AU2010201644B2

AU2010201644B2 - Gutter shroud

Info

Publication number: AU2010201644B2
Application number: AU2010201644A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Christopher Lee Healy
Original assignee: Stramit Corp Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Stramit Corp Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2009-04-23
Filing date: 2010-04-23
Publication date: 2015-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 2030-04-23
Also published as: AU2010201644A1

Abstract

Abstract A protective device for use with roof guttering of a building is in the form of a thin, elongate member, or shroud, adapted to be mounted, at locations spaced 5 along its length, in relation to guttering or to a fascia on which the guttering is supported. When so mounted, the member or shroud extends along and has its lateral extent project upwardly above the upper edge of the front wall of the guttering, thereby enabling use of low-front or low-mounted guttering. C:Pd\oMCompete sped frmm Pro IRN 852021doc 46a 46 42a 17a 23 1-f 48 B 101- C 44 42 18 . 11 46a 20 46 42a 17a 23 17--"

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: GUTTER SHROUD 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 6067 SD 2 This invention relates to a protective device for use with roof guttering of a building. Most gutters currently have high fronts. This, for the most part, hides the unsightly edge of the roof and also catches fast moving water from the roof, 5 preventing it overshooting the gutter. In recent years changes to regulations and standards have highlighted a requirement for any gutter overflow to be directed away from the building. In theory, if a blockage occurs with a conventional 'high-fronted' gutter, the blockage may result in an overflow which flows over the fascia, and back into the eaves or wall cavity. Some standard solutions are identified in the Australian 0 Standard, such as having a large gap between the gutter and the fascia or having the front wall of the gutter lower than the rear wall. However, it is difficult to provide a large gap with metal fascia systems, while a lower front wall fails to catch fast flowing roof water or to hide the roof edge. A more common industry approach is to have, in a gutter with front and rear walls of similar height, a series of narrow slots in the front 5 wall in a position well below the top edge of the back wall. This suffers from having limited overflow capacity and tends to block with debris. The present invention is directed to providing a protective system for use with roof guttering of a building which provides a different approach to dealing with those matters. At least in a preferred form, the system of the invention overcomes at least 0 one of the problems of concealing the edge of the roof from view, enabling use of a low fronted gutter to reduce the risk of water overflowing the back wall of the gutter, and avoiding overshooting of the gutter by fast flowing roof water. The invention provides a protective system for use with roof guttering of a building, wherein the system includes: a plurality of brackets each having a first end 25 engageable with guttering, with a fascia or with a fascia clip by which the guttering is supported on the fascia; and a protective device including a thin, elongate member, hereinafter referred to as a shroud, which has a longitudinal channel of re-entrant cross-section to provide a corresponding rib on an opposite face of the shroud, wherein a terminal portion at a second end of the bracket is of a shape 30 corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the channel or rib to enable the shroud to be mounted by interfitting, at locations spaced along its length, to the brackets, whereby the shroud extends along and has its lateral extent project upwardly above the upper edge of the front wall of the guttering, thereby enabling use of low-front or low-mounted guttering.

3 The brackets may be engageable with the guttering, with the fascia or with a fascia 5 clip by which the guttering is supported on the fascia. The shroud preferably is adapted to be mounted at locations along its length which are adjacent to, or nearer to, one edge of the shroud and adjacent to a longitudinal body portion comprising a main part of the width of the shroud. Preferably, along at least one longitudinal line, the body portion of the shroud 0 has two laterally adjacent portions of its width which are mutually inclined. The shroud may be stiffened by at least one, preferably each, of the adjacent portions having at least one longitudinal a rib which is narrow relative to the width of the portion. The system may further include the guttering, particularly where the guttering 5 has a form enabling its engagement by the brackets. The device preferably is such that, when mounted in relation to guttering installed on the fascia of a building, it is able to hide or obscure the edge of roofing of the building located adjacent to the guttering. It preferably also blocks fast moving water from the roof against overshooting the gutter, while allowing the guttering to 0 have a low front wall. In these regards, the device functions as a shield or shroud and, for ease of description, the latter term now will be used, and "shroud" is to be understood as enabling these three abilities. Where the shroud is adapted to interfit with brackets to be engaged with the fascia or with a fascia clip, each bracket may have a first end at which it is adapted 25 to be so engaged and a second with which the shroud is able to interfit. A body portion of the bracket may provide spacing between the first and second ends of the bracket, with the bracket preferably having a length 30 4 which is at least a major part of the spacing between the front and rear walls of the guttering. Where the first end of the bracket is to engage with the fascia, it may do so in a manner similar to that by which a gutter support clip engages with the 5 fascia. Thus, at the first end, the bracket may have a terminal portion which has a form similar to that of a gutter support clip, with the terminal portion having an inverted U-shape which enables it to be received downwardly to straddle the upper edge of the fascia. At its second end the bracket may have a terminal portion formed by two fingers between which a re-entrant bight is 10 defined, to enable a profile rib of the shroud of a cross-sectional form complementary to the bight to be neatly received and held in the bight, such as by a snap fit. In a first variant of such a bracket to be engaged with the fascia, the first end of each bracket may comprise a gutter support clip. That is, a body 15 portion may be integral with and extend from a fascia support clip, to a second end. The second end may have a terminal portion defined by two fingers as described above, with a rib of the shroud inter-fitting in a bight defined between the fingers. In a second variant, the first end of each bracket may be adapted to 20 engage the fascia by means of an engagement between the first end and a respective gutter support clip by which guttering is supported against the fascia. That is, the gutter support clip may be adapted to be engaged by the bracket. Thus, for example, a front portion of the support clip may define upper and lower keyholes in each of which a respective one of two projecting 25 studs at the first end of the bracket is able to be received and secured by an enlarged free end of the stud. In each of those variants, there may be a complementary form of engagement between the shroud and the bracket. That is, the shroud may have a longitudinal groove of re-entrant cross-section in which a 30 correspondingly shaped terminal portion at the second end of the bracket can be neatly received, to hold the shroud such as by a snap fit engagement. In each of these variants, the bracket may be formed from sheet metal of a suitable gauge. The bracket may be cut or stamped to provide an C:\poford\Complete sped iOn Pov IRN 852021.doc 5 appropriate profile and, at least in the cases where the first end is similar to or comprises a gutter support clip, the terminal portion to provide the first end can be produced by bending. Preferably, in each case, the bracket has a body portion which, in use, has the form of a substantially vertically disposed plate 5 or strip. Where the first end of the bracket is to engage with the gutter rather than the fascia, the engagement may be by the bracket having a first end engageable with either the rear wall or the front wall of the guttering, a second end with which the shroud is able to interfit and a body portion by which the 10 first and second ends are spaced. In each case, the bracket again may be formed from sheet metal of a suitable gauge. Where the bracket is to engage the rear wall of the guttering, the bracket may have a body portion which is bent so that a first part, in use, has the form of a substantially horizontally disposed plate or strip which extends from the rear wall forwards the front wall 15 of the guttering and a second part is able to extend upwardly to define the second end of the bracket with which the shroud is able to interfit. The first end of the bracket may comprise a terminal portion which is bent relative to the body portion to a form able to engage with the gutter at the upper edge of the rear wall. The second end may be an end margin which is bent back towards 20 the first end, to define a re-entrant bight which widens inwardly from its mouth. An edge margin of the shroud may define a longitudinal channel of essentially the same cross-section as the end margin at the second end, so that the channel is able to receive the end margin as a neat fit, such as by a snap fit engagement. The arrangement preferably is such that, when the shroud 25 interfits with the second end of the bracket, a longitudinal edge of the shroud remote from the channel is located below the second end of the bracket, and inwardly of the upper edge of the front wall of the guttering. In that arrangement, the bracket may be cantilevered from the top edge of the rear wall of the guttering. However, it alternatively may be supported. 30 There may be an extension of the first part of the body portion which projects beyond a bend between the first and second parts, with the extension adapted for engaging the upper edge of the front wall of the guttering. A terminal part C:ponwnComple1te Spe fOM Prov IRN 852021.doc 6 of the extension may, for example, be shaped to be receivable in and held by a rearwardly turned upper edge of the guttering front wall. For a bracket which is to engage the front wall of the guttering, but not the rear wall, the first end of the bracket may engage with a formation provided 5 along the upper edge of the front wall. That upper edge may, for example, be a rearwardly turned edge margin of the front wall. The turned edge margin preferably is turned rearwardly and downwardly, and then downwardly and forwardly, to define with a main part of the front wall a channel which increases in width inwardly from its opening. The first end of the bracket has a shape 10 corresponding to the cross-section of the channel so as to be neatly receivable in the channel, such as by a snap fit. From the first end, the body portion of the bracket may curve such that, with the first end engaged with the channel, the second end of the bracket is located above the front wall of the guttering. Along an edge of the shroud at which the second end of the bracket is to 15 engage, the shroud may define a groove of a re-entrant form which increases in width inwardly from its mouth. The second end of the bracket may have a shape which corresponds to the cross-section of the channel so as to be neatly receivable in the channel, such as by a snap fit. The bracket for such engagement with the front, but not the rear, wall of 20 the guttering may be formed from metal sheet of a suitable gauge. In use, it may be disposed in a substantially vertical plane. Also, a shroud interfitted with such a bracket may have a longitudinal edge located below the channel, so as to extend below the upper edge of the front wall of the guttering, either in front of or behind the front wall. 25 In each arrangement, the shroud is of substantially uniform section along its length and may be produced of sheet metal of a suitable gauge. Alternatively the shroud can be produced by extrusion of a suitable plastics material. When of metal, the shroud can be produced by rollforming or folding, although a plastics form can be extruded in the required cross-section. 30 In order that the invention may more readily be understood, description now is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an arrangement according to a first embodiment of the present invention, shown in an end elevation with respect to a fascia and C:\poftord\Compete spec frn Prv IRN 852021.doc 7 gutter system in which the arrangement is provided, with the gutter in an uppermost position; Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 1, but shows the gutter system in a lowermost position; 5 Figure 3 is a perspective view of the gutter of Figure 1; Figures 4 to 6 correspond to Figures 1 to 3, respectively, but show a second embodiment of the invention; and Figures 7 to 9 correspond to Figures 1 to 3, respectively, but show a third embodiment of the invention. 10 Figures 1 to 3 show a fascia F against which a gutter section G is supported by a plurality of gutter support clips C, of which only one is shown. The clip C is partly obscured in Figures 1 and 2. However as can be appreciated most readily from Figures 7 to 9, the clip C has an inverted U shape which is able to be received down over the upper edge of the fascia F, 15 to locate front and rear legs 10 and 11 adjacent to the front and rear surfaces, respectively, of the fascia F. The legs 10 and 11 are joined at their upper ends by a web section 12 of the clip C, while the upper end of leg 11 is shaped to extend under a rearwardly turned upper margin 13 of the fascia F, while a tang 14 locates against the free edge of margin 13 in the event of forces acting to 20 cause unintended lifting of clip C from fascia F. The front leg 10 of the clip has an upwardly spaced series of rearwardly and upwardly extending tangs 16. The upper extent of the rear wall 17 of gutter section G is received between leg 10 of clip C and the front surface of fascia F. A forwardly and downwardly turned edge margin 18 of gutter section G is able to engage with a selected 25 one of tangs 16 to position gutter section G at a required height relative to fascia F to achieve required fall for gutter section G. Returning now to Figures 1 to 3 the arrangement shown also includes an elongate, thin shroud S and a plurality of brackets B. Only one bracket B is visible, although they all preferably are of the same form and described with 30 reference to that one. A first end 20 of bracket B is engaged with the fascia F, while the shroud S interfits with the second end 22 of bracket B. The shroud S is of elongate form and extends along gutter section G. The ends 20 and 22 are spaced by a body portion 24 of bracket B so that shroud S is positioned as C:\pofWordComplete sped om Pro IRN 852021 doc 8 required in relation to the front wall 23 of gutter section G. The openings 25 shown in body portion 24 are so as not to hinder water flow along the gutter, while they also provide weight and material saving. The first end 20 of bracket B is spaced to one side of clip C 5 longitudinally of gutter section G. The end 20 has a form which generally is similar to the overall form of clip C, except that it does not have tangs corresponding to tang 14 or tangs 16 of clip C. However, end 20 fits over the upper edge of fascia F in a manner similar to clip C. Thus, the front and rear legs 26 and 27 of end 20 extend down and adjacent to the front and rear 10 surfaces of fascia F, while the web 28 joining the upper ends of legs 26 and 27 extends across the upper edge of fascia F. The leg 27 is configured to bear against, or be closely adjacent to, the free edge of margin 15 of fascia F to prevent unintended lifting of bracket B from fascia F. With end 20 engaged with the fascia F, body portion 24 is cantilevered 15 from fascia F. The body portion 24 extends over a major part of the spacing between the rear wall 17 and front wall 23 of gutter section G, such as from about 70% to 85% of that spacing. The second end 22 of bracket B is defined by upper and lower fingers 29 and 30 which are inclined upwardly when the front end 20 of bracket B is engaged with fascia F. Each of fingers 29 and 30 20 provides a continuation of the upper and lower edges respectively of body portion 24, but with the lower finger 30 inclined upwardly at a greater angle than finger 29. Thus a bight 31 defined between fingers 29 and 30 increases in width inwardly of the mouth of the bight, that is, in a direction towards body portion 24. 25 The lower edge of shroud S is shaped to define a forwardly open channel 32 which increases in width inwardly from its mouth. Thus, the rear surface of shroud S defines a longitudinal rib and this has a cross-section which is the complement of bight 31 between fingers 29 and 30. Thus, shroud S is able to interfit with bracket B as shown, and similarly with other successive 30 brackets spaced along gutter section G. The shroud S is of substantially uniform section along its length and may be produced of sheet metal of a suitable gauge. Alternatively the shroud S can be produced by extrusion of a suitable plastics material. When of metal, C:pofrd\Complete sped from Po IRN 852021.doc 9 the shroud can be produced by rollforming or folding, although a plastics form can be extruded in the required cross-section. The shroud may, for example, be from 0.3 to 2.0 mm thick, such as from 0.5 to 2.0 mm thick. The shroud S has its lateral extent disposed forwardly and upwardly 5 from bracket B. At least with gutter section G in its uppermost position shown in Figures 1 and 3, the lower edge of shroud S is located inwardly from and lower than the upper edge of front wall 23 of gutter section G. However, even with section G in its lowermost position shown in Figure 2, the lowermost edge of shroud S and the upper edge of wall 23 either are horizontally in line or the 10 lowermost edge of shroud S is a small distance below or only a small distance above the upper edge of wall 23. Thus, as viewed from most vantage positions, the edge of roofing of a building on which fascia F is provided is concealed from view. Also, with all height adjustments for gutter section G, fast flowing roof water will be caught by the shroud S and guided into the 15 gutter section G, despite section G having a low front wall 23. The arrangement of Figures 4 to 6 generally will be understood from the description of Figures 1 to 3. In Figures 4 to 6, corresponding references are used, and description largely will be limited to features by which the embodiment of Figures 4 to 6 differ from the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3. 20 In Figures 4 to 6, the bracket B has its first end 20 engaged with the upper edge 18 of the rear wall 17 of gutter section G. The first end 20 is in the form of a flange 40 which is turned from a first part 42 of body portion 24. The flange 40 is folded so as to extend between that upper edge 18 of rear wall 17 and a longitudinally extending rib 17a defined by rear wall 17 of gutter section 25 G. The edge 18 and rib 17a firmly hold flange 40 against wall 17. From that engagement, part 42 of body portion 24 extends across gutter section G, towards front wall 23, while portion 24 has a part 44 which extends upwardly from part 42. To support the bracket B across the top of gutter section G, an extension 46 of part 42 has a turned end 46a which is secured in an inwardly 30 and downwardly turned edge margin 47 of wall 23, which part has a stiffening flange 42a. The second end 22 of bracket B is folded upwardly from body portion 24 and then rearwardly towards first end 20, to define a bight 48 which increases in width inwardly from its mouth. Adjacent to its upper edge, shroud CC o plete sped fromr Prv IRN 852021 doc 10 S is similarly formed along its length so as to define a channel 49 by which it interfits with end 22 by the latter being nestably received in the channel 49. From that channel 49, shroud S extends down along part 44, with its lower free edge bearing against part 44. 5 The configured shroud S of Figures 4 to 6 can be formed from sheet metal or extruded plastics materials. Also, it serves the same beneficial functions as the shroud S of Figures 1 to 3. The arrangement of Figures 7 to 9 generally will be understood from the description of Figures 1 to 3. In Figures 7 to 9, corresponding references are 10 used, and description largely will be limited to features by which the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6 differs from the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3. The arrangement of Figures 7 to 9 differs principally in that bracket B is engaged at its first end 20 with the inwardly turned upper edge 23a of front wall 23 of gutter section G. In the illustrated arrangement, second end 22 of 15 bracket B is above that upper edge 23a, while shroud S extends down so that its edge remote from end 22 is located outside the front wall 23 of section G. This is due to the forward inclination of body portion 24 of bracket B. A more upright disposition for body portion 24 could be adopted, if required, to enable the lower edge of shroud S to be positioned behind the upper extent of front 20 wall 23 of gutter section G. The engagement of end 20 with wall 23 and the interfitting of shroud S on end 22 will be understood from previous description. The shroud S of Figures 7 to 9 serves the same beneficial functions as detailed for shroud S of Figures 1 to 3. Also, it can be formed by similar processes and of similar materials to shroud S of Figures 1 to 3. 25 Shroud S of each of the embodiments 4 to 6, and Figures 7 to 9, is mounted on and moveable with the respective gutter section G. Thus, in both the uppermost positions of Figures 4 and 7, and the lowermost positions of Figures 5 and 8, respectively, the shroud S is a little more readily able to serve its roof edge concealing function than can be the case with the shroud S of 30 Figures 1 to 3 in some instances. The shroud S of Figures 4 to 6, as well as that of Figures 7 to 9, can be formed of the materials, and by the processes and of the thicknesses described above for the shroud S of Figures 1 to 3. In all three embodiments, C:pof~ ord\Complete Spec from Prv IRN 852021.doc 11 the shroud S most preferably is imperforate. However, in each case, the shroud S can be perforate, in being formed with perforations of circular, elongate or other form. The perforations most preferably impart a downward movement to any fluid passing through the shroud such as by the perforations 5 able to function as louvres to provide a downward direction to such fluid which passes through the perforations. Thus, in the event of the shroud S serving to catch fast flowing roof water, water passing through the perforations is able to be directed down the front face of the shroud S and into the guttering. At other times, the perforations can allow air to pass through the shroud and, in 10 combination with any longitudinal ribs, minimise risk of noise from wind generated vibration. 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 15 invention. C:\poftottComplete sped fromn Pmv IRN 852021.doc

Claims

1. A protective system for use with roof guttering of a building, wherein the system includes: a plurality of brackets each having a first end engageable with guttering, with a fascia or with a fascia clip by which the guttering is supported on the fascia; and a protective device including a thin, elongate member, hereinafter referred to as a shroud, which has a longitudinal channel of re-entrant cross-section to provide a corresponding rib on an opposite face of the shroud, wherein a terminal portion at a second end of the bracket is of a shape corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the channel or rib to enable the shroud to be mounted by interfiting, at locations spaced along its length, to the brackets, whereby the shroud extends along and has its lateral extent project upwardly above the upper edge of the front wall of the guttering, thereby enabling use of low-front or low-mounted guttering.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the terminal portion at the second end of each bracket includes a bight between a pair of fingers that can neatly receive by a snap fit engagement the longitudinal rib which has a cross-section which is the complement of the bight.

3. The system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the shroud is adapted to be mounted at locations along its length which are adjacent to, or nearer to, one edge of the shroud and adjacent to a longitudinal body portion comprising a main part of the width of the shroud.

4. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein along at least one longitudinal line, the body portion of the shroud has two laterally adjacent portions of its width which are mutually inclined.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the laterally adjacent portions has at least one longitudinal rib which is narrow relative to the width of the portion.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein each of the laterally adjacent portions has at least one said longitudinal rib. 13

7. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shroud is formed from an elongate steel strip of from 0.3 to 2.0 mm in thickness.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the steel strip is from 0.5 to 2.0 mm thick.

9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the shroud is formed by extrusion or injection moulding of a plastics material.

10. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system further includes the guttering.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the guttering has a form enabling its engagement by the brackets.

12. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shroud, when mounted in relation to guttering installed on the fascia of a building adjacent to an edge of roofing of the building, is able to hide or obscure the edge of roofing of the building.

13. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shroud, when mounted in relation to guttering installed on the fascia of a building adjacent to an edge of roofing of the building, is able to block fast moving water from the roof against overshooting the gutter.

14. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shroud, when mounted in relation to guttering which has a low front wall and which is installed on the fascia of a building adjacent to an edge of roofing of the building, is both able to hide or obscure the edge of the roofing and able to block fast moving water from the roof against overshooting the gutter.

15. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each bracket includes a body portion by which the first and second ends are mutually spaced, with 14 the bracket having a length which is at least a major part of the spacing between the front and rear walls of the guttering.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first end of each bracket has a terminal portion of inverted U-shape receivable downwardly to straddle the upper edge of the fascia or an upper edge of the rear wall of the guttering.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first end of each bracket has a terminal portion defined by two studs each having an enlarged free end, with each stud receivable in a respective one of upper and lower keyhole openings in a front portion of a respective gutter support fascia clip.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first end of each bracket has a shape corresponding to a formation provided along the upper edge of the front wall of the guttering, to enable the body portion to extend to position the second end above the upper edge of the front wall.