Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
EDGING MEMBER, SYSTEM, AND ARRANGEMENT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Arrangements comprised of edging members and systems are in widespread use for
the retention and restraint of landscaping or covering materials, pavers, and
the like,
deposited or laid upon the ground, a prepared base, or other substrates.
Such restraint and retention arrangements are described in the prior art. For
example, U.S. Patent No. 5,240,303 provides a structure for holding paving
blocks, which
structure is secured by driving nails through it into the ground. U.S. Patent
No. 7,774,993
provides an elongated landscape-retaining or edging strip that is held in
place by spikes,
driven into the ground, for retention and/or separation of beds of earth of
other landscaping
fill (i.e., gravel, rock, bark, dirt, sand, mulch) or the retention and
maintenance of paving
materials (i.e., bricks, paving stones, rock gravel, etc.).
As is emphasized in both of the above-identified patents, the natural freezing
and
thawing cycle of the ground (and other permeable outdoor substrates), as well
as vehicular
and pedestrian traffic, causes movement of deposited landscaping and paving
materials. Also
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recognized therein it the tendency of nails and spikes used for securing
edging members to
come loose and pull up out of the ground. Lateral displacement of the ground-
engaging
fasteners, for which there is a particular tendency with packed clear or open
stone substrates,
does not appear to have been recognized or addressed,
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is the broad object of the present invention to provide a
novel edging
member, system, and arrangement for retaining or restraining installations of
landscaping,
covering, paving materials, and the like.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide such a system and
arrangement
comprised of one or a plurality of edging members, respectively, and a
multiplicity of
substrate-engaging holding or fastening members for securernent of the edging
member or
members against both vertical and lateral displacement.
Further objects of the invention are to provide such a system and arrangement
which
are relatively facile to install and highly effective for their intended use.
It has now been found that certain of the foregoing and related objects of the
invention are attained by the provision of an edging system for use in an
arrangement for
retaining or restraining a landscaping, covering, or paving material against
upward and lateral
displacement. Objects of the invention are also attained by the provision of
an edging
member, of which the edging system is comprised, and by the provision of an
arrangement
comprised of a plurality of the edging systems described.
More particularly, the edging system of the invention includes an elongate
edging
member comprised of a generally planar base wall having opposite longitudinal
edges, and a
lateral wall that extends upwardly along one of the lateral edges of the base
wall along
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substantially its entire length; and a multiplicity of holding members for
cooperatively
securing the edging member upon a substrate underlying the base wall of the
edging member.
The base wall of the edging member has a plurality of bore-defining structures
defining a
multiplicity of angularly oriented bores through the base wall at spaced
locations along the
length of the edging member. The bores have effective axes that lie
substantially in at least
one plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the base wall and between the
lateral edges
thereof, and at an acute angle to the plane of the base wall, the acute angle
of the axes of a
first plurality of the bores being taken in a first arcuate direction relative
to the plane of the
base wall and the acute angle of the axes of a second plurality of the bores
being taken in a
second arcuate direction, opposite to the first arcuate direction, relative to
the plane of the
base wall. The acute angle of the bore axes will normally have a value of
about 45 to 75 ,
and most desirably the value will be about 600
.
In preferred embodiments, the base wall of the edging member has a plurality
of
generally V-shaped or generally U-shaped apertures therethrough, at spaced
locations along
the length of the member. The V-shaped apertures will usually be comprised of
two
rectilinear slots that converge to or toward a vertex; and will usually be
oriented with their
vertices proximate one of the lateral edges of the base wall. The U-shaped
apertures will
usually be comprised of two rectilinear slots that are parallel to one another
and are joined, at
one end, by a semicircular slot element, and comparably oriented in the base
wall.
A first plurality of the holding members will comprise spikes that are
dimensioned
and configured for being driven individually through the bores of the bore-
defining structures
into the substrate underlying the edging member, and to engage the bore-
defining structures
for cooperatively securing the edging member in place upon the substrate.
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A second plurality of the holding members will comprise stakes of generally V-
shaped or U-shaped cross section that are dimensioned and configured to be
driven through
correspondingly shaped apertures of the base wall into an underlying
substrate, and to engage
portions of the base wall that define the apertures, for cooperatively
securing the edging
member in place on the substrate.
The edging member will normally be of right angular cross section, and the
lateral
wall will normally be generally planar. The effective axes of the first
plurality of the bores
will preferably lie substantially on a first plane that is perpendicular to
the plane of the base
wall and between the lateral edges thereof, with the effective axes of the
second plurality of
bores lying substantially on a second plane, offset laterally from the first
plane, that is also
perpendicular to the plane of the base wall and between the lateral edges
thereof.
The slot elements of the generally V-shaped apertures will usually be disposed
at an
internal angle of about 450 to 135 , and preferably 90 to one another, and
vertices of the V-
shaped apertures (or at least some of them) will most desirably lie proximate
the lateral wall
of the edging member.
The stakes employed in the system of the invention are constructed for being
driven
lengthwise through correspondingly generally V-shaped or generally U-shaped
apertures in
the base wall of the edging member. Each of the preferred generally V-shaped
stakes has a
top, a bottorn, and opposite lateral edges extending substantially along its
entire length, and
will desirably comprise two generally planar panels joined to one another
along a common
rectilinear longitudinal axis, the panels being disposed with an internal
angle that is
substantially the same as the angle between slot elements of the V-shaped
apertures through
the base wall of the edging member. Each panel provides one of the opposite
lateral edges
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on the stake, which edges converge, at least along a lower portion of the
stake, to form a tip
on the common longitudinal axis at the bottom, and each stake will usually be
substantially
symmetrical about its longitudinal axis.
More particularly, each panel comprising a generally V-shaped stake will most
desirably have a flange portion at the top, spaced from the longitudinal axis,
with the flange
portions extending inwardly of the stake and being disposed substantially ma
common plane
that is generally perpendicular to the planes of the panels. Also, the panels
will desirably
cooperatively form a tang portion at the top of the stake, on the longitudinal
axis, extending
upwardly beyond the flange portions.
The stakes constructed for being driven through the U-shaped apertures will
also
preferably be comprised of generally planar panels, which will however be
substantially
parallel to one another. U-shaped stakes will desirably have flange and tang
portions, similar
to those present on the V-shapedl stakes.
In the system of the invention, the edging member has first and second
opposite end
portions, the first opposite end portion preferably having first coupling
means thereon and the
second opposite end portion preferably having second coupling means thereon
that is
structurally complimentary to the first coupling means. The first coupling
means is
constructed to mate with and secure second coupling means on a separate,
endwise-arranged
edging member of like construction, and the second coupling means is
constructed,
correspondingly, to mate with and be secured by a first coupling means on a
separate,
endwise-arranged edging member of like construction_ Thus, the edging member
of the
system can be assembled with and secured to a separate, like edging member in
an endwise
relationship
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The coupling means on one of the end portions of the edging member will
advantageously comprise the bore-defining structure described. Particularly
when the edging
member is fabricated from a synthetic resinous material, the coupling means on
the other end
portion will preferably comprise a socket that is constructed to engage the
bore-defining
structure of an assembled separate edging member, desirably in a snap-fit
relationship.
Alternatively, and particularly when the edging member is fabricated from a
metal
and the bore-defining structures comprise areas or tabs upwardly deformed from
the base
wall, the system may additionally include a coupling piece constructed to
engage separately
the bore-defining structure on each of the opposite end portions of the edging
member. The
coupling piece can thereby secure the edging member to a separate, endwise-
arranged edging
member of like construction.
The arrangement of the invention comprises a plurality of the elongate edging
members described, arranged and secured in endwise relationship to one
another, utilizing
the coupling and holding means and members, also described.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of an edging member comprising a
first
embodiment of the present invention, drawn to a very small scale.
Figure 2 is a fragmentary orthographic view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of
opposite
end portions or two of the edging members of Figure 1 in the process of being
joined
endwise to one another.
Figure 3 is an orthographic view of an arrangement of two edging systems
embodying the invention, joined end-to-end and secured to a substrate by
stakes and spikes
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and fastened to one another by one of the spikes, each system being comprised
an edging
member illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, in partial section taken along line 4-4 in
Figure 3, and
drawn to a further enlarged scale, showing a secured connection between the
edging
members depicted in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a sectional view, taken along line 5-5 in Figure 4, showing the
structure of
the socket in the end portion of one of the edging members in which the
received element of
the boss structure on the opposite end portion of the other edging member is
seated and
engaged in a snap-fit relationship.
Figure 6 is an orthographic view of a V-shaped stake suitable for use in a
system
embodying the present invention.
Figure 7 is a fragmentary orthographic view of two edging members comprising a
second embodiment of the present invention, in the process of endwise
assembly.
Figure 8 is an orthographic view of a coupling piece in the form of a link,
used for
endwise joining of the edging members of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the edging members depicted in Figure
7,
assembled using the coupling piece of Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of an edging member depicted in
Figures
7 and 9, with stakes and spikes positioned for securing the member on a
substrate.
Figure 11 is a front elevational view of a U-shaped stake suitable for use in
the
system and arrangement of the invention
Figure 12 is a sectional view of the stake of Figure 11, taken along line 12-
12 therein.
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Figure 13 is a fragmentary plan view or a short section of an edging member
embodying the invention, taken along the length thereof and having a U-shaped
aperture
therethrough for receiving a U-shaped stake.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Turning now in detail to Figures 1 through 6 of the drawings, an edging member
embodying the present invention, generally designated by the numeral 10, is
illustrated in
Figure 1. Figure 2 shows two edging members 10 being assembled in endwise
relationship,
and Figure 3 shows the members in such end-to-end assembly; a left end portion
of one of
the members 10 is joined to a right end portion of the other member 10.
The (normally horizontal, as installed) base wall 14 of each member 10 has
longitudinally extending lateral edges 13 and a multiplicity of V-shaped
apertures 12
extending therethrough at longitudinally spaced locations; for convenience of
illustration
only one such aperture 12 is shown in Figure 2 and only three are shown in
Figure 3. Each
aperture 12 consists of two slot elements 28, disposed at an angle of 90 to
one another and
joined at a vertex proximate the upstanding (normally vertical) lateral wall
15. As seen in
Figure 3, the apertures 12 receive stakes, generally designated by the numeral
16, of
corresponding right-angular transverse cross section (thus conforming
thereto), which are
driven into a substrate S (e.g., a bed of stone, gravel, aggregate or the like
or, needless to say,
simply the earth) to secure the members 10 against both lateral and vertical
displacement, it
being appreciated that not all apertures need receive stakes 16.
In addition, each member 10 has a multiplicity of upstanding boss formations,
generally designated by the numeral 18, at locations spaced along the length
of the base wall
14 and between the lateral edges 13. Each of two generally cylindrical
elements 17 of the
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=
boss formations 18 defines a bore 20 extending therethrough. The bores 20 are
laterally
offset in the side-by-side boss formation elements 17, and extend with
oppositely directed
angulnr orientations, preferably of 60 to the plane of the base wall 14; the
planes in which
the effective axes of the bores extend, designated "A" and "B" in Figure 2,
are perpendicular
to the plane of the base wall 14 and extend longitudinally between the lateral
edges 13
thereof.
A spike 22 is driven into the substrate S through one of the bores 20 of a
selected boss
formation 18. As noted from Figure 3, the spikes 22 are desirably driven
through oppositely
directed bores 20 in adjacent (or, if not adjacent, then longitudinally
sequential) boss
formations, and because the bores in any boss formation are mutually laterally
offset the
driven spikes do not interfere with one another in the substrate S.
Particularly because of the
non-perpendicular orientations of the effective axes of the bores 20 relative
to the plane of
the bottom wall 14, the spikes 22, received in the bores 20 and engaged with
the boss
formations 18, provide vertical force components and are therefore especially
effective for
enhancing the resistance of the members 10 to upward displacement due to
forces generated
in the substrate (e.g., by freeze-thaw effects).
Coupling structure, generally designated by the numeral 24, is formed at one
end of
each edging member 10 (i.e., the right end of the left member, as
illustrated), and is
constructed to receive a generally cylindrical element 17 of the boss
formation 18 on the end
portion of an endwise-adjacent member 10 (i.e., the left end of the right
member, as
illustrated) inserted longitudinally thereinto (as indicated by the open
arrow). As best seen in
Figure 5, a lower portion a the coupling structure 24 has a C-shaped recess
25, dimensioned
to engage the inserted element 17 of a terminal boss formation 18 in a snap-
fit relationship,
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to at least preliminarily assemble the members 10 with one another. This
feature facilitates
laying out of an arrangement of the edging systems, prior to more permanently
securing the
edging members 10 to the substrate.
As seen in Figure 4, a spike 22 is driven through the hole 27 formed in the
slanted
upper wall 29 of the coupling structure 24 and through an aligned 60 bore 20
of the
underlying, engaged boss element 17. The spike 22 thus serves both to more
permanently
secure the adjacent members 10 in endwise interengagement and also to
cooperate with the
stakes 16, and other spikes 22, for holding the edging system against the
substrate S. It
should be appreciated that, although either spikes or stakes can serve as the
holding members
in the system of the invention, maximum holding power and resistance to
displacement of the
edging members will be achieved by the use of holding members of both kinds,
acting
together. The stakes 16 and spikes 22 will normally be made from steel or
aluminum.
An offsetting end portion 26 of the vertical wall 15 of each edging member 10
receives a corresponding plain end portion of the wall 15 of the adjacent
member 10. The
interfit end portions cause the assembled members 10 to present a
substantially continuous
outer face of the upstanding walls 15; they also help to maintain the walls 15
against
separation due to outward lateral forces that may be generated by pavers,
landscaping, etc.
retained or restrained by the edging.
The edging members 10 will desirably be fabricated from a synthetic resinous
material (e.g., recycled HDPE) to provide requisite rigidity coupled with
sufficient flexibility
to enable conformation to bends and contours of a retained mass of landscaping
or the like.
It will also be appreciated that elements and areas of the base wall may be
severed and
removed, as appropriate to facilitate desired bending.
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A preferred structure of the V-shaped stake 16 is most filly illustrated in
Figure 6.
As can be seen, it is comprised of two generally planar panels 30 joined to
one another along
a common rectilinear longitudinal axis 32 and disposed with an internal angle
corresponding
to the angle (e.g., of 900) between the slot elements 28 of the apertures 12
through the base
wall 14 of the edging member 10. Each panel 30 provides an opposite lateral
edge 34 of the
stake 16 extending substantially along its entire length, with the lateral
edges 34 converging
to form a bottom tip 36 on the common longitudinal axis 32; as can be seen,
the stake 16 is
substantially symmetrical about that axis.
Each of the panels 30 comprising the stake 16 has a flange portion 38 at the
top of the
stake, spaced from the longitudinal axis 32. The flange portions 38 extend
inwardly and are
disposed substantially in ..a common plane that is generally perpendicular to
the planes of the
panels 30. The panels cooperatively form an axial tang portion 39 at the top
of the stake and
extending upwardly beyond the flange portions.
Although hand tools may be used, the stakes will advantageously be driven into
the
substrate by use of a power hammer, with the tang portion of the stake being
received in an
upwardly extending socket in the hammer head. As will be evident, the flange
portions 38
will most effectively receive and transmit to the hammer blows; however,
additional force
may be delivered if the top end of the tang portion comes into contact with a
wall that defines
the inner end of a hammer head socket.
Needless to say, the flange portions 38 also serve to reinforce and strengthen
the stake
panels 30 and, when the stake 16 is driven home, to provide good contact with
the areas of
the base wall 14 adjacent the structure that defines the V-shaped apertures
12, and thus
providing effective hold-down force. It also goes without saying that the
large surface areas
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presented by the panels 30 afford a high level of frictional engagement with
the medium of
the substrate S into which the stake 10 is driven, thereby optimizing its
holding power.
The upstanding lateral walls of the edging member engages the sides of a
proximate
course of paving blocks, landscaping, covering material, etc., to provide
restraint against
lateral shifting or spreading movement due to pedestrian and/or vehicular
traffic and other
effects to which the deposit may be subjected. It should perhaps be emphasized
that the
depicted orientation of the V-shaped apertures in the base wall, with their
vertices proximate
the upstanding wall, maximizes the resistance of the stakes to forces
generated by outward
lateral movement of the material of the substrate, allowing the material to
migrate along the
outer surfaces of the panels rather than being trapped within the interior of
the stake.
However, the reverse orientation, and alternating and varying orientations of
a multiplicity of
apertures along the length of an edging member, may be employed as desired or
appropriate.
Turning now in detail to Figures 7 through 10 of the drawings, therein
illustrated is a
second form of edging member embodying the present invention. The member,
generally
designated by the numeral 40, differs essentially from edging member 10
described with
reference to Figures 1 through 5 in being particularly suited for fabrication
from a metal (e.g.,
aluminum).
Apart from the simplicity of the plain upstanding lateral wall 42, a primary
distinguishing feature of the member 40 resides in the bore-defining
structures 44,
constituting small arch-like tab elements formed from areas of metal partially
severed and
upwardly deformed out of the plane of the base wall 46. In a manner that is
functionally
equivalent to the bore-defining bosses of the member 10, the side-by-side
pairs of slightly
staggered tab elements 44 effectively define oppositely directed bores for
receiving and
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orienting spikes 22 in a laterally offset, noninterfering relationship to one
another. The
elements 44 substantially constrain the spikes to the desired effective axis
(again, preferably
of about 600), albeit the axes may be less precisely defined by the elements
44 than by the
bores of the boss formations 18 of the previously described embodiment. And it
should be
appreciated that, in any event, the bore angles are approximate and the levels
of constraint
applied to the spikes need not be high.
Another difference in the embodiment of Figure 7 resides in the means used for
coupling two members 40 in endwise assembly, which may take the form of the
coupling
plate, or link, 46 depleted in Figures 8 and 9. The plate 46 is formed with
two pairs of
laterally offset, generally oval apertures 48, 48', the pairs being displaced
slightly from one
another in the longitudinal direction. As seen in Figure 9, the plate 46 is,
in use, simply
engaged with the adjacent end portions of two endwise-disposed edging members
40, with
the pair of apertures 48 at one end of the plate receiving the arch-like
formations 44 on the
end portion of one of the edging members 40 and with the pair of apertures 48'
at the
opposite end of the plate 46 receiving the arch-like formations 44 on the end
portion of the
other member 40. The generally V-shaped apertures 12' formed in the base wall
46 of the
member 40 receive stakes 16, just as in the edging member 10.
It will be appreciated that the triangular portions defining one side (distal
from the
wall 42) of the generally V-shaped apertures 12' may be cut away (for example,
at the dotted
line locations designated in Figure 9) to enable or facilitate bending of the
edging member
40, to facilitate conformation to angles and curves defining an edge of a
landscaping, paver,
etc. installation. The long rectangular openings 50 proximate the upstanding
wall 42
(constituting part of the generally V-shaped apertures, and connecting the
slots 28') also
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facilitate bending, and the short strip of material defining the distal
lateral edge of the
generally square opening 52 may be severed to permit relative movement, as
well.
Turning now more particularly to Figures 11 through 13, therein illustrated is
a stake
of U-shaped cross section, generally designated by the numeral 60, and, in
Figure 13, a
section of an edging member, generally designated by the numeral 70, formed
with a U-
shaped aperture. As seen in Figures 11 and 12, the stake 60 is comprised of
two planar
panels 62, joined by a semi-cylindrical section 64, which effectively defines
a longitudinal
axis of the stake. A bottom portion of the stake 60 has lateral edges 67 which
converge to a
tip 68 lying on the axial centerline of the stake, about which the stake is
symmetrical, and it
has inwardly extending coplanar flange portions 69 and a tang portion 72
comparable to the
portions 38 and 39 of the V-shaped stake 16, previously described.
The U-shaped aperture in the base wall 71 of the member 70 is comprised of
parallel
rectilinear slot elements 74 joined by a semicircular slot element 76.
Obviously, the U-
shaped aperture is dimensioned and configured to receive the stake 60 driven
through it, to
secure the edging member against a substrate. Other features hereinabove
described with
respect to the edging members 10 and 40 may be incorporated into and comprise
the edging
member 70, as will be evident to those skilled in the art, and it will be
appreciated that U-
shaped stakes and apertures will function comparably to those of V-shaped
construction and
configuration.
Many variations may be of course made in and to the edging members, system,
and
arrangement described herein without departure from the scope of the appended
claims.
Details of the form and construction of the components may vary in ways that
will be
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Albeit the edging members will
typically be
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provided in eight-foot lengths, and with a 2-1/2 inch wide base wall and .a 1-
3/4 inch high
lateral wall, the members may be of substantially different dimensions. Spikes
and stakes
will typically be about 8 to 12 inches long, and the panels comprising an
stake will typically
be about two inches wide, but the holding members may of course have any
dimensions that
are deemed appropriate for a given application. As has been indicated, the
slots forming V-
shaped apertures will usually be connected to one another at a vertex (defined
or projected),
but if material is present between the ends of adjacent slots the force of a
driven stake may
serve to penetrate the material (indeed, the same technique may be used if
slots do not extend
entirely through the thickness of the base wall, as they may not). While the
illustrated
embodiments describe and depict the stakes as being comprised of planar walls
and semi-
cylindrical sections, and the apertures in the base wall as being comprised of
rectilinear and
circular slots and sections, it should be appreciated that some curvature and
other deviations
(e.g., from true parallelism) may be present in these features Hie generally
V-shaped and
generally U-shaped stakes and apertures recited in the appended claims. The
coupling means
used for endwise joining the edging members may also take forms other than
those
described.
Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides a novel edging
member,
system, and arrangement for retaining or restraining installations of
landscaping, covering,
paving materials, and the like. The system and arrangement are comprised of
one or a
plurality of edging members, respectively, and a multiplicity of substrate-
engaging holding
members for securement of the edging member or members against both vertical
and lateral
displacement. The edging system and arrangement are relatively facile to
install, and highly
effective for their intended use.
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