GB2089394A

GB2089394A - Attachment Brackets for Plastics Rainwater Guttering

Info

Publication number: GB2089394A
Application number: GB8137544A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Paragon Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: Paragon Plastics Ltd
Priority date: 1980-12-17
Filing date: 1981-12-11
Publication date: 1982-06-23
Also published as: GB2089394B

Abstract

The bracket 10 has a body part with internal recesses 12 for sealing strips 14 on which the lengths of guttering are to be seated. Resilient clips 18 conforming to the external transverse shape of the body part for acting downwards on the opposite side edges of the lengths of guttering are accommodated in grooves 20 alongside an enlargement 16 of the external shape of the body part resulting from internal recesses 12. Clips 18 have flanges 22 which project laterally so as to overly recesses 12, sealing strips 14, and the guttering. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rainwater Gutter Attachment Brackets The invention relates to rainwater gutter attachment brackets.

Synthetic plastics rainwater guttering and synthetic plastics attachment brackets therefore are now widely used because of their low cost in relation to the cost of similar guttering, because of their long useful life without the need for periodic weather protection by painting, and because they can be installed fairly easily by a person accustomed to using them. The main object of the invention is to provide a rainwater gutter attachment bracket which can be manufactured relatively easily and therefore with a minimum expense, and which will be of a neat and attractive appearance.

According to the invention, there is provided an attachment bracket for fixing successive lengths of synthetic plastics rainwater guttering in position, the attachment bracket including a body part of appropriate channel section, that is to say having the same general cross sectional shape as that of the guttering which the bracket is to support, opposite end portions of said channel section being provided with internal recesses for the reception of respective resilient sealing strips on which end portions of successive lengths of guttering are to be seated, and the bracket being provided with means for acting on the opposite side edges of the lengths of guttering which are to be accommodated in said channel section, said means being constituted by a pair of resilient clips conforming to the external transverse shape of the body part, each clip being accommodated in a groove lying alongside an enlargement of the external shape of the body part resulting from the presence of the internal recesses, and flanges formed at the opposite ends of each clip being arranged to project inwards over the upper edges of the body part and to project laterally of the clip into overlying relation to the internal recesses for acting downwards on the opposite side edges of the lengths of guttering concerned in the planes in which the resilient sealing strips are located. The upper edges of the body part will preferablv be notched for the reception of the flanges at the opposite ends of each clip so that said flanges can seat themselves flush with the flanking upper edge portions of the body part.Preferably also, the flanges will be provided on their undersides with projections arranged to snap into complementary grooves in the upper edges of the body part. In this case the inner surfaces of the projections will preferably be inclined but their outer surfaces will be vertical, the arrangement being such that when the clips have been located in position forces tending to spring the pairs of flanges apart will not detach the projections from the grooves with which they are engaged.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in longitudinal section, of a rainwater gutter attachment bracket embodying the invention, Fig. 2 is an end view thereof, partly in transverse section, Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the part of the bracket shown encircled by the chaindotted line in Fig. 2, and Figs. 4 to 6 are views similar to Fig. 3 which illustrate possible modifications which will presently be referred to.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, the rainwater gutter attachment bracket there illustrated and generally indicated 10 includes a body part of appropriate channel section, that is to say having the same general cross sectional shape as that of the synthetic plastics guttering which the bracket is to support. Midway between the ends of the bracket a single hole 11 extends through the wall of the channel section as shown, and at that side of the bracket a central protuberance provides an abutment surface 1 5. The arrangement is such that the bracket can be fixed in position, with the surface 1 5 in abutment with the facia board of a building, by a screw extending through the hole 11.

In the planes spaced from the opposite ends of the bracket shallow internal recesses 12 are provided for the reception of respective resilient sealing strips 14 on which end portions of successive lengths of guttering are to be seated so that when said end portions of guttering are urged downwardly upon said sealing strips there will be produced a fluid-tight seal around their outside surfaces. The general wall thickness of the bracket is substantially constant so that of course the general channel configuration of the external shape of the bracket is modified by the presence of transverse ribs or enlargements 1 6 which contain the internal recesses 12.

Means are provided for acting on the opposite side edges of the lengths of guttering which are to be accommodated in the channel section of the bracket, these means being constituted by a pair of resilient clips generally indicated 1 8. The clips 1 8 conform to the external transverse shape of the body part, each clip being accommodated in a groove 20 lying alongside the respective transverse rib or enlargement 1 6. Flanges 22 formed at the opposite ends of each clip are arranged to project inwards over the upper edges of the body part and to project laterally of the clip into overlying relation to the internal recesses 12 as shown. The upper edges of the body part are shown to be notched at 24 so that the flanges 22 of the clips can seat themselves flush with the flanking upper edge portions of the body part.

Referring now in particular to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the flanges 22 of the clips 18 are provided with projections 26 on their undersides, the projections being arranged to snap into complementary grooves 28 in the notched upper edges of the body part at either side of the recesses 12 as said clips are located in position. It will be seen that the inner surfaces of the 'projections are inclined but that their outer surfaces are vertical so that when the clips have been located in position forces tending to spring the pairs of flanges apart will not detach the projections from the grooves with which they are engaged. It will also be seen that the underside surfaces of the flanges 22 are stepped, the step surfaces 30, 32 deepening from the outside portions of said flanges where they join the body portions of the clips towards the free edges of said flanges.The free edges of said flanges are angled at 34.

When the clips 1 8 have been connected to the body part of the bracket, as shown, the surfaces 30 overlie the opposite ends of the sealing strips 14 so that the latter are captive in the bracket.

When lengths of guttering have been secured in position in the bracket, the surfaces 32 will overlie the side edges of said lengths of guttering.

The arrangement is such that the securement of the lengths of guttering in the bracket is very simple and easy. The complete assembly is also very neat and attractive in appearance due to the manner in which the clips merge smoothly into the external shape of the body part of the bracket.

Furthermore, the flanges of the resilient clips act downwards on the opposite side edges of the lengths of guttering concerned in the planes in which the resilient sealing strips are located.

Referring now to Fig. 4, in a possible modification of the part of the bracket indicated "A" in Fig. 2, the projection 26 and the groove with which it is engaged are shown to have been located within the thickness of the material defining the outer wall of the transverse rib or enlargement 1 6 containing the internal recess 12.

In Fig. 5 a similar modificiation has been made except that in this case the projection and complementary groove have been located so that across the upper end of the recess 12 the projection 26 can bear against the inner surface of the outer wall of the rib or enlargement 16. In Fig. 6 there is illustrated an arrangement very similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4 except that the groove 28 has been made of slotted form as shown.

Various other modifications may be made. For example, the resilient sealing strips 14 need not necessarily be of the cross section form illustrated in Fig. 1. They could be of plain rectangular or circular cross section if preferred.

Claims

1. An attachment bracket for fixing successive lengths of synthetic plastics rainwater guttering in position, the attachment bracket including a body part of appropriate channel section, that is to say having the same general cross sectional shape as that of the guttering which the bracket is to support, opposite end portions of said channel section being provided with internal recesses for the reception of respective resilient sealing strips on which end portions of successive lengths of guttering are to be seated, and the bracket being provided with means for acting on the opposite side edges of the lengths of guttering which are to be accommodated in said channel section, said means being constituted by a pair of resilient clips conforming to the external transverse shape of the body part, each clip being accommodated in a groove lying alongside an enlargement of the external shape of the body part resulting from the presence of the internal recesses, and flanges formed at the opposite ends of each clip being arranged to project inwards over the upper edge of the body part and to project laterally of the clip into overlying relation to the internal recesses for acting downwards on the opposite side edges of the lengths of guttering concerned in the planes in which the resilient sealing strips are located.

2. An attachment bracket according to claim 1, in which the upper edges of the body part are notched for the reception of the flanges at the opposite ends of each clip so that said flanges can seat themselves flush with the flanking upper edge portions of the body part.

3. An attachment bracket according to either one of the preceding claims, in which the flanges are provided on their undersides with projections arranged to snap into complementary grooves in the upper edges of the body part.

4. An attachment bracket according to claim 3, in which the inner surfaces of the projections are inclined but their outer surfaces are vertical, the arrangement being such that when the clips have been located in position forces tending to spring the pairs of flanges apart will not detach the projections from the grooves with which they are engaged.

5. An attachment bracket for fixing successive lengths of synthetic plastics rainwater guttering in position, the attachment bracket being constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by Figs. 1 to 3, or Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 or Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.