IE56192B1 - Tile assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The assembly comprises a plurality of tiles (1) each having a side lock portion (3) formed with a flange (13) engaged by a clip (25) serving to hold the tile and an adjacent tile in the assembly. The use of an additional flange (13) prevents the clip (25) from interfering with the proper functioning of the side lock portion (3).

Description

This invention relates to a tile assembly comprising a plurality of individual tiles arranged in parallel rows, and particularly to such an assembly as used for roofing or cladding buildings.

Traditional roofing materials such as slates or clay tiles still find favour in many European countries, but with a decrease of available natural materials roofing material manufacturers now offer roofing tiles formed of concrete or in the form of simulated slates made from, for example, polyester resin filled with, for example, natural slate dust and/or particles.

Traditionally slates or clay tiles have been fixed in position simply by means of a nail passing through a hole near an upper edge of the slate or tile into a batten of a roof structure, the lower ends of the slates or tiles being substantially free. Thus, with the passage of time and the inevitable deterioration of the nails due to corrosion, the slates or tiles can become loose and be removed * from the roof in inclement weather conditions.

In order to overcome this problem it is known to use a fastener known as a wire nail which is secured to a batten, and which has an upstanding portion which engages about the lower edge of a slate or tile thereby to restrain movement of the slate or tile. Λ disadvantage of this known assembly is that portions of the wire nails are visible at all times IO and thus detract from the appearance of the roof.

Copper disc rivets have been used for stabilising the lower ends of slates on a roof. In general such rivets only find favour with halfbond double overlapping slates because of the need to accommodate the shanks of the rivets between adjacent slates in a row. The shank which protrudes outwardly of the roof, is received through an aperture in the lower end portion of an overlapping slate of an adjacent row, and the outer end portion of the shank is bent over by the tiler.

In such an arrangement the bent over shanks are again visible and detract from the appearance of the roof.

In the published abstract of AU-A-87558/82 there is disclosed a tile assembly in which tiles are secured by means of clips each having an aperture which receives a fastener in the form of a nail which also passes through an aligned aperture in a tile and into a batten of a roof structure, each clip also having a hooked end which engages an adjacent tile to restrain movement of that tile.

A disadvantage of this known assembly is that the hooked end of each clip engages a conventional side lock portion of the adjacent tile and thus can interfere with the proper function of this portion.

According to this invention there is provided a tile assembly comprising a plurality of individual tiles arranged in parallel rows, each tile having a first side lock portion and an opposite second side lock portion in engagement, over the first side lock portion of an adjacent tile in the same row, and a plurality of elongate clips each having an aperture adjacent one end and a hooked portion at the other end, the aperture receiving a fastener which also passes through an aperture in one tile to secure the clip and that one tile to a support while the hooked portion engages another tile in an adjacent row to restrain movement of said other tile, in which the first side lock portion of said other tile is formed with a flange having a groove therein to receive the hooked portion of the clip fastened with said one tile, the groove and flange being so arranged that the engagement of the clip with said first side lock portion does not interfere with the engagement of said first side lock portion with the second side lock portion of the adjacent tile.

An advantage of the assembly described above is that the clips do not interfere with the proper functioning and inter«engagement of the side lock portions of adjacent tiles, while the tiles are secured not only by conventional fasteners such as nails but also by the clips.

Preferably said one tile has a head lap portion formed with a channel which receives the clip fastened with said one tile, the head lap portion being covered, in use, by portions of said other tile and a further tile adjacent to said other tile in the same row.

Such an assembly has the further advantage that the clips are not visible in the complete assembly and thus do not detract from the appearance of the assembly.

Preferably the depth of said channel is greater than the material thickness of the clip received therein, this ensuring that the clip does not adversely affect the proper functioning of the head lock portion.

Proper functioning of the side lock portions of the tiles can be further ensured if said flange is substantially co-planar with but thinner than the first side lock portion of said other tile by an amount greater than the material thickness of the clip engaged therewith.

Preferably the aperture in each clip is an elongate slot, this enabling adjustment of the position of a clip with respect to the one tile associated therewith whereby the position of the other tile engaged by the clip is also adjusted relative to the associated one tile.

Further, it is preferable for the groove in said flange to be larger than the length of the hooked portion of the clip engaged therein, this enabling adjustment of the relative positions of associated one and other tiles.

It will be appreciated that in a complete assembly many tiles will each constitute a said one tile and a said other tile in relation to tiles in adjacent rows.

By way of explanation, it will also be lo appreciated that throughout this specification the references to slates, simulated slates and tiles are interchangeable since both genuine and simulated slates are commonly referred to simply as slates and slates in this context are a form of tile.

J5 This invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of an assembly of simulated slates laid in half-bond relationship, in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation of a clip of the assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the clip shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line IV-IV in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a plan view of a slate of the assembly of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line VI-VI in Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line VII-VII in Figure S.

Referring to the drawings, the assembly shown in Figure 1 comprises parallel rows of simulated slates J (only three slates la, lb, lc being shown), and fastening means 2. Each slate 1 is generally rectangular in plan view, see Figure 5, and comprises conventional left and right side lock portions 3 and 4, a head lap portion 5 having a drainage channel 6, a lower wall 7 of which tapers in chevron configuration about a centre-line of the slate 1, to facilitate the shedding of water in inclement weather conditions.

Extending into the drainage channel 6 from an upper wall 8 thereof are two apcrt.ured bosses 9 and 10, the apertures 11 in which extend through the head lap portion 5 of the slate 1 in known manner to facilitate fastening of the slate to battens 12 of a roof structure, see Figure 6.

Each slate 1 further comprises a flange 13 arranged co-extcnsive with a lower end portion of the side lock portion 3, see Figure 1. The flange 13 is provided with an upwardly facing groove 15 the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.

On its underside, see Figures 6 and 7, each slate 1 is provided with conventional hanging nibs 16 and 17 at its head lap portion 5 for engaging, in known manner, with the battens 12.

At its head lap portion 5, each slate 1 is rebated at its right hand end 18 to receive in interengaging relationship the left hand end portion 19 of an adjacent tile in the same row.

The lower end portion 20 of the side lock portion 3 is rebated at 21 to facilitate, in known manner, the mutual interlocking of the lower right hand corner 22 of an adjacent tile in the same row, see Figures 1 and 5. Thus, the slates in combination have a hidden side lock arrangement, see Figure 1.

The slates 1 may have a riven finish on their upper surfaces 24 to simulate the finish of natural slate; however, plain or other textured surface may be provided to suit the application.

Each fastening means 2 comprises a clip 25 and a nail 26. The clip 25, see Figures 2, 3, and 4 is preferably formed as a steel pressing although any suitable rigid material may be utilised. The clip 25 comprises a portion 27 which is provided with an elongate aperture 28, see Figures 3 and 4, for a purpose to be described hereinafter, and a hooked portion 29 which is generally of swan-neck configuration, see especially Figure 2.

When the slates are to be fixed to the battens H 'dfip 12, see Figure 6, a slater places a first slate la of a lowermost horizontal row on the roof with its hanging nibs 16 and 17 against an upper edge 30 of a batten 12, the slate la then being partially secured thereto by a nail (not shown) which passes through the apertured boss 10 onto the batten 12.

A second slate lb, in the same horizontal row, is placed alongside slate la in interlocking relationship as shown in Figure 1, and a nail is used partially to secure the slate lb to the batten 12 in the same manner as for the slate la.

The lowermost horizontal row of slates may conveniently be completed in this manner, and subsequent rows of slates, comprising inter alia the slate lc, sec Figure 1, are located thereabove until the roof is completed in conventional manner, with the slates in half-bond relationship as shown in Figure 1.

In order to positively secure the slates lb and lc to the roof, as shown in Figure 1, the portion 27 of a clip 25 is located overlying the boss 9 on the slate lb with the aperture 28 aligned over the aperture 11 in the boss 9. The hooked portion 29 of the clip 25 is located in the groove 15 in the flange 13 on slate lc, and a nail 26 is inserted through the aligned apertures 28 and 11 and hammered into the batten 12 to secure the slates lb and lc to the roof.

Wind tunnel tests on slates located and secured as hereinbefore described have proven most satisfactory In addition the physical appearance of the slates is aesthetically pleasing with no side locks and no fastening means being visible to an observer.

If the slate la shown in Figure 1 represents the slate provided at the right hand side of the roof, it is obvious that the first slate in the next above row may be a half slate or a composite slate which will be a slate and a half in width with a groove provided therein, in known manner, to give the appearance of separate slates.

The simulated slates utilised herein are preferably made from reconstituted slate dust and particles bound in a resin matrix? however, any suitable materials may otherwise be utilised.

Although the clips 25 described above, and as shown in Figures 2 to 4 of the drawings, each comprise two flat portions lying in parallel planes, the aperture 28 being in one flat portion and the hooked portion 29 being at the free end of the other flat portion, the clips used can otherwise each have their flat portions lying in transversely intersecting planes such that in use the flat portions of a clip are urged into parallel planes whereby the clip provides some spring force on the slate engaged by the hooked portion 29 of the clip.

Further, while in the clips 25 shown in Figures to 4 of the drawings the free edge of the hooked portion 29 lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the apertured portion, the free edge can otherwise lie in an axially intersecting pliine to provide a clip suitable for use at the eaves of a roof. *!l *

Claims (5)

CLAIMS:

1. A tile assembly comprising a plurality of individual tiles arranged in parallel rows, each tile having a first side lock portion and an opposite 5 second side lock portion in engagement, over the first side lock portion of an adjacent tile in the same row, and a plurality of elongate clips each having an aperture adjacent one end and a hooked portion at the other end, the aperture receiving a lo fastener which also passes through an aperture in one tile to secure the clip and that one tile to a support while the other hooked portion engages another tile in an adjacent row to restrain movement of said other tile, in which the first side lock 15 portion of said other tile is formed with a flange having a groove therein to receive the hooked portion of the clip fastened with said one tile, the groove and flange being so arranged that the engagement of the clip with said first side lock portion does not 20 interfere with the engagement of said first side lock portion with the second side lock portion of the adjacent tile.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1, in which said one tile has a head lap portion formed 25 with a channel which receives the clip fastened with said one tile, the head lap portion being covered, in use, by portions of said other tile and a further tile adjacent to said other tile in the same row.

3. Tin assembly as claimed in Claim 2, in which the depth of said channel is greater than the material thickness of the clip received therein. 5

4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said flange is substantially coplanar with but thinner than the first side lock portion of said other tile by an amount greater than the material thickness of the clip engaged IO therewith. 5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the aperture in each clip is an elongate slot. 6. An assembly as claimed in any preceding 15 claim, in which the groove in said flange is longer than the length of the hooked portion of the clip engaged therein. 7. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the tiles are simulated slates. 20 8. A tile assembly according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the drawings. 9. In or for an assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, a tile substantially as hereinbefore

5. Described with reference to Figures 1, 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings.