Abstract
A paver block restraint system is proposed where the included bosses are disposed at an angle with respect to the ground such that the anchoring nails (or spikes) are into a fixed position underneath the paver block. The anchoring nails may be driven at an angle that essentially passes through (or near) the inner corner of an L-shaped support member and thus substantially minimizes (if not eliminates) any movement of the support member with respect to the edge of the paver block.
Claims
1. A paver restraint system, comprising: a vertical wall for positioning against an exposed edge of a paver block; a horizontal base attached to a lower termination of the vertical wall so as to form an L-shaped configuration, the combination of the vertical wall and horizontal base extending in a longitudinal direction; and at least one boss member formed in the horizontal base and oriented at an angle with respect to the vertical wall such that upon driving an anchoring element through a central aperture formed in the boss member, the anchoring element is not parallel with the vertical wall and a distal termination of the anchoring element is disposed underneath of the paver block.
2. The paver restraint system of claim 1 wherein the at least one boss member is disposed at an angle of about 45 with respect to the vertical wall.
3. The paver restraint system of claim 1 wherein the at least one boss member is disposed at an angle less than 45 with respect to the vertical wall.
4. The paver restraint system of claim 1 wherein the at least one boss member is disposed at an angle greater than 45 with respect to the vertical wall.
5. The paver restraint system of claim 1 wherein the at least one boss member is positioned such that its central aperture passes through an interior corner of the L-shaped configuration formed by the combination of the vertical wall and the horizontal base.
6. The paver restraint system of claim 1 wherein the at least one boss member is positioned such that its aperture passes through a location along the horizontal base that is spaced apart from the interior corner.
7. The paver restraint system of claim 1 wherein the at least one boss member comprises a plurality of boss members disposed in a spaced-apart relationship across the longitudinal extent of the paver restraint system.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Referring now to the drawings where like numerals represent like parts in several views:
[0009] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a prior art paver restraint device;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a cut-away side view of the device of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary anchoring nail/spike that may be used to hold a section of the prior art paver restraint device in place against a paver block;
[0012] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a paver restraint system formed in accordance with the present invention to utilize angled boss members that are oriented to drive the anchoring spikes at an angle (with respect to the ground) to terminate underneath the paver blocks;
[0013] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 4, illustrating the orientation of a boss (and its aperture) with respect to the L-shaped support member;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a cut-away side view of the arrangement of FIG. 5, particularly illustrating the angle formed between the vertical arm of the L-shaped support member and the aperture within the boss;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a side-view diagram of the inventive paver restraint system as positioned against a paver block, particularly illustrating the angular position of the anchoring spike after passing through the aperture of the angled boss, terminating in the prepared bed underneath the paver block;
[0016] FIG. 8 shows the same side view as FIG. 7, in this case with the anchoring spike removed to clearly show the orientation of the aperture within the boss with respect to the L-shaped support member of the inventive paver restraint system; and
[0017] FIG. 9 is a side-view diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, similar to that shown in FIG. 7, in this case where the boss member is disposed at a different angle with respect to the vertical arm of the L-shaped support member.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a typical prior art L-shaped restraint device 1. Device 1 is shown as including a vertical plate 2, which takes the form of a long flat piece of material having a contact side 2.C for contacting the paving blocks and a support side 2.S. A horizontal plate 3 attaches along a lower edge of contact side 2.C of vertical plate 2. The L-shaped structure is shown as extending in the longitudinal direction, allowing for one or more pavers to be positioned against contact side 2.C. In this example, horizontal plate 3 is formed to include a set of spaced-apart legs 4, with openings 5 between adjacent legs. A combination of an angular brace 6 and vertical boss 7 are formed on each leg as shown. In this typical prior art configuration, boss 7 is formed to have a vertical aperture 8 that is parallel with vertical plate 2.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a cut-away side view of the prior art configuration of FIG. 1, illustrating in this particular view the parallel arrangement between vertical plate 2 and vertical boss 7 (vertical aperture 8 is also parallel with vertical plate 2. Also shown in FIG. 2 is a conventional anchoring spike 9 (also referred to at times as a nail) which has been driven into aperture 8 to hold paver restraint device 1 in place. FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an exemplary anchoring spike 9, showing the head 9H which comes into contact with vertical boss 7, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0020] As mentioned above, the separation S between the fixation point (here, the location of anchoring spike 9) and vertical wall 2 results in permitting rotational movement (however slight) about the corner C between vertical plate 2 and horizontal plate 3. Over time, any kind of movement or shifting may result in dislodging the paver from its position in a manner where it is no longer restrained.
[0021] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an exemplary paver restraint system 10 formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention to address and overcome the problems of the prior art. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of paver restraint system 10 to better illustrate the details of the inventive structure, and FIG. 6 is a cut-away side view of the inventive structure. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, paver restraint system 10 retains the basic L-shaped configuration of the prior art, here defined as comprising a vertical wall 12 and a horizontal base 14, with both extending in the longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. 4. Various features and/or modifications may be made to this basic structure without impacting the principles of the present invention in terms of using an angularly-positioned boss member.
[0022] The embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 4 illustrates the use of a plurality of boss members 16 positioned in a spaced-apart manner along the length of the L-shaped system. The number of individual boss members 16 included within an exemplary structure is not relevant to the invention. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and in accordance with the principles of the present invention, each boss member 16 is disposed at an angle with respect to vertical wall 12 such that boss member 16 is not parallel to vertical wall 12 (which is the case in the prior art as shown in FIGS. 1-3). Each boss member 16 includes a central aperture 18 through which an anchor spike may be inserted. It is contemplated that in most cases aperture 18 will be disposed at an angle of about 45 with respect to vertical call 12.
[0023] By virtue of disposing boss members 16 in an angular position, the spacing between an interior corner C of system 10 and the intersection of boss members 16 along horizontal base 14 is substantially reduced, if not eliminated, when compared to the prior art configuration as shown in FIG. 2. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the use of an angular arrangement to anchor paver restraint system 10 into place along an edge of a paver minimizes the possibility for the position of the restraint system to shift with respect to the paver block.
[0024] FIG. 7 is a cut-away side view of paver restraint system 10, in this case illustrating system 10 is position against an edge E of a paver block P. For the sake of illustration, paver block P is positioned on a prepared substrate which in this example consists of a sand bed immediately underneath paver block P and a layer of stone below the sand. Boss member 16 is clearly shown as oriented at an angle with respect to vertical wall 12. In this particular example, boss member 16 is positioned along horizontal base 14 such that aperture 18 essentially coincides with the interior corner C of system 10. Anchoring spike 9 is shown here as driven through aperture 18, with the distal termination of spike 9 shown as positioned within the underlying stone layer (at a location underneath of paver block P).
[0025] FIG. 8 illustrates the same configuration as shown in FIG. 7, with the exception of anchoring spike 9, which is remove to best illustrate the position of aperture 18 with respect to paver block P and the underlying materials. The use of an angularly-disposed boss 16 thus essentially eliminates the ability for any torque to be generated that would otherwise result in rotational movement/shifting of the paver block.
[0026] It is to be understood that the particular angle as shown in FIGS. 6-8 (which is depicted to be approximately 45) is not the only suitable angle for orienting boss 16 within paver restraint system 10. For example, FIG. 9 is a side view of a paver restraint system 10B where boss 16B is oriented at an angle which is shown as being greater than . Configurations where the orientation of aperture 18 within boss 16 is positioned at an angle < are also contemplated as falling within the scope of the present invention.
[0027] Summarizing, the present invention is directed to a paver restraint system that uses angled boss members such that anchoring spikes passing through the boss members are driven at angle with respect to the ground and terminate underneath the paver blocks. This configuration is contemplated as applying a force to the paving structure that prevents the restraint system from shifting or rotating with respect to the paver block itself.
[0028] While the present invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications by those skilled in the art and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the invention that come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and may be applied to the essential features set forth hereinabove and as set forth in the following claims.
