A VENTILATING EAVES MEMBER

Abstract: A ventilating eaves member for mounting between the top side of a fascia board (3) and a lath member (4), if any, positioned behind the fascia board and the superjacent roof covering (10) comprises an elongate airing element (12) with transverse air ducts (13) and, in integral connection, a supporting element (14) for an under-roof film (8), and a water drainage element (15), in the form of sheet profiles which across the entire length of the airing element (12) protrude from the opposite sides thereof. The eaves member (11) is made as an integral unit of cast plastics material with integral link connections (16, 17) for adapting the positioning of the supporting and water drainage elements (14, 15) to the roof structure in question.

Description: A VENTILATING EAVES MEMBER The present invention relates to a ventilating eaves member comprising an elongate airing element with transverse air ducts for mounting between the top side of a fascia board and a lath member, if any, positioned behind the fascia board and the superjacent roof covering and connected to this a supporting element for an underroof film and a water drainage element, in which said supporting and water drainage elements in the form of plate profiles which across the entire length of the airing element protrude from the opposite sides thereof, said sides, when the eaves member is in use, facing the interior of the roof structure and a gutter mounted on the outer surface of the fascia board, respectively. Conventional trimming of the base of eaves in connection with protruding roofs is often done by a workman, in which connection a sheet metal is fastened to the upper edge of a fascia board after the mounting of gutter brackets in recesses in roof plywood and the lower lath member in the roof structure. Provision of a necessary ventilation slit requires that the lower lath member is put on edge and blocked up, and the ventilation slit entails the considerable risk that drift snow and insects, mice and birds may enter the roofing space. In connection with a base finishing of the eaves of a roof of the above type known from UK Patent Application no. 2,131,845 it has been tried to overcome these problems by fastening a U-shaped ventilating profile member of aluminium with transverse air ducts to the upper surface of the fascia board and by insert¬ ing a sheet metal of plastic material comprising an interior underroof carrier portion and an exterior water drainage portion above the rearmost edge of the covering wall of the ventilation member facing the interior of the roof structure. Though this known solution offers substantial advantages over the above- mentioned conventional eaves constructions, it is complicated by the fact that the ventilating member and the sheet metal have to be assembled manually before the mounting, just as the mounting is made difficult by the fact that the U-shaped ventilating member itself has to be secured to the top side of the fascia board by nailing. To prevent the superjacent roof covering from resting directly on the sheet metal and to avoid the subsequent risk of stress on the gutter, an addi¬ tional blocking up of the roof covering by means of spacers in connection with the joining between the ventilating member and the sheet metal is proposed. In a second design of the eaves of a roof known from DE Patent No. 34 31 207 a ventilating member, which may be made from plastic material in integral connection with a drip cap for drainage of water to the gutter, may likewise be secured by nailing directly to the upper edge of a fascia board, whereas for support of an underroof, which is here presupposed to be roofing felt, a separate, rigid carrier member is used. In view of this prior art the object of the invention is to provide a ventilating eaves member, which fully remedies the inconveniences in respect of manufacture and use when conventionally finishing the eaves of a roof without entailing the complications connected with said known solutions. To meet this object a ventilating eaves member of the type mentioned by way of introduction is according to the invention characteristic in that the eaves member is made as an integral unit of cast plastics material, the airing element being integrally connected with said supporting and water drainage elements and in that between the airing element and on one side thereof the supporting element and on the other side thereof the water drainage element integrated link connections are provided for adapting the positioning of the supporting and water drainage elements to the roof structure in question. Hereby is obtained that by means of a single eaves member with an airing element in integral connection with both an underroof supporting element and a water drainage element, a ventilation can be established with adequate safety against penetration of drift snow, insects and small animals as well as an improved support of an underroof film preventing "ponding" and subsequent formation of water traps and a water drain¬ age adapted to the gutter mounting in question, the integral link connections being easily adaptable to different roof structures, like for instance differing roof pitches. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the eaves member according to the invention appear from the dependent claims. The invention will be described in detail in the following by means of examples of embodiments with reference to the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a part of an eaves structure by use of an embodiment of an eaves member according to the invention, Figs 2 and 3 show the eaves member of Fig. 1 seen obliquely from above and obliquely from below, respect¬ ively, and Fig. 4 the eaves member seen from one end in the position, in which it is manufactured. In the eaves termination shown in Fig. 1 for a pitched roof with a pitch of 30° and protruding roof, eaves boards 2 are secured to the under side of a rafter 1 and to the end of the rafter a fascia board 3, which with its upper edge covers the lower lath 4 in the roof structure, said lath being fastened to the top side of the rafter 1. On top of the fascia board 3 a gutter bracket 5 is placed which, in the example shown, is fastened to the lath 4 and which carries a gutter 6 extending along the outer side of the fascia board 3. Along the top side of the rafter 1 a spacing list 7 is fastened, said list securing an underroof cloth 8 made from reinforced plastic film, and to the top side of which the remaining laths 9 of the roof structure are fastened, said laths carrying the exterior roof covering 10. Between the top side of the rafter 1, the fascia board 3 and the lower lath 4 and the superjacent roof covering 10 an eaves member 11 is placed, which gen¬ erally comprises an airing element 12 with transverse air passages in the form of comparatively short ducts 13 and in connection herewith a supporting element 14 extending towards the interior of the roof structure, said supporting element carrying the lower edge area of the underroof cloth 8, and a water drainage element 15 protruding against the gutter 6. As will be seen more distinctly from Figs 2-4, the eaves member according to the invention is made as an integral unit with the airing element 12 in integral connection with both the supporting element 14 and the water drainage element 15, integrated link connections being established in the form of film hinges 16 and 17 between the airing element 12, on one side thereof the supporting element 14 and on the other side thereof the water drainage element 15, with a view to adapting the position of the elements 14 and 15 to the roof struc- ture in question. The water drainage element 15 is thus in a first link connection 17 connected with the airing element 12 along the edge of the bottom wall 18, which in the operating position faces the interior of the roof construction. Counted from the link connection or the film hinge 17 the water drainage element 15 comprises a mounting section 19 with apertures for screws 20, by means of which the eaves member 11 is secured to the subjacent member of the roof structure, in this case the lower lath 4, and a foot section 21 which is connected with the mounting section 19 in a second link connection or film hinge 22 in parallel with the film hinge 17. The mounting section 19 is moreover designed with integrated snap engagement means 23 for locking the mounting section with the bottom wall 18 of the airing element 12 in the folded position shown in Fig. 1, the eaves member being fastened to the roof structure by means of the screws 20. Hereby the mounting is facilitated, the fastening to the roof structure being feasible with the mounting section 19 in a swung out position from the airing element 12. Simultaneously, the fastening screws 20 are hidden by the subsequent locking of the mounting section 19 to the bottom wall 18 of the airing element 12 by means of the snap engagement means 23. The foot section 21 is shown with a substantially L-shaped cross-section comprising an inner portion 24 up to the link connection 22 and an outer portion 25. On account of this design and the link connection 22 it is possible to bend the foot section 21 completely into the gutter 6, the free longitudinal edge of the outer portion 25 abutting the back wall of the gutter, as shown by a dot-and-dash line in Fig. l. This causes a substantial reduction of the risk of water from the gutter suddenly on account of big amounts of water penetrating into the roof structure. Simultaneously, the link connection 22 ensures an easy access, when the gutter 6 is to be cleaned, by lifting of the foot section 21. The mounting section 19 is, as shown in Fig. 3, at the underside provided with protruding transverse ribs 26 having a mutual spacing which leaves room for gutter brackets 5 below the eaves 11 without any need for cuttings in the fascia board 3. To prevent insects, etc. from entering through the slits formed thereby, the mounting section is also provided with resilient fingers 26a protruding from the underside and forming an effective insect grating. In the airing element 12, the air passages are, like already said before, in the form of comparatively short ducts 13 with rectangular cross-section and divided by common partition walls 27. To reduce the already small risk on account of the design of the ducts of drift snow, insects, etc. entering, an insect grating may be placed in the flow cross-section of each duct, said grating being for instance in the form of integrated diagonal grating bars 28 oriented between the upper edge at the front side of the airing element 12 and the lower edge at the bottom edge at its back¬ side. As will further be seen, the link connection 16 between the airing element 12 and the supporting element 14 extends along the backwards facing edge of the upper wall 29 of the airing element 12. In the upper wall a longitudinal profiling is provided in parallel with the link connection 16, said profiling being for instance in the form of a small elevation or a recess 30, which may serve as cutting line when adapting the underroof cloth 8. At its side facing outwards the airing element is provided with clips-like mounting and holding means 31 for pivotal mounting of a separate clamping element 32 and for keeping it in a locked position for clamping an edge area of the fitted undercloth 8 against the upper wall 29 of the airing element 12. The clamping element 32, which constitutes a separate member relative to the eaves 11, is designed as an elongate list 33, which at one side is provided with protruding clamping tongues 34 for securing the underroof cloth and at the other side protruding tap elements 35 engaging the mounting and holding means 31. When the underroof cloth 8 has been correctly posi- tioned, the separately mounted clamping element 32 can be swung to the position shown to the right in Fig. 1, in which a locking takes place by snap-engagement between hook members 36 on the underside of the tongues 34 and receiving apertures 37 in the upper wall of the airing element 12. The clamping element 32 is preferab¬ ly so sturdy that the lower row of tiles in the covering 10 may rest directly on the clamping member 32. As the supporting element 14 generally has the shape of a sheet member with considerable width, a safe securing of the bottom part of the underroof cloth 8 is retained, such that "ponding" or formation of water traps and the risk involved of water accumulating being avoided. At its under side the supporting element 14 may be provided with stiffening ribs 38 which from the link connection 16 extend to an edge area 39, in which the element is kept clear of the stiffening ribs 38 and instead provided with comparatively small, resilient fingers 40, which makes a simple adaptation of the eaves member 11 to the rafters 1 of the roof structure possible, the fingers 40 being either bent upwards or broken away opposite such rafters. On the underside of the supporting element 14 longitudinal grooves 41 are, as shown in Fig. 3, provided through the ribs 38 for receiving tap¬ like connection elements 42 for connecting eaves members 11 end to end. The eaves member according to the invention is cast from a plastic material, for instance polypropylene, the link connections 16, 17, and 22 being made as so-called film hinges. The casting is advantageously done in the mutual position of the individual elements in the eaves member as shown in Fig. 4. The eaves member according to the invention may be manufactured in suitable lengths easy to handle, for instance 120 cm corresponding to modular measures normally used within the building industry. The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the eaves member shown and described, the design of the individual elements in the integrated unit being vari¬ able within wide limits.

Claims: P A T E N T C L A I M S 1. A ventilating eaves member comprising an elongate airing element (12) with transverse air ducts (13) for mounting between the top side of a fascia board (3) and a lath member (4) , if any, positioned behind the fascia board and the superjacent roof covering (10) and connected to this a supporting element (14) for an underroof film (8) and a water drainage element (15) , in which said supporting and water drainage elements (14, 15) in the form of plate profiles which across the entire length of the airing element (12) protrude from the opposite sides thereof, said sides, when the eaves member is in use, facing the interior of the roof structure and a gutter (6) mounted on the outer surface of the fascia board (3) , respect¬ ively, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the eaves member (11) is made as an integral unit of cast plas¬ tics material, the airing element (12) being integrally connected with said supporting and water drainage elements (14, 15) and in that between the airing element (12) and on one side thereof the supporting element (14) and on the other side thereof the water drainage element (15) integrated link connections (16, 17) are provided for adapting the positioning of the supporting and water drainage elements (14, 15) to the roof structure in question. 2. A ventilating eaves member according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the water drain¬ age element (15) is connected in a first link connec- tion (17) with the airing element (12) at the edge of the bottom wall (18) thereof, which, in operating position, with the bottom wall positioned against the fascia board (3) faces the interior of the roof struc¬ ture, and that it counted from said link connection (17) comprises a mounting section (19) with fastening means for mounting on the upper surface of a member in the roof structure and a foot section (21) which is connected with the mounting section (19) in a second integrated link connection (22) in parallel with the first link connection (17) , the mounting section (19) being provided with snap engagement means (23) for locking the airing element (12) and the mounting section (19) after fastening of the latter section to the roof structure. 3. A ventilating eaves member according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the foot section (21) has a substantially L-shaped cross-section com¬ prising an inner and an outer portion (24, 25) counted from said second link connection (22) for allowing bending of the foot section into a gutter (6) , the free longitudinal edge of the outer portion (25) abutting a back wall thereof. 4. A ventilating eaves member according to claim 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the mounting section (19) at its under side is provided with pro¬ truding transverse ribs (26) spaced mutually such that room is given for the mounting of gutter brackets (5) on the upper surface of the fascia board. 5. A ventilating eaves member according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the air ducts (13) of the airing element (12) are comparatively short air ducts with rectangular cross- section and divided by common partition walls (27) , an insect grating being positioned in the flow cross- section of each duct in the form of diagonal grating bars (28) oriented between the upper edge of the front surface of the airing element and the lower edge of its back side. 6. A ventilating eaves member according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the supporting element (14) is connected with the airing element in a third link connection (16) extend¬ ing along the edge of a covering wall (29) in the airing element, which, when in use, is intended to face the interior of the roof structure and that parallel with this link connection (16) in said covering wall (29) a longitudinal profiling (30) has been provided serving as a cutting line for adaptation of an under¬ roof film. 7. A ventilating eaves member according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the airing element (12) at the side, which, in the operating position, is intended to face outwards, is provided with mounting and holding means (31) for pivotal mounting of a clamping element (32) and for keeping it in a locked position for securing an under¬ roof film (8) against the covering wall (29) of the airing element (12) . 8. A ventilating eaves member according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the supporting element (14) is designed as a plate member of considerable width and being provided with stiffening ribs (38) at the under side, the supporting element (14) being in an edge area along the free longitudinal edge parallel with said third link connec¬ tion (16) kept clear of said stiffening ribs (38) and provided with resilient fingers (40) for adaptation to rafters (1) in the roof structure. 9. A ventilating eaves member according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that longitudinal grooves (41) are provided on the under side of the supporting element (14) for receiving tap-like connec¬ tion elements (42) for connecting eaves members (11) end to end. 10. A ventilating eaves member according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said integrated link connections (16, 17, 22) are designed as film hinges.

Inventors: SOELBECK PETER, SOELBECK, PETER
Applicants: POLYSHEET AS, SOELBECK PETER, POLYSHEET A/S, SOELBECK, PETER
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E04D13
IPC codes: E04D13