GB2391253A

GB2391253A - Gasket for a glazed roof

Info

Publication number: GB2391253A
Application number: GB0306014A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Christopher Allport; Susan Margaret Allport; Mark Charles Allport; Phillip Brian Allport; Hannah Susan Gray
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-03-17
Filing date: 2003-03-17
Publication date: 2004-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-17
Also published as: GB0306014D0; GB2391253B

Abstract

An elongate gasket for use on a rafter of a glazed roof comprises a gasket body 14 having an under surface 18 which contacts the rafter in use and an upper surface 26. The under surface 18 has at least one elongate root 16 extending from it. Each root 16 locates in a corresponding groove in the upper surface of a rafter with which the gasket is used. Each root 16 comprises a stem 20 and a foot 22. The stem 20 is connected to the under surface 18 along a region 24 defining an area of weakness so that the root 16 is detachable from the under surface 18. Each root 16 may be detachable from the under surface 18 along the whole length of the root 16 or along part of the length of the root 16. The area of weakness 24 may be such that the root 16 does not detach from the under surface 18 when a predetermined force is applied parallel to the under surface 18 but does detach from the under surface 18 when the predetermined force is applied perpendicular to the under surface 18. The upper surface 26 of the gasket 14 may have a raised channel 28 extending along its length and ribs 30, 32 projecting from it. A roof assembly comprising a rafter, glazing panels, a capping member with seals and such an elongate rafter gasket is also described.

Description

1 239 253

A gasket for a glazed roof The present invention relates to a gasket for a glazed roof and, in particular, to a gasket adapted for use on 5 a rafter of a glazed roof assembly.

Conventionally, in glazed roof construction, an elongate rafter gasket is used on the rafter of the glazed roof assembly. In general, there are two types 10 of rafter gasket.

One type of rafter gasket has an elongate root or roots extending downwardly from the under surface of the gasket for location in a corresponding groove or 15 grooves provided in the upper surface of the rafter.

The root is press fitted and self aligns into a preformed or machined groove or grooves in the rafter.

However, such a gasket is not suitable for use on the flat upper surface of a non-grooved rafter.

The other type of rafter gasket generally has a flat under surface, without a self aligning root or roots, for convenient location on the flat upper surface of a non grooved or non groovable rafter, such as thin box 25 sections of uPVC, steel or concrete beams and the like.

Constructors assembling a glazed roof generally need to stock both versions of rafter gasket so that they can accommodate assembly on both grooved and non-grooved 30 rafters as required.

Furthermore, when grooved rafters meet at 90 degrees or in a valley or the like, the use of a gasket with a root leads to distortion, which can damage the glazing

panels, when connected to other such rafter gaskets different angles, over non grooved areas of rafter.

The present invention has been made from a S consideration of the disadvantages associated with the inappropriate use of a conventional rafter gasket with a root and the need to stock such two different types of conventional rafter gasket to accommodate roof assemblies having grooved and non-grooved rafters. The 10 invention seeks to provide an improved gasket specifically designed for dual purpose use both on grooved and non-grooved rafters in a glazed roof assembly, thereby overcoming the above-mentioned disadvantages. According to the invention there is provided an elongate gasket adapted for use on a rafter of a glazed roof assembly comprising an elongate root or roots extending downwardly from an under surface of the 20 gasket, the root or roots being adapted to locate and self align in a corresponding groove or grooves provided in the upper surface of a rafter, each root comprising a stem having an integrally formed foot at the free end thereof, the stem being connected to the 25 under surface along a region which defines an area of weakness so that the root is detachable from the under surface to form a substantially flat under surface.

Preferably, the area of weakness is formed by the width 30 of the stem, at the region where it connects to the under surface, being less than the width of the main body of the stem. The area of weakness may be formed by a combination of the narrow width of the stem and the

material from which it is made. Preferably, the stem is in the region of 1.0 to 1.5 mm thick.

Preferably, in use, the root or roots may be detached 5 from the under surface along the whole length of the root or along part of the length thereof.

Preferably, the area of weakness is such that the root does not detach from the under surface when a 10 predetermined force is applied to the root in a direction substantially parallel to the under surface and the root detaches from the under surface when the same force is applied to the root in a direction substantially perpendicular to the under surface.

Preferably, the upper surface of the gasket has a raised channel extending centrally along the length of the gasket for preventing water seepage into the rafter. Preferably, the gasket comprises one or more 20 ribs projecting from each side of the upper surface of the gasket for sealing against the under surface of glazing panels.

The invention further provides a roof assembly 25 comprising an elongate roof rafter, a pair of glazing panels supported by and extending along the opposing longitudinal sides of the rafter, the glazing panels being held in place by an elongate capping member with seals which abut the upper surfaces of the glazing 30 panels, the capping member being secured to the rafter by a series of longitudinally spaced apart screws and an elongate rafter gasket of the invention extending along the rafter.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 5 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of part of a roof assembly incorporating a gasket of the invention with the root located in a rafter groove; and Fig. 2 is a crosssection through a gasket of the 10 invention.

Referring to figure 1, a typical glazed roof assembly includes an elongate roof rafter 2 and a pair of glazing panels 4, 6 supported by and extending along 15 the opposing longitudinal sides of the rafter. The glazing panels 4, 6 are held in place by an elongate capping member 8 with seals 10 which abut the upper surfaces of the glazing panels. The capping member is secured to the rafter by a series of longitudinally 20 spaced apart screws 12.

An elongate rafter gasket 14 of the invention is used on the rafter of the glazed roof assembly. The rafter gasket 14 has an elongate root 16 extending downwardly 25 from the under surface 18 of the gasket. The root 16 locates and self aligns in a corresponding groove provided in the upper surface of the rafter.

Referring to figure 2, the root 16 comprises a stem 20 30 having an integrally formed foot 22 at the free end thereof. The foot 22 extends substantially parallel to the under surface 18. The stem 20 is connected to the under surface 18 of the gasket at the region 24 which defines an area of weakness. At the region 24, the

width of the stem is reduced compared to the main body of the stem so that the area of weakness 24 is formed.

Alternatively or additionally, the area of weakness may 5 be formed by a combination of the narrow width of the stem and the material from which it is made, for example rubber. Typically, the stem is in the region of 1. O to 1.5 mm thick.

10 The gasket of the invention is adapted for use on grooved rafters, as shown in flqure 1. In addition, due to the area of weakness, the root 16 may be easily and conveniently removed along the whole length of the gasket or along part of the length thereof, so that the 15 gasket may be used on non-grooved rafters, or a combination of grooved and non-grooved surfaces, when required. In use, when the root has been removed, the gasket of the invention provides a substantially flat under surface for extending across the width of a flat, 20 non-grooved, upper surface of a rafter.

Although the gasket of the invention illustrated in figures 1 and 2 includes only one depending root, it will be appreciated that the invention includes a 25 gasket having one or more such detachable elongate roots adapted to be located in corresponding grooves on a rafter.

The area of weakness is such that the root is securely 30 attached to the under surface and does not detach from the gasket during normal use on grooved rafters, when any forces applied to the gasket tend to be in a direction substantially parallel to the under surface.

In contrast, the root can be physically detached when

required by application of a small force in the direction substantially perpendicular to the under surface. 5 The upper surface 26 of the rafter gasket 14 has a raised channel 28 extending centrally along the length of the gasket to prevent water seepage into the rafter.

In use, the channel extends between the glazing panels 4,6, and the screws 12 pass through the channel.

The gasket has a plurality of ribs 30, 32 projecting from each side of the upper surface, on each side of the channel 28, for sealing against the under surface of the glazing panels 4, 6. The ribs 3D, 32 are 15 inclined away from and towards the channel 28 respectively, at an angle of about 60 degrees relative to the upper surface 26.

Thus, it will be seen that, with a gasket of the 20 invention, double stocking of two different types of rafter gasket is avoided since a single gasket may be used on both grooved and non-grooved rafters.

There are many occasions when glazing a roof that the 25 usual advantage of using a rafter gasket with a self aligning root delays and creates difficulties with assembly. One such occasion is when the roof has a combination of support materials, some of which are not grooved, such as steel, concrete, non grooved timber or 30 the like, where the use of a gasket with a root is not appropriate. The gasket of the invention may be used with or without the detachable root.

Another such occasion is when a roof of rafters, which have all been grooved, meet at 90 degrees or in a valley or the like. In such a situation, the roots need to be removed from the adjacent ends of the rafter 5 gaskets in order for them to connect without distortion, which could damage the glazing panels. At the same time, it is desirable to maintain the root on the main length of the gasket which extends along the grooved rafter. With the gasket of the invention, the 10 surplus root is easily removed in such situations.

Thus, with the gasket of the invention, the main length of the gasket may have a root which locates in the grooved rafter and the end of the gasket may have the 15 root removed to facilitate connection to other rafter gaskets at different angles, over non-grooved areas of rafter. It will be appreciated that the present invention is 20 not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment, which is described by way of example only.

Claims

1. An elongate gasket adapted for use on a rafter of a glazed roof assembly comprising an elongate 5 root or roots extending downwardly from an under surface of the gasket, the root or roots being adapted to locate and self align in a corresponding groove or grooves provided in the upper surface of a rafter, each root comprising a 10 stem having an integrally formed foot at the free end thereof, the stem being connected to the under surface along a region which defines an area of weakness so that the root is detachable from the under surface to form a substantially 15 flat under surface.

2. A gasket according to claim 1 wherein the area of weakness is formed by the width of the stem, at the region where it connects to the under 20 surface, being less than the width of the main body of the stem.

3. A gasket according to claim 1 wherein the area of weakness is formed by a combination of the narrow 25 width of the stem and the material from which it is made.

4. A gasket according to any preceding claim wherein the stem is in the region of 1.O to 1.5 mm thick.

5. A gasket according to any preceding claim wherein, in use, the root or roots are detachable from the under surface along the whole

5. A gasket according to any preceding claim wherein, in use, the root or roots may be detached from the under surface along the whole

length of the root or along part of the length thereof.

6. A gasket according to any preceding claim wherein 5 the area of weakness is such that the root does not detach from the under surface when a predetermined force is applied to the root in a direction substantially parallel to the under surface and the root detaches from the under 10 surface when said force is applied to the root in a direction substantially perpendicular to the under surface.

7. A gasket according to any preceding claim wherein 15 the upper surface of the gasket has a raised channel extending centrally along the length of the gasket.

8. A gasket according to any preceding claim further 20 comprising one or more ribs projecting from each side of the upper surface of the gasket.

9. A gasket for a glazed roof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as 25 illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A roof assembly comprising an elongate roof rafter, a pair of glazing panels supported by and extending along the opposing longitudinal sides 30 of the rafter, the glazing panels being held in place by an elongate capping member with seals which abut the upper surfaces of the glazing panels, the capping member being secured to the rafter by a series of longitudinally spaced apart

screws and an elongate rafter gasket according to any preceding claim extending along the rafter.

Ill Amended claims have been filed as followed l. An e]onote gasket adapted for use on a grooved or ungrooved rafter of a glazed roof assembly 5 comprising an elongate root or roots extending downwardly from an under surface of the casket, the root or roots being adapted to locate and self align in a corresponding groove or grooves provided in the upper surface of a rafter, each 10 root comprising a stem having an integrally formed foot at the free end thereof, the stem being connected to the under surface along a region which defines an area of weakness so that the root is detachable from the under surface to 15 form a substantially flat under surface.

2. A gasket according to claim l wherein the area of weakness is formed by the width of the stem, at the region where it connects to the under 20 surface, being less than the width of the main body of the stem.

3. A gasket according to claim 1 wherein the area of weakness is formed by a combination of a narrow 25 width of the stem and the material from which it is made.

9. A gasket according to any preceding claim wherein the width of a main body of the stem is in the 30 region of 1.0 to 1.5 mm.