GB2084209A - Repairing gutters - Google Patents

Abstract

A concrete gutter 1 which has deteriorated is provided with resilient, snap-fit liner 10. The liner unit (10) consists of a strip of resilient material, e.g. glass-fibre reinforced plastics having a first section (11) adapted to fit the inside of the concrete gutter (1), and one or more second sections (12, 13). The snap-fitting allows the section to be fitted into place on the concrete gutter section without additional fixings. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Guttering This invention relates to guttering.

In order to collect rain water from roofs it is conventional practice to arrange along the bottom edge of each roof fall a gutter in which rain water collects and along which rain water flows to a down-pipe whence it flows to a surface water drain.

Traditionally, gutters were made of cast iron sections which were bolted and jointed together and attached to the structure of the building in question. This system, although very widely adopted, required some considerable maintenance and additionally installation required a further operation on the building before it was completed.

In the 1 940's and 1 950's a guttering system was developed for domestic house construction which facilitated construction and led to a neat external appearance. The approach adopted was to set at the top of the house wall a concrete block, having a gutter running along one side, the block resting on the wall and extending outwardly therefrom, the upper surface of the extending portion having the gutter formed in it. One such system was widely used under the trade name FIMLOCK.

Although such systems are simple to install and neat in appearance, a major problem arises as the building age. Since the concrete gutters are erected in sections, they have to be jointed together and eventually the joints fail and water can penetrate into the structure of the wall and even into the building. This is clearly undesirable.

Resealing the joints is a time consuming and skilled business and has not proved satisfactory in practice. The only alternative which has been tried is to remove the projecting portion of each concrete block entirely and replace it with a conventional metal or plastics gutter. Such removal and replacement is expensive in terms of both labour and materials.

We have now found that it is possible to avoid the difficulties of integral concrete gutters referred to above by providing them with a clip-in liner.

Accordingly the present invention provides a gutter liner unit consisting of a strip of resilient material, having a first section adapted to lie contiguous to the interior concave gutter surface of a concrete gutter unit, and one or more second sections, the second sections themselves or with the first section constituting a resilient snap-fitting unit allowing the section to be fitted into place on a concrete gutter section without additional fixings.

Sections of the above type may be provided in a variety of shapes and sizes in order to enable gutters to be appropriately lined. In particular three basic types of liner consist of a straight section for lining straight, uninterrupted gutter sections, a corner piece and a down pipe section. The latter consists of a short length of straight section having in the base of the gutter a tubular section. End pieces may be provided to close off an end, and joint pieces may be used to join sections together in watertight fashion.

The devices of the present invention may be made from a variety of resilient materials but the material of choice is glass-fibre reinforced plastics.

The invention is illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a section through a wall with an integral concrete gutter, together with the associated parts of the building structure, and showing various gutter liner sections.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of the gutter liner, Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a joint piece, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of an end cap.

Referring to the drawings, an integral concrete gutter unit 1 is set on the two skins 2, 3 of a cavity wall. Supported on the top of the concrete block 1 are a roof plate 5, rafters 6, battens 7 and tiles 8, constituting the tiled roof. It can be seen that water flowing down the upper surfaces of tiles 8 will drip off the edge into a gutter section 9. In order to ensure that the water then flows smoothly into the down pipe and not into the wall, the gutter sections are lined with sections of liner according to the present invention identified as 1 0. Each section consists of a portion 11 which fits the internal contour of the concrete gutter, a flanged portion 1 2 which clips over the front edge and a plate portion 1 3 which is located under the lowest course of tiles.The portions 11 and 1 2 cooperate with the concrete gutter to spring fit round the gutter section to hold it firmly in place without any additional fixings.

The practical protection of e.g. a house with such concrete gutters requires the use, not only of straight sections 14, but of corner pieces 1 5 and down pipe sections 1 6. The individual sections 14, 1 5 and 1 6 are jointed together by means of joint plates 1 7 onto which they are bedded via two beads of proprietary sealant. If the guttering 1 does not form a complete ring round the house, an end cap 1 8 may be fitted over the end of a section 10 and sealed thereto by a suitable sealant.

1. A gutter liner unit consisting of a strip of resilient material, having a first section adapted to lie contiguous to the interior concave gutter surface of a concrete gutter unit, and one or more second sections, the second

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Guttering This invention relates to guttering. In order to collect rain water from roofs it is conventional practice to arrange along the bottom edge of each roof fall a gutter in which rain water collects and along which rain water flows to a down-pipe whence it flows to a surface water drain. Traditionally, gutters were made of cast iron sections which were bolted and jointed together and attached to the structure of the building in question. This system, although very widely adopted, required some considerable maintenance and additionally installation required a further operation on the building before it was completed. In the 1 940's and 1 950's a guttering system was developed for domestic house construction which facilitated construction and led to a neat external appearance. The approach adopted was to set at the top of the house wall a concrete block, having a gutter running along one side, the block resting on the wall and extending outwardly therefrom, the upper surface of the extending portion having the gutter formed in it. One such system was widely used under the trade name FIMLOCK. Although such systems are simple to install and neat in appearance, a major problem arises as the building age. Since the concrete gutters are erected in sections, they have to be jointed together and eventually the joints fail and water can penetrate into the structure of the wall and even into the building. This is clearly undesirable. Resealing the joints is a time consuming and skilled business and has not proved satisfactory in practice. The only alternative which has been tried is to remove the projecting portion of each concrete block entirely and replace it with a conventional metal or plastics gutter. Such removal and replacement is expensive in terms of both labour and materials. We have now found that it is possible to avoid the difficulties of integral concrete gutters referred to above by providing them with a clip-in liner. Accordingly the present invention provides a gutter liner unit consisting of a strip of resilient material, having a first section adapted to lie contiguous to the interior concave gutter surface of a concrete gutter unit, and one or more second sections, the second sections themselves or with the first section constituting a resilient snap-fitting unit allowing the section to be fitted into place on a concrete gutter section without additional fixings. Sections of the above type may be provided in a variety of shapes and sizes in order to enable gutters to be appropriately lined. In particular three basic types of liner consist of a straight section for lining straight, uninterrupted gutter sections, a corner piece and a down pipe section. The latter consists of a short length of straight section having in the base of the gutter a tubular section. End pieces may be provided to close off an end, and joint pieces may be used to join sections together in watertight fashion. The devices of the present invention may be made from a variety of resilient materials but the material of choice is glass-fibre reinforced plastics. The invention is illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a section through a wall with an integral concrete gutter, together with the associated parts of the building structure, and showing various gutter liner sections. Figure 2 is a transverse section of the gutter liner, Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a joint piece, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of an end cap. Referring to the drawings, an integral concrete gutter unit 1 is set on the two skins 2, 3 of a cavity wall. Supported on the top of the concrete block 1 are a roof plate 5, rafters 6, battens 7 and tiles 8, constituting the tiled roof. It can be seen that water flowing down the upper surfaces of tiles 8 will drip off the edge into a gutter section 9. In order to ensure that the water then flows smoothly into the down pipe and not into the wall, the gutter sections are lined with sections of liner according to the present invention identified as 1 0. Each section consists of a portion 11 which fits the internal contour of the concrete gutter, a flanged portion 1 2 which clips over the front edge and a plate portion 1 3 which is located under the lowest course of tiles.The portions 11 and 1 2 cooperate with the concrete gutter to spring fit round the gutter section to hold it firmly in place without any additional fixings. The practical protection of e.g. a house with such concrete gutters requires the use, not only of straight sections 14, but of corner pieces 1 5 and down pipe sections 1 6. The individual sections 14, 1 5 and 1 6 are jointed together by means of joint plates 1 7 onto which they are bedded via two beads of proprietary sealant. If the guttering 1 does not form a complete ring round the house, an end cap 1 8 may be fitted over the end of a section 10 and sealed thereto by a suitable sealant. CLAIMS

1. A gutter liner unit consisting of a strip of resilient material, having a first section adapted to lie contiguous to the interior concave gutter surface of a concrete gutter unit, and one or more second sections, the second sections themselves or with the first section constituting a resilient snap-fitting unit allowing the section to be fitted into place on a concrete gutter section without additional fixings.

2. A gutter liner unit according to claim 1 and made of glass fibre reinforced plastics.

3. A gutter liner unit according to claim 1 or 2 wherein one second section is adapted to clip over the front edge of a concrete gutter and a further second section is arranged to le under the lowest course of tiles

4. A gutter liner unit according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.