EP0126507B1 - Concrete paving element - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A concrete paving element of polygonal basic configuration adapted to be decomposed into several similar and equal polygons, provided with grooves (1, 2) dividing the element on one portion of its thickness into several portions (3, 4, 5) having each the appearance of a separate paving-stone, a gap being left between the periphery and at least one portion of the paving-stones, characterised in that it has a base configuration adapted to be decomposed into three similar and equal polygons of which two are aligned to constitute a figure ranging from a T-shape to an L-shape, and that it is divided by said grooves (1, 2; 15, 16, 17) into three paving stones having the same general shape but different dimensions for at least two of them, in that the distance between the edge of the element and at least one portion of at least one of the paving stones is inferior to half the average width of the grooves, and that the middle of the groove formed between two adjacent paving stones is not coincident with the common side (a, b) of the two polygons constituting the paving element and lies in the area of said groove.

Description

The present invention relates to a concrete paving element, the basic shape of which is polygonal, decomposable into several similar and equal polygons, having grooves dividing the element, over part of its thickness, into several parts each having l aspect of an individual paving stone, a space remaining between the circumference of the element and at least a part of the paving stones.

Such paving elements are used to obtain, by means of concrete elements, the appearance of a traditional paving obtained by means of stone pavers. We know such square elements divided by four grooves into nine square blocks. A paving made by means of these elements has a very regular geometric appearance, all the paving stones being identical and perfectly aligned, so that such paving hardly recalls a traditional paving.

Paving elements are also known which consist of several regular hexagons on each of which a round block is formed (DE-A-2,500,970). The paving obtained is very regular and does not at all recall natural paving.

According to another embodiment (DE-A-2 852 474), a rectangular element is divided by grooves into several blocks or rectangular. This document suggests executing individual pavers of different shapes and / or sizes, but does not give any example of execution.

It has also been proposed to use rectangular elements divided into two unequal parts which are sometimes available in one direction and sometimes in another direction perpendicular to the first. Such paving also has a regularity which is foreign to traditional paving.

It has also been proposed to produce pavements in an arc of a circle by means of tiles divided into approximately twenty-five individual pavers arranged in an arc of a circle. Such tiles are relatively large and inconvenient to lay. The connection between the tiles is made using unnatural diamond-shaped pavers. In addition, the spaces between the pavers are very regular, since the molding does not allow grooves with a width of less than 8 mm and a greater width to make the paving not very comfortable.

There are also known pavements in an arc formed by means of three different types of elements in an arc divided in three, respectively into two unequal parts, but despite these inequalities, the paving obtained has regularity and completely foreign alignments to traditional paving.

The object of the present invention is to break the alignment of such pavements, that is to say to obtain an apparent misalignment, as found in traditional pavements.

To this end, the paving element according to the invention has a basic shape decomposable into three similar and equal polygons, two of which are aligned so as to constitute a figure going from a T shape to an L shape, and that '' it is divided by said grooves into three blocks of the same general shape, but at least two of which have different dimensions and by the fact that the distance between the edge of the element and at least a part of at least one of paving stones is less than half the average width of the grooves, and by the fact that the middle of the groove separating two paving stones does not coincide with the side common to the two polygons composing the paving element and lying in the area of this groove.

By varying the position of the grooves, elements that are different from one another are obtained not only by the size of their block, but also by the position of the grooves and the distance between certain edges of the element and the edge of the blocks. By placing these elements next to each other, nested within each other, even if they have exactly the same shape, not only the alignment of the individual blocks is broken, but also the alignment of the grooves and more the grooves do not always have the same width, certain grooves having a width substantially less than 8 mm, given that at the junction of two elements there are paving stones whose distance from the edge of the element is less than the half width of a groove, that is to say less than about 4 mm. The appearance of such a pavement is very close to that of a traditional pavement due to the irregularity and misalignments obtained.

The paving can be carried out either by means of elements of absolutely identical shape, or by means of elements of different and complementary shapes. In particular, the T shape can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.

The general shape of the individual paving stone can be square, round or barrel-shaped, the shape of the three basic polygons being chosen so as to adapt to the shape of the paving stone, that is to say so as not to have too large spaces between the pavers, from one element to another.

The invention also relates to a pavement obtained by means of the elements according to the invention.

• La figure 1 représente une vue en plan d'un élément en T selon une première forme d'exécution.
• La figure 2 est une vue en élévation de ce même élément.
• La figure 3 est une vue en perspective de ce même élément.
• La figure 4 est une vue en plan d'un élément en T selon une seconde forme d'exécution.
• La figure 5 est une vue en élévation de l'élément selon la seconde forme d'exécution.
• La figure 6 est une vue en perspective de l'élément selon la seconde forme d'exécution.
• La figure 7 illustre une partie de pavage réalisée au moyen d'éléments selon la première forme d'exécution.
• La figure 8 représente une partie de pavage réalisé au moyen d'une variante d'exécution de l'élément selon la première forme d'exécution.
• La figure 9 est une vue en plan d'une variante d'exécution de l'élément représenté aux figures 4, 5 et 6.
• La figure 10 est une coupe partielle selon X-X de la figure 9.
• La figure 11 est une coupe partielle selon XI-XI de la figure 9.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, some embodiments of the paving element according to the invention.

• FIG. 1 represents a plan view of a T-shaped element according to a first embodiment.
• Figure 2 is an elevational view of the same element.
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of this same element.
• Figure 4 is a plan view of a T-shaped element according to a second embodiment.
• Figure 5 is an elevational view of the element according to the second embodiment.
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of the element according to the second embodiment.
• FIG. 7 illustrates a part of paving produced by means of elements according to the first embodiment.
• FIG. 8 represents a part of paving produced by means of an alternative embodiment of the element according to the first embodiment.
• FIG. 9 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the element shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.
• FIG. 10 is a partial section along XX of FIG. 9.
• Figure 11 is a partial section along XI-XI of Figure 9.

The paving element shown in Figures 1 to 3 is in the form of an asymmetrical T. It can be broken down into three identical squares as indicated by the dotted lines a and b. These squares are, for example, 10 cm on a side. The element is divided into three parts by two grooves 1 and 2 of irregular width which extend over half the thickness of the element and do not coincide with lines a and b. The groove 1 is located to the left of the line a in the example shown, but it could also be located to the right of this line a. As for the groove 2, more precisely the middle of this groove 2, it can be offset, either above or below the line b. The

. two grooves 1 and 2 divide the paving element, over half of its thickness, into three blocks 3, 4 and 5 of generally rectangular shape, respectively square for block 5, the sides of which are formed by irregular lines imitating the shape of a cubic paved stone. In addition, the distance between the periphery of the paving element, more precisely from its base 6, and the edge of the pavers is variable and on several sides less than half the minimum width of the grooves 1 and 2. The minimum width grooves 1 and 2 being 8 mm for technical manufacturing reasons, it is thus possible to have grooves of smaller width between two neighboring pavers belonging to two different elements, which makes it possible to be free from this condition of minimum width of 8 mm and to have a great diversity in the width of the grooves, diversity that is found in traditional stone pavements.

The surface of the pavers may be irregular to give the appearance of a broken or broken rock (Figure 3). It can also be rounded to give it the appearance of a pebble or a worn paving stone (Figure 6).

FIG. 7 represents an example of paving produced by means of elements according to FIGS. 1 to 3, but having different paving stones. We see for example that one of the elements has two blocks 8 and 9 of accentuated and very different rectangular shapes, these blocks being separated by a groove 10 which is practically oblique with respect to the edge of the element. The second groove 11 is almost completely below line b. The diversity of the shapes of the pavers, the unevenness of the grooves and the misalignment of these give the paving an aspect which practically does not distinguish from that of a traditional paving in cut stones.

A second embodiment of paving element according to the invention is shown in Figures 4 to 6. This element, also T-shaped, symmetrical, can be broken down into three identical hexagons as indicated by the dotted lines c , d and e. These hexagons have six equal sides. The element is cut up to mid-height into three blocks 12, 13 and 14 of approximately oval shape which are approximately inscribed in each of the hexagons, leaving grooves 15, 16 and 17 between the blocks and free zones such as 18 between the paving stones and the periphery of the base 19 of the element. The three blocks, 12, 13 and 14 have generally different dimensions and shapes which can vary endlessly. In the example shown the block 12 is larger than the block 13 and projects beyond the hexagon supporting the block 13, so that the groove 15 is offset relative to the axis of symmetry of the element. The block 12 also extends beyond the hexagon carrying the block 14, so that the groove 17 is offset relative to the common side d of the hexagons. As for the first embodiment, it is possible to easily manufacture a certain number of different paving elements and to assemble them by mixing them as for the paving shown in FIG. 7. A pavement which then appears to consist of oval pavers or pebbles of natural stones of different dimensions and variable shapes without rigorous alignment of the pavers and the spaces separating these pavers.

An alternative embodiment of the paving element described above is shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11. The basic shape of the paving element is identical to that of the element shown in Figure 4, c 'is to say composed of three non regular hexagons, but with two orthogonal axes of symmetry, arranged in T. The angles. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, that is to say the smallest angles of the periphery, are however cut, so that there is no longer a sharp angle. The element consists of three blocks 26, 27, 28 of irregular oval or ovoid shape and of different sizes. The pavers have a flat central part 29 reminiscent of a worn pebble paver and a rounded peripheral part 30. In the re-entrant angles of the periphery are further provided notches 31, 32 and 33. The periphery of the element thus follows more closely the outline of cobblestones. The elements are placed on a bed of fine, non-freezing sand. The holes remaining between the elements due to the cut angles and notches are filled with a clay plugging sand. A certain quantity of sand also penetrates into the grooves 34 so that the final appearance of the pavement is that of a pebble pavement on a bed of sand.

In the same way it would be possible to produce round pavers arranged in regular hexagons or pavers in the shape of a barrel. In general, the grooves can divide the paved over a height varying from half to a third of its thickness.

Starting from the paving elements described above, it is possible to produce paving in an arc. By starting, for example, from the element shown in FIG. 1 and by giving a certain curvature to the sides parallel to the line b, it is possible to produce paving as shown in FIG. 8.

Claims (8)

1. A concrete paving element of polygonal basic configuration adapted to be decomposed into several similar and equal polygons, provided with grooves (1, 2) dividing the element on one portion of its thickness into several portions (3, 4, 5) having each the appearance of a separate paving-stone, a gap being left between the periphery and at least one portion of the paving- stones, characterised in that it has a base configuration adapted to be decomposed into three similar and equal polygons of which two are aligned to constitute a figure ranging from a T-shape to an L-shape, and that it is divided by said grooves (1, 2 ; 15, 16, 17) into three paving stones having the same general shape but different dimensions for at least two of them, in that the distance between the edge of the element and at least one portion of at least one of the paving stones is inferior to half the average width of the grooves, and that the middle of the groove formed between two adjacent paving stones is not coincident with the common side (a, b) of the two polygons constituting the paving element and lies in the area of said groove.

2. The paving element of Claim 1, characterised in that the polygons constituting said element consist of squares (3, 4, 5) and that the paving stones are substantially rectangular.

3. The paving element of Claim 1, characterised in that the polygons constituting said element are regular hexagons and that the paving stones have a substantially round shape.

4. The paving element of Claim 1, characterised in that the polygons constituting said paving element are irregular hexagons with four equal sides and that the paving stones have a substantially oval or barrel shape.

5. The T-shaped paving element of Claim 2, characterised in that the sides parallel to the common groove (b) of the three paving stones consist of circular arcs.

6. The T-shaped paving element of Claim 4, characterised in that the corners (20-25) of the - base polygon corresponding to the ends of the arms of the T are bevelled and that notches (31, 32, 33) are formed between the separate paving stones (26, 27, 28).

7. A pavement made of T-shaped elements as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that all said elements have the same configuration.

8. A pavement made of T-shaped elements as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that it consists of elements having at least two different configurations.

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