GB2125463A

GB2125463A - Prefabricated valley gutter

Info

Publication number: GB2125463A
Application number: GB08318190A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tom Green
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-08-18
Filing date: 1983-07-05
Publication date: 1984-03-07
Also published as: GB2125463B; GB8318190D0

Abstract

This is a trough or channel having side wings extending from its opposed upper edges, which wings are shaped or deformable to engage spars of varying pitch to either side of the valley. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roof construction This invention concerns the construction of a roof having a so-called valley between two tiled or otherwise covered roof surfaces, and more particularly to a gutter unit for use in such a valley.

It is necessary to provide means to carry rain water entering a roof valley downwardly to a conventional gutter located at the eaves of the roof. Such means may be provided by a channel formed by specially shaped valley tiles, which are becoming increasingly rare and costly, or, more usually by a valley gutter fabricated on site before the roof surfaces are tiled or slated. Fabricated valley gutters are very expensive requiring a joiner to prepare a timber trough in the valley which is then lined with lead by a plumber.

The present invention is based on an appreciation of the possibility of providing a prefabricated valley gutter which can be cut to length on site and installed by the joiner, tiler or slater.

According to the present invention there is provided a pre-fabricated valley gutter unit comprising a length of water impermeable material having a cross-section which provides, at least when installed, a trough or channel having opposite and outwardly extending wings at the upper edges of the trough or channel, said wings having parts which are adapted to make suitable contact with the upper surfaces of spars to either side of a roof valley regardless of the pitch of the spars to permit securing of the unit in a roof valley by fixture means passing through said wings and into the spars, said unit being of sufficiently rigid construction as to not be substantially deformed by the weight of tiles or slates overlying the opposed longitudinal edges of the trough or channel.

The wings may be of curved section, or may include outer portions capable of being hingedly flexed relative to inner portions.

The invention will be further apparent from the following description, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example only, three forms of valley gutter unit embodying the invention.

Of the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a roof having a shape which provides three valleys; Fig. 2 shows a cross-section through the first form of valley gutter unit; Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through one of the roof valleys incorporating the gutter unit of Fig. 2: Fig. 4 shows how the gutter unit of Fig. 2 is adapted to be secured to spars of varying pitch; Fig. 5 shows a cross-section through the second form of valley gutter unit.

and Fig. 6 shows a cross-section through the third form of gutter unit.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the roof has gables providing valleys 10, 11 and 12.

The valley gutter unit of Fig. 2 is comprised by an extrusion of plastics material having a crosssection which provides a central channel or trough 20 provided with opposite wings 21 and 22 extending outwardly from the opposed longitudinal upper edges of the channel or trough 20. The cross-section of the wings 21 and 22 is such that they have a slight upward curve, for reasons which will be apparent hereinafter.

As can be seen from Fig. 3, each of the valleys 10, 11 and 12 is formed by a timber valley rafter 30 which supports spars 31 which slope upwardly therefrom on either side thereof. The valley gutter unit, which has been cut to the required length, is laid over the valley rafter 30 and secured by nails 32 which pass through the wings 21 and 22 into the spars 31. Roofing felt 33 overlays the spars 31 on either side of the gutter unit and has its edges lapping into the channel or trough 20. The felt 33 is held in position by tiling battens 34 which support tiles 35 in known manner. The tiles 35 nearest to the valley overlap the opposed longitudinal edges of the channel or trough 20 of the gutter unit.The material and thickness of the gutter unit are such that it is sufficiently rigid not to be substantially deformed by the weight of the tiles 35 and any snow or the like which may be resting thereon, or by its own weight between adjacent spars. Nonetheless the unit should be sufficiently flexible to enable fixing to spars whose upper surfaces lie above or below the design level within normal tolerances.

As can be seen from Fig. 4, the curved section of the wings 21 and 22 enables them to be readily secured to spars 31 of varying pitch by making substantially tangential contact therewith.

Referring now to Fig. 5 an alternative gutter unit is shown, wherein like parts are indicated by like reference numerals. The wings 21 and 22 of this unit have outer portions 21 a and 22a which can be hingedly flexed relative to their supporting inner portions to enable the unit to be readily fitted between spars of varying pitch.

In a preferred embodiment, and as shown in Fig. 6, the unit, whilst meeting the required rigidity is, nonetheless, sufficiently flexible to permit the wings 21 and 22 to be bent upwardly from positions coplanar with the base portion of the trough, thus causing such base portion to bow downwardly into the valley to be guttered. This section can be readily manufactured by vacuum forming a sheet over two parallel bars of triangular section. Also this section has the advantage of close stackability, thus facilitating storage and transport.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Thus, for example, the units may be of other material than plastics, such as aluminium or glass reinforced plastics.

Again, for example, the trough or channel may be of half-round section rather than rectangular as shown.

If desired, a layer of roofing felt may be positioned beneath the gutter units to collect and guide any condensation to the main gutter.

Claims

1. A pre-fabricated valley gutter unit comprising a length of water impermeable material having a cross-section which provides, at least when installed, a trough or channel having opposite and outwardly extending wings at the upper edges of the trough or channel, said wings having parts which are adapted to make suitable contact with the upper surfaces of spars to either side of a roof valley regardless of the pitch of the spars to permit securing of the unit in a roof valley by fixture means passing through said wings and into the spars, said unit being of sufficiently rigid construction as to not be substantially deformed by the weight of tiles or slates overlying the opposed longitudinal edges of the trough or channel.

2. A gutter unit according to claim 1 wherein said wings are upwardly curved from the upper longitudinal edges of the trough or channel so as to be capable of substantially tangential contact with spars of varying pitch.

3. A gutter unit according to claim 1 wherein said wings can be hinged relative to the trough or channel.

4. A gutter unit according to claim 3 wherein prior to installation said wings are coplanar with the base of the trough or channel, the action of hinging them upwardly causing said base to bow downwardly.

5. A pre-fabricated valley gutter unit substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A pre-fabricated valley gutter unit substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A pre-fabricated valley gutter unit substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.