GB2443251A - Gutter Guard - Google Patents

Abstract

A gutter guard comprises an elongated panel 3 for covering the open face of a gutter. The panel is secured in place by a rear bracket 5 at the roof edge of the gutter. The bracket holds the panel at an angle to the horizontal such that water runs over an upper surface toward the edge lip of the panel which ends in a curved U-shaped section 11. The panel may have a hydrophilic coating to reduce water tension and encourage water to cling to it. The panel may be of metal. The bracket may be of two pieces, a wall fixing 9 and an inner clip 5 which can be positioned in any of a series of parallel grooves 4 and 4a to enable positional adjustment of the panel. In use the guard will prevent debris such as leaves from entering the gutter.

Description

1. 2443251 Improvements Relatin2 to Gutters.

This invention relates to protective covers for gutters on buildings. More particularly but not exclusively this invention relates to a removable, adjustable gutter guard suitable for residential, domestic and industrial buildings which allows rainwater to enter the gutter but deflects other debris thus avoiding blockages.

It is known to provide house gutters with guards, which fit over the gutter to prevent debris such as leaves or animals from entering the gutter and causing blockages.

However there is a need for a gutter guard, which easily attaches to the structure of the building with a single, adjustable, lockable clip that may be extended to provide coverage for the various profiles and sizes of gutter and be removable for decorating or gutter replacement.

According to the present invention there is provided a guard for protecting guttering comprising of an elongated panel for covering the open face of a gutter; said panel having two opposite side edges. The rear edge is located and then locked in an adjustable bracket fixed above the gutter and in turn through the building's fascia, wherein one end of the panel is formed with an inwardly extending up, the edge of said lip being located, within or over said gutter, said panel being angled towards said lip and attached thereto by a curved, substantially U shaped section such that in use the guard encourages water to run along its surface to said lip and into said gutter.

This adjustable rear clip consists of an outer section fixed to the fascia with an inner clip that would be slid in at 90 degrees after said fixing. The inner clip would be located in any of the various retaining grooves at top and bottom of the outer clip to allow the substantially U shaped section to remain aligned with the front face of dissimilar sized gutter shapes and sections.

Advantageously, only water is allowed to flow into the gutter, with any other debris falling over the curved U shaped member and onto the ground below.

Preferably the guard is provided with a coating to increase the water surface tension effect and encourage water to film and cling to its surface.

Preferably the guard is secured in 2 slots formed between two resilient members above the rear of the gutter, firstly to locate said guard and then by dropping the front face to engage a further locking male to female ball joint to secure. The rear clip has an inner and outer section with the inner slid into the outer after fixing to the fascia.

Preferably the inner clip is located in a set of top and bottom parallel grooves to reflect the need for the front face to be held by said rear bracket and cantilevered to end with said U shaped member in line with differing gutter fronts but not fixed to said gutter front.

Preferably the guard is formed from a resilient material.

Advantageously no permanent fixing devices are employed as the resilient quality of the plate and the adjustable rear clipping hold the guard securely in place.

Advantageously the inner and outer rear clip arrangement will compensate for differing gutter profiles whilst utilising a standardised single, adjustable rear clip. 2.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross section through the Gutter Gard showing the guard attached to a gutter 2 showing position of rear clip 9.

In figure 1 Gutter Gard comprises of a metal plate or panel 3 of a size suitable for covering the channel of a typical gutter. In this embodiment the panel is metal although any suitable material could be employed. This panel 3 may be coated with a suitable coating to increase the surface tension effect thus enabling water to film and cling to its surface more readily. Leaves, moss and other debris will not adhere to this surface and will either fall to the ground from curve at 11 or remain on the guard until removed by wind or further rain.

The rear clip consists of the external clip 9 which attached to the fascia 1 with a fixing 10, placing the clip onto the rear lip of gutter 2. The inner clip 5 is then slid sideways into any one corresponding; locating grooves noted 4 at top and 4a at bottom to allow the guard 3 to be positioned above the front edge of various gutters 12.

The rear horizontal section of the Gard 13 is positioned onto the horizontal section of the inner rear clip 5, shown by dashed line 3A and pushed until it rests on the rearmost section of the clip. The Gard 3 is then pushed downwards from the front pivoting around position 14 inserting the rear of the extrusion into locator 6. The front of the rear section ends in a male ball 7, which will, when pushed downwards locate in an equivalent female locator, thus fixing the Gard. The fore section of the Gard ends with the curved U section II aligned above the front edge of the protected gutter 12, cantilevered from inner rear clip 5. Advantageously this provides a slight fall, which directs water towards the curved portion and onto the downwardly extending wall of the Gutter Gard. The surface tension effect ensures that the water or a substantial amount of water falling onto Gutter Gard 3 clings to the wall and falls back into the gutter 2. The rear of section 3 ends in an up stand 8 which when fixed reduces the effect of wind driven rain.

Figure 2 is an external view of 2 pieces of the gutter guard 3 showing an external corner mitred with a saw to allow leading curved edge 11 to align with a gutter corner.

A rod 17, bent at 90 degrees, joins the corner of Gutter Gard by insertion into the guide 19. This guide 19 is also used in connecting adjoining straight lengths of the guard to cover the open top of gutters when straight rods 18 are inserted. The end plate 15 is held in place with screws 16 at the termination of the covered gutter and closes the gutter to animals and debris. The other numbered items are as described in Figure 1. 3.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS.

   I. A guard for protecting guttering comprising an elongated plate for covering the open face of the gutter said plate having two opposite side edges secured only by a rear bracket that locks said plate. This bracket when located above the rear of a gutter holds the said plate angled towards the edge lip and attached thereto by a curved, substantially U shaped section such that in use the guard encourages water to run along its surface to said lip and into said gutter.
2. 2. A guard according to claim 1 wherein said guard is provided with a coating to increase the water surface tension effect and encourage water to film and cling to its surface.
3. 3. A guard according to claim I and 2 that is held in place by a two piece rear bracket consisting of an outer clip fixed to the dwelling at fascia and an inner clip to be slid into said outer clip in various parallel locating grooves, thus extending forwards as necessary to align the front curved face with the edge of the front of various sized and profiled gutters. When the two clips are slid together and fixed the substantially u-shaped section is located from above and slid to the rear of the inner rear clip before being pressed down to engage the retaining lug on the front edge of this inner rear clip. This positively fixes the U shaped section in the vertical dimension, aligned with gutter front.
4. 4. A guard according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the guard is formed from a resilient metal.
5. 5. A guard substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.