GB2148349A - Securing cladding elements, e.g. tiles - Google Patents

Abstract

Cladding elements (2)10 has a covering portion (2)12. From the rear projects a mounting portion (2)18, e.g. having a lower edge shaped to engage an undercut surface 250 of a mounting piece 244. A preferred mounting piece has a rebate 248 which the portion of the tile hooks behind, and extends to the portion of the next lowest tile. Tiles are thus locked in place and are accurately spaced. Mounting pieces 244 may be mounted indirectly, e.g. being snap-engageable with battens 300 extending up a surface to be clad. Covering portion 212 may be filled with foam 240. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and article for cladding The present invention relates to a method and an article for use in cladding. It particularly relates to roof cladding (such as tiles) but is also applicable to other fields, e.g. cladding walls.

According to the present invention in a first aspect there is provided a cladding element for use in covering a structure and having a covering portion from the undersurface of which a mounting portion projects, the mounting portion having a side face arranged to abut a complementary face of a mounting piece projecting from the structure, e.g. a batten, so as to tend to retain the element in place. Generally the element will be intended for mounting with its covering portion extending at an angle to the horizontal. The side face of the mounting portion may then be arranged to face generally downwardly in use, with said side face extending farther downwardly away from the covering portion. It may have a downwardly projecting end portion, particularly for use with a batten having a complementary rebated portion.Preferably the mounting portion extends from an intermediate region of the covering portion which is shaped so that cladding elements can be arranged in an overlapping array.

The cladding element is preferably formed of a plastics material, e.g. based on PVC. It may be produced in extruded lengths. These could be cut to size on site. A single "title" could be arranged to extend the whole width of a roof.

In another aspect there is provided a clad surface including a plurality of mounting pieces and a plurality of cladding elements as described above.

Preferably the cladding element contains insulating foam, at least in the covering portion.

In another aspect the invention provides a method of making such an element, comprising extruding a hollow plastics section, passing plastics foam material into the cavity or cavities, and causing or allowing the material to set to foam solid foam.

In another aspect the invention provides a mounting piece for use with cladding elements having a covering portion, from the undersurface of which a mounting portion projects; said mounting piece being arranged to be attached to a structure to be clad, and having one edge portion shaped to engage a mounting portion of a first cladding element, and an opposite edge portion located and shaped to engage a mounting portion of a second cladding element when this is in overlapping relationship with the first. Thus a mounting piece can replace two battens, and ensure that cladding elements are mounted at the correct spacing. Furthermore the mounting portion of each element except the first and the last is engaged between two mounting pieces.This gives very secure mounting, especially if the mounting portions are shaped to engage behind abutment surfaces of the mounting pieces which may prevent withdrawal.

A preferred mounting piece is arranged to be attached indirectly, via an element such as a batten that may be secured to the structure so as to extend beneath successive cladding elements. Typically, battens are secured to the structure (e.g. extending in parallel up a wall or pitched roof), and mounting pieces are attached when required as the cladding is applied.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a roof and adjacent wall; Figure 2 is a vertical section on a larger scale of a cladding element as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical section of a portion of a roof including a second embodiment of cladding element; Figure 4 is a vertical section on a larger scale of a cladding element as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a vertical section of a portion of a vertical wall clad with a modified form of the Figure 2 elements, and showing an alternative mode of attachment; and Figures 6 and 7 are end views of a mounting piece shown in Figure 5, from above and below respectively.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, a cladding element ortile 10 has an elongate covering portion 12 having a front surface 14 and a rear surface 16. A mounting portion 18 projects from the lower surface 16 at an intermediate region thereof, closer to the end 20 which, in use, is uppermost. The mounting portion 18 is L-shaped in section, the lower leg 22 of the L projecting away from the end 20.

Figure 1 shows an upper portion of a cavity wall 24 having a wall plate 26 and a roof joist 28 extending upwardly at an angle to it. A pluraity of battens 30 are mounted to the joist 28. They are mutually parallel, and extend generally horizontally along the slope of the roof. Each batten 30 has a cross-section which approximates to a trapezium with a rebate 32.

Thus the surfaces attached to the joist 28 and opposed thereto are mutually parallel, and the downward side 34 is at right-angles to these. The remaining side 36, which includes the rebate 32, is angled so that a batten tends to narrow towards the joist 30, even without the rebate 32. It can be seen that tiles 10 can be mounted by means of the battens 30 with their mounting portions 18 engaging in the rebates 32 of the battens 30. The components are shaped and arranged so that the end faces 36 of the battens 30 can lie flush against the bodies of the mounting portions 18, while the legs 22 are received within the rebate 32. Furthermore, the dimensioning of the tiles 10 is such that, when a tile has its mounting portion 18 engaged in one batten 30 as described, an upper end portion adjacent the end 20 can lie flush on the upper surface of the next batten 30.The tile 10 whose mounting portion is engaged at this batten then partly overlies the tile 10 first mentioned.

It is a very simple matter to mount the tiles on the battens, starting from the bottom. There is no need to secure individual tiles, because of the interlocking in which they hook behind the battens 30 and are engaged by successive tiles 10. The tiling of an entire roof can thus be held securely in place by a fixture along the ridge of the roof. The individual tiles are then held very securely. The roof is very weatherproof. It is very difficult for water to seep in, because of the large overlap between adjacent tiles, with flush contact between surfaces. It is very unlikely that a tile will be dislodged even by gale force winds because of the interlocking mounting.

Figures 3 and 4 show a related but slightly simpler type of tile 110 for use with a simpler form of batten 130. Here, the cross-section of a batten 130 is a complete trapezium, there being no rebate. The mounting portion 118 of each tile is a simple projecting flange, which projects at an angle to the covering portion 112. The way in which the tiles 110 engage with one another and with the battens 130 is much the same as in the case shown in Figure 1.

However, in the absence of the rebated engagement, it may be advisable to nail down the occasional tile 110. Nevertheless, the simple structure stili gives a good measure of strength and reliability.

Tiles such as are shown in the drawings are preferably made of plastics materials. They can be simple and cheap to construct, requiring a much smaller manufacturing plant than the conventional concrete type of tile. Furthermore, they are very much lighter than such tiles. This means that they are much easier to transport and instal (quite apart from the simplicity of instailation due to the interlocking construction). The lightness means that smaller roof joists can be used. It also makes it practicable to make much longer tiles, e.g. a single "tile" extending the whole width of a roof.

Tiles can easily be produced in a range of colours.

The shape can also be varied, e.g. so that they can mimic shaded scalloped slate roofs as used on Victorian houses.

Figure 5 shows cladding elements 210 in the form of tiles very similar to that of Figure 2 except that the covering portion 212 is hollow, having a cavity 240 extending for its full length. This cavity 240 is divided into three by two longitudinal extending internal walls 242; this gives the structure greater strength.

The cavity 240 is filled with insulating foam. Suitably, the shell of the covering portion 212 is made of UPVC with a thickness of 2.50mm. The filling is a suitable plastics foam, e.g. polyurethane foam.

Of course, a foam-filled tile need not have the form shown in Figure 5. For example, it may have the external form of that shown in Figure 4, so as to be usable with simple battens 130.

Tiles may be made by an extrusion process, with foam-forming material being pumped into the cavity 240 via its forward end as it emerges from the extrusion jig.

Figures 5-7 show tiles 210 secured by means of mounting pieces 244 instead of battens. A mounting piece 244 may be an extrusion of cheap, low quality plastics material. It may extend for the full width of a structure to be covered. At its upper edge region 246 it has a formation similar to that of the upper edge of a batten. Here it resembles a batten 30 having a rebate 248 in an angled face 250. Its opposite edge portion 252 has a lower face 254 which is parallel to the upper face 250. The distance between the faces 250, 254 is the intended spacing of adjacent tiles (less the thickness of a mounting portion 218).Thus as can be seen, a mounting piece 244 is attached to a structure, a tile 210 is located with its mounting portion 218 engaging the upper face 250 and rebate 248, then a second mounting piece 244 is mounted so that the tile is held in place, with its mounting portion 218 locked between the faces 250,254 of the two mounting pieces 244, and with an upper end portion of its covering portion 212 lying on the outer surface of the upper end portion 246 of the upper mounting piece.

The illustrated mounting piece 244 is attached to a wall via a vertical batten 300 which may be nailed (301) in place. There are complementary formations: here, the mounting piece 244 is formed with a narrow-mouthed channel 302 whose mouth 304 is engageable behind respective shoulders 306 of A T-section batten 300. It is convenient if the mounting piece 244 has sufficient flexibility to enable it to snap-engage when pressed onto the batten 300.

Alternatively it could be slid on from one end, though this is less convenient, especially as it is desirable for it to engage firmly.

Of course, a mounting piece need not have the form shown. For example, its upper portion 246 could correspond to a simple batten 130, for use with a tile with a simple projection 118 as shown in Figure 4. It may be intended for attachment directly to a structure. It could then be thinner, lacking the channel 302, and could be simply nailed in place.

The use of mounting pieces is conducive to accurcy of installation, since practically no skill is required to place the mounting pieces at the correct spacing. Furthermore, since the mounting portions of the tiles are gripped between pairs of mounting pieces, the fixing of the tiles is very secure, and may be especially suited to cladding vertical walls.

The mounting pieces may be produced as plastics extrusions of any desired length. They may be cut to length on site. Of course, short mounting pieces 244 could be used, so as to support a tile only at points along its length. However, greater reliability is achieved with full-length pieces.

It may be desired to end-cap the cladding for aesthetic reasons and to prevent rain from getting behind the elements or into their cavities if they are foam-filled. For a clad roof, such capping may also constitute a barge board. One form uses an L-section piece, which may be a plastics extrusion and may extend for the full height of the clad surface, e.g.

from top to bottom of a roof. One limb of the 'L' overlies the cladding and may be sealed thereto by mastic. The other limb covers the end faces of the elements and part of the end surface of the clad structure. It may be shaped, e.g. scalloped, to resemble a traditional barge board.

Alternatively, small sections (e,g, injection mouldings) may be formed with portions that can be wedged into the cavities of the tiles or between the tiles and the clad surface. There may be one such section per tile (or other cladding element). They may be tapped into place and sealed with mastic. A separate barge board may then be attached.

Claims (16)

1. A cladding element for use in covering a structure and having a covering portion from the undersurface of which a mounting portion projects, the mounting portion having a side face arranged to abut a complementaryfaceofa mounting piece projecting from the structure so as to tend to retain the element in place.

2. A cladding element according to claim 1 wherein said side face of the mounting portion has a portion which extends at an acute angle to the covering portion.

3. A cladding element according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said side face of the mounting portion has a portion which is spaced from the covering portion and projects in the general direction in which the covering portion extends.

4. A cladding element according to any preceding claim wherein the mounting portion extends from an intermediate region of the covering portion which is shaped so that the cladding elements can be arranged in an overlapping array.

5. A cladding element according to any preceding claim which comprises a plastics extrusion.

6. A cladding element according to any preceding claim which contains insulating foam.

7. A cladding element substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of making a cladding element according to claim 6 which includes a plastics extrusion, the method comprising extruding a hollow plastics section, passing plastics foam material into the cavity or cavities, and causing or allowing the material to set to form solid foam.

9. A mounting piece for use with cladding elements. According to any preceding claim, said mounting piece being arranged to be attached to a structure to be clad and having one edge portion shaped to engage a mounting portion of a first cladding element, and an opposite edge portion located and shaped to engage a mounting portion of a second cladding element when this is in overlapping relationship with the first.

10. A mounting assembly including a mounting piece according to claim 9 and an element for securing to the structure to be clad, the mounting piece and element being mutually connectable when the element is so secured.

11. A mounting assembly according to claim 10 wherein the mounting piece and element have complementary formations by means of which they are snap-engageable.

12. Amounting piece or assembly substantially as herein described with reference to or as illustrated in Figures 5-7 of the accompanying drawings.

13. Acladding assembly including a plurality of cladding elements according to any of claims 1-7 and a plurality of mounting pieces according to claim 9 or 12 or mounting assemblies according to any of claims 10-12.

14. A structure having a cladding comprising cladding elements according to any of claims 1-7 or a cladding assembly according to claim 13.

15. A method of cladding a structure comprising: (a) attaching to the structure at least one mounting piece according to claim 9 or 12, optionally as part of a mounting assembly according to claim 10,11 or 12; (b) locating a cladding element according to any of claims 1-8 so that its mounting portion engages an upper edge portion of the mounting piece; (c) attaching a second mounting piece so that a lower edge portion engages the mounting portion of the cladding element which is thereby sandwiched between two mounting pieces; and (d) locating a second said cladding element so that its mounting portion engages an upper edge portion of the second mounting piece.

16. A method of cladding a structure substantially as any herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.