Gutter seal

The present invention relates to an eavestrough fitting having a molded plastic member with a gasket secured thereto having a unique configuration. The gasket has at least two ribs extending across the molded plastic member and up the sides thereof, with these ribs being sized to form a seal with an appropriately shaped eavestrough inserted within the fitting. The eavestrough is inserted into the fitting and the gasket includes resilient aligning members urging the sidewalls of the inserted eavestrough towards the center whereby the base of the eavestrough is more positively urged into sealing contact with the ribs across the base of the molded plastic member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an improved eavestrough fitting, in 
particular, a molded plastic eavestrough fitting having a gasket secured 
thereto with the gasket having a unique configuration for accurately 
retaining an appropriately shaped eavestrough inserted therein in sealing 
engagement. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A number of eavestrough systems are currently marketed and in the 
do-it-yourself market, there are two basic types of systems. The first 
system is a solvent welded or secured system where plastic pieces are 
inserted, one into the other and then adhered, to provide a positive 
securement and seal therebetween. The second type of system involves 
fittings and eavestrough where the eavestrough snaps into the respective 
fitting, and the fitting includes a gasket member for providing a seal 
with the outer surface of the eavestrough. Examples of this second type of 
system are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,716. 
Any system which uses plastic eavestrough must be of a design to allow for 
thermal expansion and contraction of the eavestrough with changing ambient 
temperature. This thermal expansion is accommodated in the second type of 
system by providing within the fitting room for thermal expansion of the 
eavestrough whereby the eavestrough moves within the fitting with the 
gasket maintaining the seal. Thus, the gasket accommodates the moving of 
the eavestrough within the fitting. 
Problems can occur with respect to moving seal systems due to the movement 
of the eavestrough and due to forces exerted on the base of certain 
eavestrough, as disclosed herein and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,716. This base 
can bow upwardly, partially due to the shape of the eavestrough and the 
manner in which the eavestrough is snap fitted into the fitting. The 
bowing of the base of the eavestrough is also compounded by thermal 
expansion of the eavestrough during the hot summer months which provides 
additional stress on the walls of the eavestrough, resulting in the base 
portion bowing generally in the center of the eavestrough fitting. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An eavestrough fitting, according to the present invention, comprises a 
molded plastic member having secured thereto a gasket. The gasket has at 
least two ribs extending across the member and up the sides thereof. The 
ribs are sized to form a seal with an appropriately eavestrough inserted 
within the fitting. The molded plastic member has a generally flat base 
connected to outwardly angled sidewalls which terminate in a short 
vertical section. The gasket conforms to the shape of the molded plastic 
member and includes resilient aligning members associated with the ribs 
either side of the base on the outwardly angled sidewalls. These resilient 
aligning members center the eavestrough within the fitting and urge the 
sidewalls of an inserted eavestrough towards the center of the fitting, 
stressing the base of the inserted eavestrough in a manner to urge the 
base into sealing contact with the underlying ribs. 
The present invention is also directed to the molded eavestrough fitting, 
as generally described above, in combination with a similarly shaped 
length of eavestrough. This combination cooperates to provide an effective 
seal between the fitting and the eavestrough.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
As shown in the drawings, the eavestrough fitting 2 comprises a molded 
plastic member 4 having a gasket member 6 secured on the interior surface 
thereof and conforming to the shape of the molded plastic member. The 
molded plastic member has a flat base 10, outwardly angled sidewalls 12 
and 14 which terminate in respective short vertical sections 16 and 18. 
The gasket 6 includes three parallel ribs 8 which each form a wiper seal 
with the lower surface of an inserted eavestrough. The eavestrough 30 has 
a flat base 32, outwardly angled sidewalls 34 and 36 which respectively 
terminate in short vertical sections 38 and 40. The gasket, in addition to 
having the three ribs 8, includes resilient aligning members 20, in this 
case in the form of circular teats which are within one inch of the base 
10 of the fitting 2. Preferably, these resilient aligning members are 
placed within one-half inch of the base. The resilient aligning members 20 
are associated with the ribs 8 preferably, intermediate the ribs with two 
resilient aligning members positioned at each side of the base 10. 
The gaskets 8 are injection moulded directly on the fitting 2 and have a 
thin layer at the fitting which joins the ribs and secures the gasket to 
the fitting. 
Gasket members having ribs of this type have been used before, however, 
they do not include the resilient aligning members 20. It has been found 
that these resilient aligning members apply a force on the sidewalls 34 
and 36, as generally shown in 35, which urge the sidewalls towards the 
center of the eavestrough, resulting in a downward deflection of the 
eavestrough base 32 as generally indicated by arrow 48. This downward 
deflection is the result of the force urging the sidewalls 34 and 36 
inwardly. It should be noted that there is a cooperation between the ribs 
8 and the resilient aligning members 20, as generally shown in FIG. 3, 
where the resilient aligning members have deformed and cooperate with the 
compressed ribs 8 to provide a ridge, generally indicated as 46, of high 
pressure on the sidewalls of the eavestrough adjacent the resilient 
aligning members to cause this inward deflection. These resilient aligning 
members 20 also serve to maintain the eavestrough 30 aligned or centered 
within the fitting 2. In some circumstances, there previously was a 
tendency for the eavestrough to become off-centered, resulting in a gap at 
one side of the fitting or the other. The resilient aligning members 20 
prevent this and maintain the center position of the eavestrough within 
the fitting. This advantage is of particular benefit, as it must be 
appreciated that the eavestrough moves within the fitting due to thermal 
expansion and thus, alignment and the continuous contact of the ribs 8 
with the eavestrough are important. The resilient aligning members 20 thus 
reduce the tendency of the base 32 of the eavestrough 30 to bow upwardly, 
as generally shown at 42 in FIG. 4, while also serving to maintain 
alignment of the eavestrough within the particular fitting it is 
associated with. The resilient aligning members are preferably about 50% 
of the uncompressed height of the ribs. 
In FIG. 1, the eavestrough 30 has been shown as sliding into the fitting 2, 
however, in most cases, there is a snap fit where one edge of the 
eavestrough is first hooked under the lip 60 of the fitting 2 and the 
eavestrough is then forced below the opposite lip 62 of the fitting. It 
can be appreciated that with this type of action, the centering of the 
resilient aligning members 20 is important due to the high load that the 
one side of the fitting will encounter during the snap fitting of the 
eavestrough into the fitting. 
The invention has been described with respect to the joiner fitting 2, 
shown in FIG. 1, which has two gaskets 8 either side thereof. There are 
other fittings which are similar in having two gaskets, such as fittings 
having a downpipe connection, 90 degree corner members, etc. There are 
also other fittings only having a single gasket, such as an end cap, a 
blind downspout, etc. Therefore, the term "fitting" is used broadly to 
include both fittings designed to receive eavestroughs at either side 
thereof as well as fittings which merely are designed to engage one length 
of eavestrough. 
In reviewing FIG. 3, it can be appreciated that the ribs 8 deform and 
compress under load and, similarly, the resilient aligning members 20 also 
deform and compress, resulting in the pressure ridge 46 generally 
extending across the eavestrough immediately adjacent the resilient 
aligning members 20. This provides a distributed force on the sidewalls 
which results in a tendency for the base to move downwardly in the 
direction of arrow 48 as shown in FIG. 5. This force will continue over 
the life of the system while accommodating the necessary movement of the 
eavestrough 30 within the fitting 2. 
Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been 
described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the 
art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit 
of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.