Self-supporting roofing elements with connecting means

Aug. 19, 1969 η. hasel etal 3,461,602

SELF-SUPPORTINC ROOFING ELEMENTS WITH CONNECTING MEANS

Filed Feb. 10, 1965

<img file="US3461602A_D0001.tif" />

<img file="US3461602A_D0002.tif" />

INVENTORS or ro wol?

<img file="US3461602A_D0003.tif" />

ATTORNEYS

United States Patent Office

3,461,602

Patented Aug. 19, 1969

3,461,602 SELF-SUPPORTING ROOFING ELEMENTS WITH CONNECTING MEANS

Heinz Hasel, Industriestrasse, Reichartshausen, Baden, Germany, and Otto Wolf, Pfaffenhalde 27, Kirchheim, δ Teck, Wurttemberg, Germany

Filed Feb. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 431,648

Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 12,1964, H 51,653

Int. Cl. A63h 33/10, 33/12 _1n

U.S. Cl. 46—23 3 Claims

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Toy building elements for the assembly of a roof structure, the individual elements being essentially h-shaped in a side elevation view, wherein the hook portion of the h is provided on the underside of the element in the form of a resilient tongue and both the upper portion and ton- 20 gue portion are identically formed with embossed longitudinal impressions which cause the individual elements to appear U-shaped in a transverse sectional view. Between the longitudinal impressions, the tongue portion is slotted longitudinally to form two separate tongue por- 25 tions. Additionally, elements are provided for use at ridge portions of a roof structure which have a cylindrical portion at one end of the element, the cylindrical portion having a bore at one end and a projection at the other end so that several elements may be interlocked at the 30 ridge of the roof.

The present invention relates to roofing tiles for the assembly of roofs, especially for toy buildings which are 35 assembled of individual components.

Most of the roofing tiles which are presently known for this purpose consist of a plate of plastic which is embossed on the upper side in accordance with the shape of the individual tiles. The embossed parts are produced 40 by providing the mold with corresponding recesses.

Apart from the fact that such tiles have no realistic appearance, they have the considerable disadvantage that the plastic plates have a certain size and can therefore only be used for roofs of a corresponding size, unless 45 a larger number of such plates of different sizes is available.

Although individual roofing tiles are also known, they usually have a triangular or smiliar cross section and are combined with each other to form a tiled roof by 50 being fitted upon the supporting components. Such roof structures have likewise an unrealistic appearance and are furthermore dependent upon a certain roof inclination.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome 55 these disadvantages and to provide a roofing tile which has a very realistic appearance and may in combination with other tiles of the same kind be employed for covering a roof of any desired inclination.

For attaining this object the invention provides that 60 the individual roofing tiles are substantially h-shaped, as seen in side elevation, and that the hook portion is provided on the inside of the tile and in the form of a resilient tongue.

These and further features of the invention will be- 65 come more clearly apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which—

FIGURE 1 shows a side view of a tile according to the invention; γθ

FIGURE 2 shows a perspective top view thereof;

FIGURE 3 shows a perspective bottom view thereof;

FIGURE 4 shows an end view, as seen in the direction A in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 shows an end view, as seen in the direction Bin FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 shows a perspective top view of two tiles partly on each other;

FIGURE 7 shows a diagrammatic illustration of a roof structure;

FIGURE 8 shows a perspective top view of a ridge tile;

FIGURE 9 shows a perspective top view of another ridge tile which is to be associated with the ridge tile according to FIGURE 8; while

FIGURE 10 shows a perspective view of a complete ridge tile which is assembled of the two tiles according to FIGURES 8 and 9.

As illustrated in the drawings, the under-surface of the roofing tile, or upper portion of the toy building element according to the invention is provided with a hook-shaped part 2 which forms a resilient tongue, connected by a web portion or connecting part 7 to the upper portion, the major portion of the resilient tongue extending below the upper portion of the element in spaced parallel relation thereto. This tongue is provided with a slot 3 extending longitudinally from the free edge of the resilient tongue, which partly divides the tongue into two tongue portions which are independently movable to a limited extent and render the tongue structure very elastic.

The tile, or the upper portion of the toy building element according to the invention has a symmetrical shape and is provided with embossed angularly-shaped configurations or, more specifically, U-shaped parts 5 and 6 which extend longitudinally from one end of the tile to the other. The connecting part 7 of the resilient tongue 2 which extends substantially vertical to the plane of the tile also serves as a stop for limiting the distance along which one tile may be slipped over the end of another tile. The resilient tongue 2 is embossed so as to have angularly-shaped configuration or U-shaped parts 5' and 6' at each side of the slot 3, having a configuration like those of the tile or upper portion of the toy building element itself, and these U-shaped parts of the tile and of the tongue part are exactly superimposed to each other.

The spaced parallel upper portion and tongue of each building element define spaces therebetween adapted for receiving mating portions of other toy building elements.

For assembling a roof, the tiles are slipped over each other in the manner as indicated diagrammatically in FIGURE 7 and in perspective in FIGURE 6. A roof structure which is thus formed is self-supporting.

For forming the ridge of a roof, the tiles are employed which are illustrated in FIGURES 8 to 10. Each ridge tile is composed of two parts 9 and 13 each of which is provided with a cylindrical end portion 10 or 12, respectively, which has a length equal to one half of the width of the tile part 9 or 13 and is laterally offset relative to the cylindrical end portion on the other tile part. For connecting the two tile parts 9 and 13 to each other, one of the cylindrical end portions is provided with a bore 11 and the other with a pin 14 which is inserted into the bore 11 in the direction of the arrow as shown between FIGURES 8 and 9. FIGURE 10 illustrates the two tile parts in the connected position. Since each of these tile parts of one ridge tile is also provided with a hook-shaped tongue like the tongue 2 on a normal tile as shown in FIGURES 1, 3, and 5, they may be slipped over and thus connected to the adjacent outer tiles and the adjacent complete ridge tiles will thus also be connected to each other, as indicated in the dotted lines in FIGURE 10. The two sides of the complete roof may be pivoted relative to each other about the common axis of the bores 11 and pins 14 of all of the ridge tiles, and the roof may thus be adjusted to have any desired inclination.

3,461,602