US3423889A - Pitched wall and roof seal - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 28, 1969 w. B. ELCONIN PITCHED WALL AND ROOF SEAL Filed July 26, 1966 Film. 1. MM .3 .E'LCON/A/ IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent Int. Cl. E0411 13/14, 1/36, 3/24 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A molded seal is provided for side walls or roofs having a corrugated exterior surface when it is required to provide a water-tight seal between the corrugated surface and a flat or planar flange on a ventilator base, roof flashing, roof hatch, or any other object having a flat flange located adjacent an opening in a side wall or roof. In such cases, the flange is located at the top or outside surface of the ridges in the corrugated surface. The seal has tapered fillers that fill and close the depressions between the ridges, not only to prevent entry of water but, in the case of a sloping roof, to eliminate low places where water can collect by diverting and draining the water away from the area.

The present invention relates generally to roof and wall construction; and is more especially concerned with means for rainproofing around any opening through a roof, such as required for ventilation, or by a duct or pipe or other object which extends through and above the roof surface, or through a Wall.

It is common practice to cut a hole in a roof or wall to permit passage of air or a pipe, stack, ventilator, or other structure which necessarily passes through a roof or wall and extends above or beyond it. Normally, such structures are either provided with a flat flange or a flashing around them provides a flange of this same shape which generally engages a surface of the roof and against which a watertight seal can be made. In the case of roofs with flat sheeting it can overlap the flange or flashing to make a tight seal.

However, in the case of roofs having parallel ridges and intervening depressions or valleys extending parallel to the slope of a roof, as for example a roof made from the familiar corrugated sheet metal, a problem arises of seal ing where these valleys or depressions intersect the hole in the roof. If the usual flange and/or flashing is provided and it rests upon the tops of the ridges, it then offers no obstacle against the entry of rain water running down the valleys. Heretofore, it has been customary in this situation to place in the valleys and underneath the flashing mastic of some type which fills the valleys in the roof surface beneath the flashing and bonds with the roof.

In an attempt to solve this problem, in new construction the up-slope flange or flashing is sometimes placed under the roof sheeting and the down-slope flange or flashing is placed above the roof sheeting; but this arrangement introduces added problems sealing at the lateral edges of the opening. There, also, mastic is relied on to fill in irregularities and seal non-planar meeting surfaces.

This mastic type of seal ordinarily deteriorates after a while under the combined action of the sun and the water. The latter is injurious to the mastic and in the usual construction is in contact with the mastic for a considerable period of time. The plug of mastic at the end of a valley provides a dam behind which water running down the valley accumulates until the depth of water is suflicient to overflow the ridge at one side or the other. However, the pond of water thus created has no escape and continues to exist until it dries up by evaporation. The continued long contact of the rain water with the mastic is considered to be a primary cause of the deterioration of the mastic and eventual leaking of the roof at these points.

Even at the sides of an opening where water does not accumulate, leaks develop frequently as a consequence of the deterioration of the mastic which cracks or shrinks and thereby allows the water to seep in sideways. Thus it will be seen that serious problems of sealing against entry of water occur with many constructions such as those created 'by a vent duct, pipe or the like passing through a roof; and that relying on bodies of mastic or similar nonmetallic compositions to effect a watertight seal has not been satisfactory from the standpoint of durability.

Thus, it becomes a general object of the present invention to eliminate leaks in roofs having valleys running down the slope of the roofs where these valleys intersect objects which extend through and upwardly above the roof.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to devise a seal for use in combination with surfaces of this character on roofs or walls which is adapted to eliminate or prevent the accumulation of water at the end of a valley where it meets an object extending upwardly through and above the roof or beyond a side wall.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing the combination with a building wall, either a roof or side wall, having a valley or recessed area between two ridges the roof and a flat sheet provided by a duct flange or flashing bordering an opening in the wall and extending across the valley above the ridges, or a ramp seal in the valley extending away from the upper edge of the flat sheet and between the ridgcsto fill in the depression which would otherwise exist at the end of the valley. The ramp seal has a generally flat top surface sloping in the direction of the roof but at a lesser angle to permit the water to run off under gravity flow. More generally speaking, the top surface of the seal lies substantially in a plane meeting or intersecting the wall surface at the upper end of the seal and rising to or beyond the top of the ridges at the lower end of the seal. Thus, rainwater coming down the valley flows onto and over the top surface of the ramp seal and then is delivered from it on to the flat sheet bordering the opening in such a manner that in the case of a roof, the water can continue to flow on down the roof.

The seal preferably is provided with a flange at its lower end which overlies the flat sheet in order to deliver the water onto the sheet and provide a joint which can be readily and effectively sealed.

How the above objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as others not specifically mentioned, are obtained will be more readily understood by reference to the following description and to the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary pers ective of a section of roof with a ventilator above the roof and for which an opening has been cut in the roof, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical section on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom and end perspective showing the underside of the ramp seal alone.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the seal in place on the roof.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical transverse section on line 55 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical section of a single valley on line 6-6 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a section similar to FIGURE 5 illustrating a ramp seal adapted to a corrugated sheet metal roof of different contour.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical section through an opening and seal in a vertical side wall.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown in the drawings sheeting 10 resting on horizontal purlins 11 which are in turn supported by rafters 12. The sheeting may be of any type of material, but ordinarily it is sheet metal, for example, galvanized iron, since this material is most frequently encountered with a surface configuration which presents the problems already described.

As may be seen from FIGURES 4 and 5 particularly, the sheeting is formed with a plurality of parallel ridges 15 which extend generally parallel to the slope of the roof. Between each two successive ridges 15 is a recessed area or valley 16. The dimensions of these ridges and valleys in the sheeting are of no particular significance, except that ordinarily the problems mentioned arise only when the horizontal width of the valleys is less than the width of the flange or flashing around the hole in the roof. For the sake of illustration, the ridges and valleys are here shown as all being of the same size and shape; but it will be realized that this is not limitative upon the present invention as it may be applied equally well to sheeting having ridges of different heights or valleys of different widths.

As may be seen particularly from FIGURE 2 an opening is cut in the sheeting in order to provide access to the interior of ventilator 21 which is merely typical of the various installations requiring an opening to be cut through the roof. Ventilator 21 is here shown as being rectangular in horizontal cross section and having a base with upwardly extending, flat sidewalls 22; but, again, this is only illustrative and not limitative upon the invention since the invention may be equally well applied to a stack or a ventilator having a circular cross section.

The typical ventilator base or flashing is provided with flange 23 which is a flat sheet that projects outwardly away from walls 22 around the base of the ventilator. This flange is not exactly horizontal, although it may be spoken of as a horizontal flange since, when viewed as in FIGURE 5, it appears horizontal. Actually, it is inclined to the horizontal to equal the slope of the roof so that when flange 23 rests upon the tops of the ridges 15, as shown in FIGURE 2, the sidewalls 22 of the ventilator are substantially vertical.

A common installation is shown in FIGURE 2, in which flange 23 rests upon the tops of ridges 15 and normally borders opening 20 in the roof. It is apparent from FIG- URE 2 that in this construction, valleys 16 pass under the up-hill portion of flange 23 and open at their lower ends to opening 20 so that rainwater running down the valleys can enter opening 20 in the roof unless prevented by some means. The ramp seal indicated generally at 25 in FIGURE 3 is shaped to fit in one or more of these valleys and provides means for closing the ends of the valleys and diverting rainwater onto the top of flange 23. Description of the seal and its relation to a single valley 16 is sufficient to disclose the entire structure since the seal is duplicated at each of the valleys.

Seal 25 is a body of yieldable, non-metallic substance such as a synthetic plastic material which is preferably thermo-setting in character so that it can be warmed to a liquid or plastic condition and molded into the desired shape. Seal body 25 has elongated, finger-like sections 26 of which each one fits into a valley 16 between two ridges 15 and is shaped to conform to and engage the sidewalls of the valley as in FIGURE 6, with a watertight fit.

Viewed in longitudinal vertical cross section as in FIGURE 2, each body section 26 is wedge-shaped with the thin end uphill and the thick end downhill adjoining preferably abutting, the upper edge of flange 23. This profile of the body portion 26 gives it a ramp-like shape and function and is such that the upper surface 27 slopes or is pitched downhill in the same direction as sheeting 10, but at a lesser angle. This places the top surface 27 substantially in a plane that meets or intersects the roof surface at the base of a recessed valley 16 and then rises in the valley to a point at the downhill end of the plane which is at least at the top of, and preferably higher than or above, ridges 15 at either side of the valley.

Seal 25 preferably terminates in a thinner integral flange 28 which is adapted to overlie a portion at least of flange 23 on the ventilator base or flashing. Since the top surface of flange 28 is a continuation of surface 27 of each section 26, a continuous surface is presented to the water flowing over the seal and the water is delivered on to flange 23 where the water flows to one side or the other around ventilator 22 and thence continues on its way down the roof slope.

Viewed in transverse cross section as in FIGURE 5, the seal section 26 fitting between two ridges 15 is designed to conform to the shape of the valley; more especially to the shape of that portion of the valley which is below the plane established by the top surface 27 of the body. This enables the seal to establish a watertight bond with the roof sheeting to prevent leakage around it into the building. A cement or mastic may be applied between the roof and the seal to assure a watertight joint and to hold it in place.

However, in a general sense the seal sections may have some other shapes than illustrated. Each section may be more or less hollow, for example, to economize on material. For the reasons given, it is preferable that the seal on its underside conform to the surface of the roof sheeting; but at the same time, some departure from full or faithful conformation with the roof surface is possible.

In order to obtain the desired configuration of the individual seal sections 26 which fill the individual valleys, it has been found highly satisfactory to mold the filler by pouring the material in a fluid or plastic condition into a mold that preferably is a section of the roof sheet to which the seal is to be applied and therefore duplicates the shape of an area of the roof sheet. Thus, the seal conforms exactly to the upper surface of the sheeting.

The full width of a ramp seal is preferably made greater than the width or horizontal dimension of the flange with which it is to be used to allow for shifting the seal relative to the flange as may be required by the pattern of ridges and valleys in the roof and yet fully cover the flange. Excess material at the sides of the ramp seal can be left on or may be trimmed away to produce the appearance as in FIGURE 4.

The length of the fingers 26 measured parallel to the slope can be established by the slope given the roof. Roof slopes ordinarily follow certain definite standards of slope. For instance, assume that the roof is built on a standard slope of one vertical or three horizontal. The length of the body 26 would then be made such that the top surface represent some lesser slope, for example one vertical on six horizontal.

In order to complete the installation, it is often preferable to cover the joint between the ramp seal and the roof sheeting with some type of sealing means. In the figures this sealing means is shown as being a caulking tape 29 which is laid around the entire perimeter of seal 25 and is cemented to both the seal and to the adjacent roof sheeting, as shown particularly in FIGURE 4.

Another optional feature is the addition of anchor means, such as self-tapping sheet metal screws 30 which pass through the seal and into the roof sheeting in order to hold the seal against accidental displacement. A cement may be substituted for the anchor screws or it may be found that the caulking strip 29 provides an adequate anchor for this purpose.

The seal is not limited to any particular shape on its underside, since the shape of that surface is determined by the mating surface on the roof. In the event that the roof sheeting is the familiar corrugated sheet metal in which the ridges and valleys are either circular arcs or more or less rounded, as shown in FIGURE 7, then the seal takes a corresponding shape to fill the valleys as shown in FIGURE 7.

The invention is not limited to roofs, but may be incorporated in a side wall of a building as shown in FIG- URE 8. Here side wall 40 is made of sheet metal having depressed areas 41 between parallel ridges 42. In the wall is a frame 43 of sheet metal or the like having louvers 44 for ventilation. Frame 43 has a peripheral flange 45. On the upper side a ramp seal 46 abuts the upper edge of flange 45 and has an integral flange 47 which overlaps the upper run of sheet metal flange 45 on the ventilator. As before, the ramp seal is wedge-shaped in longitudinal cross section and conforms to the contour or pattern of the wall surface. The top surface 48 of the seal is inclined to the wall surface to intersect the latter to receive and divert rainwater away from the joint between frame 43 and the Wall. Accordingly, the term wall as used herein and in the claims is to be construed to mean any building wall, including a side wall or a roof.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the various changes may be made in the present invention without departnig from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is considered to be illustrative of, rather than limitative upon, the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of:

a building wall having a surface with a recess between two parallel ridges, said wall having an opening therethrough;

a flat sheet adjacent the opening at one side thereof and extending across the recess between the ridges at the top of the ridges;

and a ramp seal in engagement with the outside surface of the wall and extending away from the upper edge of the flat sheet between the ridges;

the ramp seal having a tapered body with a generally flat top surface inclined to the bottom surface of the recessed area of the wall and lying substantially in a plane meeting said bottom surface at the upper end of the seal and rising above the top of the ridges at the lower end of the seal.

2. The combination as in claim 1 which also includes a flange at the lower end of the seal overlying and parallel 4 to the flat sheet.

3. The combination as in claim 2 in which the top surface of the flange is continuous with the top surface of the seal.

4. The combination as in claim 1 in which the seal is wedge-shaped in longitudinal cross section, having a maximum depth greater than the depth of the recessed area, and in transverse cross section conforms to the shape of the recessed area below the level of said plane.

5. The combination as in claim 1 in which the seal is a synthetic plastic material.

6. The combination as in claim 1 which also includes a sealing strip covering the joint between the seal and the wall.

7. The combination as in claim 1 in which the wall is a sloping roof and the angle of taper of the body is less than the angle of the roof with the horizontal.

8. A ramp seal for use with a sloping roof having a valley between two successive parallel ridges extending in the direction of roof slope, comprising:

a body of yieldable, non-metallic material fitting in said valley and having a generally flat top surface lying substantially in a plane meeting the roof surface at one end of the body and rising to the top of the ridges at the other end of the body;

and an integral flange projecting outwardly from said body at said other end thereof with the top surface of the flange being substantially a prolongation of the body.

9. An article as in claim 8 which is wedge-shaped in longitudinal cross section and in transverse cross section conforms to the shape of the valley below the level of said plane.

10. A ramp seal for use with a sloping roof having a plurality of valleys between successive parallel ridges extending in the direction of roof slope, comprising:

a plurality of tapered bodies of yieldable, non-metallic material fitting in said valleys, said tapered bodies being spaced apart and parallel to each other and each being of wedge-shape in longitudinal cross section;

and a flat, relatively thin flange extending transversely of and connecting together all of said tapered bodies,

said flange extending outwardly and away from said bodies at the thick ends thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 857,601 6/1907 Cooper 52-13 2,537,743 1/1951 Crafton 52-97 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,897 1882 Germany. 311,105 5/1929 Great Britain. 840,864 7/ 1960 Great Britain.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 52-90, 97, 200

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