Abstract:
A clip for supporting a guard screen on a rain gutter to keep leaves and other debris from entering the gutter, the clip extending from an outer to an inner wall of the gutter and having means for attaching the clip thereto, the screen being supported on the clip, means being provided to attach the screen to the clip preventing upward movement of the screen relative to the clip and longitudinal movement of the screen relative to the gutter.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a clip for use in installing screening over a rain gutter. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     To prevent the accumulation of leaves and other debris in gutters, screening is available to keep material from entering and at the same time permitting the free passage of rain water. The screen material commonly comes in a roll having a width which will traverse the upper open end of the gutter, from the gutter inside wall to the outer wall thereof. 
     The screen is usually made of light mesh wire, manufactured from aluminum, plastic or other material. The gauge is such as to enable screen six inches wide, or the like, to be rolled into a package, for example, 20 feet long, and subject to being rolled out to provide a gutter cover. 
     Such a screen involves some difficulties to install. As it is unrolled, the screen has a tendency to return to its rolled form. If it is desired to have the screen applied in one continuous long piece, when it is attached at one end of the gutter and then rolled out towards the opposite end, the portion first installed may come loose and roll up when the person is locating the opposite end of the screen. 
     One way to overcome this is to cut the screen into short sections about 3 feet long so that the installer can handle both ends of a given piece of screen at one time. In such an installation, the screen sections may be overlapped. 
     Installation is also difficult because of the lightness of the screen and because of a tendency of the screen to collapse when in place. When heavy debris comes in contact with the screen, it may cause the screen to cave into the gutter rather than support material on top of the screen. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     This invention provides a gutter guard screen clip which will support screen when applied to cover a gutter, the clip holding the screen securely and preventing the screen from collapsing when in place. The clip restrains the screen from moving outwardly of the gutter or longitudinally relative to the extension of the gutter. 
     An object of this invention is to provide a gutter screen clip which will allow the screen to be applied in one continuous long piece and held in an arched form whereby leaves and the like will tend to fall off the screen when prevented from entering the gutter. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide means on a gutter screen clip for connecting a screen to the clip without the use of tools, the connection being such that the screen can be readily attached and also disconnected from the clip. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a clip which will hingedly connect to the upper outer end wall of a gutter and frictionally connect to the upper inner end wall of the gutter. 
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section showing a standard gutter attached below the terminal overhanging edge of a roof and having a gutter screen extended from an inner to an outer edge of the gutter supported by a clip constructed according to this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the screen support clip shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and 
     FIGS. 5a and 5b are enlarged views showing how the screening is applied on top of the support clip and connected thereto through spikes on the clip. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, 10 is the side wall of a house having a slanted roof 12 which overhangs wall 10. Roof 12 has shingles 14 over which rain water will pass downwardly and outwardly. As shown in FIG. 1 the overhang of the roof is limited so that water coming from the roof will drop downwardly into a gutter G. 
     The gutter G shown is of conventional, standard design including a vertically extending inner wall 16, a horizontally extending bottom wall 18 and a curved outer wall 20. At its upper outer end, wall 20 has a U-shaped free-end portion 22 with its open side or bite of the U facing inwardly toward the upper end 24 of inner wall 16. End 24 and U-shaped portion 22 are generally in the same horizontal plane. Portion 22 of the gutter has an upper horizontal ledge 26 and a folded over piece 28. 
     When it rains, water drains downwardly and to the left of FIG. 1 from the roof shingles 14 and drops into the gutter G for disposal through downwardly directed drain spouts, not shown. To prevent leaves and other debris from accumulating in the gutter G, a screen of mesh material 30 is located across the upper open end of gutter G. The screen may be made of plastic, aluminum or other material. It is flexible The width of the screen material is such that it extends from an inside end 32 adjacent house wall 10 to an outer end 34 adjacent the free U-shaped end 22 of the gutter. 
     To securely mount screen 30 across the gutter, a support clip 40 is provided constructed according to this invention. Clip 40 has a body portion 42 which is arched or domed-shaped when viewed from the side, FIGS. 1 and 2. Body 42 has a strengthening rib 43. Clip 40 is preferably made of a plastic or metal strong enough to firmly support gutter screen 30 but it has some flexibility so that the inner end 44 of the clip and the outer end 46 of the clip may be flexed toward and away from each other to obtain proper positioning of the clip. 
     At the inner end 44, clip 40 is provided with a transverse integral section 48, FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, slotted at 50 and with a depression 52 to receive the upper inner edge 24 of the inside gutter wall 16. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, portion 48 of the clip has a section 54 which extends laterally to one side of the clip body 42 and a section 56 which extends laterally on the opposite side of the clip. Section 56 is provided with a hole 58 through which a screw 60 (FIG. 1) can be projected to fasten the inner end 44 of clip 40 to the side wall 10 of the house. However, such a screw is not required. If desired, the installer can merely frictionally connect clip 40 to the gutter wall 16. 
     At its opposite end 46, support clip 40 is provided with a U-shaped section 62 designed to snugly fit within the U-shaped portion 22 of the gutter G. The portion 62 provides a hinged connection with the gutter, there being a bottom wall 64, a curved wall 66 and an upper tapered free edge 68 adapted to slide into the space between the ledge 26 of the gutter and the inwardly projecting piece 28. A rib 70 is formed on hinge piece 62 to strengthen the part and also limit the extension of the edge 68 into the gutter outer edge between 26 and 28, FIG. 1. 
     Projecting upwardly from the arched, domed body 42 of clip 40 are three molded holding spikes indicated at 72, 74 and 76. Spikes 72 and 74 are generally of the same configuration. Spike 74 is located generally in the middle of the body 42 and projects upwardly. Spike 72 is located adjacent the inner end 44 of clip 40 beneath the roof edge. The other spike 76 is located along the upper edge of end 46 of body 42 of clip 40 adjacent the outer edge 22 of gutter G. 
     When viewed from above, as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, spikes 72 and 74 are diamond-shaped and adapted to fit within the mesh openings 78 in the screen 30. The screen material, being flexible, will readily slip over the spikes 72 and 74 when pulled by the installer as shown in FIG. 5a and released as shown in FIG. 5b. The size of each spike is such as to hold screen 30 down, FIGS. 1 and 5b, when the screening has been attached thereto. 
     The outer spike 76 is constructed without the inner point of the diamond so that only a half portion of the spike is provided. This facilitates the attachment of the screen to the clip and to the other spike 72 and 74. 
     To apply screening to a gutter, a series of clips are applied to the gutter as shown in FIG. 1, at longitudinally spaced locations along the gutter, such as two or three feet apart. Each clip 40 is attached to gutter G by sliding the U-shaped portion 62 into the U-shaped section 22 of the gutter. The curved section 66 pivots and slides against the surface of the gutter and is rotated into place until the edge 68 comes into engagement with the turned over portion 28 of the gutter. After the outer end of the clip is in place, the inner end of clip is attached to the upper edge 24 of the wall 16 of the gutter G by snapping the clip onto the gutter edge by inserting the edge 24 into slot 50, guided by depression 52. A frictional connection occurs between the clip and gutter wall upper end 24. When in place, each clip 40 can be fastened to the house wall using a screw 60, if desired. 
     When a series of the clips are mounted as shown, screen 30 may be applied. The installer unrolls the screen and inserts the outer portion 34 of the screen between the end 46 of the clip and the U-shaped edge 22 of gutter G. The screen is passed over half spike 76 and then attached to spike 74 and finally spike 72. The inner edge 32 of the screening rests on top of the portion 48 of the clip 40. 
     The installer unrolls the screening and moves along the gutter to attach the screen to each clip 40 in succession as the clips are reached. There is no need to cut the screen into short lengths. The entire 20-foot or more length of the roll of gutter guard screen can be applied in one continuous piece. Since there is no overlapping of screen sections, the screen will be effective for its full length to guard a gutter. 
     When in place, the screen assumes an arched configuration, FIG. 1, high in the middle and low on either side edge. This arched or domed shape facilitates the discharge of leaves and other material from the screen when such debris lands on the screen. The leaves will easily fall off or blow away. Any entrance of debris into the gutter is prevented. 
     The retaining spikes 72, 74 and 76 hold the screening from moving upwardly from the clips 40 when mounted in place. Further, these spikes prevent longitudinal movement of the screening along the length of gutter G. 
     With the clips 40 constructed according to this invention, screen may be readily and quickly applied to a gutter without special tools. However, depending upon the desire of the installer each clip may be connected to the side of the house using a screw 60 for each clip. Further, depending upon the degree of flexibility of the screening, a straight bladed screwdriver may be employed to stretch the screen as shown in FIG. 5a to apply the screen to the holding spikes. 
     Although a specific configuration is shown, it will be understood that the invention is subject to modification without departing from the concept disclosed.