Abstract: A method of making the tile dispenses wet concrete having two different colors into a partitioned pug box for disposition onto opposite sides of a pallet, so that, the two different colors reside on opposite sides of the pallet in side-by-side relation. The wet concrete is metered and compressed by a roller and shaped by a slipper to provide the concrete tile with a desired cross-sectional shape, following which the concrete is then chopped by a knife assembly to form the individual tiles with desired edge configurations. The concrete is cured and then removed from the pallets to form the completed tiles. The method may be incorporated into a continuous process in which a succession of the pallets are passed by a conveyor beneath a making head assembly containing the partitioned pug box and the roller and slipper and then beneath a knife assembly to form a succession of the concrete tiles.

Abstract: A roof structure, which has a plurality of concrete tiles arranged in overlapping rows on a roof support structure, is provided with a roof ventilation device for venting the underside of the roof support structure. The device receives and integrates with a plurality of shortened tiles in an upper row so as not to disturb the appearance and continuity of the roof structure. A hollow upper portion of the roof ventilation device forms part of a ventilation path which extends from outside the roof structure to one or more apertures in the roof support structure and has a plurality of baffles disposed therein for preventing entry of rain water. A length of mesh mounted within an inside portion of the roof ventilation device at the back of the upper portion prevents entry of insects, vermin and debris, while foam strips mounted on the mesh seal the space above tiles in a lower row.

Abstract: A concrete tile of integral, one-piece construction has left side and right side portions of different coloring which extends through the entire thickness of the relatively thin, generally planar tile. An upper surface of the tile has a groove therein which separates the differently colored left side and right side portions. The left and right side portions have different lengths, providing the tile with a stepped front edge. A method of making the tile dispenses wet concrete having two different colors into a partitioned pug box for disposition onto opposite sides of a pallet, so that the two different colors reside on opposite sides of the pallet in side-by-side relation. The wet concrete is metered and compressed by a roller and shaped by a slipper to provide the concrete tile with a desired cross-sectional shape, following which the concrete is then chopped by a knife assembly to form the individual tiles with desired edge configurations.

Abstract: A roof tile fastening arrangement secures each of a plurality of concrete roof tiles, disposed in side-by-side relation, to a birdstop mounted adjacent the lower edge of a roof support structure, by a plurality of clips extending between and secured to the side edges of the tiles and to the birdstop. Each of the clips has an upper curved lip portion extending over the side edge of an associated one of the tiles. In a first embodiment, each of the clips has a lower hook portion which hooks to a different one of a plurality of drain slots adjacent the base of the birdstop. The clip is made of resilient material and has a curved body portion which may be flexed to facilitate installation of the clip and which then assumes the curved configuration to hold the clip in tension between the side edge of the associated tile and the associated drain slot in the birdstop.

Abstract: A roof tile fastening arrangement secures each of a plurality of concrete roof tiles, disposed in side-by-side relation, to a birdstop mounted adjacent the lower edge of a roof support structure, by a plurality of clips extending between and secured to the side edges of the tiles and to the birdstop. Each of the clips has an upper curved lip portion extending over the side edge of an associated one of the tiles. In a first embodiment, each of the clips has a lower hook portion which hooks to a different one of a plurality of drain slots adjacent the base of the birdstop. The clip is made of resilient material and has a curved body portion which may be flexed to facilitate installation of the clip and which then assumes the curved configuration to hold the clip in tension between the side edge of the associated tile and the associated drain slot in the birdstop.

Abstract: A roof tile clip for securing a roof tile to a roof structure has an elongated body portion secured at a lower end such as through a base portion extending from the body portion to the roof structure and a lip portion at an opposite upper end thereof extending over and engaging a side edge of the roof tile. The lip portion is inclined relative to the body portion by an amount approximately equal to the amount of inclination of the roof tile relative to the roof structure to provide a close, relatively conforming fit of the lip portion with the side edge of the roof tile. The clip is made from a single piece of aluminum. The lip portion is further configured to provide a conforming fit over a ridge at the roof tile's side edge, and includes a neck portion an an acute angle to the body portion so as to fit flat against an angled flat surface at the side of the roof tiles, an intermediate portion extending from the neck-portion and a terminal portion extending from the intermediate portion.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for the random coloring of concrete roof tiles during the manufacture of such tiles. This enables the tiles to be installed in random fashion and without following any particular sequence. At the same time a roof is achieved which has an aesthetically pleasing random variation of the tile colors and which is absent the displeasing color patterns which often occur when tiles colored by a simple and frequently repeating pattern are not installed in proper sequence. Newly formed concrete tiles are sequentially advanced by a conveyor beneath a base applicator which sprays a base coat of coloring slurry over essentially the entire top surface of each tile. One or more overspray applicators located downstream from the base applicator then spray additional colors over different portions of the top surfaces of the tiles in intermittent, randomly varying fashion so that the color pattern on each tile is essentially unique and is not repeated on any other tile.