US3428183A - Gutter guard - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 18, 1969 J. J. ems-row 3,42 ,183

GUTTER GUARD Filed Jan. 18, 1968 //V rum/rare United States Patent ice 3,428,183 GUTTER GUARD Joseph J. Bristow, 88 N. Edgewood Ave., La Grange, Ill. 60525 Filed Jan. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 698,822 US. Cl. 210-474 Int. Cl. B0ld 23/02, 23/00 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Numerous types of guards have been heretofore proposed for purpose of preventing the accumulation of leaves in gutters. In most of the guards designed means are generally provided for securing the guard in place on the gutter. Such means are frequently somewhat complex or invlove numerous parts and, hence, increase assembly costs.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved guard for gutters which has a minimum of components for assembly and which lends itself to large scale manufacturing methods.

Another object is the provision of a gutter guard which may easily be installed and removed as required.

These and other objects will be more readily apparent from the following further detailed disclosure and the associated drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing the guard in position on a gutter.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an alternate sinusoidal element.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGURES l and 2, the numeral designates a gutter adapted to collect and carry away rainwater. Gutter 10 is secured to the upper part of a wall 11 of a building below the edge of the roof 12. The gutter is provided with an outwardly flared front wall 13 characteristic of many similarly -designed gutters.

Gutter 10 is held in position on wall 11 by means of a plurality of oversized horizontally disposed nails extending through the front wall 13 of the gutter. That portion of the nail which is wholly within the gutter is frequently enclosed within a tubular casing serving as a spacer to prevent the outer wall 13 from being inadvertently pushed inward. A nail and associated casing combination are designated by the numeral 14. Although not shown, the gutter alternately may be held in place by a plurality of straps extending from the front wall 13 of the gutter over the top of the gutter and secured to that portion of the roof 12 just beyond its forward edge 15.

The guard contemplated by the present invention comprises a screen 20 which is placed so as to completely cover the open portion of the gutter 10. As shown, the guard is of such a size that it extends beyond the edge of the roof 12 as well as beyond the inwardly extending flange 21 of the gutter 10.

The screen may be formed of any suitable material which is substantially resistant to deformation and corrosion and may be of varying design as to its openings. Copper, aluminum, galvanized steel or plastic can be used to form the screen, the material used being largely de- 3,428,183 Patented Feb. 18, 1969 pended upon economics and manufacturing requirements. The screen openings should be of such a size as to prevent leaves or other foreign matter accumulating in the gutter.

In order to allow for varying gutter lengths, the screen is, preferably, formed in intermediate lengths of about four feet each. Accordingly, sufiicient guards can be laid end to end as necessary to completely cover the gutter.

Secured to the underside of the guard and depending therefrom is an element 22, which, in a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, is sinusoidal-like or alternately looped, both horizontally and vertically, resulting in a three dimensional configuration. In general, the sinusoidal-like element is positioned toward the lower edge of the screen guard, namely the edge which will overlap the edge of the outer wall 13 of the gutter. The sinusoidal-like element may be secured to the underside of the screen by any appropriate means, such as by use of wire clips 23. If suitable metals are used, the sinusoidallike element may be welded to the underside of the screen.

The inusoidal-like element should normally be composed of a material which is relatively heavy for a given length as compared to the screen, as the weight of the element extending along the length of the screen and depending therefrom serves to hold the screen in place. A typical element can be made of galvanized steel wire of approximately nine gauge in size. For most installations the horizontal width of the alternating loops of the sinusoidal-like element is preferably within the range of about one-half to two inches, while the vertical dimension of the alternating loops of the element should be in the area of about to inch. These dimensions are intended to designate the distance between the extremities of the loops of the element.

When a screen guard having the above described sinusoidal-like element 22 secured to its underside is placed on a gutter in the proper position, as shown in the drawing, the forwardly extending front edges of the element will rest against the inner edge of flange 21 of the gutter, as best illustrated in FIGURE 2. Thus, the screen is retained in position over the gutter and is prevented from sliding down off the gutter. In addition, due to the alternate high and low configuration of its sinusoidal-like loops, the element will readily fit over the aforementioned nails 14 or straps holding the gutter to the side of a building. Such nails or straps are normally spaced about every two feet along the length of a gutter. The design of the sinusoidal-like element is such that reversals are made about every two inches or so whereby ready adjustment may be easily made to properly position the elements with respect to the nails, straps or other means used to hold the gutter against the wall.

The alternate sinusoidal-like element 30 of FIGURE 3 differs from the element ofFIGURES 1 and 2 primarily in that it is planar rather than three dimensional. As shown in FIGURE 3, the modified element 30 is composed of alternate loops 31 and 32 extending repeatedly along its length. For purposes of permitting element 30 to be attached to the screen in a manner which will hold it substantially in a perpendicular position with respect to the screen, cross elements 33 may be welded to the element at appropriate distances. Wire clips, correspondingly, may be wound through the screen mesh and around each side of the cross elements.

As can be seen, the above described gutter guard may be easily assembled from its component parts and readily installed and removed from a gutter. Further, the weight and design of the sinusoidal-like element attached to the underside of the screen, as compared to the weight of the screen, permits the screen to be readily retained in position on the gutter and accordingly, resistant to inadvertent removal.

Having described the invention, the same is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A guard for a gutter comprising a substantially planar screen having secured along one edge of the underside thereof and depending therefrom a sinusoidal-like element consisting of alternating loops extending both horizontally and vertically with respect to the plane of said screen, said element being adapted to have alternate loops abut the inner portion of the outer edge of the gutter to retain said screen in position on said gutter.

2. A guard as described in claim 1 wherein the alternating loops of said sinusoidal-like element extend only in a vertical plane with respect to the plane of said screen.

3. A guard as described in claim 1 wherein said sinusoidal-like element is composed of steel wire of approximately nine gauge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,101,047 6/1914 Yates 5212 2/ 1925 Andrews 210477 7/ 1940 Sullivan et a1. 210474 1/1941 Grow 5212 5/ 1942 Morrissey 5212 3/1962 Hughes 5212 12/ 1962 Goosmann 210474 11/ 1967 Wennerstrom 210474 FOREIGN PATENTS 3/1963 Australia.

OTHER REFERENCES American Roofer, July 1949, Gutter Screen.

15 REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

C. M. DITLOW, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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