Roof structures

Abstract

Glazing bars forming part of a roof for a conservatory or the like are coupled to the ridge beam of the roof by pivotal connections which are located at or adjacent the upper edges of the glazing bars in order to simply assembly of the bars to the ridge beam. A mounting bracket for connecting glazing bars to the eaves beam of a roof structure is produced as an extruded profile and is used in conjunction with an intermediate component, which can also be produced as an extrusion, to effect coupling of the glazing bar to the eaves beam.

1 . A roof structure including a ridge beam, an eaves beam located at a lower elevation than the ridge beam, and inclined glazing bars extending between the eaves beam and the ridge beam, at least one glazing bar being pivotally connected to the ridge beam by a connector attached to the upper end of the glazing bar, wherein the pivotal connection is so located that the glazing bar is pivotal about an axis at or adjacent the upper edge of the glazing bar.  
   
   
       2 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the ridge beam has an abutment portion so arranged that, when the glazing bar is pivotally connected to the ridge beam, the abutment portion limits downwardly directed pivoting of the glazing bar.  
   
   
       3 . A structure as claimed in  claim 2  in which the abutment portion co-operates with the end of the glazing bar either directly or through the agency of the connector attached to the end of the glazing bar.  
   
   
       4 . A structure as claimed in  claim 2  in which the abutment portion is presented by an inclined side face of the ridge beam which extends between an upper position and a lower position such that the lower position is inboard of the upper position,  
   
   
       5 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the pivotal connection comprises interengaging male and female formations, one formation being provided on the connector and the other on the ridge beam.  
   
   
       6 . A structure as claimed in  claim 5  in which the arrangement is such that, when the glazing bar is inclined at the desired pitch, the male and female formations are captive with each other and cannot be separated by forces acting longitudinally of the glazing bar.  
   
   
       7 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the pivotal connection is one which, when the glazing bar is inclined at the desired pitch, prevents the glazing beam from being separated from the ridge beam by forces acting longitudinally of the bar but allows such separation and re-registration when the bar is in a less steeply inclined, or even in an oppositely inclined, orientation.  
   
   
       8 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1  in which a coupling arrangement is provided to restrain upwardly directed pivoting of the glazing bar once is has been set at the desired pitch.  
   
   
       9 . A structure as claimed in  claim 8  in which the coupling arrangement acts between the ridge beam and the glazing bar either directly or through the connector.  
   
   
       10 . A structure as claimed in  claim 8  in which the coupling arrangement is located at a lower elevation than the pivotal connection.  
   
   
       11 . A structure as claimed in  claim 8  in which the coupling arrangement comprises interengaging male and female elements, one element being provided on the ridge beam and the other being provided on the glazing bar or the connector.  
   
   
       12 . A structure as claimed in  claim 8  in which the coupling arrangement is of the snap-fit type.  
   
   
       13 . A structure as claimed in  claim 11  in which the male element has an arrowhead-like configuration for reception in a female cavity having an entrance through which the arrowhead can pass.  
   
   
       14 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1  in which the ridge beam is located between a pair of eaves beams with glazing bars extending from opposite sides of the ridge beam.  
   
   
       15 . A roof structure comprising an eaves beam and glazing bars each coupled at one end to the eaves beam and extending upwardly to a fixing location at the opposite end, at least one glazing bar being coupled to the eaves beam by a mounting bracket having a coupling formation for co-operation with the eaves beam and an end stop for co-operation with a glazing bar, the bracket including said coupling formation and the end stop being in the form of an extruded fabrication.  
   
   
       16 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 15  in which the bracket comprises angularly related first and second sections so orientated that the bracket can be assembled to the glazing bar with the first section in confronting relation with the end of the glazing bar and the second section in underlying relation with the glazing bar, the first section constituting an end stop and the coupling formation being associated with the second section.  
   
   
       17 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 16  in which the first and second sections are disposed at substantially 90 degrees with respect to each other.  
   
   
       18 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 15  in which the coupling formation is of male or female configuration for co-operation with a corresponding female or male formation associated with the eaves beam.  
   
   
       19 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 18  in which the formations associated with the bracket and the eaves beam are so configured that tilting adjustment of the bracket is provided for and/or the male and female formations are rendered captive to each other with respect to separation in a direction generally perpendicular to the beam.  
   
   
       20 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 19  in which the male and female formations are so captive without the interposition of any intermediary component.  
   
   
       21 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 19  in which an intermediate component is associated with the formation provided on the bracket and facilitates tilting adjustment of the bracket and/or serves to render the male and female formations captive with each other with respect to separation in a direction generally perpendicular to the beam.  
   
   
       22 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 19  in which the male and female formations are rendered so captive by means of an intermediate component such that, in the absence of said component, the male and female formations can be registered with and separated from one another while in the presence of said component they are rendered so captive.  
   
   
       23 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 15  in which the glazing bar is provided with a cladding on the underside thereof and in which the bracket includes a section which extends between the underside of the glazing bar and the cladding.  
   
   
       24 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 23  in which the coupling formation associated with the eaves beam or the bracket passes through an opening in the cladding.  
   
   
       25 . A roof structure comprising an eaves beam and glazing bars each coupled at one end to the eaves beam and extending upwardly to a fixing location at the opposite end, at least one glazing bar being coupled to the eaves beam by a mounting bracket having a coupling formation for co-operation with the eaves beam, wherein an intermediate component is provided for rendering said formation captive to the eaves beam with respect to separation in a direction generally perpendicular to the beam.  
   
   
       26 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 25  in which the bracket includes an end stop for co-operation with the glazing bar.  
   
   
       27 . A structure as claimed in  claim 25  in which the bracket including said coupling formation is in the form of an extruded fabrication.  
   
   
       28 . A structure as claimed in  claim 26  in which the bracket including said coupling formation and said end stop is in the form of an extruded fabrication.  
   
   
       29 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 25  in which the bracket comprises angularly related first and second sections so orientated that the bracket can be assembled to the glazing bar with the first section in confronting relation with the end of the glazing bar and the second section in underlying relation with the glazing bar, the first section constituting an end stop and the coupling formation being associated with the second section.  
   
   
       30 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 29  in which the first and second sections are disposed at substantially 90 degrees with respect to each other.  
   
   
       31 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 25  in which the coupling formation is of male or female configuration for co-operation with a corresponding female or male formation associated with the eaves beam.  
   
   
       32 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 31  in which the formations associated with the bracket and the eaves beam are so configured that tilting adjustment of the bracket is provided for and/or the male and female formations are rendered captive to each other with respect to separation in a direction generally perpendicular to the beam.  
   
   
       33 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 31  in which the male and female formations are rendered so captive by means of an intermediate component such that, in the absence of said component, the male and female formations can be registered with and separated from one another while in the presence of said component they are rendered so captive.  
   
   
       34 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 25  in which the glazing bar is provided with a cladding on the underside thereof and in which the bracket includes a section which extends between the underside of the glazing bar and the cladding.  
   
   
       35 . A glazing bar mounting bracket comprising a first end stop section, a second section designed to be disposed in underlying relation with the glazing bar, and an integral coupling formation associated with said second section to allow the bracket to be engaged with an eaves beam, the bracket including said coupling formation being in the form of an extruded fabrication.  
   
   
       36 . A glazing bar mounting bracket comprising a section designed to be disposed in underlying relation with the glazing bar, and an integral coupling formation associated with said section to allow the bracket to be engaged with an eaves beam, the coupling formation being provided with a separate intermediate component which is arranged to co-operate with the eaves beam bracket to render said formation captive to the eaves beam with respect to separation in a direction generally perpendicular to the beam.  
   
   
       37 . A roof structure comprising an eaves beam and glazing bars each coupled at one end to the eaves beam and extending upwardly to a fixing location at the opposite end, at least one glazing bar being provided with cladding at its underside which extends between the glazing bar and the underlying eaves beam and being coupled to the eaves beam by a mounting bracket including a section which is received between the glazing bar and the cladding and has a coupling formation through which the bracket is connected to the eaves beam.  
   
   
       38 . A structure as claimed in  claim 37  in which the coupling formation passes through the cladding for connection to the eaves beam.  
   
   
       39 . A structure as claimed in  claim 37  in which the bracket including said coupling formation is in the form of an extruded fabrication.  
   
   
       40 . A structure as claimed in  claim 37  in which the bracket includes an end stop for co-operation with the glazing bar.  
   
   
       41 . A structure as claimed in  claim 40  in which the bracket, including said coupling formation and said end stop, is in the form of an extruded fabrication.  
   
   
       42 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 37  in which the bracket comprises angularly related first and second sections so orientated that the bracket can be assembled to the glazing bar with the first section in confronting relation with the end of the glazing bar and the second section in underlying relation with the glazing bar, the first section constituting an end stop and the coupling formation being associated with the second section.  
   
   
       43 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 42  in which the first and second sections are disposed at substantially 90 degrees with respect to each other.  
   
   
       44 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 37  in which the coupling formation is of male or female configuration for co-operation with a corresponding female or male formation associated with the eaves beam.  
   
   
       45 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 44  in which the formations associated with the bracket and the eaves beam are so configured that tilting adjustment of the bracket is provided for and/or the male and female formations are rendered captive to each other with respect to separation in a direction generally perpendicular to the beam.  
   
   
       46 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 44  in which the male and female formations are so captive without the interposition of any intermediary component.  
   
   
       47 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 45  in which an intermediate component is associated with the formation provided on the bracket and facilitates tilting adjustment of the bracket and/or serves to render the male and female formations captive with each other with respect to separation in a direction generally perpendicular to the beam.  
   
   
       48 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 45  in which the male and female formations are rendered so captive by means of an intermediate component such that, in the absence of said component, the male and female formations can be registered with and separated from one another while in the presence of said component they are rendered so captive.  
   
   
       49 . A roof structure as claimed in  claim 48  in which the intermediate component is retained on or in the male or female formation in such a way that separation of the intermediate component from the formation is resisted in a direction generally perpendicular to the eaves beam.