AU9237298A - Edging - Google Patents

Description

A form of edging (10) for lawns, garden beds, paths and like is disclosed. The edging has a body which has at least one longitudinal aperture (15, 16) passing along its length which aperture is adapted to receive an irrigation hose (20) or other type of conductor.

The upper wall defining the aperture have holes (18) passing therethrough and through which nozzles (21) or the like can be caused to pass for connection into the irrigation hose or other conductors. The edging has a flat base (11) adapted to be located on a preformed surface, two sides (12, 13) (preferably flat) at right angles to the base and a top (14) curved between the two sides to provide an upper surface. Passing through the body of the edging can be co-joined apertures of such size as to receive an irrigation hose or other conductor.

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

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EDGING

APPLICANT:

NUMBER:

TAYLORMADE POTTERY PTY. LIMITED PP0484 I I The following statement is a full description of this invention; including the best method of performing it known to me: -1-

EDGING

This invention relates to edging and particularly edging for lawns, garden beds and paths.

There have been proposed a number of different types of edging which generally delineate to adjacent areas, such as a path and a lawn or a garden bed and a lawn or a path or driveway and lawn area and these, in no sort of order, could compromise simply wooden planks held in position by driven wooden spikes or the like, bricks, preform terracotta members, plastic members or split wooden members which may be connected to a backing.

These have been variously successful both as far as providing a good edging and as far as aesthetics are concerned.

It is not uncommon to run flexible or semi-flexible hoses, pipes or conduits adjacent the edges of areas to provide a water system and such hoses are often located relatively close to edges having nozzles which spray into the area being defined.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an edging which can, at the same time, also act to carry irrigation hoses, low voltage electrical and other cabling and other conductors.

The invention includes an edging comprising a body which has at least on longitudinal aperture passing along the length thereof which aperture is adapted to receive an irrigation hose. It may be preferred that the upper wall defining the aperture has holes passing therethrough through which nozzles or the like can be caused to pass for connection into the irrigation hose.

It may be preferred that the edging has more than one aperture passing therethrough so that two or more hoses can pass through the edging or so that conductors other than for irrigation an be carried eg: low voltage electrical wiring.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood we shall describe this in relation to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a length of edging made in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a broken portion of edging similar to that of Figure 1 showing an irrigation hose passing along the length thereof and a spray nozzle extending therefrom; Figure 3 is a section along line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing the relative positions of the hose and the nozzle relative to the edging; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the edging showing a plurality of irrigation hoses passing therethrough; Figure 5 is a section along line 5-5 of Figure 4; Figure 6 is effectively a continuation of the arrangement of Figure 4 showing one hose terminating at a nozzle being connected to an adjacent hose which is located lower in the edging; and Figure 7 is a modified form of edging.

The edging of the invention may be made of any form of extruded material such as terracotta, extruded thermoplastics or even extruded metal but in this specification we shall describe it generally as being of terracotta.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 the edging 10 has a flat base 11 adapted to be located on a preformed surface, two sides 12 and 13 which are preferably flat and at right angles to the base 11 and, when the edging is located may have a build up of,material on one or both sides and has a top 14 which is shown as being curved between the two sides to provide an upper surface which is aesthetically attractive and which has minimal sharp edges.

Passing through the body of the edging 10 can be considered to be two co-joined apertures 15 and 16 and there may be a restricted portion at the lower edge of the aperture 15 formed by two ribs running the length of the edging.

The aperture is of such a size as to receive an irrigation hose 20, which can normally be a semi-flexible hose or pipe of a plastic material. Because of the rib 17 the hose is held in the required position.

Through the edging 10 at required spacings there can be apertures 18 which enter into the aperture

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These may be formed on manufacture or may be provided by simply drilling a hole with the type of drill appropriate to the material of the edging. Through these apertures there may pass nozzles 21 which normally have a formed lower end 26 which are adapted to penetrate the irrigation hose 20 to make a seal therewith but to permit delivery of water therefrom.

Because of the formation of the recess 15 the hose 20 is not only held in the required position but also can absorb the downward force needed to fit the nozzle thereto.

It can be seen that it would be possible to lay the edging in the required position then to pass the hose therethrough, and this may be through a number of lengths of edging but at one adjacent the other, connect one end of the hose to a water source close the other end of the hose with some form of closure such as that 29 shown in Figure 6, locate the nozzles 21 in position and to thereby provide a watering system, the hose for which is protected by the edging and the nozzles of which are located at a satisfactory height relative to the adjacent area.

Of course the nozzles can vary, depending upon the location of the edging to provide a spray through 180 or 360 degrees so that the required area receives the water therefrom.

Because it can often be required to provide substantially long runs of irrigation hose and it may not be desirable to provide nozzles throughout the whole of the length of this, the arrangement of the aperture 16 can be such as to receive one or two, as illustrated, further irrigation hoses 23 and 24.

These hoses can simply be used to carry water to a substantially distant position and as shown in Figure 6 when hose 20 is terminated at 29 then hose 23 can be used to supply the water for the spray nozzles and a nozzle 25 can be fitted thereto. This nozzle has a longer body than nozzle 21 so that its extension through the edging is approximately the same as earlier nozzles.

Alternatively the irrigation hose 23 could, at a junction, be caused to move upwardly into recess 15 of the next adjacent edging member and the nozzles could be connected in the same way as illustrated in the earlier figures.

This can be done by a slight distortion of the hose to cause it to move upwardly into the recess 15 or by removing portion of the rib 17 at a junction.

-3- Referring to Figures 4, 5 and 6 it will be seen that the aperture 16 is of a sufficient size to receive two irrigation hoses, one above the other, and the third one of these could be used to provide water at a distance after there has been delivery from the first and second.

Referring to Figure 7 we show an edging 30 with two discrete apertures 31 and 32.

Basically in this arrangement an irrigation hose can pass along aperture 31 as did the hose through aperture 15 in the earlier embodiment and nozzles can pass through the upper surface.

The other hoses or hoses can pass to a position where one can either be passed up into the aperture 31 of an adjacent edging member after the hose in the earlier members has been terminated or they could simply be passed to a position where they themselves could be connected to other members, say if they were to be used in a position away from the edging but the edging provides a safe method of passing the hoses to the required position. For example, if an edging was running along the edge of the lawn and at the end there was a flower bed or the like adjacent then one of the hoses in the lower portion of the edging could be provided with an angled connector and have connected thereto a further length of hose which runs around the edge or through the bed.

The apertures within the edging can be utilised not only for the carriage of irrigation hoses but for other conduits such as low voltage electrical cabling and telephone wiring.

Whilst in this specification we have described particular embodiments of edging in accordance with the invention it is to be understood that these are largely exemplary and various other arrangements could well be provided to give the same practical effect.

Variations can be made to suit methods of manufacture of different components and also the external shape of the edging can be varied for particular applications.

All such variations and modifications lie within the scope of the invention.