Modular-tarp building-roof/wall shielding & system

Abstract

An environmentally conservative and more cost-effective apparatus and method for protecting architectural-building construction work in progress from potential damaging effects of rain-storms, temporarily sealing-off exposed roof and wall structures from penetration by water; -heretofore only facilitated by use of awkward to handle disposable plastic-film sheets or general use tarpaulins. The new specialized tarp-system employs a modular array of prefabricated rectangular tarp-panels fabricated from flexible imperforate light-weight/high-strength material sized both for easy one-man handling which proportional dimensions are quickly and easily assembled over exposed-framing of a building. Each identical tarp-panel and optional ridge-panel employs either a linear anchoring-strip device, or a plurality of spaced apart perimeter and field-area grommethole reinforced points, either of which accepting easily removable nail or screw fasteners. Abutting modular tarp-panels can be readily assembled as necessary via interconnecting tarp-panel perimeter edges optionally provided with integral weather-flaps configured to close-over the linear-rows of incrementally installed fasteners. The tarp-panels thus become interdependent from wind displacement, and their imperforate interlocking design can also (similar to, but not to be confused with the preferably lighter weight linear retention devices employed upon the weatherizing flaps) be facilitated via use of tongue-&-groove interlock, cleat-zipper, or hook-&-loop type couplings; making the tarp-panels readily avulsable when weather clears, allowing rapid disassembly for stacking and stowing in rolled-bundles for future reuse.

VI.) What is claimed of proprietary inventive origin is:  
     
         1 .) A modular tarp-panel assembly for temporarily protecting otherwise vulnerably exposed building roof and wall areas from ambient weather; said apparatus comprising: 
 a flexile tarp-panel with a perimeter of four parallelpied side margins each including a perimeter anchoring-strip means arranged proximally along each of said four side margins for incremental installation of nail or screw fasteners into existing spaced apart provisional roof-rafters floor-joists or wall-studs and surrounding a central field area employing at least one anchoring-strip also enabling attachment to existing incrementally spaced apart provisional roof-rafters floor-joists or wall-studs via a plurality of nail or screw fasteners; and whereto, two first right-angle adjoining said margins each include a strip-fastener member means, and two second right-angle adjoining said margins each include a strip-fastener means, said first and said second right-angle margin arrangements being thereby configured as to enable said first side margins to engangingly cooperate with a mating said second side margin portion of an abutting said modular tarp-panel, and said second side margins to engangingly cooperate with a mating said first side margin portion of an abutting said modular tarp-panel, thereby in aggregate forming an interdependent assemblage of said tarp-panels.    
     
     
         2 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 1 , wherein said mating strip-fasteners can be of the conventional commercially available interlocking tongue-&-groove type.  
     
     
         3 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 1 , wherein said mating strip-fasteners can be of the conventional commercially available interlocking cleat-zipper type.  
     
     
         4 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 1 , wherein said mating strip-fasteners can be of the conventional commercially available interlocking hook-&-loop type.  
     
     
         5 .) A weather-tight modular tarpaulin assembly providing convenient temporary weatherizing of otherwise vulnerably exposed building roof and wall areas; said apparatus comprising: 
 a variable plurality of flexile tarp-panels for manual installation according to surface-area of building portion to be protected, said tarp-panels being applied directly upon exposed building frame structure via a linear anchoring means provided along each of four side perimeter margins and including at least one field-area linear anchoring means, for attachment via screws or nails into provisional uniformly spaced apart roof-rafters floor-joists or wall-studs;    a marginal weather-flap means thereto arranged outwardly from each lower and adjoining said right-angle perimeter margins, whereby an abutting upper said perimeter margin portion of a lower positioned said tarp-panel is thus overlaped, and also whereby the pitched end of an abutting said tarp-panel is also overlapped via a said weather-flap means; thereby rendering all abutting said margins of aggregate said assembled tarp-panels effectively sealed from ambient weather and wherein nine assembled said tarp-panels form a plot.    
     
     
         6 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said field-area linear anchoring means of each individual said tarp-panel includes a discrete full length sub/weather-flap which opening edge portion is directed downwardly as to facilitate pitched roof water runoff action over said field-area linear anchor means.  
     
     
         7 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said tarp-panels are made from a commercially available polymer-sheet or fabric like canvas or rip-stop type material capable of preventing seepage of water therethrough.  
     
     
         8 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said tarp-panels are fabricated via well known machine/heat-sealed or machine-sewn construction.  
     
     
         9 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said linear anchoring means is a continuous reinforcement tape like anchoring-strip permanently affixed to the tarpaulin material, and through which is inserted a conventional screw or nail fastener device.  
     
     
         10 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said linear anchoring means is a plurality of reinforcement grommets uniformly spaced apart corresponding to the standard building-code intervals for roof-rafters floor-joists and wall-studs, and through each of which can be inserted a conventional nail or screw fastener device.  
     
     
         11 .) The tarpaulin anchoring grommets according to claim- 10 , wherein said grommets are a plurality of male into female type snap-fasteners having coaxial center-holes through which can be inserted a single screw or nail fastener.  
     
     
         12 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said weather-flap member portion extends downward from said upper tarp-panel and over horizontally spaced apart anchoring-grommets and user installed nail or screw fasteners thereto, and including a linear strip-fastener means arranged proximally along said weather-flap's lowermost thereby protecting said incremental anchoring point means from passage of moisture.  
     
     
         13 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said strip-fastener means comprises interfacing commercially available hook-&-loop type strip portions.  
     
     
         14 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said strip-fastener means comprises interfacing extruded-polymer linear male into linear female type strip portions.  
     
     
         9 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said linear anchoring means is a continuous reinforcement tape like anchoring-strip permanently affixed to the tarpaulin material, and through which is inserted a conventional screw or nail fastener device.  
     
     
         10 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said linear anchoring means is a plurality of reinforcement grommets uniformly spaced apart corresponding to the standard building-code intervals for roof-rafters floor-joists and wall-studs, and through each of which can be inserted a conventional nail or screw fastener device.  
     
     
         11 .) The tarpaulin anchoring grommets according to claim- 10 , wherein said grommets are a plurality of male into female type snap-fasteners having coaxial center-holes through which can be inserted a single screw or nail fastener.  
     
     
         12 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said weather-flap member portion extends downward from said upper tarp-panel and over horizontally spaced apart anchoring-grommets and user installed nail or screw fasteners thereto, and including a linear strip-fastener means arranged proximally along said weather-flap's lowermost thereby protecting said incremental anchoring point means from passage of moisture.  
     
     
         13 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said strip-fastener means comprises interfacing commercially available hook-&-loop type strip portions.  
     
     
         14 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said strip-fastener means comprises interfacing extruded-polymer linear male into linear female type strip portions.  
     
     
         15 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 4 , wherein said strip-fastener means is a conventional commercially available cleat-zipper type device which is merged or avulsed via a slide-clasp device.  
     
     
         16 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 2 , wherein said linear weather-flap securing means is a plurality of spaced apart conventional commercially available male-&-female snaps.  
     
     
         17 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 2 , wherein is provided an elongate roof-ridge weatherizing ridge-panel of siamesed configuration whereby a linear strip-fastener means is arranged along both laterally opposed longitudinal margins thereof, and configured to engage with a mating linear strip-fastener means located along the upper perimeter edge of uppermost positioned said tarp-panels; thereby acting to at once intermediately adjoin the upper pitched margins of both oppositely pitched tarp-panels.  
     
     
         18 .) The modular weatherizing tarpaulin according to claim- 2 , wherein said tarp-panels can be of either rectangular or square format configuration viewed in plan-view.  
     
     
         19 .) The temporary modular tarpaulin according to claim- 2 , wherein said tarpaulin material includes a fire-resistant exterior substrate enabling like deployment during non-inclemental weather conditions as well, by providing advantage of shroud like direct overlaying protection for relatively inflammable wood-shingle roof and wood-siding building structures vulnerable to airborne embers.  
     
     
         20 .) A modular reusable weather-tight tarpaulin deployment system facilitating convenient temporary covering of otherwise openly exposed building roof and wall areas; said tarpaulin deployment system comprising: 
 installing a variable plurality of flexile parallelpied tarp-panels according to surface-area of building portion to be protected, said tarp-panels being applied directly over exposed building frame structure via integral linear anchoring means corresponding to standard interval spacing for roof-rafters floor-joists and wall-studs conventional screw or nail anchoring fasteners, and wherein field-area of individual said tarp-panels includes one or more horizontal linear-flaps with flapped edge directed downwardly as to facilitate water runoff over field area situated said anchoring means, thereby resisting dislocation of said tarp-panel by wind; and, providing perimeter margins with proximal weather sealing means thereto along two adjacent right-angle sides, whereby the lower linear margin portion of an upper positioned said tarp-panel includes an overlapping weather-flap covering over an abutting lower positioned said tarp-panel's upper linear mating strip-fastener portion, while one adjacent opposing generally pitched end of said tarp-panel also includes a contiguous overlapping weather-flap covering over an abutting laterally positioned tarp-panel's lateral linear mating strip-fastener means portio; said system thereby rendering all adjoining perimeter edges of dependently assembled said tarp-panels sealed from penetration by rain.