METHOD FOR FIXING THAT PART OF A FLASHING, MADE OF LEAD-REPLACEMENT MATERIAL, THAT IS FITTED IN A JOINT BETWEEN TWO STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS, AND CLAMPING BODY TO BE USED FOR THIS

Abstract: In order to fix that part of a flashing made of lead or lead-replacement material fitted in a joint between two structural components, part of the flashing (4) made of lead or lead replacement material is fitted in the joint, the part of the flashing extending into the joint is fixed by clamping elements and the joint is pointed with cement (10) or similar material. The clamping elements are made of resilient material that has been bent to produce an article which has two converging strips (8, 9) that are joined to one another by a connecting section (13).

Description: Title: Method for fixing that part of a flashing, made of lead or lead-replacement material, that is fitted in a joint between two structural components, and clamping body to be used for this. The invention relates in the first instance to a method for fixing that part of a flashing, made of lead or lead-replacement material, that is fitted in a joint between two structural components, comprising: fitting at least part of the flashing in the joint, fixing that part of the flashing that extends into the joint - and pointing the joint with cement or similar material. Strips of sheet lead are used in many places in the construction industry to enable proper discharge of water from the joint between two structural components. Such a strip is usually termed lead flashing. Examples of applications of a lead flashing are: the join between a roof and a dormer window, the join between a sloping roof and a vertical external wall, the join between a flat roof and a vertical wall, the join between a roof and a chimney and the join between a wall and a window frame or door frame. Stepped flashing is also used to enable water to be discharged from joints between a sloping roof surface and a vertical wall in a watertight manner. It is important that the lead flashing in a joint is firmly fixed before pointing is carried out. Traditionally, so-called lead wedges , which are driven 30 to 40 cm apart into the joint, onto that part of the lead flashing located on the bottom thereof, are used for this purpose. Such a lead wedge consists of a lead strip that has been wound into a round or flat roll. The production of such lead wedges and driving these into the joint is exceptionally time consuming. Furthermore, lead is a relatively expensive, toxic material. The abovementioned stepped flashing is usually fixed in place using lead nails. These also have their disadvantages. The aim of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages and to this end the method mentioned in the preamble is characterised in that for fixing that part of the flashing that extends into the joint use is made of clamping bodies made of resilient material that has been bent to produce an article which has two converging parts that are joined to one another by a connecting part. The force with which the two converging strips can be mcJved towards one another must not be too low and must not be too high and can be determined experimentally. A force which is too low leads to the lead flashing being insufficiently firmly fixed and a force that is too high could lead to damage of the upper delimiting wall of the joint. A 0.8 mm thick strip of spring steel was found to meet the requirements. The invention yields an enormous saving in time. It has been found that by employing the invention it is possible to work 15 to 20 times faster than is the case with a method using lead wedges. In principle, any flexible resilient material can be used for the clamping bodies, as long as the clamping force is sufficient. Spring steel or stainless steel are, however, preferred. The invention also relates to a clamping body for fixing that part of a flashing, made of lead or lead-replacement material, that has been fitted in a joint between two structural components. According to the invention this clamping body is characterised in that it is made of resilient material that has been bent to produce an article which has two converging strips that are joined to one another by a connecting part. The clamping bodies can be essentially V-, W- and U-shaped. Shapes derived from these are also possible. If the clamping body is used with stepped counter flashings, the clamping body is furthermore provided with a part that adjoins the end edge of one of the converging parts, assumes an essentially vertical position with respect to that converging part and projects laterally with respect to a side edge of that converging part. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the figures. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a joint between two structural components into which a clamping body is driven. Figure 2 shows a perspective view comparable to that in Figure 1 where the clamping body has been driven into the joint in its final position and the joint is pointed with cement. Figures 3 to 8 show a perspective view of six illustrative embodiments of a clamping element according to the invention. Figure 9 shows a clamping element to be used for stepped counter flashings serving to enable water to be discharged well at the join between a sloping roof surface and a vertical wall, for example of a brickwork chimney. Figure 10 shows a brickwork chimney that adjoins a sloping roof section where clamping bodies according to the invention have been used to fix the stepped flashing . Figures 1 and 2 shows a horizontal joint 1 between two structural components 2, 3 and a lead flashing 4 that has been fitted in the joint 1 and has been bent over at the free end at 5. A V-shaped clamping body 7 made of spring steel or stainless steel is driven into the joint 1 with the aid of a tool 6, indicated by dash-and-dot lines, the bottom strip 8 of the clamping element lying horizontally on the lead flashing 4 and the top strip 9 of the clamping body extending obliquely upwards and engaging by its end edge on the top delimiting wall of the joint 1. The distance between the end edges of the two strips 8, 9 is greater than the maximum height of the joint 1 when the clamping body is in the unstressed state. Figure 2 shows the final position of the clamping body 7 driven into the joint 1. About three such clamping bodies 7 are used per meter length of the joint 1 in order to fix the lead flashing 4 firmly in place. After the lead flashing 4 - which consists of overlapping sections - has been fixed in place, the joint is pointed with cement 10. Figure 3 shows a V-shaped embodiment of a clamping element 7 with the two strips 8 and 9 that converge towards a connecting part 11, used in Figures 1 and 2. The clamping body shown in Figure 4 is U-shaped and that according to Figure 5 is W- shaped. The clamping bodies according to Figures 6 and 7 are produced from wire made of resilient spring steel. The embodiment according to Figure 8 differs from that according to Figure 1 in that arrow-shaped parts have been punched in both strips 8 and 9. These improve the adhesion to the lead flashing. The embodiment according to Figure 9 differs from that according to Figure 1 in that a strip 10 has been added to the strip 8, which strip 10 is joined to the strip 8 via two folds 11 and 12 and the intermediate strip 13 and projects laterally with respect to a side edge of the strip 8. This body is used in the manner shown in Figure 10. In this figure, 15 indicates a cavity wall of a vertical chimney, which adjoins a sloping tiled roof 16. The cavity has been given the reference numeral 17. Stepped counter flashings 18 made of lead or lead-replacement material are arranged overlapping one another at 19 and have a vertical section 18a, a section 18b that extends into a horizontal joint in the chimney wall, an upward sloping section 18c in the cavity of the chimney wall and a section 18d running in a joint located higher. The bottom edges of the vertical sections 18a of the stepped counter flashings 18 overlap the top section of a lead flashing 20 bearing on the sloping tiled roof 16. Water that enters the cavity is discharged via the stepped counter flashings 18, open construction joints and the lead flashing 20. To prevent overlapping stepped counter flashings 18 being bent upwards by the wind or the like, clamping bodies according to the embodiment in Figure 10 are fitted in the horizontal joint at the location of the overlaps 19. As can clearly be seen in Figure 10, the laterally projecting section 10 holds the overlapping sections of the stepped counter flashings 18 in place well. If the chimney does not have a cavity, the stepped counter flashings 18 will extend approximately to the middle of the section 18b.

Claims: Claims 1. Method for fixing that part of a flashing, made of lead or lead-replacement material, that is fitted in a joint between two structural components, comprising: - fitting at least part of the flashing (4) in the joint, fixing that part of the flashing that extends into the joint and pointing the joint with cement (10) or similar material, characterised in that for fixing that part of the flashing that extends into the joint use is made of clamping bodies (7) made of resilient material that has been bent to produce an article which has two converging parts (8, 9) that are joined to one another by a connecting part (13). 2. Clamping body for fixing that part of a flashing, made of lead or lead-replacement material, that has been fitted in a joint between two structural components, characterised in that said clamping body (7) is made of resilient material that has been bent to produce an article which has two converging sections (8, 9) that are joined to one another by a connecting part (11). 3. Clamping body according to Claim 2, characterised in that the clamping body is essentially V-shaped. 4. Clamping body according to Claim 2, characterised in that the clamping body is essentially W-shaped. 5. Clamping body according to Claim 2, characterised in that the clamping body is essentially U-shaped. 6. Clamping body according to one of Claims 2 to 5, used for overlapping stepped counter flashings which serves to enable water to be discharged at joins between a sloping roof surface and a vertical wall, characterised in that the clamping body is furthermore provided with a part (10) that adjoins the end edge (11) of one (8) of the converging parts, assumes an essentially vertical position with respect to that converging part (8) and projects laterally with respect to a side edge of that converging part (8). 7. Clamping body according to one of Claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the clamping body is made of spring steel. 8. Clamping body according to one of Claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the clamping body is made of stainless steel.

Inventors: BORRA HANS-ANTONIUS, BORRA, HANS-ANTONIUS
Applicants: BORRA HANS ANTONIUS, BORRA, HANS-ANTONIUS
Application year: 2001
Main classification: E04D13
IPC codes: E04D13