U.S. patent number 3,720,031 [Application Number 05/097,773] was granted by the patent office on 1973-03-13 for structural surface covering and method of making a cover element therefor.
Invention is credited to Robert W. Naden, Robert J. Wilson.
United States Patent |
3,720,031 |
Wilson , et al. |
March 13, 1973 |
STRUCTURAL SURFACE COVERING AND METHOD OF MAKING A COVER ELEMENT
THEREFOR
Abstract
A structural surface covering means for a wall or roof of a
building or the like and method of making a cover element used in
said covering means, said covering means including a plurality of
tapered flanged panels or outer metal shingle-like cover elements
disposed in side-by-side relation and in overlapping rows or
courses upon a surface, said outer cover elements defining a
plurality of tapered slots therebetween, the covering means also
including a plurality of tapered flanged spacer flashing strips
underlying and interlockably connecting the flanges on the adjacent
outer cover elements in masking relation to the slots to provide a
relatively lightweight, virtually leak-proof, fireproof metal
structural covering requiring fewer construction components than a
comparable wooden shingle or shake covering.
Inventors: |
Wilson; Robert J. (Fresno,
CA), Naden; Robert W. (Fresno, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22265061 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/097,773 |
Filed: |
December 14, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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817607 |
Mar 24, 1969 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/520; 52/542;
52/560 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D
1/365 (20130101); E04D 3/30 (20130101); E04D
3/366 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04D
3/24 (20060101); E04D 1/36 (20060101); E04D
1/00 (20060101); E04D 3/366 (20060101); E04D
3/36 (20060101); E04D 3/30 (20060101); E04d
003/362 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/520,533,521,542,560
;72/339 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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494,509 |
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Jul 1953 |
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CA |
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278,856 |
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Feb 1952 |
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CH |
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Primary Examiner: Sutherland; Henry C.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No.
817,607, filed Mar. 24, 1969, which is being abandoned in favor of
the present continuation-in-part application.
Claims
We claim:
1. In a structurally rigid supporting structure such as a roof
constructed to be water tight without the use of roofing paper,
including in combination
a plurality of horizontal lath boards arranged in spaced-apart
parallel relation;
a plurality of horizontally arranged courses of formed rigid steel
shingle elements each having a wall of trapezoidal shape, a
downturned bottom butt flange, downturned side flanges tapering
from said butt flange to the upper end of said element, said wall
having an uninterrupted plane from said bottom butt flange to the
upper end thereof, said upper ends being arranged in parallel lines
and in close proximity and with downturned butt flanges in spaced
relation,
a plurality of flashing strip elements of trapezoidal shape
narrower than said shingle elements in each course, each strip
element extending between and beneath longitudinal edges of
adjacent shingle elements and each flashing element having upturned
side flanges tapering in height from its bottom end to its upper
end, and interleaved with downturned side flanges on adjacent
shingle elements, the taper of said side flanges on said shingle
and flashing elements being in corresponding relation to provide
structural support for said shingle element wall,
the upper ends of said shingle elements and flashing elements of a
course being disposed downwardly from a line defined by the butt
flanges of the next adjacent upwardly disposed course of shingle
elements, whereby said shingle and flashing elements of each course
are overlapped only by the next above adjacent course;
and means securing each shingle element to said lath boards;
said flashing elements being retained in position by said butt
flanges and said securing means.
2. In a structure as stated in claim 1, wherein
said securing means interengage side edges of the upper end of said
flashing strip elements for limiting lateral movement thereof;
and wherein said butt flanges on said shingle elements and said
side flanges on said flashing strip elements interengage to limit
longitudinal movement of said strip elements.
3. In a roof structure:
at least two steel shingle elements each comprising a wall of
trapezoidal shape having an uninterrupted planar shingle surface
extending the length of said wall,
a downturned bottom butt flange and downturned side flanges
tapering from said butt flange to the top end of said shingle
element,
said side and bottom edge flanges serving as structural walls,
adjacent side flanges of adjacent shingle elements diverging toward
the bottom of said shingle elements;
at least one flashing strip element of trapezoidal shape having
bottom end underlying the space between said downturned side
flanges of adjacent shingle elements and having a wider top
end,
said flashing element having upturned side flanges tapering in
height from its bottom end to its upper end and interleaved with
downturned side flanges on the adjacent shingle elements,
a pair of spaced holes each prepunched in said shingle element in
spaced relation to the adjacent side flanges and to the top end of
said shingle element,
securement members extending through said spaced holes and
laterally containing the top end of a flashing strip element
therebetween and without penetration thereof,
said upturned flanges on said flashing strip element at the bottom
end thereof closely receiving the downturned side flanges on said
shingle elements,
and the bottom edges of said flashing strip element having abutting
contact with the butt flanges on adjacent shingle elements for
limiting downward and lateral movement of the lower bottom end of
the flashing strip element.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wooden shingles and shakes have long been employed as a covering
for exterior building walls, roofs and the like in view of their
traditionally rustic, aesthetic appearance, ready availability, and
economical cost. The shingles are arranged on a suitable supporting
surface, usually spaced wood lath, in multi-overlapping rows. The
rows of shingles are extensively overlapped to minimize leakage,
and a relatively large number of shingles per square foot coverage
of the supporting surface are required. However, such coverings can
only be installed by the most skilled workmen. Consequently, with
the increasing cost of labor and shingle material itself, such
coverings are becoming economically prohibitive.
Furthermore, wooden shingles have a relatively short life before
rotting unless pretreated with preservatives, and are also highly
susceptible to damage from high winds and fire. The latter poses a
particularly onerous problem in forested areas which may be subject
to intense rapidly moving fires which may produce myriads of sparks
which may fall upon a wood roof and set the roof on fire. In such
areas the shingles must be chemically treated with fire retardant
materials which factor also contributes to the higher cost of wood
roofing materials and installation. Fireproof roof materials other
than wood are commercially available, such as slate or clay tile or
the like, but these materials are frequently expensive, difficult
to handle and install, and because of their relatively great
weight, require a much more substantial supporting structure than
the other described non-fire resistant materials. Metal shingles of
copper are subject to the same disadvantages; while those of light
weight aluminum have utilized expensive complex interlocking
arrangements between shingles. Accordingly, in most instances and
particularly in the construction of small homes, the additional
expense of such fireproof covering materials is prohibitive. In
addition, structural framing for a wood shingle or shake roof is
inadequate to support a clay tile roof covering; changing of the
wood type roof covering on existing buildings to a clay tile or
other heavy fireproof material is structurally cost wise usually
not feasible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an
improved fireproof structural surface covering of exceptionally
long life for buildings and the like which may be economically,
easily and conveniently installed in either new or existing
building constructions.
Another object is to provide such an improved structural surface
covering which substantially simulates the ornamental and aesthetic
appearance of conventional wooden shingles or shakes but which
requires fewer roof construction components than a comparable
wooden shingle covering.
Another object is to provide an improved structural covering which
employs a plurality of structurally coacting shingle and flashing
strips which can be arranged effectively to provide a leak-proof,
fireproof covering.
Another object is to provide an improved structural covering in
which the covering elements are constructed of a relatively
lightweight metal material of selected gauge having high strength,
good resistance to atmospheric corrosion, and also enhanced in
aesthetic appearance while aging.
Another object is to provide an improved structural covering in
which the shingles and flashing strips have cooperating flange
portions with the flashing strips precisely constraining the
shingles in desired spaced relation upon a support surface, which
arrangement requires only a minimum of nails to hold the shingles
and flashing strips in place on the support surface and provides a
covering surface adapted to be walked upon without damage to
appearance or weatherability of the covering.
Another object is to provide an improved structural covering
element and method of making in which the flanged covering elements
can be individually fabricated from substantially rectangular
blanks of such sheet material substantially without any waste.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a metal
shingle having structural characteristics and a method of rapidly
and economically making such a shingle from sheet or roll or coiled
stock.
Still another object of the invention is to disclose a roof or wall
structure adapted for inexpensive new construction and for old
construction without requiring substantial structural change for
roofs, for example, of wood shingle type.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be
readily apparent from the following description of the drawings in
which an exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the improved structural
covering embodying the principles of the present invention showing
a plurality of shingles and flashing strips disposed in coacting
installed position upon a support surface such as a building, roof
or the like.
FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged top plan view of one of the shingles
of FIG. 1 removed from the support surface.
FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the shingle of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a somewhat enlarged top plan view of one of the spacer
flashing strips of FIG. 1, removed from the support surface.
FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the spacer flashing strip of FIG.
4.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pair of adjacent shingles of FIG.
1 removed from the support surface with their common spacer
flashing strip lowered somewhat from its installed position between
the adjacent side edges of the shingles in masking relation to the
space between the shingles.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a roof structure provided with the
structural covering shown in FIG. 1, the view being taken from
below the roof structure and looking upwardly thereto.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane
indicated by line VIII--VIII of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is an exploded schematic view illustrating the method of
making a surface covering element embodying the present
invention.
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken in the plane
indicated by line X--X of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner of a covering
element, the corner area being indicated by the phantom circle 11
indicated in FIG. 9.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring particularly to the drawing, an improved structural
covering means embodying the principles of the present invention
includes a plurality of elongated tapered shingle for outer cover
elements or panels 10 of slightly trapezoidal configuration. The
shingle elements 10 are adapted to be stamped from a single
substantially rigid sheet of relatively thin gauge steel plate,
aluminum, or the like. It is particularly contemplated and
preferred that the shingle elements be constructed of a relatively
new sheet metal material marketed under the trade name of "Cor-Ten"
by United States Steel, this new material requiring no protective
painted covering or the like and being adapted to weather naturally
without any maintenance, such "Cor-Ten" material being described
hereafter.
As best shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, each of the outer shingles or
cover elements 10 which substantially simulates a conventional wood
shingle or shake, provides opposite substantially flat top and
bottom surfaces 12 and 14, respectively. Each shingle element
further includes a lower butt end 15 and an opposite, relatively
wider upper head end 16. The upper and lower ends of each shingle
element are interconnected by opposite sides 17 which converge
toward lower end 15. An elongated depending flange 20 is integrally
formed from the lower end 15 and said flange 20 has sufficient
width to substantially simulate the thick or butt end of a
conventional wood shingle or shake. A longitudinal edge flange 22
is integrally formed in depending relation from each side 17 of the
shingle element 10. Each flange 22 longitudinally tapers from a
maximum height at its lower end adjacent to butt flange 20 to blend
or merge at its opposite end into lower surface 14 of shingle
element 10 at the upper head end 16 thereof to simulate in side
elevation the tapered cut of a wood shingle or shake. It should be
noted that the maximum height of flange 22 at butt flange 20 is
slightly less than the height of butt flange 20 by an amount
approximately the same as the thickness of the metal, such
difference in height being indicated at 21, FIG. 11. A pair of nail
hole 25 are provided through each of the shingle elements, each
hole 25 being adjacent an upper corner of head end 16 to receive
therethrough conventional shingle constraining nails 26 (FIGS. 1
and 6).
The improved structural covering means of the present invention
further includes a plurality of spacer flashing elements or inner
strips 30 which are constructed of the sheet metal material as
outer shingle elements 10. As best shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, each
of the spacer flashing strips 30 has planar top and bottom surfaces
31 and 32, respectively, and a narrow lower end 33 and an opposite
relatively wide upper end 34. Flashing strips 30 are longitudinally
tapered in trapezoidal configuration with opposite ends
interconnected by converging sides 35. Each side 35 includes an
upstanding longitudinal side flange 37 which is longitudinally
tapered from lower end 33 to substantially blend or merge into top
surface 31 of strip 30 at upper end 34. Side flanges 37 thus define
with top surface 31, an open ended longitudinal slightly converging
drainage channel 38 therebetween. The flanges 37 have a height at
lower end 33 approximately the height of side flange 22 on the
cover element 10 so as to precisely nest within the outer shingle
element 10 in substantially corresponding lengthwise tapered
relation along the length of side flanges 37 and 22. When so
nested, the lower end edge face of side flange 37 is in abutting
relation to the inner surface of the lower butt flange 20 of
shingle element 10. Also in this nested relation, the bottom edge
face of butt flange 20 of shingle element 10 may rest upon the top
surface 12 of the adjacent lowermost shingle element 10, such
relationship being permitted by the difference in height of the
side flange 37 and 22 at a lower butt corner of a shingle element
and flashing strip assembly.
It is noted that both side flanges 22 of shingle elements 10 and
side flanges 37 of flashing strips 30 can preferably be formed as
by bending in a stamping operation from a substantially rectangular
sheet of blank material as more fully described hereafter. It is
also apparent that the combined peripheral dimension of the edges
of the butt flange 20 at lower end 15 and the side flanges 17 is
virtually equal to the width of the edge at the opposite head end
16. Accordingly, no costly trimming operations are required and a
substantial savings results by eliminating any waste of the sheet
material from which shingles and flashing strips are formed.
METHOD
In particular, the method of making a shingle element and a
flashing strip is now described with specific relation to the
shingle element 10. Adaptation of the method to flashing strip 30
will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The method of
the invention is illustrated in FIG. 9 wherein a coil or reel 40 of
sheet metal stock of selected width is suitably supported for
rotation about its axis by means not shown. As sheet metal strip 41
is withdrawn from the coil 40, it is passed into a stamping
apparatus which may comprise a bottom anvil die 42 and a top mating
stamping die 43. The shingle element 10 is formed by one stamping
operation, the several stamping sub-operations being shown in
exploded sequence in FIG. 9. Thus, when strip 41 is fed into
position above fixed die 42 and upper die 43 is moved downwardly in
a stamping operation, the first substamping action is the cutting
from the strip as by a knife or shear blade 44 of a sheet metal
blank 45 of selected width. As blank 45 is supported on die 42
movable die 43 notches lower corners 46 from blank 45. As the
stamping operation continues, die 43 folds over side flanges 22 and
butt flange 20. An upper die 43 moves upwardly in the stamping
operation, the formed shingle element 10 is ejected from the
stamping apparatus and is placed in a box 47 for packaging or
transported by other means to storage. It is apparent from the
above description of a method of making the shingle element 10 that
the only wastage which occurs is the loss of the minute corner
material at 46 and that the one-step stamping operation converts
strip stock material into a usable shingle in an economical
manner.
OPERATION
The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention
is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at
this point. An exemplary roof structure upon which shingle elements
10 and flashing strips 30 may be employed is shown in FIG. 7
wherein spaced studs 50 support horizontal plates or beams 51 which
carry upwardly inclined roof rafters 52 upon which may be nailed at
selected spaced intervals nailing boards or roof lath 53 which may
usually comprise 1 .times. 4 or 1 .times. 6 boards. In customary
installation of a wood shingle roof, a double thickness or layer of
shingle is provided at the lowermost roof edge. In some
installations a sheet of roofing felt may be laid over the roof
lath or nailing boards before applying the wood shingles. Prior to
nailing, spacer flashing strips 30 and shingle elements 10 may be
generally arranged in a horizontal starter course at the bottom
edge of the roof with the strips 30 underlying adjacent edges of
shingle elements 10. The strips 30 and shingle elements 10
interengage to positively position each shingle element 10 with
respect to the adjacent shingle element 10 and the intermediate
flashing strip 30. When arranged in such interengagement, the upper
corners of the shingle elements 10 are in close proximity and may
touch when the top edges of adjacent shingles lie in a straight
line. In this relationship of the outer cover or shingle elements
10 the flashing strip at its lower end has upstanding end portions
of side flanges 37 in proximity to and in engagement with the
depending side flanges 22 of shingle element 10. Further, abuttment
of upstanding end edges of side flanges 37 on the strip 30 against
the inner surfaces of the depending butt flange 20 of the shingle
elements serves to facilitate proper alignment and arrangement of
shingle elements 10 and the flashing strip element 30. When
properly arranged it will be apparent that the upper portions of
sides 35 of the strip 30 will lie closely between nail holes 25 of
adjacent corners of adjacent shingle elements 10. Thus, when nails
are driven through holes 25 the nails 26 laterally fix the position
of the top end of flashing strip 30. Moreover, the flashing strip
30 cannot move downwardly because of the convergence downwardly of
the side edges 35 of strip 30 which act to wedge the strip between
the nails 26 and further because of the abuttment of side flanges
37 against butt flanges 20 on the adjacent shingles. Thus, a
channel is defined between adjacent shingle elements 10 which
flares downwardly and outwardly.
After a portion of the first course has been laid, a second course
of shingles may be layed in which the second course shingle
elements are offset laterally a selected distance from the first
course shingle elements. Amount of such offsetting depends upon the
type of roof pattern desired. The lower ends of the second course
shingles may overlap the upper end of the lower end course shingles
a selected distance so as to provide a desired amount of weathering
surface on the lower course of shingle elements. Laying the second
course may be performed in the same manner as that described for
the first course. It will be apparent that the lower edges of the
second course shingle elements 10 and flashing strips 30 will rest
upon the top surfaces of the lower course shingle elements and will
present a virtually straight butt line with slight interruptions
amounting to the thickness of the sheet metal employed at the
flashing strips 30.
It should be noted that in the arrangement of the courses of the
shingle elements 10 and strips 30 that no nails are driven through
the flashing strips 30 and that the nails are covered by the
central portion of the weather area of the upper course of
shingles. A minimum number of nails is thus required for securing
the shingle elements and flashing strips on the roof surface and no
penetration of the flashing strips 30 is made since water falling
from one course of shingles to another will include some water
falling onto the flashing strip 30 and being drained thereby to the
next lower adjacent shingle element. The lack of nails in the
flashing strip 30 together with the disposition of strip 30 in
fixed position by interengagement of shingle elements and flashing
strips is advantageous in providing a waterproof weathertight roof
covering.
It should be noted that each lower corner of shingle element 10 is
provided with a weep opening for drainage of any water which might
collect beneath an outer shingle element 10 by reason of wind or
capillary action. It will be apparent that the amount of
overlapping of one course with a lower course or the amount of head
lap may be minimized because of the present construction and thus
permit a greater surface of each course to be exposed to the
weather and thus result in fewer shingles being used to cover a
roof area.
It is important to note that the interleaving of the depending side
flanges 17 of shingle elements 10 and the upstanding flanges 37 of
the flashing strips 30 together with their corresponding reduction
in height permits such flanges to act as structural walls to
support the outer shingle or cover elements 10. Thus, a metal
single roof covering embodying the construction of the present
invention may be walked upon without damage to the protection
offered by the roof covering. Moreover, the butt and side flanges
of each shingle element 10 provide stiffness and rigidity so that
adjacent courses provide a rigid structure adapted to resist strong
heavy winds.
The metal shingle construction described above is preferably made
with "Cor-Ten" as above mentioned. Such material provides
exceptional resistance to atmospheric corrosion and thereby
eliminates the need for any protection of surfaces exposed to the
atmosphere and also eliminates subsequent maintenance. Moreover,
the protective oxide formed gradually darkens and assumes an
aesthetically pleasing texture and color varying from a dark brown
to a warm purple-black depending upon the exposure conditions. Such
material is also of high strength and therefore a lightweight
weather resistant structurally rigid shingle element and roof
covering is provided which enhances the appearance of the roof with
age and which will serve its protective purpose for an
exceptionally long period of time without maintenance. The surface
of such "Cor-Ten" material rapidly heals in the event it is
scratched or broken and thus the life of such a roof remains
virtually unimpaired.
In view of the above description, it is readily apparent that the
shingle element and roof structure of the present invention
provides an improved covering for support surfaces such as walls
and roofs of buildings by the use of relatively lightweight metal
shingle elements and spacer flashing strips which provide a
virtually leakproof, fireproof covering for the building structure.
The flashing strips precisely constrain the shingle elements in the
desired spaced relation for permitting quick and easy installation
by workmen of even less than average skills, the flashing strips
being precisely held in described position by the nails which hold
the outer shingle elements in place without the necessity of such
nails passing through the flashing strips. Such structural covering
means embodying the present invention may substantially simulate
wood, shake, or shingles employed on conventional wood roofs and
requires relatively fewer components than a comparable wood shingle
roof and provides a substantially fireproof covering with only a
fraction of the weight imposed upon the supporting roof structure
than with other fireproof roofing material such as clay tile and
the like.
Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what
is conceived to be the preferred embodiment, it is recognized that
departures may be made from within the scope of the invention,
which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is
to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any
and all equivalent devices, methods, and structures.
* * * * *