Roof ridge assemblies

Abstract: A ridge assembly for a conservatory roof comprises a ridge body (10) having a base (36), side walls (20) extending upwardly from the base, flanges (40) extending downwardly from the base and means (42) for receiving ridge capping support elements (150).

Description: This invention concerns roof ridge assemblies, especially for conservatories. It is known to construct conservatory roofs from polycarbonate roofing panels supported between glazing bars. The glazing bars are supported and connected at one end to a ridge structure and at the other end are supported by and connected to an eaves structure. Such ridge structures comprise a pair of flanges which the glazing bars are supported on and connected to. A ridge capping is connected to the ridge structure and provides cover for the ridge structure and the ends of both glazing bars and roofing panels. The ridge capping comprises two downwardly extending flaps or wings which overlie the ridge structure and the ends of the glazing bars and roofing panels to provide such cover. The wings of the ridge capping are kept spaced apart from the roofing panels so as to define a passageway therebetween in order to allow ventilation of the ridge structure and consequently the interior of the conservatory. A roof ridge assembly comprising a ridge body, a ridge capping and a bolt for holding them releasably together is know from GB-A-2 275 948. Manufacturers are continually seeking to reduce the time taken to assemble such conservatories since reduction in assembly time results in a saving of costs as well as to improve resistance to rain ingress and ventilation facilities. An object of this invention is to provide an improved conservatory roof ridge assembly. According to this invention there is provided a ridge assembly for a roof comprising a ridge body having a base, side walls extending upwardly from the base and flanges extending outwardly and downwardly from the base, the side walls having upper ends and means for receiving ridge capping support elements mounted on said receiving means, a ridge capping supported on said support elements and means for fixing the ridge capping to the ridge body comprising a bolt with a head releasably engaged with the ridge capping underside and a stem fixed through the ridge body base by means of a wedge slid into a slot in the underside of the ridge body base to engage the stem of the bolt and hold same against axial movement, the stem and the wedge having mutually engaging grooves and ribs. The means for receiving ridge capping support elements are preferably internal projections on which the support elements are mountable. The elements are preferably by being either slidable thereonto for positioning or may be snap-fitted onto the projections. In one preferred embodiment the ridge capping support elements are box sections with lateral extensions from top edges thereof on which the ridge capping sits. The ridge body preferably has on opposite sides channels to receive ends of glazing panels. These channels may further include locations for retention of rain baffles which are provided to inhibit passage of rain about glazing panel ends into the ridge assembly. Ends of glazing bars preferably lie on and are securable to the outwardly extending flanges of the ridge body. Ends of the flanges are preferably stepped to provide locations for retaining undercladding. The preferred undercladding has a base and returned sides which locate on said steps. The undercladding preferably has at least one location for ventilation means, preferably of the hit or miss type, i.e. where a series of apertures in the undercladding can be opened or closed by a similarly apertured slidable strip. Such ventilation means may be provided in any one or more of the base of the undercladding or the returned sides thereof. In each case the undercladding will have a channel-like slot for receiving the slidable apertured strip. Preferably on the underside of the flanges of the ridge body are formations for receiving ends of cross braces. Preferably the cross braces can be slid into desired positions. This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an end view first embodiment of a ridge assembly for a conservatory roof; and Figure 2, shows components of the assembly of Figure 1. Referring to the accompanying drawings, a ridge assembly for a conservatory roof has a ridge body 10 formed as an aluminium extrusion. The ridge body 10 is generally slim and open-topped. The ridge body 10 is shaped to provide locations for attachment means for a ridge cap 12, glazing bars 14 and panels 16, and undercladding 18. The ridge body provides at its upper part upwardly divergent sides 20 which form the bases of outwardly open channel sections 22 having top sides 24 and bottom sides 26. Within the channel 22 the top side 24 has a longitudinal returned rib 28 and the bottom side 26 has a longitudinal rib 30. From the outer ends of the bottom channel sides 26 the ridge body walls have downwardly extending sections 32 which are stepped at 34. The sections 32 are joined by a base section 36. Where the walls are stepped at 34 there are sideways continuation flanges 40. Near the top of the divergent sides 20 of the ridge body 10 on their inwards facing surfaces are projections 42 for receiving spaced apart box section carriages 44. The carriages 44 have at their lower corners suitably shaped slots 46 whereby they can be slid onto the projections 42 and into position on the ridge body. The carriages 44 have a top 48 that is extended to both sides 50 laterally and over a final part 52 upwardly to provide a support for a ridge top capping 12. The glazing bars 14 comprise an aluminium glazing beam with upper and lower cappings, each of which has co-extended gaskets along its edges that abut against the glazing panels 16. The glazing bars 14 are fixed onto the flaps 40 and abut against the ridge body. Longitudinal channels 58 are provided in the flaps 40 with an upstanding internal rib 60 on their bottom surface. The channels 58 are to receive heads of securing bolts (not shown) which fix the glazing bars 14 in place. The channels allow the bolts to be slid to the appropriate positions whilst holding them captive. The glazing panels 16 extend into the channel sections 22 and top and bottom rain baffles 64, 66 respectively are provided. The top rain baffle 64 is a generally L-shaped plastics extrusion with a resilient flexible elbow 68. One limb 70 of the baffle 64 is slightly arcuate terminating in a foot 72 that rests on top of the glazing bars 14. The other limb 74 has a series of projections 76 extending normally thereto, which provide a series of slots 78 with serrated side walls any of which can be push fitted onto the top side 24 of the channel section, which has serrated upper and lower surfaces for grip, depending on the thickness of the glazing panels. At its bottom end the other limb 74 has a co-extended gasket strip 80 that provides a seal between the glazing panels and the baffle. The bottom rain baffle 66 is a plastics extrusion and has three webs 82, 84 and 86 generally at right angles to each, whereby the first and third webs are substantially parallel, the first web extending upwards from one side of the second web 84 and the third web extending downwards from the other side of the second web. The first web 82 of the baffle 66 has along its top edge a lip 88 and a similar lip 90 on its bottom edge beyond its junction with the second web 84. These lips 88 and 90 are provided to retain the baffle 66 in the channel section 22, the lips 88 and 90 being retained respectively behind the ribs 28 and 30. The baffle 66 thus snap-fits into the channel section 22. On the outer face of the third web 86, just below its junction with the second web 84 is a co-extended gasket strip 92 which abuts against the ends of the glazing bars below the glazing panels 16 which actually sit on the second web 84 of the rain baffle 66. The flanges 40, extending from the ridge body 10 have their ends turned first downwards and then outwards to provide ledges 94. The ledges 94 are for retaining undercladding 18 in position below the ridge body. The undercladding 18 has a generally flat base 98 and returned ends 100. edges of which fit over the ledges 94. The undercladding 18 has three positions for fitting of hit and miss ventilators. Centrally of the base 98 is a channel 102 with lipped edges 104 to provide a slot for a strip member 104. The base 98 along the line of the channel 102 and the strip 104 each have a series of spaced apertures therethrough, whereby the strip 104 can be slid along the channel to bring the apertures of the channel and the strip into and out of register depending on the ventilation requirements. The returned ends 100 of the undercladding 18 have internally of the undercladding channels 106 with lipped edges 108 for retaining apertured strips (not shown). Along the lines of the channels 106, the undercladding has spaced apertures (not shown). The apertured strips are slidable in the channels 106 to provide further hit or miss ventilations, wherein the apertures in the channels 106 are opened or closed by the strips being slid along to bring their respective apertures into or out of register. The ventilation paths through the ridge assembly are indicated by arrows. As will be appreciated the base section 36 of the ridge body 10 is also apertured at spaced intervals. In this embodiment the ridge capping 12 is secured to the ridge assembly by captive bolts 110. The bolts 110 have a rectangular head 112 (see Figure 2) with lips 114 on its shorter sides. The bolts have stem 116 which has a lower part 118 serrated on opposite sides for receiving a wedge shaped retaining element 120 with a generally U-shaped slot 122 therein having in the base of U-slot a web 124 that is engageable in the serration 118 of the stem 116 of a bolt 110. On the underside of the capping 12 is a channel formation 126 having returned edges 128. The channel 126 is wide enough to receive the head of a bolt with its longer sides parallel thereto, when the bolt can be turned through 90° so that the lips 114 of the head of the bolt are retained by the returned edges 128 of the channel 126. At its other end the bolt stem passes through an aperture in the base 36 of the ridge body 10. Extending below the base 36 are a pair of spaced parallel flanges 130 with inwardly directed lips 132 to provide a slot for receiving the wedge shaped element 120. The element 120 has on its sides retaining ribs 134, 136 (Figure 2) one of which extends along the full length of the element, and the other being shorter, whereby the element can be manoeuvred into the slot. Once there, the element is slid along to engage and retain the stem of the bolt 110. It will be noted that the ridge capping 12 top surface has various projections 140 generally designated therefrom. These projections are for receiving and retaining decorative ridge elements.

Claims: A ridge assembly for a roof comprising a ridge body (10) having a base, side walls (20) extending upwardly from the base and flanges (40) extending outwardly and downwardly from the base, the side walls having upper ends, and means for receiving ridge capping support elements (44) mounted on said receiving means (42) a ridge capping (12) supported on said support elements and means for fixing the ridge capping to the ridge body comprising a bolt (110) with a head (112) releasably engaged with the ridge capping underside and a stem (116) fixed through the ridge body base by means of a wedge (120) slid into a slot in the underside of the ridge body base to engage the stem of the bolt and hold same against axial movement, the stem and the wedge having mutually engaging grooves and ribs. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the ridge body (10) further comprises internal projections (42) on which the support elements are mounted. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the support elements are box sections having top edges (48) with lateral extensions (50) from said top edges, on which the ridge capping (12) sits. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the side walls (20) of the ridge body are stepped to provide locations for glazing panel ends (14) and/or glazing bar ends (16). An assembly as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the ridge body (10) has on opposite sides channels (22) to receive ends of glazing panels (14). An assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said channels (22) include locations for retention of rain baffles (64, 66) to inhibit passage of rain about glazing panel ends into the ridge assembly. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that ends of the flanges (40) of the ridge body (10) are adapted to provide locations for retaining undercladding (18). An assembly as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that ends of the flanges (40) are stepped (94) to provide locations for retaining undercladding (18). An assembly as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the undercladding (18) has a base (98) and returned sides (100) which locate on said steps. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9, characterised in that the undercladding (18) has at least one location (106) for ventilation means. An assembly as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that the ventilation means comprises a series of apertures in the undercladding that are opened or closed by a similarly apertured slidable strip. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 comprising on the underside of the flanges (40) of the ridge body formations (99) for receiving ends (101) of cross braces (103).

Inventors: LANCASTER JOHN EDWARD, LANCASTER, JOHN EDWARD
Applicants: ULTRAFRAME UK LTD, ULTRAFRAME (UK) LIMITED
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E04D3
IPC codes: E04D3, E04D13, E04B7