WO2006000788A2

WO2006000788A2 - Firring system for a conservatory roof

Info

Publication number: WO2006000788A2
Application number: PCT/GB2005/002492
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lee Calvert
Original assignee: Ultraframe (Uk) Limited
Priority date: 2004-06-23
Filing date: 2005-06-23
Publication date: 2006-01-05
Also published as: WO2006000788A3; GB0414156D0; GB0624623D0; GB2430209B; GB2430209A

Abstract

A fining system for use in forming a conservatory roof comprises planks (22) that, can be snap-fitted on top of each other and then cut diagonally to provide two firring pieces for use on opposite sides of the roof.

Description

Title: Fining system for a conservatory roof

DESCRIPTION

This invention concerns a fining system for use in forming a conservatory roof. Conservatory roofs of a lean-to type have a roof that slopes down from a wall of an existing structure. Side walls of such a conservatory are generally foraied as windows, possibly above a brick base. There is a triangular gap between the top of the windows and the roof that is usually filled with a firring piece. Such fining pieces have to be cut according to the size of the gap to be filled. It has been proposed in our GB 2299595A to produce fining pieces fonn a single plastics extrusion of rectangular section that is cut diagonally to forai two fining pieces for opposite sides of the roof. However, that system has limitations due to the depth of the extrusions. For roofs of deep pitches, the extrusion would have to be very deep but for shallower pitches using such an extrusion would create wastage in cutting down the extrusion. An object of this invention is to provide a fining system for use in fonning conservatory roofs that is more adaptable. According to the invention it is proposed that a fining system for use in foraiing a conservatory roof comprise planks that can be snap-fitted on top of each other and then cut diagonally to provide two firring pieces for use on opposite sides of the roof. The invention further proposes a conservatory roof including a fining assembly comprising planks that can be snap-fitted on top of each other and then cut diagonally to provide two fining pieces for use on opposite sides of the roof. Preferably the planks are formed as plastics extrusions. In a preferred embodiment the planks are generally rectangular in section and are preferably diagonally symmetrical, so that when the two pieces are formed, they present the same outward appearance when in position in a roof. The planks preferably overlap oppositely on opposite sides thereof, so that outer sides, in use, of the fining system can have overlaps that are weatherproof. The fining system of the invention preferably also comprises a bottom piece that can be an eaves beam. The bottom piece is also preferably extruded from plastics material. The preferred bottom piece has a screw receiving channel, whereby the piece may be screw fixed onto a supporting structure, such as a window frame. The bottom piece preferably also has a top that is shaped to have a fining plank snap-fitted thereto. The bottom piece may contain reinforcement, such as an aluminium extrusion that may be further reinforced with steel inserts depending upon the length of the bottom piece. The fining system of the invention further preferably includes a top piece, on which a glazing panel forming part of a roof is mountable. The top piece preferably has gasket material, such as on a ledge thereof, for sealing on the underside of the glazing panel. A cap is preferably mountable on the top piece to hold the glazing panel down. Edges of the capping preferably cany gasket material for sealing against the top of a glazing panel. Preferably the top piece and the capping have fonnations that permit them to accommodate different thickness of glazing panels. An advantage of a fining system of the invention made up of individual planks is that the number of planks used can be chosen to suit the pitch and projection of a roof, so that waste can be minimised when cutting the firings to size. This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a framework for a conservatory roof; Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a firring system for a conservatory roof; Figure 3 is a section through the fining system of Figure 2; Figure 4 is another section through the firring system of Figure 2; and Figures 5 and 6 are front and back views of a wall plate assembly cover of the roof of Figure 1. Referring to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, a framework 10 for a conservatory roof of the lean-to type comprises a wall plate assembly 12 that is affixed to a wall of an existing structure and an eaves beam assembly 14 parallel to and spaced from the wall plate assembly, the eaves beam assembly being mounted on windows forming the front wall of the conservatory. At either side of the roof are firring systems 16 and between and parallel to the firring systems are roof beam assemblies 18. The framework supports glazing panels (not shown) of glass or of plastics. The firring systems 16 at opposite sides of the framework are shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings in more detail. Each firring system 16 comprises a support member 20 in the form of an eaves beam, a series of fining planks 22 mounted on the eaves beam and on top of each other, a top or glazing support member 24, on which a glazing panel edge can rest and a top capping 26 that holds the glazing panel in place. The support member 20 is preferably formed as hollow plastics extrusion and is shown containing a reinforcement comprising an aluminium extrusion with side pockets 33, containing folded steel inserts 35. For shorter spans only the aluminium extrusion may be needed but the steel inserts may be added for longer spans. The support member has a base 28, a top 30 and intended inner and outer sides 32, 34. The base 28 of the support member is wider than the top 30, so that the intended outer side 34 slopes inwardly. The top 30 of the support member is formed with a longitudinal channel 36 that serves as a location for receiving fixing screws through the support member into the underlying window frame. The outer side 34 of the support member has its top and bottom edges formed as lips 38,40 that serve as locations for snap-on gutter brackets 42 of the type shown in Figure 1, so that the gutter can be returned to the house wall. The intended inner side 32 of the support member extends above the top 30 and the extension 44 so formed has an inward facing Hp 46. Adjacent the screw channel 36 towards the inner side of the support member is a slot 48 of lesser depth than the channel. Between the slot 48 and the channel is an upstanding wall 50 that extends above the top 30 of the support member. On the other side of the channel 36, the top 30 is higher than on the other side of the channel and is stepped downwards to the outer side of the support member. The step down 52 has a lip 54 along its top edge. The firring planks 22 are formed as hollow extrusions of plastics material and are diagonally symmetrical. Thus, each firring piece has a base 60 that is a mirror image of its top 62 and one side 64 is a mirror image of the other side 66. The extrusion includes supporting webs 68 and 70 between opposite walls of the plank. The top 62 of each plank has two parts 72, 74 either side of a slot 76. The intended outer part 72 of the top of each plank is higher than the other part. The side 78 of the slot towards the intended outer side of the fining plank extends above the top wall of the plank. The base of each plank has the opposite arrangement. The side walls 64, 66 of the planks have along one edge an extension 82 with an internal lip 84 and along the opposite edge a recess 80, the orientation of the side walls being reversed on opposite sides of the planks. The recess 80 in one side wall is to accommodate the lip 84 on the extension 82 of an adjacent plank or 46 of extension 44 of the eaves support member 20. In order to form firring assemblies to be used in constructing a conservatory roof, firring planks 22 are mounted on top of each other to the height required and the assembly cut diagonally to form two triangular firring assemblies of the same triangular size, one for each end of the roof. Because the firring planks are symmetrical, the two assemblies will be mirror images of each other. The firring planks snap fit on top of each other due to the lips 84 and the recesses 80, with the sides 78 locating in the slots 76 of adjacent firring planks. These firring assemblies snap fit onto the their respective eaves support members in a similar manner. A top or glazing support member 24 is mounted on top of each firring assembly. The glazing support member 24 is also a hollow plastics extrusion and has a ledge 90, on which a glazing panel can be laid. The ledge includes co-extruded or bonded gasket material in the form of rubber or elastomeric ribs 92. The support member also has a pair of slots 94, 96 shaped to receive and retain the top capping 26 to hold down the glazing panel. The top capping 26 has a depending foπnation 98 with two pairs of barbs 100, 102 for location in either of the slots depending on the thickness of the glazing panel being used. The top edges of the slots have facing lips 104 that retain the barbs once they have been pushed past the lips. As shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, for thinner glazing panels, the inner of the two slots 94 is used with the top capping being pushed down until both pairs of barbs are into the slot and, for thicker glazing panels, the outer slot 96 is used with only the first pair of barbs entering the slot. Edges 106 of the capping 26 are turned inwards and these edges have co- extruded or bonded gasket material 108 of rubber or other elastomeric material thereon for sealing on the top surface of a glazing panel. As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the fining planks are orientated, so that the outer side of a firring assembly has the extensions 80 extending downwardly, so that rain water will drip off the firring assembly rather than find a path between the fining planks. At the ends of the wall plate assembly 12 are two-part covers 110 (as shown separately in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings). The covers have a first part 112 that sits over the wall plate assembly and partly over capping 26. The second part 114 locates partly within the first part and in practice is pushed upwards into the first part until its step 115 locates against the glazing support member 24 and is held in place by a ratchet mechanism 116, 118. Tongues 120, 122 of the first cover part 112 locate in channels 124, 126 of the second cover part to hold the relationship between the two cover parts. The second cover part 114 has holes 128 in its bottom edge to allow any water ingress drain away outside of the roof.

Claims

Claims:

1. A fining system for use in fomiing a conservatory roof comprise planks that can be snap-fitted on top of each other and then cut diagonally to provide two firring pieces for use on opposite sides of the roof.

2. A firring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the planks are formed as plastics extrusions.

3. A firring system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the planks are generally rectangular in section.

4. A firring system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the planks are diagonally symmetrical, so that when the two pieces are formed, they present the same outward appearance when in position in a roof.

5. A firring system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the planks overlap oppositely on opposite sides thereof.

6. A firring system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprising a bottom piece.

7. A firring system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bottom piece is extruded from plastics material.

8. A firring system as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the bottom piece has a screw-receiving channel, whereby the piece may be screw fixed onto a supporting structure.

9. A firring system as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the bottom piece has a top that is shaped to have a firring plank snap-fitted thereto.

10. A fining system as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the bottom piece contains reinforcement.

11. A fining system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the reinforcement is in the form of an aluminium extrusion.

12. A fining system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the aluminium extrusion is further reinforced with steel inserts.

13. A fining system as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 12, wherein the bottom piece has locations for attachment of gutter brackets.

14. A fining system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 further comprising a top piece, on which a glazing panel fonning part of a roof is mountable.

15. A fining system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the top piece has gasket material thereon for sealing on the underside of a glazing panel mounted on a fining.

16. A fining system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the gasket material is on a ledge of the top piece.

17. A fining system as claimed in claim 14, 15 or 16 further comprising a cap mountable on the top piece to hold a glazing panel down.

18. A fining system as claimed in claim 17, wherein edges of the cap carry gasket material for sealing against the top of the glazing panel.

19. A fining system as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the top piece and the cap have fonnations that pennit them to accommodate different thickness of glazing panels.

20. A conservatory roof including a fining assembly comprising planks that can be snap-fitted on top of each other and then cut diagonally to provide two fining pieces for use on opposite sides of the roof.

21. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 20, wherein the planks are formed as plastics extrusions.

22. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 20 or 21, wherein the planks are generally rectangular in section.

23. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 20, 21 or 22, wherein the planks are diagonally symmetrical, so that when the two pieces are formed, they present the same outward appearance when in position in the roof.

24. A conservatory roof as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the planks overlap oppositely on opposite sides thereof.

25. A conservatory roof as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 24 further comprising a bottom piece.

26. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 25, wherein the bottom piece is an eaves beam of the roof.

27. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 25 or 26, wherein the bottom piece is extruded from plastics material.

28. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein the bottom piece has a screw-receiving channel, whereby the piece is screw fixed onto a supporting structure.

29. A conservatory roof as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 28, wherein the bottom piece has a top that is shaped to have a fining plank snap-fitted thereto.

30. A conservatory roof as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein the bottom piece contains reinforcement.

31. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 30, wherein the reinforcement is in the form of an aluminium extrusion.

32. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 31, wherein the amminium extrusion is further reinforced with steel inserts.

33. A conservatory roof as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 32, wherein the bottom piece has locations for attachment of gutter brackets.

34. A conservatory roof as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 33 further comprising a top piece, on which a glazing panel forming part of a roof is mounted.

35. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 34, wherein the top piece has gasket material thereon for sealing on the underside of a glazing panel mounted on a fining.

36. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 35, wherein the gasket material is on a ledge of the top piece.

37. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 34, 35 or 36 further comprising a cap mounted on the top piece to hold a glazing panel down.

38. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 37, wherein edges of the cap cany gasket material for sealing against the top of the glazing panel.

39. A conservatory roof as claimed in claim 37 or 38, wherein the top piece and the cap have formations that permit them to accommodate different thickness of glazing panels.

40. A fining system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

41. A conservatory roof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.