FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to sheet metal roofing, and in particular a sealing and connecting device for overlapping roof sheeting.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] Profiled roof sheeting is a popular roofing choice for commercial buildings as it can be quickly installed over large areas. On large buildings lengthwise overlapping sheets are often needed, and where the sheets overlap it is a requirement in many building codes that the overlapping sheets are vertically separated. This presents a problem in sealing between the sheets to prevent the ingress of water, pests and vermin, and also a problem in securing the bottom of the top sheet to the top of the bottom sheet.

[0003] Various solutions that are sandwiched between the sheets are known. A first solution is to use a sealing compound such as silicon between the sheets. This has not been widely adopted as it is difficult to ensure a complete seal and is labour intensive to apply. A second solution is to sandwich simple foam strips between the sheets. This is difficult to do effectively as the foam strips need to comply with the ribs and pans of the roof sheeting, and does not aid in securing the sheets together. Sealing devices have been produced that combine a sealing strip pre-formed to comply with the ribs and pans of a roofing sheet and a connecting mechanism to connect onto the top surface of the ribs of the lower sheet and to the bottom surface of the ribs of the upper sheet. Such devices are difficult and expensive to form as the sealing and connecting mechanisms require different types of materials to be combined to achieve the sealing and connecting functions. The combination of functions leads to compromises in the materials and form of both the sealing and connecting elements. Such devices are also limited to use with sheeting where the ribs have re-entrant shoulders.

[0004] The object of this invention is to provide a sealing and connecting device to alleviate the above problems, or at least provide the public with a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In a first aspect the invention provides a sealing device for providing a seal between the top end profile of a lower profiled roof sheet and the underside of an overlapping upper profiled roof sheet, each profiled roof sheet comprising a series of ribs laterally spaced from each other by pans, the sealing device comprising an elongate body supporting a resilient sealing member, wherein the resilient sealing member is held against the top end profile of the lower profiled roof sheet.

[0006] Preferably the resilient sealing member is held against the underside of the pans of the upper profiled roof sheet and sealing device further comprises a resilient head seal held against the underside of the ribs of the upper profiled roof sheet.

[0007] In preference the sealing device comprises a series of lower guides shaped in accordance with the ribs of the lower profiled roofing sheet, and wherein the lower guides are slid into the ribs of the lower profiled roof sheet to laterally locate the sealing device with respect to the lower profiled roof sheet.

[0008] The lower guides may further comprise tabs, wherein the sealing device is secured to the lower profiled roof sheet by fasteners passing through the ribs of the lower profiled roof sheet and into the tabs.

[0009] Preferably the resilient sealing member comprises a first strip of material with a first resilience for engaging with the top end of the lower profiled roof sheet and a second strip of material with a second resilience located between the first strip of material and a rear wall of the body of the sealing device, the first resilience being less than the second resilience.

[0010] The ribs of the roofing sheets comprise re-entrant shoulders, and the sealing device comprise a series of upper clips with outwardly facing walls for engaging with the underside of the re-entrant shoulders to secure the upper profiled roof sheet to the sealing device, alternatively the ribs of the roofing sheets comprise straight sides, and the sealing device further comprises a sliding member slidable in the longitudinal direction of the upper profiled roof sheet, and wherein the upper profiled roof sheet is secured to the sliding member.

[0011] It should be noted that any one of the aspects mentioned above may include any of the features of any of the other aspects mentioned above and may include any of the features of any of the embodiments described below as appropriate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows.

[0013] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the sealing device of the invention adjacent a small section of a roof sheet.

[0014] Figure 2 shows a partially exploded view of the sealing device from a first perspective.

[0015] Figure 3 shows a partially exploded view of the sealing device from a second perspective.

[0016] Figure 4A shows a partial close-up view of the sealing device, Figure 4B provides the same view with sealing elements absent, and Figure 4C provides a closeup exploded view including sealing elements.

[0017] Figure 5 provides a close-up profile view of a rib of a roof sheet that the invention engages with.

[0018] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a sealing device engaged with a lower roof sheet.

[0019] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a sealing device engaged with both an upper sheet and a lower sheet.

[0020] Figure 8A shows a partial end view of a sealing device including sealing elements engaged with both an upper sheet and a lower sheet, Figure 8B shows the same view without sealing elements.

[0021] Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the sealing device of the invention adjacent a small section of a roof sheet.

[0022] Figure 10A shows a partial close-up view of the sealing device, Figure 10B provides the same view with sealing elements absent, and Figure 10C provides a closeup exploded view including sealing elements.

[0023] Figure 11 A to 1 1 C close-up partial views of the sealing device showing screws securing the upper sheet and lower roof sheets. Figure 1 1 A is a perspective view showing both screws and both sheets, Figure 1 1 B has the upper sheet removed to show how a first screw engages with the sealing device, and Figure 11 C is an end view.

DRAWING COMPONENTS

[0024] The drawings include the following integers.

10, 10’ roof sheets (with re-entrant shoulders)

11 , 11 ’ ribs

12, 12’ side walls

13, 13’ shoulder

14, 14’ head walls

16, 16’ void

17 top end

18, 18’ pans

20 sealing device (first embodiment)

30 frame

32 web

40 front wall

50 lower guide

51 stem

52 side walls

53 head

54 head walls

55 tab

60 rear wall

70 upper clip

71 stem

72 side walls

73 head

74 head walls

75 shelf

76 tab

78 top seal

79 screw hole front seal front face rear seal holes slots top head side walls recess first end bracket second end bracket sealing device (second embodiment) first end bracket second end bracket , 210’ roof sheets (with straight ribs) , 211 ’ ribs side walls top end frame web front wall lower guide tab rear wall attachment tower stem side walls tab guides slide access hole screw hole guides head seal front seal 282 front face

290 rear seal

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration. In the description screws are used as fasteners, however other types of fasteners may be used.

[0026] The present provides an improved sealing and connecting device for overlapping roof sheeting, and will be referred to as a sealing device for brevity. Prior art devices have been sandwiched between the roofing sheets, needing to connect to and seal the lower sheet from above, and connect to and seal the upper sheet from below, as well as securing the top sheet, leading to compromises in both sealing and securing functions. The present invention has taken a fundamentally different approach in physically separating, but still co-locating, the sealing and connecting functions so that neither are compromised, in particular allowing the connecting element for the upper sheet to provide metal to metal contact. A series of guides attaches to the under-side of the ribs of the lower sheet from below to hold the sealing device in position and a resilient first seal is provided against the end profile of the lower sheet. As the sealing element is held in compression against the end profile of the lower sheet an effective seal can be achieved with any sheeting profile and irregularities. For sheeting with ribs with re-entrant shoulders, a series of clips attaches to the upper sheet from below, with a second seal acting on the upper sheet from below and third seals engaging with the ribs of the upper sheet. For sheeting with ribs without shoulders screws can be used instead. As the guides and clips are separated from the seal they can be made of metal and shaped optimally to provide maximum connecting strength, whilst having three separate sealing elements allows for independent choice of material.

[0027] The invention can take differing embodiments to work with different types of sheeting with two embodiments discussed. A first embodiment is for use with sheeting in which the ribs have re-entrant shoulders to facilitate clipping the sheets to hold them in place, and provides a clip to secure to the underside of the ribs of the top sheet. A second embodiment is for use with sheeting in which the ribs don’t have shoulders and accepts a screw passing through the rib of the upper sheet. Both embodiments include guides to locate them on the bottom sheet, and hold a sealing strip against the end profile of the bottom sheet.

[0028] A sealing device according to a first embodiment of the invention for use with sheeting with ribs with re-entrant shoulders is shown as 20 in the perspective view of Figure 1 . A lower roof sheet 10, much shortened for representational convenience, is also shown. The roof sheet 10 is representative of a common sheeting design and comprises a series of ribs 11 separated by pans 18. A rib 1 1 or 11 ’ is shown in detail in Figure 5. The underside of the ribs 11 , 11 ’ define voids 16, 16’ that engage with lower guides 50 of the sealing device in the case of lower sheets, and with upper clips 70 of the sealing device in the case of upper sheets. A front seal 80 engages with the top end 17 of the lower sheet 10 (as shown in Figure 6), whilst a rear seal 90 provides further sealing from below for an upper sheet 10’. For handling convenience, the sealing device has four spaced apart sets of upper clips 70 and lower guides 50 that correspond with four ribs 11 , 11 ’ of upper and lower roof sheets. First end bracket 101 and second end bracket 102 allow individual sealing devices to be joined together to form a longer sealing device. The sealing device may also be trimmed to length if needed with a saw or cutting wheel.

[0029] Figure 5 provides a close-up profile view of a rib 11 ,11 ’ of a lower roof sheet 10 and an upper sheet 10’ that the sealing device 20 of the invention engages with. The ribs 11 , 11 ’ comprise a stem with sloping side walls 12, 12’, re-entrant shoulders 13, 13’ and a head with sloping side walls 14’. The underside of the rib defines a void 16, 16’.

[0030] Figures 2 and 3 show partially exploded views of the sealing device from a first and second perspective. Close up views of a single front clip 50 and rear clip 70 are shown in Figures 4A to 4C, with Figure 4A showing a complete assembled view, Figure 4B has the sealing elements removed, whilst Figure 4C provides an exploded view complete with sealing elements. The sealing device 20 comprises a frame 30 in the general form of a U-shaped channel with spaced apart lower guides 50 integrally formed with a front wall 40, and spaced apart upper clips 70 separately formed and attached by rivets to a rear wall 60. The front and rear walls are separated by web 32 on which the seals 80, 90 sit. The lower guides 50 and upper clips 70 are generally shaped as per the undersides of the ribs 11 ,11 ’ of lower and upper roof sheets 10,1 O’. The lower guides 50 serve to laterally position the sealing device 20 as it is slid onto the end of a roofing sheet, with the lower guides entering the voids 16 of the lower sheet from end on. With the sealing device in position (on the lower sheet) the ribs of the upper sheet are pushed onto the upper clips 70, until the head walls 74 pass the shoulders 13’ of the upper sheet, clipping it in place. The lower guides 50 comprise stem 51 with sloping side walls 52 matching the sloping side walls 12 of a rib, and head 53 with head walls 54 matching the sloping head walls 14 of a rib. Tab 55 accepts a screw (not shown) passing through the lower sheet 10 to secure the sealing device 20. The upper clips 70 comprise stem 71 with sloping side walls 72 matching the sloping side walls 12 of a rib 11 of a lower sheet 10, and head 73 with head walls 74 matching the sloping head walls 14’ of a rib 11 ’ of an upper sheet 10’. The head walls 74 of the upper clips are larger than the head walls 54 of the lower guides as they provide contact with the top sheet 10’ as opposed to the head walls 54 which just locate the sealing device in relation to the bottom sheet 10. The head 73 includes a shelf 75 that accepts a resilient head seal 78, which together with tab 76 provide an effective seal for the underside of the head section of the rib 11 ’ of the top sheet 10’. The head seal includes a slot underneath (not seen) for locating it on tab 76, and extends fore and aft of the head walls 74 but does not cover the head walls, thus allowing the head walls to engage directly with the rib 1 1 ’ whilst also providing an effective seal.

[0031] The rear seal 90 comprises a narrow elongate strip of resilient material, the top of which approximates the shape of the underside of a roofing sheet whilst the bottom is flat as it sits on the web 32 of the frame 30. The top 93 of the seal engages with the pan 18’ of the upper sheet 10’ whilst the head 95 with its sloped side walls 96 engages with the side walls 12’. The rear seal includes holes 91 that accommodate rivets (not shown) used to secure the upper clip 70 to the rear wall 60 of the frame. Slots 92 accommodate side walls 72 of the upper clip helping to laterally locate the rear seal. Recess 97 accommodates the tab 55 of the lower guide 50. The outlines of the front seal 80 and the rear seal 90 match each other, so that rear seal acts as a semirigid backing to the front seal. The front seal 80 also comprises a narrow elongate strip of resilient material, the top of which approximates the shape of the underside of a roofing sheet whilst the bottom is flat as it sits on the web 32 of the frame 30. The top of the seal 83 engages with the pan 18’ of the upper sheet 10’ whilst the head 85 with its sloped side walls 86 engages with the side walls 12’. The front seal includes slots 81 that accommodate side walls 72 of the upper clip helping to laterally locate the front seal.

[0032] By having two adjacent seals of similar shape, any deformation that may happen to the front seal 80 as it engages with the end 17 of the lower sheet 10 is not passed onto to the rear seal 90, allowing the two seals to act independently of each other. Having the two seals also allows for different materials to be used, each optimised for their sealing task. The top 95 and side walls 96 of the rear seal engage with the underside of the top sheet 10’ and does not come in contact with the lower sheet. Whilst the front seal 80 comes in contact with the underside of the top sheet 10’, its primary role is for its front face 82 to provide a seal against the top end 17 of the lower sheet 10. The front seal is softer than the rear seal allowing it to accommodate any step changes in length between the top ends 17 of adjacent lower sheets.

[0033] Figures 6 to 8 illustrate fitting of the sealing device 20 to lower sheet 10 and then fitting upper sheet 10’ to the sealing device. Figure 6 shows the lower sheet fitted whilst Figure 7 shows the upper sheet also fitted. The fitted sheets obscure the interaction of the sheets with the sealing device in Figure 6 and 7, however the interaction of the various components can be seen in the end views of Figures 8A and 8B and also referring back to previous figures. Figure 8A shows the sealing elements, whilst they are absent in Figure 8B, allowing the securement of the upper sheet 10’ by the head walls 74 of the upper clip 70 to be appreciated.

[0034] The lower roof sheet 10 is first secured to a roof frame as is well known in the art, typically with a series of clips (not shown). The sealing device 20 is then slid onto the top end 17 of the roof sheet until the top end comes into contact with the face 82 of the front seal 80 thus providing a seal to the top end of the lower sheet. The ribs 11 of the lower sheet pass between the top of the tabs 55 of the lower guides 50 and the bottoms of the shelves 75 of the upper clips 70. Hand pressure is applied to the sealing device to ensure a good seal between the face of the front seal and the end of the sheet. The sealing device is secured in place with the aid of screws (not shown) inserted through screw holes 79 of the head seals 78, through pre-formed screw holes (obscured) in the shelves 75 of the head seals, and then through the tabs 55 of the lower guides 50 and through the ribs 11 of the lower sheet. The stem 51 and head 53 of the lower guide fill the void 16 under the ribs 11 .

[0035] With the sealing device 20 fitted to the lower sheet 10, the bottom end of the upper sheet 10’ is laid on top of the sealing device, with the ribs 11 ’ aligned with the heads 73 of the upper clips 70 (and also with the ribs 11 of the lower sheet). Pressure is applied to the upper sheet with the top portion of the side walls 12’ of the upper sheet acting against the head walls 74 of the upper clip. The head walls 74 will temporarily deform until the shoulder 13’ pass them allowing the head walls to enter into the head portion of the rib 1 T and then spring back to their normal position and engage with the shoulders 13’ from above thus securing the upper sheet to the sealing device. As there is metal to metal contact between the side walls 12’ and the shoulder 13’ the upper sheet will remain secured to the sealing device even when subjected to substantial wind loading. Once engaged with the sealing device, the head section of the upper sheet is filled with the head seal 78 preventing ingress of water. As best seen in Figure 8A, the regions between the upper and the lower sheets are either filled with the front seal 80 (and obscured rear seal 90) behind it, or the head seal 78.

[0036] A sealing device 200 according to a second embodiment of the invention, for use with sheeting with straight walled ribs, is shown in perspective view in Figure 9 adjacent to a small section of such a roof sheet 210. The sealing device 200 is similar to the sealing device 20 of the first embodiment of the invention, generally comprising an elongate frame 230 with a U-shaped channel for holding front sealing strip 280 and rear sealing strip 290, a series of spaced apart lower guides 250 for locating the sealing device on the top of a lower roofing sheet, and end brackets 201 , 202 for joining sealing strips together. The sealing strip 200 differs in not having upper clips 270 as per the sealing device 20, but instead upper attachment towers 270 for securing the top roofing sheet. The form of the attachment tower 270 can be seen in the close-up partial views of Figures 10A to 10C, with Figure 10A showing a complete assembled view, Figure 10B has the sealing elements removed, whilst Figure 10C provides an exploded view complete with sealing elements. The attachment towers 270 generally match the internal shape of a rib of a roofing sheet and comprises a stem 271 from which sloping side walls 272 extend and tab 273 with guides 274 which engage with complementary guides 278 of slide 275 allow the slide 275 to move in the longitudinal direction of the roof sheets with respect to the attachment tower 270 and the rest of the sealing device 200. In use, the top roof sheet 210’ is secured to the slide 275 by a screw 302 (as seen in Figures 11 A to 11 C). The tab 273 is secured to the lower roofing sheet via a screw 301 passing through hole 277. Movement of the slide 275 with respect to the tab 273 accommodates relative movement of the top and bottom roof sheets due to thermal expansion and contraction. Access hole 276 in the slide allows access to the screw used to fix the bottom sheet. Finally, top seal 279 partially covers the attachment plate to seal within the underside of a rib of the upper roofing sheet.

[0037] Figures 11 A to 11 C provide close-up partial views of the sealing device 200 showing screws 301 , 302 securing the upper sheet 210’ and lower roof sheet 210. Figure 11 A is a perspective view showing both screws and both roof sheets, Figure 1 1 B has the upper sheet removed to show how a first screw 301 engages with the sealing device, and Figure 1 1 C is an end view. The lower sheet 210 sits between tab 255 of the lower guide 250 and tab 273 of the attachment plate 270, and is secured by screw 301 passing through rib 211 of the lower roof sheet, through hole 277 of the attachment plate and into tab 255 of the sealing device. The upper sheet 210’ sits on top of the top seal 279, and is secured to the tab 273 by screw 302 passing through rib 211

[0038] The seals are preferably made from a resilient foam, with the rear seal having a higher resilience. The remaining parts of the sealing device 20 are formed from spring steel. The upper clips 70, and attachment towers 270 are separately formed and secured to the frames 30, 230 with rivets after the front and rear seals have been fitted. The top seals 78, 279 are then fitted to the tabs 76 of the upper clips and slide 275 of the attachment towers 270.

[0039] The above disclosure has described an improved sealing and connecting device for overlapping roof sheeting in which the sealing and connecting functions are physically separated, but still co-located so that neither are compromised. A series of guides attaches to the lower sheet from below and a resilient first seal is provided against the end profile of the lower sheet. A series of clips attaches to the upper sheet from below, with a second seal acting on the upper sheet from below and third seal engaging with the rib of the upper sheet. Alternatively, for sheeting with straight sided ribs, a screw secures the top sheet to a slidable portion of the device. As the clips and guides are separated from the seal they can be made of metal and shaped optimally to provide maximum connecting strength. The separate seals are made of differing materials allowing the performance of each to be optimised.