ROOF ELEMENT

Abstract: The invention relates to a roof element comprising at least substantially channel-section beams extending in the direction of length of the roof and being made from sheet material and plates fastened to said beams whereby at the free ends of their limbs the channel-section beams are provided with bent-over flanges which are fastened with the aid of nails or bolts to corrugated plates of sheet material directly bearing on said flanges.

Description: ROOF ELEMENT The invention relates to a roof element comprising at least substantially channel-section beams extending in the direction of length of the roof element and being made of sheet material and plates fastened to said beams. In known roof elements of the kind set forth the top ends of the limbs of the channel-section beams are fastened to wooden beams extending parallel to said limbs, on which wooden beams wooden boards are secured. The various components of such a roof element are interconnected by glue joints. This results in a complicated structure of the roof element whilst the use of glue joints established under pressure and requiring a given period of time for drying brings about a delay in the manufacturing process. The invention has for its object to provide a roof element of the kind set forth above in which the disadvantages inherent in the conventional constructions can be avoided. According to the invention this can be achieved by providing the channel-section beams at the free ends of their limbs with bent-over flanges, which are fastened with the aid of nails or bolts to corrugated plates of sheet material directly bearing on said flanges. By using this construction a roof element of simple and lightweight design can be obtained, whilst the components can be readily and effectively fastened to one another by means of nails or bolts without adversely affecting protective layers, which may have been applied to the parts of sheet material. Preferably the corrugations of the plates extend transversely of the direction of length of the beams so that, when placing the roof elements side by side to form a roof, the corrugated plates can overlap one another and be fastened to one another with the aid of bolts or nails to obtain a solid connection between the adjacent roof elements. The invention will now be described more fully with reference to an embodiment of the construction in accordance with the invention shown in the accompanying Figures. Fig. 1 is a plan view of a roof element embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line III-III in Fig. 1 with the support on a roof joist. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV in Fig. 3, the longitudinal beams of the roof element being omitted. The roof element shown in the Figures comprises two relatively parallel longitudinal beams 1 and 2, each having an at least substantially U-shaped cross-section. Each longitudinal beam is made from thin, folded sheet material having a thickness of 1 to 2 mms in accordance with the length of the longitudinal beam concerned. Fig. 2, in particular, shows that each longitudinal beam has a lower web 3 interconnecting the two limbs 4 and 5 of the beam concerned, said limbs being upwardly inclined away from one another and from the web 3. At their top ends the limbs 4 and 5 terminate in flanges 6 and 7 lying in the same plane and being outwardly bent over with respect to the limbs 4 and 5, the outer edges 8 and 9 of said flanges being bent over inwardly. On the coplanar flanges 6 and 7 of the two longitudinal beams I and 2 are bearing corrugated plates 10 also of thin sheet material, the cross-section of which comprises lower, flat parts 11 forming the valleys and flat parts 12 forming the peaks and lying between the former, viewed on plan, the flat parts 11 and 12 being interconnected by tie parts 13 up wardly inclined away from the flat parts 11 and away from one another. From Fig. 3 it will be apparent that the arrangement is such that the corrugations of the plate 10 are perpendicular to the direction of length of the beams 1 and 2. The flat parts 11 of the corrugation plate 10 are directly bearing on the flanges 6 and 7 of the beams 1 and 2 are secured to said flanges with the aid of bolts or nails 14 shown schematically. This mode of connection between the corrugated plate 10 and the flanges of the beams 1 and 2 prevents the limbs 4 and 5 of the beams 1 and 2 from relatively shifting in place due to loads or the like. On the top side of the corrugated plate is arranged a plate 15 of insulating material. The width of this plate is slightly smaller than that of the corrugated plate 10, as will be seen from Fig. 2. The insulating material 15 is covered with strips of rooring material 16, which overlap one another, as is shown in Fig. 2, in order to obtain water-tight covering. In order to obtain an effective support for the roof element described two profiled beams 17 may be arranged at each end of the roof element as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Each beam 17 is located by part of its length between the limbs 4 and 5 of a beam 1 and 2 respectively, whereas the remaining part of the beam 17 concerned protrudes out of the beam 1 and 2 respectively. This protruding end of the beam 17 may be used for supporting the roof element on a girder 18 of the steel or concrete structure of a building to be provided with a roof composed of roof elements of the type described above. It will in particular be apparent from Fig 4 that each beam 17 has a more or less W-shaped cross-section having a flat central part fastened with the aid of nails or bolts 19 to the corrugated plate 10. The outer limbs of the beams 17 are secured by nails or bolts 20 to the limbs 4 and 5 of the beams 1 and 2 respectively (not shown in Fig. 4). Fig. 3 furthermore shows that the ends of the beams 17 extending beyond the beams 1 and 2 may be covered with the aid of a covering plate 21 adjoining the end of the corrugated plate 10 and supporting, in addition the end of the insulating plate 15. If desired, a ceiling board 22 may be fastened to the underside of the parts 3 of the beams 1-and 2 in the manner shown. The roof element described above can be fully prefabricated in a factory or the like. With regard to transport purposes the width of the roof element is preferably about 240 cms. The length of the roof element depends of the size of the span to be covered and may vary, for example, between 8 and 17 metres. As stated above, the thickness of the metal sheet used to form the beams 1 and 2 and the corrugated plate will be chosen in accordance with the size of the span and it will usually vary between about 0.63 mm and 2.5 mms. In assembling a roof a plurality of the roof elements depicted above are arranged side by side in a manner such that the parts of the corrugated plates protruding beyond the insulating material at least partly overlap one another. These overlapping parts of the corrugated plates can be fastened to one another with the aid of bolts or nails passed through the parts 11 of the corrugated plates. Subsequently the gaps formed between the covering layers of insulating material can be filled out with insulating material, after which in the areas of the junctions of the roof elements further roofing material is arranged in order to complete the roof in a water-tight manner. In this way a light-weight, firm roof can be formed, in which the corrugated plates 10 not only ensure that the beams 1 and 2, even when loaded, will not deform, but also provide sufficient strength of the roof to permit of walking thereon. The roof elements thus formed are particularly rigid so that in a building provided with a roof formed by such roof elements wind resisting jointing may usually be fully dispensed with. Oozing to the mode of supporting the roof elements described above and illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 the beams 1 and 2 of the roof elements are located between the joists 18 forming part of the skeleton of the building, which contributes to a reduction of the structural height of the building and hence to a reduction of building costs. From the foregoing it will be obvious that by using a roof element embodying the invention a particularly light-weight and compact structure can be obtained, which can have a high, cost-saving effect. The figures used in the claims are only meant to explain more clearly the intention of the invention and are not supposed to be any restriction concerning the interpretation of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A roof element comprising at least substantially channelsection beams extending in the direction of length of the roof element and being made from sheet material and plates fastened to said beams characterized in that at the free ends of their limbs the channel-section beams are provided with bent-over flanges which are fastened with the aid of nails or bolts to corrugated plates of sheet material directly bearing on said flanges. 2. A roof element as claimed in Claim 1 characterized in that the corrugations of the corrugated plate extend transversely of the direction of length of the beams. 3. A roof element as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the limbs of a channel-section beam are upwardly inclined away from one another and away from a flat web interconnecting the limbs and lying on the underside of the beam. 4. A roof element as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that the flanges of the beams have downwardly bent-over outer rims. 5. A roof element as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that the corrugated plate comprises relatively parallel parts located at different levels and interconnected with the aid of tie parts upwardly inclined away from the lower flat parts and away from one another. 6. A roof element as claimed in Claim 5 characterized in that the lower flat parts of the corrugated plate bear on the flanges of the beams and are secured to said flanges with the aid of bolts or nails. 7. A roof element as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that supporting beams protruding beyond the beams and fastened to the corrugated plate are secured to the ends of the roof element. 8. A roof element as claimed in Claim 7 characterized in that the supporting beams have a more or less W-shaped cross-section and are fastened by a flat central part to the corrugated plate. 9. A roof element as claimed in Claim 7 or 8 characterized in that the outermost parts of a supporting beam are in engagement with the inner side of the limbs of the channel-section beam and are fastened to said limbs. 10. A roof element as claimed in anyone of Claims 7 to 9 characterized in that the height of a supporting beam is smaller than one fifth of the height of the channel-section beam. 11. A roof element as claimed in any preceding Claim characterized in that the height of the channel beam is greater as its width. 12. A roof element as claimed in any preceding Claim characterized in that the height of the corrugations is less as 1/4 of the height of the channel beam.

Inventors: GROENEWEG, BASTIAAN MARINUS
Applicants: KOEDAM HANDEL MAATSCHAPPIJ B.V.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: E04C2
IPC codes: E04C2, E04D3, E04B7