Abstract:
A retaining clip is used to locate and secure a downspout lateral extension without the use of any tools or fastening hardware. The clip has a pair of free legs that are joined by a coil section. The coil section has an aperture through which the downspout extension can be matingly received. The legs are inserted into the ground, or other base material, to retain the clip and extension in place. Preferably the legs are splayed outwardly from each other at a neutral position and can be resiliently compressed towards each other to narrow the aperture and create a compression force that securely grips and holds the extension. Preferably the clip is formed from a unitary material that is rust and corrosion resistant, durable, and paintable, such as cold-rolled brass, copper, or stainless steel wire.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/540,104, filed Jan. 28, 2004, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to an apparatus for retaining a downspout extension, or other drainage pipe, in place. More particularly, this invention relates to a clip that can be easily attached to the extension portion or elbow portion of a downspout in order to anchor the extension or elbow to the ground in order to prevent the extension or elbow portion from blowing away or being easily dislodged from the downspout.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Drainage systems to drain water away from structures such as houses and other buildings typically include eaves or gutters located around the periphery for the roof of the structure to catch water as it drains off the roof. These gutters are canted to drain the water towards downspouts, typically located near a corner of the building, that carry the water off the structure and down to a desired drainage location near the bottom of the downspout. These downspouts are tubular in structure, and aligned in a generally vertical orientation. Most commonly the downspouts are made from a relatively light rigid material such as vinyl, plastic, or aluminum. At the bottom of the downspout it is often desirable to provide a lateral extension portion, including an elbow portion, that extends transversely from the bottom of the downspout in order to drain the water at a distance from the foundation of the building.  
         [0004]     These lateral extensions are most commonly tubular structures that matingly engage the terminal portion of the downspout. The lateral extensions are commonly, though not necessarily, formed from the same materials as the downspouts to which they attach. Their cross-sectional shape may be any shape that works to effectively drain the water away from the bottom of the downspout.  
         [0005]     The lateral extensions are effective for draining water away from the structure, but they suffer from some disadvantages. First, because they extend out away from the structure they can be placed such that they will be kicked or otherwise bumped by people or animals walking around the structure. Because of their typically light weight, they are also susceptible to being blown around by the wind. These factors can cause the lateral extensions to become dislodged from the downspout. When a lateral extension becomes dislodged it can blow away and become lost. Worse yet, the water from the downspout will drain right at the foundation of the structure, which can cause water damage.  
         [0006]     Permanently located structures to retain the lateral extensions are not particularly well suited for the task because it is often desired to move the lateral extension to mow or to use the space where it extends when it is not raining. Existing movable devices designed to support and locate downspout extensions suffer from durability problems related to the heat and cold cycles of the weather and breaking from repeated striking by string-line trimmers. A common design for such locators has an open top that is susceptible to becoming dislodged by strong wind, animals or human foot traffic.  
         [0007]     What is needed is a device to retain the extensions in place that is durable, easy to use and securely retains the extensions. Preferably, the device will permit the extension to be easily lifted and replaced to allow for mowing, trimming, and the like.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention solves many of the problems faced with retention of down spout extensions. According to one embodiment of the present invention a retaining clip is proposed that is durable enough to withstand repeated striking by string-line trimmers, will not deteriorate under changing weather heat and cold cycles, is easily located along a desired location on the extension, can support the extension at a selected height, does not require tools or additional fastening means, is reusable, can be painted, is adaptable to various cross section designs for downspout extensions, and is economical.  
         [0009]     According to one embodiment, the present invention is formed from a unitary piece of metal wire. The wire has two free legs at opposite ends. A coil is formed between the free legs. The coil is adapted to engage a downspout extension. The free legs can be selectively driven into the ground while the extension is captured within the coil to retain the extension in place.  
         [0010]     According to another embodiment of the present invention an anchor for retaining a drainage tube includes a coil portion and a pair of legs. The coil portion forms an aperture for mating engagement around the drainage tube. Each of the legs has a free end for insertion into a base material to retain the drainage tube in the desired position. The coil and legs may be formed from a single piece of metal wire, and the single piece of metal wire may be made of cold rolled brass, copper, or stainless steel. The legs may be splayed outwardly from each other at a neutral position. The legs may be adjustable inwards towards each other to make the aperture smaller. The legs may be adjustable outwards apart from each other to make the aperture larger.  
         [0011]     According to another embodiment the present invention is a device for retaining a downspout extension in place on a downspout. The device includes a wire loop that forms an enclosed aperture for engagement with the downspout extension. A first leg member is attached to the wire loop at a proximal end of the first leg member. The first leg member has a free end for insertion into a base material in order to retain the downspout extension in place. The device may include a second leg similar to the first leg. The wire loop and the legs may be formed from a single piece of metal wire having a generally circular cross section. A coating, such as paint, powder coat, and the like may be provided on the wire loop.  
         [0012]     According to another embodiment, the present invention is a method of retaining a drainage pipe in a working position. The method includes the steps of providing a drainage pipe, providing a retaining clip that includes a loop forming an enclosed aperture for mating engagement with the drainage pipe and a pair of legs, placing the drainage pipe in mated engagement with the enclosed aperture, and inserting the legs into a base material to retain the drainage pipe in the enclosed aperture in the working position. The loop and the legs may be formed from a single piece of cold rolled metal having a circular cross section. The legs may be splayed outwardly from each other at a neutral position. The legs may be adjustable inward to make the aperture smaller or outward to make the aperture larger. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a structure than includes a gutter, downspout, downspout extension, and three retainer clips according to the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a retainer clip according to the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the retainer clip of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the retainer clip of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a retainer clip according to the present invention in which the legs of the clip in an open position to facilitate installing and locating the clip on a drainage pipe;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a retainer clip according to the present invention in engagement with a downspout extension and with the legs in an inwardly flexed position and inserted into the ground to retain the extension in place;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the retainer clip and extension of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention intended for use with extensions that have a generally circular cross section;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention intended for use on extensions with an upright rectangular cross section;  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment that includes a coil having two windings;  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a retainer clip according to the present invention, wherein the clip has only one leg; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the retainer clip of  FIG. 9  in engagement with a drainage tile pipe. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]     Shown generally in the figures and described in detail herein is a retainer clip  10  for use in locating and restraining a downspout extension  12 .  FIG. 1  illustrates a house  14  that is equipped with a gutter  16  for catching rain water as it drains off a roof  18 . A downspout  20  is provided at a lowest end of the gutter  16  to catch and guide the rain water from the gutter  16  towards the ground. An extension  12  is provided at the terminus of the downspout  20  in order to drain the water away from the foundation for the house  14 . A pair of retainer clips  10  according to the present invention are provided in engagement with the extension  12  in order to locate and support the extension  12 . An additional retainer clip  10  is also used to support and locate the flexible extension  48  attached at the end of extension  12 . It should be appreciated that while the drawings show the retainer clips  10  in use on a drainage system for a house, the retainer clips  10  will be suitable for use with a variety of drainage systems above and below ground.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows an isometric view of a retainer clip  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The retainer clip  10  has a first leg  24  and a second leg  25  that are suitable for being inserted into a base material  22 , such as the ground. The legs  24  and  25  are joined together by a coil  26 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the coil is formed by a first top span  28 , a first vertical span  30 , a bottom span  32 , a second vertical span  36 , and a second top span  38 . An aperture  40  is formed by the interior surfaces of the coil  26  and the inside edges of the top portions of the legs  24  &amp;  25 .  
         [0028]     As best seen in  FIG. 3 , the legs  24  &amp;  25  are preferably slightly splayed outward at a neutral position. The combination of the material used and the shape of the coil  26  should provide resiliency to allow the legs  24  &amp;  25  to be flexed inward and outward as desired and as will be described in more detail below. By flexing the legs  24  and  25  inward and outward, the shape and size of the aperture  40  can be adjusted. At the neutral position, or with the legs  24  &amp;  25  slightly flexed apart (see  FIG. 5 ), the retainer clip  10  is suited for slipping on and off an extension  12 . With the legs  24  &amp;  25  flexed inward so that they are roughly parallel, the aperture  40  is narrowed, and the clip  10  is suitable for gripping and securing the extension  12  (see  FIG. 6 ).  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of a retainer clip  10  in a neutral position. As can be seen, the legs  24  and  25  are also preferably splayed slightly from front to back. This front to back splay also provides a mechanism for narrowing the aperture  40  and creating a compressing gripping force. By adjusting the legs  24  &amp;  25  to be parallel, or even past, the top spans  28  and  38  are moved apart and the bottom span  32  is drawn closer to the top spans  28  and  38 , thereby contracting the aperture  40 . When the extension  12  is within the aperture  40 , this can cause a compressing force against the extension  40 , which can be useful for retaining the clip  10  at a desired position on the extension  12 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of a retainer clip  10  adjusted to be installed on (or removed from) an extension  12 . The legs  24  and  25  are spread apart in order open the aperture  40 . In this position, the clip  10  can then slide laterally along the extension  12  until it is in a desired position. The legs  24  and  25  are moved to this open position by pushing or pulling the legs  24  and  25  apart by hand. The resiliency of the coil  26  will pull the legs  24  and  25  back toward the neutral position.  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  shows a retainer clip  10  in position holding an extension  12  in place on a downspout  20 . The legs  24  and  25  have been pulled inward towards each other from their neutral position in order to close the aperture  40  and bring the top portion of the legs  24  and  25  in close contact with the extension  12  in order to grip and hold the extension  12  securely. Squeezing the legs  24  and  25  inward so that they are nearly parallel also makes insertion of the legs  24  and  25  into the base material  22  easier. Typically the base material  22  will be loose or compacted soil such as found in a turf grass lawn, but the base material may also be gravel, landscaping mulch, asphalt, and the like.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  shows a clip  10  in engagement with an extension  12 . It should be noted that while  FIG. 7  shows the clip  10  placed near the free end of the extension  12 , in practice the clip  10  could be located anywhere along the extension  12 . It may be desirable in some instances to place the clip  10  at the junction of the extension and the elbow  20  to provide a clamping force to help retain the extension  12  on the elbow  20 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the clip  10  and extension  12  of  FIG. 7 . As seen in  FIG. 8 , the clip  10  may be covered with a coating  42 , such as paint, powder coat, rubber, vinyl, sealant, or the like. The coating  42  can help with the corrosive properties of the clip  10 , can add to the aesthetic appeal, and may add to the gripping force of the clip  10  on the extension  12  if it is a relatively tacky coating  42 . As also seen in  FIG. 8 , there is preferably a slight gap between the lower edge of the top spans  28  and  38  of the clip  10  and the top edge of the extension  12  when the clip is square (vertically) with the extension  12 , so that the clip  10  will not bind against the extension  12  when being slid into position on the extension  12 . In practice, once the clip  10  is in place, and the legs  24  and  25  are pushed into the base material  22 , one of the top spans  28  or  38  may be in contact with the top of the extension  12  due to a forward or rearward (left or right in  FIG. 8 ) tilt of the clip  10 .  
         [0034]      FIGS. 9 and 13  show an alternative embodiment that utilizes a coil  26  that forms a circular aperture  40  that would be well-suited for use on a drainage tube or tile that has a circular cross section. For example,  FIG. 13  shows a clip  10  with a circular cross section in use on a drainage tile  50  that has drainage holes  52 . Commonly these drainage tiles will be mounted below grade. The clips  10  are used to hold the drainage tiles  50  in place until and during the process of covering them with dirt. These clips with the circular aperture  40  are also well suited for use on round, flexible corrugated drainage tubing. The circular coils fit into the depressed areas of the corrugation to provide a tight grip on such extensions.  
         [0035]     With further reference to  FIG. 13 , when a new home or building is erected, prior to backfilling material up against the base portion of the foundation, contractors commonly lay drainage tiles  50  along a trench. These drainage tiles  50  help to drain excess water away from the foundation, generally to a storage basin equipped with a sump pump. These drainage tiles  50  need to be placed and maintained at a desired slope. This can be difficult to achieve, especially during the backfill process. The disclosed clip  10  can be used as a brace to place the tiles  50  at the desired pitch, and to maintain the tiles  50  in place during the backfill process. A series of clips  10  are placed along the length of the tile  50 , and the legs  24  &amp;  25  are pressed into the bottom of the trench until the tile is at a desired height to achieve the desired slope. The trench can then be backfilled. The clips  10  hold the tile  50  in place during the backfill process to maintain the desired slope.  
         [0036]      FIG. 10  shows an alternative embodiment of a retaining clip  10  according to the present invention. According to the embodiment of  FIG. 10 , the coil  26  has a different shape than the clip  10  shown in  FIGS. 2-8 . In particular, the rectangular aperture  40  is rotated such that the longer sides are in a generally vertical orientation. This orientation for the longer sides of the rectangle is common in larger capacity drainage system components. As a result, the clip  10  of  FIG. 10  has an aperture  40  that is well-suited for use with a larger extension, such as typically found on larger industrial or commercial buildings, or large residential structures.  
         [0037]      FIG. 11  shows an other embodiment of the present invention that utilizes a coil having an additional winding to form the aperture  40 . As a result, there are three top spans and two bottom spans in the clip  10  of  FIG. 11 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 12  shows an additional embodiment of the present invention that includes only a single leg  24 . The aperture  40  is formed from a single coil formed by the top portion of the leg  24 , the top span  28 , a vertical span  30 , and a bottom span  32 . This embodiment lacks some of the advantages of the two-legged embodiments in that is more difficult to adjust the aperture  40  by opening and closing the legs  24 . It does have the advantage of requiring less material to manufacture, and can be placed adjacent to vertical foundation surfaces.  
         [0039]     It is preferred that the clip  10  be formed from a single piece of material such that it has a unitary construction. The legs  24  and  25  of the clip  10  should be generally straight, and must be rigid enough that they will not buckle when pressed into the base material  22 . Preferably the material will have enough flexibility that the legs  25  and  25  can be flexed inward and outward to facilitate the installation, repositioning, or removal of the clip  10  from the extension  12  or the tile  50 . Preferably the material will have some memory or resilience so that the legs  24  and  25  will snap back to the neutral position after being displaced. Ideally the material will be durable enough to withstand contact by string trimmers or plastic blade trimmers without being damaged. Also preferably, paint, including house paints of various distillates such as latex, oil, lacquer will stick to the material so that the clip  10  can be painted a desired color, typically the same color as the extension  12 . Alternatively, the clip  10  may be dipped in a power coat. The material should also be able to withstand temperature extremes from hot to freezing without becoming brittle or susceptible to stretching or distortion. Preferably the material will not degrade significantly from long-term exposure to the sun.  
         [0040]     The preferred material for forming the unitary clip  10  is a metal wire having a circular cross section, and most preferably a stainless steel wire having a diameter of about 5 mm (about 0.187 inches). Cold rolled brass wire and copper wire may also be well suited for making the clips  10 . Those of skill in the art will be aware of other materials that share some or all of the desired characteristics such as spring steel, fiber-filled plastics, and other alloys and composite materials. Stainless steel, cold rolled brass, and copper wire have the advantages of being readily available and relatively inexpensive. It can be easily formed into the desired shape. It has the desired stiffness, resiliency and durability. It will hold paint and lacquer well. It is relatively unaffected by temperature changes and is corrosion resistant. It has been found to be sufficiently strong to pierce frozen sod without deforming, buckling, or fracturing, which represents an improvement over plastic retaining devices that can become brittle at cold temperatures.  
         [0041]     Those of skill in the art will be aware of various methods of manufacturing the above described clips  10 . The preferred method is to use a jig and bend the wire around the jig into the desired shape. Preferably the bending may be done by an automated process, or it may be done manually. The coating  42  may be applied to the clip  10  after it is formed by applying with a brush, spray, or dip method. It may also be possible to paint or coat the wire prior to bending it into the clip  10 .  
         [0042]     To use the clip  10 , the extension  12  is lifted and the clip  10  is slid over the extension  12  with the extension  12  matingly engaging the aperture  40  formed by the coil section  26  of the clip  10 . To facilitate sliding the clip  10  down the extension  12 , it may be desirable to pull the legs  24  and  25  slightly apart to an open position (see  FIG. 5 ) that effectively expands the aperture  40 . When the clip  10  has been moved to the desired position on the extension  12 , usually somewhat closer to the free end of the extension  12  than to the point where the extension  12  attaches to the downspout  20 , the legs  24  and  25  can be adjusted inward until they are roughly parallel with each other. The legs  24  and  25  can then be inserted into the base material  22  by pressing downward on the clip  10 . In the case of extremely hard or impenetrable base material  22 , a hammer, mallet or similar driving device could be used, though this will typically not be required. The inward adjustment of the legs  24  and  25  will preferably bring the top portions of the legs  24  and  25  into contact with the extension  12  to provide a gripping force that will tend to hold the extension  12  in place. An additional gripping force can be created by twisting the clip  10  slightly about a generally vertically axis before inserting the legs  24  and  25  into the base material  22 . Yet another gripping force can be created by tilting the clip  10  prior to inserting the legs  24  and  25  in the base material. If desired, more than one clip  10  may be used on a single extension  12 , especially when the extension  12  is long to help insure joints between extensions  12  and elbows  20  remain secure. The spacing of the extension  12  apart from the base material  22  can be controlled by how far into the base material  22  the legs  24  and  25  are pushed.  
         [0043]     With the clip  10  so positioned on the extension  12  and driven into the base material  22 , the extension  12  will be securely held in place against the wind and against bumping by animals or foot traffic. A string-line trimmer may be used along the extension without concern for damaging the clip  10 , or dislodging the extension  12 . It may be helpful in trimming, or for other reasons, to lift the extension  12  partially in order to allow clear access to the area beneath the extension  12 . This can be done by simply pulling up on the clip  10  until the legs  24  and  25  are partially removed from the base material  22 . Generally, the clip  10  will still support the extension in this partially raised position without the need to further support the extension  12 , so that a user can trim underneath the extension  12 . The extension  12  can be returned to its desired resting position by pushing down on the clip  10  until it is returned to the lower resting position. If it is necessary to completely remove the extension  12 , that can be done by simply pulling the legs  24  and  25  completely out of the base material  22 . The extension  10  can then be freely removed from the downspout  20 . If desired, the clip  10  can be slid off the extension  12  and reused on a different extension  12 , or may be used to reposition the same extension  12 . Importantly no tools or fastening hardware are needed for the installation or removal of the clip  10 .  
         [0044]     Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the disclosure has been made by way of example, and changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.