AU2007229435A1

AU2007229435A1 - Guttering

Info

Publication number: AU2007229435A1
Application number: AU2007229435A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gregory Brian Maitland
Original assignee: GREGORY MAITLAND; VERONIKA MASER
Current assignee: Maser Veronika Ingrid Aloisia
Priority date: 2006-10-27
Filing date: 2007-10-23
Publication date: 2008-05-15
Also published as: NZ550828A

Description

0 0 0TITLE SGuttering.

0 MFIELD OF INVENTION

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This invention relates to guttering.

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BACKGROUND

It is known to use guttering on buildings to capture water running off a roof so that Ssuch water can be directed to storm water drains or the like. It is an object of a O 10 preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a new and innovative

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Cl guttering arrangement for a similar purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a guttering installed on the roof of a building wherein the roof is of a type having eaves projecting beyond the sides of the building, the guttering comprising an elongate pipe with a longitudinal slot therein, the pipe fitted to the eaves so that the eaves run longitudinally within the slot and the pipe wraps around the eaves from an upper to a lower face of the eaves; the guttering having: a) a series of threads extending from the pipe and fastened to the roof by fixing members respectively to facilitate retention of the guttering with respect to the eaves, or b) a chock or a series of chocks fastened to the roof and the pipe, the chock(s) positioned inside the pipe and serving to facilitate retention of the guttering with respect to the eaves.

Preferably the guttering is in snug contact with the eaves such that rain water running from the roof is able to enter the guttering via the slot but substantial debris are unable to pass through the slot.

Preferably, for option at least some of the threads are looped.

Preferably, for option at least some of the threads are substantially of wire.

2 0Preferably, for option the fixing members comprise nails, bolts, or screws in the roof.

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Preferably for option b) the chock, or if applicable each chock, has a concave base complimentary to a profile of the roof so that the chock or chocks is/are able to fit snugly on the roof.

OAccording to a further aspect of the invention there is provided roof guttering suitable for installation in accordance with the first mentioned aspect of the invention, the guttering comprising an elongate pipe having a slot running from 0 substantially one end of the pipe to substantially an opposite end of the pipe, at least one end cap adapted to close an end of the pipe, and: a) a plurality of threads suitable for connecting the pipe to roofing nails, bolts or screws when the guttering is in a normal in-use disposition, or b) a chock or a plurality of chocks suitable for connecting the pipe to a roof when the guttering is in a normal in-use disposition.

Preferably for option a) at least some of the threads are loops.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of installing guttering comprising obtaining an elongate pipe with a longitudinal slot therein, fitting the pipe to eaves of a roof so that the eaves run longitudinally within the slot and the pipe wraps around the eaves from an upper to a lower face of the eaves, and: a) arranging threads so that they extend from the pipe and are fastened to the roof by fixing members in the roof to facilitate retention of the guttering with respect to the eaves, or b) securing the pipe to a chock or a series of chocks which is/are secured to the roof and positioned within the pipe to facilitate retention of the guttering with respect to the eaves.

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o Description of the Drawings I Images t' Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: c Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating guttering fitted to a roof in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 shows detail of part of the guttering of figure 1, O 10 Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating guttering fitted to a roof in O l accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, Figure 4 illustrates detail of the figure 3 embodiment, Figure 5 illustrates further detail of the figure 3 embodiment, and Figure 6 illustrates a chock used in the figure 3 embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to figures 1 and 2, the guttering 1 comprises an elongate plastic pipe 2 with a longitudinal space or slot 3 therein. The pipe 2 is thus in a sense incomplete but for the purpose of this document it should nonetheless be regarded as a pipe. The guttering 1 is fitted to the roof 4 of a building by manoeuvring it until the eaves 5 of the roof run longitudinally within the slot 3 (the term "eaves" should be interpreted in a generic sense to mean a lower edge part of a roof). The eaves may or may not incorporate a soffit structure. The pipe 2 thus wraps around the eaves 5 from the main top 6 to the main bottom 7 faces thereof.

The fit between the pipe 2 and the eaves 5 is reasonably tight so that gravity and normal surface to surface tension assist in retaining the guttering in place.

Because there is a tight fit between the pipe and the eaves, substantial debris such as large leaves are unable to pass through the slot 3 and enter the guttering. They tend to remain on the roof next to the guttering until blown away by the wind. Rain water running down the roof is of course able to pass through 4

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0 the slot 3 and into the guttering to be directed to storm water drains or, if desired, to water collection tanks. Small debris may also pass into the guttering but as O these are not large they are unlikely to cause blockages in the guttering and can t' be dealt with without difficulty.

As shown in figure 2 the guttering may have sealing end caps 8 and, in use, is Mc, fitted with down pipes, suitable long run joiners, and custom corner connectors, all of which will be appreciated by those skilled in the art of plumbing and roof drainage. The end caps 8, which are shown in figure 2 prior to assembly with 10 the pipe 2, may be removed so that the interior of the guttering can be cleaned by

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O way of a garden hose or the like.

Referring to figure 1, to assist in retaining the guttering with respect to the eaves it incorporates a series of looped threads 9. These threads 9 may or may not be of wire, strap or cord, and are fixed at one end to the pipe 2, for example by way of screws 10, and at the other end to the nails, screws, bolts 11 or similar which hold the roof's cladding, eg corrugated iron 12, in place.

The slot 3 in the pipe 2 may have wider sections when needed to accommodate larger parts of the eaves such as roof side frames or the like. The wider sections can be created on site by way of a drill or some other suitable tool, depending on requirements.

An advantage of the guttering of figure 1 is that it is simple to manufacture and install, and presents a barrier to a good amount of leaves which would otherwise get into the guttering with ease. The guttering has been described as having a pipe of substantially circular cross section but it should be understood that that is not intended to be a limitation on the invention. For example in alternative embodiments of the invention the pipe can be a regular or irregular polygon in cross section, or some other shape. It has however been found that a substantially circular cross sectional shape works well.

Figure 3 shows guttering 13 according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, having a plastic pipe 14 with a longitudinal slot 15 therein, all in similar

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0< fashion to the figure 1 embodiment. However the figure 3 embodiment differs in that rather than use threads for securing the guttering to a roof 16 it employs a 0 series of chocks 17. As shown in figure 4 the chocks 17 are fastened to the roof r r by way of nails, bolts or screws 18, etc. Referring to figure 5, the pipe 14 is then fixed to the chocks 17 by way of screws 19 or the like. As shown in figure 6, each chock has a concave base 18 formed to match the corrugations of the iron ¢Cc cladding of the roof 16. This facilitates a snug fit between the chocks and the roof.

While figures 3, 4 and 5 show the use of chocks fastened to the top face of the O roof in other embodiments of the invention they may be fastened to a lower face of the roof, for example to the underside of the roof's eaves. Similarly, the threads 9 can be arranged between the pipe and an underside of the roof if desired.

While some preferred forms of the invention have been described by way of example it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Claims

3. A guttering according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least some of the threads are looped.
4. A guttering according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein at least some of the threads are substantially of wire. A guttering according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixing members comprise nails, bolts, or screws in the roof.
6. A guttering installed on the roof of a building wherein the roof is of a type having eaves projecting beyond the sides of the building, the guttering comprising an elongate pipe with a longitudinal slot therein, the pipe fitted to the eaves so that the eaves run longitudinally within the slot and the pipe wraps around the eaves from an upper to a lower face of the eaves, the guttering having a chock or a series of chocks fastened to the roof and the pipe, the chock(s) positioned substantially inside the pipe and serving to facilitate retention of the guttering with respect to the eaves. 7 O O
7. A guttering according to claim 6, wherein the guttering is in snug contact with the eaves such that rain water running from the roof is able to enter the O guttering via the slot but substantial debris are unable to pass through the slot. Ccl
8. A guttering according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the chock, or if applicable each chock, has a concave base complimentary to a profile of the roof so that the Cc chock or chocks is/are able to fit snugly on the roof. C 9. Roof guttering suitable for installation in accordance with claim 1, the 10 guttering comprising an elongate pipe having a slot running from substantially O O one end of the pipe to substantially an opposite end of the pipe, at least one end cap adapted to close an end of the pipe, and a plurality of threads suitable for connecting the pipe to roofing nails, bolts or screws when the guttering is in a normal in-use disposition. Roof guttering according to claim 9, wherein at least some of the threads are loops.
11. Roof guttering suitable for installation in accordance with claim 6, the guttering comprising an elongate pipe having a slot running from substantially one end of the pipe to substantially an opposite end of the pipe, at least one end cap adapted to close an end of the pipe, and a chock or a plurality of chocks suitable for connecting the pipe to a roof when the guttering is in a normal in-use disposition.
12. Roof guttering according to claim 11, wherein the chock, or if applicable each chock, has a concave base complimentary to a roof profile so that the chock or chocks is/are able to fit snugly on the roof.
13. A method of installing guttering comprising obtaining an elongate pipe with a longitudinal slot therein, fitting the pipe to eaves of a roof so that the eaves run longitudinally within the slot and the pipe wraps around the eaves from an upper to a lower face of the eaves, and arranging threads so that they extend 0x O O 0from the pipe and are fastened to the roof by fixing members in the roof to facilitate retention of the guttering with respect to the eaves. S14. Guttering installed according to the method of claim 13. A method of installing guttering comprising obtaining an elongate pipe q with a longitudinal slot therein, fitting the pipe to eaves of a roof so that the eaves run longitudinally within the slot and the pipe wraps around the eaves from an Cl upper to a lower face of the eaves, and securing the pipe to a chock or a series of 10 chocks which is/are secured to the roof and positioned within the pipe to facilitate O O retention of the guttering with respect to the eaves.
16. Guttering installed according to the method of claim