Patent Publication Number: US-7712731-B2

Title: Gutter clamp

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/835,449,filed Aug. 4, 2006. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to clamping devices, and particularly to a gutter clamp allowing a user to temporarily clamp a gutter to a support surface, such as a face board projecting downwardly from a roof, while work is being performed on the gutter. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Gutters are typically long, heavy unwieldy pieces of contoured metal, fixed to roofs high off the ground. Thus, when the gutter is being installed on the house or building, or other work is being performed, it is difficult for the workers to hold the gutter against its support surface while performing the necessary work, such as attaching the gutter to the support surface. 
   A variety of clamping devices have been designed for holding the gutter to the support surface, leaving the hands of the user free to perform the necessary work. Such clamping devices typically include a conventional C-shaped clamp, with one end of the clamp contacting the support surface and the other end holding the outer wall of the gutter. Gutters, however, are typically made of aluminum or similar materials selected for their light weight, and are susceptible to damage in the form of dents, punctures and other force and stress related damage, which can be easily caused by a tight clamp. 
   Further, metal gutters are generally coated with a corrosion-proof paint or other thin film coating. The contact of a typical C-shaped clamp or similar clamp can cause the paint or coating to be scratched, thus leaving the gutter susceptible to corrosion from exposure to the elements. 
   Further, such clamps are designed to hold the gutter to the support surface, and do not provide further functionality. It would be desirable to provide a clamp that would allow the user to support the gutter without the need of a separate support surface, leaving the user&#39;s other hand free to perform work. It would be further desirable to provide a gutter clamp that does not contact the exterior of the gutter to prevent dents and other damage to the gutter walls. Thus, a gutter clamp solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The gutter clamp is a handheld clamp that allows a user to temporarily clamp a gutter to a support surface, such as a face board, while work is being performed on the gutter. Alternatively, the gutter clamp can be used in combination with the gutter alone, allowing the user to securely hold the gutter with one hand, leaving the user with a free hand to perform other work. The gutter clamp includes a handle portion, which may be adjustable, and a clamping portion mounted on the handle portion. The clamping portion includes first and second clamping members, which are joined to the handle portion so that the user may selectively adjust the width between the clamping members and releasably lock them into position. 
   The handle portion includes a pair of handle members, which are pivotally secured to one another. The first and second handle members are further resiliently biased with respect to one another through a spring or other suitable resilient element, and in one embodiment, may be releasably locked together in a desired position. 
   The first clamping member is adapted for contacting an outer face of the support surface, and the second clamping member has a substantially U-shaped upper end, allowing the upper end to be mounted on an outer wall of the gutter, and to securely contact an inner face of the outer wall, thus releasably securing the gutter to the support surface. 
   In use, the gutter is positioned against one face of the support surface. The upper end of the first clamping member is positioned to contact the opposed face of the support surface. The width between the first and second clamping members is adjusted by the user via the pivoting handle members so that the upper U-shaped contour of the second clamping member can fit over the outer wall of the gutter, allowing the terminal end of the second clamping member to make contact with the inner face of the outer wall. 
   In one embodiment, an adjustment mechanism is mounted on the terminal end of the second clamping member. The adjustment mechanism may be selectively tightened to ensure secure contact between the gutter clamp and the gutter. The adjustment mechanism may be a threaded bolt or the like engaging a threaded ring or other mount formed on the end of the second clamping member. 
   These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a gutter clamp according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the gutter clamp according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a partially exploded perspective view of the gutter clamp according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a gutter clamp according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of a gutter clamp according to the present invention. 
   

   Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to the  FIGS. 1-3 , the gutter clamp  10  is a handheld clamp that allows a user to temporarily clamp a gutter to a support surface, such as a face board, while work is being performed on the gutter. In  FIG. 1 , gutter clamp  10  is shown as clamping gutter  14  to a face board  16 , which projects downwardly from roof  18 . It should be understood that the gutter clamp  10  may be used to clamp gutter  14  to any suitable surface, depending upon the type of edifice, the materials available and the nature of the work being performed. Alternatively, the gutter clamp  10  can be used in combination with the gutter  14  alone, allowing the user to securely hold the gutter with one hand, leaving the user with a free hand to perform other work. 
   As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the gutter clamp  10  includes an adjustable handle portion  12  and a clamping portion formed from first and second clamping members  38 ,  28 , respectively. Clamping members  38 ,  28  are mounted on the handle portion  12  in such a manner that clamping members  38 ,  28  pivot with respect to one another as the handle members  20  and  22  pivot towards and away from each other. 
   The adjustable handle portion  12  is formed from a first handle member  20  and a second handle member  22 . First and second handle members  20 ,  22  act as an adjustable, releasably locking toggle to adjust the width between first and second clamping members  38 ,  28 , and to selectively and releasably lock members  38 ,  28  in place with respect to one another. As best shown in  FIG. 3 , toggle member  40  is pivotally joined to second handle member  22  by a pivotal connection, such as a pivot pin,  42 . 
   As best shown in  FIG. 2 , toggle member  40  extends into a recess formed in first handle member  20 , where its position may be selectively adjusted by the user through adjustment of adjustment mechanism  24 . Adjustment mechanism  24  may be a threaded bolt or the like, which is received within a threaded bore hole formed through first handle member  20 . Spring element  46  is connected between clamping member  28  and handle  20  in order to bias clamping member  28  to a normally outward position. An operating lever  50  is pivotally connected, as by a rivet  52  or the like, adjacent to the end of handle  22 . In  FIGS. 1-3 , the handle portion of gutter clamp  10  is shown as being a vise grip locking type handle. It should be understood that any suitable handle allowing for pivoting of the clamping portion to adjust to the gutter may be used. As will be described in further detail below, with regard to the embodiments of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the handle portion may be formed as a spring clamp-type handle, for example. 
   The first clamping member  38  includes an upper portion having a substantially linear inner face  36 , which is adapted for contacting an outer face of support surface  16 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The second clamping member  28  has a substantially U-shaped upper end  26 , allowing the upper end to be mounted on an outer wall of the gutter  14 , and further to allow secure contact with an inner face of the outer wall of gutter  14 . 
   As shown, upper end  26  of second clamping member  28  terminates in a threaded ring  32  for receiving adjustment rod  30 , which may be a threaded bolt or the like. As shown in  FIG. 1 , adjustment rod  30  is selectively tightened to make contact with the inner surface of the outer wall of gutter  14 . 
   In use, the gutter  14  is positioned against one face of the support surface  16 . The upper end  34  of the first clamping member  38  is positioned so that linearly contoured face  36  contacts the opposed face of the support surface  16 . The width between the first and second clamping members  38 ,  28  is adjusted by the user by pivoting the handle members  20 ,  22  so that the upper U-shaped end  26  of the second clamping member  28  can fit over the outer wall of the gutter, tightening the adjustment rod  30  to make contact with the inner face of the outer wall. The toggling adjustable handle  12  can be locked in place to form a securely locked clamp for maintaining the gutter  14  in position on surface  16 . 
   Alternatively, the gutter clamp  10  could be used with gutter  14  alone, with the face  36  of upper end  34  making contact with the opposite wall of gutter  14 , rather than a support surface  16 . This would allow the user to grasp and support the gutter  14  with one hand, while leaving the user&#39;s other hand free. 
   In the alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , first and second clamping members  38 ,  28 , respectively, are replaced by first and second clamping members  39 ,  29 , respectively. Clamping members  39 ,  29  have a substantially cylindrical or round bar shape, i.e., clamping members  39 , 29  each have a substantially circular cross-sectional contour. 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , a cap member  43  may be mounted on an upper end of first clamping member  39  for the prevention of injury or damage to the user or to the surface to which clamp  10  is applied. Cap  43  may be formed from rubber or the like. Further, in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the locking handle members  20 ,  22  of  FIGS. 1-3  are replaced a spring clamp having first and second handle members  21 ,  25  connected by a pivot pin having a torsion spring concentrically disposed around the pivot pin to bias the upper ends of handle members  21 ,  25  closed or towards each other. 
   Clamp member  39  is straight, and is fixed to the upper end of handle member  21 , being adapted for insertion behind the fascia from below. Clamp member  29  is fixed to the upper end of handle member  25 , and has a first portion extending normal to clamp member  39 , and a second portion  26  extending parallel to and farther than clamp member  39 , terminating in a hook having an end slightly below the free end of clamp member  39 . A socket  32  having an internally threaded bore is fixed to the end of the hook, and an adjustment screw  30  having a bearing face at the end thereof is threaded into the socket  32 . 
   In use, the lower ends of handle members  21 ,  25  are squeezed together against the bias of the torsion spring to spread the upper ends of the handle members  21 , 25  apart, thus separating clamp members  39 ,  29 . The straight clamp member  39  is placed behind the fascia, the hook member extending into the channel defined by the gutter. The handle members  21 , 25  are released, the torsion spring resiliently biasing the upper ends towards each other, the bearing face of adjustment screw  30  bearing against the inner wall of the gutter in order to clamp the gutter against the fascia until the gutter can be nailed in place, or against clamping member  39  if the clamp is used to hold or carry the gutter alone. 
   Handle members  21 , 25  may have plastic grips  23  having contours adapted for accommodating the fingers defined therein disposed over the lower ends of the handle members  21 , 25 . Clamp members  39 , 29  are preferably made from round bar stock, and may have soft plastic sleeves disposed over the portions of members  39 , 29  that may come into contact with the gutter in order to avoid marring the finish on the surface of the gutter or fascia. 
   It should be understood that the particular contouring and joining of elements of gutter clamp  10  may be altered, as design choice, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, in the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , clamping member  39  is joined directly to the upper end of handle portion  35  and, similarly, clamping member  29  is joined to the upper end of handle portion  37 . The function of the gutter clamp  10 , however, remains the same as that described above with regard to the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . It should be understood that the particular size and contouring of the gutter clamp  10 , and of the elements forming the gutter clamp  10 , may be varied without departing from the teachings of the present invention. 
   It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.