Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Cover with surface water receiver at eave or valley
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-08
2001-07-03
Stephan, Beth A. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Cover with surface water receiver at eave or valley
C052S015000, C052S024000, C052S058000, C052S084000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253495
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
The invention relates to a metal roof plate for cleaning and maintaining the clean state of building roofs, in particular from plant growth or environmental pollution, and consists of a metal reacting in conjunction with moisture, the metal roof plate being produced by punching from material in the shape of a plate and having a textured reaction surface with raised lumps and openings.
A device of this kind to protect house roofs from plant growth, in particular moss and lichen, is known from the applicant's DE 44 13 119 C2. By manufacturing the metal roof plate from material in the shape of a plate using a process of punching, the possibility is created of adapting the metal roof plate in a simple manner to the shape of the roofing tile used when covering the roof. In particular, the bottom chamfer can, during manufacture and at the time of the punching process, be shaped in such a way that, compared to a simple copper plate, a visually attractive shape is produced and that, in particular, the reaction surface can be used to a great extent for the moisture discharging between two rows of roof plates. Moreover, the result is that the metal roof plate is easier to mount, since the outer form of the metal roof plate, marrying with the roofing tile, can be pushed easily between the individual rows of roofing tiles.
Moreover, manufacturing by punching the individual metal roof plate provides the simple facility, unlike an inserted smooth copper plate, of forming a bead on the outer edge all the way round each individual roof plate, which bead delays fast moisture discharge, thus increasing the reaction time between the moisture and the metal roof plate. During the manufacture, by punching, of the metal roof plate, it is possible, in the half of the metal roof plate lying downwards in the direction of water discharge (reaction surface), to emboss raised lumps, so that the discharging moisture has to travel the longest possible route and, at the same time, a good distribution of the moisture on the surface of the roof is ensured. Moreover, at the same time as the punching process and the raised (proud) pressed-out lumps, provision can be made, at their highest points, for slotted openings, via which liquid, even on the underside of the metal roof plate, is able to react with the underside of the metal. The intention here is to achieve a doubling of the reaction surface so that, in contrast to the known system, it is possible to achieve a considerable reduction in the number of the rows to be covered and achieve at the same time a high level of effectiveness. The narrow slotted openings, however, allow only a relatively small amount of moisture to reach the underside of the metal roof plate.
In the case of the DE-A-41 30 365, moreover, in order to protect the roof covering against the growth of moss occurring in the course of the years, copper plates are fitted in the visible area of the roof surface, so that they come into contact with rainwater, and that the draining rainwater flows over the greatest possible area of the roof covering beneath the copper plates. In the process, the rainwater releases elements from the copper plates, in particular ions, which counteract plant growth, in particular moss and lichen, on the concrete or roofing tiles. The copper plates preferably take the form of ridge capping, arranged along the ridge of the roof, so that the draining moisture can discharge over the entire surface of the roof. As an alternative to the arched ridge capping, which is difficult to manufacture, simple strip-like copper plates can be fitted in the area of the roof gable.
However, the drawback here is that, due to the bending operations required in adapting to the ridge capping, the manufacture of the ridge capping version is very time-consuming. The alternative of providing an inserted strip-like copper plate in the area of the roof gable is, indeed, relatively simple to make, in that a copper plate is unwound from the roll, but then there remains between two consecutive rows of roof plates only a small effective area of the copper agent, so that, in order to provide appropriate effectiveness against plant growth over the roof area, it is necessary to insert a great number or such rows of copper strips. This again results in an overall high cost. Moreover, such copper strips, in particular when refurbishing existing roofs, are difficult to attach, since the copper strips have to be inserted and secured between two rows of roof plates, and to achieve this a greater number of roof plates have to be removed, depending on the length of the copper strip used.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a further improvement to the effectiveness and manageability of a metal roof plate for cleaning and maintaining the clean state of the building roofs.
This object is attained by means of a metal roof plate having the features claimed in claim
1
.
Because of the inclination of the openings in the lumps away from the direction of the discharging water, i.e. towards the ridge of the roof, improved entry to the underside of the metal roof plate is rendered possible. Because of the improved wetting of the underside of the metal roof plate with the moisture that this produces, it is possible to improve the use made of the underside of the roof plates, so that, as a result, the cleaning effect on the roof of the building is increased. In particular, there remains, as a result, a relatively large amount of residual moisture on the underside of the metal roof plate, thus increasing the release of the metal ions.
Moreover, the effect of the openings in the lumps facing away from an observer standing on the ground and looking at the roof surface, is to give a more even appearance to the metal roof plate. Also, the openings inclined in the direction of the water discharge largely prevent burrs during the stamping process, so that, in this way, the danger of injury is reduced, even without expensive reworking, and handling thus improved.
Further advantageous embodiments are the subject of the sub-claims. Here, there is considerable significance in the pre-oxidation of the metal plate by an ultrasonic cleaning process and/or degreasing with a chemical cleaning agent, e.g. a lye or an acid. This causes the activation of the copper ions on the surface of the metal roof plate, so that the effect of the metal roof plate can be produced as soon as it is laid on the roof of the building. In this process, this pre-oxidation is carried out by removing the rolling grease otherwise present on the copper strip, both on the top and on the underside of the metal roof plate.
Moreover, simultaneously with the punching process, it is possible to emboss, on the top of the metal roof plate, a bead layer, which forms a support for the roofing tile lying above it. The narrow interstice created thereby provides, moreover, a ventilation facility for the brick or concrete roofing tiles on the building roof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4413119 (1994-11-01), None
Dorsey Dennis L.
Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP
Stephan Beth A.
LandOfFree
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