Gutter cover system

Abstract

A gutter cover system including a gutter cover and a bracket member having a shaft with a wall end having a curved member with a raised profile, and a swivel end; a tab member extending upwardly from the raised profile and forming an outwardly directed slot; and a lip member affixed to the swivel end configured to be mating received within the lip of a gutter. The gutter cover including a planar panel for positioning on the roof, an arcuate nose, and a lower member with a foot configured for matingly inwardly insertion into the slot; the raised profile structured to facilitate installation of the bracket member and installation of the gutter cover on the bracket member.

1 . A gutter cover bracket adapted for use with a building wall, a gutter mounted on the wall and having a lip, and a gutter cover having a flat foot, the bracket comprising:
 (a) a bracket member having a shaft including a wall end and a swivel end, the bracket member presenting a longitudinal axis along the wall end and the swivel end, the wall end including an upwardly extending flange distal from the swivel end and further including a swivel edge distal from the wall end, the shaft having an upwardly extending curved member with a raised profile adjacent to the swivel edge;   (b) a tab member extending upwardly from the curved member of the shaft, the tab member and shaft cooperatively forming an outwardly directed planar slot therebetween; and   (c) a lip member affixed to the swivel edge, the lip member adapted to matingly engage the lip of the gutter, such that when the lip member is so engaged with the lip and aligned with the longitudinal axis with the swivel edge and lip member locked into such alignment, and the flange is affixed to the wall, the bracket thereby rigidly spans the gutter from lip to wall and is positioned to supportingly and slidably inwardly matingly receive the flat foot of the gutter cover in the planar slot; and   (d) wherein the raised profile of the curved member is structured to facilitate installation of the gutter cover bracket.   
   
   
       2 . The gutter cover bracket of  claim 1  wherein uppermost portions of the flange present a first elevation, uppermost portions of the lip member present a second elevation, and the first elevation is lower than the second elevation. 
   
   
       3 . The gutter cover bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket member is reversibly affixed to the lip member by a screw. 
   
   
       4 . The gutter cover bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket presents a total bracket length along the longitudinal axis, from the flange to the furthest point from the wall on the lip member, and the furthest point of the swivel end of the hanger member is disposed at a point on the longitudinal axis at least 60 percent of the total hanger length from the flange. 
   
   
       5 . A gutter cover suitable for use with a gutter having a lip and a gutter-covering system, including a gutter cover bracket, in conjunction with a roof, having a lower end, the gutter cover bracket including a member forming a slot directed generally outwardly toward the lip of the gutter, the gutter cover comprising:
 a substantially planar panel suitable for fixing on the lower end of the roof;   an arcuate, substantially smooth nose disposed at a lowest portion of the panel; and   a substantially planar lower member extending downwardly and generally inwardly from the nose, including a foot disposed at the lowest portion of the lower member, the foot suitable for slidably inwardly mating engagement with the slot.   
   
   
       6 . The gutter cover of  claim 5  wherein both the planar panel and the lower member are imperforated. 
   
   
       7 . The gutter cover of  claim 5  wherein the nose is substantially semicircular in profile, presenting a substantially constant associated radius. 
   
   
       8 . The gutter cover of  claim 7  wherein the constant radius is a predetermined length somewhere between ½ inch and two inches. 
   
   
       9 . The gutter cover of  claim 7  wherein the constant radius is about ½ inch. 
   
   
       10 . A gutter cover system adapted for use with a roof, a building wall and a gutter mounted on the wall, the gutter including a lip, the system comprising:
 (a) a bracket including, a bracket member having
 (1) a shaft including a wall end and a swivel end, the bracket member presenting a longitudinal axis along the wall end and the swivel end, the wall end including an upwardly extending flange distal from the swivel end, the shaft having an upwardly extending curved member with a raised profile adjacent to a swivel edge of the swivel end distal from the wall end, 
 (2) a tab member extending upwardly from the curved member of the shaft, the tab member and the shaft cooperatively forming an outwardly directed slot therebetween, and 
 (3) a lip member affixed to the swivel edge, the lip member adapted to matingly engage the lip of the gutter such that the lip member is so engaged with the lip and aligned with the longitudinal axis, with the swivel edge and lip member locked into such alignment, and the flange is affixed to the wall, the bracket thereby rigidly spans the gutter from lip to wall; and 
   (b) a gutter cover including, a substantially planar panel having an upper edge and positioned on a lower end of the roof, an arcuate, substantially smooth nose disposed at a lowest portion of the panel and above the gutter, a substantially planar lower member extending downwardly from the nose, including a foot disposed at the lowest portion of the lower member, the foot suitable for slidably inwardly mating engagement with the outwardly directed slot; and   (c) wherein the raised profile of the curved member is structured to facilitate installation of the bracket and to also facilitate insertion of the foot of the gutter cover into the outwardly directed slot.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the nose is substantially semicircular in profile, presenting a substantially constant associated radius. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the raised portion proximal to the slot is at an elevation, such that mating engagement of the foot and slot is at an elevation higher than the shaft. 
   
   
       13 . A gutter cover bracket adapted for use with a building wall, a gutter mounted on the wall and having a lip, and a gutter cover having a flat edge, the gutter cover bracket comprising:
 (a) a bracket member having a wall end and a swivel end, the bracket member presenting a longitudinal axis along the wall end and the swivel end, the wall end including a shaft formed as a flat portion along the longitudinal axis, the wall end further including a flange upwardly extending from the shaft and distal from the swivel end, the shaft having a curved member extending upwardly from the shaft, the curved member presenting a raised profile adjacent to a swivel edge of the swivel end distal from the flange;   (b) a tab member extending upwardly from the raised profile of the curved member, the tab member and the raised profile cooperatively forming an outwardly directed planar slot therebetween, the slot being configured to slidably and inwardly receive a flat edge of a gutter cover therein; and   (c) a lip member affixed to the swivel edge, the lip member adapted to matingly engage the lip of the gutter, such that when the lip member is so engaged with the lip and aligned with the longitudinal axis, with the swivel edge and lip member locked into such alignment, and the flange is affixed to the wall, the bracket thereby rigidly spans the gutter from lip to wall and is positioned to supportingly receive the flat edge of the gutter cover in the planar slot, while mechanically re-inforcing the gutter; and   (d) wherein the raised portion of the curved member is structured to facilitate installation of the gutter cover bracket.   
   
   
       14 . The gutter cover bracket of  claim 13 , wherein the raised profile portion of the bracket member serves to cooperatively form the planar slot has an elevation about ¾ of an inch higher than the elevation of the shaft of the bracket member. 
   
   
       15 . The gutter cover bracket of  claim 13 , wherein two reinforcing bevels are formed on the raised profile portion of the bracket member, one disposed on either side of the slot.