AU2006100406A4 - Rotating Gutter System - Google Patents

Description

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT A ROATATABLE AND LEAFPROOF GUTTER SYSTEM The following statement is a description of the invention, including a working design that is best known to me.

At present, the building industry has available a number of rotatable gutter systems designed specifically to inhibit the build up of litter in its components or to facilitate its removal. There is also available a range of mesh products and gutter additions that try to achieve the same result.

This invention combines the concepts of rotation and mesh protection in a single process that significantly reduces the amount of debris and sediment that might otherwise flow from a rooftop into a water collection reservoir. It is specifically applicable to corrugated metal rooves but can be adapted to suit other types.

The invention features four separate and mutually compatible design features, namely the collecting trough, its suspension method, the means of trough rotation and the mesh covering.

The trough itself is made from a weather-resistant metal or plastic such as PVC. Its preferred cross section is approximately semi-circular but more conventional shapes can be accommodated. A short section of the top edges of the trough walls are turned over to nearly horizontal for the whole length of the trough, so that the mesh can be fastened easily to it. The inward slope of these flanges adds to the collecting width of the trough and reduces loss of water through dripping and surface tension effects.

Figure 1 provides a general view of the gutter and shows a cross section of a circular trough. Here, is the main trough body and a cross section of it. Cross braces, serve to strengthen the trough. An effective design of these ribs is shown in the insert. is a fine mesh similar to aluminium flyscreen. It is normally but not necessarily fastened over the open tops of the troughs.

is a straight flange that runs the full length of the trough and over which both the cross braces and mesh are crimped.

The aims of the invention are threefold: 1. To eliminate blocking and the need for regular cleaning of gutters, particularly in heavily vegetated areas.

2. To provide for clean drinking water. During long dry spells, the troughs can remain partly inverted to prevent any build up of sediments and chemicals.

3. To reduce the risk of combustion during bushfire. If a fire approaches, the gutters can be quickly inverted and hosed out if necessary.

Collected water escapes through an elongated opening in the floor of the trough, positioned directly above a down pipe, the top of which is appropriately funnelled and fastened to the building. Fluting under the aperture prevents lateral dispersion of effluent water due to surface tension (Figure Alternatively, water may flow out of an open end of the trough into a conduit.

Figures 2 and 3 show two alternative methods of trough support.

In figure 2, the trough is suspended by a row of flexible cables or metal chains that pass over wheels fastened just proud of a corrugation ridge. A suitable U-shaped design for these brackets 'A' is provided in the insert. The bracket contains a narrow slot that can be slid neatly onto the end of a roof ridge. It is held in place either by friction, a weather resistant adhesive or with arm which slide under a corrugation and is clamped by a roofing screw. A weather resistant 'ball chain' provides a convenient and easily adjustable suspension. The shape of the trough is not limited to the one shown. Almost any cross section can be accommodated with this type of hanging suspension.

The ease with which a trough can be rotated is determined by the amount of vertical movement of its centre of gravity. For this reason, trough cross-sections that are nearly circular or square are more suitable than rectangular ones. Figure 4 illustrates this point. Excessive vertical movement of the trough during rotation will also necessitate the retraction of the downpipe.

The suspension shown in figure 3 requires a trough that is essentially semi-circular in cross section.

The trough sits on two locating wheels or low friction pads positioned in the lower horizontal arm of a right-angled bracket. The top of the bracket has a pivoted arm that slides 0 o under a roof corrugation and is held firmly in place by the tightening of a roofing screw.

Both types of suspension are adjustable to ensure that the gutter has the required fall. This is achieved in figure 2 by varying the length of the chain or cable. In figure 3 it is done either by adjusting the vertical lengths of the brackets, using the adjusting holes T, or by manufacturing the brackets in standard identifiable sizes.

The hanging suspension is more versatile and less obtrusive than the bracket type but is harder to adjust. It can accommodate many gutter shapes and sizes and is resistant to strong winds. It also has advantages relating to the movement of the trough's centre of gravity during rotation and thus requires less effort than the bracket type suspension. The bracket type is more vulnerable to wind.

An adequate wind bracing in the form of wire ties is shown in figure 3.

Because the gutter is not connected to the fascia, most of the leaves and other litter that does alight on the mesh normally falls or is blown off the mesh naturally. Finer debris, which may adhere to the mesh, is removed by rotating the trough for access and brushing lightly.

Rotation of the troughs is carried out either manually with a lever or a suitable cable system or it can be automated using a simple electric motor and belt. Several rotation methods are shown in Figure 6. If required, the gutter can remain inverted until sufficient rain has fallen to satisfactorily cleanse the roof surface.

As with current gutter systems, the dimensions of the troughs themselves will depend on the size of the roof catchment area. Long rooflines can be spanned by two or more lengths of trough, butted together directly under a corrugation ridge. Figure 5 illustrates the general view of the invention and shows how two separate troughs can be abutted.

Claims (4)

1. A gutter system featuring a rotatable trough which, during normal operation, is mounted so that a space is maintained between the trough and the building fascia in order that leaf litter and other debris can pass through.

2. A gutter trough as claimed in claim 1 that features sloping flanges along its whole upper length to enhance water collection and to which a number of cross braces and a fine mesh can be fastened across the upper opening of the trough. 0

3. A means of suspending the trough claimed in claim 1 using a series of flexible cords, cables or 0 chains that are passed over rollers or smooth pivots positioned near the bottom end of a roofline, approximately in line with a corrugation ridge.

4. An alternative means of suspending an approximately semi-circular version of the trough claimed in claim 1 whereby the base of the trough sits on wheels or pads located on an essentially horizontal arm of a bracket fastened under the lower end of the roofline. A gutter system substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1-6 of the accompanying drawings.