GB2185502A

GB2185502A - Guttering fitting

Info

Publication number: GB2185502A
Application number: GB08601140A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Mason
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-01-17
Filing date: 1986-01-17
Publication date: 1987-07-22
Also published as: GB8601140D0; GB2185502B

Abstract

The fitting comprises a channel 1 for receiving a length of guttering, the channel holding a resiliently compressible seal 6 in recess 5. Retaining lips 35 on opposite sides of the channel hold longitudinal edges of the guttering so that the guttering is pressed against the seal. Lip 35 is provided by a clip 7 snap- fitted to the channel. The lip may be flexed resiliently upwards, e.g. by hand pressure, to permit installation of the guttering. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Guttering fittings This invention relates to guttering fittings, particularly rainwater guttering fittings. The term "fitting" is intended to include for example simple unions, support bracket unions, downpipe connectors and stop ends.

Such fittings at present available have a number of different ways of holding the end of a length of guttering against a seal therein.

One of the most widely used methods is to provide integral retaining lips on opposite sides of the fitting which bear down on the edges of the guttering. However, these lips tend to be difficult to flex out of the way when the guttering is installed in the fitting and expensive retractable tools have to be used in the moulding operation when, as is commonly the case, the fitting is moulded from plastics material such as PVC (polyvinylchloride).

I have now found that it is possible to overcome these difficulties by providing the retaining lips on clips which are made separately but pre-installed in the fitting with a snap fit before the fitting is supplied to the customer.

According to the invention, there is provided a guttering fitting comprising a channel for receiving a length of guttering, means in the channel for holding a resiliently compressible seal, and retaining lips on opposite sides of the channel for holding respective longutidinal edges of the guttering so that the guttering is pressed against the seal, at least one of the lips being provided by a clip snap-fitted to the channel such that the lip may be flexed resiliently upwardly, preferably by hand pressure only, to permit installation of the guttering in the channel.

The invention also extends to a method of assembling such a fitting and a length of guttering.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a rainwater guttering union (without the seals and the clips); Figure 2 is a sectional view of the union of Fig. 1 taken on line ll-ll of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the union of Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a partial side view, from the inside, of the union of Fig. 1 with a clip installed; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4 with a flexed position of the clip shown in ghost lines; Figure 6 is a plan view of a clip; Figure 7 is a front elevational view of the clip of Fig. 6; and Figure 8 is a vertical section on line VIII-VIII with the seal installed.

The guttering union shown in the drawings is designed to join the ends of two lengths of standard resiliently deformable plastics guttering of arcuate cross-section.

The union comprises a body 1 of arcuate internal profile corresponding to the external profile of two lengths of standard guttering which in use are held in the respective ends of the body 1 by means which will be described in more detail below. The body 1 is made from a single plastics moulding of, for example, PVC (polyvinychloride). The inside of the body 1 includes an abutment ridge 2 which acts as a stop for positioning the guttering ends and a pair of recesses 5 into which, in use, a resiliently compressible ridged seal 6 (Fig. 8) is placed. As shown in Fig. 8, the seal 6, which is of rubbery plastics material, has a four-cornered star cross-section with a longitudinal passageway 8 to facilitate compression. The seal is retained in the curved recesses 5 with its lower corners forced into the corners of the recess 5, by its resilient tendency to straighten out.The outsides of the guttering ends are forced against the respective seals by four clips 7 which are snap-fitted in the body 1. As shown in Figs.

1-3, integral clip receiving portions 9 of the body 1 are provided at each end of the recesses 5 to span the ridges 11 corresponding to the recesses 5 on the outside of the body 1. Each portion 9 comprises a plate-like part 13 integrally joined to a ridge 11 but extending longitudinaily beyond the ridge 11 at both ends and joined to the main part of the body by end parts 15 to form a pair of rectangular passageways 17. The plate-like part 13 extends above the rim 19 of the main wall 21 of the body 1 and has an undercut 23 which is level with the rim 19 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 5).

The undercut 23 provides a downwardly facing surface 25 in the passageway 17 which is used to retain a clip 7.

Each clip 7, which may for example be an integral moulding of plastics material such as nylon or acetal resin, has a main plate-like member 33 with a depending guttering-retaining lip 35 extending its whole length and channel-shaped legs 37 at its respective ends.

The channel-shaped legs 37 have an inner limb 39, a bottom limb 41 and an outer limb 43 and are so dimensioned and of sufficient resilience that they may be pushed into the passageways 17, so bending limbs 39 and 43 towards each other until the limb 43 snaps into the undercut 23 and is retained by the surface 25. As shown in Fig. 7, the legs 37 may be given a slight taper to facilitate installation. Once installed the clip 7 is prevented from moving upwards by the surface 25 and is prevented from moving downwards by the undersurface 45 of its plate-like member 33 resting on the rim 19.

When the union is supplied to the customer, the four clips 7 are already installed and the union and the guttering ends may be assembled by the customer in the conventional manner. A guttering end is placed over its seal against the abutment ridge 2 with one rim under a clip 7. The clip 7 at the opposite rim is flexed upwards by hand till its lip 35 clears the guttering rim and is then released. The resilience of the clip legs 37 forces the clip downwards onto the rim of the guttering and presses the guttering against the seal.

The respective wall thicknesses of the limbs 39, 41 and 43 of the clip legs 37 will determine where the legs 37 flex. As shown in Fig.

5 the flexing occurs mainly at the junction of the limbs 39, 41 but it may be arranged to occur wholly in the limb 39 or wholly in the limb 41 as desired. Of course, both clips holding a guttering end may be flexed to facilitate installation if desired. It will be apparent from the drawings that the clips 7 and the body 1 can be simply moulded without expensive moulding tools and that the resilient properties of the clips can be readily varied by changing their dimensions. Also, the clips 7 can be made of tougher material with different physi cal properties and the absence of PVC to PVC contact reduces squeaks due to thermal expansion and contraction.

It will be apparent that the union just described can be supplied to the ultimate user in a fully assembled condition and that the shape and material of the clips can be chosen to apply a sufficient resilient holding force to the guttering while permitting easy assembly and a relatively wide tolerance in the guttering dimensions, particularly its circumferential transverse length.

Claims

1. A guttering fitting comprising a channel for receiving a length of guttering, means in the channel for holding a resiliently compressible seal, and retaining lips on opposite sides of the channel for holding respective longitudinal edges of the guttering so that the guttering is pressed against the seal, at least one of the lips being provided by a clip snap-fitted to the channel such that the clip is securely held in a single predetermined position and such that the lip may be flexed resiliently upwardly to permit installation of the guttering in the channel.

2. A fitting according to claim 1, which is of plastics material.

3. A fitting according to claim 2, wherein the clip is of a tougher plastics material than the channel.

4. A fitting according to claim 3, wherein the clip is of nylon.

5. A fitting according to any preceding claim, wherein the clip has one or more legs which are inserted into respective passageways in or adjoining the channel walls.

6. A fitting according to claim 5, wherein the leg or legs are transversely resiliently compressible for insertion into the respective passageways and are permitted to expand when fully inserted in such a way as to prevent withdrawal.

7. A fitting according to claim 5 or 6 wherein said upwardly flexing of the lip is achieved by elastic deformation of said leg or legs.

8. A fitting according to claim 7 wherein, in transverse cross-section, the or each leg is U-shaped, the lip being integral with the arm of the U nearest the centre of the channel and the elastic deformation being achieved by movement of said arm towards the other arm of the U.

9. A guttering fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

10. A method of assembling a length of guttering and a fitting according to any preceding claim which is provided with said seal, in which method said clip is snap-fitted to the channel in said predetermined position, the length of guttering is placed in the channel with one edge under the lip on the opposite side of the channel, the lip provided by said clip is flexed upwardly by manual pressure so that the adjacent edge of the length of guttering may be lodged under the lip, and the lip is thereafter released to press the length of guttering against the seal.