AU2701099A - Pavers - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant/s: Fletcher Challenge Limited Actual Inventor/s: Frans Jacobus Joubert Address for Service: BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS S 60 MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 Invention Title: "PAVERS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 22120.00 o* *o la BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to pavers.

At least in New Zealand, the term "paver" describes a block, brick, slab or tile like member, .which is used especially in the construction of ground surfaces laid over a wide area, or in many cases, along a specific route, as in a pathway. The large area could, for example, be a patio, courtyard or even a very large area such as an airport runway.

The term "paver" is used throughout this specification to cover all types of such construction materials.

In the laying of pavers, these can be laid together in a variety of patterns, the most common, at least in New Zealand, being herringbone, basket weave and stretcher bond.

When pavers are laid together, it is necessary to ensure that there is a gap between them to allow sufficient sand to flow through the joint to maintain a clearance between the adjacent pavers, typically of the order of several millimetres.

Experienced paver layers are able to rapidly lay pavers with the appropriate clearance provided. However, in order to ensure that such a 25 clearance is obtained and to assist less experienced paver layers, many pavers currently available include projections along their edges called "nibs", which keep the pavers apart enabling the clearance to be then filled with sand and any appropriate bonding material.

In New Zealand Patent Specification 272724, for example, a paver is described with a total of twelve nibs, four along each of its sides and two along each end.

2 The provision of such nibs to the present time has provided various problems. Firstly, in some instances, the placement of the nibs does not facilitate the use of the pavers with all types of laying patterns. Secondly, in the manufacture of such pavers, they have typically been moulded in the flat as if they were moulded vertically, or on-end, it would be difficult to pick them up from the mould to wrap them for palletising due to the interference created by the adjacent nibs. The moulding on the flat, as opposed to on-end, substantially reduces the mould production rate, an on-end moulding being able to produce, typically, an approximately 240% greater production rate. As such moulds may be kept going for a 24 hour production, it will be appreciated that the benefit of moulding on-end as opposed to on the flat, is substantial.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is, thus, an object of a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide a paver (as herein defined) and/or a method of making same, which overcomes or least obviates problems in pavers or their production at the present time, or which at least will provide the public with a useful choice.

**"20 Further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following Sdescription.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paver (as herein defined) having a nib provided on each side, at or adjacent a respective end, and a further nib substantially centrally at an opposite end.

30 According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method of forming a paver (as herein defined) to facilitate its moulding on-end, includes 3 providing the paver with a nib on each side, at or adjacent one end, and a further nib substantially central at an opposite end.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention, a paver (as herein defined), and/or a method of producing a paver (as herein defined), is substantially as herein described, and/or with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Further aspects of this invention which should be considered in all its novel aspects will become apparent from the following description given by way of possible embodiments thereof and in which reference is made to the accompanying drawing.

THE DRAWING Figure 1 (d):shows respectively end, side, opposite end and plan views of a paver, according to one possible embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF POSSIBLE EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figure 1, a paver is referenced generally by arrow 1 and is S. shown provided with three projections or nibs 2 and 3 on the sides 5 and nib 4 at one end 6 of the paver 1.

25 The nibs 2 and 3 are shown positioned substantially at or adjacent one end 7 of the paver 1 and each having a profile with a substantially flat top 8 and a chamfered end portion 9. The nibs 2 and 3 are shown positioned substantially opposite one another on the respective side -4- The upper surface 10 of the paver 1 is shown leading into the sides and ends 5, 6, 7 by way of chamfered edges 11 which facilitate the flow of sand between adjacent pavers 1 in use.

The end 6 of the paver 1 is shown provided with a substantially central nib 4 having a substantially flat central portion' 12 and side chamfered portions 13.

It is, thus, seen that the nibs 2, 3 and 4 are positioned non-symmetrically about the paver 1 contrary to the symmetrical nibs usually provided for pavers.

However, by the appropriate top and tailing of the adjacent pavers 1 in a pattern, it can be ensured that a required joint width is achieved between adjacent pavers 1. In a typical pattern the nibs 2, 3 will engage the un-nibbed side portions of respective adjacent pavers 1 in providing the clearance between the adjacent pavers. Similarly, by the appropriate paver reversal of end facing pavers 1, a nib 4 on end 6 of one paver 1 can engage with the un-nibbed end 7 of an adjacent paver 1. The provision of the chamfers 9 and 13 on the respective nibs can facilitate the abutting together of adjacent pavers 1 and also facilitate the release of the pavers 1 from the mould.

By providing the non-symmetrical nibs 2, 3, 4 and by moulding the pavers 1 in a top and tailed manner, pavers 1 can be moulded on-end, in that with the non-symmetrical nibs there is no difficulty in the pavers 1 being lifted out from the on-end mould to be wrapped for palletising and stacked.

The pavers 1 may be manufactured by any suitable technique and from any suitable material.

Where in the foregoing description, reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein Incorporated as it individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described, by way of example and with ,reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

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Claims (8)

1. A paver (as herein defined) having a nib provided on each side, at or adjacent a respective end and a further nib substantially centrally at an opposite end.

2. A paver as claimed in Claim 1 in which each nib has a substantially flat top.

3. A paver as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein each nib has a substantially champered end portion.

4. A paver as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the nibs on each side are substantially opposite one another.

A paver as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein an upper surface of the paver leads into each side and each end by way of champered edges. 20

6. A paver substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

7. A method of forming a paver (as herein defined), to facilitate its moulding on-end, includes providing the paver with a nib on each side, at or 25 adjacent one end, and a further nib substantially central at an opposite end.

8. A method of producing a paver (as herein defined) substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 7th day of May 1999. FLETCHER CHALLENGE LIMITED Attorney: CAROLINE M BOMMER Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS