ROOF SUPPORT BLOCK

Abstract: In modern-day construction of buildings which include uninhabitable or habitable lofts, the external roof may be generally uninsulated and supported by conventional roof trusses. In order to enable a roof having load-carrying and insulating ability to be constructed simply and quickly, there is provided a roof support block (1) which is comprised of a load-carrying and insulating body (7) of foamed/porous material, such as cellular plastic material, which has one or more load-supporting rafter-like elements (8), for instance of rectangular cross section secured in a respective slot or slots provided in the body (7). The blocks are combined in pairs with their respective opposing ends against one another or resting on a roof rafter/beam construction and the other ends of said blocks resting on walls with connection to a tie-beam (3) or the like in roof structures which lack beams.

Description: ROOF SUPPORT BLOCK Technical Field The present invention relates to a roof support block for use in the construction and rapid assembly of building roofs. Background Art In the modern construction of buildings of the kind which include uninhabitable (uninsulated) lofts or attic spaces, an insulated intermediate floor struc¬ ture is often laid as a ceiling to the underlying habitable room space of the building. The roof of the building is left generally non-insulated and is sup¬ ported by conventional roof trusses or like supports. When an insulated loft space is later made habitable, it is necessary to effect complicated insulation work on the roof, possibly requiring modification or re¬ structuring of the roof trusses in order to provide sufficient space in which to accommodate acceptable roof insulation so as to provide good heating economy without leading to condensation problems. Disclosure of the Invention With the intention of enabling an insulated roof which has a load-bearing and insulating capacity to be con- structed in a quick and simple fashion, there is provided a roof support block which is comprised of a supporting and insulating sheet of foamed/porous material, for instance a cellular plastic material, provided with grooves in which a supportive structure, for instance a structureof rafter-like elements, has been glued. In the case of an angled or pitched roof, the roof support blocks are mounted in pairs with one end of each block of a block-pair facing an opposing end of the other block of said pair or resting against a roof rafter/joist and the other ends of said blocks being joined to or resting on walls which are anchored by means of a tie-beam or the like in a roof construc¬ tion which lacks roof beams. Brief Description of the Drawing Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a roof construction which includes roof support blocks in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 illustrates an inventive roof support block which includes two rafter-like elements in accordance with the invention. Description of an Exemplifying Embodiment The Figures of the accompanying drawing illustrate the construction of the roof of a building from roof support blocks in accordance with the invention. The blocks 1 may.be inclined at an angle of 38°, for instance, and are attached to a load-bearing wall 2, or may optionally be connected to tie-beams which also function to provide an intermediate floor structure. The blocks are fastened together at the top of the blocks with the aid of fastener devices, such as corrugated fasteners, for instance. Mounted on the upper side of the blocks are counter-battens 5, which have been firmly glued and/or mechanically connected to the structural floor/rafter-like elements 8, so as to coact with the floor structure and thereby provide a material conserving function. The counter-battens have been covered with a sheet 4 of impervious board or cloth, which together form an air gap through which condensation that forms is carried away. The board or cloth sheets are held firmly to the battens 6 with the aid of metal or ceramic tiles. As shown in Figure 1, there is formed between the impervious sheet 4 and the cellular block 7 an external air gap 9 through which condensation can readily be carried away. Each roof support block is comprised of one, two or more rafter-like elements 8, for instance wooden rafter-like elements measuring 6.00 x 0.045 x 0.220 m, which are glued in respective slots formed in a load- bearing block 7, for instance a block of cellular plastic, such as styrene cellular plastic, measuring 6.00 x 2.40 (1.20) x 0.22 . Each load-carrying block may include one, two or more longitudinally extending and mutually parallel slots in which the rafter-like elements are fitted and secured, said slots failing to extend completely across the block and thus, when seen in cross-section, an i perforate area will remain between the outer side of the block and the bottom of the slot. The rafter-like elements 8 can be secured in the slots with the aid of a waterproof glue. According to the invention, the main insulation can be kept dry and ventilated and moisture damage and other drawbacks that could occur due to non-tight or perme¬ ation defects in the roof construction can be avoided by insulating the space 10 in ridges between the insulating blocks with an insulating material, for instance silicone-treated perlite or white wool, that has a poorer insulating capacity than the insulating capacity of the main insulation/insulating blocks, and to provide an inner air gap 10 through which air can leak-out between the main insulation 7 and an inner impervious sheet 11 of plastic material, for instance. When the pressure in the building is below ambient pressure, air is drawn into the building but is heated before it can reach a possible leakage site in the plastic sheet and therewith will not have a detrimen- tal effect on the internal environment (give rise to cold draughts) . When the pressure in the building is higher than the ambient pressure and there is a leak¬ age in the roof structure, the air will rise up to the roof ridge. In the case of a roof structure which has been insulated in accordance with the aforegoing, air that leaks through the insulation will raise the temperature of the ridge insulation and cause the dew point to move closer to the outside. This prevents humid internal air from condensing in the main insula¬ tion, which would reduce the insulating capacity of the structure. The roof support block is able to carry large roof loads and acts as a load-bearing unit, due to the fact that the rafter-like elements are secured in slots which leave a space between the bottom of respective slots and the upper side of the roof support block, such that the insulating and load-bearing part will take-up, disperse and distribute the load to the load- carrying rafter-like elements glued in said slots. The rafter-like elements in respective roof support blocks are supported by or secured to roof beams or joists, walls, other roof support blocks or tie-beams and form a roof construction of high mechanical strength. When using this type of roof support block, there is no need to lay an outer roof consisting of tongued and grooved board, fibreboard or like material. Further- more, it is unnecessary to construct air gaps, for instance with the aid of board which incorporates spacer battens, or prefabricated air-gap sheeting. The inventive roof support blocks enables the building under construction to be quickly covered, with less risk of moisture damage.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A roof support block for the construction of building roofs, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the block (1) is comprised of a load-bearing and insulating part (7) which is provided with one or more slots which are not fully penetrating and which extend along the block and have load-supporting elements (8) fixed therein. 2. A block according to Claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the load-carrying and insulat¬ ing part (7) is comprised, for instance, of a foamed/porous material, such as a cellular plastic material. 3. A block according to Claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the load-supporting element or elements (8) is/are wooden rafter-like elements of preferably rectangular cross-section, for instance. 4. A block according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a pair of mutually coacting and mutually joined blocks (l) or several pairs of mutually coacting and mutually joined blocks (1) is/are disposed to form together with one or more tie-beams (3) or the like a roof construction that has an outer air gap (9) . 5. A block according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a pair of mutually coacting and mutually joined blocks (1) or several pairs of mutually coacting blocks (1) secured to roof rafters/beams is/are disposed to form together with walls of the building a roof construction which in¬ cludes an outer air gap (9) . 6. A block according to any one of the preceding Claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that an inner air gap (10) is formed between an inner impermeable sheet (11) and the load-carrying and insulating block (7) with connection to an insulated space (12) between the load-carrying and insulating block (7) in roof ridges in which the insulation has a lower insulating ability than the main insulation. 7. A block according to Claim 6, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the impermeable sheet (11) may consist of an insulating plastic material. [received by the International Bureau on 23 August 1993 (23.08.93); original claims 1-7 replaced by amended claims 1-7 (2 pages)] 1. A roof support block for the construction of building roofs, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the block (1) is comprised of a load-bearing and insulating part (7) which is provided with one or more slots which are not fully penetrating and which extend along the block and have load-supporting elements (8) fixed therein. 0 2. A block according to Claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the load-carrying and insulat¬ ing part (7) is comprised, for instance, of a foamed/porous material, such as a cellular plastic 15 material. 3. A block according to Claim l, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the load-supporting element or elements (8) is/are wooden rafter-like elements of 10. preferably rectangular cross-section, for instance. 4. The use of a roof support block according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a pair of mutually coacting and mutually joined .25. blocks (1) or several pairs of mutually coacting and mutually joined blocks (1) is/are disposed to form a roof construction together with one or more tie-beams (3) or the like. 3J ) 5. The use of a roof support block according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a pair of mutually coacting and mutually joined blocks (1) or several pairs of mutually coacting blocks (1) secured to roof rafters/beams is/are dis- 35. posed to form a roof construction together with build¬ ing walls fastened to load-supporting parts. 6. The use of a roof support block according Claim 4 or Claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that an inner air gap (10) is formed between an inner imperme¬ able sheet (11) and the load-carrying and insulating block (7) with connection to an insulated space (12) between the load-carrying and insulating block (7) in _ roof ridges in which the insulation has a lower insu¬ lating ability than the main insulation. 7. The use of a roof support block according to Claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the impermeable sheet (11) may consist of an insulating plastic mate¬ rial.

Inventors: KULLBERG BENGT, KULLBERG, BENGT
Applicants: E2 HUS PRODUKTIONS AB, KULLBERG BENGT
Application year: 1993
Main classification: E04D1
IPC codes: E04B7