Field of the Invention

[0001 ] This invention relates generally to a downpipe valve control system which may be used for cleaning gutters, flushing rainwater tanks and/or mitigating against ember attack.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Silt and debris build-up in gutters necessitates periodic cleaning. Usually, one can climb atop a ladder and use a hose to spray debris therefrom.

[0003] However, gutter guards may hinder such a process and silt build-up may be difficult to dislodge.

[0004] The present invention seeks to provide a way which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

[0005] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Summary of the Disclosure

[0006] There is provided herein a downpipe valve control system comprising a main body comprising an inlet and an in-line outlet. The main body is thus configurable for fluidly connective installation as part of a downpipe.

[0007] The main body further comprises a main valve and main valve handle therefor. The main valve is operative between the inlet and the outlet.

[0008] The system further comprises an attachable spigot comprising a proximal cap attachable to a proximal port of the main body. The proximal port is openly fluidly connective to the inlet. The proximal port has a diameter greater than 7 cm, preferably approximately 10 cm or more.

[0009] The spigot further comprises a distal inlet port fluidly connective with the proximal cap and which is attachable to a water hose (such as a conventional garden hose) in use. [0010] The valve control system may be installed on each downpipe of guttering and wherein only one thereof need necessarily comprise the spigot.

[0011 ] Once installed, the main valve may be left open to allow the downpipe to function in the normal manner.

[0012] However, for periodic gutter cleaning, the main valve may be closed by turning the handle through 90° and the spigot valve opened by turning the spigot valve handle through 90°. A water hose may be connected to the distal inlet port. The distal inlet port may comprise a quick fit garden hose connector allowing attachment of a garden hose thereto.

[0013] Water may flow via the spigot to flood upper sections of the downpipes and gutters thereabove.

[0014] Water may be left pooled for some time to loosen accumulated silt.

[0015] The cap may then be quickly removed to create a rush of water from the proximal port wherein the torrent of water created thereby assists in washing away debris and loosening silt accumulated in the gutters and/or downpipes.

[0016] The proximal port may comprise a diameter of greater than 7 cm, preferably approximately 10 centimetres to allow adequate flow for this purpose.

[0017] Once the water is drained from the upper sections of the downpipes and the gutters, the cap may be replaced, the spigot valve closed and the main valve opened. Prior replacing the cap, one’s hand may be inserted through the proximal port to remove any remaining debris collected atop the main valve.

[0018] The present downpipe valve control system may be further used for flushing water tanks. Specifically, the main body may be similarly installed in-line in a downpipe leading to a rainwater tank. The main valve may be closed and a water hose connected to the distal inlet port to flood the downpipe (and preferably gutters) thereabove.

[0019] Thereafter, the main valve may be open to create a rush of water which flows through the downpipe into the rainwater tank to flush silt and/or debris collected therein. [0020] The main valve preferably comprises a ball valve to allow unobstructed flow through the main valve. Furthermore, the main valve preferably defines an interior channel having a diameter not less than that of the downpipe to allow adequate flow therethrough.

[0021] In a yet further application, the present downpipe valve control system to be used for mitigating against ember attack wherein the main valve may be closed and a water hose connected to the distal inlet port to flood the downpipe and gutters thereabove.

[0022] The spigot valve may then be closed and the water hose removed, thereby leaving a pool of water within the gutters which would extinguish any embers falling therein.

[0023] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0025] Figure 1 shows a gutter valve control system in accordance with an embodiment; and

[0026] Figure 2 shows a gutter valve control system in accordance with a further embodiment.

Description of Embodiments

[0027] A gutter valve control system 100 comprises a main body 101 comprising an inlet 102 and an in-line outlet 103. The main body 101 is thus configurable for fluidly connective installation as part of a downpipe 104 in the manner shown in Figure 1 . [0028] The main body 101 further comprises a main valve 105 and main valve handle 106 therefor. The main valve 105 is operative between the inlet 102 and the outlet 103. Preferably the main valve 105 defines a channel therethrough having a diameter not less than that of the downpipe 104 to reduce obstruction of water flow through the downpipe 104 and/or to avoid trapping debris therein. [0029] The system 100 further comprises an attachable spigot 107 comprising a proximal cap 108 attachable to a proximal port 109 of the main body 101. The proximal port 109 is openly fluidly connective to the inlet 102. Furthermore, the proximal port 109 has a diameter greater than 7 cm, preferably 10 cm or more to allow sufficient flow of water therefrom and insertion of a hand therethrough.

[0030] The spigot 107 further comprises a distal inlet port 1 10 fluidly connected with the proximal cap 108. The distal inlet port 1 10 is attachable to a water hose in use. In the embodiment shown, the distal inlet port 1 10 comprises a quick fit garden hose connector.

[0031 ] The spigot 107 further comprises a spigot valve 11 1 and handle 1 12 therefor. The spigot valve 11 1 is operative between the distal inlet port 1 10 and the proximal cap 108.

[0032] The system 100 would be installed on every downpipe 104 of a gutter system. Each system 100 may comprise the spigot 107. However, in embodiments, only one or a subset of the gutter systems 100 comprise the spigot 107 whereas the others comprise a blank cap 108 (i.e. without a spigot) or no cap 108 and port 109 at all. [0033] Cleaning gutters using the system 100 may comprise installing the main body 101 in-line in an existing downpipe 104 in the manner shown in Figure 1. The cross- section of the inlet 102 and the outlet 103 match that of the downpipe 104 which, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 is circular.

[0034] In use, the main valve 105 may be left open (that is with the main valve handle 106 orientated vertically as is shown in Figure 1 ) so that water collected by gutters thereabove may flow through the downpipe 104 in the normal manner. The cap 108 may be attached to the port 109 and the spigot valve 1 11 kept closed.

[0035] Periodically, for gutter cleaning, the main valve 105 may be closed by turning the handle 106 through 90°, the spigot valve 1 12 opened by turning the spigot valve handle 112 through 90° and a water hose (not shown) connected to the distal inlet port 1 10. As alluded to above, one or only a subset of valve control systems 100 may comprise the spigot 107. [0036] Water may flow via the water hose and through the spigot 107 to flood the upper section of the downpipe 104 and gutters thereabove. Water may be provided until overflow from the gutters is seen.

[0037] The gutters and downpipes 104 may be left flooded for some time to loosen any silt that may have accumulated therein.

[0038] The cap 108 may then be removed to create a rush of water to flow from the port 109, wherein the water torrent created thereby assists in washing away and loosening any silt and/or debris collected in the gutters and downpipes 104. The cap 108 may be removed by unscrewing the threading thereof from the threading of the port 109.

[0039] Once the water has drained, the cap 108 may be replaced, the spigot valve 11 1 closed in the main valve 105 opened.

[0040] This gutter cleaning procedure may be conducted every month for example. [0041 ] In accordance with a further application, the downpipe valve control system 100 may be used for flushing silt and/or debris from rainwater tanks. In accordance with this application, as opposed to removing the cap 108, the main valve 105 may be quickly opened after having flooded the downpipes 104 and gutters thereabove. [0042] The opening of the main valve 105 creates a sudden torrent of water to flow down the downpipe 104 into a water tank thereunderneath which may flush silt and/or debris therefrom.

[0043] Preferably the main valve 105 defines a channel therethrough not being less than the diameter of the downpipe 104 to maximise the water flow therethrough during this operation. Further preferably, the main valve 105 comprises a valve to allow unobstructed flow therethrough.

[0044] In accordance with a yet further application, the downpipe valve control system 100 may be used for prevention against ember attack in the event of bushfire.

[0045] In accordance with this application, the main valve 105 may be closed and a garden hose connected to the spigot 107 to flood the downpipes 104 and gutters thereabove. [0046] Once the downpipes 104 and gutters thereabove are flooded, the spigot valve 111 may be closed by turning the handle 112 thereof through 90° and the garden hose removed from the distal inlet port 110 thereby retaining a pool of water within the gutters which would extinguish any embers falling therein.

[0047] Figure 2 shows the downpipe valve control system 100 in accordance with a further embodiment. In accordance with this embodiment, the spigot 107 is mounted parallel with respect to the main valve 105 from a T -piece 113.

[0048] A through section 114 may comprise a proximal end 115 attachable to the port 109. The proximal end 115 may be permanently attached to the port 109. However, in embodiments, the proximal end 115 may be removed from the port 109.

[0049] Furthermore, in embodiments, the proximal end 115 may be attached to the port 109 at various rotational offsets to adjust the direction of the spigot 107. In other words, the spigot 107 can be orientated from the T-piece 113 on a plane perpendicular with a longitudinal axis of the downpipe 104. For example, the spigot 107 may be orientated through 90° with respect to the orientation shown in figure 2 if desirous.

[0050] The spigot 107 may yet emanate from the proximal cap 108 attached to an orthogonal section 117 of the T -piece 113. In other words, the proximal cap 108 may be removed in the manner described above to create the surge of water.

[0051] Furthermore, a distal end 116 of the through section 114 of the T -piece 113 may comprise a further proximal cap 118. The further proximal cap 118 may be removed in the aforedescribed manner create the surge of water.

[0052] In further a variation of the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the main valve 105 may locate upstream of the spigot 107, an arrangement especially suited for installations where the downpipe 8 shown feeds from a number of downpipes into a water tank and wherein one main valve 105 may be used to charge/fill all of the downpipes with water.

[0053] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practise the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

[0054] The term “approximately” or similar as used herein should be construed as being within 10% of the value stated unless otherwise indicated.