US2988226A - Screened roof gutter - Google Patents

Description

June 13, 1961 c. w. CAMPBELL SCREENED ROOF GUTTER Filed June 3. 1955 l nk INVENTEJR. 6714 m. as m (A M raeu United States Patent ()fice 2,988,22G Patented June 13, 1961 2,988,226 SCREENED ROOF GUTTER Charles W. Campbell, 1997 Her-tel Ave., Buffalo 14, N.Y.,

assignor of one-half to William F. Matthews, Kenmore, N.Y.

Filed June 3, 1955, Ser. No. 512,993 2 Claims. (Cl. 210-474) This invention relates generally to the gutter art, and more'particularly to a new and useful roof gutter and drain.

Roof gutters of the conventional type are formed of galvanized steel in sections which are soldered together, the assembled gutter being held by hanger type fastenings which are secured to the roof as by nails or screws. Such gutters do not weather well and tend to deteriorate relatively rapidly", with the result that unless they receive considerable maintenance care they rustthrough and discolor the adjacent portions of the house to which they are attached. Also, such gutters are merely open channels which tend to become clogged by wet leaves and the like. In addition, such gutters are not particularly strong and if for example a ladder is leaned thereagainst, to provide access to the roof, the gutter is apt to be crimped and bent thereby.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of my invention to provide a gutter having excellent weathering characteristics, and which will withstand exposure to the elements without rusting and/ or discoloring and will resist deterioration of any kind.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a gutter of substantial strength including substantial compressive strength so as to withstand the weight of a ladder leaned thereagainst as well as accidental blows.

In addition, a particularly important object of my invention is to provide a roof gutter having protective screen means which will avoid clogging thereof by leaves and the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide a gutter which is readily formed into sections which are in turn readily assembled and installed;

Still another object of my invention is to provide a roof gutter which does not require the use of nails, spikes or other mechanical fastening means of any kind.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a roof gutter which can be made in substantially any color and which is not subject to color fading upon'continued exposure to the elements.

A roof gutter according to my invention is characterized in one'aspect thereof by the provision of an integral generally channel-shaped trough portion of a plastic material such as a fiberglass reinforced polyester resin.

In accord with another aspect thereof a roof gutter according to my invention is characterized by the provision of trough-like sections of an internally reinforced thermosetting plastic material, the sections being cemented together in end-to-end relation and the assembled sections being cemented to the facia board or like part of the building.

In still another aspect thereof, a roof gutter according to my invention is characterized by the provision of a generally channel-shaped trough portion, and a protective screen portion extending across the top of the trough portion, the screen portion being releasably interlocked with the trough portion and the trough portion having a resiliently yieldable side wall part assisting in maintaining the screen portion locked in position.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of a roof gutter constructed in accord with my invention will become readily apparent from the ensuing detailed description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in transverse section showing the manner'in which a roof gutter of my invention is installed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the novel gutter of FIG. 1, certain parts being broken away for ease of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of gutter constructed in accord with my invention;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of another form of gutter constructed in accord with my invention; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of still another form of gutter according to my invention.

FIG. 1 shows a gutter of my invention, generally designated 1, installed in position adjacent the roof of a building, the gutter being afiixed to the facia board 2 covering the rafters 3 for receiving water draining from the roof shingles 4.

Looking now at the embodiment of FIG. 2, the gutter 1 comprises a generally channel-shaped trough portion having a rear side wall 6, a front side wall 6'. and a bottom wall 7. In accord with my invention the trough portion is an integral member of a reinforced thermosetting plastic and can be extruded, molded or formed. A polyester resin impregnated with fiberglass rovings is particularly suitable for this purpose, and it will be appreciated that by using such material a contoured design such as the horizontal fluttings on the front wall 6' is readily provided if desired. The channel-shaped trough portions are formed in sect-ions of a desired length, and where two or more sections are used they aresimply butted together in end-to-end relation and cemented together, which operation is readily accomplished.

A significant advantage of the roof gutter of my invention is that, in addition to being readily formed in sections of a convenient length, it is readily assembled and installed. Thus, a suitable waterproof cement such as Phiaxal Latex, #847, made by the Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company, is used to cement the sections together at their abutting edges, and to cement the rear wall 6 of the assembled sections to the facia board 2'in the manner shown in FIG. 1.

The use of 'thermosetting. plastic sections cemented together and to the building structure is of primary importance in that it dispenses with the usual welded metal connections which tend to deteriorate and which provide a surface discontinuity at the joint. Also, the use ofnails or spikes is dispensed with in attaching the gutter to the facia board, whereby splitting and subsequent rotting of the facia board is avoided.

Another advantage of a gutter in accord with myinvention resides in the fact that almost any color can be molded therein, whereby the gutter can be colored to match the exterior color of the building to which it is applied, and the color will not fade upon exposure to the elements. Also, the gutter of my invention will not corrode and in fact requires virtually no maintenance. In addition, it will be appreciated that the fiberglass reinforced thermosetting plastic gutter of my invention has a high degree of mechanical strength and toughness, having for example a strength in compression of approximately 50,000 psi, including excellent impact strength characteristics, whereby ladders and the like can he leaned against my gutter without fear of damaging the same, and whereby accidental impacts during assembling and installation of the gutter will not mar its appearance.

The opposite ends of the gutter are closed by end pieces 8 similarly made of fiberglass reinforced thermosetting plastic, which are simply butted against the ends of the assembled channel sections and cemented thereto. Also, the gutter leads to a drain 9 which can be extruded of fiberglass reinforced thermosetting plastic and which is simply cemented to the underside of the bottom wall 7 3 which has a cut out portion aligned with the drain opening.

A feature of particular importance in a roof gutter according to my invention resides in the provision of a protective screen preventing the accumulation of leaves and other debris on the bottom of the gutter, the screen preferably also functioning as a reinforcing or strengthening member. Thus, referring still to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the inner surface of walls 6 and 6' are formed with spaced shoulder defining beads 11 and 11', respectively, which extend longitudinally of the trough portion and are adapted to accommodate therein the opposite side edge portions of a protective screen 12. Screen 12 may be of any desired pattern providing the spaced openings 13 therethrough, and preferably has at spaced points along its length relatively wide solid sections extending thereacross, as shown at 14, to impart added strength thereto.

Screen 12 also is formed of a fiberglass roving reinforced thermosetting plastic, and preferably is of convex form and mounted in the trough portion closely adjacent the top thereof, whereby leaves and other debris drifting down onto the gutter will rest on the screen 12 and air passing through openings 13 and beneath the accumulated leaves thereon, as well as over such leaves, will in due course dry the same and blow them away from the screen, whereby the gutter channel will remain substantially clean and unclogged. The convex curvature of screen 12 assists in this action because there is less tendency for wet leaves to cling to the concave surface throughout their complete area, as compared for example to a fiat screen surface, and it will be found that the edges of the leaves at least will tend to stay above the screen whereby the wind will act thereagainst to lift them from the screen and away from the gutter.

The trough portion side walls must be spread apart slightly to permit the insertion of screen 12 between the ribs 11 and 11'. Only a very slight spreading apart is needed, and the natural resiliency of the gutter material is such that either side Wall will readily yield the desired amount and then resiliently return and tightly clamp screen 12 in position. Thus, the screen snaps over the upper ribs 11 and 11', and is releasably locked in position therebetween by the resiliently yieldable trough side Walls. The screen thereby comprises a supporting structural component of the gutter, and with the trough member defines a gutter of box beam construction which resists warping, buckling and twisting.

It should be noted that screen 12, in addition to protecting the trough against clogging, laterally reinforces the trough side walls adjacent the top of the trough, and lessens any chance of damage thereto as when a ladder is leaned thereagainst. It is felt that ribs 11 and 11' also tend to strengthen the gutter in this respect.

FIG. 3 shows a modified form of gutter according to my invention wherein the gutter and screen are of integral one piece construction providing a generally channelshaped trough portion defined by rear wall 16, bottom wall 17 and front wall 18. Front wall 18 is formed adjacent its upper edge to provide a resilient hinge section 19 and extends therebeyond to provide a convex screen portion 20 across the top of the trough portion. Screen portion 20 terminates in an upturned flange part 21 adapted to interfit with a part 22 of inverted channel shape formed along the upper edge of rear wall 16 to releasably interlock the screen and trough portions.

The resilient hinge 19 normally biases projection 21 of screen 20 tightly into part 22 on rear wall 16. However, being of a resilient nature hinge 19 will yield and permit screen 20 to be depressed into the trough whereby upon spreading side walls 16 and 18 apart screen 20 will, upon being released, spring upwardly out of the trough.

Here again, a protective screen is provided across the top of the gutter trough, which screen also serves as a brace member laterally reinforcing the gutter along its top portion. N

4 FIG. 4 shows still another modification wherein there is provided a channel-shaped trough portion defined by the rear wall 16, the bottom wall 17' and the front wall 18. A screen 20' of convex curvature has one end 23 upturned and cemented or welded to the rear wall 16', its opposite end 24 being upturned and adapted to engage within a part 25 of inverted channel shape formed along the upper edge of front wall 18'. Screen 25 is so formed that its natural resiliency urges it toward the position thereof shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, with front wall 18' being sufiiciently resilient to be expanded to the position shown in broken lines whereupon screen 25 can be depressed and when the parts are released thepart 24 of screen 25 will project into the part 25 of front wall 18'. Here again, the protective screen also serves as a reinforcing member across the top of the gutter.

FIG. 5 shows still another modification wherein, as in the modification of FIG. 3, the entire gutter is of one piece construction. In this form, the gutter has a substantially channel-shaped trough portion formed by the rear wall 27, bottom wall 28, and front wall 29. However, in this form of the invention front wall 9 curves upwardly from bottom wall 28 and then across the top of the trough portion, terminating in an upstanding part 30 which, due to the natural resiliency of front wall 29, projects into a part 31 of inverted channel shape formed along the upper edge of rear wall 27. That portion of front wall 29 which lies across the top of the gutter trough is formed to provide a convex screen portion 32, whereby again there is provided a screen structure functioning both as a protective and as a reinforcing member positioned across the top of the gutter.

The modifications shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 preferably are made of a fiberglass reinforced thermosetting plastic, as in the embodiment of FIG. 2. Alternatively, if desired these constructions could be formed from galvanized steel, copper or the like, while still retaining the advantage of my protective and reinforcing screen structure. 7

Also, while I presently prefer to use a fiberglass reinforced thermosetting plastic, I also contemplate the use of a suitable thermoplastic material, and the use of a non-reinforced plastic material.

Therefore, it is clearly apparent that my invention fully accomplishes the aforesaid objects. While only a limited number of forms of my invention are disclosed herein, my invention is not necessarily limited to the details thereof and is to be defined by the appended claims.

Having fully disclosed and completely described my invention, together with its mode of operation, what I claim as new is:

1. A roof gutter comprising, an elongated chamelshaped trough member formed of an internally reinforced thermosetting plastic material, means defining substantially parallel rib means extending longitudinally of said trough member on the inside upper surface of each of the opposite side walls thereof, and a transversely convex reinforcing and protective screen of internally reinforced thermosetting plastic material extending across the top of said trough member with the opposite side edge portions of said screen engaged between said rib means, at least one of said trough member side walls resiliently yielding to enable said screen to snap into position between said rib means and be removed therefrom, said trough member side walls normally tightly clamping said screen therebetween in laterally reinforcing relation thereto whereby said screen normally comprises a supporting structural component of said gutter and defines with said trough member a gutter of box beam construction.

2. A roof gutter comprising, an elongated and generally channel-shaped trough member having opposite side wall parts, means defining substantially parallel shoulders extending generally longitudinally of said trough member on the inner wall surface of the upper portion of each side wall part thereof, and a reinforcing and protective screen of transversely convex form' extending across the upper portion of said trough member with the opposite side edge portions of said screen engaged between said shoulders in laterally reinforcing relation to said side wall parts, at least one of said side Wall parts being resiliently yieldable to enable said side Wall parts to be spread apart suficiently to permit insertion of said screen between said shoulders and removal of said screen therefrom, said side wall parts normally tightly clamping said screen in position between said shoulders whereby said screen normally comprises a supporting structural component of said gutter and defines with said trough member a gutter of box beam construction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS sesame 6 Babeoek Mar. 5, 1901 Vogel Oct. 31, 1905 Feyler Mar. 31, 1908 Feyler Mar. 9, 1909 Kenny Nov. 2, 1909 Daniels June 7, 1910 Hyke Apr. 8, 1913 Wheeler Jan. 24, 1928 Westlake Oct. 3, 1939 Roe Dec. 9, 1947 Steinman June 27, 1950 Lake Apr. 13, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 20, 1874 Great Britain Dec. 20, 1950

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