U.S. patent application number 11/692418 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-02 for irregularly shaped hexagonal paving stone with integral mating spacers.
Invention is credited to Joseph Ciccarello.
Application Number | 20080240857 11/692418 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39794657 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080240857 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ciccarello; Joseph |
October 2, 2008 |
IRREGULARLY SHAPED HEXAGONAL PAVING STONE WITH INTEGRAL MATING
SPACERS
Abstract
A concrete paving stone is cast with an irregularly shaped
hexagonal contour and defines six distinct irregularly shaped
projections and six irregularly curved concave formations. The
projections and concave formations are all of unlike shape. Spacer
members are cast in the sidewall of the stone and have a top
slopped surface containing thereon an indicia mark to facilitate
laying these stones in side-by-side meshing relationship to form a
paved surface area having the appearance of having been made by a
plurality of unlike stones having no repeat pattern.
Inventors: |
Ciccarello; Joseph;
(Brossard, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OGILVY RENAULT LLP
1981 MCGILL COLLEGE AVENUE, SUITE 1600
MONTREAL
QC
H3A2Y3
CA
|
Family ID: |
39794657 |
Appl. No.: |
11/692418 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
404/41 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01C 5/06 20130101; E01C
2201/16 20130101; E01C 2201/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
404/41 |
International
Class: |
E01C 5/00 20060101
E01C005/00 |
Claims
1. A concrete paving stone comprising a cast concrete body of
substantially constant thickness and having a generally hexagonal
contour, said body having a flat bottom surface and a top surface,
said body further having a straight circumferential side wall
thereabout and extending normal to said bottom and top surface,
said bottom and top surfaces delineating thereabout six distinct
irregularly shaped projecting formations of unlike shape and lying
in opposed pairs on common diametrical axes, irregularly curved
concave formations also of unlike shape between said irregularly
shaped projecting formation, at least two spacer members formed
integral with said body and extending outwardly of said side wall
at predetermined locations, and indicia means associated with each
said spacer members permitting a plurality of said stones to be
laid on a surface in a predetermined meshing relationship to form a
paved surface area.
2. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
indicia means are formed in said spacer member.
3. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 2 wherein said
indicial means is constituted by cast markings, predetermined pairs
of said spacer members having like cast markings.
4. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 3 wherein there are
six of said spacer members each associated with a sidewall section
of said hexagonal contour, there being six sidewall sections about
said concrete body constituting three pairs of said spacer
members.
5. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 4 wherein three of
said spacer members are associated or partly associated with a
respective one of three of said six projecting formations, and
three other of said spacer members are associated with a respective
one of three of said six irregularly curved concave formations,
said indicia means permitting the positioning of said projecting
formations adjacent associated ones of said curved concave
formations with said associated ones of said spacer members in
contact with one another and having like indicia means.
6. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 5 wherein said
indicia means is provided on every alternate one of said six
projecting formations and every alternate one of said irregularly
curved concave formations.
7. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 6 wherein an
intermediate spacer member is provided between said spacer members
provided with said indicia means, said intermediate members
abutting with one another when said paved surface area is
formed.
8. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 1 wherein said top
surface is provided with irregular grooves to delineate two or more
stone configurations in said top surface.
9. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 8 wherein said top
surface is provided with irregular grooves to delineate two or more
stone shapes in said top surface.
10. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 9 wherein said
irregular grooves have a width which is substantially twice the
protruding distance of said spacer members.
11. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 2 wherein said
spacer members are vertical abutment ribs cast with said concrete
body, some of said ribs having generally convex surfaces and
generally concave surfaces.
12. A concrete paving stone as claimed in claim 11 wherein said
ribs have a downwardly slopped top surface in which said cast
markings are disposed.
13. A paved surface area comprising a plurality of concrete paving
stones as claimed in claim 5 and wherein said stones are meshed
together in said predetermined meshing relationship by abutting
said spacer members with like molded markings against one
another.
14. A paved surface area as claimed in claim 13 wherein some of
said stones are provided with irregular grooves to delineate at
least two but not more than six stone configurations in said top
surface.
15. A paved surface area as claimed in claim 14 wherein said top
surface of all of said stones is a textured top surface resembling
a real stone surface.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to cast concrete paving stones
and more particularly to a large paving stone having a generally
hexagonal contour of irregular shape and wherein the stone has
indicia cast therein to facilitate laying of the stones in abutting
relationship.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Cast concrete paving stones having irregular contours and
adapted to be positioned adjacent one another on a ground surface
are known. The irregular contour is usually formed by straight side
wall section disposed at varying angles and usually in a pattern
form whereby to facilitate the laying thereof in a discrete
pattern. U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,773 illustrates such cast stone and
wherein discrete small stones are cast on the top surface thereof.
The purpose of such stones is to produce a paved surface with the
appearance that it is formed by a plurality of irregularly shaped
stones and the repeat of the stone is camouflaged by the irregular
disposition of the small stones. It is to be noted that when
several stones are cast in the top surface of a large stone it
becomes even more difficult to match the large stone in a
predetermined pattern due to the visual confusion that it creates
by its many stone shapes.
[0003] However, when the contour of such stones have an irregular
shape formed by straight sections of various size and angular
disposition or curved sidewall sections, it become mind boggling
and time consuming to install these in a meshing side-by-side
relationship, even to an expert person. Examples of such stones are
described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,217,740 and
5,884,445. When laying these types of stones it is often necessary
to dismantle sections of laid stones for the reason that stones no
longer fit together due to a stone being incorrectly meshed with
other laid stones and creating an opened area where a like stone
cannot fit when positioned at any angle. Because some of these
stones are large, often eighteen inches in diameter, it is time
consuming to dismantle sections, prepare the bed surface and relay
the stones in an attempt to prevent such problems, instruction
documentation is provided with illustrations to show how these
stones are to be laid to intermesh with one another. This results
in a time consuming project for the unaccustomed person as
reference needs to be made to the drawings each time a stone is
laid down against the other stones.
[0004] There is therefore a need to resolve the above problems and
to provide a cast concrete paving stone having a totally irregular
contour and which can be laid in side-by-side relationship with
other like stones and without the need to have to refer to
drawings. There is also a need to provide such a stone with a means
to prevent improper positioning of the stones in a pattern and
wherein a paved surface can be constructed quickly without error.
The stone of the present invention has an irregular hexagonal shape
with unlike irregular projecting formations and concave formation
making it difficult to intermesh, much like a puzzle. The present
invention solves that problem making the intermeshing of stones an
easy task requiring no special skills.
[0005] There is also a need to provide such a large stone with
smaller stones cast in a top surface thereof with a spaced joint
therebetween and wherein such large stones can be laid adjacent one
another with a spaced joint of substantially constant width formed
therebetween to form large paved surfaces having an irregular stone
pattern.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0006] It is a feature of the invention to provide a cast concrete
paving stone which satisfies the above needs.
[0007] Another feature of the invention is to provide a cast
concrete paving stone having a generally hexagonal contour formed
of irregularly shaped formations and resembling a real stone.
[0008] Another feature of the invention is to provide a cast
concrete paving stone having an irregular contour and which is
provided with an indicia means to permit laying of the stones on a
bed surface and in an abutting relationship in a predetermined
array and perfectly spaced from one another.
[0009] According to these features the invention provides a
concrete paving stone formed from a cast concrete body of
substantially constant thickness and having a generally hexagonal
contour. The body has a flat bottom surface and a top surface. The
body further has a straight circumferential side wall thereabout
and extending normal to the bottom and top surface. The bottom and
top surfaces delineate thereabout six distinct irregularly shaped
projecting formations of unlike shape and lying in opposed pairs on
common diametrical axes. Irregularly curved concave formations,
also of unlike shape are formed between the irregularly shaped
projecting formations. At least two spacer members are formed
integral with the body and extend outwardly of the side wall at
predetermined locations. Indicia means are associated with each of
the spacer members to permit a plurality of the stones to be laid
on a surface in a predetermined meshing relationship to form a
paved surface area.
[0010] The invention further provides a paved surface area formed
by a plurality of the concrete paving stones of the invention
herein described and illustrated.
[0011] The invention also encompasses any obvious modifications
thereof to a man skilled in the art provided such modifications are
reasonably inferred from the present specification including the
claims and the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood,
reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which
illustrate a particular preferred embodiment of the invention by
way of example, and in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top view of the concrete paving stone of the
present invention showing the irregular substantially hexagonal
contour thereof;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a fragmented side view showing the shape of the
spacer members and the indicia cast markings;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a top view showing a plurality of concrete paving
stones of the invention having six distinct stone patterns cast in
the top surface thereof and laid side-by-side but spaced apart to
show their relationship in a paved surface;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a top view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the
stones in a side-by-side relationship with the spacer members in
abutment; and
[0017] FIG. 5 is a fragmented section view showing the relationship
between the thickness of the cast paving stone and the width of the
joints between the stone patterns cast in the top surface of the
stone.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the shape of the cast concrete
paving stone 1 of the invention. The contour side wall 2 is a
straight vertical side wall extending normal to a flat bottom wall
4 and top wall 5. As shown, the top wall is roughened by suitable
roughing means well known in the art to give it the appearance of
real stone. The stone body 6 has a width of about 416 mm and a
thickness of about 70 mm. Accordingly, this stone is fairly large
and heavy but capable of being handled quite easily by hand without
the use of lifting equipment.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the contour side wall 2 has a generally
hexagonal shape and when viewed from the top, the stone 1
delineates six distinct irregularly shaped projections 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, and 12. Each of these projections are of unlike shape and have
jiggered shapes. They are also of differing widths to simulate a
real uncut stone. The projections 7 to 12 also lie in opposed pairs
on common diametrical axes 13. As shown projections 7 and 10 lie on
diametrical axis 13', projections 8 and 11 lie on diametrical axis
13'' and projections 9 and 12 lie on diametrical axis 13'''.
[0020] Between these projections 7 to 12 there is provided
irregularly shaped curved concave formations 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and
19, are formed between the projecting formations. They are also of
unlike shape and jaggered.
[0021] Spacer members 20 are cast in the side wall 2 of the stone
1. There are spacer members all about the stone and these are cast
as vertical abutment ribs (see FIG. 2) some ribs 20' having
generally convex surfaces and some ribs 20'' having generally
concave surfaces. These spacer ribs 20 also have a downwardly
slopped top surface 21 to provide sufficient surface area to
contain indicia markings 22 cast therein. As herein shown, the cast
indicia marking are in the form of slits.
[0022] Predetermined pairs of the spacer members 20 have like cast
markings and disposed substantially diametrically opposed. The
pairs containing like markings 22, herein one, two or three slits,
are identified by reference letters A-A', B-B' and C-C' and are
diametrically opposed. When laying the stones in matting
relationship, the spacer member A is laid against the pacer A' of
another stone and so on for the other spacers of surrounding stones
as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The spacer members of the three
pairs of spacers A-A', B-B' and C-C', are each associated with a
sidewall section 23 of the hexagonal shape about the cast body 6,
as shown in FIG. 1.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, three of the spacer members A, B and C
are associated, or partly associated, with a respective one of
three projecting formations 10, 8 and 12 respectively and the
spacer members A', B' and C' are associated with respective ones of
three concave formations 19, 17 and 15. As shown, the indicia slits
22 are provided on every alternate one of the six projecting
formations and every alternate one of the irregularly curved
concave formations. As shown, spacers A-A' have one slit 22,
spacers B-B' have two slits 22', and spacers C-C' have three slits
22''.
[0024] Intermediate spacer members 24 are provide between the
spacer members provided with the indicia slits. These intermediate
spacer members 24 abut with one another at the juncture of these
stones 1 when laid down in side-by-side relationship, as shown in
FIG. 4. They assure that a constant width joint 25 is maintained
between the stones by preventing the stones from moving as the
intermediate spacer members 24 are of v-shape and project within
each other in groups of three, as shown at 26 in FIG. 4.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the top wall 5 of the stones 1
may also be provided with irregular grooves 27 to delineate two or
more stone shapes 28 therein. The grooves 27 have a width 29 which
is substantially twice the thickness or the protruding distance 20'
of the spacer members 20. Accordingly, these grooves 27 blend in
with the joints 25 between the stones when laid side-by-side. FIG.
4 illustrates six different stone patterns in the top wall of six
adjoining stones. These patterns can be mixed differently to
provide for different surface designs and can be mixed in with
stones having no stone patterns in their top surface. The end
result is that no pattern is apparent to the human eye when a large
or small paved surface is formed with the paving stone of the
present invention.
[0026] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the top wall or surface 5 of the
stones may be roughened, such as shown at 30, to simulate real
stone, and such is well known in the art.
[0027] One can appreciate that the invention, a preferred
embodiment of which is above described, provides a cast concrete
paving stone of irregular shape which is large but still capable of
being transported and laid down by hand in a meshing relationship
with other like stones and matted perfectly due to the provisions
of indicia means. The stones 1 are also perfectly spaced apart to
form joints which are of constant width. The unique hexagonal shape
of the stone with its irregular shaped projections and concave
formations, all of unlike shape, lends itself to the production of
a paved surface area resembling an array of a multitude of
irregularly shaped stones.
* * * * *