AU2006241384B2 - Surface Tension Roof Gutter System - Google Patents

Abstract

A roof guttering system that automatically ejects all leaves and debris, washed down during rain to the gutters of a building, by taking advantage of the fact surface tension and gravity will cause water dropping over a horizontally curved surface, to cling until it reaches the bottom. The gutters of the roof are either lowered or, if new, placed lower than normal to allow an extension to be fitted above, under the roof overhang, for the full length of the gutter, which extension has a front edge that is horizontally curved downwards immediately after a small downward right angle, length long, step. This extension is placed over the gutter, leaving a gap, so that its front curved edge protrudes sufficiently past the front top edge of the gutter to allow all unwanted matter floating on the rain to be pulled to the ground by gravity while surface tension continues to hold the water till it arrives in the gutter.

Description

SURFACE TENSION ROOF GUTTER SYSTEM This invention offers a new system of roof guttering that collects water as it automatically and simultaneously ejects unwanted leaves and waste matter that may have fallen or been blown onto the roof between rain. There have been many inventions registered which have endeavoured to solve the problem of leaves collecting in roof gutters; even special tools to dean the leaves and muck out of them have been patented. Most of the leaf repelling systems consist of, or have incorporated into them, a mesh of some sort which is anticipated will allow water through the holes at the same time it catches leaves on the mesh. The leaves caught on the mesh are expected to be blown away in the next stiff breeze. One American invention (trade marked "Rainhandler") has completely bypassed the water collecting gutter altogether by approaching the problem with a horizontal louver device, attached to the fascia beneath the roof overlap, which it claims causes water from the roof to be broken into droplets and harmlessly sprayed to the ground. This method also relies on wind to blow away the leaves, which have drifted onto the louver, but the manufacturer also suggest the leaves can be removed with a quick blast from a hose aimed up from ground level. All of the approaches so far, to the problem of leaves blocking gutters, have inherent weaknesses. For example mesh systems have holes, in most cases, large enough to let leaves that fall end on including pine needles, or small things like gum nuts, and even small flowers from trees plus other similar objects, to either get through or become stuck in the mesh so they won't blow away. The American invention ("Rainhandler") is unable to collect water for storage and because it is horizontal will retain leaves more readily than a sloping roof. To have to squirt a hose up from the ground, to dear the leaves, is an extra undesirable operation. These problems are eliminated with The Surface Tension Roof Gutter System because there is no mesh or louver. All leaves automatically wash over the top of the system when it rains; which allows only water to be collected in the gutter section. Above the gutter; to take advantage of the natural surface tension and gravitational phenomenon which causes water, running over horizontally downward shaped curved objects, to cling to the surface of the curve until the bottom; is a horizontal extension just beneath the overhang of the roof which incorporates a front edge that curves downward protruding slightly over the top front edge of the water collecting gutter beneath - leaves are unable to follow the water around the bottom half of the curve so are ejected to the ground. The gutter is lowered to allow this special extension to fit above by being sprung into a clip attached to the fascia board, that runs the length of the board, so the unit's top surface is just below the bottom side of the roof overhang allowing the rain water to first pour over onto the attachment before running down its slight slope to flow down around a round front edge preceded by a small downward step immediately before the curve that rolls under. This takes the water down two steps (Step 1. from the roof to the unit above the gutter; and 2. over the little drop just prior to the final downward curve). These two drops enable the water to cling more effectively guaranteeing the flow always goes over the above mentioned curved section properly; so all chances of even the smallest amount spurting away from the gutter beneath are eliminated - especially when it is only sprinkling and the water is dribbling down in just a trickle. At the back; of this V shaped unit laying on its side, with a curve replacing the usual sharp point where the two sides of a V join (which curve goes above and slightly in front of the gutter's front side); on both the top and bottom is a narrow flange (facing upwards and downwards respectively) running its full length which enables the back of the unit to be sprung in under the top and into the bottom narrow folded edges of a strip of flat metal screwed lengthways to the fascia board beforehand; thereby constituting the clip mentioned above. So that this special unit above the gutter will spring into place and hold (the back of it, the part that fits into the clip, is deliberately made wider than the clip to give it springiness); sheet metal, such as "Zincalume" or "Colorbond", is considered best for the job. Metal also resist fire better than most other materials such as plastics. To avoid water splashing back from the top or up from the gutter onto the fascia board, which in time could cause rotting, a length of metal the width of which goes from the top of the attached water and leaf separating device (The Surface Tension Unit) nearly up to the underside of the roof and another from the bottom of the The Surface Tension Unit (sloping toward the back and going almost to the floor of the gutter), each going the full length of The Surface Tension Unit, is affixed. The water collecting gutter of necessity has to be fixed to the fascia with external gutter brackets (brackets that go under the gutter) to allow space for the overhanging unit above to fit properly. Larger buildings such as factories ard hospitals sometimes have roof valleys that run directly into a down pipe with a box gutter at the top. This means a shorter version of the Surface Tension Roof Gutter System needs to be implemented that is sized to fit the larger down pipe.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 This drawing shows a perspective end view of The Surface Tension Unit's profile which includes a small length long step (6) just prior to a downward curve (5). The Surface Tension Unit (1) has a total of five features: a) The sideways "V" shape with its open back slightly wider than (2) the unit it clips into - to give it springiness, b) the specially configured front (5 and 6) described above, c) the narrow flanges facing up on the top and down on the bottom (4) which spring clip into the narrow bent sections (3) of the Fascia Attachment (2), facing down on the top and up on the bottom, d) the guard strip (7) attached to the top of the Surface Tension Unit - for the length of it - to go back under the roof overhang to prevent water splashing back onto the fascia board thereby eliminating all chances of rot occurring and, e) a guard strip (8), going for the full length of The Surface Tension Unit (1), fixed to the underneath surface of The Surface Tension Unit, directly above an open gutter, which underneath surface of the said Surface Tension Unit slopes toward the back wall of the gutter (see item 8 in figures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6) to stop water splashing up onto the fascia. Item (9) represents the holes in the Fascia Attachment for the screws that fix it to the fascia. FIGURE 2 A side view of the roof (11), Fascia Attachment (2), gutter (10), Surface Tension Unit (1), small right angle step that runs the length of the unit (6), curved surface that holds the water and ejects the leaves (5), guard strip on the top of the Surface Tension Unit (7), which goes back under the over hang of the roof, to stop water finding its way back to the fascia, and sloping guard strip (8) that goes for the full length of the Surface Tension Unit, on the bottom, to also keep water getting to the fascia.

FIGURE 3 A section of the Fascia Attachment (2) that goes the full length of the fascia, showing folded over top and bottom edges (3) for the back flanges of the Surface Tension Unit to clip into, and (9) the holes for the screws that attach the Fascia Attachment to the fascia. FIGURE 4 A side view showing the Surface Tension Unit clipped into the Fascia Attachment. The numbers itemise the same corresponding features already described in the previous drawings. FIGURE 5 This drawing shows the right hand End Cap (12) that slides over and is fixed to the right end of The Surface Tension Unit assembly (1) once The Surface Tension Unit is attached to the fascia. The left hand End Cap of course is the opposite configuration. The section that slides over the edge of the Surface Tension Unit is shown in item (13). Numbers 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 show again that which has previously been shown in figures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. However it should be noted the anti splash strips at the right end of The Surface Tension Unit assembly are indented from the edge to allow the End Cap to slide snugly into place. FIGURE 6 To the left in this drawing is illustrated the right hand side of a length of The Surface Tension Unit, that goes above the water collecting gutter, and to the right in the drawing the left side of a neighbouring piece onto which it will fit. (1) represents both sections, whereas (4, 5, 6, 7,and 8) match the same components shown in the other drawings. An indented segment (14) which is to be pressed into the left hand side of each Surface Tension Unit length - either that or a strip of metal can be affixed to the inside of the > shaped Surface Tension Unit on the left hand side of each length to perform the same function. Once the two pieces are fixed to each other items (7) will then be joined by sliding the upper joining piece (15), shown above The Surface Tension Unit on the right, down over them - in the direction of the arrow - and (8) the lower anti splash guard strips will be joined in a like manner by raising the lower joining piece (15) shown below The Surface Tension Unit, in the direction of the accompanying arrow, up over the butted pieces at the point where they meet. These joining pieces are folded bits of metal, with three edges open, the width of each respective guard strip.

Claims (13)

1. A Surface Tension Unit, made of metal with means enabling it to be clipped to a building's fascia board directly beneath a roof overhang so that it is positioned above a lowered water collecting gutter; which Surface Tension Unit has fastened to it two length long strips of metal, one on its top side, the other sloping at an angle from its underneath side, to stop water splashing onto the fascia; the Surface Tension Unit also has a horizontal downward curved front edge preceded by a small length long step which enables the Surface Tension Unit to take advantage of the natural effect surface tension and gravity have on the flow of water from a roof to a gutter when the Surface Tension Unit is placed with its front curved edge protruding beyond the front edge of the gutter, it is above, enabling the water to easily travel down around its curved front into the gutter while any leaves and such that are unable to follow the path of the curve are pulled to the ground by gravity.

2. The Surface Tension Unit of claim 1 wherein the means of attaching the Surface Tension Unit to the fascia board is by clipping it, in a hooking fashion, into the Fascia Attachment which attachment consists of a narrow length of flat metal, which is screwed horizontally to the full length of the fascia, through pre drilled or punched holes, that has its top and bottom edges bent in a short distance to take two rght angular flanges, of similar width, at the back of the Surface Tension Unit - the top flange at the back of the Surface Tension Unit being bent upward while the bottom flange at the back of the Surface Tension Unit is bent down - being thus designed to enable the Surface Tension Unit to spring into The Fascia Attachment after The Surface Tension Unit, which is wider than the Fascia Attachment to give the metal springiness, is squeezed together allowing The Surface Tension Unit to be hooked into place before releasing the tension which will then see the Surface Tension Unit securely clip itself into the Fascia Attachment.

3. The Surface Tension Unit of claim 2 wherein the shape of The Surface Tension Unit resembles a V lying on its side with the point no longer sharp but rounded and the back stays open with flanges, the top flange bending up and the bottom down, that travel the length of The Surface Tension Unit, which Surface Tension Unit is designed to clip into The Fascia Attachment, fastened to the full length of the fascia board, by first hooking one flange into position then after squeezing The Surface Tension Unit together allowing the other unhooked flange to be clipped into place upon release.

4. The Surface Tension Unit described in claim 1 wherein a metal guard is fastened to the top and bottom of The Surface Tension Unit to stop water splashing back or up onto the fascia.

5. The Surface Tension Unit of claims 1 - 4 wherein The Surface Tension Unit comes in manageable lengths so that all gutters of the building, over which the Surface Tension Units are to be installed, can be covered with a minimum of difficulty.

6. The Surface Tension Unit of claim 1 wherein the said Surface Tension Unit's top surface slopes down at a slight angle from near the fascia to the small front step that is bent down, going for the full length of The Surface Tension Unit, just prior to the front curved edge which edge is to protrude out past the front face of the gutter below.

7. The Surface Tension Unit of claim 1 wherein the bottom of The Surface Tension Unit slopes down, from its curved front edge, in a reverse direction to the slope of the upper surface of The Surface Tension Unit described in claim 6.

8. The Surface Tension Unit of claims 1 - 7 wherein the curved front edge of the Surface Tension Unit not only protrudes past the front edge of the gutter but is also fixed a distance, above the front edge of the gutter at the highest end of the gutter's slope, of no less than that needed to allow a full volume of storm water, coming from the roof, to pass through into the centre of the gutter beneath without hitting the top front edge of the gutter itself.

9. The Surface Tension Unit of claims 1 - 8, wherein the ends of The Surface Tension Unit, when completely assembled as a whole, are closed with an End Stop that is the same profile, as the actual sprung into place right or left end profile of The Surface Tension Unit, which End Stops have an edge along the two long sides and also around the front step and curved configuration, but not at the back, that allows them to slide onto the assembled length to be fixed in place.

10. The Surface Tension Unit lengths of claim 5 wherein the left side end of each length is indented to the thickness of the metal itself to permit the right side of the next Surface Tension Unit length to be joined to it, or the left hand End Stop, to slide over far enough to enable it to firmly hold when fixed.

11. The Surface Tension Unit assembly, of claim 10 wherein the right end length for each side of the building, save where the system continues around the corner of a building, has the metal guard pieces of the Surface Tension Unit recessed to allow the right End Stop to slide over this non indented end of the completed assembly properly.

12. The Surface Tension Unit of claim 11 wherein after the individual lengths, are joined together a rectangular folded piece of metal with a gap equal to the thickness of the metal itself, and a length equal to either the width of the top or bottom metal guard piece, respectively, connects the adjacent guard pieces to seal any gaps.

13. A Surface Tension Unit as herein before described with reference to figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.