GB2256909A - Gutter cleaning tool - Google Patents

Abstract

A tool for use when removing debris from guttering comprises an elongated body (10) formed from sheet material and having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to that of the guttering to be cleaned and a handle (11) secured to the body to allow the body to be inserted into the guttering. As the body 10 is moved along the guttering debris collects in the channel formed by the body. <IMAGE>

Description

CLEANING TOOL This invention relates to a tool for use when removing debris from the guttering of a house.

Accumulated debris has to be removed periodically from the guttering of a house in order to ensure that in periods of heavy rain the water draining from the roof is carried away without spilling over the guttering.

Most guttering is of generally semi-circular shape and is fitted in such a manner that the lower edges of the lower slates or tiles lie below the rim of the guttering. As a result a portion of the guttering lies beneath the overhang of the slates or tiles and is therefore relatively inaccessible. The debris generally comprises dust and vegetable matter together in the case of a roof having sanded tiles, with sand and in the damp conditions which prevail, mosses can thrive thereby tending to bind the debris.

When cleaning a guttering a trowel can be used but because it is not possible to scrape the debris from beneath the overhang, only a portion of the debris is removed. It is also possible to use a brush but even if the debris is dry and not bonded together, some of the debris remains beneath the overhang.

The object of the invention is to provide a tool for the purpose specified in a simple and convenient form.

According to the invention a tool for use when removing debris from guttering comprises an elongated body of thin section and having a cross-sectional shape generally corresponding to that of the guttering to be cleaned and a handle which is joined to the body at a position inwardly from the longitudinal edges thereof, the handle extending with clearance over one of said edges An example of a tool in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tool, Figure 2 is an end elevation of the tool shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a modification to part of the tool.

Referring to the drawings the tool comprises a body 10 which in the particular example, is formed from galvanised steel plate of thin section, the body being formed so as to form a channel of generally semi-circular shape, the radius of the channel being slightly smaller than that of the inner surface of the guttering.

A handle 11 is secured to the body, the handle being formed from a single length of wire, the ends llA of the wire being bent in opposite directions and being welded or otherwise secured to the body inwardly of the longitudinal edges 12, 12A thereof. The handle extends inwardly a small amount and then upwardly and outwardly over the longitudinal edge 12.

In the use of the tool the body is inserted into the guttering and then moved along the guttering in either direction, so that debris in the base of the guttering passes onto the channel formed by the body.

The channel therefore acts as a scoop and when sufficient debris has been accumulated in the channel it can be lifted out of the guttering and the debris dropped into a suitable container. It will be appreciated that the process of inserting and removing the body from the guttering involves movement of the handle 11 so that the base of the channel rolls about the centre of curvature of the guttering. In order to reduce the risk of debris being tipped from the channel during its removal from the guttering the edge 12A of the channel opposite the handle is turned inwardly to form a recess 13 or as shown in Figure 4, the edge portion of the channel may be deformed to form a step 14 adjacent the edge of the channel. The recess 13 and the step 14 act to minimise the risk of the debris sliding out of the channel as the channel is tipped during its removal from the guttering.

Since most gutterings are formed from extruded plastics in sections which are secured together by clips the ends of which extend over the rim of the guttering and partly into the guttering, it is necessary for the body to be able to pass beneath the ends of the clips.

The side edges 12, 12A therefore terminate slightly below the corresponding edges of the guttering and by virtue of the fact that the handle is spaced from the edge 12 over which it extends, the channel can pass a joint in the guttering without hinderance.

As the body 10 is moved along the guttering and debris accumulates in the base of the channel there will be a tendency for the fresh debris to displace the collected debris from the trailing end of the channel.

This undesirable effect can be minimised by the provision of ribs 15 which extend into the channel adjacent the ends thereof. The ribs 15 are formed by deforming the sheet material defining the body as shown in section in Figure 3. Conveniently the end portions 16 incline outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the body and form scraping edges to facilitate the removal of debris adhering to the guttering.

The aforesaid undesirable effect can also be minimised by means of a detachable barrier member which can be fitted within and adjacent the trailing end of the body so as to form a barrier against the displacement of accumulated debris from the channel. In the example the barrier member is in the form of a resilient strip 17 having shaped ends to engage beneath the edge 12A and the end 11A of the handle. When the strip is in place the tool can only be moved in one direction to achieve its purpose but since the barrier can be moved the direction of movement can be changed. Instead of forming the equivalent of a step the barrier member can be constituted to partly or wholly close the channel at its trailing end and cam be formed from any suitable material.

Using the tool as described it is possible to remove most if not all the debris in the guttering, a task which has hitherto for been extremely difficult and time consuming.

Although as described the body forming the channel and the handle have been described as being formed from metal, they can be formed from moulded plastics with the handle being formed either separately relative to the body or integrally therewith.

Claims (9)

1. A tool for use when removing debris from guttering comprising an elongated body of thin section and having a cross-sectional shape generally corresponding to that of the guttering to be cleaned so as to form a channel and a handle which is joined to the body at a position inwardly of the longitudinal edges of the body, the handle extending with clearance over one of said edges.

2. A tool according to Claim 1, in which said other longitudinal edge of the body is shaped to define a recess to retain debris within the channel when the tool is tipped during its removal from the guttering in use.

3. A tool according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which adjacent the ends of the channel there is formed within the channel a pair of ribs respectively which act in use to minimise the risk of collected debris being displaced from the trailing end of the channel.

4. A tool according to any one of the preceding claims, including a detachable barrier member which can be fitted within the channel adjacent the trailing end thereof.

5. A tool according to Claim 4, in which said barrier member serves to partly or wholly close said trailing end of the channel.

6. A tool according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which said handle is formed from a length of wire the end portions of which extend in opposite directions and are welded or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the body adjacent said one longitudinal edge, the handle extending inwardly and then upwardly and outwardly over said edge.

7. A tool according to Claim 6 when dependent upon Claim 2, including a barrier member in the form of a resilient strip the end portions of said strip being shaped to locate within said recess and beneath one of said end portions of the wire forming the handle, said barrier member being located adjacent the trailing end of the channel.

8. A tool according to Claim 1, in which the end portions of said body incline outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the body.

9. A tool for use when removing debris from guttering substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.