AU2004201362B2 - Stencil Clip For a Kerb - Google Patents

Description

1 STENCIL CLIP FOR A KERB This invention relates to a stencil clip for extruded concrete edging or similar kerbing. 5 BACKGROUND ART Edging for gardens and lawn, and similar forms of kerbing, are now commonly made by mobile extruding machines which extrude concrete through a mould. Due to the extrusion process by which it is formed, the resultant kerbing has a constant cross-sectional shape or profile determined 10 by the sectional profile of the mould. Typically, at least the upper part of the kerbing has a curved profile. A decorative pattern may be applied to the extruded concrete kerb or other edging to improve the aesthetics thereof, or alphanumeric indicia may be spray painted onto the kerb, e.g. to indicate the manufacturer, 15 property owner or street number. Due to the curved profile of the kerb, it is difficult to apply decorative patterns or indicia consistently and accurately. Masking tape and/or paper sheet stencils, such as the stencil described in US patent 5038714, may be applied to the kerb to define a pattern corresponding to the desired decorative pattern. The kerb is sprayed 20 through the stencil, which is then removed to leave the decorative pattern, The stencils are typically made of thin paper or plastic sheet, and tear easily. Such known stencils are normally discarded as they are designed for single use only. Moreover, the known stencils are intended for use on flat surfaces, such as concrete paths or driveways, and the application of such stencils to a 25 curved kerb surface is both difficult and tedious. US patent no. 6142071 describes a re-usable stencil kit for the application of painted address characters to a street kerb. However, the stencil kit is designed for application to a flat planar surface, and is not particularly suited for curved surfaces. Furthermore, the application of the 30 stencil of US patent no. 6142071 is time consuming. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved stencil for kerbing, particularly extruded concrete edging having a curved profile.

2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one broad form, the invention comprises a stencil for an extruded concrete kerb or similar edging having a constant cross-sectional shape along a length thereof, the stencil being pre-formed from a resiliently 5 flexible sheet and having a constant cross-sectional shape at rest which substantially matches the cross-sectional profile of an upper portion of the kerb, the stencil having side portions which can flex outwardly to permit the stencil to be clipped on and off the kerb. Preferably, the sheet material is spring steel sheet. 10 Advantageously, the stencil has edge portions along opposite sides thereof, the edge portions extending generally laterally outwardly. The edge portions serve as handles permitting the side walls to be pulled slightly apart when the stencil is being clipped onto the kerb, or removed therefrom. The edge portions may curve slightly upwardly at their distal ends, to facilitate 15 grasping. The stencil may have at least one cut-out portion in an upper portion thereof. The cut-out portion typically defines a decorative shape of a coating to be applied to the kerb. Alternatively, the stencil may be a solid clip which serves as a blanking or masking stencil. 20 In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practice, preferred embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 25 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stencil according to one embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view illustrating the application of the stencil to a kerb. Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view illustrating the removal of 30 the stencil from a curve. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a stencil according to another embodiment.

3 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a stencil according to yet another embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 5 As shown in Fig. 1, a stencil clip 10 is formed from a thin sheet 11 which is bent or curved to form a clip having a desired sectional profile. In the illustrated embodiment, the sectional profile comprises a generally flat sloping top section with curved transitions to opposite end walls. The stencil clip 10 is of constant cross-section, and is shaped to match a particular kerb 10 profile, as described below. The stencil 10 also has a pair of edge portions 12, 13 along opposite sides thereof, which extend laterally outwardly and serve as handles. The edge portions 12, 13 are slightly curved upwardly at their distal ends to facilitate grasping. 15 Cut-out portions 14 are formed in the upper part of the stencil 10 to define a decorative pattern, alphanumeric indicia, or other design. The stencil 10 is made from stiff but resiliently flexible material, such as spring steel sheet. The stencil 10 is slightly flexible, but has a memory or rest shape as shown in the drawing. That is, the stencil can be 20 slightly deformed or otherwise bent out of shape to some degree, but upon removal of the bending or deforming forces, the stencil will resume its shape. The application of the stencil 10 to a kerb 15 is illustrated in Fig. 2. The kerb 15 is typically newly extruded concrete edging for lawns, gardens and the like, and the stencil clip 10 is shaped in cross-section to match the 25 cross-sectional profile of the upper part of the kerb. Preferably, the stencil 10 has a slightly narrower cross-sectional width than the corresponding kerb 15. When applying the stencil 10, the end portions 12, 13 are grasped manually and pulled outwardly (in the opposite directions marked A in Fig. 2), causing the top middle portion of the stencil sheet 11 to flex slightly inwardly 30 (direction B). The stencil 10 is then lowered onto the kerb 15 (direction C), whereupon the edge portions 12, 13 are released. Due to the resiliently flexible nature of the spring steel sheet used to form the stencil 10, the edge portions 12, 13 spring back to the rest shape, thereby grasping the sides of 4 the kerb 15 and holding the stencil 10 onto the kerb. The stencil 10 thereby clips onto the kerb and is self-retained thereon. The end portions 12, 13 apply sufficient pressure to the wet surface of a newly formed kerb so as to retain the stencil thereon, but without 5 distorting the surface of the kerb. Alternatively, if the kerb has set hard, the stencil clip 10 may simply be pushed onto the kerb 15 from above. Once the stencil clip has been clipped on, a top coat of cementitious material or other coating is sprayed over the kerb 15. After the 10 application of this material, the stencil clip 10 is removed, leaving the pattern defined by the cut-out portions 14 of the stencil clip. Fig. 3 illustrates a procedure for removing the stencil clip without distorting the kerb 15. The edge portions 12, 13 are pulled outwardly (in respective directions E) while lifting the stencil 10 off the kerb 15 (direction F). 15 The middle portion of the stencil 10 flexes slightly (direction G) in response to the edge portions 12, 13 being pulled outwardly and upwardly. Alternatively, the stencil may be pulled off from above, particularly if the kerb is set hard. The stencil of this invention allows decorative patterns and/or alphanumeric indicia to be applied quickly and easily to extruded concrete 20 edging, even though the edging has a curved upper surface. Moreover, the stencil clip 10 can be used repeatedly along the length of a kerb in a rapid manner. The stencil is applied, sprayed and then removed in a quick succession of steps, which are repeated as required. The robust nature of the spring steel stencil permits it to be used repeatedly. The stencil thereby 25 simplifies and expedites the process for applying a pattern to a curved kerb. Fig. 4 illustrates a stencil 20 according to another embodiment of the invention, having a sectional shape adapted to match the profile of a curved kerb surface having two levels. Fig. 5 illustrates yet another embodiment of this invention. The 30 stencil 30 illustrated in Fig. 5 is a spring clip formed from a relatively thin strip of resilient material, such as spring steel. Like the stencil 10 of Fig. 1, the stencil clip 30 is configured to match the profile of a kerb to which it is intended to be applied. However, the stencil clip 30 is solid, i.e. it does not 5 have any apertures or cut-out portions. The stencil clip 30 is intended to be used as a blanking or masking stencil. In use, after a concrete kerb has been extruded, the stencil clip 30 is clipped onto the kerb (as described above), and a coating is applied 5 over the stencil clip and surrounding portions of the kerb. Typically, the coating is a cementitious clay-coloured material resembling a brick or similar ceramic surface. The clip 30 is then removed to leave a bare concrete transverse strip on the kerb, simulating a mortar joint between clay blocks. The above process is repeated progressively along the length of 10 the kerb at spaced intervals, so that the coated kerb simulates a series of clay blocks laid end-to-end, with mortar joints between the blocks. The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the invention, and modifications which are obvious to those skilled in the art may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined 15 in the following claims. For example, instead of spring steel, the stencil 10 may be made of resiliently flexible plastics material. Furthermore, the stencil may have any desired suitable length.

Claims (15)

1. A stencil for an extruded concrete kerb or similar edging having a constant cross-sectional shape along a length thereof, the stencil being pre 5 formed from resiliently flexible sheet material and having a constant cross sectional shape at rest which substantially matches the cross-sectional profile of an upper portion of the kerb, the stencil having side portions which can flex outwardly to permit the stencil to be clipped on and off the kerb.

2. A stencil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet material is 10 spring steel sheet.

3. A stencil as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising edge portions along opposite sides thereof, the edge portions extending generally laterally outwardly.

4. A stencil as claimed in claim 3, wherein the edge portions curve 15 upwardly at their distal ends.

5. A stencil as claimed in any preceding claim, further having at least one cut-out portion in an upper portion thereof.

6. A stencil as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cut-out portion defines a decorative shape. 20

7. A stencil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet material is a plastics material.

8. A stencil as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the stencil has an internal width at rest which is slightly less than the external width of the kerb, so that the stencil is frictionally retained on the kerb. 25

9. A stencil as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stencil is a spring clip formed from a non-apertured strip of sheet material.

10. A stencil for an extruded concrete kerb or like edging having a constant cross-sectional shape along a length thereof, the stencil comprising a spring steel clip configured to match the cross-sectional profile of an upper 30 portion of the kerb, the spring steel clip having side walls adapted to resiliently grasp the kerb therebetween when the stencil is clipped onto the kerb, and handle portions extending laterally from the side walls to permit the side walls of the stencil to be pulled off the kerb. 7

11. A stencil as claimed in claim 10 further having at least one cut out portion in an upper portion of the clip.

12. A stencil as claimed in claim 10 wherein the clip is formed from a non-apertured strip of sheet material. 5

13. A method of applying the stencil defined in claim 10 to an extruded concrete kerb or similar edging having a constant cross-sectional shape along a length thereof, comprising the steps of: (a) grasping the handle portions and pulling them slightly apart while applying the stencil to the kerb, 10 (b) releasing the handle portions to enable the stencil to clip onto the kerb, (c) applying a coating over the stencil and surrounding portions of the kerb, and (d) removing the stencil by pulling the handle portions 15 outwardly and lifting the stencil off the kerb.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising repeating steps (a) to (d) progressively at spaced intervals along the kerb.

15. A stencil for an extruded concrete kerb or similar edging, the stencil being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 20 or Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.