AU2003204294B2

AU2003204294B2 - Spacer for locating path edges and method of forming a path

Info

Publication number: AU2003204294B2
Application number: AU2003204294A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David Christie
Original assignee: VIDELE SERVICES Pty Ltd
Current assignee: VIDELE SERVICES Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2002-06-17
Filing date: 2003-05-21
Publication date: 2008-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2023-05-21
Also published as: AU2003204294A1

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): VIDELE SERVICES PTY LTD invention Title: SPACER FOR LOCATING PATH EDGES AND METHOD OF FORMING A PATH The following statement is a full .description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 00 2 00 C SPACER FOR LOCATING PATH EDGES AND METHOD OF FORMING A PATH Field of the Invention 5 This invention relates to a spacer for locating edges of a path, and to a method of forming a path.

C Background Art Paths and, in particular, walking paths and paths used as bicycle tracks through parkland, are formed by laying path 0 edge members such as sleepers which define the path, and Cl then completing the path by a filler material which is usually crushed rock. The sleepers which form the edges of the path are usually laid by laying the sleepers on their side and locating the sleepers in place by stakes.

In order to correctly space the sleepers apart so that they define the two edges of the path, the position of sleepers forming one edge need to be measured relative to the other edge in order to ensure that they are properly spaced. The need to continually measure the location of one edge relative to the other, and then the need to secure the sleepers in place by stakes is extremely time consuming, adding considerably to the cost of forming such paths.

Summary of the Invention The object of the present invention is to provide a spacer and a method of making a path which overcome these problems.

The invention, in a first aspect, may be said to reside in a spacer for locating edge members of a path, including: a first locater element for locating a first path edge member; a second locater element for locating a second path edge member; and a connector bar extending between the first and N.\Melbourne\casea\Patent\46OOO-46999\P46237.A.1\Specia\amended pages.doc 15/05/08 00- 3 00 second locater elements to connect the first and second locater elements and hold them spaced apart by a predetermined distance, the first and second locater elements extending downwardly beneath the connecting bar so as in use to penetrate the ground and having upper parts to locate the first and second path edge members such that they extend transversely of the connector bar in ^C spaced apart relationship.

C 10 Thus, the spacer element can be used to locate the first and second path edge members, thereby avoiding the need to C measure one edge relative to the other. The spacer also acts to secure the edges, thereby avoiding the need for additional stakes. Thus, the time required in order to form the path is greatly reduced, and this labour reduction decreases the overall cost of forming the path.

Preferably the first and second locater elements comprise rectangular plates, each plate having a plurality of holes for receiving fasteners to enable the plates to be connected to the respective first and second path edge members.

Preferably the connector bar is an angle iron bar.

Preferably the plates have pointed lower extremities to facilitate penetration of the spacer into the ground.

The invention may also be said to reside in a method of forming a path, including: laying a plurality of spacers on the ground, each spacer having a first locater element for locating a first path edge member, a second locater element for locating a second path edge member, and a connector bar extending between the first and second locater elements to connect the locater elements and hold them spaced apart by a predetermined distance, the first and second locater N,\Melbourne\Cases\Patent\46000-46999\P46237.AU.1\Speci6\amended pages.doc 15/05/08 4 00 0 elements extending downwardly beneath the connecting bar so as in use to penetrate the ground and having upper parts to locate the first and second path edge members such that they extend transversely of the connector bar in 5 spaced apart relationship; forcing the spacers into the ground so that the first and second locater elements penetrate the ground; pC locating a first edge along the first locater elements of the plurality of spacers; and C1 10 locating a second edge along the second locater Selements of the plurality of spacers.

Preferably the method further includes laying a filler material between the first and second path edge members.

Preferably the filler material is crushed rock.

Preferably an edge filler is located on an outer side of the first and second path edge members.

N\Melbourne\aae\Patent\46000-46999\P46237.AU.1\Specia\amended pages.doc 15/05/08 I 5 Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spacer according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the spacer of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a path using the spacer of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of part of the path shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a plan view of a path formed using spacers according to the preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a view of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a view of a bar used in the embodiment of Figure 6; and Figure 8 is a view of an end plate used in the embodiment of Figure 6.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 shows a spacer 10 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. The spacer 10 comprises a first end plate 12 and a second end plate 14. The end plates 12 and 14 are of rectangular shape and have pointed lower extremities 16. The plates 12 and 14 are preferably formed from sheet metal.

The plates 12 and 14 are joined by a connector bar 18 which is formed from angle iron and which is welded to the plates 12 and 14 at about the mid-points of the plates 12 and 14.

Each plate 12 and 14 is provided with a plurality of holes which are arranged above the bar 18.

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6 A plurality of spacers 10 are used to form a path by laying the spacers 10 on the ground so that the pointed extremities 16 penetrate the ground G as shown in Figure 3, to an extent where the bar 18 rests on the ground.

Vertical wall 18a of the bar 18 can penetrate the ground if required, but could merely rest on the ground so that the horizontal surface 18b is slightly above ground level.

A first path edge which is preferably formed from a plurality of sleepers 30 is laid along the length of the plates 12 of the spacer 10, and a second path edge 32 formed from sleepers is laid along the length of the opposite plates 14.

As is best shown in Figure 5, a spacer 10 is located at an end of one of the sleepers 30 and 32, a spacer 10 is located at the mid-point of the sleepers 30 and 32, and a further spacer 10 is located at the other end of the sleepers 30 and 32. The plates 12 and 14 of each spacer are secured to the sleepers 30 and 32 by hammering nails or other suitable fasteners through the holes 20 in the plates 12 and 14.

The path is completed by locating filler material 40, such as crushed rock, between the sleepers 30 and 32, and the crushed rock is rolled and compacted to form the path.

Mulch or other suitable side filler 50 is located on the outsides of the sleepers 30 and 32 to complete the path.

The crushed rock filler 40 will surround the bars 18 of the spacers 10 and locate beneath the horizontal wall 18b of the bar 10 as the material 40 is compacted.

Since the spacer elements are secured to the ground by the plates 12 and 14 penetrating the ground by virtue of the point of extremities 16, and since the sleepers 30 and 32 \\melb_files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Videle Services Spacer for locating path edges.doc 20/05/03

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7 are located along the plates 12 and 14, the sleepers and 32 do not need to be measured relative to one another because they are automatically spaced the required distance apart by locating the sleepers 30 and 32 adjacent the respective plates 12 and 14. Thus, measuring the required distance between the edgings of the path is not required.

Furthermore, the plates 12 and 14 also act as stakes to hold the sleepers 30 and 32 in position, thereby doing away with the need for separate stakes. Thus, labour is significantly reduced, and therefore the path can be more quickly formed compared to prior art techniques.

The bar 18 may have any desired length depending on the width of the path which is required. Typically, walking paths or bicycle tracks will employ a bar having a length of about 2.4 metres. However, the bar could be longer or shorter depending on the specific requirements of the path.

Figures 6 to 8 show a second embodiment of the invention which functions in the same manner as previously described.

In this embodiment, the end plates 20 are provided with a lower inclined wall 70 which terminates at a point 72.

The plates 20 also have turned flanges 74. As is apparent from Figure 6, when the end plates 20 are joined to crossbar 18, the end plates are in back-to-back relationship and the point 72 are on opposite sides of the bar 18 which assists in balance and penetration of the end plates 20 into the ground.

As is apparent from Figure 7, the bar 18 comprises an upper wall 76 and a generally vertical wall 77. The vertical wall 77 has two connector plates 79 at each end \\melbfiles\homeS\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Videle Services Spacer for locating path edges.doc 20/05/03

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I 8 which are arranged at right angles with respect to the wall 77. The wall 76 is spaced from the connector plate 79 by a slot With reference to Figure 8, the end plates 20 have two punched lugs 82 and the connector plate 79 slides in behind the lugs 82, as is best shown in Figure 6, to thereby attach the bar 18 to the plates Thus, the embodiments of Figures 6 to 8 can be transported in an unassembled condition, and assembled on site, which means the spacer is likely to take up less space when transported from place to place, and therefore transportation and handling of the spacer is more convenient.

Since modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled within the art, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described by way of example hereinabove.

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Claims

1. A spacer for locating edge members of a path, including: 5 a first locater element for locating a first path edge member; a second locater element for locating a second Spath edge member; and a connector bar extending between the first and C1 10 second locater elements to connect the first and second Slocater elements and hold them spaced apart by a Cy predetermined distance, the first and second locater elements extending downwardly beneath the connecting bar so as in use to penetrate the ground and having upper parts to locate the first and second path edge members such that they extend transversely of the connector bar in spaced apart relationship.

2. The spacer of claim 1 wherein the first and second locater elements comprise rectangular plates, each plate having a plurality of holes for receiving fasteners to enable the plates to be connected to the respective first and second path edge members.

3. The spacer of claim 2 wherein the bar is an angle iron bar.

4. The spacer of claim 2 wherein the plates have pointed lower extremities to facilitate penetration of the locater elements into the ground.

The spacer of any of the preceding claims wherein the connector is removably connected to the first and second locater elements.

6. The spacer according to claim 6 wherein the connector bar and includes connector end plates, the first N,\Melbourne\Casee\Patent\46000-46999\P46237.AU.I\Specis\amended pages.doc 15/05/08 00 10 0 O and second locater elements include lugs and the end plates of the connector bar are receivably locatable in the lugs to removably connect the bar to the first and second locater elements.

7. A method of forming a path, including: Slaying a plurality of spacers on the ground, each C- spacer having a first locater element for locating a first path edge member, a second locater element for locating a C 10 second path edge member, and a connector bar extending Sbetween the first and second locater elements to connect CI the locater elements and hold them spaced apart by a predetermined distance, the first and second locater elements extending downwardly beneath the connecting bar so as in use to penetrate the ground and having upper parts to locate the first and second path edge members such that they extend transversely of the connector bar in spaced apart relationship; forcing the spacers into the ground so that the first and second locater elements penetrate the ground; locating a first edge along the first locater elements of the plurality of spacers; and locating a second edge along the second locater elements of the plurality of spacers.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first and second locater elements penetrate the ground to the extent that the connector bar is arranged adjacent the ground.

9. The method of claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the method further includes laying a filler material between the first and second path edge members.

The method of claim 9 wherein the filler material is crushed rock.

11. The method of claim 9 or claim 10 wherein an edge N.\Melbourne\Caaes\Patent\4600-46999\P46231.AU.1\Specis\amended pageaedoc 15/05/O8 11 00 0 filler is located on an outer side of the first and second path edge members.

12. The method of any one of claims 7 to 11 wherein V 5 the first and second locater elements comprise rectangular plates, each plate having a plurality of holes for receiving fasteners to enable the plates to be connected C to respective first and second path edge members. CI 10

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the plates have Spointed lower extremities to facilitate penetration of the C- spacer into the ground.

14. The method of any one of claims 7 to 13 wherein the connector bar is an angle iron bar. N \Melbourne\Cases\Patent\460OO-46999\P46237.AU.1\Specis\amended pages.doc 15/05/08