WO2006100699A1 - A self- cleaning gutter - Google Patents

Abstract

A self-cleaning gutter that allows, with great ease, the removal of solid material deposited within itself without recourse to specialists provided with suitable expensive means, is disclosed.

Description

A Self Cleaning Gutter

Brief Description of the Invention

The object of the present invention comprises a self-cleaning

gutter that allows, with great ease, the removal of solid

material deposited within itself, whether leaves, soil, sand,

bird excrement, without recourse to ladders, raised working

platforms, scaffolding or even the necessity to climb on the

roof. More particularly, the gutter of the present invention

is structured in such a way that it may be rotated in respect

to one of its longitudinal axis to an angle such to enable the

easy removal of solid materials deposited within itself.

Description of the state of the art

Manufacturers' gutters are placed perimetric under the eaves

of roofs and function by the use of a slight inclination with

which they are mounted to channel the rainwater towards the

drainpipes that provide a drain to the ground. The solid

materials that gather in the gutter, depending on their nature

and quantity, modify the functionality in that they cause

obstructions which, by not allowing the water to drain to the

ground, can also cause damage to a certain extent, such as infiltration of damp to the inside of the building. To ensure

the functionality of the gutters it is therefore necessary to

resort to cleaning them, which is necessarily made more frequent, e.g. in areas with a high density of trees.

The operations of cleaning the gutters are nearly precluded

for non-specialists due to the necessity of appropriate apparatus and safety protection which, even if used correctly,

do not eliminate all risks of falling and the consequential

physical damages, sometimes very serious, which can result.

In the current state of the art there are perforated panels or

gratings or similar, generally of rigid plastic, which are

fixed above the gutter as covers of same and have the

objective of holding back solid materials of a certain

dimension so allowing the flow of rain water into the gutter below through the holes or slots made therein.

The disadvantage of said perforated or slotted panels is shown

in the fact that the finer solid materials, such as soil,

sand, bird excrement and tiny leaves, pass equally, together

with the water, through the holes or slots and deposit

themselves in the gutter so making it heavier and even finally

obstructing it, and even therefore causing, in time, the above

mentioned damage. With the use of said panels, however, the

necessity remains to clean the gutters below and the covering gratings themselves with the same above mentioned problems of cost and risk.

Description of the Invention

The self-cleaning gutter of the present invention possesses

characteristics that make it decisively advantageous in

comparison to gutters of note. More particularly, the gutter

of this invention is structured in a way that it can be easily

and manually rotated in respect to one of its longitudinal axis, through a degree of arc such to facilitate the complete

removal of solid materials deposited in it. Once removal is

effected, the gutter is rotated in the opposite direction

through the same degree of arc and brought back into its

original working position. In all, the gutter of this

invention has a modest investment cost and ensures extremely

easy maintenance and cleaning operations which do not require

the use of specialized persons and can be effected by the

occupants of the building themselves. By the use of the gutter of this invention the risks of operators falling from

ladders or roofs are practically eliminated, as well as the

cleaning interventions by specialized companies and the

relative costs. It is also possible to effect more frequently, and in particular at more appropriate times, the cleaning thereof, with an extremely limited operational cost.

The maintenance of said gutters is furthermore made extremely

easy, and therefore carried out more promptly with regard to

repairs, painting and waterproofing. The ease with which the aforementioned operations are effected allows them to be

carried out with certain regularity and, therefore, it follows

that the risk of corrosion due to stagnant water is reduced,

the life of the gutter is prolonged and, without stagnant

water the development of mosquitoes is avoided.

A further objective of the Invention is characterized by the

fact that said gutter can be easily applied to existing gutters so giving them the above mentioned advantages . More

particularly, according to the Invention, said self cleaning

gutter is made to rotate manually by means of an apparatus

comprising poles or chains, around one of its longitudinal

axis, to a degree of arc such as to facilitate its cleaning.

The gutter, of suitable material such as, for example,

galvanized sheet iron or copper or similar, has a "U" profile

with two longitudinal, horizontal bands (with respect to the

ground) placed at both ends of the "U"; two longitudinal,

horizontal rails are fixed to the wall, in the blocks or in

the wood of the building. On the rail nearest the wall is

placed a band of the "U" gutter, while the other band is fixed to the other outside rail with one or more hinges of suitable

length, which allow the rotation of the gutter around said

external rail. By means of an appropriate lever integrated with the "U" gutter and by means of an appropriate pole,

equipped with a hook ring, it is possible to cause the gutter

to rotate in such a way as to empty it of materials contained

within it, and to then return it to its original position. In the position rotated to 180° the gutter abuts against at least

two rests anchored in the external rail: the abutment of the

gutter and the rests facilitates the release of the materials

contained in the gutter, the latter being securely retained.

The operator can furthermore, in the case of persistent dirt,

cause the repetitive abutment of the gutter against the rests

to achieve a more complete cleaning. In the position rotated

to 180° the gutter can also be washed with a hose from below. In the case of quite long and heavy gutters two or more

integrated levers can be installed on the gutter in such a way

that several operators can work contemporaneously. In the

case of very long gutters, e.g. longer than 10m, it is

advisable that the rotation is effected by means of a cog, incorporated in the gutter, and hinged on the axis of rotation

of same, and a chain operated manually from below. Since the

water must pass from the gutter to the fixed drainpipe the connection with the rotating gutter is effected with a

flexible pipe. Alternatively, a tract of rigid, vertical

pipe, incorporated in the gutter, can rotate with the gutter itself where it meets in normal position of water discharge,

above a funnel incorporated in the drainpipe. The above-

mentioned gutter can be used both for buildings under construction and for buildings with remaking of pre-existing

gutter systems. In another embodiment of the present

invention, a fixed gutter with a "U" profile, in galvanized

sheet iron or copper or similar, that carries internally a

second gutter of similar material or preferably of rigid plastic material, of slightly smaller dimensions to the fixed

gutter. One or more suitable hinges connect the two gutters

in such a way that the internal gutter can rotate with respect

to the fixed gutter with the help of analogous systems to those indicated for the above-mentioned embodiment.

In the case of the second rotating gutter being realized in rigid plastic material, given the limited weight of the

latter, it is possible to effect the rotation with one lever

incorporated in said rotating gutter, by means of an actuating

pole, without recourse to more energetic means such as, for

example, a winch. Said second rotating gutter can be solid

wall or lattice. The embodiment of solid wall is however, preferable, but in the case where the second rotating gutter

is latticed, it is not necessary to equip it with rests against which it can be made to abut during rotation, because the solid materials, essentially leaves and twigs, easily

release themselves alone. The connection between the fixed

gutter and the drainpipe is obviously rigid.

The length of the second rotating gutter is generally 3

metres. For longer lengths, more gutters are installed in the fixed gutter, one in series with the other slightly separated

at the ends. This embodiment of self cleaning gutter, as a

double gutter, is adapted to be used both for buildings under

construction and for buildings under reconstruction and also to be realized by hinging the second rotating gutter according

to the invention on a gutter already in use.

in a further embodiment of the self cleaning gutter of the

present invention, a flat lattice equipped with a lever in

rigid plastic material is connected, by means of hinges, to

the gutter and is operated manually by means of a pole,

analogous with the preceding embodiments. The lattice rotated

by means of the pole on the lever is easily cleaned of material accumulated therein as has been described above.

For a greater understanding of the object of the Invention,

refer to the attached drawings that in no way limit the scope thereof .

In said drawings equal reference numbers indicate the elements of the object of the Invention.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective, axonometric view of an embodiment of the gutter according to the Invention.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective, axonometric view of the gutter of

Fig. 1, when rotated to 180°.

Fig. 3 shows schematically a rotation apparatus, alternative

to Fig. 1, representing a winch applied to the axis of

rotation of the gutter.

Fig. 4 shows schematically an alternative arrangement for

connecting the rotating gutter to the drainpipe.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective, axonometric view of a further

embodiment of the gutter according to the Invention. The

embodiment is shown with a second rotating, solid wall gutter.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective axonometric view of only the

second, rotating, lattice wall gutter, useable in place of the

solid wall gutter of Fig. 5.

In the above mentioned Figures is clearly indicated: the

gutter (1) with "U" profile with lateral bands (2) and (3) ; the lever (4) equipped with a hook ring (5) to cause the

rotation of the gutter; the hinges (6) connected between band

(3) and rail (8); the rails (7) and (8) respectively nearer to and further from the b^'uilding; the rests (9); the support

clamps fixed to the building (10) and (11) respectively

relevant to the rails (7) and (8); the support (12), incorporated with the rail (8) of the rest (9); the cog (13)

with relative chains (14) operable from below; the flexible

connection (15) between the gutter (1) and the drainpipe (16) ; the connection arrangement between gutter (1) and drainpipe

(16) by means of a length of pipe (17) incorporated with and

rotatable with the gutter (1), and the drainpipe (16) equipped

with suitable funnel (18); in the embodiment of double gutter,

into the fixed gutter (19) , new or pre-existing, is inserted the solid wall (20) or lattice wall (21) rotating gutter; the

operating pole (22) equipped with a suitable hook (23) .

In the case of an embodiment with the second, rotating lattice

gutter (21) in plastic material, and in the case of an embodiment relative to the flat lattice in rigid plastic

material, covering the gutter, since only light materials such

as leaves and twigs will be caught, the rests (9) are not

necessary, but a rotation of at least 180° .will be sufficient,

with the consequential falling away of the solid materials, release thereof facilitated by up and down movements caused by

the operator by means of the pole (22) .

Claims

1. A Self Cleaning Gutter characterized by the fact that it

comprises a gutter in suitable material equipped with two

horizontal, longitudinal bands; two continuous support

rails anchored to the building; suitable hinges between

the rail furthest from the building and the corresponding horizontal band; suitable clamps relative to said support rails; the rests incorporated with the hinged rail by means of suitable bars; a suitable connection system

between rotating gutter and drainpipe; a suitable means

of rotation of the gutter.

2. A Self Cleaning Gutter characterized by the fact that it comprises a gutter (1) in suitable material equipped with

two horizontal, longitudinal bands (2) , (3) ; suitable

hinges (6); two continuous support rails (7), (8);

suitable clamps (10) , (11) relative, respectively, to the rails (7), (8); the rests (9) incorporated in the rails

(8) by means of the support (12); a suitable connection

system between rotating gutter (1) and the drainpipe (16);

a suitable means of rotation of the gutter (1) .

3. A Gutter according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the

fact that it is of a material chosen between galvanized

sheet iron, copper and rigid plastic. 4. A Gutter according to any one of the claims 1-3,

characterized by the fact that the connection between

rotating gutter (1) and drainpipe (16) comprises a flexible pipe (15) and the rotation means of the gutter (1) comprises one or more levers (4) equipped with hook

rings (5) operable by one or more poles (22) equipped with

hooks (23) .

5. A Gutter according to any one of the claims 1-3, characterized by the fact that the connection between

rotating gutter (1) and drainpipe (16) comprises a

flexible pipe (15) and the rotation means of the gutter

(1) comprises a cog (13) with relative chains (14) .

6. A Gutter according to any one of the claims 1-3,

characterized by the fact that the connection between

• rotating gutter (1) and drainpipe (16) comprises a tract

of pipe (17) incorporated in the gutter (1) and of a

funnel (18) incorporated with the drainpipe (16) and the

rotation means of the gutter (1) comprises one or more

levers (4), incorporated with the gutter (1), equipped

with the hook ring (5) , operable by means of one or more poles (22) equipped with hooks (23) .

7. A Gutter according to any one of the claims 1-3, characterized by the fact that the connection between rotating gutter (1) and drainpipe (16) comprises a length

of pipe (17) incorporated with the gutter (1) and a funnel

(18) incorporated with the drainpipe (16) and the rotation means comprises a cog (13) with relative chain (14) . 8. A Self Cleaning Gutter characterized by the fact that it comprises a fixed gutter (19), in suitable material chosen

from galvanized sheet iron and copper, equipped with two

horizontal, longitudinal bands (2) and (3) and

incorporated with the drainpipe (16) ; two continuous

support rails (7) and (8); suitable clamps (10), (11)

relative, respectively, to the rails (7), (8); the rests

(9) incorporated with the rail (8) by means of the

supports (12); a second rotating gutter connected to the fixed gutter (19), of material chosen from galvanized

sheet iron, copper or rigid plastic material, by means of

suitable hinges (6); a rotating means for the second

rotating gutter comprising a lever (4) equipped with a

hook ring (5) , incorporated with the second rotating

gutter, operable by means of the pole (22) equipped with

the hook (23) .

9. A Gutter according to claim 8, characterized by the fact

that the second rotating gutter is chosen from a solid

wall gutter (20) and a lattice wall gutter (21) . 10. A Gutter according to claim 9, characterized by the fact

that the second rotating gutters (20) and (21) are of rigid plastic material.

11. A Self Cleaning Gutter characterized by^' the fact that it comprises a pre-existing fixed gutter (19) in material

chosen from galvanized sheet iron and copper, fixed to the

building and of a second rotating gutter (20) , (21) , of

material chosen from galvanized sheet iron, copper or rigid plastic material, connected to the fixed gutter (19)

by means of suitable hinges (6) ; of a rotation means for

the gutter (20) , (21) comprising a lever (4), equipped with

ring (5) incorporated with the rotating gutter (20) , (21) ,

said lever (4) being operable by a pole (22) equipped with

hook (23) . 12. A Self Cleaning Gutter according to claim 11,

characterized by the fact that the second rotating gutters

(20), (21) are constructed of rigid plastic material.