AU2004208742A1 - Gutter and Gutter System - Google Patents

Description

P/00/009 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

ORIGINAL

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention title: "GUTTER AND GUTTER SYSTEM" Applicant: Raymond Alfredo Daniel Jones Associated Provisional Application No.: 2003904954 2 "GUTTER AND GUTTER SYSTEM" Field of the Invention The invention relates to a gutter and a gutter system incorporating the gutter, and relates particularly, though not exclusively, to a roof gutter and roof gutter system for domestic dwellings.

Background to the Invention There are a number of difficulties associated with presently used roof gutters for the collection of rainwater from a roof.

Gutters often become blocked with leaves and other debris making it difficult for the effective collection of runoff rainwater from the adjacent roof. There have been attempts to cover gutters with mesh or a shield to prevent the ingress of leaves. However, there has still been a problem with the effective functioning of these mesh or shield devices and leaves often continue to build up usually on top of the mesh or shield.

The build up of leaves and debris in gutters has caused a number of problems.

One of these problems has been the fire hazard caused by dry leaves remaining in gutters especially in dry, hot climates. This is a particular problem in many prior art gutters where there is a gap between the gutter and the underside of the roof, the gap being present due to the front wall of the gutter being higher than the rear wall of the gutter. The presence of this gap allows air to be drawn inwards thereby fuelling a fire in the presence of the dry leaves and other debris.

Furthermore, traditional methods of fixing gutters below a roof structure have required fixing of the various gutter components prior to installation of the roof covering. This has resulted in debris from the roof construction filling the gutters and has resulted in damage to gutters.

In the case of existing buildings such as homes, when a gutter or a portion of a gutter requires replacing, a suitably qualified trades person is usually needed to replace the damaged or worn gutter. Present methods of fixing guttering to homes do not readily allow repair by a homeowner or home handyman. This is an undesirable scenario due to the increase in "do-it-yourself' home maintenance.

Most common gutters used in building construction are generally shallow backed.

To install a downpipe pop outlet to remove water to a downpipe in such a shallow backed gutter, it is necessary to angle trim and back plate the internal face of the gutter. This often causes damage to the gutter and loss of structural integrity.

A further difficulty of present gutters and methods of fixing is that present methods do not easily allow flexibility in gradients that are required for correct gutter positioning to ensure that gutters fall correctly towards downpipe outlets.

Problems of rear overflow are also encountered in conventional gutters in that in heavy downpours water flows towards a building into eaves linings and cavity walls causing damp problems.

It is an aim of the present invention to at least partly alleviate some of the difficulties associated with prior art gutters and gutter systems.

References to prior art in this specification are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be taken as an admission that such prior art is part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a gutter comprising a trough and a cover means, the cover means presenting an arcuate upper surface and having a plurality of apertures provided therein, and the cover means being adapted to be positioned over the trough.

Preferably, the apertures are substantially elliptical or oval shaped apertures. This shape of aperture minimises the ingress of leaves into the trough of the gutter whilst still allowing easy flow of water into the trough.

The gutter is preferably adapted to be secured below a roof covering on a longitudinal roof member such as a fascia to receive water runoff from the roof.

The water passes through the apertures to enter the trough.

The cover means preferably curves downwards in a convex arrangement. The cover means is preferably downwardly curved over the full area of the upper 4 surface of the cover means so that there are no "flat" areas on which leaves or other debris may accumulate.

Preferably, the apertures are arranged in at least first and second rows which are disposed longitudinally along the cover means. Preferably, the apertures in the first row are staggered with respect to the apertures in the second row.

The apertures may further be arranged in third and fourth rows, the third row being staggered with respect to the fourth row. With this arrangement, the apertures in the first row are transversely aligned with the apertures in the third row, and the apertures in the second row are transversely aligned with the apertures in the fourth row.

This pattern may of course be repeated to cover as much of the upper surface of the cover means as required. Preferably, the apertures cover about 50-65% of the surface area of the cover means. This allows the cover means to retain sufficient strength to ensure that the overall gutter is sufficiently strong and stable whilst allowing sufficient openings in the cover means for a good water flow into the trough.

The apertures are preferably dimensioned with elliptical diameters of about by about 30mm. The apertures are preferably arranged so that the longest diameter of the elliptical apertures lies in a longitudinal direction.

The substantially elliptical shape of the apertures as well as the arrangement of the apertures in rows as described ensures that leaves and other debris move over the upper surface of the cover means and are easily eliminated from the gutter surface onto the ground by force of gravity. Thus, leaves and debris are prevented from entering the trough and leaf build up on the cover means is minimised as leaves easily fall off the curved surface of the cover means.

In this way, the gutter provides an effective means of preventing leaf and debris build up within the gutter while still allowing entry of water into the trough. The water may be removed through outlet openings such as pop outlets positioned at appropriate points along the trough to lead the water to downpipes for removal of water from the trough.

The trough preferably has a mouth located between a front edge and rear edge of the trough. The cover means is preferably positioned over the mouth of the trough so that the trough is completely covered by the cover means. As such, water falling off the roof may enter the trough through the elliptical apertures with any excess water flowing over the arcuate upper surface of the cover means onto the ground. The upper surface of the cover means is preferably curved away from the fascia at an angle so that the excess water is unable to flow towards the fascia or wall of the building thereby preventing damp problems.

The gutter of the invention is of generally tubular construction and is provided in lengths of appropriate dimensions for construction purposes.

In a first form of the invention, the gutter is adapted for positioning at a distance away from the roof edge in contrast to conventional guttering which is fixed flush to the fascia immediately adjacent the roof edge.

In this first form of the invention, the cover means and the trough are preferably of integral construction, the cross section of the gutter formed in this manner being of generally circular configuration.

In this form of the invention, the cover means preferably comprises a first cover section and second cover section. The first cover section faces outwardly away from the fascia and the second cover section faces towards the fascia.

The first cover section and the second cover section are preferably joined at the top of the gutter in an overlapping arrangement. A first end section of the first cover section may be adapted to be fastened to a second end section of the second cover section in an overlapping arrangement to allow positioning of a first bracket member in the gap between the first end section and the second end section. The first bracket member may then be used to fasten the gutter to the fascia or roof member either directly, or alternatively indirectly by means of attachment of the first bracket member to a second bracket member, the second bracket member being positioned on the fascia.

The first bracket member may be provided with an elongate substantially vertical first opening to allow for fixing of the first bracket to the first and second end sections by means of a suitable fastening means such as a screw.

The present invention also provides a gutter system comprising a gutter including a trough and a cover means, the cover means presenting an arcuate upper surface and having a plurality of apertures provided therein, and the cover means being adapted to be positioned over the trough; and, a plurality of support brackets adapted to be attached to the cover means, for supporting the gutter on a fascia below a roof.

Preferably, each support bracket comprises a first bracket member attached to the cover means, and a second bracket member fixed to a fascia below a roof and to which the first bracket member may be attached for fixing of the gutter to the fascia.

This first bracket member preferably has an elongate second opening and the second bracket member preferably has an elongate third opening. The first bracket member and the second bracket member may be joined together by means of the second and third openings using suitable fixing means such as screws. Due to the elongate nature of the second and third openings, the positioning of the screws in the apertures may be varied to assist in adjusting the slope of the positioning of the gutter to allow for a suitable gutter fall.

The second bracket member is preferably positioned on the fascia prior to installation of the roof covering. Once the positioning of the roof covering has been completed, the gutter may simply be positioned by fastening it to the first and second bracket members. Therefore, the gutter is placed in position after completion of the roof structure, thereby avoiding waste and debris from the roof construction from entering the gutter or damage to the gutter as is the case in presently used gutters.

It is envisaged that a number of second bracket members in the form of unilateral brackets would be positioned along a length of fascia at appropriate intervals for the support as required for the particular gutter. Typically these bracket members would be installed at intervals of about 1 metre.

Preferably each support bracket comprises an outrigger arm having a substantially horizontal support member of open tubular construction. The outrigger arm may be conveniently fixed to a substantially vertical plate member for fastening the outrigger arm to a roof fascia.

In this form, the cross sectional shape of the support member may correspond to the shape of the apertures in the cover means, so that the support member can easily be received through a pair of the apertures to support the gutter via the cover means. In this way, the open tubular construction of the support member permits it to be squeezed shut slightly to reduce its diameter, so that it may pass through the apertures more easily.

Preferably an end of the tubular support member is formed with a lip to prevent the cover means from accidentally sliding off the support member.

The outrigger arm is preferably provided with an arrester member that extends upwards at a prescribed angle from the support member, to apply tension to the side of the cover means to hold the gutter firmly in place.

Water runoff from a roof may fall onto either the first cover or second cover section and be collected through the apertures therein. In this form of the invention, the gutter is positioned at a distance way from the fascia instead of the traditional fit up against the fascia thereby minimising water ingress into the fascia or building.

A second form of the invention is similar in many respects to that of the first except that the cover means is preferably formed in a single portion separate from the trough. The cover means in this form of the invention, which also comprises rows of apertures, is conveniently fixed to the trough by means of fastening means such as screws.

In this second form of the invention, the gutter is preferably of a generally circular cross-section and is adapted for positioning on the building by means of a first bracket member. The first bracket member is preferably fixed to the gutter through an elongate opening in an upper portion of the cover means.

The first bracket member is preferably attached to the cover means by means of a retaining means positioned on the inner surface of the cover means. The retaining means is preferably in the form of a semi-circular retaining member which is fastened to the inner surface of the cover means. The retaining member has an upwardly extending connecting portion to which the first bracket member may be fastened.

As in the case of the first form of the invention, the second bracket members are installed prior to completion of the roof construction and the gutter is positioned on the bracket members once the roof construction has been completed.

8 In a third form of the invention, the cover means preferably comprises a front portion, a central portion and a rear portion. The central portion may be provided with apertures as already described for the first and second forms of the invention.

The cover means has a generally outwardly curved outer surface in the region of the central portion.

In this form of the invention, the trough preferably comprises a front wall, a lower wall and a rear wall.

The front portion of the cover means is preferably adapted to overlap with the front wall of the trough. The front portion may be secured in this way by means of suitable fixing means such as screws that are positioned in vertical elongate slots in the front portion.

The rear portion of the cover means preferably extends downwardly and is adapted to be positioned between opposed first and second clasping portions of a support bracket. The upper section of the rear portion is adapted to be retained by the first clasping portion. Thus, the upper section may be provided with slots into which the first clasping portion may be positioned. The lower section of the rear wall is adapted to be retained by the second clasping portion. The rear wall of the trough preferably further comprises a lip extending from an upper portion of the rear wall. The lip is adapted to extend downwardly and is dimensioned so as to sit within the second clasping portion adjacent the lower section of the rear portion of the cover means.

The support bracket is preferably in the form of a clip which is provided with holes for attachment to a fascia. The clip may conveniently be attached by means of screws or other suitable fasteners positioned through the holes.

A number of clips are generally positioned longitudinally along the length of the fascia at convenient intervals. Typically, the clips are spaced about 1 metre apart.

Thus, as in the other forms of the invention, the gutter may be easily affixed to the fascia after positioning of the roof covering. In this form of the invention, the lip of the rear wall of the trough is positioned in the second clasping portion. The lower section of the rear portion of the cover means is then placed in the second 9 clasping portion behind the lip and the cover means is fixed to the trough using fastening means in the vertical slots of the front portion of the cover means.

A fourth form of the invention resembles the third form in a number of ways.

However, in this form the trough is formed integrally with the cover means, the rear wall of the trough extending vertically from the lower wall, and the rear wall being recessed to form a recessed portion adjacent the rear portion of the cover means. The recessed portion is dimensioned so as to correspond with a holding means, the holding means being positioned on the fascia in the same way as the clip. The holding means comprises a first holding portion and a second holding portion over which the recessed portion fits.

In this way, the gutter may be fitted to the holding means for example in a snap-fit arrangement.

In both the third and fourth forms of the invention, the elliptical apertures in the cover means are positioned so that the lowest row of these apertures allows the maximum water level in the trough to be lower than the point at which the gutter connects to the fascia by means of either the clip or the holding means.

In a further form, the invention comprises a gutter having a the cover means comprising inclined first and second cover portions downwardly inclined from a curved apex. As is the case with the other forms of the invention, the apertures provided in the cover means are elongated in shape. The apertures are preferably substantially elliptical shaped apertures.

In this form, the apertures are preferably arranged in at least first and second rows which are disposed longitudinally along the cover means. The apertures in the first row are preferably staggered with respect to the apertures in the second row. Further apertures may be arranged in third and fourth rows, the third row being staggered with respect to the fourth row.

As in the case of the other forms of the invention, the apertures in the first row may be transversely aligned with the apertures in the third row, and the apertures in the second row may be transversely aligned with the apertures in the fourth row.

The apertures preferably cover about 50-65% of the surface area of the cover means.

The invention also provides a gutter system as previously defined and wherein the cover means comprises inclined first and second cover portions downwardly inclined from a curved apex.

In this form, each support bracket preferably comprises a first bracket member attached to the cover means, and a second bracket member fixed to a fascia below a roof and to which the first bracket member may be attached for fixing of the gutter to the fascia. Each support bracket may comprise an outrigger arm having a substantially horizontal support member of open tubular construction.

Thus it can be seen that the invention provides a gutter that minimises the ingress of leaves and debris whilst at the same time providing a gutter that can be easily fitted to a fascia or like roof member after construction of the roof covering.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Brief Description of the Drawings The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of several specific embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gutter and a gutter system according to a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a gutter and a gutter system according to the first embodiment and showing the positioning on the fascia of an additional first and second bracket member; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a first and second bracket member forming part of the gutter and gutter system of the first embodiment; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a gutter and gutter system according to a second embodiment; 11 Figure 5 is a gutter and a gutter system according to the second embodiment and showing the positioning on the fascia of an additional first and second bracket member together with a retaining member; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a first and second bracket member connected to a retaining member of the second embodiment; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a gutter and a gutter system according to a third embodiment; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a gutter and a gutter system according to the third embodiment and showing an additional support bracket in position on the fascia; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a support bracket according to the third embodiment; Figure 10 is a perspective view of a gutter and a gutter system according to a fourth embodiment; Figure 11 is a gutter and a gutter system according to the fourth embodiment showing an additional support bracket as positioned on the fascia and used in the fourth embodiment; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the support bracket according to the fourth embodiment; Figure 13 is a perspective view of a gutter and a gutter system according to a fifth preferred embodiment; Figure 14 is a perspective view of a gutter and a gutter system according to the fifth embodiment and showing the positioning on the fascia of a support bracket; Figure 15 is a perspective view of a support bracket forming part of the gutter system of the fifth embodiment; Figure 16 is a perspective view of a gutter and gutter system according to a sixth preferred embodiment; 12 Figure 17 is a gutter and a gutter system according to the sixth embodiment and showing the positioning on the fascia of a support bracket; Figure 18 is a perspective view of the support bracket forming part of the gutter system of the sixth embodiment; and Figure 19 is a perspective view of a gutter according to a seventh preferred embodiment.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a first embodiment of the present invention in the form of gutter 10 and a gutter system 11. The gutter 10 and gutter system 11 are positioned on a building 13, having a fascia 15 and a roof covering 17. The gutter 10 comprises a trough 12 as well as a cover means in the form of a leaf guard 14, with elliptical apertures 16 provided therein. The oval or elliptical shape of the apertures 16 is designed to minimise the ingress of leaves into the trough of the gutter, whilst simultaneously maximising the ingress of rainwater.

The apertures 16 are arranged in rows along the length of the leaf guard 14. The apertures are arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel rows indicated by dotted lines 18, 20, 22 and 24 in Figure 1. A first row 18 is staggered longitudinally with respect to a second row 20. As can be seen, the apertures 16 in a third row 22 are in transverse alignment with the apertures in the first row, as shown by the two apertures marked 16a and 16b. The apertures 16c in the second row 20 are in transverse alignment with the apertures 16d in the fourth row 24. This arrangement of the apertures 16 is significant as it ensures that there is no straight transverse path for water to flow over the leaf guard 14 without encountering at least two apertures 16. In this way the volume of water that simply flows over the leaf guard 14 without entering the gutter trough 12 is minimised.

Water reaching a level in the trough 12 beyond the level marked A will overflow through the apertures in the fourth row 24. Thus, if the outlet means 25 (not shown in Figure 1 but shown in Figures 7 and 10) becomes blocked, or in the case of heavy rain, the apertures serve the purpose of assisting in a controlled overflow of the water from the gutter.

In the first embodiment, the leaf guard 14 is formed integral with the trough 12 and comprises a first cover section 26 and a second cover section 28. The first cover section 26 comprises a first end portion 30 and the second cover section 28 comprises a second end portion 32. As can be seen in Figure 1, the first end portion 30 is folded and positioned so as to overlap with the second end portion 32 to form a joint to which a first bracket member 34 may be secured with a slip joint.

As shown in Figure 3, the first bracket member 34 comprises an elongated first opening 38 for positioning of a fastening means such as a screw to secure the first bracket member to the first and second end portions 30 and 32, and to fasten these two end portions together. Due to the elongated nature of the opening 38, the position of the bracket member 34 relative to the joint may be adjusted, so that the slope of the trough 12 may be adjusted to allow for the required fall of the gutter.

The gutter system of the first embodiment further comprises a second bracket member 36 in the form of an outrigger angle bracket. The second bracket member 36 is secured to the fascia 15, or to a roof timber lying below the roof covering 17, by means of screws positioned through holes 37 in the second bracket member 36. The first bracket member 34 has a second elongate opening and the bracket member 36 has a matching elongate third opening 42 as shown in Figure 3. The first bracket member 34 and the second bracket member 36 are joined together by means of the openings 40 and 42 using suitable fastening means such as screws. Due to the elongate nature of the openings and 42, positioning of screws in the apertures 40 and 42 may be varied to adjust the slope and the positioning of the gutter 10, to allow for the correct gutter fall as required for a particular building. Varying the position of the screws may allow for adjustment in gradient of the gutter by about There are of course a number of such bracket members positioned along the length of the fascia at convenient intervals for supporting the gutter, as can be seen in Figure 2.

14 Thus, the second bracket member 36 and the first bracket member 34 are positioned on the fascia 15 below the roof covering 17. The bracket members may be fixed in this position prior to attaching the roof covering. Once the placing of the roof covering has been completed, the gutter 10 may simply be positioned by fastening it to the first bracket member 34 as shown in Figure 2. Thus, the gutter 10 is placed in position after completion of the roof structure. This prevents any waste and debris from the roof construction from entering the gutter as is the case with presently used gutters.

In this first embodiment, water runoff from the roof covering 17 may fall onto either the first cover section 26 or the second cover section 28 for collection in the trough 12. In contrast to traditional gutters, the gutter 10 of the first embodiment is not positioned flush with the fascia thereby reducing water ingress into the fascia Due to the ease of attaching the gutter 10 to the bracket member, the gutter can be easily installed by a home handyman. Furthermore, a damaged or worn section of a gutter can easily be replaced by simply removing the section from the bracket member and replacing it with a new section.

A second embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in Figures 4 to 6 is similar in many respects to that of the first except that the cover means is preferably formed in a single unit separate from the trough 12. Identical reference numerals have been used in the drawings of the several embodiments to identify the same or similar parts. The cover means in this embodiment of the invention comprises an arcuate leaf guard 14 having a plurality of rows of apertures 16, and is fixed to the trough 12 along its periphery by means of screws 41 or other suitable fastening means, such as pop rivets.

In this second embodiment of the invention, the gutter 10 is of a generally circular cross-section so as to form a tubular gutter, and is adapted for positioning on the eaves of a building by means of first and second bracket members 34 and 36, similar to that of the first embodiment. The first bracket member 34 is attached to the trough 12 of the gutter, by means of a retaining means in the form of a semicircular retaining member 44, which is fastened to the trough by screws 41. The retaining member 44 has an upwardly extending connecting portion 46 to which the first bracket member 34 is fastened. The upwardly extending connecting portion 46 passes through an elongate cover opening 48 in the upper portion 49 of the leaf guard 14, and the retaining member 44 sits against an inner surface 51 of the leaf guard 14.

A significant advantage of both the foregoing embodiments, is that the gutter can be suspended spaced from the roof fascia, thus inhibiting the ubiquitous leaf build up at the roof perimeter. This roof maintenance function is thereby eliminated. The downwardly curved convex profile of the perforated leaf guard 14 permits rainwater to flow in either direction over its surface and into the trough 12 through apertures 16, whilst simultaneously ejecting leaves and other roof debris.

Figures 7 to 9 illustrate a third embodiment of the gutter and gutter system. In this third embodiment of the invention, the gutter 10 is fixed substantially flush with the fascia 15 of the roof. Hence, the leaf guard 14 is of a somewhat different shape to that of the previous embodiments. Unlike the previous embodiments, the leaf guard 14 of this embodiment only curves downwardly in one direction, away from the fascia 15 of the roof board. As can be seen most clearly in Fig. 7, it has a substantially planar, vertical front portion 50, a downwardly curved, convex central portion 52 and a substantially planar, vertical rear portion 54. The rear portion 54 has an upper section 55 and lower section 57. The trough 12 has a substantially planar front wall 66, a concave lower wall 68 and a substantially planar rear wall 70. The rear wall 70 has a lip 72 extending downwardly from an upper edge 73 of the rear wall The gutter system 11 of the third embodiment has a support bracket in the form of a clip 64, for fixing the gutter to the fascia 15. Clip 64 has a first clasping portion and a second clasping portion 62. The clip 64 is further provided with holes 74 through which screws are placed for attachment of the fixing clip to the fascia To fix the gutter 10 to the clip 64, the lip 72 of the rear wall 70 of the trough is positioned in the second clasping portion 62. The lower section 57 of the rear portion 54 of the leaf guard 14 is then placed behind the lip 72, also in the second clasping portion 62. The upper section 55 of the rear portion 54 of the leaf guard is placed in engagement with the first clasping portion 60 of the clip 64, by means of a slot 61 provided in the leaf guard, in a region intermediate the central portion 52 and the rear portion 54. The front portion 50 of the leaf guard 14 is then positioned so that it overlaps an upper portion of the front wall 66 of the trough 12.

16 The leaf guard 14 is secured to the trough 12 using screws positioned in vertical elongate slots 58.

As can be seen in Figure 8, the fixing clips 64 are positioned at regular intervals along the fascia 15 to conveniently support the gutter 10 in position. As also shown in Figure 8, a length of gutter 10 may be secured to a fixing clip 64 in such a way that a second adjoining gutter length (not shown) may also be secured to the same clip, to allow an adjoining gutter to be supported by the same fixing clip.

Figure 7 also illustrates the manner in which a downpipe 25 may be connected to the trough 12 of the gutter 10. A suitable rectangular opening is cut in the rear wall 70 of the trough and the down pipe 25, supported under the eave of the roof, is joined thereto in a conventional manner.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 10 to 12.

The fourth embodiment resembles the third embodiment in a number of ways, but in this embodiment the cover means, in the form of leaf guard 14, is formed integral with the trough 12 so as to form a tubular gutter of almost semicircular cross section. The trough 12 has a rear wall 70, and the leaf guard 14 has a rear portion 54 set back from the rear wall 70 so as to form a recessed portion 76 adjacent the upper section of the rear wall The gutter system of the fourth embodiment further comprises a support bracket in the form of spring clip 78, which includes a first holding portion 80 and a second holding portion 82 as shown in Figure 12. The recessed portion 76 of the gutter fits onto the first holding portion 80 and the second holding portion 82 of the spring clip 78 in a snap-fit arrangement. In this way, the gutter may be conveniently fitted to a plurality of such spring clips 78, fastened to the roof fascia at spaced intervals, as shown in Figure 11.

As will be noted in Figures 7 and 10, the maximum level of water in the trough 12 is shown by a broken line marked A. When the water level in the gutter reaches this level, the water overflows through the row of elliptical apertures marked 84.

As can be seen in Figures 7 and 10, the water level A is below the second clasping portion 62 and the second holding portion 82 respectively. In this way, excess water in the trough is ejected through the apertures along the line marked 84 to eject the water at the front of the gutter. This prevents excess water from flowing towards the fascia and causing water ingress in the fascia, eaves lining or walls of the building.

A more preferred, fifth embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 13 to In this fifth embodiment the gutter 10 has a tubular configuration and is of substantially circular cross section. In many respects the gutter 10, of this more preferred embodiment, is similar to that illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, except that in this embodiment the leaf guard 14 is formed integral to the trough 12, and is joined to the trough 12 along its periphery 88 with an overlapping joint. As with all of the previous embodiments, the leaf guard 14 has a downwardly curved convex profile presenting an arcuate upper surface, and has a plurality of elliptical apertures 16, arranged in parallel rows, provided therein.

As with the first and second embodiments, the gutter 10 of this fifth embodiment can be suspended spaced from the roof fascia 15, thus inhibiting the ubiquitous leaf build up at the roof perimeter. In this embodiment of the gutter system the gutter 10 is suspended from the fascia using a plurality of support brackets in the form of outrigger arms 90. As can be seen most clearly in Figure 15, each outrigger arm 90 comprises a substantially horizontal support member 92 of open tubular construction, fixed to a substantially vertical plate member 94. A plurality of holes 96 are provided in the plate member 94 through which a plurality of fasteners, such as screws, can be passed to fasten the outrigger arm 90 to the roof fascia The cross sectional shape of the support member 92 corresponds to the elliptical shape of the apertures 16 in the leaf guard 14, so that the support member 92 can be received through a pair of the apertures 16 to support the gutter via the leaf guard 14. The open tubular construction of the support member 92 permits it to be squeezed shut slightly to reduce its diameter, so that it can pass through the apertures 16 more easily. The end of the tubular support member 92 is formed with a lip 98 to prevent the leaf guard from accidentally sliding off the support member 92. Each outrigger arm 90 is also provided with an arrester member 100, that extends upwards at a prescribed angle from the support member 92, to apply tension to the side of the leaf guard 14 to hold the gutter 10 firmly in place.

As can be seen in Figure 14, the gutter 10 can be fitted with an end cap 110 to block off the open end of the gutter, for example, where the roofline ends.

18 A sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 16 to 18. The gutter 10 of this sixth embodiment, is identical to that illustrated in Figures 13 to 15, except that in this embodiment the leaf guard 14 is formed separately from the trough 12, and is fitted to the trough 12 along both its peripheries 89 using a snap fit connection.

A seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 19. The gutter 10 of this embodiment has a cover means in the form of a leaf guard 14 having inclined first and second cover portions 112 and 114 which are downwardly inclined from a curved apex 116. Elliptical apertures 16 are provided in the first and second cover portions 112 and 114.

The gutter 10 further comprises a trough 12. As can be seen, in this arrangement the trough 12 is provided with a single row of apertures 17 at its upper edge.

The gutter 10 of the seventh embodiment may be fixed to the fascia 15 using suitable support brackets as described in respect of the other embodiments, for example outrigger arms The trough and cover means are typically formed from sheet-like materials such as sheet metal which is formed into the required shape as appropriate. The sheet metal may be galvanised and/or painted steel. Alternatively, the trough and cover means can be manufactured from aluminium or other suitable material, such as plastic including PVC.

Now that several embodiments of the gutter and gutter system have been described in detail it will be apparent that it provides a number of advantages over conventional gutter systems, including the following: The downwardly curved convex profile of the perforated leaf guard deflects leaves and debris from the roof to the ground below, whilst permitting rainwater to be captured in the trough of the gutter.

The oval or elliptical shape of the apertures in the leaf guard minimises the ingress of leaves into the trough of the gutter, whilst simultaneously maximising the ingress of rainwater.

Being of tubular construction, the gutter has an inherent structural integrity as it effectively functions like a RHS beam. Hence it is less susceptible to the deflection over long lengths of conventional gutters.

19 It should be noted that the embodiments have shown roofing of metal such as colourbond roofing. However, the invention could of course be applied to other suitable roofing materials.

It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention. For example, the cover means in each embodiment may be constructed of a woven wire mesh material, similarly formed with a plurality of apertures, as an alternative to the punched sheet metal of the illustrated embodiments. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described and is to be determined by the appended claims which follow.

Claims (59)

1. A gutter comprising a trough and a cover means, the cover means presenting an arcuate upper surface and having a plurality of apertures provided therein, and the cover means being adapted to be positioned over the trough.

2. A gutter as defined in claim 1, wherein the apertures provided in the cover means are elongated in shape.

3. A gutter as defined in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the apertures are substantially elliptical shaped apertures.

4. A gutter as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cover means has a downwardly curved convex profile.

A gutter as defined in claim 4, wherein the cover means is downwardly curved over the full area of the upper surface of the cover means so that there are no "flat" areas on which leaves or other debris may accumulate.

6. A gutter as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the apertures are arranged in at least first and second rows which are disposed longitudinally along the cover means.

7. A gutter as defined in claim 6, wherein the apertures in the first row are staggered with respect to the apertures in the second row.

8. A gutter as defined in claim 7, wherein further apertures are arranged in third and fourth rows, the third row being staggered with respect to the fourth row.

9. A gutter as defined in claim 8, wherein the apertures in the first row are transversely aligned with the apertures in the third row, and the apertures in the second row are transversely aligned with the apertures in the fourth row.

10. A gutter as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apertures cover about 50-65% of the surface area of the cover means.

11. A gutter as defined in claim 3, wherein the apertures are dimensioned with elliptical diameters of about 15mm by about 21

12. A gutter as defined in claim 11, wherein the apertures are arranged so that the longest diameter of the elliptical apertures lies in a longitudinal direction of the cover means.

13. A gutter as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the trough has a mouth located between a front edge and rear edge of the trough, and the cover means is positioned over the mouth of the trough so that the trough is completely covered by the cover means whereby, in use, water falling off an adjacent roof may enter the trough through the apertures with any excess water flowing over the arcuate upper surface of the cover means onto the ground.

14. A gutter as defined in claim 13, wherein the gutter is of generally tubular construction and is provided in lengths of appropriate dimensions for construction purposes.

A gutter as defined in claim 14, wherein the gutter is adapted for positioning at a distance spaced from a roof edge.

16. A gutter as defined in claim 15, wherein the cover means and the trough are of integral construction, the cross section of the gutter formed in this manner being of generally circular configuration.

17. A gutter as defined in claim 16, wherein the cover means comprises a first cover section and a second cover section, the first cover section facing outwardly away from the roof edge and the second cover section facing inwardly towards the roof edge.

18. A gutter as defined in claim 17, wherein the first cover section and the second cover section are joined at the top of the gutter in an overlapping arrangement.

19. A gutter as defined in claim 18, wherein a first end section of the first cover section is adapted to be fastened to a second end section of the second cover section in an overlapping arrangement to allow positioning of a support bracket between the first end section and the second end section.

A gutter as defined in claim 15, wherein the cover means is formed as a single portion separate from the trough, the cross section of the gutter formed in this manner being of generally circular configuration. 22

21. A gutter as defined in claim 20, wherein the gutter is adapted for positioning on a building by means of a support bracket.

22. A gutter as defined in claim 21, wherein the support bracket comprises a first bracket member fixed to the gutter through an elongate opening in an upper portion of the cover means.

23. A gutter as defined in claim 22, wherein the first bracket member is attached to the gutter by means of a retaining means positioned on an inner surface of the cover means.

24. A gutter as defined in claim 23, wherein the retaining means is in the form of a semi-circular retaining member which is fastened to a mouth of the trough.

A gutter as defined in claim 24, wherein the retaining member has an upwardly extending connecting portion to which the first bracket member is fastened.

26. A gutter as defined in claim 14, wherein the cover means comprises a front portion, a central portion and a rear portion, said apertures being provided in the central portion of the cover means.

27. A gutter as defined in claim 26, wherein the cover means has a generally outwardly curved outer surface in the region of the central portion.

28. A gutter as defined in claim 27, wherein the trough comprises a front wall, a lower wall and a rear wall, and the front portion of the cover means is adapted to overlap with the front wall of the trough.

29. A gutter as defined in claim 28, wherein the rear portion of the cover means extends downwardly and is adapted to be positioned between opposed first and second clasping portions of a support bracket.

30. A gutter as defined in claim 29, wherein an upper section of the rear portion of the cover means is adapted to be retained by the first clasping portion.

31. A gutter as defined in claim 30, wherein the upper section is provided with slots into which the first clasping portion may be positioned.

32. A gutter as defined in claim 31, wherein a lower section of the rear wall is adapted to be retained by the second clasping portion. 23

33. A gutter as defined in claim 32, wherein the rear wall of the trough further comprises a lip extending from an upper portion of the rear wall, the lip is adapted to extend downwardly and is dimensioned so as to sit within the second clasping portion adjacent the lower section of the rear portion of the cover means.

34. A gutter as defined in claim 33, wherein the support bracket is in the form of a clip which is provided with holes for attachment to a fascia.

A gutter as defined in claim 14, wherein the trough is formed integrally with the cover means, a rear wall of the trough extending vertically from a lower wall, and the rear wall being recessed to form a recessed portion adjacent a rear portion of the cover means.

36. A gutter as defined in claim 35, wherein the recessed portion is dimensioned so as to correspond with the dimensions of a support bracket, the support bracket is in the form of a spring clip comprising a first holding portion and a second holding portion over which the recessed portion fits in a snap-fit arrangement.

37. A gutter as defined in any one of claims 26 to 35, wherein the apertures in the cover means are positioned so that the lowest row of apertures allows the maximum water level in the trough to be lower than the point at which the gutter connects to a fascia by means of the support bracket.

38. A gutter system comprising: a gutter including a trough and a cover means, the cover means presenting an arcuate upper surface and having a plurality of apertures provided therein, and the cover means being adapted to be positioned over the trough; and, a plurality of support brackets adapted to be attached to the cover means, for supporting the gutter on a fascia below a roof.

39. A gutter system as defined in claim 38, wherein each support bracket comprises a first bracket member attached to the cover means, and a second bracket member fixed to a fascia below a roof and to which the first bracket member may be attached for fixing of the gutter to the fascia.

A gutter system as defined in claim 39, wherein the first bracket member has an elongate second opening and the second bracket member preferably has an elongate third opening whereby, in use, the first bracket member and the second bracket member may be joined together by means of the second and third openings using suitable fastening means, and wherein due to the elongate nature of the second and third openings, the positioning of the fasteners in the openings may be varied to assist in adjusting the slope or the positioning of the gutter to allow for a suitable gutter fall.

41. A gutter system as defined in claim 38, wherein each support bracket comprises an outrigger arm having a substantially horizontal support member of open tubular construction.

42. A gutter system as defined in claim 41, wherein the outrigger arm is fixed to a substantially vertical plate member for fastening the outrigger arm to a roof fascia.

43. A gutter system as defined in claim 41 or claim 42, wherein the cross sectional shape of the support member corresponds to the shape of the apertures in the cover means, so that the support member can be received through a pair of the apertures to support the gutter via the cover means.

44. A gutter system as defined in claim 43, wherein the open tubular construction of the support member permits it to be squeezed shut slightly to reduce its diameter, so that it can pass through the apertures more easily.

A gutter system as defined in claim 44, wherein an end of the tubular support member is formed with a lip to prevent the cover means from accidentally sliding off the support member.

46. A gutter system as defined in claim 45, wherein the outrigger arm is also provided with an arrester member, that extends upwards at a prescribed angle from the support member, to apply tension to the side of the cover means to hold the gutter firmly in place.

47. A gutter as defined in claim 1 wherein the cover means comprises inclined first and second cover portions downwardly inclined from a curved apex.

48. A gutter as defined in claim 47 and wherein the apertures provided in the cover means are elongated in shape.

49. A gutter as defined in claim 48 and wherein the apertures are substantially elliptical shaped apertures.

A gutter as defined in claim 47 and wherein the apertures are arranged in at least first and second rows which are disposed longitudinally along the cover means.

51. A gutter as defined in claim 50, wherein the apertures in the first row are staggered with respect to the apertures in the second row.

52. A gutter as defined in claim 51, wherein further apertures are arranged in third and fourth rows, the third row being staggered with respect to the fourth row.

53. A gutter as defined in claim 52, wherein the apertures in the first row are transversely aligned with the apertures in the third row, and the apertures in the second row are transversely aligned with the apertures in the fourth row.

54. A gutter as defined in any one of claims 47 to 53, wherein the apertures cover about 50-65% of the surface area of the cover means.

A gutter system as defined in claim 38 and wherein the cover means comprises inclined first and second cover portions downwardly inclined from a curved apex.

56. A gutter system as defined in claim 55 and wherein each support bracket comprises a first bracket member attached to the cover means, and a second bracket member fixed to a fascia below a roof and to which the first bracket member may be attached for fixing of the gutter to the fascia.

57. A gutter system as defined in claim 55 and wherein each support bracket comprises an outrigger arm having a substantially horizontal support member of open tubular construction.

58. A gutter substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated in any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

59. A gutter system substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated in any one or more of the accompanying drawings. Dated this day of September 2004 RAYMOND JONES by his Patent Attorney Janet Stead