CA2305159A1 - Rain gutter trash guard - Google Patents
Rain gutter trash guard Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2305159A1 CA2305159A1 CA 2305159 CA2305159A CA2305159A1 CA 2305159 A1 CA2305159 A1 CA 2305159A1 CA 2305159 CA2305159 CA 2305159 CA 2305159 A CA2305159 A CA 2305159A CA 2305159 A1 CA2305159 A1 CA 2305159A1
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- Prior art keywords
- gutter
- shield
- adapter
- bracket
- brackets
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- Abandoned
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- 239000010813 municipal solid waste Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 51
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 24
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 claims description 11
- 210000003195 fascia Anatomy 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 abstract description 7
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 abstract description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 abstract description 4
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 abstract description 3
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 abstract description 3
- 238000007493 shaping process Methods 0.000 abstract 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000012634 fragment Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000006866 deterioration Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000001012 protector Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000010961 commercial manufacture process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000009508 confectionery Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000007796 conventional method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008595 infiltration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001764 infiltration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002085 persistent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
- E04D13/00—Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage ; Sky-lights
- E04D13/04—Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the like
- E04D13/064—Gutters
- E04D13/072—Hanging means
- E04D13/0725—Hanging means situated above or inside the gutter
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
- E04D13/00—Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage ; Sky-lights
- E04D13/04—Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the like
- E04D13/076—Devices or arrangements for removing snow, ice or debris from gutters or for preventing accumulation thereof
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Tents Or Canopies (AREA)
Abstract
A rain gutter (eavestrough) trash guard that prevents debris such as leaves, sticks or snow from falling into a gutter, and that is directly attached to a standard gutter by a series of simple adapters. The gutter trash guard comprises a gutter cover or shield shaped from a strip of material to a desired profile, with a front edge curved downward allowing water to flow into the gutter and a rear edge bent inwards to form a lip. The front and rear edges of the gutter trash guard shield are engaged and maintained in place by the outer and inner edges of simple adapters screwed into the standard gutter retainer brackets. The gutter trash guard shield is easily installed by snap-fit connection to the adapter brackets by which it is firmly retained in place. The gutter trash guard shield can be manufactured directly at the same manufacturing site as the standard gutters, using the same material and the same technique of shaping the metal strips by bending on a roll-former or similar device.
Description
G:\RDL01\60529 US\spec and claims final 000414.wpd RAIN GUTTER TRASH GUARD
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gutter trash guard for a rain gutter, and more particularly to a gutter trash guard permitting water to flow easily into the gutter while impeding debris (such as leaves, snow or sticks) from entering the gutter and impeding water flow.
Background of the Invention A rain collecting system in a form of a trough or gutter attached to the edge of and under a roof has been standard equipment for many types of buildings, particularly those with sloped roofs, for many decades. A conventional method used to build gutters is to cut a strip of sheet material of required length from a roll and to curve the strip to a desired profile.
This method is frequently performed directly on a construction site using a device generally referred to as a roll-former. The attachment of the gutter to the building is frequently effected by standard retainer brackets that are nailed or otherwise fixed to the fascia board and angled or shaped distal ends of which engage a lip formed on the top outer wall of the gutter. The gutter is conventionally connected to vertical pipes - down spouts - to conduct water away from the gutter.
A common problem associated with these standard rain-collecting gutters is that solid debris accumulates in the gutter and restricts water from leaving the gutter via the down spouts.
Consequently, the gutter ceases to serve its purpose, because the rain water escapes from the gutter over its edges. During the cold months, water residing in the gutter can freeze and congest the gutter even more. The consequent permanent dampness promotes the rusting of connecting parts of the gutter and can generate other serious problems, including possible infiltration of water into the building. To avoid such problems, it is indispensable to manually clean the gutter periodically.
Many attempts have been made to prevent the congestion of rain gutters. Some solutions depend upon some sort of shield or guard that partially covers the opening of the gutter to block trash from entering the gutter and that is specifically formed to utilize the effect of surface tension of water to direct the rain water running from the roof into the gutter. Among the primary objectives in designing a suitable gutter guard is to develop a guard that is inexpensive, easy to manufacture, easy to install, and solid enough to resist the impacts caused by falling snow or branches without being displaced or damaged.
A recurring idea is to design the protecting guard and the rain gutter as one complete "gutter-and-guard" system, in which the standard gutter is replaced by a gutter of a new design and a protecting shield of specific sort is added. In this case, however, a presumably simple improvement of the gutter system on older buildings can turn into a costly and time-consuming process, since all original gutters have to be removed. In addition, the commercial manufacture of gutter-and-guard pieces can become difficult and expensive. Note that resistance of manufacturers of standard gutters to such new designs is to be expected; they may not be willing to combine the manufacture of such new products along with the manufacture of previously existing products. See for example the following U.S. Patents Nos: 2,669,950 to Bartholomew; 2,672,832 to Goetz;
4,757,649 to Vahldieck; 5,016,404 to Briggs; 5,491,998 to Hansen; 5,737,879 to Sweet; and 5,878,533 to Swanfeld, Another frequently proposed improvement does not require the removal and replacement of standard gutters, but involves the attachment of a guard above the opening of the standard gutter. The method of attachment of the guard to a building and the degree of difficulty of installation are, however, different in every particular case. In the majority of cases, the protecting guard is attached to the roof of the building. For example, the protecting guard proposed by Serano in U.S. Patent No. 5,406,755, is attached directly on top of the roof by nails. This attachment, however, permits water to enter into the space between the protecting shield and the shingles of the roof. The consequent continuous moisture under the gutter protector can accelerate the deterioration of the roof and in the long run decrease the durability of the protecting system comprising the bottom edge of the roof with the specific rain gutter structure.
A similar problem can occur when the protecting guard is placed on top of the roof and slid under an array of overlapping shingles. This position of the protecting guard avoids the problem of rain water entering the space between the guard and the roof when running downwards from the roof.
However, this arrangement of the gutter and the protecting guard forms a closed space, which encloses the overhang of the extreme course of shingles and the part of the fascia board. When compared with the standard open gutters, this configuration exposes a considerably larger fraction of the bottom part of the roof to persistent moisture accumulation in this closed space and can accelerate the deterioration of the building. The following patents disclose this kind of arrangement of the gutter guard: U.S. Patents Nos. III; 4,404,775 to Demartini;
4,455,791 to Elko; 5,181,350 to Meckstroth; 5,375,379 to Meckstroth and 6,016,631 to Lowrie.
Few prior designs, however, depend upon attaching the guard directly to a standard gutter. Serano in her U.S. Patent No. 5,911,659 proposes a gutter protector that fits independently into a standard gutter without any fasteners such as nails or screws. Nevertheless, the elaborate form of this gutter guard implies that its manufacture is likely to be complicated and financially demanding. In addition, it could be very difficult to manufacture a complete line of Serano's gutter guards that would fit into the majority of standard gutters of different shapes and profiles. A further problem with Serano's design is that portions of the guard are in direct contact with the outer lip of the gutter, permitting rain to flow over the contacting portions and to drip over the side of the gutter.
Summary of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a gutter trash guard deflecting debris such as leaves, snow or sticks over the gutter while directing the flow of water into the gutter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved gutter trash guard which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which is easy to inspect and replace.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a gutter trash guard that is simply installed and maintained with minimum interference to the building structure or to the existing gutters and associated rain collecting system.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved gutter trash guard system embodying a gutter cover or shield, which is attached by snap-fit connection to a series of spaced adapter brackets that are bolted, screwed or otherwise attached to a standard rain gutter support brackets. The protecting gutter shield may be conveniently cut and shaped from a strip of sheet material, e.g.
coiled sheet steel, to the desired profile, and can be created from the same material as the gutters themselves, directly on the construction site using the roll-former or similar equipment for bending sheet metal. Suitable adapter brackets of varying size and form may be provided as desired, but preferred adapter brackets are provided with a lowermost (when installed) flat base portion provided with a pair of holes mating with holes in the conventional support brackets so that the adapter brackets may each be fastened by bolts or screws to the underlying associated support bracket. Each adapter bracket has specially configured distal and proximal ends to engage and secure matingly configured front and rear edges of the gutter cover.
In a conventional rain gutter installation, the standard gutter retainer or support brackets are attached to the adjoining fascia board. Front and rear flanges of these support brackets engage a rim on the top outer wall of the standard gutter and (usually by means of a nail or other fasteners) the upper rear wall of the gutter. The adapter brackets are formed from strips of rigid material and have in profile view the general form of an "L", which when installed has a longer horizontal side, which has an upwards-sloping outer edge, and a shorter rear vertical side, a rim of which is bent backward to engage a lip in the gutter cover. The length of the base of the bracket is shorter than the exposed part of the gutter retainer bracket. After snap-fit fastening the gutter trash guard onto the adapter brackets, this configuration creates an elongate unbroken opening between the outer rim of the gutter and the outer edge of the gutter trash guard. Thus, water flow into the gutter is nowhere impeded by this design. The outer edge of the gutter trash guard curls downwardly in mating engagement with the distal end of the adapter bracket in order to conduct flowing water through the elongate opening into the gutter, and is retained in the place by the engagement of the upwardly curled front edge of the connecting adapter bracket. The mating bending of the adapter bracket (upward curling) and of the gutter trash guard (downward curling) along with the backwardly bent rear rim of the adapter bracket engaging the rear edge of the gutter trash guard bent inwardly to form a lip, maintain the gutter trash guard firmly retained in place. It can be perceived that once the adapter brackets have been firmly screwed or bolted to the gutter support or retainer brackets, the gutter trash guard can easily be installed by snap-fitting same to the adapter brackets, and can easily be replaced when necessary.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the accompanying drawings, following detailed description and the appended claims.
Brief Description of the Drawings In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a gutter trash guard embodying the present invention mounted to a standard rain gutter by an adapter bracket according to the invention.
Figure 2 is an isometric fragment view of a gutter trash guard according to this invention shown installed on an adapter bracket that is screwed to a standard gutter retainer bracket.
Figure 3 is a top fragmentary schematic plan view of a standard gutter, the support structure therefor, and the attachment of the gutter trash guard to the standard gutter, according to the present invention.
Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view of an adapter bracket according to this invention.
Figure 5 is a fragment isometric view of a gutter trash guard or shield embodying the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figs.
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gutter trash guard for a rain gutter, and more particularly to a gutter trash guard permitting water to flow easily into the gutter while impeding debris (such as leaves, snow or sticks) from entering the gutter and impeding water flow.
Background of the Invention A rain collecting system in a form of a trough or gutter attached to the edge of and under a roof has been standard equipment for many types of buildings, particularly those with sloped roofs, for many decades. A conventional method used to build gutters is to cut a strip of sheet material of required length from a roll and to curve the strip to a desired profile.
This method is frequently performed directly on a construction site using a device generally referred to as a roll-former. The attachment of the gutter to the building is frequently effected by standard retainer brackets that are nailed or otherwise fixed to the fascia board and angled or shaped distal ends of which engage a lip formed on the top outer wall of the gutter. The gutter is conventionally connected to vertical pipes - down spouts - to conduct water away from the gutter.
A common problem associated with these standard rain-collecting gutters is that solid debris accumulates in the gutter and restricts water from leaving the gutter via the down spouts.
Consequently, the gutter ceases to serve its purpose, because the rain water escapes from the gutter over its edges. During the cold months, water residing in the gutter can freeze and congest the gutter even more. The consequent permanent dampness promotes the rusting of connecting parts of the gutter and can generate other serious problems, including possible infiltration of water into the building. To avoid such problems, it is indispensable to manually clean the gutter periodically.
Many attempts have been made to prevent the congestion of rain gutters. Some solutions depend upon some sort of shield or guard that partially covers the opening of the gutter to block trash from entering the gutter and that is specifically formed to utilize the effect of surface tension of water to direct the rain water running from the roof into the gutter. Among the primary objectives in designing a suitable gutter guard is to develop a guard that is inexpensive, easy to manufacture, easy to install, and solid enough to resist the impacts caused by falling snow or branches without being displaced or damaged.
A recurring idea is to design the protecting guard and the rain gutter as one complete "gutter-and-guard" system, in which the standard gutter is replaced by a gutter of a new design and a protecting shield of specific sort is added. In this case, however, a presumably simple improvement of the gutter system on older buildings can turn into a costly and time-consuming process, since all original gutters have to be removed. In addition, the commercial manufacture of gutter-and-guard pieces can become difficult and expensive. Note that resistance of manufacturers of standard gutters to such new designs is to be expected; they may not be willing to combine the manufacture of such new products along with the manufacture of previously existing products. See for example the following U.S. Patents Nos: 2,669,950 to Bartholomew; 2,672,832 to Goetz;
4,757,649 to Vahldieck; 5,016,404 to Briggs; 5,491,998 to Hansen; 5,737,879 to Sweet; and 5,878,533 to Swanfeld, Another frequently proposed improvement does not require the removal and replacement of standard gutters, but involves the attachment of a guard above the opening of the standard gutter. The method of attachment of the guard to a building and the degree of difficulty of installation are, however, different in every particular case. In the majority of cases, the protecting guard is attached to the roof of the building. For example, the protecting guard proposed by Serano in U.S. Patent No. 5,406,755, is attached directly on top of the roof by nails. This attachment, however, permits water to enter into the space between the protecting shield and the shingles of the roof. The consequent continuous moisture under the gutter protector can accelerate the deterioration of the roof and in the long run decrease the durability of the protecting system comprising the bottom edge of the roof with the specific rain gutter structure.
A similar problem can occur when the protecting guard is placed on top of the roof and slid under an array of overlapping shingles. This position of the protecting guard avoids the problem of rain water entering the space between the guard and the roof when running downwards from the roof.
However, this arrangement of the gutter and the protecting guard forms a closed space, which encloses the overhang of the extreme course of shingles and the part of the fascia board. When compared with the standard open gutters, this configuration exposes a considerably larger fraction of the bottom part of the roof to persistent moisture accumulation in this closed space and can accelerate the deterioration of the building. The following patents disclose this kind of arrangement of the gutter guard: U.S. Patents Nos. III; 4,404,775 to Demartini;
4,455,791 to Elko; 5,181,350 to Meckstroth; 5,375,379 to Meckstroth and 6,016,631 to Lowrie.
Few prior designs, however, depend upon attaching the guard directly to a standard gutter. Serano in her U.S. Patent No. 5,911,659 proposes a gutter protector that fits independently into a standard gutter without any fasteners such as nails or screws. Nevertheless, the elaborate form of this gutter guard implies that its manufacture is likely to be complicated and financially demanding. In addition, it could be very difficult to manufacture a complete line of Serano's gutter guards that would fit into the majority of standard gutters of different shapes and profiles. A further problem with Serano's design is that portions of the guard are in direct contact with the outer lip of the gutter, permitting rain to flow over the contacting portions and to drip over the side of the gutter.
Summary of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a gutter trash guard deflecting debris such as leaves, snow or sticks over the gutter while directing the flow of water into the gutter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved gutter trash guard which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which is easy to inspect and replace.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a gutter trash guard that is simply installed and maintained with minimum interference to the building structure or to the existing gutters and associated rain collecting system.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved gutter trash guard system embodying a gutter cover or shield, which is attached by snap-fit connection to a series of spaced adapter brackets that are bolted, screwed or otherwise attached to a standard rain gutter support brackets. The protecting gutter shield may be conveniently cut and shaped from a strip of sheet material, e.g.
coiled sheet steel, to the desired profile, and can be created from the same material as the gutters themselves, directly on the construction site using the roll-former or similar equipment for bending sheet metal. Suitable adapter brackets of varying size and form may be provided as desired, but preferred adapter brackets are provided with a lowermost (when installed) flat base portion provided with a pair of holes mating with holes in the conventional support brackets so that the adapter brackets may each be fastened by bolts or screws to the underlying associated support bracket. Each adapter bracket has specially configured distal and proximal ends to engage and secure matingly configured front and rear edges of the gutter cover.
In a conventional rain gutter installation, the standard gutter retainer or support brackets are attached to the adjoining fascia board. Front and rear flanges of these support brackets engage a rim on the top outer wall of the standard gutter and (usually by means of a nail or other fasteners) the upper rear wall of the gutter. The adapter brackets are formed from strips of rigid material and have in profile view the general form of an "L", which when installed has a longer horizontal side, which has an upwards-sloping outer edge, and a shorter rear vertical side, a rim of which is bent backward to engage a lip in the gutter cover. The length of the base of the bracket is shorter than the exposed part of the gutter retainer bracket. After snap-fit fastening the gutter trash guard onto the adapter brackets, this configuration creates an elongate unbroken opening between the outer rim of the gutter and the outer edge of the gutter trash guard. Thus, water flow into the gutter is nowhere impeded by this design. The outer edge of the gutter trash guard curls downwardly in mating engagement with the distal end of the adapter bracket in order to conduct flowing water through the elongate opening into the gutter, and is retained in the place by the engagement of the upwardly curled front edge of the connecting adapter bracket. The mating bending of the adapter bracket (upward curling) and of the gutter trash guard (downward curling) along with the backwardly bent rear rim of the adapter bracket engaging the rear edge of the gutter trash guard bent inwardly to form a lip, maintain the gutter trash guard firmly retained in place. It can be perceived that once the adapter brackets have been firmly screwed or bolted to the gutter support or retainer brackets, the gutter trash guard can easily be installed by snap-fitting same to the adapter brackets, and can easily be replaced when necessary.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the accompanying drawings, following detailed description and the appended claims.
Brief Description of the Drawings In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a gutter trash guard embodying the present invention mounted to a standard rain gutter by an adapter bracket according to the invention.
Figure 2 is an isometric fragment view of a gutter trash guard according to this invention shown installed on an adapter bracket that is screwed to a standard gutter retainer bracket.
Figure 3 is a top fragmentary schematic plan view of a standard gutter, the support structure therefor, and the attachment of the gutter trash guard to the standard gutter, according to the present invention.
Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view of an adapter bracket according to this invention.
Figure 5 is a fragment isometric view of a gutter trash guard or shield embodying the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figs.
1,2 and 3 a gutter trash guard constructed in accordance with the present invention. The gutter 1 depicted is a standard gutter commonly used in building industry. The gutter trash guard 21 consists of the gutter trash guard shield or cover designated as 15 and illustrated in detail in Fig. 5 and of the adapter brackets designated as 8 and illustrated in detail in Fig. 4. In the following description, the same reference numerals for the same parts of the invention have been used in all figures.
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the cross-sectional side view and an isometric fragment view of the installation of a gutter trash guard shield or cover 15 embodying the present invention that is attached to the standard gutter 1 by the adapter bracket 8. The interior space 18 of the standard gutter 1 is bordered by the rear wall 19, the bottom wall 22 and front wall 23, the edge 17 of which is bent inwards and terminates in the inwardly projecting hem or margin 7. The shape of the standard gutter 1 is preserved by the standard retainer bracket 5, the distal end of which forms a hook 6, which engages the lip 7 of the gutter 1. The proximal portion 20 of the standard retainer bracket 5 and the rear wall 19 of the standard gutter 1 are screwed into the fascia board 2 on the rim of the roof 3 by the screw 4.
In accordance with the present invention, to this standard installation is attached the gutter trash guard shield or cover 15 by snap-fit connection to the array of adapter brackets 8. Each individual adapter bracket 8 is formed from a strip of a rigid material such as steel, with the distal edge 10 curled upwards and outwards and the proximal edge angled upwards forming a vertical wall 11, which terminates by backwardly bent rim 12. Note that if components of the overall assembly are made of metal, then as metal parts are in contact with one another once installed, chemical interaction between them can occur, and materials selections should be made with the foregoing in mind. The base of the adapter bracket 8 is screwed or bolted to the retainer bracket 5 so that its proximal portion 11 is situated close to the attachment 4 of the retainer bracket to the fascia board 2. A slight distance has to be preserved between the distal edge 10 of the adapter bracket 8 and the front rim 7 of the standard gutter 1 in order to create the gap 5 16, by which water will flow into the gutter 1.
Fig. 4 shows a detail perspective view of the adapter bracket 8 embodying the present invention. While only one adapter bracket is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, it should be noted that other adapter brackets 8 are exactly the same, as shown in Fig. 3 illustrating a top fragmentary schematic plan view of a standard gutter according to the present invention.
The gutter trash guard shield 15 embodying the present invention is formed from a strip of a light material, the outer edge 14 of which curls downwardly and the rear edge of which is bent downwardly back upon itself to form a lip. Fig. 5 shows a fragmentary isometric view of a gutter trash guard shield. The gutter trash guard 15 is installed on the array of the adapter brackets 8 by simple snap-fit connection, in which the outer edge 14 of the gutter trash guard shield 15 curled downwardly is engaged by the upwardly curled distal edge 10 of the adapter bracket 8, and the bent rear rim 13 of the gutter trash guard shield 15 is engaged by the backwardly bent edge 12 of the proximal wall 11 of the adapter bracket S.
The configuration just described creates an elongated unbroken opening 16 between the outer edge 17 of the gutter and the curled front part of the gutter trash guard shield 14.
Water running from the roof 3 onto the gutter trash guard shield 15 adheres to the outer surface of the shield 15 and is directed through the opening 16 into the gutter, while debris tends to pass over the guard and to fall to the ground below. The gutter trash guard 15 and the connecting adapter brackets 8 have to be sized so that the opening 16 between the outer gutter edge 17 and the front part gutter trash guard 14 is not too large, in which case debris could easily enter the gutter, nor too small, in which case the flow of water to the gutter would be restricted. The preferred design choice is empirical and may vary with variation in local conditions such as climate, whether rainfall is heavy or light, and the kind of debris that may be expected. Debris exceeding a small size travelling with the water does not enter the opening 16; instead such debris falls from the gutter trash guard shield 15 onto the ground below.
Small-size debris will normally be washed out the down spout with the flowing water. However, with light rainfall over a period of time, some accumulation of small-size debris may occur. The ease of removing and replacing the gutter shield 15 to permit clean-out is an added advantage of the present invention.
The preceding description of the preferred embodiment drawings does not limit the scope of the invention, but is intended to help the understanding of principal characteristics of the present invention. The scope of the invention is specifically defined in the claims that follow.
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the cross-sectional side view and an isometric fragment view of the installation of a gutter trash guard shield or cover 15 embodying the present invention that is attached to the standard gutter 1 by the adapter bracket 8. The interior space 18 of the standard gutter 1 is bordered by the rear wall 19, the bottom wall 22 and front wall 23, the edge 17 of which is bent inwards and terminates in the inwardly projecting hem or margin 7. The shape of the standard gutter 1 is preserved by the standard retainer bracket 5, the distal end of which forms a hook 6, which engages the lip 7 of the gutter 1. The proximal portion 20 of the standard retainer bracket 5 and the rear wall 19 of the standard gutter 1 are screwed into the fascia board 2 on the rim of the roof 3 by the screw 4.
In accordance with the present invention, to this standard installation is attached the gutter trash guard shield or cover 15 by snap-fit connection to the array of adapter brackets 8. Each individual adapter bracket 8 is formed from a strip of a rigid material such as steel, with the distal edge 10 curled upwards and outwards and the proximal edge angled upwards forming a vertical wall 11, which terminates by backwardly bent rim 12. Note that if components of the overall assembly are made of metal, then as metal parts are in contact with one another once installed, chemical interaction between them can occur, and materials selections should be made with the foregoing in mind. The base of the adapter bracket 8 is screwed or bolted to the retainer bracket 5 so that its proximal portion 11 is situated close to the attachment 4 of the retainer bracket to the fascia board 2. A slight distance has to be preserved between the distal edge 10 of the adapter bracket 8 and the front rim 7 of the standard gutter 1 in order to create the gap 5 16, by which water will flow into the gutter 1.
Fig. 4 shows a detail perspective view of the adapter bracket 8 embodying the present invention. While only one adapter bracket is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, it should be noted that other adapter brackets 8 are exactly the same, as shown in Fig. 3 illustrating a top fragmentary schematic plan view of a standard gutter according to the present invention.
The gutter trash guard shield 15 embodying the present invention is formed from a strip of a light material, the outer edge 14 of which curls downwardly and the rear edge of which is bent downwardly back upon itself to form a lip. Fig. 5 shows a fragmentary isometric view of a gutter trash guard shield. The gutter trash guard 15 is installed on the array of the adapter brackets 8 by simple snap-fit connection, in which the outer edge 14 of the gutter trash guard shield 15 curled downwardly is engaged by the upwardly curled distal edge 10 of the adapter bracket 8, and the bent rear rim 13 of the gutter trash guard shield 15 is engaged by the backwardly bent edge 12 of the proximal wall 11 of the adapter bracket S.
The configuration just described creates an elongated unbroken opening 16 between the outer edge 17 of the gutter and the curled front part of the gutter trash guard shield 14.
Water running from the roof 3 onto the gutter trash guard shield 15 adheres to the outer surface of the shield 15 and is directed through the opening 16 into the gutter, while debris tends to pass over the guard and to fall to the ground below. The gutter trash guard 15 and the connecting adapter brackets 8 have to be sized so that the opening 16 between the outer gutter edge 17 and the front part gutter trash guard 14 is not too large, in which case debris could easily enter the gutter, nor too small, in which case the flow of water to the gutter would be restricted. The preferred design choice is empirical and may vary with variation in local conditions such as climate, whether rainfall is heavy or light, and the kind of debris that may be expected. Debris exceeding a small size travelling with the water does not enter the opening 16; instead such debris falls from the gutter trash guard shield 15 onto the ground below.
Small-size debris will normally be washed out the down spout with the flowing water. However, with light rainfall over a period of time, some accumulation of small-size debris may occur. The ease of removing and replacing the gutter shield 15 to permit clean-out is an added advantage of the present invention.
The preceding description of the preferred embodiment drawings does not limit the scope of the invention, but is intended to help the understanding of principal characteristics of the present invention. The scope of the invention is specifically defined in the claims that follow.
Claims (18)
1. For use with a rain gutter whose outer wall is at least in part supported by a series of spaced retainer brackets the distal ends of which engage the outer wall in the vicinity of the top edge thereof; a gutter trash guard comprising in combination:
(a) a plurality of adapter brackets; and (b) at least one gutter shield section;
each said adapter bracket having a base for attachment to a said retainer bracket, the base terminating in respective distal and proximal end portions for engaging mating edge portions of the shield;
the shield section having an upper debris-deflection surface that when installed covers substantially all of the gutter opening except a narrow outer water-receiving gap between the outermost edge of the shield section and the outer wall of the gutter, and having a downwardly bent outer edge portion for matingly engaging the distal end of each said adapter bracket, and an inner hook edge portion for engaging the proximal end of each said adapter bracket, whereby the shield section may be snap-fit attached to an array of spaced said adapter brackets;
and wherein the overall length of the adapter bracket and its mounting location when attached to an associated one of said gutter retainer brackets extends from its proximal end in the vicinity of the inner wall of the rain gutter to its distal end spaced from the outer wall of the rain gutter, are selected so that when the shield section is snap-fit attached to the array of spaced said adapter brackets, the said distally located water receiving gap is formed.
(a) a plurality of adapter brackets; and (b) at least one gutter shield section;
each said adapter bracket having a base for attachment to a said retainer bracket, the base terminating in respective distal and proximal end portions for engaging mating edge portions of the shield;
the shield section having an upper debris-deflection surface that when installed covers substantially all of the gutter opening except a narrow outer water-receiving gap between the outermost edge of the shield section and the outer wall of the gutter, and having a downwardly bent outer edge portion for matingly engaging the distal end of each said adapter bracket, and an inner hook edge portion for engaging the proximal end of each said adapter bracket, whereby the shield section may be snap-fit attached to an array of spaced said adapter brackets;
and wherein the overall length of the adapter bracket and its mounting location when attached to an associated one of said gutter retainer brackets extends from its proximal end in the vicinity of the inner wall of the rain gutter to its distal end spaced from the outer wall of the rain gutter, are selected so that when the shield section is snap-fit attached to the array of spaced said adapter brackets, the said distally located water receiving gap is formed.
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the shield section is formed from a single piece of sheet material bent proximally and distally to form proximal and distal edge portions configured to engage matingly the proximal and distal ends respectively of the array of adapter brackets when attached thereto in a snap fit, and wherein each said adapter bracket is made of a single piece of sheet material bent at the distal and proximal ends to provide edges that matingly engage the distal and proximal ends respectively of the shield.
3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the distal end of each said adapter bracket is formed as a curled portion of the bracket extending generally upwardly and outwardly when the bracket is installed in place, and the proximal end of each said adapter bracket is formed as an elongate S in section, the upper portion of the S providing a proximal inwardly-facing end portion that matingly engages a distally-located downwardly bent hook edge portion of the shield when the shield is installed on the array of adapter brackets, the distal end of the shield being bent downwardly and inwardly for snap-fit engagement with the distal ends of the adapter brackets.
4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the adapter brackets and retainer brackets are each provided with pair of holes equally spaced apart for receiving fasteners for attaching the adapter brackets to the associated retainer brackets.
5. The combination of claim 3, wherein the shield when installed slopes downwardly outwardly from its proximal to its distal edge.
6. A trash guard shield for use in the combination of claim 1, said shield having an upper debris-deflection surface covering substantially all of the gutter opening except a narrow outer water-receiving gap between the outermost edge of the shield and the outer wall of the gutter, and having a downwardly bent outer edge portion for matingly engaging the distal end of each said adapter bracket, and an inner hook edge portion for engaging the proximal end of each said adapter bracket, whereby the shield may be snap-fit attached to an array of spaced said adapter brackets.
7. A trash guard shield for use in the combination of claim 5, said shield having an upper debris-deflection surface covering substantially all of the gutter opening except a narrow outer water-receiving gap between the outermost edge of the shield and the outer wall of the gutter, and having a downwardly bent outer edge portion for matingly engaging the distal end of each said adapter bracket, and an inner hook edge portion for engaging the proximal end of each said adapter bracket, whereby the shield may be snap-fit attached to an array of spaced said adapter brackets; and wherein the shield is formed from a single piece of sheet material bent proximally and distally to form proximal and distal edge portions configured to engage matingly the proximal and distal ends respectively of the array of adapter brackets when attached thereto in a snap fit.
8. An adapter bracket for use in the combination of claim 1, having a base for attachment to a said retainer bracket, the base terminating in respective distal and proximal end portions for engaging mating edge portions of the shield in a snap fit.
9. An adapter bracket for use in the combination of claim 5, made of a single piece of sheet material and comprising a base and proximal and distal ends; the base formed for mating engagement and attachment to a said retainer bracket, the base terminating respectively in bent and shaped distal and proximal ends formed for engaging mating edge portions of the shield in a snap fit, the distal end being formed as a curled portion of the bracket extending generally upwardly and outwardly when the bracket is installed in place, and the proximal end being formed as an elongate S in section, the upper portion of the S
providing a proximal inwardly-facing end portion that matingly engages a distally-located downwardly bent hook edge portion of the shield when the shield is installed on the array of adapter brackets.
providing a proximal inwardly-facing end portion that matingly engages a distally-located downwardly bent hook edge portion of the shield when the shield is installed on the array of adapter brackets.
10. A gutter trash guard system that deflects debris over a gutter and directs water received from the roof into the gutter, the gutter trash guard system comprising in combination:
(a) a rain gutter having an open top and being defined by outer front wall, bottom wall and inner rear wall for attachment to a fascia board of a building;
(b) a spaced array of retainer brackets the distal edges of which engage the outer wall of said gutter in the vicinity of the top edge thereof;
(c) a set of adapter brackets mating with and for attachment to the set of retainer brackets; and (d) at least one gutter shield section for mounting on the adapter brackets;
all said parts when assembled and installed working together to deflect the debris over said gutter and direct the rain water from the roof on the shield section through said narrow gap to said gutter to impede entry of debris into said gutter;
said rain gutter when installed having its outer wall at least in part supported by a series of spaced said retainer brackets;
each said adapter bracket having a base for attachment to a said retainer bracket, the base terminating in respective distal and proximal end portions for engaging mating edge portions of the shield;
the shield section having an upper debris-deflection surface that when installed covers substantially all of the gutter opening except a narrow outer water-receiving gap between the outermost edge of the shield section and the outer wall of the gutter, and having a downwardly bent outer edge portion matingly engaging the distal end of each said adapter bracket, and an inner edge portion bent downwardly back upon itself forming a lip engaging the proximal end of each said adapter bracket, whereby the shield section may be snap-fit attached to an array of spaced said adapter brackets;
each of said adapter bracket when installed being attached to an associated one of said gutter retainer brackets and mounted so it extends from its proximal end in the vicinity of the inner wall of the rain gutter to its distal end spaced from the outer wall of the rain gutter, the overall length of the adapter bracket and its mounting location selected so that the distally located water receiving gap is formed when the shield section is snap-fit attached to the array of spaced said adapter brackets.
(a) a rain gutter having an open top and being defined by outer front wall, bottom wall and inner rear wall for attachment to a fascia board of a building;
(b) a spaced array of retainer brackets the distal edges of which engage the outer wall of said gutter in the vicinity of the top edge thereof;
(c) a set of adapter brackets mating with and for attachment to the set of retainer brackets; and (d) at least one gutter shield section for mounting on the adapter brackets;
all said parts when assembled and installed working together to deflect the debris over said gutter and direct the rain water from the roof on the shield section through said narrow gap to said gutter to impede entry of debris into said gutter;
said rain gutter when installed having its outer wall at least in part supported by a series of spaced said retainer brackets;
each said adapter bracket having a base for attachment to a said retainer bracket, the base terminating in respective distal and proximal end portions for engaging mating edge portions of the shield;
the shield section having an upper debris-deflection surface that when installed covers substantially all of the gutter opening except a narrow outer water-receiving gap between the outermost edge of the shield section and the outer wall of the gutter, and having a downwardly bent outer edge portion matingly engaging the distal end of each said adapter bracket, and an inner edge portion bent downwardly back upon itself forming a lip engaging the proximal end of each said adapter bracket, whereby the shield section may be snap-fit attached to an array of spaced said adapter brackets;
each of said adapter bracket when installed being attached to an associated one of said gutter retainer brackets and mounted so it extends from its proximal end in the vicinity of the inner wall of the rain gutter to its distal end spaced from the outer wall of the rain gutter, the overall length of the adapter bracket and its mounting location selected so that the distally located water receiving gap is formed when the shield section is snap-fit attached to the array of spaced said adapter brackets.
11. A gutter trash guard system in the combination of claim 10 wherein the shield section is formed from a single piece of sheet material bent proximally and distally to form proximal and distal edge portions matingly engaging the proximal and distal ends respectively of the array of adapter brackets when attached thereto in a snap fit, and wherein each said adapter bracket is made of a single piece of sheet material bent at the distal and proximal ends to provide edges that matingly engage the distal and proximal ends respectively of the shield.
12. A gutter trash guard system in the combination of claim 11 wherein the distal end of each said adapter bracket is formed as a curled portion of the bracket extending generally upwardly and outwardly when the bracket is installed in place, and the proximal end of each said adapter bracket is formed as an elongate S in section, the upper portion of the S providing a proximal inwardly-facing end portion that when installed matingly engages a distally-located downwardly bent hook edge portion of the shield installed on the array of adapter brackets, the distal end of the shield when installed being bent downwardly and inwardly snap-fit engaging the distal ends of the adapter brackets.
13. A gutter trash guard system in the combination of claim 12 wherein the adapter brackets and retainer brackets are each provided with pair of holes equally spaced apart and are attached to each other by fasteners.
14. A gutter trash guard system in the combination of claim 12, wherein the installed shield slopes downwardly outwardly from its proximal to its distal edge.
15. A trash guard shield for use in the combination of claim 10, said shield having an upper debris-deflection surface covering when installed substantially all of the gutter opening except a narrow outer water-receiving gap between the outermost edge of the shield and the outer wall of the gutter, and having a downwardly bent outer edge portion, which matingly engages the distal end of each said adapter bracket, and an inner edge portion bent downwardly back upon itself to form a lip engaging the proximal end of each said adapter bracket, whereby the shield when installed is snap-fit attached to an array of spaced said adapter brackets.
16. A trash guard shield for use in the combination of claim 14, said shield having an upper debris-deflection surface covering when installed substantially all of the gutter opening except a narrow outer water-receiving gap between the outermost edge of the shield and the outer wall of the gutter, and having a downwardly bent outer edge portion matingly engaging the distal end of each said adapter bracket, and an inner edge portion bent downwardly back upon itself to form a lip engaging the proximal end of each said adapter bracket, whereby the shield when installed is snap-fit attached to an array of spaced said adapter brackets; and wherein the shield is formed from a single piece of sheet material bent proximally and distally to form proximal and distal edge portions engaging matingly the proximal and distal ends respectively of the array of adapter brackets when attached thereto in a snap fit.
17. An adapter bracket for use in the combination of claim 10, having a base for attachment to a said retainer bracket, the base terminating in respective distal and proximal end portions when installed engaging mating edge portions of the shield in a snap fit.
18. An adapter bracket for use in the combination of claim 14, made of a single piece of sheet material and comprising a base and proximal and distal ends; the base matingly attachable to said retainer bracket, the base terminating respectively in bent and shaped distal and proximal ends engageable with mating edge portions of the shield in a snap fit, the distal end being formed as a curled portion of the bracket extending generally upwardly and outwardly when the bracket is installed in place, and the proximal end being formed as an elongate S in section, the upper portion of the S providing a proximal inwardly-facing end portion that is matingly engageable with a distally-located downwardly bent hook edge portion of the shield installed on the array of adapter brackets.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2305159 CA2305159A1 (en) | 2000-04-14 | 2000-04-14 | Rain gutter trash guard |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2305159 CA2305159A1 (en) | 2000-04-14 | 2000-04-14 | Rain gutter trash guard |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2305159A1 true CA2305159A1 (en) | 2001-10-14 |
Family
ID=4165897
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2305159 Abandoned CA2305159A1 (en) | 2000-04-14 | 2000-04-14 | Rain gutter trash guard |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2305159A1 (en) |
Cited By (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20110138698A1 (en) * | 2009-12-10 | 2011-06-16 | Horst Neumann | Gutter cover with snap-in hanger attachment |
| JP2015148060A (en) * | 2014-02-05 | 2015-08-20 | パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社 | Gutter hanger and eaves structure |
| USD837347S1 (en) | 2016-01-29 | 2019-01-01 | Stephane Brochu | Rain gutter cover |
| US10344482B2 (en) | 2016-01-19 | 2019-07-09 | Stéphane Brochu | Gutter protection device and gutter protection assembly |
| US10480193B2 (en) | 2016-05-27 | 2019-11-19 | Stéphane Brochu | Gutter cover, gutter assembly including same, and method for installation thereof |
| US10538921B2 (en) | 2016-11-08 | 2020-01-21 | Stéphane Brochu | Rain gutter cover and rain gutter including same |
| USD873979S1 (en) | 2018-05-01 | 2020-01-28 | Stéphane Brochu | Rain gutter cover |
| US10604936B2 (en) | 2017-11-08 | 2020-03-31 | Stéphane Brochu | Gutter guard for floating gutter and kit |
| US11432664B2 (en) * | 2020-09-14 | 2022-09-06 | Uttermost Co. | Safety hanger |
| US11585094B2 (en) | 2020-10-29 | 2023-02-21 | Stephane Brochu | Gutter assembly and cover |
| US11661747B2 (en) | 2019-08-30 | 2023-05-30 | Tommy BROCHU | Gutter guard for gutter and gutter assembly including same |
| US11814845B2 (en) | 2020-09-15 | 2023-11-14 | Stephane Brochu | Gutter cover with folds and gutter assembly including the same |
-
2000
- 2000-04-14 CA CA 2305159 patent/CA2305159A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8322082B2 (en) * | 2009-12-10 | 2012-12-04 | Horst Neumann | Gutter cover with snap-in hanger attachment |
| US20110138698A1 (en) * | 2009-12-10 | 2011-06-16 | Horst Neumann | Gutter cover with snap-in hanger attachment |
| JP2015148060A (en) * | 2014-02-05 | 2015-08-20 | パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社 | Gutter hanger and eaves structure |
| US10689855B2 (en) | 2016-01-19 | 2020-06-23 | Stéphane Brochu | Gutter protection device and gutter protection assembly |
| US10344482B2 (en) | 2016-01-19 | 2019-07-09 | Stéphane Brochu | Gutter protection device and gutter protection assembly |
| USD837347S1 (en) | 2016-01-29 | 2019-01-01 | Stephane Brochu | Rain gutter cover |
| US10480193B2 (en) | 2016-05-27 | 2019-11-19 | Stéphane Brochu | Gutter cover, gutter assembly including same, and method for installation thereof |
| US10538921B2 (en) | 2016-11-08 | 2020-01-21 | Stéphane Brochu | Rain gutter cover and rain gutter including same |
| US10604936B2 (en) | 2017-11-08 | 2020-03-31 | Stéphane Brochu | Gutter guard for floating gutter and kit |
| USD873979S1 (en) | 2018-05-01 | 2020-01-28 | Stéphane Brochu | Rain gutter cover |
| US11661747B2 (en) | 2019-08-30 | 2023-05-30 | Tommy BROCHU | Gutter guard for gutter and gutter assembly including same |
| US11432664B2 (en) * | 2020-09-14 | 2022-09-06 | Uttermost Co. | Safety hanger |
| US11814845B2 (en) | 2020-09-15 | 2023-11-14 | Stephane Brochu | Gutter cover with folds and gutter assembly including the same |
| US11585094B2 (en) | 2020-10-29 | 2023-02-21 | Stephane Brochu | Gutter assembly and cover |
| US11851888B2 (en) | 2020-10-29 | 2023-12-26 | Stephane Brochu | Gutter assembly and cover |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |