Interlocking tiles employing adjustable rain lock

• US 20090249729A1
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ludowici Roof Tile
• Original Assignee: Ludowici Roof Tile
• Inventors: Thomas, Derek P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/523
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 1/16 of ceramics, glass or concrete, with or without reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 1/2916 the fastening means taking hold directly on adjacent elements of the same row
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 1/2949 having joints with fluid-handling feature, e.g. a fluid channel for draining

Abstract

A roofing system includes at least one row of tiles extending across a surface in a row direction, a first tile of the at least one row of tiles including a rain lock adapted to interlock with a second tile adjacent to and within the same row as the first tile, wherein the rain lock has a lower end, an upper end, and a weakened portion proximate the lower end to allow for removal of a predetermined portion of the rain lock. The second tile of the roofing system includes a corner at the upper end of the rain lock of the first tile, the corner including a notch and a second weakened portion to allow for lengthening of the notch.

Claims

1. An interlocking roof tile, comprising:

a rain lock having a lower end proximate a first corner of the tile and an upper end proximate a second corner of the tile,

wherein the rain lock comprises a trough and includes a first weakened portion proximate the lower end to allow for removal of a predetermined portion of the rain lock.

2. The interlocking roof tile of claim 1, wherein the first weakened portion comprises at least one score line.

3. The interlocking roof tile of claim 1, further comprising a third corner diagonally opposed to the first corner, wherein the third corner comprises a notch.

4. The interlocking roof tile of claim 3, further comprising a second weakened portion to allow for lengthening of the notch.

5. The interlocking roof tile of claim 4, wherein the second weakened portion comprises at least one score line.

6. A roofing system comprising at least one row of tiles extending across a surface in a row direction, a first tile of the at least one row of tiles comprising a rain lock adapted to interlock with a second tile adjacent to and within the same row as the first tile,

wherein the rain lock has a lower end, an upper end, and a weakened portion proximate the lower end to allow for removal of a predetermined portion of the rain lock.

7. The roofing system of claim 6, wherein the rain lock comprises a trough.

8. The roofing system of claim 6, wherein the weakened portion comprises at least one score line.

9. The roofing system of claim 6, wherein removal of the predetermined portion of the lower end allows for staggering of the first tile in a down-roof direction perpendicular to the row direction.

10. The roofing system of claim 6, wherein the second tile comprises a corner proximate the upper end of the rain lock of the first tile, the corner comprising a notch which allows for staggering of the first tile in a down-roof direction perpendicular to the row direction.

11. The roofing system of claim 6, wherein the second tile comprises a corner proximate the upper end of the rain lock of the first tile, the corner comprising a notch and a second weakened portion to allow for lengthening of the notch.

12. The roofing system of claim 11, wherein the second weakened portion comprises at least one score line.

13. The roofing system of claim 11, wherein lengthening of the notch allows for staggering of the first tile in a down-roof direction perpendicular to the row direction.

14. The roofing system of claim 6, wherein the lower end of the first tile is adapted to abut a flange of the second tile.

15. A method of tiling a roof, comprising:

positioning at least one row of tiles across a surface in a row direction, a first tile of the at least one row of tiles comprising a rain lock adapted to interlock with a second tile adjacent to and within the same row as the first tile, said rain lock having a lower end, an upper end, and a weakened portion proximate the lower end to allow for removal of a predetermined portion of the rain lock;

removing the predetermined portion of the rain lock; and

staggering the first tile in the down-roof direction relative to at least one adjacent tile.

16. The method of tiling a roof of claim 15, wherein the rain lock comprises a trough.

17. The method of tiling a roof of claim 15, wherein the weakened portion comprises at least one score line.

18. The method of tiling a roof of claim 15, further comprising positioning at least one additional row of tiles parallel to the at least one row of tiles.

19. The method of tiling a roof of claim 15, further comprising lengthening a notch of the second tile by removing a predetermined portion of the second tile defined by a second weakened portion.

20. The method of tiling a roof of claim 19, wherein the second weakened portion comprises at least one score line.