GB2245612A - Gutter system - Google Patents

Abstract

A gutter system is formed from selected gutter elements which are one piece injection mouldings formed with integral bracing means 9, fixing means 10 and interconnection means 5, 6 in the form of corresponding socket and spigot ends. <IMAGE>

Description

Gutter Svstem This invention relates to a gutter system, and in particular to such a system formed of injection moulded plastics gutter elements.

Traditional gutter systems are formed of metal gutter elements, for example cast iron or aluminium. Such traditional gutter elements have the advantage of strength. The inherent strength of the metal gutter elements means that they do not require support brackets and may be secured directly to a wall or roof fascia, for example by screwing directly through the back edge.

Metal gutter systems, however, do have substantial disadvantages in terms of cost and weight. Recently therefore such metal gutter systems, particularly for domestic applications, have been replaced by gutter systems formed of extruded plastics material, such as PVC.

PVC gutter systems, however, have their own disadvantages. PVC gutter elements do not, themselves, have sufficient strength and therefore they require separate support brackets at approximately 1 m intervals. Furthermore while metal gutters may include integral jointing sockets, extruded PVC gutters must be provided with separately formed jointing mouldings. Not only does the requirement for separately formed support brackets and jointings undesirably increase the cost and inconvenience of PVC gutter systems, but additionally this requirement can cause problems in appearance resulting from differences in the colour and surface finish of moulded and extruded items. The finished appearance of extruded PVC gutter systems is therefore less than entirely satisfactory.

A further problem with conventional extruded PVC gutters is the difficulty of installation. Normally, the fixing of PVC gutters is carried out with the aid of a level string line. Gutter brackets are fitted at each end of the installation and a line pulled tight between the two points. All intermediate brackets are then accurately spaced and fixed. On completion, the string line has to be removed from both ends and lengths of gutter fitted using separate moulded unions. From this brief description it can be seen that there are a number of steps required to install conventional PVC gutters.

This may not be too much of a problem, apart from time, when working on a new building where scaffolding is provided, but is much more of a problem when working from ladders on an existing roof.

According to the present invention there is provided a gutter system comprising a plurality of interconnected gutter members, said gutter members including at least some of the following elements selected in accordance with the requirements of a desired gutter configuration, said gutter elements including; (a) an elongate gutter element, (b) a gutter angle element, (c) a gutter outlet element, and (d) a gutter end stop element; all of said elements being injection moulded of plastics material and each said element being integrally formed with a transversely extending bracing means and with fixing means for securing said element in use to a wall, roof fascia or the like, said elements further comprising opposed ends, said opposed ends being integrally formed with connection means whereby an end of one element may be connected to an end of an adjacent element.

By means of this arrangement, at least in its preferred forms, there is provided a gutter system that has advantages of cost and weight over conventional metal systems, but which overcomes, or at least mitigates, the disadvantages of conventional extruded PVC gutter systems. By injection moulding rather than extruding the gutter elements, they may be formed with integral bracing means as support brackets, fixing means and connection means. The provision of such an integral unit considerably facilitates the installation of the gutter system and improves the appearance of the finished system by removing the need for separate support brackets and avoiding the problems of mismatch between injection moulded and extruded components.

The opposed ends of the gutter elements may be formed as interconnecting sockets and spigots. Preferably each element is provided with one socket end and one spigot end. Certain elements, however, may be provided with two socket ends or two spigot ends. Preferably the interconnection between two such adjacent ends is provided with a seal, and in a preferred embodiment this seal may be formed integrally with the socket end as part of the injection moulding of the gutter element.

The socket end may also be formed with tabs that engage the corresponding spigot end and press the spigot end firmly into engagement with the seal.

The bracing means is preferably in the form of a transversely extending member extending from an upper rear portion of a gutter element to a front portion across the channel defined by said gutter element. The bracing means may be defined at one end of a gutter element adjacent a connection means, or at an intermediate point along the length of the gutter element.

It will be appreciated that the invention further extends to a gutter element for use in a system as aforesaid, said gutter element being injection moulded of plastics material and being integrally formed with a transversely extending bracing means, fixing means for securing said element to a wall, roof fascia or the like, and connection means whereby two such elements may be interconnected.

The invention also extends to an elongate gutter element of injection moulded plastics material having a channel portion of at least 0.75m, first integrally formed connecting means at one end of the gutter forming portion, and second integrally formed connecting means at the other end of the gutter forming portion, said first and second connecting means being adapted to cooperate whereby one gutter element can be joined end to end with another like gutter element.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs l(a)-(e) are plan, rear elevation, front elevation and end views respectively of an elongate gutter element, Figs 2(a)-(b) are plan views of 45" angle elements, Fig 2(a) being an internal angle and Fig 2(b) being an external angle, Figs 3(a) and (b) are plan views of, respectively, internal and external 90" angle elements, Figs 4(a)-(c) are plan, front elevation, and side elevation views respectively of a gutter outlet, and Figs 5(a)-(d) are front elevation, plan and end views respectively of a gutter end stop element.

Referring firstly to Figs l(a)-(e) there is shown therein a elongate gutter element 1 approximately 1 m in length. The gutter element is injection moulded from a suitable plastics material. As can be seen from Figs l(d) (which is a section along line A-A of Fig l(c)), and Fig l(e) (which is a section along line B-B of Fig l(c)), the gutter element 1 has a generally channelshaped cross-section. The gutter element 1 has a generally vertical rear wall 2, a substantially horizontal bottom wall 3, and a front wall 4 that is contoured to provide a desired appearance. As will be described further below, the rear wall 2 is adapted to be fixed directly to a wall, roof fascia or the like.

The gutter element 1 has opposed first and second ends 5, 6 formed as a socket and spigot respectively. The first and second ends 5,6 are so configured that the spigot end 6 of one gutter element may be received within the socket end 5 of an adjacent such element.

The socket end 5 is formed as an integral part of the gutter element 1 in the injection moulding of the element. The socket 5 includes a number of tabs 7 and an elastomeric sealing element 8. When connecting two such gutter elements, a spigot end 6 of one element is inserted in a corresponding socket end 5 so that the spigot end is received between the tabs 7 and the walls of the element at the socket end. The tabs 7 thus act to press the spigot end 6 into firm engagement with the sealing strip 8. As described above, it is desirable if the sealing strip 8 is formed integrally with the gutter element 1. However, the sealing strip 8 may be formed as a separate element and fitted loosely into a grooved housing.

The gutter element 1 is further provided with transversely extending integrally formed bracing members 9. As can be seen in particular in Fig l(d) the bracing members 9 extend from an upper region of the rear wall portion 2 to a corresponding upper portion of the front wall portion 4. The gutter element 1 is provided with one such bracing member 9 at an approximately central location, and a second bracing member is disposed adjacent the socket end 5 of the element 1. The gutter element 1 is also provided with integrally formed fixing means 10 for fixing the element to a wall, roof fascia board or the like. The fixing means 10 are provided at longitudinal locations corresponding substantially to the locations of the bracing members 9, and comprise thickened wall portions with openings 11 for receiving a screw or similar such fastening element.At least one such opening 11, preferably in the middle of each element, may be provided with a sufficient lateral extent to permit thermal movement to take place.

Elongate gutter elements as shown in Fig 1 will form the basis of a guttering system, but to define a complete guttering system on a building other types of element will be needed, and Figs 2-5 illustrate other such elements. Fig 2(a) and (b) illustrate a 45" angle elements 12,12'. Fig 2(a) shows an element 12 for an internal angle, while Fig 2(b) shows an element 12' for an external angle. As with the gutter element 1, angle elements 12,12' are formed in one piece by injection moulding. Each angle element 12,12' is provided with first and second opposed ends 15,16 that correspond exactly with the corresponding first and second ends 5,6 of the basic elongate gutter element 1 shown in Figures l(a)-(e) and thus will not be described in any further detail.The angle elements 12,12' are also provided with bracing members 19 adjacent the socket end 15, and fixing means 20 adjacent this same socket end 15. Again the bracing member and fixing means correspond exactly with the bracing member and fixing means of the gutter element 1 and thus will not be described in any detail.

Since the ends 15, 16 of the angle elements 12,12' correspond exactly with the ends 5,6 of the gutter element 1, it will be appreciated that the gutter elements and the angle elements can be interconnected at will.

Figs 3(a) and 3(b) illustrate 90 internal and external angle elements respectively. Apart from the greater angle, these angle elements correspond exactly with the 45" angle elements shown in Figs 2(a) and 2(b) and thus will not be described in any further detail.

Figs 4(a) and (b) illustrate a gutter outlet 41 that may be used to connect other gutter elements to a down drainpipe. To this end, the outlet element 41 is provided in a mid-portion thereof with an opening 42 leading to a downward connecting pipe 43. The opposed ends 45 of the outlet element 41 are both formed as sockets identical in configuration to the sockets ends of the previously described gutter elements. Thus the outlet element 41 is adapted to be connected to the spigot ends of adjacent gutter elements. As with the previously described socket ends, the ends 45 of outlet element 41 are integrally provided with transverse bracing members 49 and fixing means 50 for securing the outlet 41 to a wall, fascia board or the like.

Figs 5(a) to (d) show a further gutter element in the form of an end stop 51. End stop 51 is simply formed with a closed end 52 and an end in the form of a socket 55 corresponding exactly to the socket ends previously described. The socket end 55 being provided with a transverse bracing members 59 and fixing means 60 formed as an integral part of the end stop 51. The end stop 51 is adapted to be fitted to the end of a run of gutter elements by engaging the socket end 55 with the spigot end of an adjacent gutter element. As an alternative, however, it will be appreciated that the end stop could be trimmed to form a spigot end, such a spigot end would then engage in the socket end of any adjacent gutter element.

With a combination of gutter elements of the type described above, a desired gutter configuration for a building can readily be provided. The fixing of the gutter elements to the building is facilitated by forming the gutter elements with integral fixing means and with integral bracing members as support brackets, thus avoiding the need for fixing a plurality of separate support brackets to the wall or fascia board of the building. Assembly of the gutter configuration is further facilitated by providing the gutter elements with mutually interconnecting ends, the interconnecting ends preferably being provided with a seal to avoid or minimise leakage at such joints.

Claims (17)

1. A gutter system comprising a plurality of interconnected gutter members, said gutter members including at least some of the following elements selected in accordance with the requirements of a desired gutter configuration, said gutter elements including; (a) an elongate gutter element, (b) a gutter angle element, (c) a gutter outlet element, and (d) a gutter end stop element; all of said elements being injection moulded of plastics material and each said element being integrally formed with a transversely extending bracing means and with fixing means for securing said element in use to a wall, roof fascia or the like, said elements further comprising opposed ends, said opposed ends being integrally formed with connection means whereby an end of one element may be connected to an end of an adjacent element.

2. A gutter system as claimed in claim I wherein said connection means comprise interconnecting sockets and spigots.

3. A gutter system as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least some of said elements are provided with one socket end and one spigot end.

4. A gutter system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the remaining elements are provided with two socket ends or two spigot ends.

5. A gutter system as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 wherein the interconnection between two adjacent ends is provided with a seal.

6. A gutter system as claimed in claim 5 wherein each said seal is formed integrally with a said socket end.

7. A gutter system as claimed in claim 6 wherein each said socket end is formed with tabs adapted to engage a corresponding socket end and urge said corresponding socket end into engagement with said seal.

8. A gutter system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each said bracing means comprises a transversely extending member extending from an upper rear portion of a gutter element to a front portion across the channel defined by said gutter element.

9. A gutter system as claimed in claim 8, said bracing means being defined either at one end of a gutter element adjacent a connection means, or at an intermediate point along the length of the gutter element.

10. A gutter system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A gutter element for use in a system as claimed in any preceding claim, said gutter element being injection moulded of plastics material and being integrally formed with a transversely extending bracing means, fixing means for securing said element to a wall, roof fascia or the like, and connection means whereby two such elements may be interconnected.

12. An elongate gutter element of injection moulded plastics material having a channel portion of at least 0.75m, first integrally formed connecting means at one end of the gutter forming portion, and second integrally formed connecting means at the other end of the gutter forming portion, said first and second connecting means being adapted to cooperate whereby one gutter element can be joined end to end with another like gutter element.

13. A gutter element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. l(a)-(e) of the accompanying drawings.

14. A gutter element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 2(a)-(b) of the accompanying drawings.

15. A gutter element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3(a)-(b) of the accompanying drawings.

16. A gutter element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 4(a)-(c) of the accompanying drawings.

17. A gutter element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 5(a)-(d) of the accompanying drawings.