U.S. patent number 3,579,940 [Application Number 04/833,107] was granted by the patent office on 1971-05-25 for roofing tile.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Stepan Chemical Company. Invention is credited to James O. Greenleaf.
United States Patent |
3,579,940 |
Greenleaf |
May 25, 1971 |
ROOFING TILE
Abstract
Plastic molded roofing tile arranged so that laterally
positioned tiles overlap in a ridge and channel arrangement. An
upstanding flange at the top end of this overlap dams water flow
against movement in that direction. Longitudinally related tiles
are also overlapped with an upstanding flange at the upper end of
the lower tile engaging in a transverse groove through reinforcing
ribs in the bottom of the upper tile. Upstanding nailing bosses in
the lower tile engage between the flanges to provide a locator stop
to locate and rigidize the interrelationship. In one embodiment,
the upstanding flange lockingly engages the downwardly directed
ribs to prevent direct upward lifting of the upper tile.
Inventors: |
Greenleaf; James O. (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Assignee: |
Stepan Chemical Company
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25263449 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/833,107 |
Filed: |
June 13, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/542; 52/553;
52/543 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D
1/2914 (20190801); E04D 1/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04D
1/12 (20060101); E04D 1/20 (20060101); E04d
001/20 (); E04d 003/32 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/533,536,553,537,538,520,521,542,543 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Sutherland; Henry C.
Claims
I claim:
1. A roofing tile adapted to be molded from a material including
synthetic polymer composition material and comprising:
a planar top panel having a downturned flange at the bottom
thereof, said planar top panel and said downturned flange being
adapted to be substantially exposed to the weather;
an upturned flange at the top end of said top panel;
lateral edges on said top panel, said lateral edges being directed
lengthwise of said roofing tile from one flanged end to the other
flanged end, said lateral edges being adapted to laterally overlap
and interlock with laterally adjacent identical tile;
at least one nailing boss on said roofing tile, said nailing boss
being positioned adjacent said upturned flange, and extending
upwardly from said top panel; and
at least one longitudinal rib formed beneath said top panel, a
notch in said longitudinal rib adjacent said downturned flange,
said notch in said longitudinal rib being positioned to engage said
upturned flange of a longitudinally overlapping identical tile,
said nailing boss extending upward to engage beside the rib to
provide a lateral stop between adjacent rows of assembled tiles
whereby individual tiles of the next adjacent row are accurately
positioned against previously assembled tiles of the subjacent
row.
2. The roofing tile of claim 1 wherein said roofing
tile has two nailing bosses adjacent said upturned flange, each of
said nailing bosses extending upwardly from said top panel, at
least as far as said upturned flange so that either one of said
nailing bosses can act as a stop against the longitudinal rib
beneath a longitudinally adjacent overlapping tile.
3. The roofing tile of claim 2 wherein there
are two downwardly extending ribs beneath said top panel, said
downwardly extending ribs being spaced from each other to
strengthen said top panel, each of said ribs having a said notch
therein, and each of said ribs being shaped along the edge away
from said top panel in such a manner as to engage a roof deck on
one side of said notch and the adjacent tile which it is
overlapping on the other side of said notch, said notches in said
ribs thus positionally defining adjacent overlapped roofing
tile.
4. The roofing tile of claim 1 wherein said
upturned flange and said notch in said reinforcing rib are
obtusely, angularly related with respect to said top surface of
said roofing tile so that, when adjacent longitudinal tiles are
overlapped and said flange is engaged in said notch, the upper tile
is restrained from direct upward motion by interengagement with the
adjacent tile.
5. The roofing tile of claim 4 wherein said
roofing tile has two nailing bosses adjacent said upturned flange,
each of said nailing bosses extending upwardly from said top panel,
at least as far as said upturned flange so that either one of said
nailing bosses can act as a stop against the longitudinal rib
beneath a longitudinally adjacent overlapping tile.
6. The roofing tile of claim 5 wherein there
are two downwardly extending ribs beneath said top panel, said
downwardly extending ribs being spaced from each other to
strengthen said top panel, each of said ribs having a said notch
therein, and each of said ribs being shaped along the edge away
from said top panel in such a manner as to engage a roof deck on
one side of said notch and the adjacent tile which it is
overlapping on the other side of said notch, said notches in said
ribs thus positionally defining adjacent overlapped roofing tile.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to roofing tile, and particularly
roofing tile made of moldable material. The molded tiles interlock
laterally and longitudinally and are provided with integrally
formed alignment stops.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art abounds with roofing tile made of formable materials.
Perhaps the oldest roofing tile of this type is the style presently
called Spanish tile. These interlocking, half-cylindrical tubes,
employed for roofing purposes, go back into antiquity. In
comparatively modern times, much design effort has gone into the
definition of a moldable roofing tile structure which is
advantageous for one reason or another as compared to this Spanish
tile. However, most of the design effort has gone into the
consideration of molding from tile clay or Portland cement
mixtures. Tile clay is conveniently extruded, and extrusion is more
economical than individual molding. Therefore, considerable design
effort has gone into roofing tile having uniform cross section.
Additionally, considerable design effort has also been devoted to
the molding of individual tiles. In such a case, a uniform cross
section need not be adhered to but, instead, interlocking features
together with stops and dams are achievable. The tiles of the prior
art include lateral overlap between adjacent tiles, including
tongue and groove type of overlap. Furthermore, the prior art
includes longitudinal overlap with upstanding ribs engaged in
recesses.
One of the problems shared by all of the prior art is that the
prior art interlocking roofing tile designs were created with the
necessity of keeping their intended materials in mind. The intended
materials ranged from tile clay to reinforced Portland cement. In
the case of tile clay and ordinary cement, the material is quite
brittle and must be formed in fairly heavy sections to produce the
requisite strength. In the case of reinforced cement, the cost of
reinforcement was such that only the thinnest sections were
economically feasible. Asbestos reinforced cement is an example of
such material. Thus, the reinforced cements were designed with
minimum thickness, for economy, consistent with an adequate
breaking strength. The final design strength of such roofing tile
was usually comparable to the tile clay type of roofing tiles.
Accordingly, the prior structures were not of optimum design
character, when considering today's modern materials and the
moldability criteria of various synthetic polymer compositions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be
stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to a roofing
tile. The roofing tile comprises a substantially planar main panel.
The panel has upwardly facing engagement means along one lateral
edge, and corresponding downwardly facing engagement means along
the other lateral edge. These are arranged for lateral
interengagement between adjacent tiles. An upwardly directed flange
extends all the way along the top edge of the panel. The lower side
of the panel has downwardly directed reinforcing ribs, and these
ribs each have a notch therein for acceptance of the upper flange
on the top of the adjacent tile. This provides interlock between
adjacent rows of tiles. Bosses are positioned adjacent the flange
and act as a locator stop to interengage with the reinforcing ribs
in order to provide lateral positioning reference between adjacent
rows of roofing tile.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a roofing
tile which comprises a tile panel having appropriate ridges,
flanges and ribs for full interlocking with adjacent tiles. It is
still another object to provide roofing tiles which have overlap
between lateral tiles comprising longitudinal ridges and grooves,
with the longitudinal ridges and grooves being provided with a dam
at the top end thereof to prevent upward water flow. It is a
further object to provide adjacent roofing tile with interlocking
means between adjacent rows of roofing tile, including a flange on
the upper face of the lower tile interengaging with stops on the
lower side of the upper tile. It is still another object to provide
reinforcing ribs on the bottom of a tile molded from synthetic
polymer composition material, with appropriate mixture of suitable
compounds, wherein an economical and moldable tile of synthetic
polymer composition material is attained. It is a further object to
provide ribs for reinforcing a molded tile, so that a maximum
strength is obtained with minimum material. It is a further object
to provide notches in the reinforcing ribs in a tile, which notches
engage with a flange on the adjacent row of tiles to provide
row-to-row interlocking. It is yet another object to provide upward
extending bosses on the lower tile, which bosses engage with
flanges on an upper tile to provide a locator stop and lateral
positioning between tiles in adjacent rows.
Still other objects, features and attendant advantages of the
present invention, together with various modifications, will become
apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the
following detailed description of the preferred embodiment
constructed in accordance therewith, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts in
the several FIGS.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of roofing tiles in
accordance with this invention, showing the manner in which they
are interlocked when laid on a roof.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view, with parts broken away,
showing the interrelationship between adjacent tiles.
FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a tile in accordance with
this invention.
FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of such tile.
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section taken generally along the line 5-5
of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail section taken generally along the line
6-6 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken generally along the line 7-7
of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a similar but longer tile in
accordance with this invention.
FIG. 9 is a transverse section taken generally along the line 9-9
of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section, with parts
broken away, showing a detail of a further embodiment of this
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, it will be recognized that the roofing
tile of this invention have identical features; thus, the
description of a single roofing tile 10 serves as a description of
the roofing tiles 12, 14, 16 and 18 therearound, as seen in FIG.
1.
Roofing tile 10 has a top panel 20 which is substantially all
exposed to the weather. Accordingly, top panel 20 is that which is
seen on the roof, and is appropriately colored and/or patterned.
Top panel 20 may be formed with ridges and grooves to resemble wood
shake, or it may be configured in any desired surface character.
Preferably, it is substantially smooth and planar to resist the
accumulation of dirt. The preferred material of roofing tile 10 is
synthetic polymer composition material, with appropriate compounds
mixed therein. Preferably, it is a thermoplastic compound with
appropriate fillers to give proper color, strength, appearance,
weather resistance, impact resistance and economy. In view of these
considerations, it can be seen that the roofing tile can be marbled
in appearance, or can be of one color.
In view of the moldability and strength of the molding compound for
the roofing tile, top panel 20 can be formed to be fairly thin.
However, in order to strengthen this panel, as well as provide the
proper angular relationship of the tile with respect to the roof
deck, top panel 20 has downwardly extending reinforcing ribs 22, 24
and 26. These ribs are of such dimension as to extend downward to
and contact roof deck 36. The top and bottom edges of top panel 20
are finished off with downwardly directed flanges 28 and 30. Flange
28 extends downward to contact the roof deck, and flange 30 is
exposed to the weather and extends downward to contact the top
panel of roofing tile 18, as shown in FIG. 5.
As is seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, beneath the left side of top panel
20 are downwardly directed ridges 32 which define a pair of
upwardly directed grooves 34. Adjacent and parallel to the inner
groove 34, as is seen in FIG. 7, is downwardly directed rib 26. Rib
26 is preferably identical to the strengthening ribs 22 and 24, as
shown. However, in a less preferred embodiment it does not extend
downwardly all the way to the roof deck but instead terminates in a
plane at the bottom edge of the flanges 28 and 30. In that less
preferred embodiment it is thought that rib 26 need not extend down
to the deck 36 because it is closely adjacent the rib 24 of the
next, left tile 12, as is seen in FIG. 7. In that case, the left
side of tile 10 derives its support from the direction of lateral
overlap.
As is seen in the same FIGS., the right-hand side of tile 10 has an
outwardly extending panel on which are positioned upwardly
extending ridges 38 which define therebetween downwardly extending
grooves 40. The entire panel extending to the right of rib 24 is
terminated at its upward end by dam 42. As is seen in FIG. 6, dam
42 is complemented by an appropriate recess in the adjacent tile.
The ridges and grooves, which are upwardly and downwardly facing on
opposite edges of the tile, define longitudinal channels which are
disposed on the lateral edges of the tile. Furthermore, they are
dimensioned and shaped in such a manner that lateral overlap (see
FIG. 7) places the ridges and grooves of the adjacent tile
together. This interlocking inhibits and effectively prevents the
flow of water between the tiles down to the roof deck. Furthermore,
the dam 42 inhibits the flow of water upwardly along the lower
grooves, to prevent wind from blowing the water out of the upper
ends of the grooves onto the roof deck. Accordingly, a tight,
lateral joint is achieved.
Longitudinal overlap, as well as proper angular relationship of the
tile, and waterproofing of the joint between tile rows, is
accomplished by resting flange 28 on the deck, and flange 30 on the
top panel of the next lower tile 18, as is seen in FIG. 5. Flanges
22, 24 and 26 are reduced in depth at the outer ends so that they
rest on the top of the top panel. Additionally, top panel 20
carries an upstanding transverse flange 44 at its upper edge. This
flange 44 extends transversely from one side of the tile to the
other, and is in line with dam 42. In a sense, dam 42 is a
continuation of flange 44, but dam 42 is necessarily of lesser
height, as is seen in FIGS. 4 and 7. In order to accommodate flange
44, notches 46 (best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5) are cut in all of
flanges 22, 24 and 26. These notches receive the upstanding flange
44. Flange 44, together with end flange 28, form the top edge of
the tile 10, and flanges 22, 24 and 26 are cut to stop at and
engage upon flanges 28 and 44 of the next lowermost tile. By this
means, proper support on the roof deck is accomplished, and flange
44 acts as a dam which prevents windblown water from blowing up
over the top edge of the tile onto the deck.
An important feature of this invention is the presence of nailing
bosses 48 and 50. As best seen in FIGS. 3--7, these bosses extend
upward at the top edge of tile 10, to be even with the top edge of
flange 44. They preferably have holes therethrough or knockouts
therein of such size as to accept suitable nails for nailing the
roofing tile down upon the roof deck. The upward extension of the
bosses prevents windblown water from going down the nail holes, as
well as providing strength. In addition to extending upwardly from
top panel 20, the nailing bosses extend downwardly to the bottom
edge of flange 28, so that the lower extension of the nailing
bosses extend to the roof deck. The nailing bosses below the top
panel are in the form of fillets 52 and 54, which lie against the
flange 28 and respectively against ribs 26 and 24.
An important feature of the nailing bosses, in addition to
providing the ability to solidly secure the roofing tile to the
deck, is the fact that the upwardly extending portions of the
nailing bosses 48 and 50 engage between the downwardly extending
ribs below the top panels to provide lateral locator stops between
adjacent longitudinal tile rows. As is seen in FIG. 2, the
left-hand nailing boss 48 on tile 18 engages against rib 22 on tile
10, to provide a lateral stop. This relationship provides uniform
installational character so that a workman need not exercise the
same diligence or skill to achieve a properly oriented roofing tile
installation.
The embodiment of the roofing tile 56, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, is
identical to the roofing tile 10, except for the fact that the
roofing tile 56 is very much wider between lateral edges. It has
proportionally more nailing bosses and reinforcing ribs, so that it
corresponds in lateral length to a plurality of laterally disposed
tiles 10. Thus, roofing tile 56 permits a more rapid application of
tile without so many interconnecting joints, to provide a more
secure roof at less installational cost. Roofing tile 56 is endowed
with all of the features of roofing tile 10, including overlapping
with lateral tiles by means of longitudinally disposed ribs and
grooves, having a dam at the top end, longitudinal overlapping by
means of lateral grooves and flanges, and lateral interlocking
between longitudinal tiles by engagement of bosses with
reinforcement ribs.
Roofing tiles 58 and 60, shown in FIG. 10, are a further
embodiment. These tiles incorporate all of the features of tile 10
including lateral overlapping with longitudinal grooves, a dam at
the top of the grooves, longitudinal overlapping of tiles in
adjacent rows with interlocking between lateral grooves and
flanges, together with interengagement of nailing bosses with
reinforcing ribs to provide lateral stops between longitudinal
rows. The additional feature of the embodiment of FIG. 10 is that
the upwardly extending flange 62, corresponding to flange 44 and
the downwardly extending flange 64, corresponding to flange 28, are
angularly disposed and flange 62 enters an angularly disposed
series of notches 66 in the reinforcing ribs. These flanges and
notches are angularly related to the plane of the top surface, and
are preferably angularly directed toward the top of the tile, to
form an obtuse angle with respect to the top surface in the
direction of the bottom edge of the tile. The joint is sufficiently
tight that, when an attempt as by the force of wind is made to lift
tile 58 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10, to rotate about
the pivot point of the nailing bosses at the upper end of the tile
58, flange 62 jams in notches 66 to prevent such lifting.
Accordingly, holddown of the bottom edge of the tile is
accomplished. It is clear that the tiles 58 and 60 can be slid
together during assembly but, after nailing down the top edges of
the tiles at the nailing bosses, the bottom edges of the tiles can
no longer be lifted. Accordingly, tile securement is
accomplished.
This invention having been described in its preferred embodiment,
it is clear that it is susceptible to numerous modifications and
embodiments within the ability of those skilled in the art and
without the exercise of the inventive faculty.
* * * * *