ROOFING SYSTEM FOR BUILDINGS

Abstract: A roofing system for buildings formed of interconnected segments (11) interconnected by radially divergent main arches (12) connected at the apex by a connector box or plates (27). A base arch or fascia (31) extends across the base of each segment interconnecting the adjacent main arches (12). The segments (11) are closed by panels (33, 49, 54, 58) of regular polygonal shape which form transverse arches along the base chords of the panels (33, 49, 54, 58) in each course of the segments (11). When erected, the roofing system is self-supporting.

Description: Title: "ROOFING SYSTEM FOR BUILDINGS" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention This invention relates to an improved system 5 for the construction of roofs for buildings and is applicable to residential, commercial and industrial buildings or the like. (2) Prior Art New building systems, including roofing systems, 10 appear on the market from time to time, which are designed to facilitate the process of construction. These systems tend to adhere rather closely to conventional constructional methods and styles and are generally inflexible. Even the geodesic method of 15 construction has strict limits imposed upon it by the use of the -polygonal panels and the complex method's of erection. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a system of roofing which is suitable for a wide 20. range of applications. It is a preferred object to provide such a system which relies on only a small number of types of standard components which can be prefabricated and mass produced. It is a further preferred object to provide such 5 a system which has a high structural strength to weight ratio. It is a still further preferred object to provide a system which has a low labour content both in the production of components and erection and which is readily 0 transportable from factory to erection site, or between erection sites. It is a still further preferred object to provide a system which enables a wide range of aesthetically different, and attractive,styles which can be applied at 5 both the low and high cost building sectors. othe preferred objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description. In a broad aspect the present invention resides in a roofing system for buildings including: a plurality of interconnected segments, each segment being defined by a pair of substantially radially divergent main arches interconnected at the apex of the segment by a connector plate or box and at the base of the segment by a base arch and/or fascia; a plurality of roofing panels closing each segment each panel being of polygonal shape in plan and connected to the surrounding or adjacent panels;the main arches and/or the base arch or fascia in the segment to form a plurality of transverse arches along the base chords of the panels in each course of panels in the segment; the roofing system when erected being self-supporting. Preferably the panels in the segments may be connected to form a plurality of obliq e arches in the segment. The transverse and/or oblique arches may be reinforced by suitable structural members or means . Preferably each main arch is common to a pair of adjacent segments and the lower ends of the arches may be supported on walls, posts or the building foundations. The arches may be formed from rolled hollow section (RHS) steel or aluminium beams or I- or H- section rolled steel joists (RSJ), timber, laminated beams, reinforced concrete or other suitable structural members. Where tubular or hollow beams are used, it may be preferred that they be fabricated from straight or pre- curved steel strips or a plurality of smaller hollow beams welded together. The panels are preferably of triangular, diamond, hexagonal, octagonal or other suitable polygonal shape in plan. The panels may have side flanges and/or webs to assist in fixing adjacent panels together and may be provided with internal bracing, insulation and/or ceiling panels. The panels may be manufactured from steel, aluminium, timber, plywood, fibrous cement sheeting, concrete, plastics (including glass reinforced plastics), fibreglass or other suitable materials and may be opaque or translucent . The panels may be fixed to the arches by suitable brackets placed on the arches and to each other by fish-plates or brackets and suitable fasteners. Weatherproofing sealants may be provided between the panels and the arches, and/or the panels may be covered by a waterproof membrane. Water collected on the segments can be drained via rain water shields formed in the fascias or base arches and the shields may be connected to open drainage channels provided down the main arches. At the apex of the segments, the main arches may be clamped or fixed between a pair of connector plates or received in sockets in a connector box assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To enable the invention to be fully understood, a number of preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first roof of six segments; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second roof, also of six segments, or a larger size; FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing alternate methods for supporting the main arches of the segments; FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a segment; FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along 5-5 on FIG. 4 showing the connection of the sides of adjacent panels; FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 on FIG. 4 showing the connection of the bases of adjacent panels; FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 on FIG. 4 showing the connection between adjacent segments; FIG. 7A is a sectional view showing an alternative connection between the panels; FIG. 7B is a view from above showing the arrangement for waterproofing the junction of the panels; FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a water drainage arrangement for the roof; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a third roof formed of alternating segments; FIG. 10 is an underside view of a triangular panel suitable for the segment of FIG. 4; FIG. 11 is an underside view of a diamond- shaped panel adapted to overlap two adjacent panels; FIG. 12 is an underside view of a hexagonal panel; and FIG. 13 is a view from above of a second hexagonal panel (and an associated half-panel). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the building 10 has a roof structure with six identical segments 11 separated by main arches 12 radiating from a central apex 13, the feet of the arches being fixed to a foundation slab 14. The segments 11 overhang side walls 15 of the building, the latter having a substantially hexagonal floor plan. The overhanging segments provide verandah-like structures to shade the windows 16 provided in the side walls. FIG. 2 shows a similar view of a larger building 17 also having a roof structure formed of six segments 18 , 19 separated by main arches 20 connected at a central apex 21. In this building, the segments extend down to the foundation slab 22 at the corners. The segments 19 having slots 23 provided at intermediate heights to provide verandahs for, or to allow light to fall on, the side walls 24 of the building, the segments 18 and 19 being provided alternately about the building. Referring to FIG. 3, the main arches 25, 26 are fabricated into curved hollow section beams which are connected at their upper ends by fixing between a pair of connector plates 27. The lower end of the main arch 25 is supported on, and fixed to, a wall 28 while the lower end of the main arch 26 is supported in a stirrup 29 fixed to the foundation slab 30. Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, the segment 11 is supported by the adjacent main arches 12 having the hollow tubular section hereinbefore described. The lower ends of the main arches 12 are interconnected by a base arch 31, forming a fascia for the segment, being substantially flattened V-shape brackets 32. The segment 11 is formed by a series of triangular panels 33, an example of which is shown in FIG. 10. In plan each panel 33 has the shape of an isosceles triangle when, in this embodiment, the sides 34 are longer than the base 35. Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 10, the panels 33 are formed from sheet steel (or other suitable material as hereinbefore described) with an outer face 36 bounded by inwardly inclined side flanges 37 and a perpendicular base flange 38, the flanges having an inturned web and lip flange to provide additional strength. A reinforcing member 39, e.g. of L-section extrusion, is provided in the panels 33 along the median axis and an insulated ceiling panel 40 closes the panels. The first course of the segment 11 is provided by a single panel 33 which has its apex connected to the connector plates 27 and its base flange 38 connected to the main arches 12 by substantially V-shaped brackets 41 welded or fixed on the arches. The second course of the segment comprises three panels 33, the outer two of which are connected to the main arches, the inner one being connected to the two outer panels and the panel of the first course by suitable fasteners and/or brackets (not shown). As shown in FIG. 5, the inclined side flanges 37 of the panels enable the outer faces 36 to lie inclined to each other around the segment. However, as shown in FIG.6, the perpendicular base flanges 38 ensure that the outer faces 36 of the panels placed base-to-base are co-planar. As shown in the broken-away portion in FIG. 4, the flanges of the panels along the base chord of the course are connected by fish-plates 42 which pass through the corner slots 42a in the panels 33- As each course of the segment is erected, the number of panels in a course increases at a rate of (2n - 1), where n is the course number. As shown in FIG. 7, the outer faces 36 of panels 33 adjacent the arches are downwardly convergent. To waterproof the roof when the segments have been assembled, a waterproof membrane 43 is laid over the roof. A reinforcing tape 43a is laid over the joint to support the membrane and prevent the latter becoming ruptured across the joint as the roof structure expands and contracts. In a modified method for sealing the panels together (see FIG. 7k ) , a sealant 43b is laid in a channel 33a formed by recesses along the sides of the panels 33 and may be covered by the reinforcing tape 43a to support a waterproof membrane 43. At the junction of the panels 33, (see FIG. 7B), the hole 33b is covered by a hexagonal patch of reinforcing tape 43c before the waterproof membrane 43 is placed over the panels. (Suitable sealing strips or compounds may also be provided between the panels and/or the arches). As shown in FIG. 6, a thermally insulating foam sheet 44 may also be laid over the panels 33, below the membrane 43. To conduct the water away from the segments, open channels 45 (or closed gutters, not shown) may be provided on the main arches and connected to the base arches and fascias 31 at the bottom corners of the segments (see FIG. 8). FIG. 9 shows an alternative roof construction for an elongated building 46 where, in its intermediate portion, the segments 11 are provided alternately (i.e. the base corners of one segment are connected to the apexes of the adjacent side segments). In this embodiment, elliptical panels 47 e.g. formed of translucent material, are provided to connect the apexes 48 in the roof. Referring to FIG. 11, diamond panels 49 may be substituted for the triangular panels 33 (except for the triangular spaces at the base of the bottom course, which are fitted with the triangular panels 33). The diamond panels 49 are again formed of sheet metal with side flanges 50 and an outer face 51 and are strengthened by a cruciform reinforcement 52. In the embodiment shown, folded lapping sections 53 can be provided along two sides to overlap two of the adjacent panels in the manner of tiles or scales to provide additional weather protection. This arrangement is particularly suitable when the slope of the roof exceeds 1 155° aanndd additional sealant may be required under the lapping sections As hereinbefore described the panels 49 may be made of any suitable material and may be provided with an insulated ceiling sheet 40 and/or be covered with an insulating material. FIG. 12 shows a hexagonal panel 54 which has been *^JREA OMPI folded to provide a plurality of C-section side pieces 55 around a plurality of triangular outer faces 56 and strengthened by interconnecting reinforcing sections 57. In another embodiment of a hexagonal panel 58, shown in FIG. 13, the panel has six triangular outer faces 59. An upturned flange 60 is provided on one side of the panel with a corresponding downturned flange 61 on the opposite side. Smaller upturned flanges 62 are provided on the two sides adjacent the upturned flange 60, while similar downturned flanges 63 are provided on the two sides adjacent the flange 61. The panels 58 are arranged to be erected with the upturned flanges 60, 62 overlapped by the downturned flanges 61, 63 of adjacent panels in the manner of tiles or scales. Half panels 64, with one downturned flange 61 and two downturned .flanges 63 are arranged to be fitted against the main arches to complete the roof segment. It will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the particular configurations of the roof system are almost infinite due to variations in the placement of the segments (i.e. extending radially or alternating as in FIGS. 1 and 9); the shape of the panels and the included angle between the main arches; the radius of curvature of the main arches; the method of supporting the roof structures, and any slots or recesses in the segments. The roofing system may also be made as a demountable structure for certain applications. In very large structures, transverse arches may be required to extend below or against the base chords of at least some of the course of the segments, interconnecting the main arches, to support the panels and assist in distributing the stresses and loads in the structures. Various other changes and modifications may be OMPI -9- made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the present invention hereinafter defined in the claims.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A roofing system for buildings including: a plurality of interconnected segments, each segment being defined by a pair of substantially radially divergent main arches interconnected at the apex of the segment by a connector plate or box and at the base of the segment by a base arch and/or fascia; a plurality of roofing panels closing each segment, each panel being of polygonal shape in plan and connected to the surrounding or adjacent panels; the main arches and/or the base arch or fascia in the segment to form a plurality of transverse arches along the base chords of the panels in each course of panels in the segment; the roofing system when erected being self-supporting. 2. A roofing system as in Claim 1 wherein: the panels in each segment are interconnected to form a plurality of oblique arches in the segment; and the transverse and/or oblique arches are reinforced by structural members. 3- A roofing system in Claim 1 or Claim2 wherein: each main arch is common to a pair of adjacent segments; and the lower ends of the arches are supported on walls, posts or the building foundations. 4. A roofing system as in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein: the panels are of triangular, diamond, hexagonal, octagonal or other polygonal shape and have side flanges and/or webs to enable adjacent panels to be fixed together and/or to the main arches. 5. A roofing system as in Claim 4 wherein: each panel is arranged to overlap at least one adjacent panel in the segment. 6. A roofing system as in any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein: fixing plates or brackets are provided to interconnect the panels along the transverse arches of the segments. 7. A roofing system as in any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein: transverse arches or structural members, connected to the base chords of the segments, interconnect the main arches to support the panels and assist in distributing the stresses and/or loads in the roofing system. 8. A roofing system as in any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein: weather-proofing sealants and/or a weather- proofing membrane are provided to seal the panels and the arches.

Inventors: MUSGRAVE IAN ANTHONY, MUSGRAVE, IAN, ANTHONY
Applicants: MUSGRAVE IAN ANTHONY, MUSGRAVE RUTH MARIE, MUSGRAVE, IAN, ANTHONY, MUSGRAVE, RUTH, MARIE
Application year: 1984
Main classification: E04B7
IPC codes: E04B1, E04B7