Sliding roof seam construction
AssigneeBlueScope Buildings North America, Inc.
InventorRichard R. McClure
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sliding bracket assembly permits adjacent metal roof panels to move relative to one another to accommodate differential thermal expansion. The assembly includes a center element which is bolted across a purlin, and a pair of wing elements, one on either side of the center element. Roof panels are attached to the wing elements on either side. The wing elements can side lengthwise on the center element; thus the wing elements and their attached roof panels can move lengthwise relative to one another as the roof panels differentially expand and contract.
Claims22
A differential expansion roof bracket for securing metal roof panels to a roof substructure while permitting differential thermal expansion of laterally adjacent roof panels, said bracket comprising:
- a center element having a lengthwise direction;
- a pair of wing elements, one on either side of the center element;
- at least one retainer for securing both wing elements to the center element in a way that allows the wing elements to move in the lengthwise direction relative to one another and relative to the center element as the roof panels expand and contract;
- and
- fasteners for securing the roof panels to the respective wing elements.
A differential expansion roof bracket for securing metal roof panels to a roof substructure while permitting differential thermal expansion of first and second laterally adjacent roof panels, the bracket comprising:
- a center element having a lengthwise direction;
- first and second wing elements;
- the first wing element extending to one side of the center element, the second wing element extending to the other side of the center element;
- at least one retainer for securing both wing elements to the center element in a way that allows the wing elements to respectively move in the lengthwise direction relative to one another and relative to the center element as the roof panels expand and contract;
- means for fixedly attaching the first roof panel to the first wing element such that movement of the first roof panel causes movement of the first wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the second wing element, the second roof panel, and the center element;
- and
- means for fixedly attaching the second roof panel to the second wing element such that movement of the second roof panel causes movement of the second wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the first wing element, the first roof panel, and the center element.
A roof, comprising:
- a substructure;
- first and second metal roof panels atop the substructure, wherein the first and second panels are on opposite sides of a shear line and have different lengths or different coefficients of thermal expansion;
- and
- a plurality of differential expansion brackets supporting the metal roof panels along the shear line, each differential expansion bracket comprising:
- a center element having a lengthwise direction;
- first and second wing elements;
- the first wing element extending to one side of the center element, the second wing element extending to the other side of the center element;
- at least one retainer for securing both wing elements to the center element in a way that allows the wing elements to respectively move in the lengthwise direction relative to one another and relative to the center element as the roof panels expand and contract;
- wherein the first roof panel is fixed to the first wing element such that movement of the first roof panel causes movement of the first wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the second wing element, the second roof panel, and the center element;
- and
- wherein the second roof panel is fixed to the second wing element such that movement of the second roof panel causes movement of the second wing element in the lengthwise direction relative to the first wing element, the first roof panel, and the center element.
A roof bracket for securing first and second adjacent roof panels to a roof substructure while allowing the first and second roof panels to move independently relative to one another, the bracket comprising:
- a base element having an attachment portion configured to be fixed to the roof substructure and a distal portion extending generally perpendicular to the attachment portion;
- a first wing element extending to one side of the base element distal portion;
- a second wing element extending to the other side of the base element distal portion;
- and
- a retainer securing the first wing element to the base element distal portion such that the first wing element is movable along the base element distal portion independent of the second wing element;
- wherein either the retainer or another retainer secures the second wing element to the base element distal portion such that the second wing element is movable along the base element distal portion independent of the first wing element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.