GB2276400A

GB2276400A - Roof tile clip

Info

Publication number: GB2276400A
Application number: GB9306438A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bryan Stanley Wright
Original assignee: Redland Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Redland Technology Ltd
Priority date: 1993-03-27
Filing date: 1993-03-27
Publication date: 1994-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2013-03-27
Also published as: GB2276400B; GB9306438D0

Abstract

A multi-position clip 10 for securing a roof tile to a battened roof structure. The clip 10 comprises an elongate body portion 11 which has a head portion 12 at one end and a tail portion 13 at the other. The tail portion 13 has a plurality of bosses 14 in which apertures 15 are provided. When the clip is in use, the apertures 15 receive nail-type fasteners for fixing the clip to a roof batten. Each of the bosses 14 has a face 16 which may be provided with a plurality of spikes 17 to provide anti-rotation means. An advantage of the multi-position clip 10 is that it can be used to fix more than one profile of roof tile. <IMAGE>

Description

ROOF TILE CLIP The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to roof tile clips and their use in securing roof tiles to a roof structure.

It is well known that roof tiles may be mounted on a roof structure by securing them to battens mounted in a spaced-apart arrangement on a roof. At least some of the tiles are usually fixed to the battens using a nail or similar fastener which is driven through an aperture provided in a roof tile adjacent to an upper edge of the tile.

In addition to nail-type fasteners, it is also common to use clips at the side edge portion of a tile to provide a more secure fixing, particularly in regions where there is a risk of high winds.

Many different types of tile clip are known. For example, UK Patent 1504859, UK Patent Application 2251635, US Patent 4314433 and US 5077952 each describe a clip which has a first portion for engaging an edge portion of a roof tile and an apertured second portion which receives a nail for fixing the tile to a batten or to a roof deck; UK Patent 1514723 discloses a clip which has a first portion which hooks over the edge of a roof tile and a second portion which is driven directly into the batten; and US Patent 4106253 discloses a clip which engages the edges of two overlapping aligned tiles and a groove or grooves in a metal batten.

It is also well known that roof tiles are produced in an extensive range of shapes and sizes which, when laid on a roof, enhance the appearance and character of a building. For example, roof tiles may have a flat or plain profile or they may have one of a number of different roll-type profiles. Each of the different profiles gives the roofer versatility and scope to create attractive roofing effects.

However, as a consequence of having such a wide range of different tile profiles it has hitherto been the practice of roof tile manufacturers to design a specific clip for use with each of the different profiles. This is necessary since, when the tile is in use, the height of the side edge portion of the tile above the batten varies according to the profile of the tile being fixed. Thus, since there are at least 50 different tile profiles on sale in the United Kingdom at the present time, a plurality of different tile clips are available. This leads to unnecessary effort and expenditure in tile clip design, and can lead to the wrong and, therefore, unusable clips being purchased for use with a particular tile.

To avoid these problems, the present invention provides a single multiposition clip which is adapted for use with more than one profile of roof tile.

Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided a multiposition clip for securing a roof tile to a battened roof structure, said clip comprises an elongate body portion which has a head portion at one end thereof for engaging a side edge portion of a roof tile and a tail portion at the other end thereof, wherein the tail portion has a plurality of apertures each of which is adapted to receive a nail-type fastener for fastening the clip to a batten, wherein, when the clip is in use, a nail-type fastener is inserted into an appropriate one of said apertures in order to enable the fixing of a tile to the batten and roof structure.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the head portion of the clip is provided with engagement means which facilitate engagement between the head portion of the clip and the side edge portion of the roof tile. Preferably the engagement means is provided by serrations or teeth.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the tail portion of the clip is provided with anti-rotation means to prevent the clip from rotating about the nail-type fastener when the clip is in use. Preferably the anti-rotation means comprises spikes which project outwardly from the tail portion of the clip and which are caused to engage with the batten when the clip is in use. The provision of spikes is also advantageous since when they are caused to engage with the batten, they hold the clip in position whilst the clip is being fastened to the batten by a nail-type fastener.

It is also advantageous that the tile clip of the present invention is formed, at least in part, from a resilient material, for example a resilient plastics material. The plastics material is preferably suitable for injection moulding and is, for example, polyvinyl chloride.

The clip according to the present invention may alternatively, be formed from metal, for example, galvanised stainless steel.

In order that the invention may be better understood it will hereinafter be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a novel tile clip; Figure 2 shows a side view of a head portion of a novel clip; and, Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the tile clip shown in Figure 1, assembled on a roof structure.

Referring to Figure 1, this shows a tile clip 10, moulded from a poly vinyl chloride material, which is comprised essentially of an elongate body portion 11, having a hooked head portion 12 at one end and a tail portion 13 at the other. The tail portion 13 has a plurality of bosses 14 in which holes 15 are provided. Each of the holes 15 extend in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the hooked head portion 12 and are adapted to receive a nail-type fastener. Each of the bosses 14 has a face 16 which, when the clip is in use, is directed downwards away from and parallel with the ridge of the roof structure. The faces 16 are provided with a plurality of spikes 17 which extend in an outward direction, perpendicular to the plane of the faces 16.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the hooked head portion 12 of the clip 10. The underside 18 of the hooked head portion 12 is provided with serrations or teeth 19 which grippingly engage the hooked head portion and the side edge portion of a roof tile when the clip is in use.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the way in which the clip 10 is used to secure a roof tile 21 to a roof structure. The tile 21 is laid in the usual way over a batten 20 of rectangular cross-section. The clip 10 is placed with its hooked head portion 12 engaged over a side edge portion 22 of the tile 21. The engagement between the clip 10 and the tile 21 is facilitated by the teeth 19 which engage the side edge portion 22 of the tile 21. The body portion ll1of the clip extends down towards the batten 20 so that the tail portion 13 is positioned adjacent to a rearward surface 23 of the batten 20 which faces in a direction towards the ridge of the roof structure. The tail portion 13 is then tapped with a hammer to cause the spikes 16 to pierce the batten 20.This prevents the need for the clip to be held whilst a nail 24 is located in one of the holes 15 in the tail portion 13. The choice as to which hole is to receive the nail 24 is dependent upon the profile of tile being fixed to the roof structure, since the height of the side edge portion of the tile above the batten varies according to the profile of tile being fixed. The nail 24 is then correctly located to be driven into the batten 20 by a stroke or two of a hammer, and when the clip is fixed it serves to hold the tile 21 firmly onto the roof structure.

From the aforegoing description, it will be appreciated that a clip for fixing roof tiles to a roof structure is provided which is versatile in use thereby facilitating the fixing of a number of different tile profiles onto a roof structure using one clip configuration.

Furthermore it will also be appreciated that the clip of the present invention allows a saving to be made in terms of design effort and expenditure since it is no longer necessary to design a specific clip for each particular tile profile. This, therefore, prevents the possibility of the wrong clips being purchased to fix a particular tile profile.

Finally, it is anticipated that modifications may be made to the clip described in the specific embodiment and it is intended that these modifications are included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multiposition clip for securing a roof tile to a battened roof structure, said clip comprises an elongate body portion which has a head portion at one end thereof for engaging a side edge portion of a roof tile, and a tail portion at the other end thereof, wherein the tail portion has a plurality of apertures each of which is adapted to receive a nail-type fastener for fastening the clip to the batten, wherein, when the clip is in use, a nail-type fastener is inserted into an appropriate one of said apertures in order to enable the fixing of a tile to the battened roof structure.

2. A multiposition clip for securing a roof tile to a battened roof structure according to claim 1 wherein the head portion has engagement means which facilitate engagement between the head portion of the clip and the side edge portion of the roof tile.

3. A multiposition clip for securing a roof tile to a battened roof structure according to Claim 2 wherein the engagement means is provided by serrations.

4. A multiposition clip for securing a roof tile to a battened roof structure according to any preceding claim wherein the tail portion of the clip is provided with anti-rotation means to prevent the clip rotating about the nail-type fastener when the clip is in use.

5. A multiposition clip for securing a roof tile to a battened roof structure according to Claim 4 wherein the anti-rotation means comprises spikes which project outwardly from the tail portion.

6. A multiposition clip for securing a roof tile to a battened roof structure as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.