US2057738A

US2057738A - Rubber paving block

Info

Publication number: US2057738A
Application number: US537515A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter L Pipes
Original assignee: United States Rubber Co
Current assignee: Uniroyal Inc
Priority date: 1931-05-15
Filing date: 1931-05-15
Publication date: 1936-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 1953-10-20

Description

Oct. 20, 1936. w. PIPES RUBBER PAVING BLOCK Filed May 15, 1931.

Patented 1 Oct. 20, 1936 atsms PATENT OFFlCE 2.057.738 RUBBER PAVING anocx Walter L. Pipes, Elizabeth, N. 5., asslgnor, by mesne assignments. to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 15, 1931; Serial No. 537,515

2 Claims.

My invention relates to paving blocks and more especially to paving blocks laid on a wet or plastic base which hardens in engagement therewith. v

In applying paving blocks to a wet or plastic base, an example of which is concrete or mortar, one methodis to provide small blocks with projections on their lower surfaces which are forced into the wet or plastic base to serve as anchors 10 for the blocks when the base hardens. The projections are frequently provided with enlarged heads to increase the anchorage available. Such blocks must be laid closely together to avoid cracks in the exposed wearing surface. Care l must be taken to insure that the base material fills in the spaces behind the enlarged heads, which requires, a uniform tamping of the block dimcult to obtain with unskilled labor.

The trapping of air between the surface of the 20 base and the undersurfaces of the blocks also tends to cause a floating or moving of the blocks out of close contact as they are tamped. The provision of enlarged heads on the projections also adds to the difllculties of manufacturing 25 such blocks, which is usually done by molding, as the withdrawal of the enlarged heads from the molds presents difliculties.

I provide a paving block overcoming many of the foregoing problems by providing the lower 30 surfaces of the blocks with sloping projections of substantially uniform cross-sectional areas, and also by providing grooves or ducts for the escape of trapped air, the blocks are preferably of rubber with the projections integral therewith,

35 although it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to rubber as various features of the invention may be utilized in connection with other' paving materials. Preferably the projections diverge outwardly, but I do not intend 40 to limit the invention in this respect.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a present preferred embodiment of the invention in which:

Fig. 1 is an inverted plan view of a paving 5. block embodying my invention,

Fig, 2 is a transverse view of the block taken along the section line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the manner of embedding it in a base,

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of a paved area 50 showing a plurality of blocks in engagement; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of block.

Referring to the drawing, a paving block I, illustrated in the shape of a hexagon, is provided 55 on its lower surface with a plurality of angularly disposed projections 2. The projections 2 are of substantially uniform cross-sectional areas throughout their lengths. They preferably diverge outwardly but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such outward di- 5 vergence of the projections as they may converge inwardly or outwardly as desired. The projections 2 are preferably integral with the body of the block I, but may be attached by other means such as cementing, curing and the like. The undersurface of each block is provided with one or more grooves 3 to permit the escape of entrapped air when the block is laid on a wet or plastic surface. These grooves are relatively narrow as distinguished from anchoring grooves formed in some blocks for receiving embedded keys or anchors of the hardened plastic material.

While the paving block I and the projections 2 are illustrated as being of rubber, it is to be understood that other paving materials may be used in lieu of rubber.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, each block I is laid on the surface of a base 4, and the projections 2 driven or tamped thereinto while the base 4, preferably concrete or mortar, is wet or plastic.

' The base 4 may be of any well known bituminous or hydraulic cement composition. Owing to the absence of enlarged heads on the projections 2 the base material flows around them and between them and the inner surface of the block. The provision of the grooves 3 permits the escape of air, thereby removing the tendency of such blocks to float or creep out of close engagement with each other. Some of the base material may work into the grooves 3 and thereby assist the projections 2 in preventing lateral displacement .of the blocks. Also, due to the broad bearing area, provided between the projections and grooves, the blocks will be firmly seated on the base 4, since the grooves 3 function mainly to prevent the entrapment of air between said base 4 and the broad bearing areas of the block. In the modification of Fig. 4 the block ID has projections l2 which are illustrated as extending downwardly and converging inwardly from the 5 corners of the block into a hardened concrete or mortar base l4. By forming the projections l2 at the corners and inclining them to the vertical the block I0 offers great resistance to any upheaving forces and especially those forces tending to lift or tilt the block along its edge. The particular direction in which the projections l2 incline to the vertical or to each other is not material so long as the directions are so balanaced that the block has no tendency to slide to one side he understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the spirit of the invention and the scope of. the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A paving block having a body outline of a pattern to snugly engage similar blocks around its entire periphery to completely cover a wet concrete base, and separated angularly disposed anchoring projections of substantially uniform cross section throughout their lengths extending from the underface of said body for insertion into and embedment in the concrete base, the number and arrangement of the projections being suchas to provide substantially equal "or balanced anchorage for said block in all directions, said projections throughout at least most of their lengths being spaced from and terminating with in the projections of the edges of the body to prevent the formation of pockets in the concrete adjacent to said projections, the inner surface of saidbody. being provided with relatively narrow, radial ventinggrooves extending outwardly between the projections to the edges of the body whereby when the block is placed on wet concrete the entrapped air may escape during-the insertion of the projections block.. I

2. A rubber paving block having a body outline of la" pattern to snugly engage similar blocks around its entire periphery 'to completely cover a wet concrete base, and separated angularly disposed anchoring projections of substantially uniform cross section throughouttheir lengths extending from the underface of said body for insertion into an embedmentin the concrete base. the number and arrangement of the'projeeticns being such as to provide substantially equal or balanced anchorage for said block in all directions, said projections throughout at least most of their lengths being spaced from and terminating within the projections of the edges of the body to prevent the formation of pockets in the concrete adjacent to said projections, the inner surface of said body belng provided with relatively narrow, radial venting grooves extending outwardly between the projections to the edges of the body whereby when the block is placed on wet concrete the entrapped air may escape during the insertion of the projections without floating of the block.

without floating oi the