GB2153720A

GB2153720A - A gutter making machine

Info

Publication number: GB2153720A
Application number: GB08403614A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Charles Lilley
Original assignee: INT SEAMLESS GUTTERS Ltd
Current assignee: INT SEAMLESS GUTTERS Ltd
Priority date: 1984-02-10
Filing date: 1984-02-10
Publication date: 1985-08-29
Also published as: GB2153720B; GB8403614D0

Abstract

The machine comprises a framework structure (10) supporting a plurality of spaced parallel elongate bottom rollers (11) a plurality of top rollers co-operating with the bottom rollers, and a plurality of side rollers (21) for folding up the sides of the gutter. There are at least two top rollers associated with each bottom roller and these can be adjustably spaced apart in a direction parallel to the axis of the first roller by arms (19) in slides (18) according to the desired width of the base of the gutter. The side rollers (21) are angularly adjustable according to the required angle between the base and sides of the gutter and the lateral position of each side roller can be adjusted according to the desired width of the base of the gutter. The bottom rollers (11) are rotated by a cranked handle (14) operating through gear wheels (15, 16) and chain and sprocket drives (12) to feed sheet material between the top and bottom rollers and into contact with the side rollers. Fourth rollers may be used to provide top gutter lips. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A gutter making machine This invention relates to a machine for making a seamless gutter, particularly a valley or parapet gutter.

Age and weathering of valley and parapet gutters can give rise to movement, causing the breakdown in joints and pooling that can lead to leaks and dampness with consequent building deterioration.

Additional problems are caused by the accumulation of lichens and mosses, deposited on the rough surfaces of these types of gutters, preventing the free flow of rainwater.

Aside from the requirements of the Building Regulations, there are few guidelines on the design of valley or parapet gutters and virtually no standardisation. They are constructed as a result of the design concept of the architect or builder. As a consequence, the range of shapes and sizes encountered in continuous valley guttering makes it impossible to stock sectional lengths to line valley and parapet gutters in a wide enough variety to encompass all the possibilities.

The traditional treatment to improve drainage or repair leaks in these types of gutters has been to paint them with various bitumastic or silicone based materials and, more recently, glass fibre treatments.

The invention provides a gutter making machine comprising a plurality of elongate first rollers spaced apart in parallel relationship, a plurality of second rollers co-operating with the first rollers, at least two second rollers being associated with each first roller and being adjustably spaced apart in a direction parallel to the axes of the first rollers according to the desired width of the base of the gutter, a plurality of third rollers for folding up the sides of the gutter, the third rollers being angularly adjustable according to the required angle between the base and sides of the gutter and being adjustable in position in a direction parallel to the axes of the elongate first rollers according to the desired width of the base of the gutter, and means for feeding sheet material between the first and second rollers and into contact with the third rollers.

Preferred and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in Claims 2-1 1.

Such a device allows on-site manufacture of continuous lengths of valley and parapet roof drainage gutter from coils of, for example, pre-painted heavy gauge aluminium to line existing gutter troughs.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a gutter making machine according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a front end view of the gutter making machine shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the machine shown therein comprises a framework structure 10 on which is journal led three elongate bottom rollers 11 equi-distantly spaced apart in parallel relationship along the longitudinal extent of the machine. The two end rollers 11 each have a single sprocket wheel 12 at one end and the centre roller 11 has two sprockets wheels 12 at one end. Two chains 13 connect the sprocket wheels 12 so that the bottom rollers 11 can be rotated together. A cranked handle 14 is operated manually to turn a large diameter gear wheel 15 which meshes with a smaller diameter gear wheel 16 fixed to the bottom roller 11 at the infeed end of the machine.

The upper end of the framework structure 10 supports three transversely extending slides 17. Two sliders 18 are mounted on each slide 17. Each slider 18 supports a depending arm 19 which at its lower end supports four top rollers 20 for rotation about a transverse axis parallel to the axes of the bottom rollers 11. The slides 17 and arms 19 are arranged directly above respective bottom rollers 11 and each bottom roller co-operates with eight top rollers 20 (see Figure 2) to feed aluminium or other appropriate sheel material through the machine. Each set of three arms 19 aligned in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the machine are connected together by horizontally extending braces 9.

The sliders 18 are releasably clamped to respective slides 17. The width of the base of a gutter is determined by the transverse spacing between the two outermost top rollers 20 associated with each bottom roller 11. Hence, the width of the base of the gutter can be varied by adjusting the transverse spacing between the two sliders 18 on each slide 17.

For gutters with particularly narrow bases one slider 18 on each slide 17 and its top rollers 20 can be moved out of the way to one side of the machine.

The sliders 17 have an arrangement incorporated therein for adjusting the gap between the top rollers 20 and bottom roller 11 so that sheet material of different thicknesses can be fed between the top and bottom rollers of the machine.

The machine also has two pairs of inclined side rollers 21, one just downstream of the bottom rollei 11 at the infeed end of the machine and the other just upstream of the bottom roller 11 at the outfeed end of the machine. The side rollers 21 of each pair are mounted in carriages 22 on opposite sides of the machine. Each carriage 22 is pivotably connected, adjacent to its lower end, to a slider 23 releasably clamped to a transversely extending slide 24. One end of a link 25 is pivotably connected to the carriage 22 intermediate its ends and the other end of the link 25 is pivotably connected to another slider 26 also releasably clamped to the slide 24.

The inclined side rollers 21 areforfolding up the sides of the gutter. The position of each side roller 21 can be adjusted transversely of the machine by releasing the two sliders 23 and 26 and moving them equl-distantly along the slide 24 in the appropriate direction. The angle of inclination of each side roller 21 can also be adjusted by varying the transverse spacing between the two sliders 23 and 26.

The distance between the two side rollers 21 of each pair is adjusted according to the desired width of the base of the gutter. The angle of inclination of each side roller 21 adjacent to the outfeed end of the machine determines the angle between the sides and the base of the gutter, whilst the angle of inclination of each side roller 21 adjacent to the infeed end of the machine is adjusted to about half that angle. Hence as sheet aluminium is fed through the machine the gutter sides are folded up gradually.

The sheet aluminium is supplied in a coil which is mounted on a support 27 having two parallel, spaced apart, horizontally extending rollers 28 and four transversely adjustable vertically extending rollers 29, two on each side of the support. The sheet aluminium is fed to the top and bottom rollers at the infeed end of the machine from the coil via an alignment device comprising a pair of flanged wheels 30 mounted on one of two axles 31 and 32 extending between two cranked arms 33, which can be adjusted angularly if desired. Wheels 34 mounted on the other axle 32 keep the sheet material in contact with the flanged wheels 30. The distance between the flanged wheels 30, and between wheels 34, can be varied to accommodate material of different widths and to this end each wheel 34 has a locking collar 35 so that it can be fastened at a desired position on the axle 31.

By means of simple, on-site adjustments, the top and side rollers can be adjusted to provide a valley or parapet gutter for most commonly encountered situations.

It is often possible to raise the machine and align it with an existing gutter trough so that the gutter can be installed directly into the trough from the machine. In instances where this is not practical or possible, a gutter of the required length is made at ground level and then installed.

A seamless aluminium gutter made by the above described machine creates a maintenance free, leakproof channel, the flat smooth base of which allows a self cleaning action and provides good rainwater flow characteristics.

If desired further rollers may be arranged at the outfeed end of the machine for turning down the upper edge portions of the sides of the gutter to lie, for example, parallel to the base of the gutter.

Other modifications may be made to the above described machine without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended

Claims

claims. CLAIMS

1. A gutter making machine comprising a pluraiity of elongate first rollers spaced apart in parallel relationship, a plurality of second rollers cooperating with the first rollers, at least two second rollers being associated with each first roller and being adjustably spaced apart in a direction parallel to the axes of the first rollers according to the desired width of the base of the gutter, a plurality of third rollers for folding up the sides of the gutter, the third rollers being angularly adjustable according to the required angle between the base and sides of the gutter and being adjustable in position in a direction parallel to the axes of the elongate first rollers according to the desired width of the base of the gutter, and means for feeding sheet material between the first and second rollers and into contact with the third rollers.

2. The machine of Claim 1, wherein each first roller and its associated second rollers are relatively adjustable in a direction normal to axis of the first roller so that sheet material of different thicknesses can be fed between the first and second rollers.

3. The machine of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the second rollers associated with each first roller are mounted on two arms releasably fastened, at a position remote from the second rollers, to a first slide spaced from and extending parallel to the axis of the respective first roller.

4. The machine of Claim 3, wherein each arm supports a plurality of second rollers associated with the same first roller.

5. The machine of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each third roller is mounted in a carriage pivotably connected to a first slider which is releasably fastened to a second slide extending in a direction parallel to the axes of the first rollers.

6. The machine of Claim 5, wherein one end of a link is pivotably connected to the carriage and the other end of the link is pivotably connected to a second slider releasably fastened to said second slide, the arrangement being such that the third roller can be angularly adjusted by changing the spacing between the first and second sliders.

7. The machine of anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the feeding means comprises means for rotating the first rollers.

8. The machine of Claim 7, wherein the means for rotating the first rollers is manually operable.

9. The machine of Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein sheet alignment means are provided at the upstream end of the device, as viewed in the direction in which sheet material is fed.

10. The machine of any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a support for a coil of sheet material to be fed to the device.

11. The machine of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a plurality of fourth rollers for turning down the upper edge portions of the sides of the gutter.

12. A gutter making machine, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.