Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Cover with surface water receiver at eave or valley – With separator; e.g. – strainer
Patent
1994-10-17
1996-06-18
Wood, Wynn E.
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Cover with surface water receiver at eave or valley
With separator; e.g., strainer
52 11, 52 13, 52 16, 210474, 210482, E04D 1308
Patent
active
055266126
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a device for use in association with roof gutters and downpipes for the purpose of removing leaves, vermin, debris and other material from rainwater as it flows into the downpipe.
There is currently no effective means for disposing of leaves and other matter which accumulates in roof gutters. Most attempts to solve the problem of blocked gutters and downpipes have been directed to the provision of some form of mesh or like barrier which fits into, or is integral with the gutter, and permits the water to flow through it into the gutter while the debris is blocked from doing so on the top, from where it can be removed by hand. The main problem with these types of barriers is that they tend to clog up quickly and therefore impede the flow of water through them, with the result that the water flows over the edge of the gutter. Another problem is that such systems require the entire length of the gutter to be covered, which in some buildings can be difficult to achieve and, moreover, is relatively expensive.
With such problems in mind, various recent attempts have been made to produce devices which enable the leaves and debris to be removed directly from either the gutter or the downpipe. One such device comprises a funnel arrangement which is inserted in an intermediate cut-off section of the downpipe. Water flows from the upper section of the existing downpipe into the funnel opening and large objects are retained in the conical section of the funnel while the water passes on through. The main disadvantage of such a device, however, is that it must be constantly cleaned out to prevent blockage.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device which effectively removes the debris, leaves and other large obstructions from gutters and downpipes and which does not require continual maintenance to be effective.
According to the present invention, there is provided a device for separating debris and other such material from rainwater as it flows into a downpipe from a roof gutter and for simultaneously preventing the ingress of mosquitos into the downpipe, said device comprising a compartment adapted for fitting to the upper end of the downpipe, which compartment includes an upwardly facing inlet having a main screen with a mesh size of between 5 mm.times.5 mm and 12.5 mm.times.12.5 mm arranged at an angle of between 20.degree. and 45.degree. with respect to the horizontal so that the debris washes over it for discharge outside the device while the rainwater passes on through a secondary screen of smaller mesh opening than the main screen which is closely spaced from the main screen and which acts as a secondary filter below the main screen, said device including a horizontally arranged tertiary screen having a mesh opening of approximately 0.9 mm.times.0.9 mm located below said secondary screen in such a manner that a head of water forms over said tertiary screen and which acts as a tertiary filter for excluding the ingress of mosquitos.
By the term "upper end of the downpipe" is meant an upwardly opening end which may be at the top of the downpipe or at any location between the top and bottom, which has been formed by removing an intermediate section to leave one part with an upwardly opening end and another with a downwardly opening end. That is, the device may be located in any region of the downpipe but for maximum effectiveness it should be located adjacent to the gutter at the top end. The reason for this is that a large size outlet can be made in the gutter, which can be bigger than the diameter of the downpipe, to enable extra large objects such as twigs, dead birds and other such large items to pass out of the gutter, which would not fit into a conventionally sized downpipe. The large size outlet in the gutter will suitably include a pop, or downwardly depending walled insert, which directs the water and debris into the separating device. The pop has the dual function of also ensuring that the water and debris passing between the gutter and separating device
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