LOW PROFILE ROOFING TORCH

Abstract: An improved torch assembly (10) designed for use in the formation of roof lap joints even in cold weather is provided which includes an elongated handle (12) having a low profile torch head assembly (17) secured thereto. The assembly (17) has a drag shoe (14) adapted to receive a torch head (16) and direct combustion products through a rearward outlet opening (54). Minimal torch head assembly height is provided so as to avoid cracking of stiff lap weld material during cold weather use, and is achieved through use of an elongated, rectangular in cross section torch head (16) which fits between upper and lower walls (24, 32) forming a part of shoe (14); the head (16) has a number of large area air inlets (74) owing to its rectangular configuration, allowing generation of sufficient heat to give lap welds of high integrity.

Description: LOW PROFILE ROOFING TORCH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field ofthe Invention The present invention is broadly concerned with an improved low-profile torch assembly of the type particularly useful in roofing applications where roofing membranes must be heated for the formation of lap joints between sections of roofing material. More particularly, it is concerned with such a torch assembly including an elongated handle having a drag shoe element coupled to the lower end thereof and receiving a strategically oriented and configured torch head; the torch head is in the form of an elongated, generally rectangular in cross-section body having a rearward flame-exiting end, so that the entire torch head assembly made up of the shoe element and torch has the smallest possible vertical height. In this way, lap welding operations may be successfully carried out even in cold weather when the lap material is relatively stiff and susceptible to cracking when prior torch assemblies are used. Description ofthe Prior Art Many commercial roof constructions include a metal substrate having a foam insulating layer thereon, with a rigid, weather-resistant roofing board applied over the foam layer. Finally, modified bitumen roofing membrane is secured to the roofing board, typically through the use of an asphalt-based roofing mastic. Installation of such a built-up roof involves first attaching prefabricated panels each made up of preformed foam and roofing board layers over the metal deck, followed by application of roofing mastic and finally the roofing membrane. The latter material is generally provided in rolls, and successive, overlapped strips thereof are applied to the prefabricated panels and adhered in placed by the roofing mastic. The lap joints between adjacent membrane strips are also adhesively secured by heating the lap joint regions, and the membranes are rolled to complete the roof. During formation of the lap joints, it is common to employ a trowel or other implement in one hand to lift a lap section, and hand-held torch in the other hand for the purpose of heating the membrane in and around the lap area. Thereafter, the upper layer of the lap joint is laid over the heated membrane and the joint is rolled. Use of a conventional roof torch has proven to be somewhat troublesome and difficult. Specifically, elevating the lap section and playing a torch flame over roofing mem¬ branes inevitably leads to uneven heating and consequent poor lap joint welding. Hence, the lack of suitable means for orienting the torch and maintaining its position as a lap joint is traversed is a major problem, and this increases the time spent in properly forming a lap joint. Moreover, the finished joints may be deficient and subject to failure due to wind lifting. U.S. Patent No. 5,211,158 (incorporated by reference herein) represents a decided advance in the art and describes a roofing torch assembly having na elongated, tubular handle with a drag shoe adjacent the lower end thereof. The shoe houses an elongated, tubular, essentially circular in cross-section torch. In use, the torch assembly is pulled along a lap joint beneath the outer lap section while hot combustion products generated within the torch heat the roofing material sections. A roller or other device is then used to press the heated lap sections together to form a completed joint. While devices ofthe type described in the ' 158 patent have proved highly useful and efficient in practice, a problem sometimes arises when lap welding operations are conducted during cold weather. Specifically, under these conditions, the lap roofing material tends to stiffen and is prone to cracking if bent or manipulated to a substantial degree. The overall height ofthe shoe element described in the '158 patent is sufficient to sometimes crack or split the upper lap section during such cold weather installations, with the result being a lap joint of diminished integrity. In order to overcome this difficulty, attempts were made to employ tubular torch heads of smaller diameter, thereby permitting use of a reduced height shoe element and thus lowering the vertical profile of the overall torch head assembly. This simple expedient proved unworkable, however, because such smaller diameter tubular torch heads did not have sufficient area to allow enough inlet air openings. As a conse¬ quence, such experimental low profile torch head assemblies did not have enough BTU output to achieve the temperatures necessary for adequate lap welding. There is accordingly a need in the art for an improved torch head assembly of low profile permitting cold weather usage without lap material cracking and which is capable of generating sufficiently high temperatures to give secure, permanent lap welds. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The problems outlined above are solved by the present invention which provides a low profile torch head assembly for use in fabricating roof joints or the like under all ambient temperature conditions wherein the torch head is properly oriented and configured in position to effectively heat the lap joint area of roofing membrane. To this end, the torch assembly ofthe invention includes an elongated handle presenting an upper and lower end, with a shoe element operably coupled to the lower end ofthe handle and having upper and lower wall sections cooperatively defining an elongated chamber with a rearward outlet opening. A torch head is located within the shoe chamber and is oriented for delivery of flame through the rearward open end of the shoe. Very importantly, the torch head is in the form of an elongated body of generally rectangular cross-section with a series of air inlets adjacent the forward end thereof and an open, flame-exiting rearward end. Advantageously, the torch head has generally parallel top and bottom walls and upright sidewalls, with the top and bottom walls being wider than the sidewalls and with the top and bottoms generally parallel with the shoe element upper and lower walls. It has been found that use of such a rectangular in cross-section torch head allows significant reductions in the overall height ofthe shoe element (e.g., up to a maximum of about 4 inches, more preferably up to bout 3 inches), while at the same time permitting sufficient air inlets to generate high lap welding temperatures. It has been found that the low profile torch head assembly ofthe invention can be used in all weather conditions where roofing operations are otherwise possible, without fear of cracking of lap sections or the creation of inadequate lap welds. In preferred forms, the handle is in the form of an elongated gas delivery tube operably coupled to the torch head, and a valve associated with the handle adjacent its upper end is selectively operable for controlling flow of fuel to the torch. Moreover, the upper and lower wall sections ofthe shoe are advantageously formed as an integral unit, with the lower wall section being adapted to be moved along a lap joint area, to this end, the lower wall has a substantially flat main panel section for sliding along a lap joint area, with a rearward upturned extension causing the shoe outlet opening to be located above the main panel section. On the other hand, the upper wall section is designed to slide beneath the lap portion of an adjacent membrane strip, and therefore is preferably flat. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view ofthe torch head assembly ofthe invention, illustrating the configuration and orientation ofthe preferred rectangular torch head; Fig. 2 is another side view of the torch head assembly, viewing from the side opposite that depicted in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the torch head assembly, with the torch head being shown partially in phantom; Fig. 4 is a rear view ofthe torch head assembly; and Fig. is a front view ofthe torch assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the drawings, a roofing torch assembly 10 is illustrated. Broadly speaking, the assembly 10 includes an elongated handle 12 having a shoe element 14 secured the lower end thereof. The shoe element in turn houses torch head 16 which is strategically oriented and configured for proper application of flame to a lap joint. The shoe element 14 and torch head 16 therein together define a torch head assembly 17 secured to handle 12. In more detail, the handle 12 is in the form of an elongated, tubular metallic body 18 adapted to convey torch fuel therethrough. The body 18 has, adjacent its upper end and in operative communication with the interior thereof, a selectively operable fuel valve and an external grip; a gas tube is operably coupled with the fuel valve and is adapted for connection to a flexible gas line leading to a source of fuel gas. An auxiliary hand grip is also secured to body 20 adjacent its upper end. The body 18, adjacent the lowermost end thereof where the tube is bent to a generally horizontal orientation, is equipped with an upstanding, integrally attached, apertured web 20. The terminal end ofthe body 20 moreover has a threaded fixture 22 thereon. The shoe element 14 includes a lowermost wall 24 presenting a generally flat main panel 26 as well as upstanding, obliquely oriented side flanges 28 and 30. The element 14 also includes an integral top wall 32, the latter having an upstanding apertured bracket 34 adjacent web 20. The walls 24-30 cooperatively define an elongated, torch head-receiving chamber 36 having an open side 38. As illustrated, connectors 40 are used to connect web 20 and bracket 34, so that handle 12 is secured to shoe element 14. The overall shoe element 14 further includes a rearward, hollow, flame-directing housing 42 which is telescoped within and extends rearwardly from walls 24, 32. The housing 42 includes an upturned lower wall 44 which in effect forms a continuation of the lower wall 24, with integral, top wall 46 and sidewall 48. The rearmost portion of the housing 42 is laterally flared and has top wall segment 50 and oblique sidewall 52. The walls 44, 50 and 52 cooperatively define a generally horizontal rearmost outlet opening 54 (see Fig. 4) which extends the full width ofthe housing 42. As illustrated, a continuation of wall 50 forms an upturned lip 55 directly above opening 55 in order to slidingly support a section of lap material (not shown) during use of torch assembly 10. The housing 42 is secured to walls 24, 32 by means of a bifurcated bracket 56 secured to sidewall 48 and connected, via connector 58, to an upstanding, apertured wall member 60 extending between walls 24 and 32 (Fig. 1). It will thus be seen that the walls 24, 32 and housing 42 cooperatively present the shoe element 14 which receives torch head 16 and directs products of combustion therefrom toward and out of opening 54 in order to effectively heat and weld lap- forming sections of roofing material. The torch head 16 is specially configured so that the overall height ofthe torch head assembly 17 is at a minimum. As best seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the head 16 is in the form of an elongated, rectangular in cross-section body made up of generally parallel top and bottom walls 62, 64, sidewalls 66, 68, and front wall 70, so as to define a rearmost, open, rectangular flame-directing end 72 (See Fig. 4). The head 16 also has a series of air inlet apertures 74 therethrough adjacent front wall 70, and is operatively coupled with handle 12 via fixture 22. It is to be noted that torch head walls 62, 64 are generally parallel with shoe walls 24, 32 so that the height of torch head assembly 17 is minimumized. During lap joint formation, the torch assembly 10 is placed atop a lap joint area, with an overlapping end section of roofing membrane resting atop shoe element 14, and particularly lip 55 and the upper defining walls ofthe shoe element. The torch head 16 is then fired, with fuel gas being delivered through the handle 12. As the torch is thus operated to create a flame of combustion products exiting head 16 and extending rearwardly through opening 54, the entire assembly 10 is pulled forwardly. This serves to uniformly heat the lap joint area, allowing the roofing membrane sections to be pressed together. Usually, a roller or other similar device (not shown) is employed to press the membranes together. This serves to complete the lap joint. Given that the torch head assembly 17 is of minimum height, welding operations as described can be effectively carried out in all weather, without fear of cracking or splitting ofthe upper lap membrane. At the same time, the assembly 17 is capable of generating sufficient heat to create very effective lap joints.

Claims: Claims: 1. A low profile torch head assembly adapted for coupling with an elongated handle to form a torch unit for use in fabricating roofs, said torch head assembly comprising: a shoe element having upper and lower walls defining an elongated chamber presenting a rearward outlet opening; and an elongated torch head at least partially disposed within said shoe element between said upper and lower walls and having a forward end and open, rearward, flame-exiting end oriented for delivering flame towards said element outlet opening, said torch head being generally rectangular in cross-section and having a series of air inlets adjacent said forward end thereof. 2. The assembly of claim 1 , said torch head having generally parallel top and bottom walls and generally upright sidewalls, said top and bottom walls being wider than said sidewalls and being generally parallel with said shoe element upper and lower walls. 3. The assembly of claim 1, the maximum height of said shoe element being up to about 4 inches. The assembly of claim 2, said maximum height being up to about 3 inches. 5. The assembly of claim 1 , said lower shoe element having a main panel section and an upturned section adjacent said rearward end, with said element outlet opening being located above said main panel section.

Inventors: MORRIS PAUL L, MORRIS, PAUL, L.
Applicants: MORRIS PAUL L, MORRIS, PAUL, L.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B32B31
IPC codes: E04D15