Binder for interlocking tiles

Abstract

 By establishing roof constructions (24) with interlocking tiles, special binders (2) are used. However, the shape of the interlocking tiles varies as well as variations in construction of the roof in which the binders are used occurs, putting great demands on suppliers of the interlocking tiles with regard to supply correct binders for the roof constructions concerned.
By the invention is provided a two-part binder for interlocking tiles, comprising a gutter member (4) and a lath member (18), as the distance between the binder dog (6) and locking hook (20) is adjustable by interacting retention means in the shape of a toothing (16) on the gutter member length and a hole (14) disposed symmetrically about the centre axis (36) of the length.

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns a interlocking tile binder for fastening a tile on a roof structure that include overlapping rows of tiles carried by wooden laths, the binder including a gutter member having a dog for attaching to a gutter in the tile and a straight gutter length in continuation of the dog, a lath member that may interact with the gutter member by locking means and may include at least one locking hook for retention in a side of a lath facing away from the tile.

[0002] Such tile binders are e.g. known from EP-A-980 941 that includes such an interlocking tile binder where at least certain parts of it are constituted by injection moulded resin. The said interlocking tile binder is constituted by two parts, namely a gutter part including a dog for attaching in a gutter in the tile and a lath member interacting therewith by connecting means, the lath member including a length with a right angle, in which a first angle leg constitutes a straight section extending in continuation of the gutter, and where a second angle leg extends towards the side facing away from the tile of a lath in a roof construction. The latter angle leg includes teeth for achieving a good grip in the said rear lath side. The said interlocking tile binder is thus adapted so that the distance between the said toothed projecting parts of the angle leg and the dog are adjustable by the mutually interacting retention means on the gutter member and the lath member, respectively. Hereby is achieved a high degree of flexibility in connection with the use of said interlocking tile binder. This flexibility is desirable as typically there are produced various types of interlocking tiles that may have different gutter shapes and which can be used for different roof structure types that respectively may include different widths of the underlying laths to which the interlocking tiles are fastened by means of the interlocking tile binder.

[0003] By using said prior art interlocking tile binders is thus achieved the advantage that for several of the said types of interlocking tiles, one may use one and the same binder which is advantageous as faulty delivery of interlocking tile binders together with a load of interlocking tiles may be counteracted. The possibility of faulty delivery when using traditionally shaped interlocking tile binders is very great, and since it is of very great importance to apply the correct type of interlocking tile binder to the particular roof structure/lath dimension/tile thickness, faulty delivery of interlocking tile binder with a load of interlocking tiles will mean that laying the roof of which the interlocking tiles are a part has to be postponed until the correct binders are provided.

[0004] An example of traditionally designed interlocking tile binders is indicated in GB-A-2 101 172 in which is indicated a binder for interlocking tiles which is designed entirely of a piece of steel wire with circular cross-section which is bent with a gutter section including the dog, a spacer part which via bending and twisting of the wire continues into a lath part, the free end of which including a point attacking the underside of the lath. It is very important for an efficient securing of the interlocking tile that the distance between the dog and the transition between the gutter part and the lath part are adjusted to the distance between the tile gutter and the lath to which underside the lath part of the tile binder is fastened.

[0005] Another problem implying that the use of different tile binder types is necessary is that the width of the gutter on interlocking tiles may vary according to which type of interlocking tile is used. Thus it is important that the spacer length of the gutter part approximately corresponds to the width of the gutter in the interlocking tile. This problem is attempted to be solved by the interlocking tile binder in the above GB publication, as it is indicated that the gutter part can be twisted about the spacer length between this and the lath part, so that the distance between the spacer length and the free end of the dog of the gutter part is used for extending obliquely over the tile gutter in order that the binder does not protrude outside the area of the tile comprising the gutter. However, in the said GB publication, there are no indications to how there may be compensated for the use of different lath dimensions in the roof structures, thus bringing us back to the interlocking tile binder of the kind indicated in the introduction and of the kind indicated in EP-A-980 941, where there is indicated a possibility of compensating different distances between the dog and the lath member, whereby different lath dimensions may be compensated for.

[0006] If the interlocking tile binder disclosed in EP-A-980 941 is viewed more closely, it contains some unsuitable elements. For example, the retention means between the gutter member and the lath member are provided by the gutter member including a boss protruding on the spacer length in its lateral direction and having a toothing interacting with the spacer length of the lath member in the way that the spacer length has a slot, the mutually facing sides of which having a toothing that interacts with the toothing on the said boss. The boss also includes a cover plate for controlling the length of the lath member. This design of the retaining means will imply that the pull in the gutter member will be offset, and tearing out of the lath member from the engagement in the toothing on the boss can thus not be precluded when extreme forces are acting on interlocking tiles. Another drawback by the said interlocking tile binder is that the projecting angle leg of the lath member comprising the toothing extends perpendicularly to the spacer length, which will mean a considerable moment in this area, which can result in inadvertent deflection of the lath member. In this publication, this is attempted counteracted by reinforcing the transition between the spacer length and the toothed part of the lath member. However, the said reinforcement will imply an increase in cost of the making of the said interlocking tile binder.

[0007] It is the purpose of the present invention to indicate an interlocking tile binder which in an efficient way anchors an interlocking tile to the wooden laths of the underlying roof structure, and which is secured against tearing out of the lath member from the gutter member.

[0008] This purpose is achieved by a tile binder of the kind indicated in the introduction, which is peculiar in that the lath member is constituted by a first length connected with a second length that includes the at least one locking hook close to the end for fastening to the wooden lath, and that the first length of the lath member includes a hole for receiving the gutter length, the gutter length including a toothing on a narrow side edge, the toothing being retainable at a side edge of the hole by insertion of the gutter length in the hole, and that the first straight length of the lath member and the second length are mutually forming a first angle (A), and where the first straight length of the lath member forms a second angle (B) with the gutter length retained by the toothing.

[0009] Hereby is achieved an efficient holding and retention between the gutter length and the lath member length, and furthermore, by the first straight length of the lath member and the second length mutually forming an angle A as well as the first straight length of the lath member forming an angle B with the gutter member length retained by the toothing thereby is achieved the advantage that pulling action on the tile away from the lath is propagated more directly to the underside of the lath, and hereby is achieved a more stable fastening and holding of the tile than by the prior art interlocking tile binder.

[0010] It is to be mentioned that AU 43998/79 discloses a two-part fastening clip for fastening interlocking tiles to profiled steel laths that are laid on rafters. The clip includes a gutter member with a spacer length including a toothing at one side edge which interacts with an angular lath member including a first upper and second lower angle leg, where the latter, free end includes a U-shaped hook for retention at a downwards directed flange on an underlying profiled steel lath. The downwards directed flange of the steel lath is projected so that the flange is disposed in front of the stop boss, or rather opposite the front edge of an underlying tile, so that the U-shaped hook in the lower angle leg extends in parallel with the toothed side edge of the gutter member. The angled legs of the angular lath member each includes slots for receiving the gutter length which is passed through both slots, and where the lath member is retained in the toothing on the spacer length of the gutter member, where this is passed through the hole in the first upper angle leg of the angular lath member. The free end of the lath member including the U-shaped hook is furthermore extending in parallel with the gutter member length. By the said fastening clip is achieved a certain flexibility in connection with securing an interlocking tile upon the steel lath.

[0011] Upon a closer view of the interlocking tile binder described in AU 43998/79, however, it must be regarded as being decidedly unsuitable and in fact impossible to use in connection an underlying roof structure where the support of the interlocking tiles is constituted by traditionally used wooden laths having rectangular cross-section and with front edges lying behind the front edge and behind the stop boss of an underlying tile. The infeasibility of use consists in the lath member simply not projecting far enough rearwards from the gutter member in order that it can be brought in contact with the underside of a traditional wooden lath, the lower edge of which where the lath member is to engage the lath is located behind the boss and thereby behind the front edge of an underlying tile.

[0012] Embodiments of the lath member of the binder of AU 43998/79 may be envisaged where the shape of the lath member is changed so that it may reach in under a traditional wooden lath, but, as discussed below, even this modification will not be sufficient so that it will be defensible to use this tile binder.

[0013] The inexpediency in using the binder of AU 43998/79 consists in that the upper angle leg of the lath member facing the underside of the interlocking tile is bluntly projecting in front of the toothing and oriented towards the underside or the front side of the tile lying under lower end edge of the interlocking tile secured by the gutter member of the tile binder with the purpose of transmitting the tension in the tile directly to the lath. For mounting the tile binder it is necessary that there is an elastic action between the angular legs of the lath member which both include slotted openings through which the gutter part of the binder is passed, and where the toothed part of the gutter member for locking the binder is to be retained in legs of the angular bend oriented towards the tiles. The required flexibility for this is provided by the elastic action of the lath member.

[0014] Exactly the flexibility of the said interlocking tile binder will be very dangerous as the said bluntly projecting part of the upper angle leg is the one retained in the toothing of the gutter length, which means that an upwards directed force action on the tile secured by the gutter member will provide that the V-shaped lath member will yield slightly, whereby the bluntly projecting part of the upper angular leg of the lath member may exert an upwards directed pressure on the boss or the front edge of an underlying tile, which hereby may free itself from its engagement with the upper side of the lath. This may have fatal consequences as a pushing up of the underlying tile will cause the latter to slide out of its engagement with the lath and fall out, which can produce a chain reaction where also the interlocking tile secured by the fastening clip will become loose and possibly fall down. In Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the above unfavourable effect of a tile binder according to AU 43998/79 is illustrated in modified form adapted for use together with wooden laths.

[0015] The interlocking tile binder indicated according to the invention is quite clearly aimed at application in connection with securing interlocking tiles to undersides of commonly known wooden laths with dimensions varying between 24 and 50 mm. The tile binder according to the invention is just not including the lath member having double engagement with the length of the gutter member as this will imply bluntly projecting parts that are oriented against the underside of the boss on the underlying tile with above described inexpediencies. The interlocking tile binder according to the invention includes, however, a less bluntly projecting part of the first length of the lath member, but the bluntly projecting end faces away from the boss of the underlying tile and is situated at a relatively large distance from it, thus without constituting any risk.

[0016] By furthermore disposing the hole that receives and interacts with the toothing on the straight length of the gutter member symmetrically about the centre axis of the first length of the lath member, as indicated in claim 2, it is achieved that the said tensile forces coming from wind action on the tile away from the roof are transmitted to the lath via the lath member in a more straight and direct tension. The interlocking tile binder according to the invention will thus not capsize by extreme loads, and a tearing out/separation caused thereby between the gutter member and the lath member is thus counteracted.

[0017] With the purpose of securing the gutter length against tearing out of the hole in the lath member length, it has been recognised by the invention that the gutter member advantageously may be made in band steel, and that the toothing is disposed on the narrow side edge facing away from the lath member, and furthermore that the teeth are rearwards directed away from the locking hook, as indicated in claim 3. Hereby the resisting moment of the band steel is utilised optimally in connection with clamping the binder with the gutter member engaging the gutter on the tile and with the locking hook engaging the side of a lath facing away from the tile on lath in the roof construction at the underside of the tile.

[0018] For the sake of durability, the interlocking tile binder according to the invention, and thereby roofs in which such binders form a part, it has been recognised by the invention that the gutter member and the lath member advantageously may be made of corrosion-proof metal material as indicated in claim 4. Hereby is furthermore achieved the suitable, desired rigidity for such interlocking tile binders.

[0019] In a particularly preferred embodiment, it is preferred that the gutter member of the interlocking tile binder and lath member are made of band steel, as indicated in claim 5.

[0020] With the purpose of providing good rigidity in the first length of the lath member, this may be designed so that the first length of the lath member is designed as a U-shaped cross-section, as indicated in the characterising part of claim 6. By making the first length of the lath member as a U-shaped cross-section, a significant increase in resisting moment presented by the said part of the lath member is achieved, and thereby the ability of transmitting tensile forces coming from the gutter member to the lath to which the lath member is anchored by the locking hooks in the second length of the lath member, without the first length being deflected.

[0021] However, embodiments of the binder according to the invention where e.g. the lath member is made of band steel and the gutter member made of another corrosion-proof material as indicated in claim 7, are not waived, as well as it will be possible, as indicated in claim 8, to make the gutter member of band steel and the lath member in another corrosion-proof material.

[0022] With the purpose of facilitating the work during mounting of interlocking tile binders according to the invention, it may be suitable to counteract a separation of the gutter member and the lath member. Such a separation is prevented by providing the end of the gutter length opposite the dog with a stop having a width greater than the hole in the first length of the lath member. Hereby is achieved that the lath member is not separated from the gutter member during the mounting work, as the lath member will slide down, at the most, so that the hole in the first length of the lath member will abut on the said stop in the gutter length.

[0023] Furthermore, by the invention it has been realised that the said stop can be made with an embossing as indicated in claim 10.

[0024] The invention is explained more closely in the following with reference to the drawing, where:

Fig. 1

is a rear view of the gutter member of an interlocking tile binder according to the invention,

Fig. 2

is a side view of the gutter member of the binder shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

is a front view of the lath member in a binder according to the invention,

Fig. 4

is a side view of the lath member shown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

is a top view of the lath member of a binder according to the invention shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6

is a side view of a complete interlocking tile binder according to the invention,

Fig. 7

is a sectional view of a roof of which a binder according to the invention forms a part,

Fig. 8

is a sectional view along the line A-A in Fig. 7, showing an interlocking tile binder according to the invention during mounting,

Fig. 9

shows a tile binder according to the invention mounted correctly,

Fig. 10

shows a modified version of a prior art tile binder,

Fig. 11

shows the binder of Fig. 10, but mounted in another way, and

Fig. 12

shows the modified version of Figs. 10 and 11 in mounted condition while absorbing tensile forces.

[0025] Fig. 1 is a rear view of the gutter member 4 of an interlocking tile binder according to the invention, cf. Fig. 6. The gutter member includes dog 6 for fastening in a gutter 8 (cf. Fig. 7) in an interlocking tile 10 in a roof 24 including overlapping rows of tiles that are carried by common laths 26 of wood. The gutter member 4 furthermore includes a straight gutter length 12 in continuation of the dog 6. Appearing from the shown embodiment of the gutter member 4, this is constituted by a flat member and near the end 40 opposite the dog 6, the gutter length 12 includes a toothing 16 on the one narrow side edge 17 of the flat member.

[0026] Fig. 2 is a side view of the gutter member 4 shown in Fig. 1. As it further appears, the gutter member includes a stop 42 at the free end 40 opposite the dog 6.

[0027] In Fig. 3 is shown a front view of the lath member 18 of the interlocking tile binder 2 according to the invention. The lath member 18, which is constituted by a flat body, includes a first rectilinear length 28 and a second length 30 that form an angle A with each other, cf. Fig. 4. Close to the end and opposite the transition to the second length 30, the first length includes a slotted hole 14. At the end opposite the first length, the second length 30 includes locking hooks 20 in the form of material stamped out of the second length. The said locking hooks are intended for engaging and retaining in a side 22 of lath 26 facing away from a tile, the lath 26 being a part of a roof construction 24, cf. Figs. 8 and 9.

[0028] With the purpose of providing a good rigidity in the first length 28 of the lath member 18, the first length has a U-shaped cross-section as it appears from Fig. 5. The U-shape includes a considerable increase of the moment of resistance in the first length. In Fig. 6, which is a side view of an binder for interlocking tiles in its entirety, it is seen how the toothing of the gutter member is absorbed in the slotted hole 14 in the first length 28 of the lath member 18. It is here to be mentioned that the stop 42 has a width which is greater than the width of the slotted hole 14 in the first length 28 of the lath member 18. Hereby, the lath member is safeguarded against separation from the gutter member 4.

[0029] In Fig. 7, which is a cross-sectional view of a roof construction 24 with overlapping rows of tiles 10 carried on laths 26, it is seen how a binder according to the invention is used for securing an interlocking tile 10. Thus it appears from the Figure that the dog 6 is placed correctly in the gutter 8 of the interlocking tile, and that the hooks 20 in the second length 30 of the lath are brought to engage the side 22 of the lath 26 facing away from the tile 10.

[0030] In Fig. 8, which is a section on the line AA of the roof construction in Fig. 7, is seen how an interlocking tile binder 2 according to the invention is mounted correctly for securing an interlocking tile 10 to an underlying lath 26 in the roof construction 24. As it appears, at first the dog 6 engages the gutter 8 and with the gutter length 12 oriented against an underlying lath 26 with the lath member 18 with the locking hooks 20 disposed under the underside 22 of the lath 26. In Fig. 9, the interlocking tile binder 2 is correctly mounted in the roof construction 24, as the lath member 18 is displaced upwards against the interlocking tile 10 and retained in the toothing 16 on the gutter member length 12. As it appears from Fig. 9, the first straight length 28 and the second length 30 of the lath member are forming a mutual angle A. And, further appearing from Fig. 9, the first straight length 28 of the lath member forms an angle B at the gutter length 12 retained by the toothing 16.

[0031] The interlocking tile binder according to the invention shown and described above is made of band steel and so that the gutter member 4 is made of a narrower piece of band steel than the lath member 18 interacting therewith. However, by the invention it has been realised that the interlocking tile binder may assume other forms that those described above. For example, the gutter member may be constituted by a piece of wire that includes a toothing interacting with the lath member. Furthermore, the lath member may be envisaged as made of a piece of wire with embossing so that a slot is formed that interacts with the toothing on the gutter member, as well as it may be presupposed that the whole binder according to the invention is made of round steel.

[0032] The binder for interlocking tiles according to the invention is furthermore supposed to be made of corrosion-proof material, preferably metallic material.

List of reference numbers

[0033] 

2

binder for interlocking tiles

4

gutter member

6

dog

8

gutter in tile

10

interlocking tile

12

gutter length

14

hole

16

toothing

17

narrow side edge on gutter length 12

18

lath member

20

locking hook

22

side of lath facing away from the tile

24

roof construction

26

lath

28

first straight length of lath member 18

30

second length of lath member 18

32

end of second length 30

34

side edge of hole 14

36

centre axis of first length of lath member

38

teeth in toothing 16

40

end of gutter length 12 opposite dog 6

42

stop

Claims

1. Binder for interlocking tiles for fastening a tile (10) on a roof structure (24) that include overlapping rows of tiles carried by wooden laths (26), the binder including a gutter member (4) having a dog (6) for attaching to a gutter (8) in the tile (10) and a straight gutter length (12) in continuation of the dog, a lath member (18) that may interact with the gutter member (4) by locking means (14, 16) and may include at least one locking hook (20) for retention in a side (22) of a lath (26) facing away from the tile (10), characterised in that the lath member (18) is constituted by a first length (28) connected with a second length (30) that includes the at least one locking hook (20) close to the end (32) for fastening to the wooden lath (24), and that the first length (28) of the lath member includes a hole (14) for receiving the gutter length (12), the gutter length (12) including a toothing (16) on a narrow side edge (17), the toothing (16) being retainable at a side edge (34) of the hole (14) by insertion of the gutter length (12) in the hole (14), and that the first straight length (18) of the lath member and the second length (30) are mutually forming a first angle (A), and where the first straight length (28) of the lath member forms a second angle (B) with the gutter length (12) retained by the toothing (16).

2. Binder according to claim 1, characterised in that the hole (14) is disposed symmetrically around the centre axis (36) of the first length (28) of the lath member.

3. Binder according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the gutter member (4) is made of band steel, and that the gutter length (12) on narrow side edge (17) facing away from the lath member (18) includes a toothing (16) with teeth (38) directed rearwards and away from the locking hook (20).

4. Binder according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the gutter member (4) and the lath member (18) are made of corrosion-proof metal material.

5. Binder according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the gutter member (4) and the lath member (18) are made of band steel.

6. Binder according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the first length (28) of the lath member (18) is shaped with a U-shaped cross-section.

7. Binder according to any of claims 1 - 3, characterised in that the lath member (18) is made of band steel, and that the gutter member (4) is made of corrosion-proof metal material.

8. Binder according to any of claims 1 - 3, characterised in that the gutter member (4) is made of band steel, and that the lath member (18) is made of corrosion-proof metal material.

9. Binder according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the gutter length (12) includes a stop (42) at the end (40) opposite the dog (6), the width of the stop (42) being greater than the hole (14) in the first length (28) of the lath member.

10. Binder according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the stop (42) is constituted by an embossing.

Drawing