Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Cover with surface water receiver at eave or valley – With separator; e.g. – strainer
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-20
2001-03-20
Chilcot, Richard (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Cover with surface water receiver at eave or valley
With separator; e.g., strainer
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202357
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for separating trash from run off water coming from a roof and, in particular, to a device for collecting run off water in a rain gutter while directing trash separated therefrom over the outer edge of the gutter.
Gutters are provided on houses to collect rain water running off the roof thereof so that it will not cascade down across doorways and windows. Unfortunately, trash, such as leaves and branches from trees and the like, are blown onto the roof and are washed into the gutter system. The trash accumulates and clogs the gutter system such that it no longer performs the function of collecting and removing run off water.
In the past, efforts have been made to provide a porous shield, such as a screen, along the upper surface of the gutter so that water running off a roof could pass through the screen and into the gutter while trash floating with the water is prevented from entering the gutter. Such shields or screens have only been partially successful. Where the mesh of the screen is small, it has been found that the flowing water running from the roof will skim along the upper surface of the screen and flow over the outer edge of the gutter without passing through the pores thereof thereby rendering the gutter system useless. On the other hand, where the mesh of the screen is too large, smaller particles of trash pass through the openings thereof and into the gutter system causing it to clog. Furthermore, generally planar pieces of trash such as leaves and pieces of paper can collect in the upper surface of the screen and inhibit the flow of water into the gutter system.
There have been other efforts to separate run off water from trash which has fallen on a roof. Knittel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,696 discloses a protective shield for extending across a gutter having a plurality of spaced downwardly descending steps where the steps are oriented parallel to the length of the gutter and are spaced from one another by an elongated slot having openings therein for allowing water to flow between the steps and into the gutter below.
Meckstroth, U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,350, disclosed a covering for a rain gutter having an arcuate lip at the outer end thereof such that water running off the roof adheres to the arcuate cover and is directed into the gutter while the trash is expelled over the edge thereof.
Davis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,710 discloses a gutter screen comprised of a plurality of parallel cylindrical ribs retained parallel to the longitudinal axis of the gutter.
Duffy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,588 discloses a curved upper surface similar to Meckstroth whereby water is directed into the gutter while the trash is expelled over the outer edge.
Despite all of the foregoing efforts, the problem remains unsolved. Where a house is positioned among trees, the gutters thereof fitted with devices according to the existing technology still becomes chronically clogged with trash coming from the trees and the like.
One problem with existing systems is that they do not adequately handle the volume of water which will flow off a roof. Since the roof covers the entire floor area of a house, the flow into a gutter system can be substantial, even in a relatively light rain fall. Existing devices, such as those that rely on the surface tension of water to turn the flow of water into a gutter fail when there is any significant rainfall.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention is embodied in a device for separating trash from run off water coming from a roof such that the water can be collected in a gutter and the trash will fall across the outer edge of the gutter. The device is adapted for use on any slope of a sloped roof in conjunction with an elongate gutter having a generally u-shaped cross section. The U-shaped cross section is formed by a vertical panel or fascia panel for mounting against the fascia of a structure, a bottom panel forming the bottom of the U-shaped gutter, and an outer panel forming the vertical portion of the U-shape opposite the fascia panel. In accordance with the invention, the gutter is configured with the height of the upper edge of the outer panel defining a line which falls within an extension of the plane formed by the surface of the roof. Extending from the outer edge of the roof to the upper edge of the outer panel is a rigid, planar separator member having a plurality of elongate louvers therein.
Each of the louvers in the separator member has an inner edge and an outer edge and the metal material between the inner and outer edges thereof define a plane, which is tilted with respect the plane of the separator member by an angle of approximately 15 degrees. In the preferred embodiment, the louvers are not straight, they are arcuate having a length of about one inch and a spacing between louvers of about 0.030 inch. The louvers are arranged in columns with about fifty louvers in each column spanning a distance of about five inches. The louvers are oriented generally parallel to the length of the gutter and the columns of louvers extend across the width of the gutter and have a shallow trough therein. Water running off a roof washes into the trough of one of the columns and across the associated louvers until hydrodynamic forces draw the water between the louvers and into the gutter below. Preferably, the louvers are formed in a die cutting operation, and the texturing of the material caused by the die cutting operation will enhance the rigidity of the separation member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2271081 (1942-01-01), Layton
patent: 2935954 (1960-05-01), Matthews et al.
patent: 4631875 (1986-12-01), Olson
patent: 4667448 (1987-05-01), Smith
patent: 5271191 (1993-12-01), Vahamaki
patent: 5640810 (1997-06-01), Pietersen
patent: 6067755 (2000-05-01), Maanum
Chilcot Richard
Marsh Robert L.
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