GB2566252A

GB2566252A - Roof Board

Info

Publication number: GB2566252A
Application number: GB1711296.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dale Rigden Andrew; James Rigden Ian
Original assignee: Av Coatings Ltd
Current assignee: Av Coatings Ltd
Priority date: 2017-07-13
Filing date: 2017-07-13
Publication date: 2019-03-13
Also published as: GB201711296D0

Abstract

A roof board 10a comprising a one-piece hollow board member 11 formed of plastics material having upper and lower major faces (12, 13 figure 4) which are interconnected by an array of tubular recesses 14 to provide rigidity and strength to the board member 11. The roof board 10a can be connected end-to-end with other roof boards e.g. 10b using joining members (118 figure 7) which may be channel shaped. The board members may be made by rotational molding and have an integral longitudinally extending rib on the underside.

Description

ROOF BOARD

This invention relates to a roof board and more particularly to a roof board that acts as a walkway for use externally on the roof of a building.

Roof boards are often laid on roofs during construction or repair of the roof, so as to provide a surface on which workers can walk, climb or stand. Typically, roof boards are formed of wood and/or aluminium and are heavy, complex and expensive in construction. Examples of known roof boards are disclosed in US4060944, GB2343909 and CN202187496.

We have now devised an improved roof board.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a roof board comprising a one-piece hollow board member formed of plastics material having upper and lower major faces which are interconnected at least one point intermediate their opposite side edges.

The use of a hollow plastics board member provides a board which is lightweight and inexpensive in construction. The upper and lower faces are interconnected in order to prevent undue flexing of the upper face in use.

The upper and lower faces may be interconnected by a tubular formation which extends through the board or by a recess formation formed in at least the upper face of the board.

Preferably the board member comprises an array of said formations. Advantageously, the formations provide means by which a step or other device can be engaged with the board member. Accordingly the board member may comprise a step or other device having one or more projections arranged to engage into respective formations.

Preferably a joining member is detachably mounted to an end of the board member, the joining member extending outwardly for detachably mounting to the end of an adjacent board member so that the board members can be connected end-to-end with other board members.

Preferably the joining member comprises an apertured formation which registers with an aperture in the board member, a fastener extending through the aperture in the board member and through the apertured formation in the joining member, so as to lock the joining member to the board member.

Preferably each opposite end face of the board member is adapted for mounting a pair of joining members.

Preferably the joining members are channel-shaped in section and embrace respective opposite sides of the adjacent board members.

Preferably said fastening member supports a hand rail or guard rail.

Preferably the hand rail or guard rail is fastened to the board member at opposite ends thereof.

Preferably the board member is formed by rotational moulding.

Preferably, the roof board comprises one or more longitudinally-extending ribs on the underside thereof.

The or each rib may be integrally moulded with the one-piece hollow board member. Alternatively, the or each rib may be detachably mounted to the one-piece hollow board member at a selected position. The rib may comprise an elongate rib body and a plurality of projections disposed at intervals along the length thereof for engaging with complementary recesses in the board member.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an assembly comprising at least two of the aforementioned board members connected end-to-end by respective joining members.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of a pair of an embodiment roof boards in accordance with the present invention connected end-to-end to form an embodiment of roof board assembly in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the roof board assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view of the roof board assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-lV of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of along the line V-V of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a side view of the assembly of Figure 1 when a step is fitted thereto;

Figure 7 is a plan view of one end of a pair of an alternative embodiment of roof boards in accordance with the present invention connected end-to-end to form an alternative embodiment of roof board assembly in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 8 is an end view of the roof board assembly of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a side view of the roof board assembly of Figure 7; and

Figure 10 is an end view of a further embodiment of roof board in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, there is shown an embodiment of pair of roof boards 10a, 10b each comprising a rectangular hollow plastics roof board member 11 formed by rotational moulding. Each roof board member 11 has an upper panel 12 and a lower panel 13 separated by a hollow cavity 15. An array of recesses 14 are formed in the upper panel 12, the recesses 14 serving to interconnect the upper and lower panels 12, 13, so as to provide rigidity and strength to the board member 11. The lower panel 13 comprises a plurality of longitudinally-extending ribs

16.

Each opposite end face of each board member 11 comprises a pair of openings 17 disposed at respective ends thereof. Adjacent board members 11 are interconnected by inserting one end of respective joining members 18 into respective openings 17 of one board member 11. The joining members 18 may be formed of metal or a composite material. The other ends of the joining members 18 are inserted into respective openings 17 of the other board member 11. The joining members 18 are then locked in place by inserting bolts 20 or other fastening members through apertures 19 in each board member 11. The bolts 20 may be used to fix brackets 21 to the board members 11 for supporting a hand rail 22 along one side of the board members 11. In use, the board members 11 can be laid end-to-end up an inclined roof. The ribs 16 enable the board members 11 to seat firmly against the roof even the roof comprises raised ridges.

Referring to Figure 6 of the drawings, one or more steps 23 may be fitted to the board members 11, each step 23 having lugs 24 which engage into respective recesses 14 formed in the board members 11. Other devices, such as storage platforms may also be similarly fitted.

Referring to Figures 7 to 9 of the drawings, there is shown an alternative embodiment of pair of roof boards 110a, 110b which are similar to the roof boards of Figures 1 to 5 and like parts are given like reference numerals. In this embodiment, adjacent board members 111 are interconnected by fitting respective C-shaped joining members 118 onto respective opposite side edges of the board members 111 at the point where they meet. The joining members 118 may be formed of metal or a composite material. The joining members 118 are then locked in place by inserting bolts 120 or other fastening members through apertures 170 in each joining member 118 which align with corresponding apertures in the board members 111. The bolts 120 may be used to fix brackets 21 to the board members 111 for supporting a hand rail 22 along one side of the board members 111.

Referring to Figure 10 of the drawings, there is shown an alternative embodiment of roof board 210 which is similar to the roof boards of Figures 1 to 9 and like parts are given like reference numerals. In this embodiment, the elongate ribs 216 are formed separately from the roof board member 211 and can be detachably fitted to the roof board member 211 at selected longitudinally-extending positions. The ribs 216 each comprise an elongate rib body 216A and a plurality of projections 216B disposed at intervals along the length thereof.

An array of recesses 214 are also formed in the lower surface of the board member

211. In use, the projections 216B can be inserted into selected rows of recesses 214 to detachably mount the ribs 216 in-situ. The position of the ribs 216 can be selected according to the position of ribs on the roof on which the boards are laid.

A roof board in accordance with the present invention is simple, inexpensive and lightweight in construction, yet enables workers to safely work on roofs.

Claims

1. A roof board comprising a one-piece hollow board member formed of plastics

CLAIMS material having upper and lower major faces which are interconnected at

5 least one point intermediate their opposite side edges.

2. A roof board as claimed in claim 1, in which the upper and lower faces are interconnected by a tubular formation which extends through the board.

10

3. A roof board as claimed in claim 1, in which the upper and lower faces are interconnected by a recess formation formed in at least the upper face of the board.

4. A roof board as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the board member

11 07 18

15 comprises an array of said formations.

5. A roof board as claimed in claim 4, in which the board member comprises a step or other device having one or more projections arranged to engage into respective formations.

6. A roof board as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a joining member is detachably mounted to an end of the board member, the joining member extending outwardly for detachably mounting to the end of an adjacent board member.

7. A roof board as claimed in claim 6, in which the joining member comprises an apertured formation which registers with an aperture in the board member, a fastener extending through the aperture in the board member and through the apertured formation in the joining member, so as to lock the joining member

30 to the board member.

8. A roof board as claimed in claim 6 or 7, in which each opposite end face of the board member is adapted for mounting a pair of joining members.

11 07 18

9. A roof board as claimed in claim 8, in which the joining members are channelshaped in section and embrace respective opposite sides of the adjacent board members.

5

10. A roof board as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, in which said fastener supports a hand rail or guard rail.

11. A roof board as claimed in claim 10, in which the hand rail or guard rail is fastened to the board member at opposite ends thereof.

12. A roof board as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the board member is formed by rotational moulding.

13. A roof board as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising one or more

15 longitudinally-extending ribs on the underside thereof.

14. A roof board as claimed in claim 13, in which the or each rib is integrally moulded with the one-piece hollow board member.

20

15. A roof board as claimed in claim 13, in which the or each rib is detachably mounted to the one-piece hollow board member at a selected position.

16. A roof board as claimed in claim 15, in which the rib comprises an elongate rib body and a plurality of projections disposed at intervals along the length

25 thereof for engaging with complementary formations in the board member.

17. An assembly comprising a roof board as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10 having at least two said board members connected end-to-end by respective joining members.