Eave closure and method of manufacture

Abstract

An eave closure for tile roofing has a nailing flange having a surface extending along a length of the closure, a planar riser potion contiguous with the nailing flange at an angle to the surface of the nailing flange, the riser portion conforming on an upper edge to the shape of the underside of adjacent installed tiles, and a lip reinforcement along the shaped upper edge of the riser portion, the lip extending substantially at a right angle to the plane of the riser portion. In some embodiments the nailing flange has weep passages formed along a width of the flange, such that air may circulate between inside and outside an installed closure. In some of these embodiments the weep passages are grooves formed in the width of the nailing flange and following a center line, with at least one change in direction across the width of the nailing flange. In preferred embodiments the material for molding is a UV-resistance polymer material.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An eave closure for tile roofing, comprising: 
 a nailing flange having a surface extending along a length of the closure;    a planar riser portion contiguous with the nailing flange at an angle to the surface of the nailing flange, the riser portion conforming on an upper edge to the shape of the underside of adjacent installed tiles; and    a lip reinforcement along the shaped upper edge of the riser portion, the lip extending substantially at a right angle to the plane of the riser portion.    
     
     
         2 . The eave closure of  claim 1  further characterized in that the nailing flange has one or more weep passages formed along a width of the flange, such that air may circulate between inside and outside an installed closure.  
     
     
         3 . The eave closure of  claim 2  wherein the weep passages are grooves formed in the width of the nailing flange and following a center line, with at least one change in direction across the width of the nailing flange.  
     
     
         4 . The eave closure of  claim 1  further characterized in that the material for molding is a UV-resistance polymer material.  
     
     
         5 . The eave closure of  claim 1  further characterized in that the length of one closure is equal to or less than four feet.  
     
     
         6 . A method for making eave closures for closing openings in adjacent tiles having an undulating shape, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) heat molding a sheet material over a fixture to provide two planar and parallel riser portions spaced apart and joined at an upper edge by a region extending substantially at a right angle to the planes of the riser portions, the riser portions and joining region shaped to conform to the undulating shape of the adjacent tiles;    (b) forming nailing flanges in opposite directions from the riser portions along a lower edge; and    (c) cutting the resulting part lengthwise along the joining region to provide two substantially identical eave closures, each having a reinforcing lip extending substantially at a right angle to the plane of the riser portion.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising a step for forming one or more weep passages along a width of the nailing flanges, such that air may circulate between inside and outside an installed closure.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the weep passages are grooves formed in the width of the nailing flange and following a center line, with at least one change in direction across the width of the nailing flange.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further characterized in that the material for molding is a UV-resistance polymer material.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  further characterized in that the length of one closure is equal to or less than four feet.