GB2282398A - Trough-like structures, e.g. gutters - Google Patents

Abstract

A trough-like structure such as a gutter or a lining for a gutter is formed from a plastics material strip which is folded initially into concertina form. The edges of the strip have reinforcement bars (22) equally pitched along the edges hut with small spaces between adjacent bars (22), and the strip is folded concertina fashion along fold lines aligned with said spaces and the concertina structure is held in that condition by releasable holding means (23) until it is transported to site. The strip may be used to line an existing gutter, or may be used alone; it may be folded into a part-circular gutter as shown, or a trapezoidal form (Fig.8, not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements Relating to Trough-Like Structures This invention relates to trough-like structures, being elongated structures of channel section.

Trough-like structures can be used in a number of applications, a particular one of which is a feeding trough for animals. Another example of a trough-like structure, and one in which I am particularly interested, is a gutter for a building. There doubtless are other trough-like structures to which the present invention can apply, but in the interests of clarity and simplicity of description, reference is made hereinafter only to gutters for a building, but it should be borne in mind that the invention has wider application as indicated above.

Existing gutters for buildings include metallic and plastic gutters which are made up of sections connected end to end at joints, and at the ends the gutters have end formations in order to contain the water which collects in the gutter.

The joints between sections with the passage of time tend to leak, which creates a problem in the gutter functioning. It is difficult furthermore to effect suitable repairs of such leaks, and one system which I have proposed to overcome this problem is to provide a plastic gutter liner, for example as disclosed in my published British Patent Application No.

2,233,383 which discloses that an elongated strip of plastic can be pre-creased so that it can be folded easily into an existing gutter in order to form a waterproof liner for the gutter.

The present invention provides further improvements in an arrangement wherein a strip of plastics material is provided to be shaped into the form of a trough-like structure, but which has additional advantages compared to the lining disclosed in my prior patent.

The structure of the present invention can be used not only as a gutter lining, but also as a gutter which is primary in nature, i.e. it defines a new gutter, or it can be secondary in nature so as to define a secondary gutter inside the existing gutter.

In accordance with the invention, a trough-like structure is adapted to be formed from an elongated strip of plastics sheet material which is folded transversely in concertina fashion enabling it to be readily taken to site for formation into a trough-like structure.

Preferably, between adjacent folds and at the sides of the strip are reinforcing edgings, typically comprising sheet metal folded around the strip edges. The sheet metal may be folded upon itself so as also to fold the strip edges to trap same in the metal edgings.

The strip of plastics material may be provided with transverse fold lines to enable said concertina folding, and where the fold lines meet the strip edges, the plastics strip may be notched.

The plastics material may be formed in long lengths so that for forming a gutter, it may be constructed without any or onbly very few, joints, improving the water retention properties of the gutter when considered over a long period as compared to the conventional gutters requiring the many joined sections.

By virtue of providing the reinforcing edges, the plastics material can be used as a primary gutter in place of existing guttering or in new buildings, the only additional components required being fixing brackets for the guttering.

At the ends, the trough-like structure according to the present invention may be provided with sealed end formations as described in prior British Patent specification No.

2,233,383 or the ends may be provided with separate end plates connected to the trough-like structure in a manner to effect a seal between the end plates and the plastic strip.

Any suitable plastics material may be used, but we prefer to use robust thermoplastics sheet material which is capable of being curved into trough configuration on site. Such material enables a simple and effective coupling of the trough-like structure, in the form of a gutter, to suitable down-pipes by providing an aperture in the base of the guttering, and by heating around the aperture followed by turning of the heated material to flare same into an outlet which fits into an adjacent down pipe.In order to provide for filtering of material from the water which collects in and is drained from the guttering, a filter pipe may be forced into said outlet so as to extend into the down pipe, the filter pipe having a portion projecting above the base of the trough like structure and having in the wall thereof drain apertures through which water can drain, but said extension providing a means for blocking the passage into the down pipe of solid matter of a size larger than the size of said apertures.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a trough-like structure when it is in assembled form for transportation; Fig. la shows a plastic strip usable in connection with the formation of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 2 shows the structure of Fig. 1 when in the opened out condition and ready to be inserted into or formed into a gutter; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the detail of the side of the structure, the section being taken on the line III-III; Fig. 4 shows the structure when deflected into trough-shape; Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show in sectional elevation how the structure can be used in connection with different guttering arrangements; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a modified gutter arrangement;; Fig. 9 is a detailed sectional elevation of the top edge of one side of the gutter of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the one production process for the manufacture of the guttering shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing how a drain spout may be provided in the guttering formed by the trough-like structure; and Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 11, when in the assembled condition.

Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Fig. la, a strip 10 of plastics material, suitably thermoplastics material, forms the basis of the structure shown in Fig. 1 which is indicated by reference numeral 12.

The strip 10, which may be extruded, is provided with opposed side notches 14 at equally spaced intervals, and additionally with transverse fold lines 16 which connect opposed notches as shown. These fold lines 16, which are optional and could be omitted, split the strip 10 into sections 18 arranged end to end. By this configuration, the strip is adapted to be folded concertina fashion in the manner shown in Fig. 1, and it is this quality which provides the strip with the particular suitability to form a continuous and long troughlike structure, for example at a site located remote from the location where the strip is in fact produced.This is particularly important in the case of guttering which may be quite long, and as the strip can be taken to the site when folded concertina fashion as shown in Fig. 1, occupying a relatively small space, it can be unfolded and placed directly into the guttering which it may be designed to line, or which it may be designed to form. The plastic strip 10 can in itself form a trough-like structure without any additional components, and indeed the notches 14 may be omitted if desired. These notches however are provided and are desirable when the structure is constructed as shown in Fig. 1, because as shown in that figure and also in Fig. 2, the edges 20 of the sections of the strip 10 are reinforced with edging bars 22 which are in fact metallic sheets folded around and crimped to the edges. These edgings could be of plastics material and could be integral with the sheet 10 or bonded thereto. These metallic sheets 22 extend between but not across notches 14 to enable the assembly to be folded as shown in Fig. 1.

The assembly shown in Fig. 1 will in use be part of a pack insofar as when the strip 10 is folded to the concertainer conditions shown in Fig. 1, it will be held in that condition, for example by holding bands or strips or by a sheet material wrapping, or by being boxed, to enable it to be transported from its place of manufacture to the site where it will be used. It is an important inventive aspect that the structure is concertina folded and held in a pack in this manner. It may be held on its own by the holding means or it may be held together with similar concertina folded strips by the same holding means.

One example of holding means is indicated by reference numeral 23 and dotted lines in Fig. 1, and is in the form of metal or plastic packaging bands, which can be severed on site to enable the strip 12 to be unfolded and erected to trough shape.

Fig. 3 shows one example of how the metal sheet 22 may be connected to the edge of a section 18. Sheet 22 is initially in U-shape configuration to slip over the edge 20 of the section 18, and then the edge 20 and the sheet 22 are folded and crimped into the spiralled arrangement shown clearly in Fig. 3 by a suitable bending and pressing apparatus of conventional form. The metallic sheet 22 may be of galvanised steel or the like.

The resulting structure as shown in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2 is particularly suitable for being curved into trough configuration as shown in Fig. 4.

A particularly suitable application for this structure is to form a gutter lining, a secondary gutter, or a gutter in its own right. In Fig. 2, the structure 12 after it has been opened out or unfolded is designed to be curved into gutter shape and inserted in an existing gutter 24 which is shown as having a joint 26 which may in fact be leaking. A bracket 28 is also shown for the coupling of the structure 12 to the gutter 24. To enable structure 12 to be inserted in the gutter 24, the structure 12 is curved into the gutter shape as shown in Fig. 4, and then is pressed into the existing guttering 24. The bracket 28 is placed around the outside of the existing guttering, and the top edges are then tucked into the inside of the structure 12 in order to trap same in position as shown clearly in Fig. 5 by reference numeral 30.

An extremely effective gutter lining or secondary guttering is formed.

At the ends, the structure 12 may be appropriately designed so that the ends can be sealed for example by folding and heat sealing of the plastics material of the strip 10. As an alternative, separate end pieces may be adapted to be clamped to the end of the structure 12 to form sealed closed ends which will obviously be required.

The structure according to the invention can be used as guttering in its own right as shown in Fig. 6 which figure also shows a metallic bracket 32 of suitable configuration to hold the guttering 12. Fig. 7 shows that the structure 12 can be clipped into place in existing guttering so as to lie under the edge 34 of a roof 36 in conventional manner.

Fig. 8 illustrates another arrangement wherein the structure 12 provides guttering for a building. The Figure also shows particularly suitable brackets 25 which, by use of a suitable number, serve not only to hold the guttering erect, but also prevent relative displacement out of alignment of the ends of adjacent bars 22. The strip 10 is of a robust plastics material and it is pre-creased longitudinally at fold lines 17 as described in British Patent 2,233,383 and the edges are provided with the bars 22. The guttering formed by the strip 10 has a flat base 27 and divergent flat sides 29. The sides 29 would normally tend to splay open but are prevented from so doing by the brackets 25 which are designed to be snap clipped over the tops of the guttering sides 29 and the bars 22 and embrace the bars 22 at the respective sides of the guttering holding the sides securely in position.

The brackets 25 are designed so as to be slidable on the guttering lengthwise thereof as indicated by arrows 19 so as to be locatable at any position therealong and each bracket 25 has a centre stay 31 which lies under the tops of the sides 29 and prevents the sides of the guttering from being pushed together or spread apart. The brackets 25 are wide enough to straddle the notches 14 and engage the adjacent ends of the bars 22 as shown.

As can be seen from Fig. 9, the ends of the brackets 25 have hook portions 33 which define recesses 35 in which the bars 22 are located. To apply the brackets 25, the hook portions 33 are sprung over the strips 22 and removal can be effected by a reverse operation. When in place however the brackets 25 hold the guttering firmly in the erected condition.

Fig. 9 furthermore shows that the metal bars 22 are crimped onto the plastic strip 10 according to a slightly different folding sequence and that the bars 22 extend outwardly forming edges or flanges on the tops of the guttering sides 29 providing a means of retaining the strips 22 in the bracket hook portions 35.

Instead of the bars 22 being of metal thhey may be plastics material bars bonded to the strip 10 or formed integrally with the strip 10 when it is extruded.

Fig. 8 also shows a monitoring bracket 39 by which, along with other similar brackets, the guttering may be mounted on a building. The mature design and construction of such brackets may take any suitable form dependant upon the configuration of the guttering and the building on which it is to be mounted.

Referring now to Fig. 10, this Figure illustrates diagrammatically a process for the production of the guttering particularly the guttering shown in Figs. 8 and 9, but the principle of the method can be adopted for any guttering according to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 10 more specifically, the plastic elongated strip 10 is fed in the direction of arrow 50.

Simultaneously with the feed of the material 10, metal strips are unrolled from two roll supplies indicated by reference numerals 52 and 54 in order to provide the eventual reinforcing bars 22. The strips from the supplies 52 and 54 are initially flat, but after being operatively overlayed in relation to the edges of the strip 10, they are crimped at crimping stations 56 and 58 so as to be applied to the edges of strip 10 in the folded and crimped configuration shown in Fig. 9.

The strip 10 with the metal strips applied then passed to a notching station 60 at which reciprocal notching tools 62 and 64 are reciprocated as indicated by arrows 66 so as to notch the edges of the assembly of the metal and plastic strips, and create the notches 18 and indeed to define the reinforcing bars 22. At the same time, the notching station 62 may cause the application of the transverse creases 60 if they are to be created, and the thus processed structure is then folded concertina fashion as shown at 68 in Fig. 10.

The strip 10 may be pre-creased with the crease lines 17 if required.

Typically, the process described will be performed on equipment set up to suit the particular gutter size and configuration, but the components are adjustable in order to cater for gutter configurations of a different type and a different size.

When the sections of the structure are arranged concertina fashion as shown in Fig. 10, and the entire length of the structure has been so folded, appropriate banding such as 23 is applied around the concertina structure to form the pack which can then be taken to site.

Any of the possible variations in the modifications mentioned hereinbefore can be used in conjunction with this method of production. For example, the reinforcing bars 22 can be replaced by integral plastic thickened regions created during the extrusion process for the strip 10 or alternatively the reinforcing bars to replace bars 22 can be plastic components applied by adhesive or bonding techniques. Instead of the concertina folded structure being held by banding, it can be held by a wrapping or can be placed in transport container.

But a significant feature of the preferred embodiments of the invention is that the structure is capable of and is folded concertina fashion at its production location and then is transported whilst in this condition, taking up minimum space, to the site where it is to be used. Because it is folded concertina fashion it takes up relatively little space, but when unfolded forms a continuous length of troughing which can easily be rendered leak proof.

When the structure 12 of any of the embodiments described, is used as guttering it will require to be provided with apertures to allow drainage of the water from the guttering into the building down pipes, and one arrangement is shown in Fig. 11. A down pipe 70 is shown as being in register with a hole 72 formed in the base of the structure 12, such hole being defined by a downwardly flared portion 74 as shown in Fig. 12 which is formed by initially providing a smaller aperture in the plastic strip of the structure 10, followed by the shaping of the spout portion 74 by means of a heated tool. The diameter of the spout portion 74 is substantially less than the inner diameter of the down pipe 70 into which it projects to provide for effective drainage of the water, and to complete the drainage arrangement, a short drain pipe 76 is pressed into the aperture 72 as indicated by arrow 78.

The drain pipe 76 is provided with a slot 80 so that its diameter can be reduced as it is forced into the hole. The cross bar 82 limits the extent to which the pipe 76 can be pushed into the outlet hole 72, and above the said cross bar are drain holes 84 through which water can be drained. The upper portion of the pipe 76 therefore acts as a sieve or colander whereby solid material is prevented from flowing into the down pipe 70 if it is of a larger size than the size of the apertures 84.

The present invention provides an extremely effective means for taking a trough-like structure to site even though it has to form a trough of substantial length without any joints or breaks therein. In the case of lining of a gutter therefore a lining which covers all of the joints along one edge of a building can easily be provided and it can easily be erected in that the structure for example as shown in Fig. 1 would simply be unfolded along the length of the gutter, and then shaped into trough configuration as shown in Fig. 4 and eventually fitted over the gutter.

The provision of reinforcing edging bars 22 ensures that a robust structure is formed and the edgings provide a means whereby the structure can be held by brackets to form new guttering in a convenient and effective manner. The structure can be used for the provision of other forms of trough such as feeding troughs for animals.

Claims (14)

1. A structure for erection into a trough characterised in that it comprises elongated plastics material strip (10) folded concertina fashion and provided with reinforcement (22) on the edges of the strip.

2. A structure for erection into a trough characterised in that it comprises elongated plastics material strip (10) provided with transverse creases (16) to facilitate the folding of the strip (10) material concertina fashion.

3. A structure according to claim 1 or 2 characterised by releasable holding means (23) holding the plastics material strip (10) in said concertina fashion for transportation to site.

4. A structure for erection into a trough characterised in that it comprises elongated plastics material strip (10) folded concertina fashion and held in this condition for transportation to site by releasable holding means (23).

5. A structure according to claims 3 or 4, characterised in that the holding means (23) comprises banding (23).

6. A structure according to claim 1, characterised in that the strip (10) is pre-creased transversely (16) to facilitate the folding of said strip concertina fashion.

7. A structure according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said reinforcement comprises reinforcement bars (22) extending between adjacent folds (16) in the strip.

8. A structure according to claim 7, characterised in that said bars (22) comprise sheet metal folded over and crimped to the strip edges.

9. A structure according to any preceding claim, in combination with brackets (25) for holding the trough created by the erection of the strip (10) after unfolding same, said brackets, (25) comprising a strut position (31) having hook portions (33) at the ends thereof adapted to be clipped to the opposite top edges of the trough.

10. A structure according to claim 9, characterised in that the brackets (25) are wide enough to straddle adjacent ends of the reinforcement bars (22) at the same side of the trough.

11. A structure according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that said brackets (25) are of plastics material and are extrusions or injection mouldings.

12. A method of producing a structure according to any preceding claim wherein an elongated plastics material strip (10) is fed in the direction of its length, and is provided with continuous reinforcement bars (22) on its edges, characterised in that the edges are notched (14) at opposite locations and at intervals along the length of the strip (10) so as to interrupt the reinforcement bars (22), the strip is then folded at said opposite locations into concertina configuration and holding means (23) is applied to the folded strip to hold it in that form for transportation to the site where it is to be used.

13. A method according to claim 12 characterised in that the reinforcement bars (22) are formed by sheet metal folded round and crimped to the edges of the plastics material strip (10).

14. A method according to claim 12, characterised in that the strip is extruded and is provided with said reinforcement bars (22) during the extrusion step.