Improvements relating to roofing panels

Abstract: A roofing panel has a central portion (1) and first and second rib portions (2) and (3). The sloping flank (10) of the sportion (3) covers over the fixing plate (8) of an adtacent panel and the head (11) of the portion (3) has a snap fit over the head (5) of the portion (2). Panels can be fitted together guickly and securely and with the fixing screws (9) fully protected.

Description: It is common for roof structures, particularly barns, warehouses and factory buildings to be covered by overlapping roofing panels. A problem arises in achieving an adequate overlap between adjacent panels whilst minimizing the possibility of rainwater passing through to the inner side of the panels where fixing screws are provided to secure the panels to the support structure or to each other. This invention aims to alleviate this difficulty in a manner which is attractive and which allows for rapid assembly of the panels. A method of interlinking the edges of two adjacent panels is described in Patent Specification No. WO-A-8908756. The two edges of the roofing sheet have upstanding portions which interlink with one another so as to cover over a fixing plate extension which projects from the one extreme edge of the sheet. According to the invention there is provided a roofing panel whose two side edges incorporate upwardly projecting respective first and second rib portions, the first rib portion having a first flank wall leading up to a head, and a second flank wall leading down from the other side of the head to terminate in a laterally extending fixing plate at the lower end thereof and projecting from the free edge of the panel to act as a fixing plate for securement of the panel to an underlying support structure, the second rib portion having a flank wall leading up to a head which fits over the head of the first rib portion of another such panel adjacent to a first panel, whereby the fixing plate extension on the other panel will be masked by the flank wall of the second rib portion of the first panel, characterised in that the head of the first rib portion defines projecting undercut lips on the two sides of the head, and the head of the second rib portion defines reentrant formations complementary to said lips on the first head portion, with said reentrant formations being undercut to cooperate with the undercut lips on the first rib portion, such that the second rib portion on the first panel will be a snap fit onto the first rib portion of the other panel adjacent to said one panel. An array of such panels can be mounted onto a support structure by securing the one edge by means of the fixing plate and fitting the other edge, by means of the complementary snap-fit rib portions, to a previously secured panel. In this way the securing means for securing the fixing plate to the support structure will be hidden from view and the elements, and there will be no visible external openings through the panels which might enable water to pass through. As compared with WO-A-8908756, the interconnection arrangement of this invention is much more secure in that the cooperating undercut lips on the first and second ribs of two adjacent panels hold the head portions together in a snap fit against accidental release. Although the rib portions will overlap one another along their whole lengths, the complementary engaging lip and reentrant formations on the rib portions may be provided at spaced positions along the lengths of the rib portions. In the preferred arrangement the two rib portions at the two edges of the panel will have flank walls facing one another, which walls slope down towards the intermediate main portion of the panel. The first rib portion will ideally be formed with an outer groove in an upper end face between the two lips running along the length of the rib portion, for receipt of a natural or synthetic resinous sealant material for sealing the gap between two rib portions when interlinked. The invention may be performed in various ways and one preferred example thereof is shown in the accompanying drawing which comprises a section through an assembled pair of panels formed in accordance with the invention. Each panel has a main intermediate portion 1 of any desired width. This can be flat so as to overlie the supporting structure directly or could have ribbed formations which extend along the length of the panel. At the two ends of the central portion 1 there are provided first and second rib portions, 2 and 3. The first rib portion 2 has a sloping flank portion 4 leading to an upper head 5 formed with a pair of projecting lips 6. A vertical wall 7 extends to a fixing plate 8 which will be attached to a support structure by means of screws 9, bolts or other fixing devices. The other rib portion 3 also has a sloping flank portion 10 leading to a head 11 which defines reentrant portions 12 which can be secured by a snap fit over the lips 6 and thus hold that end of the other panel in place. A groove 13 is formed in the top wall of the head 5 of the first rib portion 2 and will receive a synthetic resin material which will seal the space between two interengaged rib portions 2 and 3. By means of the structure illustrated in the drawings the fixing of the one end of the panel to the support structure is hidden away and fully protected from the elements and adjacent panels are interlinked by a method which avoids the need to puncture holes through the panels (for fixing screws or the like) which could provide an entry point for rainwater. Also the assembly of the panels to one another is made easier than a method which requires the location and securing of fixing screws through the two panels.

Claims: A roofing panel whose two side edges incorporate upwardly projecting respective first and second rib portions (2,3), the first rib portion (3) having a first flank wall (4) leading up to a head (5), and a second flank wall (7) leading down from the other side of the head to terminate in a laterally extending fixing plate (8) at the lower end thereof and projecting from the free edge of the panel to act as a fixing plate for securement of the panel to an underlying support structure, the second rib portion having a flank wall (10) leading up to a head (11) which fits over the head of the first rib portion of another such panel adjacent to a first panel, whereby the fixing plate extension on the other panel will be masked by the flank wall of the second rib portion of the first panel, characterised in that the head of the first rib portion defines projecting undercut lips (6) on the two sides of the head, and the head of the second rib portion defines reentrant formations (12) complementary to said lips on the first head portion, with said reentrant formations being undercut to cooperate with the undercut lips on the first rib portion, such that the second rib portion on the first panel will be a snap fit onto the first rib portion of the other panel adjacent to said one panel. A panel according to Claim 1, wherein the complementary engaging lip and reentrant formations on the rib portions are provided at spaced positions along the lengths of the rib portions. A panel according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the two rib portions at the two edges of the panel have flank walls (4,10) facing one another, which walls slope down towards the intermediate main portion (1) of the panel. A panel according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the first rib portion has an upper face between the two lips, said upper face being formed with an outer groove (13) running along the length of the rib portion, for receipt of a natural or synthetic resinous sealant material for sealing the gap between two rib portions, when interlinked.

Inventors: LEWIS LYNDSAY VAUGHN, LEWIS, LYNDSAY VAUGHN
Applicants: BROHOME LTD, BROHOME LIMITED
Application year: 1990
Main classification: E04D3
IPC codes: E04D3