Sealing and connecting device for overlapping roof sheeting

Abstract

A sealing and connecting device for overlapping roof sheeting in which the sealing and connecting functions are physically separated, but still co-located so that neither are compromised. A series of guides attaches to the lower sheet from below and a resilient first seal is provided against the top end profile of the lower sheet. A series of clips attaches to the upper sheet from below, with a second seal acting on the upper sheet from below and third seal engaging with the rib of the upper sheet. Alternatively, for sheeting with straight sided ribs, a screw secures the top sheet to a slidable portion of the device. As the connecting elements are separated from the seal they can be made of metal and shaped optimally to provide maximum connecting strength. The separate seals are made of differing materials allowing the performance of each to be optimised.

1 . A sealing device for providing a seal between the top end profile of a lower profiled roof sheet and the underside of an overlapping upper profiled roof sheet, each profiled roof sheet comprising a series of ribs laterally spaced from each other by pans, the sealing device comprising an elongate body supporting a resilient sealing member, wherein the resilient sealing member is held against the top end profile of the lower profiled roof sheet. 
     
     
         2 . The sealing device as in  claim 1 , wherein the resilient sealing member is held against the underside of the pans of the upper profiled roof sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The sealing device as in  claim 1 , further comprising a resilient head seal held against the underside of the ribs of the upper profiled roof sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The sealing device as in  claim 1 , further comprising a series of lower guides shaped in accordance with the ribs of the lower profiled roofing sheet, and wherein the lower guides are slid into the ribs of the lower profiled roof sheet to laterally locate the sealing device with respect to the lower profiled roof sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The sealing device as in  claim 4 , wherein the lower guides further comprise tabs, and wherein the sealing device is secured to the lower profiled roof sheet by fasteners passing through the ribs of the lower profiled roof sheet and into the tabs. 
     
     
         6 . The sealing device as in  claim 1 , wherein the resilient sealing member comprises a first strip of material with a first resilience for engaging with the top end of the lower profiled roof sheet and a second strip of material with a second resilience located between the first strip of material and a rear wall of the body of the sealing device, the first resilience being less than the second resilience/ 
     
     
         7 . The sealing device as in  claim 1 , wherein the ribs of the roofing sheets comprise re-entrant shoulders, and wherein the sealing device comprises a series of upper clips with outwardly facing walls for engaging with the underside of the re-entrant shoulders to secure the upper profiled roof sheet to the sealing device. 
     
     
         8 . The sealing device as in  claim 1 , wherein the ribs of the roofing sheets comprise straight sides, and wherein the sealing device further comprises a sliding member slidable in the longitudinal direction of the upper profiled roof sheet, and wherein the upper profiled roof sheet is secured to the sliding member.