO 96135848 PCT/GB96/01124
window frames, guttering or doors. The overhang por~ion 12 is hollow as
shown in Figs. 3A or 3B, 4A or 4B, 5A or 5B, 6A or 6B with a cylindrical tubularfommed passage as shown in Fig. 3A or square tubular formed passage as
shown in Figs. 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B. Comer or end block units 18
are provided to terminate a course of block units 8, 8~as shown in Figs. 2A and
2B laid on top of the gable wall or front wall 17 in the same manner as
conventional bricks or blocks are laid using mortar. An apex 20 may be formed
by providing mitre sides to the block units 8, 8' to be abutting at the vertex of
the wall. The top surfaces of the block units 8, 8' are flush with the top surfaces
of a series of rafters 22 on the gable wall which rafters 22 together provide a
roof support structure for a tiled or slated roof including battens and
felt/underlay covering.
The outer face of the overhang portions 12 when being moulded may be
provided with a wood grain or other omamental/decorc~ /e effect.
~s A gable overhang and barge board when formed in the manner
described above is beneficial over the existing provision for such and requires
little or no maintenance.
In a first embodiment, the capping portion 10 of the block unit 8 overlies
both skins and closes offthe cavity between both skins in the gable wall 16.
In a second embodiment, the capping portion 1~' of the block unit 8'
overlies horizontally the outer skin of any outer wall and terminates with a
downwardly extending leg portion 9 at right angles thereto, the capping portion
10' straddling the outer skin with leg portion 9 closing off the top of the cavity
between the double skins of the wall.
Although the invention has been described in a~nnection with pitched
gable walls, the building component can equally be used with gable walls 16 of

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s
flat-roofed structures and with front and rear walls 17 of pitched gable or flat-
roofed structures.
As shown in Figs. 4A and 4B, the modified block unit of the first
embodiment is provided with a drip channel 24 adjacent to the outer edge of
5 soffit 14B, and a marked or recessed panel 26 is provided in the top face of the
capping portion 10 as an indicator for the positioning of a restraining element in
the form of a wooden batten (not shown) or the like forming part of a roof
structure.
As shown in Figs 5A and 5B, 6A and 6B, the block unit and modified
lO block unit of the second embodiment is provided with a drip channel 24
adjacent to the outer edge of soffit 14B, and a marked or recessed panel 26 is
provided in the top face of the capping portion 10 as an indicator for the
positioning of a restraining element in the form of a wooden batten (not shown)
or the like forming part of a roof structure. The panel 26 when in a recessed
15 form can have a secondary use as a collector of any rain or other water which penetrates between the roof structure and block units.
In a modification of the first embodiment, a multi-block unit is provided
of a desired length equal to and to locate between a formed apex unit and a
corner or end block unit in each gable wall. Such length units may also be
20 used in multiples along front or rear walls between corner or end block units.
In the manufacture of the block units, the cementious mixtures can have
a mat or fibre reinforcement of synthetic material.
In a first modification of both embodiments, the overhang portion is
provided with multi-cavities/passages, normally axially parallel to each other, or
25 is of a cellular structure.
In a second modification of both embodiments, the block unit may be
cast from two cementitious mixtures, one containing a stone aggregate in

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WO 96135848 PCT/GB96101124
respect of the capping portion and the other containin~g a light-weight
aggregate, for example pumice, perlite (RTM) or expanded polystyrene, in
respect of the overhang portion.
In a modification of the second embodiment as shown in Figs. 6A and
s 6B, the inner end of the capping portion of the block unit is rebated to
accommodate a heat insulation baK 28, namely the capping portion 10' and leg
portion 9 have at their inner end a heat insulation baK 28 to abut or nearly abut
against the outside of the inner skin of the wall.
Variations and other modifications can be made without departing from
10 the scope of the invention described above and as claimed hereinafter.

Representative Drawing