GB2362176A

GB2362176A - Kit For Laying Paving Elements

Info

Publication number: GB2362176A
Application number: GB0108436A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fredd Rae; Jose Fernandez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-04-04
Filing date: 2001-04-04
Publication date: 2001-11-14
Also published as: WO2001075232A1; AU4441301A; GB0108436D0; GB2362176A8; GB0008092D0

Abstract

A kit for levelling groundworks consists of a plurality of datum tubes 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of different lengths, and connection members 17 for selectively interconnecting the tubes in alignment with one another, the tubes being arranged to be laid in an upper layer of sand or the like on which paving elements are to be laid, whereby the tubes provide a datum for smoothing the sand surface by the use of screed bar means, the tubes being removed from the sand after smoothing. A method of using the kit is also disclosed.

Description

2362176 Kit For Laying Paving Elements This invention relates to a kit for

use in the laying of groundworks including paving elements such as paving blocks, paving slabs and similar kinds of resurfacing.

Paving elements are generally laid on to a bed of sand which in turn is laid on to hard core material. It is important that the receiving surface for the elements is level and firm so that the elements do not become relatively displaced in use.

According to the invention there is provided an improved kit for laying groundworks such as paving elements and a method for employing the kit.

According to the invention a kit for laying groundworks such as paving elements comprises a plurality of datum tubes of different lengths, and connection elements for selectively interconnecting the tubes in alignment with one another, the datum tubes being arranged to be laid in an upper layer of sand or the like on which the paving elements are to be laid, whereby the datum tubes provide a datum for smoothing the sand surface by the use of screed bar means, the datum tubes being removed from the sand after smoothing.

Preferably the datum tubes are metal tubes having an outside diameter in the range 10-50 mm, preferably about 20 nun, and having a wall thickness sufficient to make the datum tubes non-flexible, for example of the order of 1 mm.

The connection elements may preferably each be in the form of a tube, for example of plastics material, which has an outer diameter at or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the datum tubes to provide a close fit therein.

The kit will preferably include a range of lengths of datum tubes, for example tubes of.25m,.5m, l in, 2m and 3 metres with several tubes in each length. There may also be tubes which, instead of being rectilinear have portions at right angles to one another for using in the 2 comers of an area to be paved.

In a method of using the kit the datum tubes will be located laid into the sand at positions spaced from one another so that tubes provide a datum for the use of a screed bar, the datum tubes of different lengths being selected according to the area to be paved and, where necessary, datum tubes being interconnected to one another and in alignment with one another to provide datum levels, and the datum tubes being removed from the layer of sand in order to lay the paving elements on the surface of the layer of sand.

In practice the layer of sand will be laid on a hard core material which has been compacted and, after laying, the layer of sand will also be compacted. After compaction the sand layer needs to be levelled using the screed bar and the datum tubes. Thus the datum tubes are laid into the layer of sand which should be of minimum thickness, for example more than 50 mm in thickness.

In laying the individual paving elements on to the compacted and levelled layer of sand, according to the invention, the elements should retain their selected datum level and there should be little movement of the elements after laying.

The kit and method of the invention enable paving elements to be laid on a suitable surface in a quick and easy operation even when the area to be paved is irregular in shape. The use of relatively small diameter datum tubes of a plurality of lengths means that there is readily to hand datum tubes ofthe appropriate dimensions. By the facility of having interconnecting means for the tubes, datum tube lengths may be made up of the appropriate length to the laying operation. The screed bar used in association with the datum tubes may be of conventional construction.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of example only and in which:

Figs la, 1b, 1c. and ld show the stages in preparing a sand layer for laying the paving 3 elements, and Fig 2 shows a kit of datum tubes and adaptors.

Referring to the drawings a method of laying paying elements is described employing the novel kit of the invention. The basic method involves preparing the ground surface by providing a hard core base which is generally of the level required and which is consolidated in the usual way using tamping means. The area to be covered is defined by edging blocks or any other system for locating the edges. The level of the area and the drainage arrangement is set out using levelling.

In order to provide a base for the paving elements, which may be paving blocks, paving slabs or the like, a layer of sand, preferably having a depth of 60-80 mm is laid over the hard core and the sand is raked level, Fig IA. The layer of sand is then compressed using a compactor, Fig 113.

It is then necessary to obtain a level surface for the sand in order to receive the paving elements and small irregularities in the sand surface should be avoided because these will give rise to equivalent irregularities in the paving elements, when laid. Similarly thicknesses of loose sand should also be avoided because unequal movement of the paving elements will take place over such areas.

Screeding of the surface is undertaken using the components of Fig 2 and with reference to Figs I C and ID. The components include a plurality of lengths of tube, most of which are of a rectilinear shape such as at 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 but there may also be provided tubes as at 15 and 16 which are right angled tubes. Preferably, the rectilinear portions of the datum tubes are precisionally straight.

The datum tubes are usually of metal, conveniently with a coloured surface finish, such as by powder coating and having an outer diameter in the range 10-50 mm but preferably around 20 nun. The wall thickness of each of the datum tubes may be around 1 mm and 4 sufficient to avoid undue flexing of the datum tubes, especially those of longer length. Several datum tubes of each length may be provided, there being short datum tubes for irregular areas and longer datum tubes for large open areas.

Provision is made for interconnecting lengths of the datum tubes using adaptors or connection elements 17 which are of a size to be admitted into the datum tubes as a close fit whereby to connect the datum tubes end to end, the adaptors or connection elements 17 being located wholly within the datum tubes when connected.

The datum tubes are used to act as datum lines for the sand level and in use they are laid into the layer of sand with their upper surface exposed and at the desired level. A spirit level is laid on the datum tubes to insure the correct levels and inclinations of the surface. A screed bar 20 is placed on the datum tubes and is moved over the sand surface to achieve a smooth flat surface of the sand layer at the correct level. Due to the different lengths of the datum tubes this may be quickly and simply achieved over whichever area of the surface levelling is being done.

The datum tube lengths may range in length from 250 min, 500 min, 1 metre, 2 metres through to 3 metres but other lengths could also be provided. The adaptors or connection elements 17 permit individual datum tube lengths to be interconnected without significant deviation in the level of the datum tubes.

After the screeding operation has been completed the level of the sand layer may be checked with a spirit level and the paving elements can then be laid on to the levelled sand surface.

The method and apparatus of the invention enables the ground to be prepared for block paving, slabbing and landscaping in a fast, precise and accurate way. The accuracy of the system reduces the potential for level variations, drainage problems and variable shapes and sizes of areas to be covered. The datum tubes and associated connection elements 17 or adaptors allow the datum tubes to be extended to cover awkward areas and angles.

The connection elements 17 when made of flexible material allow the interconnected datum tubes to be moved relative to one another to subtend a different angle or to be aligned. The components are easy to assemble, store and are maintenance free. One suitable storage system is a large diameter tube into which the datum tubes are located.

6

Claims

1. A kit for laying paving elements comprises a plurality of datum tubes of different lengths, and connection elements for selectively interconnecting the tubes in alignment with one another, the tubes being arranged to be laid in an upper layer of sand or the like on which the paving elements are to be laid, whereby the tubes provide a datum for smoothing the sand surface by the use of screed bar means, the tubes being removed from the sand after smoothing.

2 A kit according to claim 1, characterised in that the datum tubes are metal tubes having an outside diameter in the range 10-50 mm, and having a wall thickness sufficient to make the datum tubes non-flexible.

3 A kit according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the connection elements are each be in the form of a tube which has an outer diameter at or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the datum tubes to provide a close fit therein.

4 A kit according to claim 3, characterised in that the connecting elements are each formed of a plastics material.

A kit according to any previous claim, characterised in that the kit further comprises a range of lengths of datum tubes with several tubes in each length.

6 A kit according to claim 5, characterised in that the datum tubes comprise lengths of 0.25m, 0.5m, lm, 2m and 3 metres.

7 A kit according to claim 5 or 6 in which the datum tubes have portions at right angles to one another for using in the corners of an area to be paved.

8 A kit for laying paving elements substantially as described herein with reference to 7 and as illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

9 A method of using a kit according to any previous claim, comprising the steps of the locating the datum tubes laid into the sand at positions spaced from one another so that the datum tubes provide a datum for the use of a screed bar, the datum tubes of different lengths being selected according to the area to be paved and, where necessary, datum tubes being interconnected to one another and in alignment with one another to provide datum levels, using the screed bar and removing the datum tubes from the layer of sand in order to lay the paving elements on the surface of the layer of sand.

9 A method according to claim 8, characterised in that the layer of sand is laid on a hard core material which has been compacted and, after laying, the layer of sand is also be compacted.

11 A method according to claim 10, characterised in that after compaction the sand layer needs to be levelled using the screed bar and the datum tubes.

12 A method according to claim 10, characterised in that the datum tubes are laid into the layer of sand which is more than 50 mm in thickness.

13 A method of using a kit substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings