Abstract: A process for the production of concrete roofing products of reduced weight loading having a thickness in section of not greater than 15 mm. The process involves forming an asbestos-free cementitious composition comprising (i) lightweight aggregate, (ii) hydraulic cement, (iii) water and (iv) reinforcing fibers in an amount of not more than 4% by weight of the total weight of the composition but the fibers being present in an amount sufficient to provide a reinforcing effect and impact strength in the roofing product, the cementitious composition being capable of being shaped by a roller and slipper method, and thereafter shaping the cementitious composition by the method to provide a shaped extrudate, dividing the extrudate to form sections and curing the sections to provide roofing products, wherein the reinforcing fibers have lengths of 0.5 mm to 20 mm. The impact resistant roofing products are useful as roofing tiles, or a replacement for shingles, shakes and slates.

Abstract: The production of concrete building products having thickness in section of not greater than 15 mm includes forming a cementitious composition containing aggregate, hydraulic cement and water. The composition is shaped by a roller and slipper method to produce a shaped extrudate which is then divided into form sections. The sections are then cured to provide the aesthetically pleasing product. The cementitious composition also contains reinforcing fibres. The building products are used for roofing tiles or replacement of shingles, shakes and slates.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cutting mechanism and its method of operation in "cutting side-lock" portions from "green state" roofing tiles. The tiles are manufactured in a conventional concrete roofing tile making plant in which mortar fed to a hopper extruder (18) of conventional design is formed as a continuous ribbon (26) on a series of pallets (P) conveyed beneath the hopper extruder (18). The ribbon (26) is thereafter cut by a knife (3) into discrete tiles (T) on said pallets (P) with a "side-lock" portion of each tile being blanked out by extension portions (32) (34) of the knife (30). The blanked out portions are thereafter removed from the remainder of the tiles by a blade 90 of removal means 14 such that no damage is caused to the tiles (T) and little or not detritus remains on the tile or the conveyors of the tile making plant.

Abstract: The invention concerns an extruded concrete roof tile of the kind which is designed to be laid in broken bond, is generally rectangular in plan view and has underlying and overlying side lock portions at opposed edges respectively. The upper surface of the tile at the upper end thereof, when on the roof, is recessed to receive the side locks of two similar upper tiles laid in broken bond, and the underlying side lock portion is cut away at the lower end of the tile so that the lower end portion of the tile may lie over the upper surface of the tiles down the roof (in use) to extend beyond the said recessed portions of the lower tiles. The recessed portion is arranged to receive the tile hanging nibs of an identical tile when the two tiles are stacked one upon the other.

Abstract: Verge unit is a symmetrical tapered channel converging toward one end and diverging toward another end. The unit 1 has two frangible portions which are disposed inwardly at the divergent end the removal of one of which portions allows the unit to be converted into a right hand or a left hand unit for use on a right hand or left hand verge of a roof. The units are placed over the free ends of tiles on a verge so that each divergent end of a unit is overlapped by a convergent end of an adjacent unit, thus providing a stepped line following the line of overlapping tiles along the upper edge of the verge and a straight line running along the lower edge. Verge units may be used for covering the free ends of tiles on tiled roofs to provide an aesthetically pleasing finish to the verge ends of tiled roofs and to prevent the ingress of rain and snow between the tiles.

Abstract: Apparatus for collating and stacking building components, for example tiles, has pairs of conveyors with shelves for supporting edges of tiles. The tiles are fed to the shelves by a conveyor and the pairs of conveyors move upwardly in timed relation to locate tiles on the shelves. When all the shelves are full, the pairs of conveyors move downwards and apart to deposit the tiles in a stack on to a support. The timing of this avoids shock loads on the tiles. The stack of components is then banded and removed from the apparatus.

Abstract: In the manufacture of roof tiles comprising extruding a continuous shaped ribbon of tile forming material onto a succession of pallets, and cutting the ribbon where pallets adjoin to form individual green state tiles on pallets, there is performed the step of causing a cutting tool to engage with the upper surface of the ribbon only for part of the length of each pallet whereby a recess is formed in the upper surface of each tile. In a particular embodiment the recess is a channel cut in the tile at a location immediately downstream of the extruding step. The recess is also subsequently smoothed by applying a smoothing roll thereto.

Abstract: In a plant for making concrete roof tiles, the tiles are loaded on to racks and cured in a curing chamber. Apparatus for unloading the tiles on their pallets from shelves in the racks on to an outfeed conveyor comprises a descending conveyor means having pairs of supports, the spacing of the pairs of supports being equal to the spacing of the shelves. A pusher moves columns of tiles from the shelves on to the pairs of supports which engage the edges of the tiles. A cam moves the descending conveyor away from the rack and the conveyor then is activated to deposit the tiles on to an outfeed conveyor in spaced relationship.

Abstract: Tile manufacturing apparatus includes means for forming "green state" tiles on pallets. The pallets are then loaded on to racks for curing. The apparatus for loading the pallets on to shelves in the racks comprises pairs of supports which are carried by conveyors. The pairs of supports engage edges of the pallets and the conveyors move upwards to pick up the pallets as they are fed in timed relation to the apparatus by an infeed conveyor which also ensures that the pallets remain level as they are loaded. When all the supports are carrying a tile, a pusher pushes the pallets onto shelves in the racks.

Abstract: Hardmetal lamina are cut, by a process known as electrical discharge machining, from a block of hardmetal using a wire electrode. The laminae so formed may then be attached by adhesive or epoxy resin to a suitable base in order to form a hard metal surfaced tool. Provision is made for preventing this hardmetal from shearing from its mounting, and also to remove any heat generated within the hardmetal. Reference is made especially to using the above construction for a `slipper` within a tile producing machine. The word `hardmetal` is used to denote powdered carbides of the transition metals, cemented into solid masses by a matrix of a metal of a lower melting point.

Abstract: A concrete roofing tile (10) has a thermal conduction device in the form of metal sheets (20a, 20b) attached to its underside. Planar metal contacts (30a, 30b) project from the underside of the sheets and are adapted to clip on a pipe (40) which extends up the roof and carries a heat carrier medium. The pipe is part of grid fixed to a roof structure for collecting heat absorbed by the tiles. The tiles have the appearance of ordinary roofing tiles from the outside.

Abstract: A ridge batten bracket (17) has two first portions (18) which are attached to the rafters (10) of a roof structure. The first portions have trays (21) to engage the rafters to locate the bracket which is then nailed in position. The ridge batten (15) is supported by two second portions (19) of the bracket each of which is bent in situ to wrap around the batten (15) so that the second portion (19) engages all four sides of the batten (15).

Abstract: A moulded concrete roofing tile has at least two projecting nibs on the underside of the tile which nibs are spaced apart along the length of the tile. The tile may therefore be hung on a batten from either nib. An edge portion of the tile is cut away to receive a portion of a second tile in a vertical row adjacent a vertical row occupied by the said tile and staggered with regard to the said tile. In this way a horizontal row of tiles may be hung on a single batten with adjacent tiles in the row being displaced vertically in relation to one another and a roof may be constructed with the tiles in adjacent rows staggered but using only the same number and spacing of battens as would be required for rows which are not so arranged.