Building panels for attachment as roof and facia portions of building structures are manufactured and utilized in many different forms. One building panel form that has gained wide acceptance in the building industry is a building panel structure that simulates the board and batten type building structure because of the pleasing aesthetic appearance thereof. In the past, many building panel structures have been designed that are adapted to be placed in interlocking relationship with adjacent building panels, thus properly orienting the building panel structures relative to one another. Many building panel structures that are acceptable for utilization as facia to define the walls of buildings are not suitable as roof panels because of the inability of such structures to provide adequate protection against leakage of water during rains. Further, many building panel structures are designed particularly for aesthetic appearance and interlocking relationship but do not provide for the development of structurally self-sufficient wall and roof portions that will support uniformly distributed loads without any additional structure other than that required at fastener intervals.
Accordingly, it is a primary feature of the present invention to provide a novel building panel structure having an intermediate portion and side edge portions that are adapted to be placed in interlocking relationship during attachment of the same to a building structure.
It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a novel building panel structure wherein cooperating interlocking side edge portions thereof establish a board and batten appearance of aesthetically pleasing character.
It is another feature of this invention to provide a novel building panel structure such as might be composed of sheet metal, plastic sheet or any other suitable material, and which, when interlocked with adjacent building panel structures, develops water tight integrity at the joint with adjacent building panels, thus providing for efficient utilization of such panels as roof and facia structures of buildings.
Among the several features of this invention is contemplated the provision of a novel roof building panel structure wherein the structural interconnection established between adjacent interlocked building panels is structurally self-sufficient and will support uniformly distributed loads without any additional structure other than that required at panel fastener intervals.
It is an even further feature of this invention to provide a novel building panel structure that may be effectively utilized in the development of high or low pitched roofs without any risk of leakage at the joints between the building panels.
Other and further objects, advantages and features of the invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.