Abstract:
A snow melting device for gutters including a snow melting strip positionable within a closed lower end of a gutter. The snow melting strip will serve to melt accumulated snow upon activation to allow proper drainage of water through downspouts of the gutter.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a snow melting device for gutters and more particularly pertains to preventing snow build-up in gutters with a snow melting device for gutters. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of snow melting devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, snow melting devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of melting accumulated snow are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,527 to Franzmeier discloses heating cables. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,090 to Lowenthal discloses an awning gutter. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,880 to Eizenhoefer discloses a device to melt ice and snow on a roof structure. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,805 to Weber discloses a solar roof, eaves and gutter device. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,002 to Stanford discloses down spouts provided with heated elements. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,858 to Tourangeau et al. discloses an ice dam melting system. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a snow melting device for gutters for preventing snow build-up in gutters. 
     In this respect, the snow melting device for gutters according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing snow build-up in gutters. 
     Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved snow melting device for gutters which can be used for preventing snow build-up in gutters. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of snow melting devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved snow melting device for gutters. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved snow melting device for gutters and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
     To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a gutter of a predetermined length secured to a house at a lower end of a roof thereof. The gutter has a rear wall secured to the house. The gutter has an open upper end, a closed lower end and a curved front wall. The curved front wall extends to a length equal to a length of the rear wall. The device includes a snow melting strip comprised of an elongated generally rectangular waterproof housing of a predetermined length. The housing has a heating coil extending lengthwise therethrough in a zigzag configuration. The housing is positionable within the closed lower end of the gutter. The snow melting strip has a thickness less than twenty percent of a depth of the gutter. An adjustable switch is secured within the house. The adjustable switch cooperates with the snow melting strip for activation and temperature control thereof. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved snow melting device for gutters which has all the advantages of the prior art snow melting devices and none of the disadvantages. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved snow melting device for gutters which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved snow melting device for gutters which is of durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved snow melting device for gutters which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a snow melting device for gutters economically available to the buying public. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved snow melting device for gutters for preventing snow build-up in gutters. 
     Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved snow melting device for gutters including a snow melting strip positionable within a closed lower end of a gutter. The snow melting strip will serve to melt accumulated snow upon activation to allow proper drainage of water through downspouts of the gutter. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the snow melting device for gutters constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is perspective view of the present invention in place within a gutter. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention in place within the gutter. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the adjustable switch of the present invention. 
    
    
     The same reference numerals refer to the same parts through the various Figures. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular, to FIGS. 1-5 thereof, the preferred embodiment of the new and improved snow melting device for gutters embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference number 10 will be described. 
     Specifically, it will be noted in the various Figures that the device relates to a snow melting device for gutters for preventing snow build-up in gutters. In its broadest context, the device consists of a gutter, a snow melting strip and an adjustable switch. Such components are individually configured and correlated with respect to each other so as to attain the desired objective. 
     The device 10 includes a gutter  12  of a predetermined length secured to a house  14  at a lower end of a roof  16  thereof. Note FIG.  1 . The gutter  12  has a rear wall  18  secured to the house  14 . The gutter  12  has an open upper end  20 , a closed lower end  22  and a curved front wall  24 . The curved front wall  24  extends to a length equal to a length of the rear wall  18 . 
     The device 10 includes a snow melting strip  28  comprised of an elongated generally rectangular waterproof housing  30  of a predetermined length. The housing  30  is preferably fabricated of a flexible material such as rubber or vinyl or a synthetic blend. The housing  30  has a heating coil  32  extending lengthwise therethrough in a zigzag configuration. The heating coil  32  is positioned centrally between upper and lower surfaces of the housing  30 . The housing  30  is positionable within the closed lower end  22  of the gutter  12 . The snow melting strip  28  has a thickness less than twenty percent of a depth of the gutter  12 . This enables the positioning of the snow melting strip  28  within the gutter  12  and still allowing for the gutter to gather debris. The snow melting strip  28  has a thickness less than a thickness of the gutter  12 , thus enabling melted snow to dissipate through a downspout of the gutter  12 . The length of the snow melting strips  28  will vary to accommodate a variety of lengths of gutters  12 . 
     An adjustable switch  36  is secured within the house  14 . The adjustable switch  36  cooperates with the snow melting strip  28  for activation and temperature control thereof. The activation switch  36  will be placed within the house  14  in a position accessible to a user to activate the device 10 when snow fall is occurring. 
     As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and the manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modification and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modification and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.