Solid edge gutter screen

Abstract

A one-piece, integral metal gutter screen includes an expanded metal screen section for covering a gutter. A front edge margin is sized and shaped to engage the gutter, the front edge margin having no sharp edges. A rear edge margin is sized and shaped to engage at least one of a gutter hanger and a roof, the rear edge margin having no sharp edges. The gutter screen is formed of a single piece of elongate, flexible, resilient metal. The gutter screen includes strands and non-circular holes between the strands in at least the screen section. The strands and non-circular holes are sized and shaped to prevent leaves and debris from falling into the gutter. At least the front edge margin of the screen is solid, unperforated metal for facilitating safe handling of the screen and for ease of installation.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates generally to rain gutters, and more particularly to a solid edge gutter screen for such gutters. [0002] Since leaves and other debris frequently clog up rain gutters, some kind of guard or screen which prevents leaves from falling into the gutter is desirable. However, cheap conventional gutter screens may become overburdened by such debris and collapse into the gutter, thereby aggravating the problem instead of solving it. [0003] One popular type of gutter screen S (FIG. 9) is designed so that the back edge slides under the shingles and the front edge lays on top of the gutter. This screen has diamond-shaped openings extending transverse to a longitudinal axis of the screen. The long edges LE (the front and back edges) are very sharp due to the orientation of the openings, and the sharp back edge often snags against the shingles, making it hard to install. Also, there is a significant risk the installer will cuts his hands o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] In one aspect, the invention is directed to a metal gutter screen adapted for covering a gutter and preventing leaves and debris from falling into the gutter. The gutter has front, back and bottom walls and a flange projecting rearwardly from the front wall of the gutter and spaced above the bottom wall of the gutter. The flange extends substantially continuously along the entire length of the gutter and the gutter is supported by a hanger extending forward from the back wall of the gutter to a position under the gutter flange. The gutter screen comprises an expanded metal screen section for covering the gutter. A front edge margin is bent to form a forwardly-opening channel generally V-shaped in transverse section extending substantially continuously along the entire length of the screen for receiving the gutter flange therein. The forwardly-opening channel includes an upper rearwardly extending portion bent back from the front edge of the resilient member and adapted to overlie the gutter flange and engage the gutter flange for supporting the screen on the flange and to inhibit sagging of the screen. A lower forwardly extending portion is bent forward from the upper rearwardly extending portion and is adapted to underlie the gutter flange. The upper and lower portions are divergent in the forward direction with respect to the channel to form a relatively wide channel mouth for permitting ready passage of the gutter flange through the channel mouth into a position where the gutter flange is between the upper and lower portions. A solid, unperforated rear edge margin is adapted for engaging the gutter hanger. The screen section is generally planar when uninstalled and is adapted to be resiliently bent to an arcuate configuration in which the front edge margin and rear edge margin are adapted for pressure engagement with the gutter and gutter hanger to thereby securely maintain the gutter screen on the gutter. The gutter screen is formed integrally of a single piece of elongate, flexible, resilient metal. At least the lower forwardly extending portion of the channel and the rear edge margin are solid, unperforated metal for stiffening the gutter screen, for facilitating safe handling of the screen and for ease of installation.

[0008] Another aspect is directed to a combination rain gutter and gutter screen. The rain gutter comprises front, back and bottom walls and a flange. A hanger supports the gutter under the edge of a roof. The gutter screen comprises an expanded metal screen section covering the gutter. An integral front edge margin is bent to form a forwardly-opening channel generally V-shaped in transverse section extending continuously along the entire length of the screen for receiving the gutter flange therein. The forwardly-opening channel includes an upper rearwardly extending portion bent back from the front edge of the screen section and engaging the gutter flange along substantially the entire length of the gutter screen for supporting the screen on the flange and to inhibit sagging of the screen. A lower forwardly extending portion is bent forward from the upper rearwardly extending portion and underlies the gutter flange. The upper and lower portions are divergent in the forward direction with respect to the channel to form a relatively wide channel mouth for permitting ready passage of the gutter flange through the channel mouth during installation into the installed position where the gutter flange is between the upper and lower portions. The gutter screen further has a rear edge margin engaging the gutter hanger on the back wall of the gutter. The gutter screen is resiliently bent to an arcuate configuration in which the front edge margin and rear edge margin are in pressure engagement with the gutter and gutter hanger thereby securely maintaining the gutter screen on the gutter. The gutter screen is formed integrally of a single piece of elongate, flexible, resilient metal. The lower forwardly extending portion of the channel and the rear edge margin are solid, unperforated metal for stiffening the gutter screen, for facilitating safe handling of the screen and for ease of installation.

[0009] In still another aspect, a metal gutter screen comprises an expanded metal screen section for covering the gutter. A front edge margin is sized and shaped to engage the gutter, the front edge margin having no sharp edges. A rear edge margin is sized and shaped to engage at least one of the gutter hanger and the roof, the rear edge margin having no sharp edges. The screen section is generally planar when uninstalled. The gutter screen is formed of a single piece of elongate, flexible, resilient metal. The gutter screen includes strands and non-circular holes between the strands in at least the screen section. The strands and non-circular holes are sized and shaped to prevent leaves and debris from falling into the gutter. The front edge margin is solid, unperforated metal for stiffening the gutter screen, for facilitating safe handling of the screen and for ease of installation.

Problems solved by technology

However, cheap conventional gutter screens may become overburdened by such debris and collapse into the gutter, thereby aggravating the problem instead of solving it.

The long edges LE (the front and back edges) are very sharp due to the orientation of the openings, and the sharp back edge often snags against the shingles, making it hard to install.

Also, there is a significant risk the installer will cuts his hands on these sharp edges.

Despite these drawbacks, this screen is sold because it is cheap to manufacture, requiring limited manual labor.

However, the back edge is left very sharp and can still snag the shingles.

This latter screen is more expensive than the first-mentioned screen because of all the manual labor and time required in manufacturing.

However, the process of making this gutter screen is also time-consuming and relatively expensive.

Moreover, the material required is relatively heavy and expensive.

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