Flame Retardant And Fire Resistant Roofing Material

Abstract

An improved flame retardant and fire resistant roofing product is provided which simulates wooden shake shingles, tiles, planking, panels, or the like. The roofing product to be described can be stained to a wood finish, and it can be nailed, sawn, or otherwise treated in the same manner as wooden shakes. The product provides a wood waterproof seal, and it is unaffected by wind, rain or snow. The roofing product of the invention comprises fiberglass and water-extended polyester mixed with a heat-proofing material, such as powdered or fibrous asbestos, or powdered glass; and it may be intermixed with other materials, such as vermiculite (processed mica), ceramic glass modules, or the like; or it may include a core composed, for example, of Hydrocol or other gypsum material with an enclosing web of the fiberglass and water-extended polyester mixed with the heat-proofing material.

Description

RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

Serial No. 886,075 filed Dec. 18, 1969 in the names of Carlo Re, Earl O. Conrad and Jack R. Conrad, and entitled "Heat Barrier Material and Process " which issued Sept. 19, 1972 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,682.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shake roofs are extremely popular in the building trade, and especially for homes, principally because of their attractive and rich appearance. However, such roofs normally constitute a fire hazard. In the past, attempts to treat the individual wooden shake shingles so as to render them fire resistant have not been entirely successful; principally because of the expense involved, and because of the tendency for the treated shingles to dry out in time so as to nullify their fire resistant characteristics.

The roofing product of the present invention is in the form of synthetic shake shingles which, as mentioned above, closely simulate the wooden shakes, and which may be sawn, nailed, or otherwise handled, in much the same manner as the wooden shakes. However, the product of the present invention is flame retardant and fire resistant, and it retains such fireproof characteristics indefinitely.

Moreover, the product of the present invention is advantageous in that it is relatively inexpensive, and can be mounted on the roof to provide a waterproof finish without expensive preparation or additional structures.

The product of the present invention, as mentioned above, is formed of water-extended polyester mixed with a heat-proofing material, and it may include a core composed of gypsum, plaster, Hydrocal, or a mixture of Perlite and Hydrocal, or other suitable material. Such a core is advantageous in that it is relatively inexpensive, and also since it provides an appropriate heat barrier because of its heat resistant characteristics. The core is enclosed by a web which, as mentioned above, is formed of fiberglass intermixed with a heat barrier material composed of water-extended polyester and particles of appropriate heatproofing material, as described in the aforesaid copending application. As mentioned above, the heat barrier material is composed of a mixture of water-extended polyester (WEP) and particles of heatproofing material, such as powdered or fibrous asbestos, or powdered glass.

Water-extended polyester resins which are suitable for use in the heat barrier material are described, for example, in U.S. Pat No. 3,256,219. The resin plastic material described in the patent has a porous structure and a sponge-like consistency, and a liquid, such as water, is trapped in the pores of the material. In addition, the material of the web has a high strength.

As described in one specific example in the aforesaid patent, the water-extended polyester resin may be formed by adding 2g of Benzoylperoxide and 100 cc of water to a mixture consisting of 65g of an unsaturated polyester of an acid prepared from maleic acid, Phthalic acid and propylene gycol of a molar ratio of 2:1:3.3 as one constituent, and 35g styrene as another constituent.

The resulting mixture is stirred at a temperature of 10.degree. C, for example, until a water-in-oil emulsion is formed. The emulsion is mixed with 0.18g of dimethyl-p-toluidine and is subsequently polymerized and hardened by heating at 30.degree. C for ten minutes. The water in the pores of the resulting resin material can subsequently be evaporated by heat at a temperature between 80.degree. C and 100.degree. C. Other examples of water-extended polyester resin material suitable for present purposes are also set out specifically in the patent.

A specific example of the consistency of the material which, in accordance with the present invention, is mixed with the fiberglass to constitute the synthetic shake, is as follows:

a. One part (by weight) water-extended polyester resin such as described in the patent. This material is availabe commerically and may be purchased, for example, from the Ashland Chemical Company of Los Angeles, California. The particular material is marketed by that company and is designated by them as "WEP- 27."

b. 1/100th of a part (by weight) cobalt.

c. 1/200th of a part (by weight) dimethylanaline (DMA).

d. 1 part (by weight) water.

e. 2/100,000 of a part (by weight) of an inhibitor such as a mixture of methyl celosolve (80 percent) and hydroquinone (20 percent).

f. 1/16th or a part (by weight) powdered or fibrous asbestos or powdered glass. g.

1/200th or a part (by weight) of a catalyst such as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) peroxide.

The polyester resin, cobalt and the DMA and stabilizer are mixed together as one group which is desingated the carrier, as explained in the copending applicaton, and the asbestos (or powdered glass), water, inhibitor and catalyst are mixed as another group which is designated as the heat retarder. The two components form the material which is intermixed with the fiberglass to form the synthetic shake of the invention. The proportions of the various ingredients, as listed above, are not critical and may be varied considerably to meet specific requirements.

For example, the various ingredients may be varied to meet specific requirements of handling, heat resistivity, rigidity, and in the time. That is, the catalyst and inhibitor percentages inthe total mix affect gel time, and are coordinated with the technical requirements of the process, and with the production requirements. For example, if a fast gel time is required, more catalyst and less inhibitor is used. However, if a slower gel time is required for any reason, more inhibitor and less catalyst is used.

If a lower heat transfer rate or coefficient is required, the quanitity of asbestos, or other retardants, is increased. Another available variable for specific needs is the availability of various grades of water-extended polyester resin, as described in the aforesaid patent, which can be selected to provide anything from a very rigid material to a resilient material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a press and mold which may be used in the fabrication of shakes in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective representation of a shake constructed in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIG. 1, a mold 10 is provided which has a bottom surface configured to correspond to the surface shape of the simulated shake. The mold, for example, may be formed of metal, epoxy, polyurethane, or other appropriate material, and the configuration of its lower surface may be formed by known techniques, and by the use, for example, of actual wooden shakes.

In the construction of the synthetic shake of one embodiment of the present invention, the plaster is first poured into the mold 10 and allowed to set, so as to form a core. The core may be formed, as mentioned above, of an appropriate gypsum product such as plaster, cement, Hydrocal, Perlite, or a mixture of the aforesaid materials. The purpose of the core is to provide bulk and thickness to the synthetic shake of the invention at low cost, and to seal in moisture. The plaster core also provides heat protection for the material.

After the plaster core has set, it is removed from the mold, and a fiberglass is sprayed or wrapped around it to form a matte. A quantity of the water-extended polyester (WEP) and the fire retardant material is then placed in the mold 10, and the fiberglass-wrapped core is placed in the mold. More of the mixture is then placed around the top of the wrapped core, so that the entire core is surrounded by fiberglass saturated with the (WEP) mixture. An appropriate press 12 is then moved into place firmly to press the composite body against the bottom of the mold, and the polyester material is allowed to polymerize. The resulting product 14 is then removed from the mold.

It will be observed that the product simulates a group of shakes, and is composed of a core 16, as shown in FIG. 3, composed of plaster, and a web 18 which completely surrounds the core. The resulting product may be stained further to simulate the wooden shake, and it may be sawn, nailed, or otherwise handled in the same manner as the wooden shake, in order to mount it on the roof. The synthetic shake 14 has an advantage that it may be directly nailed onto the roof without expensive sub-bases and the like.

The resulting product 14 also has an advantage in that it has no tendency to warp, and it provides an excellent roofing material. The core of the synthetic shake of the invention is fire resistant, and the surrounding web is not only fire resistant, but also flame retardant, so that it protects the core from flames in the event of fire, so that the complete structure provides an excellent heat barrier.

In another embodiment, a mixture of fiberglass and the (WEP) and the fire retardant material is intermixed with an appropriate material, such as vermiculite and/or ceramic glass modules, is placed in the aforesaid mold and the shake is formed by a single molding step. The vermiculite and/or ceramic glass modules migrate towards the center of the shake and replace the core of the previous embodiment.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, modifications may be made. It is intended to cover all modifications in the following claims which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A fire resistant heat barrier member formed of fiberglass intermixed with a polyester resin and particles of a fireproofing material, and including a core of gypsum material.

2. The heat barrier member defined in claim 1, in which said fireproofing material is powdered asbestos.

3. The heat barrier member defined in claim 1, in which said fireproofing material is fibrous asbestos.

4. The heat barrier member defined in claim 1, in which said fireproofing material is powdered glass.

5. The heat barrier member defined in claim 1, in which said polyester resin is of a water-extended type.

6. The heat barrier member defined in claim 1, in which said barrier member is formed of fiberglass, and a water-extenddd polyester resin intermixed particles of asbestos.

7. The heat barrier member defined in claim 1, having a configuration simulating wooden shake shingles.

8. The heat barrier member defined in claim 1, and which includes vermiculite and ceramic glass modules intermixed with the ingredients.