Novel Bracket for Use in Installing a Target Material on a Target Substrate

Abstract

The invention describes a novel roofing and siding bracket that replaces traditional battens and tile hangers. The bracket can be used for installation of a variety of shingles, tiles, slates, or panels for siding or roofing. The bracket is comprised of a fastener area, a riser lip, and a headlap area. The riser lip joins the fastener area and headlap area at preformed opposite angles, however these angles are independently adjustable so that the fastener area can match the substrate slope and the headlap area can accommodate a wide range of roof materials having either uniform or variable thicknesses. The riser lip allows for rapid and uniform installation of roof materials such as tiles, shingles, slates, or panels. The bracket optionally comprises many desirable features including pre-punched fastener holes in the fastener area of the bracket for easy roofing deck installation; adjustable retaining tabs for engaging with and securing the butt edge of roof materials in a wide range of thicknesses; and rattle-preventing one-way locking tension friction pawl tabs in the headlap area that engage with and retain an adjacent overlapped course of roof materials. The bracket can be manufactured in a variety of lengths, but is modular and is readily cut to size as needed for each course. The bracket can be used with traditional moisture barriers and fasteners on traditional substrates (roofing decks, walls, etc.). The bracket can be manufactured in a variety of strong and weather resistant materials, or in combination with weather resistant or grip enhancing coatings. The bracket can be produced in a variety of finishes to enhance the beauty or aesthetics of the finished roof. The roofing and siding bracket results in a more secure, durable, adjustable, and beautifully minimalistic alternative to traditional shingle, tile, slates, or panel roofing and siding installation products.

1 . A bracket for use in installing a target material on a target substrate comprising:
 a body that is generally flat, thin, and rectangular, comprising an outward face, an inner face, an upper edge, a left edge, a lower edge, a right edge, a first bend, and a second bend,   wherein the distance between the upper edge and the lower edge of the body determines the height of the body, the distance between the left edge and the right edge of the body determines the length of the body, and the distance between the outward face and the inner face determines the width of the body;   a fastener area, having a top-most edge that forms the upper edge of the body and has a bottom-most edge that partially forms the first bend of the body;   a headlap area, having a bottom-most edge that forms the lower edge of the body and has a top-most edge that partially forms the second bend of the body; and   a riser lip, positioned between the fastener area and the headlap area, having a top-most edge that partially forms the first bend of the body and has a bottom-most edge that partially forms the second bend of the body;   
     
     
         2 . The bracket of  claim 1  further wherein:
 the first bend comprises an angle of 90 degrees; and 
 the second bend comprises an angle of 270 degrees; 
 such that when the fastener area is placed on the target substrate the riser lip will extend outward from the target substrate and the headlap area will be above and substantially parallel to the target substrate creating a headlap gap between the headlap area and the target substrate. 
 
     
     
         3 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the fastener area, comprises:
 at least one fastener hole. 
 
     
     
         4 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the headlap area, comprises:
 at least one pawl tab positioned between the second bend of the body and the bottom-most edge of the headlap area. 
 
     
     
         5 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the headlap area, comprises:
 at least one retaining tab positioned along the bottom-most edge of the headlap area. 
 
     
     
         6 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the headlap area, comprises:
 at least one pawl tab positioned between the second bend of the body and the bottom-most edge of the headlap area; and 
 at least one retaining tab positioned along the bottom-most edge of the headlap area. 
 
     
     
         7 . The bracket of  claim 4  wherein each of the at least one pawl tab, comprises:
 a short member oriented towards the second bend that is biased inward into the headlap gap. 
 
     
     
         8 . The bracket of  claim 7  wherein the protrusion of each of the at least one pawl tab, comprises: a semi-circled shaped slit formed into the headlap area. 
     
     
         9 . The bracket of  claim 4  wherein each of the at least one retaining tab comprises:
 a protrusion extending from the bottom-most edge of the headlap area. 
 
     
     
         10 . The bracket of  claim 9  wherein the protrusion of each of the at least one retaining tab further comprises a first outward bend and a second upward bend such that the protrusion turns back towards and above the headlap area and can engage the target material. 
     
     
         11 . The bracket of  claim 6  wherein there is a plurality of pawl tabs spaced at regular intervals along the length of the headlap area, and a plurality of retaining tabs spaced at regular intervals along the length of the bottom-most edge of the headlap area. 
     
     
         12 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the material of construction has one or more of the following qualities: weather resistant, durable, stiff, strong, and malleable. 
     
     
         13 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the material of construction is selected from the following materials:
 Galvalume®, 24-gauge steel, stainless steel, aluminum, iron, bronze, zinc, or copper. 
 
     
     
         14 . The bracket of  claim 1  wherein the body further comprises a coating applied to at least partially cover the surface of the body to improve a characteristic selected from the following attributes:
 weather resistance, aesthetic appearance, grip