IE20010999A1 - Gutter gratings - Google Patents

Abstract

A gutter grating (1) of looped metal-wire is inclined forwardly to water-flow direction A, with its outer end-loops (6) clipped to the gutter-edges (10). Upper loops (3) of the grating (1) are inclined backwardly form the forwardly inclined plane of the grating (1); this plane includes lower loops (7) which together with the loops (3) arrest debris from the water. Two gratings (14) may be used either side of a down-pipe to keep the normal trap (13) free of debris, or obviate the trap (Figure 7). According to a modification (Figure8) only parts (26) of some of the upper loops (24) are inclined backwardly, and ties (27), (28) may be used to pull the upper and lower loops (24) and (25) respectively, inwardly towards one another to configure the grating (21) to fit the guttering and ensure resilience of the end loops (23). <Figure 2>

Description

Gutter Gratings This invention relates to gutter gratings and methods of using then for arresting debris from water flowing in guttering.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for arresting debris from water flowing in guttering, wherein a grating is located and retained in the guttering inclined forwardly with respect to the water-flow direction such that arrest of debris by the grating tends to urge the grating downwardly to maintain its contact within the guttering.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a grating for use in guttering, comprising apertured upper and lower portions with at least a part of the upper portion inclined to the lower portion such that the grating can be located in the guttering with the lower portion inclined forwardly, and said part of the upper portion inclined backwardly, to the direction of water-flow in the guttering.

The grating of both aspects of the invention may be of plastics or metal or of a combination of plastics and metal. More especially it may comprise a multiplicity of substantially parallel and mutually-spaced limbs that are interconnected with one another top and bottom to define elongate openings for watar flow through the grating. In this respect, the mutually-spaced limbs may be defined by successive sections of a strand element, for example a metal wire, that loops back and forth in a serpentine configuration. A plurality of loops of the upper portion may be inclined backwardly out of the general plane of the remainder of the grating; these loops may be inclined backwardly at an angle substantially within the range of to 120 degrees to said plane.

Gutter gratings and methods of using them, all in accordance with the present invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first of the gutter gratings according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of guttering fitted in accordance with the present invention, with the gutter grating of Figure l; Figures 3 and 4 are cross-sections of the guttering of Figure 2, illustrating respectively intermediate and final stages cf fitting the gutter grating of Figure 1 to the guttering; Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation of the guttering of Figure 2 when fitted with the gutter grating of Figure 1, the eection being taken on the line V-V of Figure 4; Figures 6 and 7 are sectional side elevations of a roofguttering installation illustrative respectively of circumstances before and after the fitting two gutter gratings according to the invention; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of gutter grating according to the present Invention; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of a roof-guttering installation involving two gutter gratings of the form shown in Figure 8.

Referring to Figure l, the gutter grating 1 is formed by a single strand of stainless-steel wire that is bent to loop back and forth in a resilient, serpentine configuration to define a series of open elongate3 apertures between parallel passes or limbs 2 of the grating 1. The innermost loops 3 of an upper portion 4 of the grating 1 are inclined backwardly, in thie example through some 60 degrees about a horizontal bend-line 5, out of the general plane of the remainder of the grating 1, namely out of the general plane containing the outermost, end loops 6 of the upper portion 4 and loops 7 of the lower portion 8 below the line 5.

The loops 3 are of the same length as one another above the line 5 to give a substantially horizontal top contour to the grating l, whereas the loops 7 are of lengths below the line 5 to provide a bottom contour appropriate to the cross-section of the guttering in which the grating 1 is to be used. The guttering 9 involved in the present example, as illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, has a rounded bottom, and the lengths of the loops 7 reflect this.

Referring to Figure 2, the grating 1 is located within the guttering 9 and held in place there simply by clipping the two end loops 6 over the opposite gutteredges 10. More particularly, the grating l is fitted in this way within the guttering 9 to be retained with its general plane inclined forwardly in the direction of water flow indicated by arrow A. In this respect, the fitting of the grating 1 is carried out by first locating it in the guttering 9 as illustrated in Figure 3, and then pulling the loops 6 outwardly and clipping them down resiliently over the edges 10 as illustrated in Figure 4. As a result, the grating 1 takes up an attitude within the guttering 9 in which it is inclined, for example at an angle of some 60 degrees, forwardly to the water-flow direction A. The loops 3 in consequence extend backwardly (in this case at some 60 degrees) to the direction A of water flow.

IE 0 1 09 99 The forward inclination of the grating 1 is of advantage. Firstly, the forward inclination of the lower portion 8, and with it of the end loops 6 clipped to the gutteredges 10, ensures that pressure on the grating 1 by debris arrested in the water-flow, urges it hard down to maintain close contact with the guttering 9; debris is arrested principally by the lower portion 8, so the net thrust is downwardly even when some is arrested by the loops 3. The grating 1 accordingly remains operative by resisting any effect in the water-flow tending to push or lift it away from contact with the inside surface, in particular with the bottom, of the guttering 9,· its integrity of operation in arresting debris wherever in the depth of water, is accordingly maintained.

Furthermore, the downward thrust on the grating 1 enhances retention of the loops 6 on the edges 10.

The inclination of the loops 3 backwardly of the waterflow direction ensures that debris arrested by them tends to fall or slide down when the flow of water abates. As a consequence, the openings of the loops 3 will tend not to become as blocked as otherwise might be the case. However, in the event that debris piles up behind the loops 3, it is restrained in view of their backward inclination, from being carried upwardly and over the top of the grating 1 with the flow of water.

Problems with debris in roof guttering often occur where a downpipe opens from the guttering. As illustrated by Figure 6, debris D in guttering 11 is commonly prevented from entering and blocking a downpipe 12 using a spider trap 13. However, the trap 13 may itself become blocked by the build up of debris D around, and even over, it. This problem is overcome as illustrated in Figure 7 using two gutter gratings 14 each having the general form of the gutter grating 1 described above with reference to Figure i but with their upper portions bent backwardly from the general plane of the grating by some 90 degrees rather than 60 degrees.

Referring to Figure 7, the gratings 14 are located on opposite sides of the downpipe 121 a short distance in advance of it. The debris D is now arrested by the gratings 14 and retained in the bottom of the guttering 11 so that water is free to flow over the top (as indicated by the arrows B), and the trap 13 is kept free of the major part of the debris; indeed it may be possible to dispense with the trap 13 altogether.

A modified, further form of the grating of Figure 1 is illustrated in Figure 8. The modification is directed principally towards simplifying manufacture of the grating with consistency of product configuration and operational efficiency.

Referring to Figure 8, the modified grating 21, like the grating 1, involves a single strand of bent stainlesssteel wire that loops back and forth through a succession of parallel limbs 22 in a resilient serpentine configuration. Between the outer, end loops 23 there are five upper and six lower loops 24 and 25 respectively.

In this case, however, the topmost parts 26 of only two of the upper loops 24 are inclined backwardly (for example at an angle up to substantially 90 degrees) out of the general plane of the remainder of the grating 21, and two wire clips or ties 27 and 28 are added. The tie 27 extends across the top of the grating 21 above the backwardly-inclined parts 26 to engage at either end with the inner limb 22 of the outermost of the five loops 24, •whereas the tie 28 extends across the bottom to engage with the innermost limb 22 of the outermost loops 25.

The engaged ties 27 and 28 have the effect of pulling the loops 24 and 25 in resiliently so that a predetermined overall configuration dependent on the lengths of the ties 27 and 28, is positively and reproducibly adopted. This enables accurate configuration of the grating 21 to ensure a tight fit within the relevant guttering, and the length of the top tie 27 also ensures that the end loops 23 clip onto the gutter-edges with adequate resilience to hold the grating 21 firmly in place. The length of the bottom tie 28 ensures in particular that there is good conformity of the bottom of the grating 21 with the gutter cross-section, and may be chosen, in conjunction with the length of the tie 27, to give a degree of variation in the opening-width of the loops 24 and 25, as between the top and bottom of the grating 21. More particularly in the latter respect, and as indicated in Figure 8, lower loops 25 may be pulled in to a greater degree than the upper loops 24 so that openings are narrower at the bottom of the grating 21 than at the top, where the smaller elements of debris tend to occur in the water-flow.

Application of two gutter gratings 31 of the form described above with reference to Figure 8, to the arrest of debris at a downpipe gutter-junction 32, is illustrated in Figure 9 and will now be described.

Referring to Figure 9, the gratings 31 are located in the junction 32 to arrest debris carried towards the downpipe opening 33 from either direction. Each grating 31 is clipped by its end loops 34 to the edges 35 of the junction 32 in the appropriate forwardly inclined attitude to extend partially over the down-pipe opening 33, and with the tops of the two gratings 31 almost touching one another there. In the latter respect, the two gratings 31 may be joined together (for example at the loops 34) so as to make insertion into the junction 32 easier.

IE 0 1 0 9 9 9 The increased height of cover provided by the gratings 31, as compared with that provided by the gratings 14 in the case illustrated in Figure 7, is of advantage, and can totally obviate the need for a trap in the downpipe opening 33 itself.

Gratings of the forms described above with reference to Figures 1 and 8 may be used in a variety of circumstances for arresting debris. In this respect they may be used at intervals within long runs of guttering, and with particular advantage where there are sharp corners. Location of a grating of either form described, just upstream of a corner can be of especial benefit in avoiding build up of debris at the corner and the consequent likelihood of overflow there.

The gutter gratings of Figures l and 8 are for use with guttering having a rounded-bottom cross-section, and have been described in that context, however it will be appreciated that the constructions of grating described are readily adaptable for conformity with guttering of rectangular or other cross-section.

The invention may be implemented using gratings constructed other than of metal wire. Plastics may be used, and instead of forming the grating in a serpentineloop form, it may have a pierced-mesh construction.

Claims (16)

Claims:

1. A method for arresting debris from water flowing in guttering, wherein a grating is located and retained in the guttering inclined forwardly with respect to the water-flow direction such that arrest of debris by the grating tends to urge the grating downwardly to maintain its contact within the guttering.

2. A method according to claim l wherein the grating has apertured upper and lower portions with at least a part of the upper portion inclined to the lower portion, the grating being located in the guttering with the lower portion inclined forwardly, and said part of the upper portion inclined backwardly, with respect to said direction.

3. a method according to Claim l or claim 2 wherein the grating comprises a multiplicity of substantially parallel and mutually-spaced limbs that are interconnected with one another top and bottom to define elongate openings for water flow through the grating.

4. A method according to Claim 3 wherein the mutuallyspaced limbs are defined by successive sections of a strand element that loops back and forth in a serpentine configuration.

5. A method according to Claim 4 wherein a plurality of loops of the upper portion are inclined backwardly out of the general plane of the remainder of the grating.

6. A grating for use in guttering, comprising apertured upper and lower portions with at least a part of the upper portion inclined to the lower portion such that the grating can be located in the guttering with the lower portion inclined forwardly, and said part of the upper portion inclined backwardly, to the direction of waterflow in the guttering.

7. A grating according to Claim 6 wherein the grating comprises a multiplicity of substantially parallel and mutually-spaced limbs that are interconnected with one another top and bottom to define elongate openings for water flow through the grating.

8. A grating according to Claim 7 wherein the mutuallyspaced limbs are defined by successive sections of a strand element that loops back and forth in a serpentine conf iguration.

9. A grating according to Claim 8 wherein a plurality of loops of the upper portion are inclined backwardly out of the general plane of the remainder of the grating.

10. A grating according to claim 9 wherein the loops inclined backwardly are inclined at an angle substantially within the range of 60 to 120 degrees to said plane.

11. A grating according to any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the ends of the strand form loops for clipping to edges of the guttering in retention of the grating with the lower portion inclined as aforesaid in the guttering.

12. A grating according to any one of claims β to li wherein the strand element is of metal wire.

13. A grating according to any one of Claims 8 to 12 wherein only some of the loops of the upper portion are inclined backwardly out of the general plane of the remainder of the grating.

14. A grating according to any one of Claims 8 to 13 including one or more ties for pulling the loops inwardly towards one another against the resilience of the strand element.

15. A grating for use in guttering, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A method for arresting debris from water flowing in guttering, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 5, Figure 7 or Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.