AU714799B2 - Improvements in fitting leaf guards for gutters and roofing valleys - Google Patents

Description

1 IMPROVEMENTS IN FITTING LEAF GUARDS FOR GUTTERS AND ROOFING

VALLEYS

This invention relates to means for protecting gutters and other conduits for water, particularly stormwater, from the ingress of leaves and other debris which may build up in such gutters or conduits, thereby causing them to become blocked. In particular, the invention relates to improvements in fitting leaf guards to corrugated roofs which extend into the gutter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Reference is made to our earlier patent application 24864/95, which discloses inter alia a guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit 10 for stormwater and the like, in which the guard comprises a length of substantially rigid mesh oo material of suitable dimension to be laid along the length of guttering or conduit to be protected and which is located either across the top thereof or within a region located near to the top thereof and spanning at least the opening available in the guttering or conduit. The mesh material itself, comprises openings which are of relatively small dimension compared to the leaves or other debris that are intended to be precluded and the openings in the mesh are aligned in louvred arrangement, so that run off water from the roof is able to penetrate the mesh and pass into the guttering or conduit, whilst leaves and other debris which do not pass through are able to move preferentially across the surface of the mesh in a direction away from the source of run off water and ultimately away from the guttering or conduit, assisted either by the action of the rainwater as it runs off and into the guttering or conduit, or by the action of wind and/or their own weight.

As mentioned in our aforementioned patent application, although the invention is especially suited to the employment of metal mesh of a preferred construction as described therein, other materials moulded or fashioned to produce like results may also be suitable. For example, plastics and fibre glass may be utilised. Thus, whilst the following description also refers primarily to metal mesh, no such limitation is intended nor should it be so inferred.

Similarly, many forms of gutter, easement or other conduits for water could equally benefit from employment of the invention. Thus, whilst the invention is equally applicable to many types of guttering or conduit situations where leaf and/or other debris may be a problem, for convenience, the following description refers primarily to its inclusion in conventional gutters, especially guttering utilised about the perimeter of the rooves of dwellings and other buildings having corrugated sheet roofing. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, by suitable modification the invention may be employed in box gutters between roof sections, in roof valleys between adjacent hip and/or gable portions and in many other circumstances where there is a run-off of stormwater etc.

Any reference to a gutter/roof combination is meant to encompass any situation of comparable nature, where by suitable modifications the invention may also be utilised.

As discussed in our aforementioned patent application, it has long been a problem in the use of guttering, that there is often a build up of leaf material or other debris which eventually blocks the guttering system. This is especially so in situations where the gutter leads to a downpipe or other exit which has of necessity a narrower cross-sectional dimension than the cross section of the guttering itself, thereby causing leaves to accumulate around the opening to the downpipe.

This situation is exacerbated where the guttering may not be set at an appropriate angle to •provide sufficient run-off or fall, so that during light falls of rain there is an insufficient volume of water to effectively remove any current or previous accumulation of leaves and/or debris.

o2o This situation may in fact be worse when the angle of the guttering has been so poorly set that in fact the fall runs opposite to the outlet, so that leaves and debris are initially caused to accumulate in ponds away from the outlet. During substantial downpours such debris, which will have often dried and become compacted following previous rain, will then be carried to the outlet en masse thereby often causing significant and sudden blockages, just when effective O stormwater drainage is most needed.

In addition, the accumulation of such debris greatly assists the corrosion of the guttering material (especially metal guttering) by virtue of its ability to retain moisture in contact with the inner gutter surface longer than would occur if the gutter were clean and free of such debris.

Furthermore, the accumulation of debris, especially leaf matter, can cause a potential fire hazard, particularly in relatively hot dry conditions and during periods of potential bush fire activity.

3 Thus, it has long been necessary for householders, amongst others, to laboriously clean out their gutters, in order to avoid blockages and especially in areas where there is a high risk of bush fires. Of course, it is those very areas where bush fire danger is highest, that there is most likely to be increased problems of leaf accumulation because of the higher population of trees.

Although attempts have been made to provide adequate protection of guttering against the foregoing problems, these attempts have not always been as successful as one might have hoped. For example, merely placing an apparently suitable mesh-like material, whether of metal or plastics, in the gutter itself may assist in avoiding the collection of leaves within the area of the gutter where the water flows, thereby consequently avoiding the problem of blockages in drains per se, but the problem is merely relocated to the mesh itself That is to say, the mesh itself entraps leaves and other debris and these must be periodically removed to avoid any longer term problems from their accumulation, especially those arising from bush fire hazard. Similarly placing a grate just at the throat or opening of the downpipe, generally causes a build up of leaves and debris at that point which must be cleaned often to allow the 15 free passage of stormwater and to avoid increased risks during bushfires.

In many situations, it is only with some difficulty that gutters or the throats of downpipes can be reached and consequently an arrangement which does not allow such accumulation would be extremely advantageous.

S To this end, the invention described in our aforementioned patent application 24864/95 has proven to be extremely advantageous. The preferred material for the invention as described in our earlier patent application is manufactured from so called expanded metal material, preferably of steel, with openings of sufficient dimension to restrict the ingress of refuse to the guttering and to allow easy access for stormwater (eg Q0515 or similar). The material is preferably pre-treated with an anti-corrosive agent or treatment eg zinc plating, especially if steel, and is preferably powder coated to resist corrosion and enhance its appearance.

The advantage of this material lies in the nature of the holes formed in the mesh which results in the mesh having a stepped like or louvred appearance, so that there is an effective "grain-like" or "scale-like" appearance and functionality, that is to say movement across the surface is easier in one direction than in the opposite. When viewed in one direction, ie from a 4 point substantially perpendicular to what would have been the surface of the unexpanded sheet material from which the mesh is made, essentially no holes are in fact visible. On the other hand, when viewed from a position substantially in the plane of the unexpanded sheet material from which the mesh has been made, the mesh presents itself as having a relatively open weave structure comprising essentially diamond shaped openings formed from expansion of the material.

Although mesh of a similar structure manufactured from alternate materials may suffice, it is in fact preferred that the mesh be made of metal rather than plastics as the latter are prone to melt and catch fire during intense heat thereby increasing the risks associated with bush fires.

By locating mesh of this structure in or on the guttering as described in our aforementioned patent application, ie by having the mesh itself oriented in such a way that the holes are not eooow visible from the perspective of a position above the guttering, ie from the roof, but so that they appear to be fully visible from a point adjacent the outer edge of the guttering away from the building, leaves and debris which are washed from the roof onto the mesh will be caused to 15 move over the mesh as this is the direction of easier travel, rather than being caught by or entrapped in the holes, whilst still allowing the water itself to penetrate, even in substantial downpours. The usefulness of the invention as previously described however relies to a greater or lesser extent on the angle of the mesh surface in relation to the fall of the roof. In other words to work efficiently the mesh should preferably be aligned in the same general plane as 20 the roof or at least slope in the same rather than a counter direction.

o However, there have been limits to the usefulness of the aforementioned material in certain S .i applications especially where roofing plumbers have tended over the last few years to position the lower edge of corrugated sheeting well below the height of the lip of the gutter. In this context, corrugated sheeting is meant to include not only standard corrugated sheeting having a sine wave profile (eg "custom Orb") but also other ribbed sheeting material etc including but not necessarily limited to "Trimdek Hi-Ten", "Spandek Hi-Ten", "Klip-Lok" etc. This positioning of the corrugated sheet would almost certainly mean that the mesh material, the leading edge of which would sit on or in the front lip of the gutter, would be sloping back towards the roof, thereby negating the louvring advantage provided by the mesh. In other words, the performance of the mesh would be greatly reduced, since water running off the roof would not necessarily carry leaf debris across and up over the mesh and so out of the gutter.

Rather, leaf and other debris would tend to accumulate at the juncture of the roof with the mesh material. In addition, the method of slipping the mesh under the leading edge of the roofing, especially for corrugated sheeting, is particularly labour intensive and fraught with many difficulties, not the least of which is the risk of injury arising from the sharp edges especially of metal sheeting.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention has therefore been conceived out of the need to provide further improvements to the invention described in our aforementioned patent application, particularly in relation to its use with corrugated roof sheeting, by providing an appropriate alternative system ofutilising a mesh guard as described therein in applications where the corrugated sheeting extends well into the gutter or it otherwise inconvenient to insert the mesh guard under the leading edge of the sheeting as described therein. The guard itself is still designed to guard the gutter, or like conduit for stormwater etc, against the accumulation of leaves and/or 15 other debris in such a way that the guard itself not only protects against ingress of such debris but does not itself allow the accumulation thereof as previously described. At the very least, the invention provides an alternative means to guarding gutters and other conduits for water than is presently available.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION o 20 According to the present invention there is provided a guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like, comprising a length of substantially rigid mesh material of suitable dimension to be laid along the length of guttering or conduit to be protected and located either across the top thereof or within a region located near to the top thereof and spanning at least the opening available in the guttering or conduit, the mesh comprising openings which are of relatively small dimension compared to the leaves or other debris that are intended to be precluded, the openings in the mesh being aligned in louvred arrangement, so that run off water from the roof is able to penetrate the mesh and pass into the guttering or conduit, whilst leaves and other debris which do not pass through are able to move preferentially across the surface of the mesh in a direction away from the source of run off water and ultimately away from the guttering or conduit, assisted either by the action of the rainwater as it runs off and into the guttering or conduit, or by the action of wind and/or their own weight, the further improvement relying on shaping of the rear edge of the mesh material with a profile either corresponding directly to the profile of the corrugated sheeting to which it is to be applied (ie where the mesh meets the corrugated sheeting at an angle approximating 900) or shaped with a similar profile but elongated therefrom to allow for the angle of incidence between the mesh and the corrugated sheeting, and which allows sealing to be accomplished between the profiled rear edge and the corrugated sheeting to which it is fitted utilising a suitable sealant.

Thus where a typical corrugated profile is used the shape of the rear edge of the mesh material will correspond therewith allowing for the angle of incidence therebetween. In order to accommodate unusual angles of presentation between the mesh and the corrugated roof to which it is fitted, the tabs formed by the removal of material, ie the peaks or hills left in the profile may also be readily bent to facilitate improved fitment.

-a 15 Again it will be readily appreciated that the guard material may be of any suitable length and in order to cover long lengths of guttering or conduit it is a simple matter to butt the ends together or preferably overlap them a few centimetres.

As far as the outer or other edge of the guard material is concerned, this may be located either in or on the rolled lip of the free or outer edge of such conventional guttering. Where 20 appearance is important, it is preferred to seat the outer edge of the guard material in the lip.

9. Although this results in a small ridge being formed by the upper portion of the rolled lip relative to the guard itself, in practice this has not been found to be detrimental to the operation of the guard, as any odd leaf which is initially stopped there is readily moved by either further rain or more often wind. On the other hand, where appearance is less critical, the outer edge of mesh material may be located on the upper surface of the rolled lip of the guttering and secured thereto with rivets or the like as required.

As previously mentioned, the preferred material for the invention is manufactured from so called expanded metal material, preferably of steel, with openings of sufficient dimension to restrict the ingress of refuse to the guttering and to allow easy access for stormwater (eg Q0515 or similar). The material is preferably pre-treated with an anti-corrosive agent or treatment eg zinc plating, especially if steel, and is preferably powder coated to resist corrosion and enhance its appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view (as viewed along the valley of one of the corrugations) of one embodiment of the invention utilising relatively flat mesh in conjunction with a corrugated roof, at Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view (as viewed along the valley of one of the corrugations) of a second embodiment of the invention utilising upturned tabs in the shaped mesh in conjunction with a bullnose corrugated roof, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a short section of mesh guard shaped utilised in conjunction with a bullnose section of corrugated roof sheeting, similar to that shown in Fig. but with no upturn in the tabs formed by the rearward shaping of the mesh to accommodate the corrugations of the roofing.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION i a Referring generally to the figures, there is shown a gutter guard generally referenced 11, comprises mesh material having general characteristics as illustrated in detail in Fig. 3 and as described herein within reference to my beforementioned earlier patent application 24864/95.

As shown diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 2, and in perspective view in Fig. 3, the gutter guard 11 is located generally across the opening 12 of a conventional gutter 13, which is attached by suitable means (not illustrated) to a fascia board 14, in conventional manner.

Conventional corrugated roofing material 17 is shown in Fig. 1, whilst bullnose corrugated sheeting 17' is shown in Fig 2 and Fig. 3.

i The back edge 18 of the guard 11 is shaped with a corresponding or similar profile as discussed hereinbefore, to match the hills 19 and valleys 20 of the corrugated sheeting material and in the case of Fig. 2, the tabs 21 thus formed by the shaping are bent upwards as required to improve the fit between the guard 11 and the roofing material 17'. The guard 11 is affixed to the hills of the corrugated sheeting 17, 17' to which it is fitted by suitable means such as rivets or screws 16. Typically, in practice fixing about every third or fourth corrugation has been found to be sufficient. Along the juncture between the back edge 18 of the guard 11 and the profile of the roof 17 or 17' against which it rests, a bead of suitable sealant 15 such as silicone is also applied to seal the guard 11 thereto to preclude leaves etc from sticking in any gap along such juncture.

The front edge 22 of the guard 11, may affixed in or on the lip 23 of the gutter 13 by suitable means as discussed in my aforementioned patent application, ie by means of rivets or screws *o etc.

15Thus, in either application as illustrated, the mesh 11 is placed across the opening 12 of the 15 guttering 13 with the rear edge 18 profiled to fit the corrugations of the roofing material 17 or 17' and fitted thereto by suitable means 16 such as rivets or similar (eg screws) and sealed along that edge with suitable sealant 18, allowing the advantages of the mesh as described in my aforementioned patent application to be fully realised.

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention, and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like, comprising a length of substantially rigid mesh material of suitable dimension to be laid along the length of guttering or conduit to be protected and located either across the top thereof or within a region located near to the top thereof and spanning at least the opening available in the guttering or conduit, the mesh comprising openings which are of relatively small dimension compared to the leaves or other debris that are intended to be precluded, the openings in the mesh being aligned in louvred arrangement, so that run off water from the roof is able to penetrate the mesh and pass into the guttering or conduit, whilst leaves and other debris which do not pass through are able to move preferentially across the surface of the mesh in a direction away from the source of run off water and ultimately away from the guttering or conduit, assisted either by the action of the rainwater as it runs off and into the guttering or conduit, or by the action of wind and/or their own weight, the further improvement relying on shaping of the rear edge of the mesh material 15 with a profile either corresponding directly to the profile of the corrugated sheeting to which it ao c is to be applied (ie where the mesh meets the corrugated sheeting at an angle approximating or shaped with a similar profile but elongated therefrom to allow for the angle of incidence between the mesh and the corrugated sheeting, and which allows sealing to be accomplished S-between the profiled rear edge and the corrugated sheeting to which it is fitted utilising a 20 suitable sealant. oo.,

2. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like according to claim 1, in which the guard material is a. affixed to the roof along the juncture of the rear profile of the guard with the roof by suitable fixing means such as rivets or screws.

3. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like according to either claim 1 or claim 2, in which the guard material is sealed to the roof along the juncture of the rear profile of the guard with the roof adjacent thereto, by means of a suitable sealant. I

4. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in use, the tabs formed after the removal of material from the guard to form the profile, are bent to facilitate improved fitment with the corrugations of the roofing material in order to accommodate unusual angles of presentation between the mesh and the corrugated roof to which it is fitted. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the guard material is of any suitable length, so that in use in order to cover long lengths of guttering or conduit, the ends of the guard material are butted together or overlapped by a few centimetres as required.

6. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other *open conduit for stormwater and the like according to any one of the preceding claims, in Swhich the outer or other edge of the guard material is located either in or on the rolled lip of S. :15 the free or outer edge of the guttering.

7. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like according to claim 6, wherein the outer edge of the guard material is seated in the lip. C

8. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other o 20 open conduit for stormwater and the like according to claim 6, wherein the outer edge of the guard material is located on the lip on the upper surface of the rolled lip of the guttering and secured thereto by suitable means such as with rivets or the like.

9. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the mesh is manufactured from expanded metal material, for example steel, with openings of sufficient dimension to restrict the ingress of refUse to the guttering and to allow easy access for stormwater. r 11 A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like according to claim 8, in which the mesh material is pre-treated with an anti-corrosive agent or treatment.

11. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like according to claim 9 or claim 10, in which the mesh material is powder coated to resist corrosion and enhance its appearance.

12. A guard for protecting against the ingress of leaves and/or debris into guttering or other open conduit for stormwater and the like substantially as described herein in conjunction with the drawings. 10 DATED this Twenty Fourth day of July 1996 CATLO ENTERPRISES PTY LTD Patent Attorneys for the Applicant WILSON YOUNG