Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
wosttos17~ 2 0 7 0 1 8 1 PCT/~S~/0~261
HOLDING DEVICE FOR PAVING BLOCKS
ACRGROUND OF THE INVEN~ION
The inv~ntion relato~ to a holding device and more
particularly to a holding device which fits around the
ed~e of paving blocks
Paving blocks ~re commonly used in landscaping to
achieve both a d~corative and a utilitarian function
However, the natural freezing and thawing cycle of the
ground upon which block~ are laid, as well as vehicular
and p~destrian traffic, cau~e- ~ov~m-nt of the blocks
Such move~ent destroys both the decorative and the
utilitarian function of the block~
Thus, it b~co~ ~ well settl-d in the art that it is
highly desirabl- to hold paving block~ in place Various
edg- ~upport arranq-~-nt- xi-t to hold paving block~ in
plac- Th- dg- upport arrang-- nt- of th- prior art are
difficult to con~truct and bring to b-ar on the problem
Typical of th probl--~ cau~-d for an ~dge support
arrang n nt i- th~ fact that v~riouJ surfac-s are
pr -~nt-d by th- dg- of pavinq block~ wh-r~ the holding
mechani~ de~ir d In so~ ca~-~ th~ edge of the
paving block~ can pr-~ont a str~i$ht lin- to be supported
In other ca~e-, th- dg- of th paving block- can present
an arcuate (or curved) surfac- ~or ~n Qdg~ 8upport
arrangem~nt to ~upport By arcuat- i~ meant a curved or
irregularly shap~d ~urface
~k
wo gl/ogl~S 2 0 7 0 1 8 1 PCT/US~/07261
~ 2 -
When thig paving surface is arcuate, it is difficult
to adju~t the holding mechanism to the appropriate ~hape
When it is s~raight it is possible to hold the paving
block in position with a ~traight ~upport mechanism
However, two compl~tely separat- m~chani~ms are required
by the prior art for holding the paving blocks in
position, when different edge are presented It is
highly desirable to hold the paving blocks in position
with one typ~ of doVicQ, which c~n be sasily modified at
lo the ~ob site If this can be accompllshed, it is easier
to provide the necessary ~dge supporting mat~rial
Also, the length of th- ~dgQ support arrangement
regu~red can provid< a problem Th- long-r the ~dges of
the paving blocks which r~quir~ aupport, the more
d~fficult it is to achi-v- th- d~sired positioning of the
~dge support arrangQment Furth~rcor-, a~ the paving
block ar a xt-nds, th- ~dg- may be arcuate, ~hen
straight, and th n back to arcuat~ again in a continuous
fa~hion It i8 highly d--irabl- to hav~ one aasily
modifi-d un$t to provid- th- r quir-d dg~ support for any
dg ~hap- Or tho paving blockJ
Long units of an dg- support arrang-m nt pr-ce~t many
difficulti~ Firstly only certain lengths of matQrial
are per~itt~d to be haul-d on highways SQCondly,
handling of long units pr~ents difficulties at the job
sito Additionally, other transportation problems can
exist For example, the structure cannot be compactly
W091/09175 2 (1 7 0 1 ~ 1 PCT/~S~/0,261
- 3 -
f$tt~d into a truck or transportation ~eans. So the long
units provi~e transportation proble~s and handling
difficulti~s on the job site.
To provide for joining of units of an edgs support
arrangement to achieve a de~ired langth to solve the long
unit problem3 presents ~any other problema. The joint
inherently produces a weakn~s in the device. Functioning
of the ~oining device on the ~ob site also presents a
problem. Many different parts are reguired ~or the
joining. A special effort i~ required to have all of
those parts availabl~. Joint strength i8 inversely
proportional to th~ ease o~ ~oining tho units. Having the
requir~d ~oining ~mbers availablo m~y al~o pre~nt a
problem.
~olding tho edgQ 8upport in po~ition i5 a di~icult
matter. Tho str~ngth o~ th- ~upport must be m~intain~d,
and the ~upport ~ust be left in position -- even during a
freezQ/thaw cycl~. Th~ rr~ez~ thaw cycle can ~orce nails
holding th~ ~upport to co~e 1008e. A single unit is
dQ~irod to ~chiov- that holding ~orc~. Structur~ must bs
dev lopQd to avoid that problo~.
No~hing holds a paving block holding d~vicR in
position b~tt~r than a good root syst~. It i8 i~portan~
that th~ root ~y~tem be abl~ to lock into the holding
device. Nolding davic~s known in the prior do not per~it
this dQsired roo~ interlock~ng.
W091/09175 2 0 7 0 1 8 1 PCT/~'S~/07261
Thus, it can be seen that there are a substantial
number of problems in achieving an appropriate support for
a group of paving blocks.
SU~MARY OF TH~ INVEN~ION
Accordingly, among the m~ny objectivQ~ of this
invention, is to provide a holding device for paving
block~.
A further objective of this invention is to provide a
holding device for paving block~ to minimize movement of
the paving blocks.
A ~till further objoctiv~ of thi~ invention i~ to
provide a holding d~vice for paving block~ to maintain the
decor~tive ~unction of th- p~ving blocXs.
YRt a further ob;ective of thi~ invRntion is to
provid~ a holding d~vice for paving blocks to maintain the
utilitarian function of tho p~ing blocks.
Also an ob~-ct~ve of thls inv-ntion i~ to provide a
holding devicQ for paving blocks ~hich i8 ~a~y to
construct.
Anoth-r ob~ctiva of this inv~ntion i~ to provide a
hol~ing d0vicQ for paving block~ capable of holding
~traight, arcuat~, or irr-gularly ~ap-d edge~ o~ a group
of paving blocX~.
Still another objectivo o~ this invantion is to
provide a holding devic- for p~ving blocks, which is
easily modified at the job sit-.
W091~09175 2 0 7 0 ~ 8 1 PCT/US~,0,261
Yet another objective of this invention is to provide
a holding d~vice for paving blocks having an easily
adjustable length
A further objective of thi~ invention is to provide a
holding d~vice for paving blocks which is adjustable in
shape along the length thereof
A ~till further objectiv~ of this invention is to
provid~ a holding device for paving blocks which is easily
handled at the job site
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide
a holding device for paving blocks which has easily joined
segments.
Also an ob~ctive o~ this invQntion is to provide a
holding devicQ for paving blocks which ha~ sections which
lS can b~ strongly joined togQth-r
Another ob~-ctive of thi- invention is to provide a
holding device for paving blocks which has ~ections which
can be strongly position-d in r-lation to the ground
Yet anoth-r ob~octive of this inveintion i5 to provide
i 20 a hold$ng devic- for paving blocks which can be fiasily
tr~n-port-d
A furth-r ob~-ctiv- of this inv~ntion is to provide a
holding devic~ for paving blocks capable o~ holding
straight, arcuat~, or irr-gularly ~hap~d edge~ of a group
of paving block~, which i5 a single unit syste~ easily
formed at a job site
.: .
WO91/~175 2 0 7 0 ~ 8 ~ PCT/~'S~/07261
- 6 -
Thes~ and other objectives of this invention (which
other objectives become clear by considering the
specification, claims and drawings as a whole) are met by
providing a holding device for paving blocks which has a
vertical side for contacting the paving ~tone~ At pre-
selected points along tha vertical s$de are belts of
material perpendicular thereto Buttressing each belt of
material in the vertical edg~ are guss~t mQ~ber~ supported
by a bos~ member The boss ~2~ber provides for driving a
nail into the ground and through thQ ~upport ~ember in
order to hold the holding device for paving blocks in
position Th~ nail iB a barbed, cro~ ction nail which
may b- used to s-cur~ the holding device ~or paving
blocks
lS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OP THE DRAWIN6S
Figur~ a r~ar p-rspectiv- vi-w of thQ holding
d~vic~ l00 for paving block~ (not shown) o~ this
inv-ntion
Flgur 2 i~ a front ~l-vation vi-w of th~ holding
dovic- or pa~ing block~ of thi~ invention
Figuro 3 i~ a top pl~n vi~w of the holding d~vice for
paving block- ot thi~ inv ntion
Figur 4 iB a roar el~vation vi-w of th~ holding
dQvlc~ for paving block ot thi- inv~ntion
Figur~ S iB a botto~ vi~w o~ tho holding dsvice for
paving block~ ot thi~ invention
Figure 6 i~ a tab end plan view ot the holding device
for paving block~ of this invention
PCT/VS9 0 / O ? 2 ~ 1
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- 7 - 874.1001-PCT
Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the
holding device for paving blocks taken along section line
7-7 in Figure 1 to show nail 200 of this invention.
Figure 8 is a top plan view of the holding device for
paving blocks of this invention showing a convex arc.
Figure 9 is a top plan view of the holding device for
paving blocks of this invention showing a concave arc.
Figure 19 is a partial section of the holding device
in a stacked arrangement.
Figure 11 is a tab-receiving end perspective view of
the holding device for paving blocks of this invention.
Figure 12 is a tab protruding end perspective view of
the holding device for paving blocks of this invention.
Figure 13 is a partial cross-sectional side view of
the holding device for paving blocks of this invention
showing the tab-receiving end and tab protruding end
joined together.
Figure 14 is a perspective view of the nail 200 for
use with the holding device for paving blocks of this
invention.
Figure 15 is an exploded view of the snap mechanism
lS0 for use with the holding device for paving blocks of
this invention.
Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the
holding device of Figure 1 in position against a paving
stone in a back-filled installation.
SU8S~ITUTE SHEEl
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- 7a - 874.1001-PCT
Throughout the figures of the drawings where the same
part appears in more than one figure of the drawing, the
same number is applied thereto.
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WO 91/09175 PCT/l,'S90/07261
DESCRIPrION OF TEIE PREFERR~D EMBODIM~ S
The holding device for paving block~ of thi~ invention
include~ a vertical plate for contacting the paving blocks
and various ~upporting points for the vertical plats At
pre-selected points along the vertical plate are belts of
material perpendicular thereto Buttressing the belts of
material in the vertical plato are gusset members
supported by a boss member Tho bo~s member provides for
driving a nail into the ground and through the support
member in order to assist in po~itioning the holding
device ~or paving blocks until a root system can develop
to more solidly position the holding dovice
It i8 di~icult to hold th- nail in th- holding device
due to th~ heaving ~nd pitching caused at th- frost line
(rrQ~zing and r-~r-ezing o~ th- ground) The ~rost line
problom i~ avoid-d by th- barb~ on the nail which passes
through th- bo~s mQobor as th- nail i~ drivon thQrothrough
and locked within tho edg- support In this ~anner, the
holding dQvic- i8 position-d until a root system is
d-v-lop d to ocur- the positioning The nail is most
~ul~bl- ~or u~- in ~ro~t ~r-- ground, and can b- used to
po-ition th~ holding devic- until tho root system
dov-lops
Capping th- ~dg- ~upport or th- individual strips is
a long member strip running the l~ngth o~ th~ vertical
plate In thi8 fashion, botw-en th~ gu~ot momb~rs and
WO91/~17~ 2 0 7 0181 PCT/US~/07261
- g _
th~ edge ~upport are provided op~ninqs ~or grass and other
veg~tation to grow therethrough and support the
positioning of the edge support strip
On a tab end of the holding device for paving blocks
is a male member suitable for locking one holding device
to another ThQ tab Qnd cooperatQs in locking onQ holding
device to anothQr with tho fQmale momber on th~ other end
of the holding dQvic~ The holding dovic- has integral
j:
fastening devices built th~rein A highly desired
strength support is achieved In this fashion, varying
lengths of paving blocks can be support~d by a long device
formQd by using a numb~r of holding devic-s
If it i~ d-sired to ~or~ a bendabl- ~mb-r, th- ~trips
across th- rear edg- may bo cut and, i~ r~quired, a
portion th-reof remov~d M~rely cutting i8 U8Ually
:.
suf~iciQnt It i- al~o pos~ibl- to hav- a brQakable point
~, in the long ~emb~r strip In thi~ fa-hion, the bending
can b- achiev-d in a conc~ve or conv~x fa~hion to go
around curv-s for~ed by paving block
It i~ al~o po~ibl- to put in bo~ m nb-rs for
~taeking of th holding devic-~ In thi~ fa~hion,
tran portation o~ a plurality of holding d~vice~ becomes
simplified
~ In order to ~aX- the holding d-vice for paving blocks
- 25 of thi~ inv~ntion any suitabl~ proce~e ~ay be used
How~vor, thc unique shape o~ this device p-rmit~ the use
of in~ection molding of a plastic or ~ynth-tic rQsin to
provide a strong device, which may b~ usQd in an ~fficient
WO91/09175 2 0 7 0 ~ 81 PCT/~'S~/07261
-- 10 --
manner The tab set up and tho molding perm~t~ highly
Or~icient production and reproducibility of the holding
device In this ~as~ion, great advantages are obtained
Stacking bosses can be placad at the mold knockout points
and achieve the d~ired e~ficiont combination and
effect~ve U80 Or thi~ holdlng device
Roferring now to Flgur~ 1, F$gure 2 and Figure 3 the
holding device for paving block~ includes a vertical plate
120 The vertical plat~ 120 is a long ~lat piece of
10 material having a contact sid~ 122 for contacting the
paving blocks and a support sidQ 124 for roceiving a
support mD~her 140 having a plurality o~ parts at various
point~ along ~ho v~rtical plat~ 120 At pr~-sslQcted
points along th~ v~rtical platR 120 are bolt~ 142 forming
15 part o~ ~upport m~mhær 1~0 E~ch belt 142 is
substantially psrpondicular to th~ vertical platQ 120 at
a botto~ odg~ 126 thereoP
C~pping oach ~nd o~ thQ holding dQvico for paving
block~ i3 a trap~zoid c~p 138 Th- trap zoid cap 138
20 ~upport~ th- ~rtical plat~ 120 and support m~mber 140 in
th-ir r~lation~hip
~uttro~ing ~ch b~lt 142 bstwQQn qach trapozoid cap
138 i a gus~t ~ember 160 ~upport-d by a centrally
locstQd bo~s ~embor 162 Thi8 bos~ ~e~bor 162 is
25 sub~tantially parallQl to th- v~rtical plato 120, and
providQs ~or dr~ing a n~il 200 (s~own in Figur~ 14) into
PCTIUS90/07261
IPEA/US 0 3 DE~lg9t
~ 874.1001-PCT
the ground to hold the holding device 100 in position.
The nail 200 passes through boss member 162 because boss
member 162 is a hollow cylinder.
A first slab 164 is between the boss member 162 and
vertical plate 120 as an integral support therefore. A
second slab 166 is on a side of boss member 162 opposite
first slab 164 and also supports the boss member 162.
Preferably for ease of molding, first slab 164 and second
slab 166 are of trapezoidal shape.
10Capping the belts 142 is a capping strip 144. Second
slab 166 is adjacent to the capping strip 144. Both the
belts 142 and the capping strip 144 are flat material.
The longitudinal axis of the capping strip 144 is
substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of
15each belt 142. In this manner a common plane 144 is
defined by belts 142 and capping strip 144. This common
plane is substantially perpendicular to plane defined by
vertical plate 120. In this fashion, belts 142, vertical
plate 120, and capping strip 144 combine to provide a
plurality of openings 148 of generally rectangular shape
for grass or other vegetation to grow therethrough and
support the positioning of the holding device for paving
blocks.
Figure 16 shows the holding device of the invention in
place against a paving stone 300 in a back-filled
installation. As can be seen in this Figure, the contact
side 122 of vertical~plate 120 contacts stone 300 to hold
the latter in place. The installation is back-filled with
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~T~US?9 / 0 7 2 6 1
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- lla - 874.1001-PCT
earth fill 302 which supports the support side 124 of
plate 120. Grass 304 has roots 306 which extend through
opening 148 to provide support for the earth fill material
302. As can be seen, opening 148 is defined at the front
by plate 120 and at the rear by capping strip 144.
Referring now to Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 6, Figure
11, Figure 12 and Figure 13, on a tab end 128 of the
holding device for paving blocks is a male member 130
suitable for locking to other members. The tab end 128
cooperates in locking one holding device 100 to another
,:
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WOgl/09l75 2 0 7 0 ~ ~ ~ PCT/~S~/07261
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with the female member 132 on the recQiving end 13~, to
provide highly desired stren~th for the joint ~he
trapezoid cap 138 is located at each of tab end 128 and
receiving ~nd 134 In this situation, any suitable length
S can be formed by using a number of holding devices lOo
Figure 7 and Figure 14 depict a ~pecial nall 200 for
use herswith It is di~ficult to hold ~ nail in the
hold~ng d~vice loo The ~rost line problem i~ avoided by
the barbs 202 on the nail 200 which goes through the boss
member 162 at bos~ aperture 164 and locks within the boss
member 162
A bendabl- version of tho holding d-vicQ for paving
blocks can be ~or~d a~ ~hown in F~gure 8 and Figure 9 by
cutting and s-parating capping trip 144 Al~o removing
a s-ction of th- capping ~trip 144 b-two-n ~ pair of
gussQt membors 160 i~ possibl~ but not reguired Mere
separation of th- capping trip 144 can achiQve the
b~ndablQ nature o~ v-rtical plat- 120, and h-nce the
holding d-vic- ~or paving block~ a~ d--ired
~y con-idaring Figur- 15 with Figur 1, the capping
~trip 1~ ~y ~dditionally hav- a nap m chani-m 150
having a malo ~nap 152 and ~e~alo snap 154 acrosC the
capping strip 144 Capping strip 144 may then be
separat-d or r-~oin-d as desir-d b-tw -n a pair of gusse~
membQrs 160 ~ith the ~paration of th- capping strip
144, the b-nding o~ v~rtical plat- can b- achi~ved in a
conc~ve or convex fa~hion to go around curv~s ~ormed by
paving block~ -- without cutting
W091/091~5 2 0 7 0 1 8 ~ PCT/~S~/07261
- 13 -
It is algo pocsible as shown in Figure 10 to put in
stacking boss members 220 for stacking of the holding
devices 100 Stacking bos~ ms~bers 220 may include a male
boss member 222 on capping strip 144 and the female boss
member 224 on vertical plate 120 at top edge 128 thereof
In this fashion, transportation of a plurality of holding
device~ 100 b~comQs simpli~ied
This application -- taken a~ a whole with the
sp~cification, claims, abstract and drawing~ -- provides
_u~ficient information for a pQrson h~ving ordinary s~ill
in the art to practice the inYention disclosed and claimed
herein Any mGasure- nQcQo~ary to practic- thi~ invent~on
~ ar~ well within th- skill of a per~on having ordinary
; ~kill in thi~ art after that person ha- mad- a careful
~tudy of this di-closur-
B4cau-- of this diocloour- and solely bQcause of this
disclosur-, modi~ication o~ th~o method and apparatus can
beco~e cl-~r to a p~r~on having ord$nary okill in this
particul~r art Such ~odlfication- ar- cl-arly covered by
thio disclo-ur-
