Freeze-resistant downspout system
AssigneeButler Manufacturing Company
InventorsRalph Agee, Michael E. Jackson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A freeze-resistant downspout system includes a metal downspout having an interior portion within a building and a contiguous exterior portion outside the building. The exterior portion is shielded from the weather by a thermally insulated shroud so that heat conducted along the downspout from within the building is sufficient to keep the exterior portion from freezing.
Claims6
A freeze-resistant downspout system in combination with a heated building having at least one exterior gutter beneath an eave of the building, said system comprising
- at least one downspout connected to said gutter, said downspout having an interior portion within said building and a contiguous exterior portion outside said building, whereby heat is conducted along the downspout from within the building during cold weather, and
- a shroud affixed to an exterior wall of the building and enclosing said exterior downspout portion, said shroud having thermal insulation to retain heat transferred along the exterior downspout portion from within the building.
A method of preventing freezing of a downspout, said method comprising steps of
- running an interior portion of the downspout within a heated building, and a contiguous exterior portion of the downspout outside the building, said exterior portion connected to a gutter, whereby heat is conducted from the interior portion to the exterior portion during cold weather, and
- shielding the exterior portion from the weather with an insulated shroud to preserve the heat transferred along the downspout from within the building and thus prevent freezing of the exterior portion, said shielding comprising affixing said shroud to an exterior wall of said building to enclose the exterior portion of the downspout.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.