CA2059291A1 - Retaining wall structure for a garden bed - Google Patents
Retaining wall structure for a garden bedInfo
- Publication number
- CA2059291A1 CA2059291A1 CA002059291A CA2059291A CA2059291A1 CA 2059291 A1 CA2059291 A1 CA 2059291A1 CA 002059291 A CA002059291 A CA 002059291A CA 2059291 A CA2059291 A CA 2059291A CA 2059291 A1 CA2059291 A1 CA 2059291A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- members
- elongate
- slot
- wall
- interconnecting means
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
- A01G9/28—Raised beds; Planting beds; Edging elements for beds, lawn or the like, e.g. tiles
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Cultivation Of Plants (AREA)
- Retaining Walls (AREA)
- Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)
Abstract
A retaining wall structure for a garden bed or the like made up of a number of elongate members (1) where, in use, are designed to be connected together in a releasable and flexible manner whereby to create a retaining wall with such connection being achieved by the use of at least one connecting member (2), preferably constructed of plastics material, intended to be received in and retained by complementary shaped apertures (5) provided in each elongate member.
Description
WO 91/15~43 2 0 5 9 2 91 pCI'/AU90/0015!i Pd~lNING WALL Sl~UClURE ~R A GARI~E?l E~ED
The pres~nt invention re~ates, in general terms, t~ an improved form of retainin~ wall or path and more par~cularly, but not exdusively, relates to a retaiI~ing wall structure especially suited 5 for use as so-called garden edging and/or mower edging strip. The invention furthermore relates to a connection means or hinge means for use in the formation of 8uch a retain~ng wall, and al90 to a method of cons~uction of a reta~ning wall using such a hinge or jointing means.
Throughout the ensuing description, for ease of explanation reference will be made to an especially preferred : .
embodiment of the present invention, namely a retaining wall or the llke str~cture Intended to surround a garden bed or the lLke whereby, first of all, to provlde a border for such a garden bed 15 (mark out the boundarles thereof), f~rther.tnore to serve a~ ~ me~ns for effectlvely preventlng unwanted e~ress of dlrt ancl the l~ke from the garderl bed and also to aet a~ a means for de~lng the ~mlts of a garden bed or the llke, and/or to dellneate between garden bed and hwn or grass. It should be realised, however, that the ensuing ZO des :ription i9 given by way of non~limitative example only and that an arrangement in accordance with the present invention would be equally suitable for a Yariety of other uses, in fact in any context wherein a limiting or retaining wall i9 required.
In the context of a garden it has been the practice in the 25 past to employ concrete, brick, tiles, large ~dmber length~ (such as railway sleepers, logs or the like materi~l) as so-called edging. Such materials have been found generally to be somewhat difficult to place or position accurately, cannot be ~pected to conform to rela~vely tight cu~ves or to lend themselves to ~e creation o~ an edging other 30 than straight, and are not generally either reusable or particularly pleasing in an aesthetic sense. This laclc of aesthetic appeal is of course rather ~mportant to the ~ardener, belng a per~on who tl9U
takes great prlde in the presentatlon of his (or her) garden bed, plot or the lilce.
WO 91/1~943 2 0 ~ 9 2 91 PCl`/AU90/OOlSS
'~
The pres~nt invention re~ates, in general terms, t~ an improved form of retainin~ wall or path and more par~cularly, but not exdusively, relates to a retaiI~ing wall structure especially suited 5 for use as so-called garden edging and/or mower edging strip. The invention furthermore relates to a connection means or hinge means for use in the formation of 8uch a retain~ng wall, and al90 to a method of cons~uction of a reta~ning wall using such a hinge or jointing means.
Throughout the ensuing description, for ease of explanation reference will be made to an especially preferred : .
embodiment of the present invention, namely a retaining wall or the llke str~cture Intended to surround a garden bed or the lLke whereby, first of all, to provlde a border for such a garden bed 15 (mark out the boundarles thereof), f~rther.tnore to serve a~ ~ me~ns for effectlvely preventlng unwanted e~ress of dlrt ancl the l~ke from the garderl bed and also to aet a~ a means for de~lng the ~mlts of a garden bed or the llke, and/or to dellneate between garden bed and hwn or grass. It should be realised, however, that the ensuing ZO des :ription i9 given by way of non~limitative example only and that an arrangement in accordance with the present invention would be equally suitable for a Yariety of other uses, in fact in any context wherein a limiting or retaining wall i9 required.
In the context of a garden it has been the practice in the 25 past to employ concrete, brick, tiles, large ~dmber length~ (such as railway sleepers, logs or the like materi~l) as so-called edging. Such materials have been found generally to be somewhat difficult to place or position accurately, cannot be ~pected to conform to rela~vely tight cu~ves or to lend themselves to ~e creation o~ an edging other 30 than straight, and are not generally either reusable or particularly pleasing in an aesthetic sense. This laclc of aesthetic appeal is of course rather ~mportant to the ~ardener, belng a per~on who tl9U
takes great prlde in the presentatlon of his (or her) garden bed, plot or the lilce.
WO 91/1~943 2 0 ~ 9 2 91 PCl`/AU90/OOlSS
'~
In accordance with yet another known and cu~ently in use techmque garden edging will consist of a plurality of post elements and an elongate band means adapted, in use, in conjunction with other cormec~ng means or elements to interconnect s the plurality of posts whereby to provide a length of edging material which can then be disposed around a garden bed. Such an arrangement has been found, in use, to also suffer from a number of practical dlsadvantages. Fir~t of ali such a prior art arrangement suffers from the disadvantage that dirt, weeds etc. can travel 10 somewhat readily between the gaps provided between adjacent post elements. This capability for unwanted egress, or ingress, of dirt etc.
can of course be understood to at least to some extent defeat the entire purpose of or for the gardeI~ edging and i8 therefore extremely unsatisfactory ~n a practical sense. Secondly ~uch prlor art 15 conflgurations suffer by not readlly lending themselves to u~e on bloclc~ of l~nd other than ~at, or in other words slopin~ blo~k~. On sloplng blocks, wlth a vlew to mnlntaining uniformity of sh~pe, etc.
o~ the garden wall or edglng, it would be neeess~y to have adjacent numbers of said plurality of post elements readily and continuously 20 adjustable, in terms of height or length, relative one to the other, whereby to have adjacent posts all extending to the ~ame extent above ground Ievei, for example. Such a capability is difficult, if not actually impossible, to achieve with ~e prior art arrangements.
The present invention can therefore be seen to be 25 intended to provide an improved form of retaining wall structure or edging material which is simple to both use and appropnately locate, and *~ermore lends itself to ready adjustment whereby to ma~ntain an aesthe~ y pleasing ou~ook. The present invention fur~OEmore seeks to provide a retaining wall sbucture or garden 30 edging material which is re~atively economical to manufacture and which lends itself to ready transport for sale and use, and storage when not in use. The invention furthermore seeks to provide a means for cons~uctlng an improved wall strllcture or garden edg~ng which can conform to any desired shape of garden bed or the l~e.
.
. . . .
. .
WO ~1/159'13 2 0 ~ ~ 2 ~ 1 PCI`/AV90/0015~
can of course be understood to at least to some extent defeat the entire purpose of or for the gardeI~ edging and i8 therefore extremely unsatisfactory ~n a practical sense. Secondly ~uch prlor art 15 conflgurations suffer by not readlly lending themselves to u~e on bloclc~ of l~nd other than ~at, or in other words slopin~ blo~k~. On sloplng blocks, wlth a vlew to mnlntaining uniformity of sh~pe, etc.
o~ the garden wall or edglng, it would be neeess~y to have adjacent numbers of said plurality of post elements readily and continuously 20 adjustable, in terms of height or length, relative one to the other, whereby to have adjacent posts all extending to the ~ame extent above ground Ievei, for example. Such a capability is difficult, if not actually impossible, to achieve with ~e prior art arrangements.
The present invention can therefore be seen to be 25 intended to provide an improved form of retaining wall structure or edging material which is simple to both use and appropnately locate, and *~ermore lends itself to ready adjustment whereby to ma~ntain an aesthe~ y pleasing ou~ook. The present invention fur~OEmore seeks to provide a retaining wall sbucture or garden 30 edging material which is re~atively economical to manufacture and which lends itself to ready transport for sale and use, and storage when not in use. The invention furthermore seeks to provide a means for cons~uctlng an improved wall strllcture or garden edg~ng which can conform to any desired shape of garden bed or the l~e.
.
. . . .
. .
WO ~1/159'13 2 0 ~ ~ 2 ~ 1 PCI`/AV90/0015~
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, therefore, there is provided a retaining wall structure for a garden bed or the like, said structure including: a plurality of substantially elongate members adapted to be interconnected in a 5 substantially side-by-side relationship whereby to form said wall structure; and means adapted to be disposed between adjacent ones of said members whereby to allow for interconnection of said members in a flexible and adjustable rnanner ln sald substantially side-by-side relationship, thereby to allow for the creation of a wa11 10 s~uc~re of any desired shape or configuration.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an interconnecting means for use in a retalning wall structure, said interconnecting mean~ belng in the form of a fle~dble hinge member ~nclllding a central web portion h~viIlg nt 15 least one protrl:lslon at opposed sldes thereof, the or each said protrusion being adapted, In ~se, to be releasably rece~ed b~ and retnined within sald ~omplementary-shaped slots, grooves, apert~res or the Illce provided in sald elongate wall members.
~ accordance with yet another aspect of the present 20 invention there i9 provided a method of jointing to~ether a pluralit~
of elongate members whereby to provide a wall structure suitable for use as garden edging, U9iIlg at least one hinge or connection means of the aforementioned type for each join or joint.
In accordance wi~ a fur*ler aspect of the invention 25 there is provided a kit of parts including: a plurality of substan~ally elongate members adapted to be interconnected in a substantially side-by-side relationship whereby to fo~m a structure; and means adapted to be disposed between adjacent ones of said members whereby to allow for interconnection of said members in a flexible 30 and adjustable manner in said substantially side-by-side relation~hip, thereby to allow for the creation of said structure of any de~ired shape or con~i~uratlon.
In order that the inven~on may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect there wiU now be described ;; ............. . . , . ....................... ::
:~,: , - ,: , , ;~
wo 41/15943 2 0 ~ 9 2 9 i Pcr/Augo~l5~
in detail a preferred embodiment of a retaining wall structure in accordance with the invention. The ensuing description i9 given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanymg drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows, in top perspective view, a por~on of a retaining wall structure in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a connecting meana or hinge ~n accordance with the invention;
Fig. 3 is a top plan vlew of two elongate members of the retaining wall of Fig. 1, as interconnected using a hinge of the type illustrated in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a view of an elongate member of the retain~ng wall ~tructure of Flg. 1 wlth a }~nge of the type shown in Fig. 2 assoclatecl therewlth, illustra~ng the manner in which the locatiorl of the hinge relatlve to the post or elangate member can b* ad3ul~ted.
The wall ~t~cture or ed~lnx ns Illustrated in Plg. 1 includes a plurallty o~ subatantlall~r elongllte members 1, ad3acent ones of said members 1 to be ~nterconnected in side~b~-side relationsh~p by means of one or more hinge members 2 whereby to ~0 create the desired wall. In an especlally preferred embodiment, as illustrated, the members 1 can be formed of a suitable timber material, such as for example ~eated pine. It must be realised, however, that the actual material of construction of said members does not constitute part of ~e Lnvention. A suitable material, preferably of a bio-degradable nature, may in fact be employed, as for example moulded fibreboard.
For decorative purposes, or to provide aesthetic appeal, preferably one end of each member 1, being that end to be located above ground level, could be appropriately shaped, as for example corner-cut, rounded, etc. Such a shaped member 1 would be especially ~llitable for edgirlg of gardens and for purposes of soil retention. Alter~atlvely, however, even the upper end of the member or members 1 could be sq~are cut, an arrangement which would be especially suitable for purposes of use as lawn edging .
.' ' ' . ' .~ ', ' ' '' . ~' . . ~' ''' I ' . ` ,........ ' ' ' ' ~'." .' . ' ' ` ~ ''. ' ' ; ' ' . '~ ` ' '' . .` ' ' . ' WO 91/15943 2 ~ ~ 9 2 91 PCF~AU90/00155 --,--m~terial, with such an arrangement then prov~ding a form of so-called mow~ng strip. It should be realised, however, that the achlal shape of the members 1 forms no part of the invention and that effec~vely any shape m~y be employed, dependent only on the intended usage therefor.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated the hinge means or member 2 includes a web portion 3 having a substanJdally bulbous protrusion 4 provided at each end thereof. It should be realised, houre~er, that the actual shape of the protrusion 4 is not of the essence of the invention. In a practical sense all that is required is for the web portion 3 to include a discontinuity, e.g. a ~ange or other protrusion, at each end thereof. With such an arrangement, once the hinge member 3 i9 located ~rlthin the slot 5, it provides a form of protect10n agalnst unwanted separatlon of thus lnterconnected members 1. Indeed, ~eparatlon can only be effected by slid~ng ~e hlnge member along the slc\t 5 untl) such ~me il~ 1t i~
totally dear of that slot.
The hinge member ~ could be constructed of any suitable material, as for example a flexible plastics material, or galvanized steel sheet, or aluml1nium. ~t should be understood, however, that the hinge member 2 should preferably be cons~ucted of a m~terial which provides flexibility, such that lateral movement or bending of the web portion 3 can take place in order to allow for the ?forming of curved or other than straight wall structures. It should furthermore be understood that, with the arrangement in accordance with the present inven~on, both the actual leng~ of adjoining elongate members, and the spatial location of the or each hinge member 2 relative to ~e associated elongate member 1 in a vertical direction relative one to the other, may be varied, whereby to compensate for diffeIing levels in height or depth of a garden bed to ~uit varying ground contours, whilst at the same ~me providing an overall wall sb~ucture lll~s~a~ng a substantiall~ lfoxm hel~ht as projec~ng above ground level. !
,-~;.` , , ' ' . ' ' ` : , ,: ' . .
W0 91/15943 ~ 2 91 P~AU90~01)1~i~i In the preferxed embodiment illustrated each member 1 includes, along each vertical edge thereof, at least one slot or aperture 5 of a shape complementary to the protrusions 4 of the hinge member 2, the axrc~ngement being such that a hinge member 2 is adapted to be received and xeleasably retained within the slot or aperture S as desired. In a preferred embodiment a slot or aperture 5 extends over substantially the entire height dimension of each member 1, the arrangement belng sueh that the slot or apertuxe 5 recelves lts asso~ated hinge member, or members, 2 in an interference~type flt. Such an arrangement will assist in containing the soil, etc., within the defined area and will also serve to prevent weeds from growing between members 1. lt should be realised, however, that such need not be the case, and in an alternatlve embodiment (not ~ strated) two or more sepc~ate slots 5 may be provlded along each vertlccll slde edge of each member 1, at lea~t one 810t 5 at the top and one at the bottom of sa1d me~nber, ~rlth nelther slot extend~g more than h~way down the helght of the ~nember 1.
In the embodiment illus~ated two such hinge members 2 are employed, one to be located ~t or in the vicinity of the top of the slot 5 (or the top slot U two ~lots are invdved), and the other to be located toward~ the bottom of the slot 5 (or in the lower slot if two slots are involved). In the preferred embodiment illustrated, a single slot 5 will be provided extending along each side of each member 1 and along substan~ally the entire height dimension thereof. A single hinge member 2, of a height dimension substantially ~e same as the leng~ of the slot 5, may then be employed. Such a single slot 5 - single hinge member alxangement 2 can be expected to afford perhaps the best barr~er to unwanted egress of soil etc. ~rough the retaining wall ~us formed.
In orde~ to allow for the crea~on of a curved or arcuate retaining wa31 structure a lon~tudinally extending array of elangate member~ 1 may be effectlv~y forced into the de~red shape by bending the associated hinge membOEs 2 to a suf~ent extent, the ,.~. WO 91/15943 ~ ~) 5 9 2 91 PCI'/AU90/OOt55 arrangement being such that at the same time adjacent ones of the members 1 will be held together without untue separation.
The length of eaeh elongate member 1 is not of the essence of the invention. Indeed, for purposes of u8e or, for s example, slopin~ blocks, the members 1 may be of differing lengths in order to compensate for such slope and still allow for construction of a cl~viding wall illustrating a substantlally uni~orm length of material protmding abo~e the ~ound. To provide for sllch a result, in an especially preferred embodlment of the invention the materials 10 suitable for the construction of a retaiI~ing wall in accordance with the invention may be packaged for marke~ng in what might be termed kit form, including a pluralit,v of elongate members, perhaps of different lengths, with an associated n~ber of hinge members 2.
Although the preferred embod~ment discloses pro~sions 4 belng 15 complementary ~sl shape to slot 5, thls i9 not essentlaL Protr~lsion 4 may~ for example, be a resll~ent ~ember whlch ~n blte into the walls of slot S ~ lon~lt~lclinal ten~ion 1~ ~erted on the as~embled edging.
The preferred embodiment discloses the use of the 20 ~nventlon for a wall str~cture or edg~ng. The inve;ntion can al90 be applled to paths by ly~ng the e~ongate member 1 flat lnstead ~er~cally. In this manner a very convenient waL~dng surface can be provided.
Firally, it is to be understsod that the aforegoing 25 descnption refers merely to preferred embodiments of ~he invention, and that vanations and modifications will be possible thereto without depar~ng from thie spirit and scope of the invention, thie ambit of which is to be determined from ~e following claims.
~ . , . . . :. . . , . ,:
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an interconnecting means for use in a retalning wall structure, said interconnecting mean~ belng in the form of a fle~dble hinge member ~nclllding a central web portion h~viIlg nt 15 least one protrl:lslon at opposed sldes thereof, the or each said protrusion being adapted, In ~se, to be releasably rece~ed b~ and retnined within sald ~omplementary-shaped slots, grooves, apert~res or the Illce provided in sald elongate wall members.
~ accordance with yet another aspect of the present 20 invention there i9 provided a method of jointing to~ether a pluralit~
of elongate members whereby to provide a wall structure suitable for use as garden edging, U9iIlg at least one hinge or connection means of the aforementioned type for each join or joint.
In accordance wi~ a fur*ler aspect of the invention 25 there is provided a kit of parts including: a plurality of substan~ally elongate members adapted to be interconnected in a substantially side-by-side relationship whereby to fo~m a structure; and means adapted to be disposed between adjacent ones of said members whereby to allow for interconnection of said members in a flexible 30 and adjustable manner in said substantially side-by-side relation~hip, thereby to allow for the creation of said structure of any de~ired shape or con~i~uratlon.
In order that the inven~on may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect there wiU now be described ;; ............. . . , . ....................... ::
:~,: , - ,: , , ;~
wo 41/15943 2 0 ~ 9 2 9 i Pcr/Augo~l5~
in detail a preferred embodiment of a retaining wall structure in accordance with the invention. The ensuing description i9 given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanymg drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows, in top perspective view, a por~on of a retaining wall structure in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a connecting meana or hinge ~n accordance with the invention;
Fig. 3 is a top plan vlew of two elongate members of the retaining wall of Fig. 1, as interconnected using a hinge of the type illustrated in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a view of an elongate member of the retain~ng wall ~tructure of Flg. 1 wlth a }~nge of the type shown in Fig. 2 assoclatecl therewlth, illustra~ng the manner in which the locatiorl of the hinge relatlve to the post or elangate member can b* ad3ul~ted.
The wall ~t~cture or ed~lnx ns Illustrated in Plg. 1 includes a plurallty o~ subatantlall~r elongllte members 1, ad3acent ones of said members 1 to be ~nterconnected in side~b~-side relationsh~p by means of one or more hinge members 2 whereby to ~0 create the desired wall. In an especlally preferred embodiment, as illustrated, the members 1 can be formed of a suitable timber material, such as for example ~eated pine. It must be realised, however, that the actual material of construction of said members does not constitute part of ~e Lnvention. A suitable material, preferably of a bio-degradable nature, may in fact be employed, as for example moulded fibreboard.
For decorative purposes, or to provide aesthetic appeal, preferably one end of each member 1, being that end to be located above ground level, could be appropriately shaped, as for example corner-cut, rounded, etc. Such a shaped member 1 would be especially ~llitable for edgirlg of gardens and for purposes of soil retention. Alter~atlvely, however, even the upper end of the member or members 1 could be sq~are cut, an arrangement which would be especially suitable for purposes of use as lawn edging .
.' ' ' . ' .~ ', ' ' '' . ~' . . ~' ''' I ' . ` ,........ ' ' ' ' ~'." .' . ' ' ` ~ ''. ' ' ; ' ' . '~ ` ' '' . .` ' ' . ' WO 91/15943 2 ~ ~ 9 2 91 PCF~AU90/00155 --,--m~terial, with such an arrangement then prov~ding a form of so-called mow~ng strip. It should be realised, however, that the achlal shape of the members 1 forms no part of the invention and that effec~vely any shape m~y be employed, dependent only on the intended usage therefor.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated the hinge means or member 2 includes a web portion 3 having a substanJdally bulbous protrusion 4 provided at each end thereof. It should be realised, houre~er, that the actual shape of the protrusion 4 is not of the essence of the invention. In a practical sense all that is required is for the web portion 3 to include a discontinuity, e.g. a ~ange or other protrusion, at each end thereof. With such an arrangement, once the hinge member 3 i9 located ~rlthin the slot 5, it provides a form of protect10n agalnst unwanted separatlon of thus lnterconnected members 1. Indeed, ~eparatlon can only be effected by slid~ng ~e hlnge member along the slc\t 5 untl) such ~me il~ 1t i~
totally dear of that slot.
The hinge member ~ could be constructed of any suitable material, as for example a flexible plastics material, or galvanized steel sheet, or aluml1nium. ~t should be understood, however, that the hinge member 2 should preferably be cons~ucted of a m~terial which provides flexibility, such that lateral movement or bending of the web portion 3 can take place in order to allow for the ?forming of curved or other than straight wall structures. It should furthermore be understood that, with the arrangement in accordance with the present inven~on, both the actual leng~ of adjoining elongate members, and the spatial location of the or each hinge member 2 relative to ~e associated elongate member 1 in a vertical direction relative one to the other, may be varied, whereby to compensate for diffeIing levels in height or depth of a garden bed to ~uit varying ground contours, whilst at the same ~me providing an overall wall sb~ucture lll~s~a~ng a substantiall~ lfoxm hel~ht as projec~ng above ground level. !
,-~;.` , , ' ' . ' ' ` : , ,: ' . .
W0 91/15943 ~ 2 91 P~AU90~01)1~i~i In the preferxed embodiment illustrated each member 1 includes, along each vertical edge thereof, at least one slot or aperture 5 of a shape complementary to the protrusions 4 of the hinge member 2, the axrc~ngement being such that a hinge member 2 is adapted to be received and xeleasably retained within the slot or aperture S as desired. In a preferred embodiment a slot or aperture 5 extends over substantially the entire height dimension of each member 1, the arrangement belng sueh that the slot or apertuxe 5 recelves lts asso~ated hinge member, or members, 2 in an interference~type flt. Such an arrangement will assist in containing the soil, etc., within the defined area and will also serve to prevent weeds from growing between members 1. lt should be realised, however, that such need not be the case, and in an alternatlve embodiment (not ~ strated) two or more sepc~ate slots 5 may be provlded along each vertlccll slde edge of each member 1, at lea~t one 810t 5 at the top and one at the bottom of sa1d me~nber, ~rlth nelther slot extend~g more than h~way down the helght of the ~nember 1.
In the embodiment illus~ated two such hinge members 2 are employed, one to be located ~t or in the vicinity of the top of the slot 5 (or the top slot U two ~lots are invdved), and the other to be located toward~ the bottom of the slot 5 (or in the lower slot if two slots are involved). In the preferred embodiment illustrated, a single slot 5 will be provided extending along each side of each member 1 and along substan~ally the entire height dimension thereof. A single hinge member 2, of a height dimension substantially ~e same as the leng~ of the slot 5, may then be employed. Such a single slot 5 - single hinge member alxangement 2 can be expected to afford perhaps the best barr~er to unwanted egress of soil etc. ~rough the retaining wall ~us formed.
In orde~ to allow for the crea~on of a curved or arcuate retaining wa31 structure a lon~tudinally extending array of elangate member~ 1 may be effectlv~y forced into the de~red shape by bending the associated hinge membOEs 2 to a suf~ent extent, the ,.~. WO 91/15943 ~ ~) 5 9 2 91 PCI'/AU90/OOt55 arrangement being such that at the same time adjacent ones of the members 1 will be held together without untue separation.
The length of eaeh elongate member 1 is not of the essence of the invention. Indeed, for purposes of u8e or, for s example, slopin~ blocks, the members 1 may be of differing lengths in order to compensate for such slope and still allow for construction of a cl~viding wall illustrating a substantlally uni~orm length of material protmding abo~e the ~ound. To provide for sllch a result, in an especially preferred embodlment of the invention the materials 10 suitable for the construction of a retaiI~ing wall in accordance with the invention may be packaged for marke~ng in what might be termed kit form, including a pluralit,v of elongate members, perhaps of different lengths, with an associated n~ber of hinge members 2.
Although the preferred embod~ment discloses pro~sions 4 belng 15 complementary ~sl shape to slot 5, thls i9 not essentlaL Protr~lsion 4 may~ for example, be a resll~ent ~ember whlch ~n blte into the walls of slot S ~ lon~lt~lclinal ten~ion 1~ ~erted on the as~embled edging.
The preferred embodiment discloses the use of the 20 ~nventlon for a wall str~cture or edg~ng. The inve;ntion can al90 be applled to paths by ly~ng the e~ongate member 1 flat lnstead ~er~cally. In this manner a very convenient waL~dng surface can be provided.
Firally, it is to be understsod that the aforegoing 25 descnption refers merely to preferred embodiments of ~he invention, and that vanations and modifications will be possible thereto without depar~ng from thie spirit and scope of the invention, thie ambit of which is to be determined from ~e following claims.
~ . , . . . :. . . , . ,:
Claims (14)
1. A retaining wall structure for a garden bed or the like, said structure including: a plurality of substantially elongate members adapted to be interconnected in a substantially side-by-side relationship whereby to form said wall structure; and means adapted to be disposed between adjacent ones of said members whereby to allow for interconnection of said members in a flexible and adjustable manner in said substantially side-by-side relationship, thereby to allow for the creation of a wall structure of any desired shape or configuration.
2. The structure as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each said elongate member has at least one slot, groove, aperture or the like discontinuity extending from at least one end thereof in a height direction along each opposed lateral edge thereof, over at least partially the height dimension thereof, said slot, groove aperture or the like being adapted, in use, to receive and releasably retain therein at least one said interconnecting means whereby to allow for interconnection with an adjacent wall member or members.
3. The structure as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each said wall member includes two of said slot, grooves, apertures or the like extending from opposed ends thereof, neither of which extends over greater than half the height dimension.
4. The structure as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each said elongate wall member includes two opposed said slots, grooves, apertures or discontinuities, one on each side thereof, each extending over the entire height dimension of said member.
5. The structure as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the or each said interconnecting means is in the farm of a substantially elongate member adapted, in use, to be received by and releasably retained within a slot, groove, aperture or the like of an elongate wall member.
6. An interconnecting means for use in a retaining wall structure as claimed in Claim 1, said interconnecting means being in the form of a flexible hinge member including a central web portion having at least one protrusion at opposed sides thereof, the or each said protrusion being adapted, in use, to be releasably received by and retained within said complementary-shaped slots, grooves, apertures or the like provided in said elongate wall members.
7. The interconnecting means as claimed in Claim 6, wherein each said protrusion or projection is in the form of a flange-like extension of said hinge member, adapted to co-operate with a complementary-shaped groove, slot or the like provided in said elongate member of said wall structure.
8. The interconnecting means as claimed in Claim 6, including a substantially circular-shaped (in section) protrusion or projection disposed at each side of said central web portion, said protrusion or projection being adapted to be received within a complementary-shaped slot or aperture or groove of said elongate wall member.
9. The interconnecting means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, constructed of a plastics material.
10. The interconnecting means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims constructed of a metallic material.
11. The interconnecting means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, constructed if a bio-degradable material.
12. The structure as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said elongate wall members are constructed of a bio-degradable material.
13. A pathway or retaining wall structure for a garden bed or the like, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14. A kit of parts including: a plurality of substantially elongate members adapted to be interconnected in a substantially side-by-side relationship whereby to form a structure; and means adapted to be disposed between adjacent ones of said members whereby to allow for interconnection of said members in a flexible and adjustable manner in said substantially side-by-side relationship,
Priority Applications (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU48609/90A AU622973B2 (en) | 1989-01-18 | 1990-01-18 | Retaining wall structure |
| CA002059291A CA2059291A1 (en) | 1989-01-18 | 1990-04-19 | Retaining wall structure for a garden bed |
| EP19900906741 EP0478563A4 (en) | 1989-01-18 | 1990-04-19 | Retaining wall structure for a garden bed |
| PCT/AU1990/000155 WO1991015943A1 (en) | 1989-01-18 | 1990-04-19 | Retaining wall structure for a garden bed |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUPJ231689 | 1989-01-18 | ||
| AU48609/90A AU622973B2 (en) | 1989-01-18 | 1990-01-18 | Retaining wall structure |
| CA002059291A CA2059291A1 (en) | 1989-01-18 | 1990-04-19 | Retaining wall structure for a garden bed |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2059291A1 true CA2059291A1 (en) | 1991-10-20 |
Family
ID=27154562
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002059291A Abandoned CA2059291A1 (en) | 1989-01-18 | 1990-04-19 | Retaining wall structure for a garden bed |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0478563A4 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU622973B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2059291A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1991015943A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1992000171A1 (en) * | 1990-06-27 | 1992-01-09 | Templedale Pty. Ltd. | Groove cutting method and apparatus |
| AU640562B2 (en) * | 1991-07-22 | 1993-08-26 | Leslie John Hughes | Garden edging |
| AU622395B3 (en) * | 1991-12-09 | 1992-02-25 | John Benton Marshall | Interlocking lawn and garden edging system |
| US5445362A (en) * | 1994-02-25 | 1995-08-29 | Reppert; Francis J. | Fence assembly |
| AU709043B3 (en) * | 1999-03-17 | 1999-08-19 | Yi Joo Bae | Garden edging |
| AU733736B2 (en) * | 1999-03-17 | 2001-05-24 | Yi Joo Bae | Garden edging |
| JP6855052B2 (en) * | 2017-02-24 | 2021-04-07 | 株式会社大里 | Plate holder and plate auxiliary holder |
| CN109315192B (en) * | 2018-11-29 | 2023-11-28 | 潍坊科技学院 | Sunlight greenhouse back slope bearing structure |
Family Cites Families (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB504333A (en) * | 1938-09-07 | 1939-04-24 | John Patrick Mcdermott | Improvements relating to garden edging |
| GB609905A (en) * | 1946-03-25 | 1948-10-08 | John Patrick Mcdermott | Improvements in and relating to garden edging |
| US2877600A (en) * | 1954-11-26 | 1959-03-17 | Claude C Slate | Fence construction |
| FR1240071A (en) * | 1959-07-23 | 1960-09-02 | Advanced border for flower beds and flower beds | |
| US3559338A (en) * | 1968-04-29 | 1971-02-02 | Janier Plastic Mold Corp | Driveway edging |
| DE2252681A1 (en) * | 1972-10-27 | 1974-05-02 | Rido Busse | DEVICE FOR SEPARATING GARDEN BEDS |
| US3916563A (en) * | 1974-07-01 | 1975-11-04 | George E Tedesh | Lawn edge trim guard |
| DE2450475A1 (en) * | 1974-10-24 | 1976-04-29 | Schmidt Hans Guenther | PANEL ELEMENT, ESPECIALLY CONCRETE SLAB |
| JPS527141A (en) * | 1975-07-07 | 1977-01-20 | Akira Ono | Partition board |
| DE2945292A1 (en) * | 1979-11-09 | 1981-05-21 | Heleon Herbert Hess KG, 7250 Leonberg | Plastics fencing unit esp. for gardens and camping - has tongue and groove at ends for connecting to adjacent elements |
| AU1298883A (en) * | 1982-10-12 | 1984-04-19 | Gregory Maxwell Weston | Garden edging |
| AU604317B2 (en) * | 1985-02-21 | 1990-12-13 | Bedford Industries Rehabilitation Association Inc. | Improvements in garden edging |
| IT1208833B (en) * | 1985-09-19 | 1989-07-10 | Olivetti Synthesis Spa | CONNECTION DEVICE FOR PANELS |
| AU2160688A (en) * | 1987-08-26 | 1989-03-02 | Peter David Ferris | Mower and garden edging strip |
| FR2634833B1 (en) * | 1988-07-27 | 1991-02-01 | Demolin Jacques | MODULAR PANELS AND / OR ELEMENTS ASSEMBLABLE BETWEEN THEM |
-
1990
- 1990-01-18 AU AU48609/90A patent/AU622973B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1990-04-19 CA CA002059291A patent/CA2059291A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1990-04-19 EP EP19900906741 patent/EP0478563A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1990-04-19 WO PCT/AU1990/000155 patent/WO1991015943A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0478563A4 (en) | 1992-10-07 |
| AU4860990A (en) | 1990-07-26 |
| WO1991015943A1 (en) | 1991-10-31 |
| AU622973B2 (en) | 1992-04-30 |
| EP0478563A1 (en) | 1992-04-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |