Abstract:
A weather block for tile roofs. Tile roofs having a plurality of individual tiles configured adjacently to form rows of undulating tiles, with a first row of overlapping tiles, and where each one of the tiles in the first row of overlapping tiles have an upper end and an upper surface, are provided, adjacent thereto with a weather block of unique design. The weather block has an elongate spacer portion adapted to be located longitudinally straddling said upper end of the first row of tiles. The spacer extends laterally between an upper edge portion and a lower edge portion. A backing portion is provided extending downwardly from the upper edge portion of the spacer portion. A weather stop portion is provided extending downwardly from the lower edge portion of the spacer portion. The weather stop portion has a lower edge portion sized and shaped for close fitting engagement with the upper surface of the first row of tiles, to provide high resistance to wind blown water.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates to tile roofs, including tile roofs incorporating ridge vents designed for placement along a ridge line or along a hip line of a tile roof. More particularly, the invention is for use with roofs using low profile or high profile shaped tiles, to simplify weather protection of the structure below the roofing tile.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Although a variety of designs exist for tile roofs, historically, weather protection at the upper end of tile roofs, and in particular, at the upper end of undulating tile roofs, has been provided in the form of a plug of grouting. That approach was widely used before “ridge type” roof vents suitable for use with tile roofs were developed. Ridge top vents reduce the number of roof penetrations necessary to achieve adequate ventilation, which is particularly important since the cumbersome and weighty nature of roof tiles has not been generally conducive to incorporation of vents in the roof design. One useful design ridge vents for tile roofs is provided in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/905,585, filed Jul. 12, 2001, and entitled Ridge Vent for Tile Roofs, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein its entirety by this reference. And, although a few designs have been proposed or actually used, in so far as is known to us, prior art tile roof designs have not adequately addressed the problem of preventing ingress of wind blown water, as might occur during a thunderstorm or hurricane, for example. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a new weather block for an undulating tile roof system that is resistant to entry of wind blown water. Such a design would be especially desirable if provided in an easily installed, elongate section providing installation labor savings, for use in both low profile, artistically pleasing tile roof systems, and in high profile, classic tile roof systems.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0003]    We have invented a novel weather block for incorporation in tile or tile type roof applications. The weather block design may be easily adapted for various tile roofs, ranking from low profile, S-type tiles to high profile (undulating, interlocking opposing U-shaped design) tile roof structures. The weather block design is simple and easily installed at the upper end of an upper row of roofing tiles, whether along a ridge line or along a hip line. The weather block is strong enough to resist the necessary weather loads (wind, water, snow, ice, etc.), even though relatively lightweight. The weather block designs are superior to heretofore known weather block methods and apparatus used for tile roofs. Importantly, our weather block for tile roofs provides exemplary protection against entry of wind driven water, as well as unwanted debris, insects, or vermin, while allowing the installation of a preselected roof ventilator along a ridge line.  
           [0004]    In one embodiment, the new weather block design utilizes (a) a longitudinally extending spacer portion having upper and lower lateral edges, and (b) extending from the upper lateral edge of the spacer portion, a downwardly extending backing portion, and (c) extending from the lower lateral edge, a downwardly extending weather stop portion. The weather stop portion is sized and shaped for close fitting mating engagement with the upper surface of the upper row of tiles against which the weather block is installed. In order to secure the weather block to a roof structure, nailing slots are provided at spaced apart locations along the length of the spacer portion., The nailing slots are sized and shaped to accommodate therethrough nails of sufficient length to secure, through an aperture in the tile therebelow, the weather block to the batten and/or roof deck located below the tile layer.  
           [0005]    In one embodiment a plurality of sections of weather block are provided along a roof ridge. Each one of the sections of weather block has a weather stop portion with a plurality of trough portions and a plurality of peak portions, longitudinally running and spaced for matching engagement with and complementary to the corresponding peaks and valleys in the tile roofing.  
           [0006]    Each of the weather block sections spans a selected length longitudinally across the roofing deck. The weather block is mounted so that the backing portion extends downward through at least a portion of the lower portion of the tile forming the trough, and in some embodiments, can extend downward for at least half of the thickness of the tile, and in other embodiments, can extend downward for the full thickness of tile, or further. Moreover, when using the weather block design disclosed herein, a conventional elongated array of ridge cap tiles can be affixed above the ridge beam.  
         OBJECTS, ADVANTAGES, AND FEATURES OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    An important and primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel weather block that is easy to install on tile roofs. Other important objects, advantages, and novel features include a weather block for tile roofs which:  
           [0008]    has the advantage that they can be configured by installation personnel to quickly and efficiently utilize the method disclosed herein to provide an efficient weather block on tile roof;  
           [0009]    provides a tile roof which is fully protective from the elements, as well as windblown debris, large insects, and vermin; and  
           [0010]    that provide appropriate variations in the design for use in either low profile roofs or in high profile undulating type tile roofs.  
           [0011]    Other aspects of various embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing and from the detailed description that follows and the appended claims, evaluated in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0012]    In order to enable the reader to attain a more complete appreciation of the invention, and of the novel features and the advantages thereof, attention is directed to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of portions of an exemplary tile roof system installed on a sloping roof having a longitudinally extending ridge line, showing the use of a ridge top ventilator, and using a weather block strip as taught herein to substantially prevent water and vermin from entering the structure by blocking the upper end of the upper row of S-type undulating tiles.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is perspective view of an upper row of S-type undulating tiles for a roof, showing the upper surface of the tiles which has peaks and valleys longitudinally extending across a row in the undulating tile roof, and particularly illustrating how a lower edge portion of an upright portion of the weather block is provided shaped and sized for snug interfitting engagement with the upper surface of the tiles, so as to substantially avoid any appreciable gap between the lower edge portion of the upright portion of the weather block and the upper surface of the tile roof.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of an exemplary low profile tile roofing system, wherein a ridge type roof ventilator system is employed, and further showing the integrated use of a ridge vent system and the weather block having a configuration taught herein.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a section of weather block, as may be manufactured for use in a tile roofing structure, showing an upright weather blocking panel having a lower edge portion shaped and sized for interfitting engagement in a selected low profile tile roof structure.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines  5 - 5  of FIG. 4, but on an enlarged scale.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines  6 - 6  of FIG. 4, but on an enlarged scale.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the weather block for a low profile shaped tile roof structure, now also showing in the spacer portion a plurality of elongated apertures for accommodating nails therethough, to enable the weather block to be secured, through a tile, to a selected roof batten or similar structure, as can be seen by reference to FIG. 3 or  8 .  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view of a roof structure including the rafters, center beam between the ridge ends, a ridge beam above the center beam, roof decking with waterproof felt, longitudinally running battens, and a plurality of rows of undulating tile, with the weather block strip as taught herein being used to provide a weather barrier at the upper end of the upper row of undulating tile.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a roof structure using a ridge type vent, including the rafters, center beam between the ridge ends, a ridge beam above the center beam, roof decking with waterproof felt, longitudinally running battens, and a plurality of rows of undulating tile, with the weather block strip as taught herein being used to provide a weather barrier at the upper end of each of the two upper rows of undulating tile.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 is taken along line  10 - 10  of FIG. 11, to provide (a) a side elevation view of a selected length of weather block, and (b) a cross-section of the tile against which the weather block is placed, in order to show the weather block strip as may be manufactured for use in a tile roofing structure, showing an upright weather blocking panel having a lower edge portion shaped and sized for interfitting engagement in a selected high profile tile roof structure.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line  11 - 11  of FIG. 10, showing a tile forming a peak and a tile forming a trough in a first row of tiles, against which the weather block is placed to effectively prevent migration of the elements and of vermin.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the weather block for a high profile shaped tile roof structure, now also showing in the spacer portion one of the elongated apertures provided for accommodating nails therethough, to enable the weather block to be secured, through a tile, to a selected roof batten or similar structure, as can be seen by reference to FIG. 3 or  8 . 
     
    
       [0025]    The foregoing figures, being merely exemplary, contain various elements that may be present or omitted from actual implementations depending upon the circumstances. An attempt has been made to draw the figures in a way that illustrates at least those elements that are significant for an understanding of the various embodiments and aspects of the invention. However, various other elements of the weather block for tile roofs, and the accompanying roofing system and vent system, are also shown and briefly described to enable the reader to understand how various optional features may be utilized in order to provide an efficient weather block for tile roofs.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]    Attention is directed to FIGS. 1 and 2, where perspective views are provided showing the use of a weather block section  20  (partially shown) in combination with low profile S-shaped tiles  22 . In FIG. 3, the partially completed roofing system  30  as illustrated in FIG. 1 has been completed to provide one embodiment for a fully usable roofing system  40  including rafters  42 , a central beam  44 , a ridge beam  46 , a roofing deck  48 , a felt  50  on the roofing deck  48 , first layer battens  52  and second layer battens  53 , roofing tiles  22 , weather block section  20  with securing nail  54 , a sub-flashing ridge vent component  56 , a top cap flashing ridge vent component  58 , and a ridge cap tile  60 .  
         [0027]    Returning now to FIG. 1, the weather block  20  extends along a longitudinal axis for a length L between a first end  62  and a second end  64 , and in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, includes three major components. First, a spacer portion  66  having an upper lateral edge  68  and a lower lateral edge  70  is provided. As shown, the spacer portion  66  is a planer component provided in a generally parallelepiped shaped thin sheet. Second, as illustrated in FIG. 1, downwardly extending from the upper lateral edge  68  of the spacer portion  66  is a backing portion  72 . Third, downwardly extending from the lower lateral edge  70  of spacer portion  66  is a weather stop portion  73  having a length Z.  
         [0028]    The backing portion  72  can be provided in a uniform height H 0  along the length L as suitable to approximate or slightly exceed the height H 1  between the peak  74  of a tile  22  and the bottom surface  76  of a valley portion  78  of a tile  22 . As better seen by reference to weather block  20 ′ illustrated in FIG. 10. Here, a weather strip  20 ′ better adapted for use with a high profile tile roof is illustrated. But, in either the case of weather block  20  for low profile tile roofs or of weather block  20 ′ for high profile tile roofs, the backing portion  72  should be at least of height H 2  corresponding to the approximate height between the peak  74  of an upper tile or tile portion  22   U  and the upper surface  80  of a valley portion  78  of a lower tile or tile portion  22   L . It is believed advantageous that the backing portion  72  be at least of the approximate height H 3  which corresponds to the distance between the peak  74  of a tile  22  and the average middle location  82  between (i) the upper surface  80  of a valley portion  78  of a tile  22  and (ii) the bottom surface  76  of a valley portion  78  of a tile  22 . Additionally, extra height H 4 , which corresponds to a small distance from the spacer portion  66  to the lip edge  94  at the upper most portion of the concave portion  96  of the undulate lower edge  100  of weather stop portion  73 , may be added to any on of heights H1, H2 or H3, to provide an overall height H 0  for backing portion  72 . On the other hand, as indicated in FIG. 2, the height H 4  may be zero.  
         [0029]    The downwardly extending weather stop portion  73  has a lower edge portion  100 , undulate in nature as depicted in FIGS. 2, 4, and  7 , but which in any event is sized and shaped for close fitting mating engagement with the upper surface S of the upper row of tiles  22   1  against which the weather block  20  is installed. In order to secure the weather block  20  to a roof structure, nailing slots  110  are provided at spaced apart locations along the length L of the spacer portion  66 . The nailing slots  110  can be in the form of elongate or oval shape as shown in FIG. 1, and in any event are sized and shaped to accommodate therethrough nails  54  of sufficient length to secure, through an aperture  114  defined by edge walls  116  in the tile  22  therebelow, the weather block  20  to the batten  52  and/or roof deck  48  located below the tile  22 .  
         [0030]    Weather block strips  20  can be advantageously manufactured out of suitable metal. In one embodiment, the weather block strips  20  can be configured in integral, one piece configurations wherein the spacer portion  66 , the backing portion  72 , and the weather stop portion  73  are all formed from a single piece of metal which is bent into a downwardly oriented U-shaped configuration. When fabricated from steel, the finished part can be provided with either a painted finish or a galvanized finish. Alternately, the weather block strips  20  or  20 ′ may be made from other metals, such as aluminum, which does not require a finish coating. Or, the weather block strips  20  or  20 ′ may be manufactured from non-metallic components. Lengths L of weather block strips  20  or  20 ′ may be of any convenient size, such as 4 foot, or incremental in desired lengths up to about 10 foot in length, or more.  
         [0031]    Weather block strips  20  as depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9, may be utilized in conjunction with a ridge type ventilator system. Although one exemplary ridge type ventilator system is depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9, the weather block described herein is useful in connection with the installation of tile roofs with various types of ridge ventilators, or, without ridge ventilators. For a brief understanding of details of such a roofing system, note that a longitudinally extending sub-flashing  56  is provided having apertures A therethrough. Roof rafters  42  have ridge ends  120  ending at a center beam  44 . Above the center beam  38  is mounted a longitudinally running ridge beam  46  which extends across the roof system. The roof decking  48  is affixed above the upper side  122  of the rafters  42 . Either through roof deck  48 , or preferably above the upper end  49  of roof deck  48  and up to the side  124  of ridge beam  46 , an air gap G is provided to allow air to flow upward or downward in the direction of reference arrows  126 . Longitudinally extending sub-flashing  56 , having a plurality of ventilation apertures A 1  therein is provided to span gap G. A top cap flashing  58  is mounted over the top  130  of ridge beam  46 . The top cap flashing  58  is longitudinally extending to support a plurality of ridge cap tiles  60 , as indicated in FIG. 9. In the embodiment shown in this FIG. 9, the top cap flashing  58  has a downwardly directed U-shaped center section  132  and a pair of opposing first and second outward wing portions  134  and  136 , each of which may be bounded at the outer tip  140  thereof by a an upwardly directed flange portion F. Preferably, a sealant layer S is provided between the lower side  142  and  144  of wing portions  134  and  136 , respectively, and the adjacent tiles  22 .  
         [0032]    The various figures provide general views of certain embodiments of weather block strips  20  and  20 ′, without limitation as to details of exact size, which may be provided as a convenience for stocking distributors and/or for contractor installation. In one set of exemplary dimensions for the weather block strips, as applied to low profile type tile roofs can be provided, as detailed in FIGS. 4, 5, and  6 . For example, a weather block strip  20  can be provided in a convenient length L, as described herein above, and with a width W of the spacer portion  66  of about 2.5 inches, and with a height H 0  of the backing portion  73  of about 2.25 inches, and with an overall height HW of the weather stop portion of about 2.375 inches, as formed into an integral, upside down U-shaped article. However, this is merely exemplary and the actual dimensions and sizes may be varied to suit individual needs, without varying from the more general teachings hereof.  
         [0033]    A method of installing a weather block  20  on a ridge, or on a roof hip, can be easily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art and to whom this specification is addressed. And the weather block can be used in a roofing method to provide weather protection in any undulating roofing system, whether S-tile type or opposing U-shaped tiles. A first step in a method of installation of an exemplary weather block in an undulating roof system is shown, wherein an upper roof tile row is provided. The tiles have an upper surface S. The second step in a method of installation of a weather block in an undulating type tile roof system is to provide a weather block strip  20  as disclosed herein. The weather block  20  is affixed so that the backing portion  72  is in abutting engagement with the upper end of the first row of tiles  22   1 , and so that the lower end portion of the weather stop portion  73  is situated in close fitting engagement with the upper surface S of the adjacent tiles  22 . Next, the weather strip  20  is secured to the roofing structure by a fastener such as nail  54 . Finally, a ridge cap tile is provided to cover the ridge line, or hip line, as applicable.  
         [0034]    It is to be appreciated that the novel weather block system provided by way of the present invention is a significant improvement in the state of the art of weather blocking systems for tile roofs. The weather block is lightweight, being normally manufactured of lightweight metal or other structurally strong material, and is capable of being easily packaged and shipped.  
         [0035]    Importantly, the weather block for tile roofs allows installation of a weather tight ridge vent system even in locales where it has heretofore been impossible to do so and comply with building code requirements, since the combination weather block and a ridge vent system is fully capable of passing the most stringent regulatory tests for wind and wind driven rain resistance.  
         [0036]    Although only a few exemplary embodiments and aspects of this invention have been described in detail, various details are sufficiently set forth in the drawing and in the specification provided herein to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use such exemplary embodiments and aspects, which need not be further described by additional writing in this detailed description. Importantly, the designs described and claimed herein may be modified from those embodiments provided without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages provided by this invention, and may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Therefore, the embodiments presented herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. As such, this disclosure is intended to cover the structures described herein and not only structural equivalents thereof, but also equivalent structures. Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Thus having described some embodiments of the invention, though not exhaustive of all possible equivalents, what is desired to be secured by letters patent is claimed below. Therefore, the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims, and as indicated by the drawing and by the foregoing description, is intended to include variations from the embodiments provided which are nevertheless described by the broad interpretation and range properly afforded to the plain meaning of the claims set forth below.