Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This invention relates to a drainage device and in particular
to a downspout extension.
The bottom end of the downspout connected to an eavestrough is
usually defined by a length of pipe projecting outwardly from the side of
r
a building For discharging rain water. The outwardly projecting extension
of the downspout may constitute a nuisance, for example when cutting grass
in the area of such extension. A solution to this problem is proposed in
Canadian Patent Number 1,022,320 issued to K. H. Felson on 13 December 1977.
The Felson invention includes a casing with a top inlet for receiving water
10 from a downspout and an outlet for discharging water into a discharge
conduit. The discharge conduit is hingedly connected to the casing for
movement between a vertical position and a discharge position,
While the Felson structure solves the problem mentioned above,
it is readily apparent that the Felson device is somewhat complicated and
15 expensive to product. Accordingly, there still exists a need for a
relatively simple, inexpensive downspout extension which can readily be
moved from a discharge position to a temporary storage position. The
object of the present invention is to attempt to meet such need.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a downspout
20 extension for use on the bottom end of a vertically or;ented downspout
comprising a tubular casing, said casing including normally vertical, hollow
coupler means for connecting the bottom end of the casing to a downspout;
conduit means at an obtuse angle to said coupler means for receiving water
from the downspout and carrying the water away from the downspout; said
25 conduit means including a fixed first section connected to said coupler
means, and a second section movable relative to said first section; hinge
means interconnecting said first and second sections whereby said second
section can be rotated from an inclined position for discharging water at
a location remote from said downspout to a vertical position parallel to
said downspout; and bracket means on said coupler means for releasably
retaining said second section in the vertical position.
The invention will now be described in greater detail wi-th refer-
ence to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment
of the invention, and wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a downspout extension in
accordance with the present invention in the extended or water discharging
position; and
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the downspout extension of
Figure 1 in the folded or vertical position,
With reference to the drawing, the downspout extension of the
present invention which is generally indicated at 1 is intended to be mounted
on an outside wall 2 of a building for receiving water from a downspoutg a
section 3 of which is illustrated in phantom outline in Figure 1. The down-
spout extension includes a casing 4 defined by a top coupler section 5, an
elbow 6 and a discharye conduit 7. The casing 4 is rectangular in cross-
section for use with a downspout 3 having a similar cross-section.
The coupler section 5 may include an internal shoulder (not shown)
for limiting upward movement of the coupler section on the downspout 3.
Alternatively, top end 8 o-f coupler section 5 may be sized such that the
downspout 3 fits therein. Water is introduced from the downspout 3 into
the casing ~ through the open top end 8 of the coupler section 5. A pro
jection 9 is provided on the rear end of the coupler section 5. The
projection 9 is integral with the coupler section 5 extending rearwardly
therefrom, i.e. towards the wall 2. A pair of arms 10 extend outwardly
from the sides of the projection 9 for attaching the downspout extension
to the wall 2. For such purpose a vertically extending notch '11 is provided
in the bottom surface of each arm 10 for receiving a nail or screw 12.
The bottom end 13 of the coupler section 5 has a slightly
reduced cross sectional area for insertion into the larger top end 14 of
the elbow 6. The elbow 6 is stepped downwardly, i.e. decreasing in cross
sectional area from the top end 1~ to the intermediate curving section 15a
and finally to a spout 16 (Figure 2). The spout 16 has a downwardly and
inwardly inclined discharge end 17 so that the discharge conduit 7 can be
rotated around a horizontal axis 18, which extends transversely of the
spout 16 at the top inner edge thereof. The axis 18 is defined by the pin
of a hinge 19 which inter-connects the elbow 6 and the discharge conduit 7.
The hinge is located on the top outer surfaces of -the elbow 6 and conduit 7
so that the discharge conduit 7 can be rotated around the axis 18 from the
discharge position (Figure 1) to the vertical position (Figure 2). It will
be appreciated that elbow 6 may be coupled with coupler section 5 at 90
degrees to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 to accommodate different positions
of the discharge conduit.
In a preferred embodiment a bracket 20 is provided on the reduced
diameter portion 13 of the coupling section 5 for retaining the discharge
conduit 7 in the vertical position. The bracket 20 is defined by a spring
steel clip and includes an inner sleeve 21 extending around a major portion
oF the bottom end 13 of the coupling section 5. A pair of arms 22 extend
outwardly from the sleeve 21 for engaging and retaining the discharge
conduit 7 in the vertical position. It should be understood that the bracket
20 could be provided on the discharge conduit 7 and operated to engage coupl-
er section 5 of the downspout 3.
While the operation of the above described device is obvious~ for
the sake of completeness a short description of such operation will be
provided. In the normal position -for draining an eavestrough, the discharge
conduit of the downspout extension is in the down or discharging position
(Figure 1). In such position, the conduit 7 is at an obtuse angle to the
coupler section 5. The discharge conduit 7 can be somewhat lengthy and may
constitute an obstruction to pedestrians or to a lawn mower in the vicinity
of the downspout. It is a simple matter to move the discharge conduit from
the down position of Figure 1 to the vertical position (Figure 2) in which
the discharge conduit 7 extends upwardly parallel to the downspout 3. When
the discharge conduit 7 is rotated about the axis 18 the conduit 7 first
pushes the arms 22 apart and is then retained between such arms. It will
be noted that the outer ends of the arms 22 are shaped to define hooks 23
which firmly retain the discharge conduit 7 in the vertical position.
Because the arms 22 are -formed of spring steel it is relatively easy to
remove the conduit 7 from the bracket 20 for returning the conduit 7 to
the discharge position.
There has thus been described a downspout extension which is
relatively simple in terms o-F structure, installation and operation. It
will be appreciated that the same structure can be used with a downspout
having a circular or other cross sectional configuration, it merely being
necessary to change the cross sectional con-figuration of the downspout
extension to correspond to that of the downspout. It will also be appreci-
ated that while a steel clipping system has been described, plastic molding
techniques may permit the clip to be formed in one piece with either the
coupler section or the discharge conduit.
