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.

1 . A metal gutter screen adapted for covering a gutter and preventing leaves and debris from falling into the gutter, the gutter having 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, said flange extending substantially continuously along the entire length of the gutter, the gutter supported by a hanger extending forward from the back wall of the gutter to a position under the gutter flange, 
 the gutter screen comprising: 
 an expanded metal screen section for covering the gutter,  
 a front edge margin 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 including:  
 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, and  
 a lower forwardly extending portion bent forward from the upper rearwardly extending portion and adapted to underlie the gutter flange, the upper and lower portions being 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 adapted for engaging the gutter hanger,  
 the screen section being generally planar when uninstalled and being 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 being 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 being solid, unperforated metal for stiffening the gutter screen, for facilitating safe handling of the screen and for ease of installation.    
   
   
       2 . The gutter screen of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the upper rearwardly extending portion is solid, unperforated metal.  
   
   
       3 . The gutter screen of  claim 2  wherein all of the front edge margin is solid, unperforated metal.  
   
   
       4 . The gutter screen of  claim 3  wherein said screen section includes criss-crossing ribs extending at non-perpendicular angles to said edge margins.  
   
   
       5 . The gutter screen of  claim 1  wherein the screen is made of an aluminum alloy or a steel alloy.  
   
   
       6 . The gutter screen of  claim 1  wherein the upper rearwardly extending portion extends generally parallel to the screen section.  
   
   
       7 . The gutter screen of  claim 6  wherein the forwardly extending portion is at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from the rearwardly extending portion.  
   
   
       8 . A combination rain gutter and gutter screen, 
 the rain gutter comprising 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 extending substantially continuously along the entire length of the gutter, and a hanger for hanging the gutter under the edge of a roof, the hanger extending forwardly from the back wall of the gutter to a position under the gutter flange;    the gutter screen comprising an expanded metal screen section covering the gutter, an integral front edge margin 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 including:    an upper rearwardly extending portion bent back from the front edge of the screen section and overlying the gutter flange 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, and    a lower forwardly extending portion bent forward from the upper rearwardly extending portion and underlying the gutter flange, the upper and lower portions being 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 having a rear edge margin engaging the gutter hanger on the back wall of the gutter, the gutter screen being 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 being formed integrally of a single piece of elongate, flexible, resilient metal,    the lower forwardly extending portion of the channel and the rear edge margin being solid, unperforated metal for stiffening the gutter screen, for facilitating safe handling of the screen and for ease of installation.    
   
   
       9 . A gutter screen as set forth in  claim 8  wherein at least a portion of the upper rearwardly extending portion is solid, unperforated metal.  
   
   
       10 . A gutter screen as set forth in  claim 8  wherein all of the front edge margin is solid, unperforated metal.  
   
   
       11 . A gutter screen as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the screen section includes criss-crossing ribs extending at non-perpendicular angles to the edge margins.  
   
   
       12 . A gutter screen as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the screen is made of an aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       13 . A gutter screen as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the upper rearwardly extending portion extends generally parallel to the screen section.  
   
   
       14 . A gutter screen as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the forwardly extending portion is at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from the rearwardly extending portion.  
   
   
       15 . A metal gutter screen adapted for covering a gutter and preventing leaves and debris from falling into the gutter from a roof above the gutter, the gutter having 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, said flange extending substantially continuously along the entire length of the gutter, the gutter supported by a hanger extending forward from the back wall of the gutter to a position under the gutter flange, the gutter screen comprising: 
 an expanded metal screen section for covering the gutter,    a front edge margin sized and shaped to engage the gutter, the front edge margin having no sharp edges,    a rear edge margin 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 being generally planar when uninstalled,    the gutter screen being formed of a single piece of elongate, flexible, resilient metal,    the gutter screen including strands and non-circular holes between the strands in at least the screen section, the strands and non-circular holes being sized and shaped to prevent leaves and debris from falling into the gutter,    the front edge margin being solid, unperforated metal for stiffening the gutter screen, for facilitating safe handling of the screen and for ease of installation.    
   
   
       16 . The metal screen of  claim 15  wherein each strand has a width between 0.02 inches and 0.05 inches and the holes have a diamond shape with a length of between 0.25 and 0.63 inches to prevent leaves and debris from falling into the gutter  
   
   
       17 . The metal screen of  claim 16  wherein the screen is formed by expanding a single piece of metal.  
   
   
       18 . The metal screen of  claim 17  installed over the gutter, the rear edge margin engaging the roof.  
   
   
       19 . The metal screen of  claim 17  installed over the gutter, the rear edge margin engaging the gutter hanger.  
   
   
       20 . The metal screen of  claim 17  wherein the strands are about 0.04 inches.  
   
   
       21 . The metal screen of  claim 20  wherein the rear edge margin is solid, unperforated metal.