AU2010201501A1 - Support bracket device enabling roofing gutter overflow - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: SUPPORT BRACKET DEVICE ENABLING ROOFING GUTTER OVERFLOW Applicant: Stramit Corporation Pty Limited The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 2 SUPPORT BRACKET DEVICE ENABLING ROOFING GUTTER OVERFLOW This invention relates to a bracket device for supporting the gutter of a roof gutter system to accommodate overflow. 5 New regulations for high front roof gutter systems require a substantial gap, typically not less than 10 mm, between a fascia board and the gutter back face as one means of compliance. This is to allow water to overflow between the back of the gutter and the front of the fascia panel, rather than overflow behind the fascia board into a wall cavity, as could occur if there was no gap 10 and a normal high-fronted gutter was used. One type of gutter support currently in use is in the form of a somewhat U-shaped resilient metal clip which has two legs each extending from a web portion and converging towards each other such that the ends of the legs remote from the web are closely adjacent. The clip is used with a fascia board 15 having a fascia panel and a top wall which is turned rearwardly away from a front panel, with the top wall having a downwardly and forwardly turned rear margin. The gutter support clip is applied downwardly onto the junction between the top wall and rear margin to separate the legs and allow the support to be received down onto the front panel to position a forward leg 20 against a front face of the front panel and a rearward leg against a rear face of the front panel, and to locate the web portion adjacent to the top wall. The rearward leg has a forwardly turned end portion by which it resiliently bears against the rear face to space the main extent of rearward leg from the rear face. Also, a short distance from the web portion, the rearward leg has an 25 upwardly projecting tab positioned to resist removal of the clip from the fascia by the tab engaging the rear margin. The forward leg extends closely adjacent to the front face of the front panel and has a series of tabs, typically about six tabs, which are spaced along its length and which extend rearwardly and towards the web portion. 30 With the support clip positioned on a fascia panel, the rear wall of a gutter length of U-shaped cross-section is able to be forced edgewise, upwardly between the forward leg of the support and the front panel of the fascia panel. A forwardly rolled bead or groove formed along the upper edge Prov Spedi fmM IRN 849537 12 Apl 10.doc 3 of the gutter rear wall is forced beyond at least one of the tabs of the series of tabs of the front leg of the support clip. The last of the tabs of the series which the bead is forced beyond resists retraction of the gutter rear wall and, assisted by a number of support clips spaced along the fascia panel, results in 5 the support clips holding and supporting the gutter against the fascia panel. A gutter support in that form of a U-shaped resilient clip is capable of providing excellent gutter support. However, it necessitates the fascia board and gutter being fitted to a building before roof tiles are laid or roofing sheets are installed. One reason for this is that the clip requires a firm blow from 10 above to snap it into position on the fascia board. Once the clip is installed, the gutter is pushed up with its rear wall between the front leg of the clip and the fascia front panel to one of the respective positions set by the series of tabs, depending on the required fall of the gutter. As the clip holds the gutter rear wall closely against the front face of the front panel of the fascia board, 15 overflow is likely to pass above and behind the fascia board, into the cavity wall, given the absence of any significant gap between the gutter and the fascia board. The invention seeks to provide a bracket device for supporting a roofing gutter in relation to a fascia board or panel (herein "a fascia") to provide a 20 spacing between a front space of the fascia and a rear face of the gutter through which water overflowing the rear wall of the gutter is able to pass. The roofing gutter support bracket device of the invention is an assembly of a fascia-clip and a gutter clip, with the clips adjustably engaged with each other. Relative to an in use orientation for supporting a gutter in 25 relation to a fascia, each clip has a front part and a rear part which are joined in spaced relationship at their upper ends by a respective connecting part. The bracket device has co-operating guide elements defined by the front part of the fascia clip and the rear part of the gutter clip which engage to enable the gutter clip to move up and down relative to the fascia clip in that orientation. 30 Also, the bracket device has an adjustable detent mechanism which has a respective section on the front part of the fascia clip and the rear part of the gutter clip and which is operable by co-operation between those sections to Prov spec from IRN 849537 12 AprI 10.doc 4 hold the gutter clip in a selected one of a plurality of holding positions relative to the fascia clip. The fascia clip is able to be received down over the upper edge of a fascia to locate the rear part down over the rear face of the fascia, the front 5 part down over the front face of the fascia and to locate the connecting part adjacent to the top edge of the fascia. Thus, the fascia clip, when so received, positions the gutter clip in front of the fascia. The fascia clip may be so received prior to being assembled with the gutter clip, although it preferably is received when the clips are in assembly. However, with the fascia clip so 10 received and assembled with the gutter clip, and with the rear wall of a gutter section received upwardly between the front and rear parts of the gutter clip for movement therewith relative to the fascia clip, the rear wall of the gutter section is spaced from the fascia to define an overflow gap for water overflowing the rear wall of the gutter section. 15 With the bracket device mounted in relation to a fascia, by the fascia clip having been received down over the upper edge of the fascia, the rear part of the fascia clip may bear against the rear face of the fascia, with a rear face of the front part of the fascia clip, or a rear face of the rear part of the gutter clip or both of those clip part rear faces bearing against the front face of the fascia. 20 Preferably the rear part, or the connecting part, or each of the rear and connecting parts, of the fascia clip is flexible, such as relative to the front part of the fascia clip. This flexibility preferably enables the rear part of the fascia clip to bear resiliently against the rear face of the fascia. Also, the rear part of the fascia clip may have a formation which locates under an upper edge 25 formation of the fascia to resist unintended lifting of the fascia clip from the fascia. The co-operating guide elements of the bracket device may be continuous or discontinuous. They may, for example, comprise a tongue and groove arrangement. That arrangement preferably is one in which a tongue on 30 one of the clips extends into a groove defined by the other clip with the groove being laterally open with respect to the front to rear spacing of the front and rear parts of each clip. In assembly, the clips may be constrained against relative lateral movement, either by relatively close inter-fitting between the Prv sped from IRN 849537 12 Aprl 10.doc 5 clips or by a resilient bias acting to retain the guide elements in co-operative engagement. The adjustable detent mechanism of the bracket device may include a series of abutment members spaced upwardly along a surface of one of the 5 clips and at least one abutment member on the other of the clips. As the gutter clip is moved up relative to the fascia clip, either successive abutment member of the series ride up over the at least one abutment member, or the at least one abutment member rides up over successive abutment members of the series, depending respectively on whether the series is on the gutter clip or 10 the fascia clip. The co-operation between the at least one abutment member and the abutment members of the series is such that they can hold the gutter clip in a selected one of a plurality of holding positions relative to the fascia clip. The abutment members of the series may comprise a series of teeth of 15 a linear ratchet. Relative to the in-use orientation, each tooth of the series may have an upper or lower horizontally disposed abutment surface and an inclined lower or upper cam surface, depending on whether the ratchet is one of the gutter clip or the fascia clip, respectively. With such linear arrangement, the at least one abutment member also may comprise at least one tooth, while the at 20 least one tooth may have a horizontally disposed abutment surface and an inclined cam surface which face oppositely to the abutment surfaces and cam surfaces, respectively, of the ratchet. The at least one abutment member may be mounted on at least one resilient finger which flexes to enable relative movement between the clips as 25 the clips are moved into an assembly position for the bracket device. Recovery of the at least one resilient finger preferably moves the at least one abutment member into an abutment engaging position with a selected abutment member of the series to hold the clips in a selected one of successive holding positions. The arrangement of the adjustable detent 30 mechanism may be such that a tool can be inserted to flex the at least one finger away from the abutment engaging position, to enable the gutter clip to be lowered relative to the fascia clip to attain a lower holding position or to enable separation of the clips. Prov speci from IRN 849537 12 Aprq 10.doc 6 The bracket device is such that, when its fascia clip is received onto a fascia, a gutter section is able to be received by the device and supported in relation to the fascia. For this, the gutter section is lifted to present the upper edge of its rear wall upwardly to the device. The gutter section then is raised 5 further so that its rear wall is received edgewise behind the front part of the gutter clip and in front of the rear part of the gutter clip and the front part of the fascia clip. The front part of the gutter clip may have at least one formation, at the rear surface of its front part or the front surface of its rear part, which is configured to receive an engagement means defined along the back wall of the 10 gutter section and thereby hold the gutter section relative to the gutter clip. The arrangement is such that the gutter section can be supported relative to the fascia at a height determined by the selected holding position at which the detent mechanism holds the gutter clip relative to the fascia clip. However, by adjustment of the detent mechanism to attain a higher or lower holding 15 position, the gutter clip and the gutter section are able to be raised or lowered relative to the fascia clip and the fascia. The engagement means defined along the back wall of the gutter section may be a continuous hook back, rolled edge, insert rib or groove. The gutter clip front or rear part is configured to enable inter-fitting with the 20 engagement means as the gutter section is raised, with the inter-fitting acting to prevent unintended retraction of the gutter section from the support device. In order that the invention may more readily be understood, reference now is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows, in side elevation, a prior art gutter support clip as 25 presented for installation onto a fascia board; Figure 2 shows the clip of figure 1 as installed on the fascia board; Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2, but after positioning of a length of the gutter so as to be retained and supported by the clip, against the front of the fascia board; 30 Figure 4 is a perspective view of a gutter support bracket device according to an embodiment of the invention; Figures 5 and 6 are front and rear perspective views of a first of two components of the device of Figure 5; Pov speci frmm IRN 849537 12 Ap.l 10.doc 7 Figures 7 and 8 are respective side elevations of the first component of Figures 5 and 6; Figures 9 and 10 are front and rear perspective views of the second of the components of the device of Figure 5; 5 Figures 11 and 12 are respective side elevations of the second component of Figures 9 and 10; Figures 13 and 14 show a gutter section mounted in relation to a fascia, at high and low settings, respectively; Figures 15 and 16 correspond generally to Figures 9 and 10, 10 respectively, but illustrate an alternative form for the second of the components of a device according to a second embodiment of the invention; and Figures 17 and 18 correspond generally to Figures 15 and 16, but show a modified form for the second component of a device according to the second embodiment. 15 Figures 1 to 3 show a known type of gutter support, comprising a clip 10, and a fascia board 12. Figure 1 shows clip 10 as presented to board 12 for installation thereon, while Figure 2 shows the installed arrangement. Figure 3 shows a length of gutter 14 positioned in relation to board 12 so as to be supported thereon by clip 10. 20 The clip 10 is formed from a length of a resilient steel of a suitable width perpendicular to the plane of Figures 1 to 3. The length of steel is formed so to comprise a somewhat U-shaped clip. A mid-section of clip 10 forms a web 16 from a respective end of which a front leg 18 and a rear leg 19 extends. The legs 18 and 19 converge towards each other in a direction away from web 25 16 so the ends remote from web 16 are closely adjacent. The closeness between those ends is increased by a terminal section 20 of leg 19 being turned forwardly towards leg 18, with section 20 bent to define a crest 20a opposed to a terminal section 21 of leg 18 which is inclined slightly away from leg 19. 30 On its surface facing leg 18, the leg 19 defines a tab 22 which is close to and extends towards web 16. Also, along its surface facing towards leg 19, the leg 18 defines a longitudinal series of tabs 24 which extend towards web 16. Prm sped from IRN 849537 12 Apl 10.doc 8 The fascia board 12, in the arrangement shown, is formed from an elongate strip of sheet metal. The board 12, in its in use orientation as illustrated, includes a horizontally extending vertically disposed fascia panel 30. Along the upper edge of panel 30, the board 12 has a top wall 32 which is 5 turned rearwardly from panel 30, while wall 32 has a downwardly and forwardly turned rear margin 34. The clip 10 is installed on board 12, as shown in Figure 3, by initially being presented downwardly to the board 12 as shown in Figure 2. In this way a mouth 36, defined between the ends 21 and 20 of legs 18 and 19 remote 10 from web 16, receives the curved junction 37 between top wall 32 and its rear margin 34. A downward blow then is applied to web 16 to drive the clip 10 down onto board 12, with junction 37 causing the spacing between legs 18 and 19 to increase so that leg 18 passes down over the front face 30a of fascia panel 30, and leg 19 passes down over the rear face 30b of panel 30, until 15 web 16 is adjacent to top wall 32. With clip 10 so installed, at least the lowest one of the series of tabs 24 on leg 18 bears resiliently against surface 30a, while crest 20a of leg 19 bears resiliently against surface 30b. Also, the tab 22 of leg 19 is positioned below the free edge of margin 34 of fascia board 12, such that removal of clip 10 from fascia board 12 is resisted by tab 22 being 20 forced against that edge of margin 34. With two or more clips 10 installed at intervals along fascia board 12, a length of gutter 14 is able to be positioned along the board 12 so as to be supported by the clips 10. For this, a forwardly rolled bead 40 (see Figure 9) along the top edge of the rear wall 42 of gutter 14 is presented between the 25 face 30a of fascia panel 30 and the terminal section 21 of leg 18. The gutter then is lifted, to force the bead 40 past sufficient of the tabs 24 on leg 18 to achieve a required fall along the gutter. The resilience of the clip 10 holds the rear wall 42 of the gutter 14 firmly against the fascia board 12, while the one of tabs 24 immediately below bead 40 bears against the underside of the bead 30 40 and thereby supports the gutter 14 in the required position. The arrangement is such that rear wall 42 of gutter 14 is held firmly against surface 30a of fascia panel 30 of board 12. However, a consequence of this is that there is no spacing between wall 42 and panel 30 enabling Prmv speci from IRN 849537 12 Apdl 10.doc 9 overflow from gutter 14 to pass therebetween. Thus, there is a risk of the overflow passing across top wall 32 and into a wall cavity of a building on which fascia board 12 and gutter 14 are installed. A further disadvantage of the arrangement of Figures 1 to 3 is the need for a downward blow to install 5 clip 10. This results in the installation of roofing tiles or sheets being delayed until the required clips 10 are installed, while the delay usually is increased to allow also for the installation of the gutter 14. With reference to Figure 4, there is shown a roofing gutter support bracket device 50 according to an embodiment of the invention. The device 50 10 has a first component 52 shown more fully in Figures 5 to 8. The device 50 also has a second component 54 shown more fully in Figures 9 to 12. The component 52 comprises a fascia clip, while component 54 comprises a gutter clip. In device 50, clips 52 and 54 are releasably inter-fitted to enable device 50 to function to enable a gutter section to be supported in relation to a fascia 15 of a building. However, at least two devices 50 would support a gutter section, or a length of roofing guttering comprising at least two gutter sections. Each device 50 has its clips 52 and 54 interfitting to enable the height of its gutter clip 54 to be adjusted to a selected one of a plurality of holding positions, relative to its fascia-clip 52, to provide a required fall for the guttering. 20 The bracket device 50 is shown in an in use orientation. In description of device 50 and its clips 52 and 54, the terms "upper", "lower", "front" and "rear' have the same meanings as applicable to a building fascia on which the device is mountable. Also, "lateral" denotes a horizontal direction at right angles to a front to rear direction and, hence, a direction parallel to the 25 longitudinal extent of the fascia. As shown in Figures 5 to 8, the fascia clip 52 has a front part 56 and rear part 57 which are joined in spaced relationship by a connecting part 58 extending between the upper ends of parts 56 and 57. Relative to the solid post-like form of front part 56, rear part 57 and connecting part 58 are relative 30 thin. The clip 52 preferably is formed of a material, such as injection moulded plastics material, which enables rear part 57 and, optionally, connecting part 58 to be flexible relative to front part 56. The rear part 57 has a section 57a which extends forwardly and downwardly from the rear edge of part 58 to a Prov spec fromn IRN 849537 12 April 10doc 10 section 57b which is substantially parallel to front part 56. From the lower end of section 57b, rear part 57 has a lower section 57c which curves forwardly and then rearwardly about a lateral axis to define a biasing nose 59 spaced a short distance from front part 56. Along the junction between its sections 57a 5 and 57b, rear part 57 has an upwardly projecting, laterally extending bead 60. As seen in side elevations in Figures 7 and 8, it can be recognised that fascia clip 52 has a form somewhat similar to clip 10 of Figures 1 to 3. Thus, relative to a fascia 12 as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the fascia clip 54 is able to be installed on fascia 12 in a manner similar to clip 10. For this, clip 52 is 10 presented downwardly to locate the mouth 61 defined between the lower ends of front and rear parts 56 and 57 over the junction 37 of fascia 12. The clip 54 then is forced downwardly to cause rear part 57 to flex rearwardly. This enables front part 56 to pass downwardly over the front surface 30a of fascia 12 and recovery of rear part 57 to locate the nose 59 of its section 57c against 15 rear surface 30b of fascia 12. When this is achieved, bead 60 locates in front of the free edge of margin 34, and then is able to act to prevent unintended lifting of clip 52 from the fascia 12. The fascia clip 52 is to inter-fit with the gutter clip 54. To enable this, front part 56 of clip 52 is configured on each of its side faces 56a and 56b. 20 Thus, on side 56a, front part 56 has a laterally open groove 62 which extends upwardly from the lower end 56c of front part 56. On its side 56b, front part 56 has a saw-tooth configuration defining a ratchet 63 having a series of teeth 65 each having a horizontally disposed, upwardly facing abutment surface 65a and, from the free end of each tooth 65, a downwardly and laterally inclined 25 cam surface 65b. The purpose and functioning of groove 62 and ratchet 63 will be explained later herein. As shown in Figures 9 to 12, the gutter clip 54 has a front part 66 and a rear part 67, with the front part 66 having two laterally spaced sections 66a. The rear part 67 is joined to each front part section 66a by a respective one of 30 two laterally spaced sections 68a of connecting part 68 extending between the upper ends of parts 66 and 67. The rear part 67 has a narrow skirt section 67a which extends laterally between and downwardly from the rear edge of the sections 68a of connecting part 68. The rear part 67 also includes an elongate Pmy spec fmm IRN 849537 12 AprM 10.doc 11 locating section 67b extending downwardly from one end of skirt section 67a, and an engaging section 67c which extends downwardly from the other end of skirt section 67a. The locating section 67b includes an elongate upstanding plate 70 which has its width dimension extending in the front to rear direction, 5 and a narrow tongue 71 which extends down the one of the main surfaces of plate 70 which faces towards engaging section 67c. The engaging section 67c is of U-shape and has the upper end of a first leg 72a connected to an end of skirt section 67a and its second leg 72b extending upwardly between the first leg 72a and the locating section 67b, but laterally spaced from tongue 71. At 10 its upper end, the second leg 72b has a tooth 73 which projects laterally towards locating section 67b and, hence, oppositely to teeth 65 of ratchet 63 of fascia clip 52. At least leg 72b of the engaging section 67c is flexible to enable its upper end and tooth 73 to flex and move closer to leg 72a. The tooth 73 has a downwardly facing, horizontally disposed abutment surface 73a and, 15 from the free edge of tooth 73, an upwardly and laterally inclined cam surface 73b. Each of the laterally spaced sections 66a of front part 66 of clip 54 extends downwardly from the forward edge of a respective section 68a of connecting part 68. Each of sections 66a is of L-section, to provide a front wall 20 74 and a side wall 75, with walls 74 and 75 substantially at right angles. Each side wall 75 has a configured rear edge 75a to provide a lower, rounded and rearwardly projecting nose 75b, and two rearwardly projecting teeth 75c each having a horizontally disposed, upwardly facing, abutment surface 75d. To form support device 50, the fascia clip 52 and the gutter clip 54 are 25 assembled together. For this, clip 54 is positioned below clip 52 to locate the lower end of front part 56 of clip 52 above the tongue 71 of locating section 67b and above the leg 72b and the tooth 73 of the engaging section 67c of clip 54. The arrangement is such that, with clip 54 so positioned in relation to clip 52, tongue 71 is in line with groove 62, and the overhang of tooth 73 laterally 30 from leg 72b in line with the teeth 65 of ratchet 63. Clip 54 then is moved up relative to clip 52 so that the upper end of tongue 71 is received into the lower end of groove 62, and the cam surface 73b of tooth 73 comes into contact with the cam surface 65b of the lowest tooth 65 of ratchet 63. As clip 54 is moved Prov spec from IRN 849637 12 Aprl 10.do 12 further, the contacting cam surfaces 65b and 73b cause tooth 73 to move laterally, with flexing of leg 72b away from ratchet 63 until tooth 73 clears the lower tooth 65. The leg 72b then is able to recover resiliently to bring cam surface 73b into contact with the surface 65b of the next tooth 65 of ratchet 63. 5 The movement is able to continue in this manner, with tongue 71 moving further along groove 62, until a required tongue and groove engagement is achieved, and the abutment surface 73a of tooth 73 is positioned over and against the abutment surface 65a of a selected tooth 65. This may be the top tooth 65, or an intermediate one of teeth 65, of ratchet 63. In any event, 10 engagement between the respective abutment surfaces 65a and 73a prevent clip 54 from being able to be moved downwardly relative to clip 52, enabling clips 52 and 54 to be held in a selected assembled condition required for support device 50. If required, a tool can be inserted upwardly between ratchet 63 and leg 15 72b, and manipulated to cause leg 72b to flex and draw tooth 73 out of engagement with the selected one of teeth 65. The clip 54 then can be moved down relative to clip 52, either to disassemble device 50, or to enable leg 72b to recover to engage tooth 73 with a lower tooth 65 of ratchet 63. The fascia clip 52 can be mounted on a fascia as detailed above, either 20 before or after clips 52 and 54 are assembled together. However, with support device 50 mounted by its clip 52 on the fascia, a gutter section then can be positioned in relation to the fascia and supported by device 50. For this, the gutter section is moved upwardly relative to the fascia and device 50 so that the upper edge of the rear wall of the gutter section is received behind the rear 25 edge 75a of the side wall 75 of the parts 66a of front parts 66 of clip 54, and in front of both the rear part 67 of clip 54 and the front part 56 of clip 52. In positioning the rear wall of a gutter section behind edge 75a of the part 66a, the nose 75b initially guides the upper edge of that wall. Thereafter the upper edge passes the successive teeth 75c defined by edge 75a, with the 30 gutter section being retained in relation to clip 54 by location of a profiled section of the rear wall of the gutter section above the upper one of teeth 75c. The gutter section then is able to move relative to the fascia and fascia clip 52 as the gutter clip 54 is adjusted up or down relative to clip 52. Pm spec frm IRN 849537 12 Apnl 10.0oc 13 Each of Figures 13 and 14 shows a device 50 according to Figure 4 which is mounted in relation to a fascia 12 and supports a gutter section 14 in relation to the fascia 12. In Figure 13, the clip 54 has been raised relative to clip 52 to the uppermost selectable position. That is, the abutment face 73a of 5 tooth 73 is supported on the abutment face 65a of the uppermost tooth 65 of ratchet 63. In Figure 14, face 65a of tooth 65 is on a surface 65a of a lowermost tooth 65 of ratchet 63. As shown, the gutter section 14 at device 50, is at a respective height relative to fascia 12, in each of Figures 13 and 14. The selected height can differ from that at another device 50 further along 10 gutter section 14 or further along guttering of which section 14 forms a part. Thus, the fall for the guttering can be adjusted as appropriate. Figures 15 and '6 show a gutter clip 154 for a bracket device according to a second embodiment of the invention. The fascia clip of that embodiment may be the same as gutter clip 52 of the device 50 shown in Figure 4. 15 Description therefore will be limited to features of gutter clip 154 by which it differs from gutter clip 54 of the device 50 of Figure 4. To the extent that features of gutter clip 154 are essentially the same as those of gutter clip 54, they are identified in Figures 15 and 16 by the same reference numeral plus 100. 20 The principle difference in gutter clip 154 is the form of leg 172b of engaging section 167c. As shown, leg 172b is of a corrugated, in this instance somewhat sinusoidal, mid-region 80, while the tooth 173 is offset from the adjacent extent of leg 172b towards the tongue 171 of locating section 167b. Also, to allow for that offset, an arcuate recess 82 is provided in tongue 171. 25 That added rigidity increases the strength with which tooth 173 is able to engage with any of teeth 65 of the fascia clip 52 to be used with gutter clip 154. This is found to be particularly beneficial where tooth 173 is to engage one of the lowermost teeth 65 of a fascia clip 52. The offset of tooth 173 further assists in attaining more positive engagement of tooth 173 with any of 30 teeth 65, as does a light inclination of leg 172b away from leg 172a to further locate tooth closer to tongue 171. The offset of tooth 173 and that inclination of leg 172b give rise to the need to provide recess 82. Pov sped from IRN 849637 12 Aprl 10.doc 14 A modified form of gutter clip 154 shown in Figures 17 and 18 differs from the form shown in Figures 15 and 16 only in that plate 170 has a length providing an extension 84 which extends well below the tongue 171. The extension 84 results in plate 170 providing full support over the full height of 5 the back wall of the gutter with which it is used, at all height settings for the gutter relative to gutter clip 154. One requirement for guttering for compliance with Australian Standards is for the front lip of the gutter not to deflect more than a given amount when a set load is applied. A gutter clip which moves up or down with a gutter section 10 can cause a gutter to fail to comply with that requirement if support for the back wall of the gutter changes. The clip 50 enables the requirement to be satisfied as it gives support near the bottom of the back wall of the gutter section at all settings, due to the provision of nose 75b of the rear edge 75a of each front wall part 66 of clip 54. The requirement is even more positively complied with 15 with a device according to the second embodiment, i.e. a fascia clip 52 as in the first embodiment and a gutter clip of the modified form shown in Figures 17 and 18. Also of importance, and shown most clearly in Figures 13 and 14, the rear wall of the gutter section is spaced from the front face of fascia 12. The 20 spacing is at least equal to the width of plate 70 of locating section 67b of clip 54, and preferably is at least 10mm. Thus a substantial spacing is maintained between the rear wall of gutter section 14 and the front face of fascia 12, between successive support devices 50. The spacing enables water overflowing the gutter section rear wall to pass down between the gutter 25 section and fascia, rather than overflowing behind the fascia with a risk of water entering a wall cavity. Again, the requirement is even more positively complied with with a device according to the second embodiment, i.e. a fascia clip 52 as in the first embodiment and a gutter clip of the modified form shown in Figures 17 and 18. 30 Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention. Prv spec fom IRN 849537 12 Apr1 10.doc

Claims (10)

1. A roofing gutter support bracket device, wherein the device is an assembly of a fascia-clip and a gutter clip, with the clips adjustably engaged with each other; wherein, relative to an in use orientation for supporting a 5 gutter in relation to a fascia, each clip has a front part and a rear part joined in spaced relationship at their upper ends by a respective connecting part; wherein the bracket device has co-operating guide elements defined by the front part of the fascia clip and the rear part of the gutter clip which engage to enable the gutter clip to move up and down relative to the fascia clip in that 10 orientation, and an adjustable detent mechanism having a respective section on the front part of the fascia clip and the rear part of the gutter clip and operable by co-operation between those sections to hold the gutter clip in a selected one of a plurality of holding positions relative to the fascia clip; and wherein, with the bracket device mounted on a fascia with the fascia clip 15 received down over the upper edge of a fascia to locate the rear part down over the rear face of the fascia, the front part down over the front face of the fascia and to locate the connecting part adjacent to the top edge of the fascia, to thereby position the gutter clip in front of the fascia, and with the rear wall of a gutter section received upwardly between the front and rear parts of the 20 gutter clip for movement therewith relative to the fascia clip, the rear wall of the gutter section is spaced from the fascia to define an overflow gap for water overflowing the rear wall of the gutter section.

2. The bracket device of claim 1, wherein the rear part, the connecting part, or each of the rear and connecting parts, of the fascia clip is flexible, to 25 enable the rear part of the fascia clip to bear resiliently against the rear face of the fascia.

3. The bracket device of claim I or claim 2, wherein the fascia clip has a formation locatable under an upper edge formation of the fascia to resist unintended lifting of the fascia clip from the fascia. 30

4. The bracket device of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the co-operating guide elements comprise a tongue and groove arrangement in which a tongue on one of the clips extends into a groove defined by the other clip with the Prov speci from IRN 849537 12 Apri 104dc 16 groove being laterally open with respect to the front to rear spacing of the front and rear parts of each clip.

5. The bracket device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the adjustable detent mechanism of the bracket device includes a series of abutment 5 members spaced upwardly along a surface of one of the clips and at least one abutment member on the other of the clips, whereby as the gutter clip is moved up relative to the fascia clip, either successive abutment member of the series ride up over the at least one abutment member, or the at least one abutment member rides up over successive abutment members of the series, 10 depending respectively on whether the series is on the gutter clip or the fascia clip, and wherein the co-operation between the at least one abutment member and the abutment members of the series enables the gutter clip to be held in a selected one of a plurality of holding positions relative to the fascia clip.

6. The bracket device of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the abutment 15 members of the series comprise a series of teeth of a linear ratchet and relative to the in-use orientation, each tooth of the series has an upper or lower horizontally disposed abutment surface and an inclined lower or upper cam surface, depending on whether the ratchet is one of the gutter clip or the fascia clip, respectively. 20

7. The bracket device of claim 6, wherein the at least one abutment member comprises at least one tooth, with the at least one tooth having a horizontally disposed abutment surface and an inclined cam surface which face oppositely to the abutment surfaces and cam surfaces, respectively, of the ratchet. 25

8. The bracket device of claim 7, wherein the at least one abutment member is mounted on at least one resilient finger which flexes to enable relative movement between the clips as the clips are moved into an assembly position for the bracket device, and recovery of the at least one resilient finger moves the at least one abutment member into an abutment engaging position 30 with a selected abutment member of the series to hold the clips in a selected one of successive holding positions.

9. The bracket device of claim 8, wherein the at least one resilient finger has corrugations along its length to limit the extent of its resilience. Pouv spec Imm IRN 849537 12 April 1doc 17

10. The bracket of claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Pmv spec fromn IRN 849537 12 Aprli 1.doc