GB2378190A

GB2378190A - Squaring off set

Info

Publication number: GB2378190A
Application number: GB0118303A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Reginald Robinson
Original assignee: Marshalls Mono Ltd
Current assignee: Marshalls Mono Ltd
Priority date: 2001-07-27
Filing date: 2001-07-27
Publication date: 2003-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-27
Also published as: GB2378190B; GB0118303D0

Abstract

The squaring off set 1 comprises a plurality of squaring off paving blocks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 each squaring off block having a first arched side face 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a, a plurality of other, substantially straight, remaining side faces, and which are arrangeable, in use, to provide a transition from an area of circular paving 9 to an area of rectangular paving blocks 11 laid in a herring-bone pattern or other pattern.

Description

SQUARING OFF SET The invention relates to a squaring off set for paving, particularly to a squaring off set for block paving.

Block paving is well known and may for example comprise a plurality of rectangular paving blocks which can be laid in various patterns to provide public areas, driveways, car parks or other paved areas.

It may be desirable to create a circular effect, for example on a patio Rectangular blocks may be used to create a circular effect by arranging a first circle of blocks spread out like a fan around a centrepiece. Subsequent rows of blocks are then fitted around the first row to provide further circles of progressively increasing radius. Alternatively the circle may be formed from a set of paving blocks for use in producing a circular paved area as disclosed in GB 2 334 044A.

In either case, it is then necessary to lay rectangular paving blocks up to the periphery of the circle. This is an awkward and time consuming process which requires small pieces to be cut from rectangular paving blocks to form the transition between the circular paved area and the area of rectangular paving blocks. In addition to being time consuming this process also results in ill fitting pieces of paving in the transitional area. This produces varying gaps between adjacent blocks which can be unsightly and difficult to fill.

In a first aspect the invention comprises a squaring off set comprising a plurality of squaring off paving blocks, each squaring off block having a first arched side face, a plurality of other, substantially straight, remaining side faces, and which are arrangable, in use, to provide a transition from an area of circular paving to an area of rectangular paving blocks laid in a herring-bone pattern.

The squaring off set of the invention may result in improved aesthetics for a- paved area incorporating a circle and rectangular paving blocks.

The squaring off set of the invention may provide an encirclement for an area of information paving. The information paving may comprise logos or directional arrows. The squaring off set of the invention may allow the information paving, and thus the logos or directional arrows, to be orientated In any direction without said direction being dictated by the surrounding paving pattern.

The invention may also provide a simplified laying process around the periphery of a circle when compared with the prior art. For example it may allow fewer squaring off blocks and fewer different shapes of squaring off blocks to be employed.

Whilst it is the aim of the invention to provide a squaring off set which allows for a transition between an area of circular paving and an area of rectangular paving blocks laid in a herring-bone pattern the squaring off set may also allow for a transition between circular paving and rectangular paving blocks laid In any known pattern. The rectangular paving blocks may, for example, be laid in a half bond or stretcher bond pattern.

The squaring off set may comprise a plurality of squaring off blocks.

The squaring off set may comprise sufficient squaring off blocks to adjoin the circumference of one quadrant of an area of circular paving. Alternatively the set may comprise sufficient squaring off blocks to adjoin the circumference of a semi-circle of circular paving or an entire circle of circular paving.

The squaring off set may comprise a plurality of variously shaped squaring off blocks which are shaped so they closely fit the circular area of paving on one side and closely fit the rectangular paving blocks on the other.

While the squaring off blocks may have a first side face which is arched to allow close adjoinment with the circular area of paving, the remaining side faces may be substantially straight to allow close adjoinment with the rectangular paving blocks The squaring off blocks may be such that the remaining side faces of each block adjoin in such a manner that any external cavities thus formed have an included angle of substantially 90 . Preferably the squaring off blocks are such that each block has a maximum of one external cavity between remaining side faces. The squaring off blocks may be such that the remaining side faces of each block adjoin in such a manner that they form no external cavities. The squaring off blocks may thus be such that the included angle between all adjoining remaining side faces is less than 1800.

The squaring off blocks may have a generally orthogonal appearance. The squaring off blocks may be generally orthogonal in shape, apart from the arched side face.

The squaring off blocks may have between 3 and 5 side faces. Preferably, they have a maximum of 5 side faces. This may result in improved aesthetics for a squared off circular area of paving.

The majority of squaring off blocks may have 4 or 5 side faces, for example at least two thirds of the squaring off blocks may have 4 or 5 side faces.

The majority of the squaring off blocks may have 5 side faces, for example at least two thirds of the squaring off blocks may have 5 side faces. Alternatively, the majority of squaring off blocks may have 4 side faces, for example at least two thirds of the squaring off blocks may have 4 side faces.

In the case of a squaring off block which comprises an external cavity between two remaining side faces the squaring off block may have a greater number of side faces. However the squaring off block may be such that if it were intersected by a line from the point at which the remaining side faces join to form the external cavity, to the arched face, it would form two blocks each of which would have between 3 and 5 side faces as hereinbefore described.

Similarly in the case of a squaring off block having two or more external cavities the block may be such that if it were intersected between each external cavity and the arched face it would form a plurality of squaring off blocks having between 3 and 5 side faces and no external cavities between the side faces.

It is desirable that the squaring off blocks may have between 3 and 5 side faces which form no external cavities. However, as will be understood from the above such blocks could be adjoined along one of their remaining side faces, adjacent to the arched face, to the remaining side face, adjacent to the arched face, of another one of such blocks, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The squaring off blocks may be such that at least two of the remaining side faces of each squaring off block are arranged, in use, to follow the alignment of the side faces of the rectangular paving blocks.

The squaring off blocks may be such that all or all but one of the remaining side faces of each squaring off block are arranged, in use, to follow the alignment of the side faces of the rectangular paving blocks.

The squaring off blocks may be such that no more than two of the remaining side faces of each squaring off block are arranged, in use, to adjoin an area of rectangular paving blocks.

The squaring off blocks may be such that the included angle between at leasttwo of the adjacent remaining side faces i. e. between at least two adjacent substantially straight side faces, in each block, is substantially 900.

The squaring off blocks may be such that the included angle between all or all but two of the adjoining remaining side faces, i. e. between all or all but two adjacent substantially straight side faces, in each block, is substantially 90 The squaring off blocks may be such that the included angle between all adjoining remaining side faces in each block is substantially 900.

The invention provides a squaring off set as defined above, in combination with a set of rectangular paving blocks.

At least two thirds of the squaring off blocks in the squaring off set may have a remaining side face arranged, in use, to adjoin an area of rectangular paving blocks and which remaining side face has a length equal to at least two times the width, and preferably equal to at least three times the width, of one of the rectangular paving blocks.

At least two thirds of the squaring off blocks of the squaring off set may have a remaining side face substantially opposite the first arched side face and which remaining side face has a length equal to at least two times the width, and preferably equal to at least three times the width, of one of the rectangular paving blocks.

At least two thirds of the squaring off blocks in the squaring off set may have a remaining side face substantially opposite the first arched side face and which remaining side face has a length equal to three times the width of one of the rectangular paving blocks.

One or more of the squaring off blocks may have one or more grooves on theirupper surface.

The groove or grooves may be arranged to divide the block into sections having a width equal to the width of one of the rectangular paving blocks. The grooves thus give the appearance that such squaring off block comprises two or more rectangular paving blocks or parts thereof.

The squaring off blocks may be moulded from any desired material such as concrete, reconstituted stone, or clay.

A second aspect of the invention provides a method of squaring off an area of circular paving to provide a transition to an area of rectangular paving blocks laid in a herring-bone pattern wherein the method comprises utilising the squaring off set as hereinbefore described.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a set of squaring off blocks arranged to square off part of a circular pavement; Figure 2 shows a squared off circular pavement in plan, using the squaring off blocks of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a set of squaring off blocks arranged to square off part of a circular pavement; Figure 4 shows a squared off circular pavement in plan, using the squaring off blocks of Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows another embodiment of a set of squaring off blocks arranged to square off part of a circular pavement; Figure 6 shows a squared off circular pavement in plan, using the squaring off blocks of Figure 5; Figure 7 shows another embodiment of a set of squaring off blocks arranged to square off part of a circular pavement; and Figure 8 shows a squared off circular pavement in plan, using the squaring off blocks of Figure 7.

Figures 1 and 2 show details of a particularly advantageous squaring off set.

The squaring off set 1 makes the transition between a circular area, in this case a circular pavement 9 and standard paving 10. In this case the standard paving consists of conventional rectangular paving blocks 11 arranged in a herring-bone pattern.

The squaring off set 1 consists of a number of variously shaped squaring off blocks 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 8, which are shaped so they closely fit the circular pavement 9 on one side and closely fit the standard paving 10 on the other.

A first side face 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a of the individual squaring off blocks 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 8 is arched to allow close adjoinment with the circular area 9. The remaining side faces are substantially straight and form an included angle of substantially 900 with each adjoining remaining side face. The squaring off blocks 2, 3, 4,5, 6,7, 8 thus have a generally orthogonal shape, apart from the arched side face, allowing for close adjoinment with the standard paving 10.

The squaring off blocks 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 8, are shown in Figure 1 arranged such that their arched side faces 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a form an arc of a quadrant of a circle.

Figure 2 shows 4 identical sets 1 of squaring off blocks 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 8 as shown in Figure 1 assembled to completely square off a circular pavement 9. This provides straight faces around the circular paving 9 with which the rectangular paving blocks 11 can closely adjoin.

The squaring off blocks 2,3, 4,6, 7,8 have grooves on their upper surfaces.

This gives the appearance that each of blocks 2,3, 4,6, 7,8 is in fact three separate blocks, each having the same width as the rectangular paving blocks

11. All side faces of the squaring off blocks 2,3, 4,5, 6,7 orientated towards the standard paving 10 have the same alignment as the side faces of the rectangular paving blocks 11.

This results in improved aesthetics when the squaring off set 1 is surrounded by the standard paving 10.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown) one or more of the individual squaring off blocks 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 8 may be manufactured to be integral with another one or more of the squaring off blocks 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 8 to provide a larger individual squaring off block.

For example, blocks 2 and 3 of Figure 1 could form one larger block as could blocks 4,5 and 6 and as could blocks 7 and 8. Each of the larger blocks may thus comprise greater than 5 side faces.

Figures 3 and 4 show details of an alternative embodiment of a squaring off set. The squaring off set 12 consists of a number of variously shaped squaring off blocks 13,14, 15,16, 17,18.

The squaring off blocks 13,14, 15,16, 17,18 have generally the same shapeas the squaring off blocks 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 8. There are though fewer blocks in the squaring off set 12 than in the first squaring off set 1. As a result the squaring off blocks 13,14, 15,16, 17,18 differ slightly to allow close, convenient and aesthetically pleasing adjoinment with both a circular area, in this case a circular pavement 9 and standard paving 10. In this case the standard paving consists of conventional rectangular paving blocks 11 arranged in a herring-bone pattern.

A first side face 13a, 14a, 15a, 16a, 17a, 18a of the individual squaring off blocks 13,14, 15,16, 17,18 is arched to allow close adjoinment with the circular area 9. The remaining side faces are substantially straight and form an included angle of substantially 90 with each adjoining remaining side face.

Squaring off blocks 15 and 16 are the exception each having one remaining side face which extends radially from the centre of the circle. However the squaring off blocks generally have an orthogonal shape such that when layed as shown in Figure 4 they allow close adjoinment with the standard paving 10.

All side faces of the squaring off blocks 13,14, 15,16, 17,18 orientated towards the standard paving 10 have the same alignment as the side faces of the rectangular paving blocks 11.

Again 4 identical sets 12 of squaring off blocks 13,14, 15,16, 17,18 are used to enclose a complete circle 9. Each block has at least one face the length of which is equal to three times the width of the standard herring bone laid blocks.

Figures 5 and 6 show details of an alternative embodiment of a squaring off set. The squaring off set 20 consist of a number of variously shaped squaring off blocks 21,22, 23,24, 25,26.

The squaring off blocks 21,22, 23,24, 25,26 have generally the same shape as the squaring off blocks 13,14, 15,16, 17,18. Each squaring off block though has two side faces arranged to extend radially from the centre of the circle.

Each squaring off block 21,22, 23,24, 25,26 has 5 side faces with a first side face of each block being arched to allow close adjoinment with a circular area 9. The remaining side faces of each block 21,22, 23,24, 25,26 are substantially straight and each squaring off block is such that it has an included angle of substantially 900 between at least two adjacent remaining side faces. Each squaring off block 21,22, 23,24, 25,26 thus has at least two remaining faces arranged, in use, to follow the alignment of the side faces of the rectangular paving blocks 11 of the standard paving 10.

The arrangement described above thus gives each squaring off block a generally orthogonal appearance and the squaring off blocks 21,22, 23,24, 25,26 are such that when layed as shown in Figure 6 they closely adjoin with both the standard paving 10 and circular paving 9 and provide an aesthetically pleasing adjoinment between the two.

Again 4 identical sets 20 of squaring off blocks 21,22, 23,24, 25,26 are used to enclose a complete circle 9.

Figures 7 and 8 show details of an alternative embodiment of a squaring off set. The squaring off set 30 consists of a number of variously shaped squaring off blocks 31,32, 33,34, 35,36, 37,38.

The squaring off blocks 31,32, 33,34, 35,36, 37,38. Have generally the same shape as the squaring off blocks 21,22, 23,24, 25,26. There are though more blocks in the squaring off set 30 than in the squaring off set 20.

Each squaring off block has 5 side faces with one being arched and two of the remaining faces being arranged to extend radially from the centre of a circle.

The remaining side faces of each squaring off block 31,32, 33,34, 35,36, 37, - 38 are substantially straight and each block is such that it has an included angle of substantially 900 between at least two adjacent remaining faces.

When layed as shown in Figure 8 the shape of the squaring off blocks thus allows close adjoinment with both the standard paving 10 and circular paving 9 and provide an aesthetically pleasing adjoinment between the two. Again 4 identical sets 30 of the squaring off blocks 31,32, 33,34, 35,36, 37,38 are used to enclose a complete circle 9.

Although the squaring off blocks described above are specifically designed for use with standard paving laid in a herring-bone pattern, the dimensions of the blocks are such that they will also provide a transition between a circular area and paving laid in a stretcher bond, or half bond pattern.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extend to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A squaring off set comprising a plurality of squaring off paving blocks, each squaring off block having a first arched side face, a plurality of other, substantially straight, remaining side faces, and which are arrangable, in use, to provide a transition from an area of circular paving to an area of rectangular paving blocks laid in a herring-bone pattern.

2. A squaring off set according to claim 1, wherein the set comprises a plurality of variously shaped squaring off blocks which are shaped so they closely fit the circular area of paving on one side and closely fit the rectangular paving blocks on the other.

3. A squaring off set according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the squaring off blocks are such that the remaining side faces of each block adjoin in such a manner that any external cavities thus formed have an included angle of substantially 900.

4. A squaring off set according to claim 3, wherein the squaring off blocks are such that each block has a maximum of one external cavity between remaining side faces.

5. A squaring off set according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the squaring off blocks are such that the included angle between all adjoining remaining side faces is less than 180 .

6. A squaring off set according to any preceding claim, wherein the squaring off blocks have between 3 and 5 side faces.

7. A squaring off set according to any preceding claim, wherein at least two thirds of the squaring off blocks have 4 or 5 side faces.

8. A squaring off set according to any preceding claim, wherein the squaring off blocks are such that the included angle between at least two of the adjacent remaining side faces in each block is substantially 900.

9. A squaring off set according to any preceding claim, wherein at least two thirds of the squaring off blocks in the set have a remaining side face arranged, in use, to adjoin an area of rectangular paving blocks and which remaining side face has a length equal to at least two times the width of one of the rectangular paving blocks.

10. A squaring off set according to any preceding claim, wherein at least two thirds of the squaring off blocks of the set have a remaining side face substantially opposite the first arched side face and which remaining side face has a length equal to at least two times the width of one of the rectangular paving blocks.

11. A squaring off set according to any preceding claim, wherein one or more of the squaring off blocks has one or more grooves on their upper surface.

12. A squaring off set according to claim 11, wherein the groove or grooves are arranged to divide the block into sections having a width equal to the width of one of the rectangular paving blocks.

13. A squaring off set according to any preceding claim, wherein the squaring off blocks are moulded from any desired material such as concrete, reconstituted stone, or clay.

14. A squaring off set substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A method of squaring off an area of circular paving to provide a transition to an area of rectangular paving blocks laid in a herring-bone pattern wherein the method comprises utilising a squaring off set according to any preceding claim.