ROOF-GUTTER CLEANING DEVICE

Abstract: The device comprises a frame (10) mounted at the upper (in use) end of a carrying pole (11), a scraper blade (15) at the leading end of the frame, a gutter-engaging wheel (16) or skid at the trailing end of the frame, and a gutter-engaging heel (17) behind the scraper and in front of the wheel or skid. The scraper blade may be raked to deliver debris laterally, and the scraper, heel and/or wheel or skid may be adjustable in position. The frame may be pivotally mounted on the pole to allow the scraper blade to adopt its correct position in the gutter, the mounting preferably being by means of an arm (20) pivotally connected at or near to the upper end of the carrying pole to permit the device to be swung to either side of the pole for "right hand" or "left hand" operation, and to facilitate positioning of the scraper blade under an eave which partly overhangs the gutter. Suitably, said carrying pole comprises a short length (12) of tubing to be fitted at the upper end of an extension pole (13) by means of a quick-release or screw coupling (14). The device may also be provided with a water jet nozzle (22), and/or with a mirror (24) to allow the user to view the scraping operation.

Description: ROOF-GUTTER CLEANING DEVICE This invention relates to cleaning devices for roof gutters. It is, of course, well known that roof gutters become fouled with leaves, slime, etc., and, usually being inaccessibly mounted well above head height, are difficult to reach and clean and tend to be neglected and become blocked. Various devices have been proposed for cleaning such gutters, but almost all suffer from disadvantages such as lack of manoeuvreability, and are so inconvenient to use that the alternative method of manual cleaning using ladders or scaffolding is still followed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cleaning device for roof gutters, which is convenient and efficient in operation, and inexpensive to produce. According to the present invention there is provided a cleaning device for roof gutters, comprising a frame mounted at the upper (in use) end of a carrying pole, a scraper at the leading end of the frame, a gutter-engaging wheel or skid at the trailing end of the frame, and a gutter-engaging heel behind the scraper and in front of the wheel or skid. Preferably, said scraper is raked to deliver debris laterally and the scraper, heel and/or wheel or skid is/are adjustable in position. Preferably also, the frame is pivotally mounted on the pole to allow the blade to adopt its correct position in the gutter, the mounting preferably being by means of an arm pivotally connected at or ner to the upper end-of the carrying pole to.permit the device to be swung to either side of the pole for "right hand" or "left hand" operation, and to facilitate positioning of the scraper under an eave which partly overhangs the gutter. Suitably, said carrying pole comprises a short length of tubing to be fitted at the (in use) end of an extension pole by means of a quick-release or screw coupling. The device may also be provided with a water jet nozzle, and/or with a mirror to allow the user to view the scraping operation. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a roof-gutter cleaning devicej Figure 2 is a detail perspective uieω shaming the device provided with a water jet nozzle; Figure 3 is a detail perspective view showing the device provided ωith a viewing mirror and a collecting bag; Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the device in use; Figures 5 and 6 show a modified form of the device; Figure 7 shows a further modified form of the device; and, Figures 8 and 9 are detail views of scraper blades. Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the device comprises a frame 10 mounted at the upper end of a carrying pole 11, the pole comprising a length of tubing 12 arranged to be fitted to an extension length of tubing 13 by means of a spring button catch 14 of known kind, or alternatively by a screw-in or other connection. The frame carries a raked scraper blade 15 at its leading end, and a wheel 16 at its trailing end. The frame itself is formed primarily from a shaped metal strip which provides a heel 17 behind the scraper blade, for the purpose described below. The scraper blade is attached to the frame by means of a wing nut and bolt 18, to be angularly adjustable about the bolt and also vertically adjustable along slot 19. The slot 19 is formed in an extension 20 of the frame which in effect provides a link-arm to a pivotal connection 21 at the top end of the pole 11 so that the frame is not only laterally movable at the right-hand side (as illustrated in Figure 1) of the pole, but can also be swung around the pivot 21 to an alternative position at the left-hand side of the pole. The pole may carry a water jet nozzle 22 as illustrated in Figure 2 which shows the device in a roof gutter 23. Additionally, or alternatively, the pole may carry a mirror 24 and a collecting bag 25 as shown in Figure 3. In operation of the device, as can be appreciated from Figures 2, 3 and 4, the user 26.elevates the pole 11 until the scraper blade 15 and the wheel 16 enter the roof gutter to occupy the positions shown in Figure 2 or 3. The user then propels the device along the gutter so that the scraper blade delivers the leaves and other debris laterally in, for example, a plough-like action over the outer edge of the gulley 23 and possibly to be collected in a bag 25. The scraper blade is prevented from biting into the gutter by the heel 17, which may have provision for adjustment by, for example, a spring-loaded ball device or skid to prevent jamming of the device, and the arrange¬ ment has proved to be extremely simple and efficient in operation. Particularly in dry weather, the water jet may be used not only to drive the leaves and other debris along the gutter, but also to loosen any caked slime, moss or the like. The nozzle 22 is fed through the pipe 27 which may enter the bottom end of the pole 11 and extend upwardly through the pole as a reduced-bore conduit, the water supply being controlled by a suitable valve (not shown) operated by the user. It will be appreciated that the gutter may be cleaned in either direction, simply by swinging the frame around the pivot 21 to the other side of the carrying pole 11 ; further, the pivotal mounting of the frame enables the scraper blade and also the wheel 16 to be inserted under roof eaves which tend to overhang gutters of this kind. As stated above, the scraper blade 15 is adjustable, in relation to the heel 17, and provision may be made for adjusting the angle and/or position and also the rake of the blade through, e.g., a rod or cable extending upwardly through or externally of the pole 11 and operable from the bottom end of the pole. The scraper blade is readily replaceable, which renders the device adaptable for use in cleaning a range of gutter profiles. The wheel as shown is carried on a U-shaped bracket 28, but a cranked single-arm bracket may be preferred in order to minimise the danger of jamming due to debris picked up- by the wheel. -In a modified construction, the wheel 6 may be replaced by a possibly-sprung skid or skids, and " fcke heel 17 may be in the form of a wheel or skid(s). In a development of the invention, a brush may be provided behind and/or in front of the scraper blade 15, and the brush may be rotated by, for example, a drive from the wheel 16. In a further development, the brush(es) and/or wheel may be rotated by an electrical or other power drive. In a modified embodiment of the invention, the brush(es) may replace the scraper blade. The scraper blade 15 may have a serrated edge, or the blade may be provided with a squeegee-type periphery to act as a cleaner rather than as a raked scraper with its side flange 1 A as illustrated. In a further modification, with one or more suitable brushes, the blade can be ommitted. . ^•fTREA"? OMPI In yet a further modification, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the device comprises a frame 30 which carries a roller 31 and a scraper plough 32. The frame has four rounded projections 33 which act to guide the cleaner in the gutter 34. A pushing arm 35 is pivotally connected to the rear of the frame and to a carrying pole 36. Because of these pivotal connections, the cleaner can be operated in either direction, with the arm and handle in the appropriate full-line or broken-line positions as indica¬ ted in Figure 6. In a modification, as shown in Figure 7, the blade 40 is carried on a bolted sleeve 41 mounted on a frame extension 42 of circular section, so that the blade can be angularly adjusted in relation to its direction of operation. Further, the blade 40 may have a non-circular periphery, or may be eccentrically pivoted on bolt 43; examples are shown in Figures 8 and 9. Those blades 44 and 45 are each formed with an arcuate row of sockets 46 to receive a possibly spring-loaded locating finger 47 which will hold the blade positively in a selected angular position. OMPI , ■>. WIPO

Claims: C L A I PI 5 1. A cleaning device for roof gutters, comprising a frame mounted at the upper (in use) end of a carrying pole, a scraper at the leading end of the frame, a gutter-engaging wheel or skid at the trailing end of the frame, and a gutter -engaging heel behind the scraper and in front of the wheel or skid. 2. A cleaning device as claimed in Claim 2, in which said scraper is raked to deliver debris laterally. 3. A cleaning device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which said scraper is adjustable in position. 4. A cleaning device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which said wheel or skid is adjustable in position. 5. A cleaning device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which said frame is pivotally mounted on the pole to allow the scraper to adopt its correct position in the gutter. 6. A cleaning device as claimed in Claim 5, in which said mounting is by means of an arm pivotally connected at or near to the upper end of the carrying pole to permit the device to be swung to either side of the pole for "right hand" or "left hand" operation, and to facilitate position¬ ing of the scraper under an eave which partly overhangs the gutter. 7. A cleaning device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which said carrying pole comprises a short length of tubing to be fitted at the (in use) end of an extension pole by means of a quick-release or screw coupling. OMPI 8. A cleaning device as claimed in any preceding Claim and provided with a water jet nozzle. 9. A cleaning device as claimed in any preceding Claim and provided with a mirror to allow the user to view the scraping operation. 10. An apparatus for remotely clearing debris out of an overhead gutter, said apparatus comprising: a frame means having a front and back, and said frame means can be slid along the inside of an overhead gutter; a plough means secured to said front of said frame means where said plough means ploughs and pushes debris out of the overhead gutter; and, a pivotal pushing arm which is pivotally connected to said back of said frame means, said pushing arm extends from an overhead gutter and is - pivotally connected at said from means so that it may overlay either side of an overhead gutter. 11. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, wherein said frame means is provided with roller means for rolling support of said frame means on the inside base of an overhead gutter. 12. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 11, wherein said frame means has guiding slide means for guiding said plough means along the inside of an overhead gutter when said frame means is moved laterally along an overhead gutter. 13. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein a handle means is pivotally connected to said pivotal pushing arm means so that an operator may move the appar¬ atus in a number of different lines of movement parallel to an overhead gutter. 14. A cleaning device for roof gutters, substantially as hereinbefore described ωith reference to Figures « r 1 to 4 or to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: HUGHES PETER, HUGHES, PETER
Applicants: HUGHES PETER, HUGHES, PETER
Application year: 1983
Main classification: E04D13
IPC codes: E04D13