GB2128650A

GB2128650A - Ground covering elements

Info

Publication number: GB2128650A
Application number: GB08229092A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Lancaster Rowe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-10-12
Filing date: 1982-10-12
Publication date: 1984-05-02
Also published as: GB2128650B

Abstract

This invention relates to ground covering elements, for instance, to such elements similar to stepping stones on which a person may locate his feet when standing or walking across a lawn or part of a cultivated garden area. According to the present invention there is provided a ground covering element of moulded or extruded material having a substantially flat continuous upper surface (1) on which a persons foot may be placed, and ground engaging means comprising side portions (5) downwardly extending from the perimeter of the upper surface, in use a space being defined between the ground and the upper surface (1), the ground covering element being sufficiently stable and robust to support the weight of a person, and may be of a form which may be nested in storage (Fig. 2) and interlocked in use (Fig. 4). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ground covering elements This invention relates to ground covering elements, for instance, to such elements similar to stepping stones on which a person may locate his feet when standing or walking across a lawn or part of a cultivated garden area. More generaily such elements are of use in any situation in which is it desired to provide a dry firm surface for a person or to prevent contact between a person and a particular surface such as a lawn, so as to avoid damage or deterioration of the underlying surface. Ground covering elements such as these are useful for providing a surface on which to wheel a wheelbarrow without damaging a lawn or soft garden surface.

Ground covering elements such as stepping stones made from natural or artificial materials such as stone, concrete and the like are known.

However such stepping stones are heavy and unwieldy. It is also known to cover ground for such purposes by means of pieces of wood but sufficiently robust wood is expensive and subject to deterioration by, for instance, rotting. Cheaper scrap wood is unsightly, can be slippery when wet and causes splinters. Other scrap materials have similar disadvantages of unsightliness and a hazard to user.

According to the present invention there is provided a ground covering element made of plastics material or other material which is moulded or extruded to provide an element sufficiently robust to support the weight of a person and having a substantially flat upper surface on which a persons foot may be placed and having ground engaging means extending in the direction downwardly from said upper surface.

An alternative material may be, for instance, heavy duty reinforced synthetic or natural rubber or a less durable material contained in a plastic or rubber coating.

A ground covering element in accordance with the present invention may be used in different ways. A plurality of such ground covering elements may be located at suitable spaced apart positions to provide a pathway across a particular piece of ground. They may be located at any substantially abutting relationships so as to provide a continuous path. A few such elements may be located on a particular area, for instance to provide a base under a childrens swing as an alternative to grass which is subject to wear.

Ground covering elements in accordance with the present invention may serve to retain moisture and control the growth of weeds in the soil underlying the elements.

Ground covering elements in accordance with the present invention are inexpensive, of light weight, durable, versatile, easy to wash and to store.

Preferably a ground covering element in accordance with the present invention is substantially square or rectangular in plan and more preferably is formed with side portions or flanges downwardly extending from the substantially flat top. The top may be, for instance, of relatively thin plastics material and the depth of the side walls perhaps of the order of 5 cm. Alternatively the top may be of thicker material and the element is provided with correspondingly shallower sides.

In an alternative embodiment according to the present invention the ground covering element is substantially of slab form being a solid or hollow square or rectangular body having a depth of, say, 5 cm.

The dimensions of the ground covering element in plan can of course be varied over a wide range but for typical examples are square elements having a side of length between 3 and 45 cm.

Preferably the sides of the ground covering element are, at least in the case where the sides are in the form of downwardly extending flanges, inclined outwardly in the direction from the top so as to facilitate stacking of the elements for storage purposes.

Preferably the upper surface of the ground covering element is provided with foot gripping elements such as shallow ridges extending across the top of the element.

Preferably the ground covering elements include means to interlock with each other to form a more secure surface. In this case it is preferred that each ground covering element includes two types of mating portions, the female type comprising a solid cylinder extending along the bottom edge of a side and a male type of mating portion comprising an upturned edge along the edge of a side of the element. Both are smooth and rounded.

This means that relative relation is allowed between adjacent ground covering elements to take account of the ground contours.

Also since each element includes both types of portion there need only be one type of element.

Two embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first ground covering element in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates the stacking of a plurality of ground covering elements such as that shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second ground covering element in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 4 is a partial section through two second ground covering elements to show how they interlock.

Referring to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings a ground covering element in accordance with the present invention has an appearance not unlike an inverted roasting dish but is formed of plastics material by an extrusion or moulding process. The article is substantially square in plan having a relatively thin top 1 with shallow upstanding ridges 3 extending between opposite sides of the article.

Extending downwardly from each of the edges of top 1 is a side portion or flange 5, the plurality of flanges 5 being interconnected at the corners of the article to form a continuous wall depending downwardly from the top 1. As can be seen in Figure 1 each flange 5 is inclined somewhat to the vertical so as to extend outwardly and downwardly from top 1.

Provided in each of a pair of opposite flanges 5 is a centrally located oblong hole 7 which may serve as a hand grip.

Referring to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings a plurality of articles 1, as shown in Figure 1, may be superimposed to form a neat stack 7 for storage purposes.

In use a plurality of articles 1 may be laid continuously or spaced apart to form temporary or permanent pathways across, for instance, vegetable and flower gardens, giving access for sowing, hoeing and other maintance purposes and also for harvesting the crops. The depth of side flanges 5 is such that the tops 1 stand proud of the ground. Typically the depth of flanges 5 is about 5 cm, a substantially smaller depth being insufficient to prevent the article becoming submerged in soft or wet ground. Furthermore by standing sufficiently proud of the ground, the tendency for the upper surface of the article to become fouled with soil is minimised.

A second ground covering element is arranged so that it can be interlocked with similar ground covering elements. Each of two paraliel sides 8 terminate in a lower enclosed iip portion 9. The two other parallel sides 10 have upturned bottom edges 11. These are arranged such that the lip portion 9 from one ground covering element will interlock with the rounded upturned edge 11.

Since the edges 9 and 11 are both smooth and rounded in cross-section, relative rotation is permitted between two adjacent ground covering elements so that the furnace formed is secured but not rigid, the structure thereby accommodating variations in ground contours.

The above described ground covering element may be made in a variety of colours, for instance green or brown.

Claims

1. A ground covering element of moulded or extruded material having a substantially flat upper surface on which a persons foot may be placed and ground engaging means extending in the direction downwardly from said upper surface.

The ground covering element being sufficiently robust to support the weight of a person.

2. A ground covering element according to claim 1, in which the moulded or extruded material is any one of, plastics material, heavy duty reinforced synthetic or natural rubber or a less durable material created with plastics or rubber.

3. A ground covering element according to claim 1 or 2 which is substantially square or rectangular in plan.

4. A ground covering element in an alternative embodiment according to claims 1, 2 or 3, which is substantially of slab form.

5. A ground covering element according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, which is formed with side portions or flanges downwardly extending from the substantially flat top.

6. A ground covering element according to claim 5, in which the sides are inclined outwardly in the direction from the top so as to facilitate stacking of the elements for storage purposes.

7. A ground covering element according to any one of the preceding claims in which the upper surface is provided with foot gripping element such as shallow ridges extending across the top of the element.

8. A ground covering element according to claim 1 substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A ground covering element according to any one of the preceding claims which includes means to interlock it with a similar ground covering element.

9. A ground covering element according to claim 8, includes on at least one side, extending along its bottom edge a solid cylinder and along at least one other side, an upturned edge, the arrangement being such that the cylinder of one ground covering element interlocks with the upturned edge of another ground covering element.

1 0. A ground covering element according to claim 1 substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 7th Sepa 1983 Superseded claims 1-10 New or amended claims:

1. A ground covering element of moulded or extruded material having a substantially flat continuous upper surface on which a persons foot may be placed, and ground engaging means comprising side portions downwardly extending from the perimeter of the upper surface, in use a space being defined between the ground and the upper surface, the ground covering element being sufficiently stable and robust to support the weight of a person.

2. A ground covering element according to claim 1, in which the moulded or extruded material is any one of, plastics material, heavy duty reinforced synthetic or natural rubber or a less durable material coated with plastics or rubber.

4. A ground covering element according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, in which the sides are inclined outwardly in the direction from the top so as to facilitate stacking of the elements for storage purposes.

5. A ground covering element according to any one of the preceding claims in which the upper surface is provided with foot gripping elements such as shallow ridges extending across the top of the element.

6. A ground covering element according to any one of the preceeding claims which includes means to interlock it with a similar ground covering element.

7. A ground covering element according to claim 6, including on at least one side, extending along its bottom edge a solid cylinder and along at least one other side, an upturned edge, the arrangement being such that the cylinder of one ground covering element interlocks with the upturned edge of one ground covering element.