Patent ID: 6948288

Claim:
A roof tile support system, comprising: a roofing surface; a plurality of roof tiles, each having an undersurface, said undersurface having a front end portion, a middle portion and a back end portion; and a plurality of independent, generally wedge-shaped support elements constructed from a compressible material, the support elements being sized and adapted to contact at least the middle portion of the undersurface of the roof tiles, but not the entire undersurface of the roof tiles, such that at least either the front end portion or the back end portion of the undersurface of the roof tiles overhangs the support elements, the support elements being positioned between and in contact with both of said roofing surface and said roof tiles, wherein said support elements are arranged on the roof surface in at least a lower row and an upper row, and with the support elements in each row having a space between adjacent support elements; wherein said support elements support said roof tiles so as to increase the load capacities of said roof tiles, and wherein each support element is configured to support more than one roof tile of any shape in a single course; and wherein the support elements are not specially adapted or shaped with respect to the roof tiles, such that the roof tiles are independently installable on the support elements so that their position thereon is adjustable during installation.