Pivoting gutter assembly supported by magnetic latches

The invention relates to means and methods for maintaining a gutter assembly either in the upward, rain-gathering position or in the downward position under the eaves, where it can be cleaned with a water jet. In the downward position, the gutter assembly remains protected from snow and ice sliding from the roof. Brackets fixated to magnetic latches attached to the fascia support the gutter. Closed magnetic latches maintain the gutter assembly in the upward position. Open magnetic latches maintain the gutter assembly in the downward position. Transition from the upward to the downward position, or vice versa, is achieved from the ground by means of a hook and a U-shaped fork attached to a pole. If the gutter is left in the upward position in winter, snow and ice sliding from the roof will push it to the downward position without damaging it.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a pivoting gutter assembly which in the upward position gathers rain water. In the downward position it can be easily cleaned and remains protected under the eaves from snow and ice sliding from the roof.

2. Prior Art

Several patents address the requirement for pivoting gutters that collect rain water in the upward position and are accessible for cleaning in the downward position. In a few cases the gutter in the downward position is also protected from snow and ice sliding from the roof.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,658 discloses a rain gutter made of flexible material. A mechanism is required to open the flexible gutter so that it can collect rain water, and fold it in winter to prevent it from accumulating snow and ice.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,718 covers a hinged support assembly for a rain gutter. It rotates about an axis close to the gutter's front edge, i.e. remote from the fascia, therefore exposed to snow and ice sliding from the roof.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,435 describes a bracket, attached to the wall, which is equipped with a hinge screwed to the rain gutter. This installation is feasible only if the gutter has an essentially trapezoidal cross-section that provides a flat interface between the hinge and the gutter. Figures of the gutter assembly reveal the following limitations: the gutter requires to be drilled in order to interface with the hinge; attaching the hinge to a gutter with a half-round cross-section would be mechanically complex; the hinge axis is distant from the fascia so that when the gutter is in the downward position it is exposed to snow and ice sliding from the roof.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,965 describes a gutter bracket assembly that includes a gutter bracket which rotates with respect to a fascia bracket by means of pivots located along the front edge of the gutter, distant from the fascia. The gutter is maintained in the upward rain-gathering position by a snap-fit mechanism. In the downward position, the gutter is exposed to snow and ice sliding from the roof.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,347 discloses a flexible trough maintained in the upward rain-gathering position by a locking mechanism which engages the front edge of the trough, distant from the fascia. The hook which mechanically engages this edge is part of a cantilever that crosses the trough. After the trough has been folded against the fascia board, the cantilever remains in the path of snow and ice sliding from the roof.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,706 describes a rotating gutter reinforced with multiple stabilizing rings. It is mechanically complicated because it requires the gutter to have sufficient axial rigidity to ensure uniform rotation over a typical length of 30 ft. The gutter remains exposed to snow and ice sliding from the roof.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,876 discloses a gutter suspended from hinges equipped with bearings. All bearings are interconnected by a shaft fitted with a worm gear. The gutter is pivoted by rotating the shaft by means of a worm gear either manually of with an electric motor. The system is mechanically complicated and costly.

The first six of seven pivoting gutter systems described in the quoted patents are maintained in the upward rain-gathering position by interlocking mechanisms that rely on friction and spring forces. Their installation requires an accurate alignment between the interlocking elements on the fascia and on one of the gutter edges. In the last five of these six systems the gutter rotates downward about the front gutter edge, distant from the fascia. Consequently, the gutter remains exposed to the snow and ice sliding from the roof.

The last two of the quoted seven systems rely on supporting the gutter on bearings and rotating it as a mechanical assembly comparable to a long shaft. This type of configuration requires very accurate installation procedures and is costly. None of the seven pivoting gutter systems described in the quoted patents are currently in production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pivoting gutter assembly mounted on supporting brackets, each bracket is attached to a magnetic latch. The magnetic latch comprises a magnet within a steel cup, mounted on the rear wing of a steel hinge attached vertically to the fascia. The magnet attracts with considerable force the downward pivotable front wing of the hinge fastened to the supporting bracket. The steel cup acts as a magnetic flux concentrator and increases the attraction force on the front wing. The gutter is in the upward rain-gathering position when the front wing of the steel hinge is in close contact with the magnet and the magnetic latch is closed. In order to move the gutter from the upward to the downward position, it suffices to exert a pull on the gutter's front edge, starting at one end and progressing to the other end, by means of a hook mounted on a pole that is manipulated from the ground. In late fall, the gutter is stored in the downward position under the eaves and remains protected from snow and ice sliding from the roof. If the gutter is left in the upward position in the winter, snow sliding from the roof will push it to the downward position without damaging it. In the downward position, the gutter can also be cleaned with a water jet from a garden hose or a brush mounted on a pole. In spring, the gutter will revert to its upward rain gathering position by pushing it up with a U-shaped fork on the previously mentioned pole, starting at one end and progressing toward the other end. When the hinge's front wing is approximately 0.8 in. from the magnet on the rear wing, the attraction force takes over and locks the gutter in the upward position.

Rainwater collected by the disclosed gutter assembly flows through a downspout that is connected to the gutter and pivots with it. The disclosed gutter assembly provides two embodiments for directing rain water from the pivoting downspout to a drain pipe.

In the first embodiment, water flows from the gutter through the pivoting downspout and from there into a fixed downspout connected to the drain pipe.

In the second embodiment, water flows from the gutter through the pivoting downspout into a connecting flexible hose that slides freely in the drain pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The installation of a pivoting gutter assembly on the fascia is illustrated inFIG. 1. Gutter1supported by brackets2is installed on fascia12in the upward rain-gathering position under roof edge11.

Gutter1in the downward position stored under the eaves, is ready to be cleaned with a water jet and remains protected from sliding ice and snow, as shown inFIG. 2. Front wing4of steel hinge3is fastened to the rear of supporting bracket2. Rear wing5of steel hinge3is attached with screws to fascia12. Steel cup6, containing magnet9, is fastened to rear wing5of hinge3. Steel cup6acts a magnetic flux concentrator and increases the attraction force of magnet9acting on front wing4of hinge3. The device, comprising front wing4and steel cup6containing magnet9mounted on rear wing5of hinge3, is a magnetic latch. Gutter1is brought up from the downward to the upward position from the ground, by applying an upward push to the gutter by means of a U-shaped fork mounted on a pole. This operation starts at one end of the gutter assembly and progresses to the other end. As front wing4approaches magnet9, the attraction force ensures a strong lock between front wing4and magnet9in steel cup6.

Additional details of the invention are shown inFIG. 3, which represents a cross-sectional view of the magnetic latch and half-round gutter1in the upward position, and the side view or bracket2. Steel cup6, containing magnet9, is attached to rear wing5of hinge3by means of screw7and nut8. Rear wing5of hinge3is fastened vertically to fascia12with wood screws10.

Gutter1can be pulled down from the upward to the downward position shown inFIG. 4from the ground, by means of a pole equipped with a hook. During this operation, a downward pull is applied to the front edge of the gutter, starting at one end and progressing toward the other end.

ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENTS

In an alternate embodiment of the invention shown inFIG. 5, another steel cup6containing magnet9of polarity opposite to the magnet on rear wing5, is fastened to front wing4of hinge3. This configuration results in a higher attraction force between the two magnets of the magnetic latch and therefore in a higher weight that can be supported by bracket2in the upward position.

The magnetic latch comprising steel hinge3with front wing4and rear wing5, steel cup(s)6and magnet(s)9illustrated inFIGS. 3,4and5is an assembly of commercially available components. A production version of the magnetic latch is shown inFIG. 6. Bracket2, wings4and5joined by living hinge13are manufactured by injection molding a plastic material. Steel cups6and magnets9of opposite polarity are included in the molding process. The result of this process is a magnetic latch and bracket assembly supporting the lower part of the gutter.

An alternate embodiment of the invention that supports the upper part of a K-style metal or plastic gutter is shown inFIG. 6a. The configuration of metal front wing4can be modified to include hidden hanger4athat supports the upper part of the gutter. The resulting pivoting gutter assembly will perform in the same manner as the previously described half-round gutter assembly.

Water Drainage

A downspout that directs the flow of rain water to a drain pipe is located either at the lower end of the sloping gutter or at approximately its midpoint. It therefore pivots with the gutter. The invention includes two embodiments for ensuring that the pivoting downspout empties into the drain pipe when gutter1is in the upward rain-gathering position.

In the first embodiment illustrated inFIG. 7, rain water collected by gutter1in the upward position flows into pivoting downspout14through extender tube15, into fixed downspout16and drain pipe17. Fixed spout16is fastened to mounting board18which is attached to fascia12by support19. When gutter1is in the downward position shown inFIG. 8, pivoting downspout14and extender tube15are approximately horizontal, stored under the eaves and protected from snow and ice sliding from the roof. Pivoting downspout14and fixed downspout16may have the same configuration.FIGS. 7 and 8show the side view of pivoting downspout14without an end cap.

In the second embodiment shown inFIG. 9, rain water collected by gutter1in the upward position flows into pivoting downspout14, through extender tube15and then through flexible hose20into drain pipe17. The upper end of hose20is attached to the inner wall of extender tube15, while the lower end slides freely in funnel21and drain pipe17. This sliding motion during the transition of pivoting downspout14from the upward to the downward position is facilitated by the downward pull of weight22, attached to the inner wall of flexible hose20. A typical embodiment of weight22is a section of metal pipe. Drain pipe17and funnel21are made of metal or plastic material and they are interconnected by means of a snug-fit metal or plastic ring23. When gutter1and pivoting downspout14are in the downward position, flexible hose20adapts to this configuration illustrated inFIG. 10, as its weighted lower end slides freely in funnel21and drain pipe17.FIGS. 9 and 10show the side view of pivoting downspout14without the end cap.

Additional Feature of the Pivoting Gutter

It is emphasized that even if the gutter assembly is left in the upward position during winter, it remains protected against sliding snow and ice. The magnetic latches act as mechanical safety switches. They open if the gutter assembly is struck by snow and ice sliding from the roof, and gutter1as well as pivoting downspout14, are pushed to the downward position without being damaged.

CONCLUSION

The detailed description of the pivoting gutter assembly supported by magnetic latches highlights its following advantages:a. The magnetic latch is devoid of stiction and friction. It therefore opens and closes more easily than interlocking mechanisms in prior art.b. The installation of the plurality of magnetic latches on the fascia is simpler and requires less accuracy than the installation of interlocking mechanisms in prior art.c. The plurality of magnetic latches can support a weight approximately four times higher than the weight of the gutter fully filled with water. This capability has been verified experimentally on a prototype installation.d. If the gutter is left in the upward position in winter, the magnetic latches act as mechanical safety switches. The impact on the gutter of snow and ice sliding from the roof opens the magnetic latches and pivots the gutter under the eaves. This functional feature has been verified on a prototype installation.e. Magnetic latches can be easily included in the process presently used to manufacture fixed supporting brackets for gutters.

The foregoing has constituted a description of specific embodiments showing how the invention may be applied and put into use. These embodiments are only exemplary. The invention in its broadest and more specific aspects is further described and defined in claims that follow the concluding statements.

These claims, and the language used therein, are to be understood in terms of the variants of the invention which have been described. They are not to be restricted to such variants, but are to be read as covering the full scope of the invention as is implicit within the invention and the disclosure that has been provided herein.