GB2236651A - Edging strip - Google Patents

Abstract

There is disclosed an edging strip (10) made of recycled plastics material and which is intended to be buried at least partly in the ground in order to separate one region from another, the strip being of sufficient thickness that it can be resiliently deformed from a rectilinear datum position so as to adopt any required configuration. Mounting brackets (11) are mounted at spaced apart positions along the length of the strip (10) and spikes are provided which can be driven through the brackets (11) and into the ground in order to secure the strip in the ground in the required configuration. Additional spikes 12 may be used temporarily to maintain the required shape of the strip while driving the spikes through the brackets. <IMAGE>

Description

EDGING STRIP This invention relates to an edging strip which is intended to be at least partly buried in the ground in order to separate one region from another e.g. to define a path edge, driveway edge, lawn edge or flower bed edge.

It is well known to use thin strips of metal or plastics to form lawn edging, and these strips are usually supplied in a roll and are of corrugated form to increase the rigidity of the strip. The rolls of metal strip are more durable than the plastics strip. but are expensive, whereas the rolls of plastic strip are cheaper, but have the disadvantage of being liable to fracture when forced into the ground and also are liable to become brittle with time.

It is also well known to use pre-cast blocks of concrete or sand / cement mixtures, bricks or kerbs to form edges of roads, driveways and paths, and these have the advantage of forming robust and enduring structures. but have a high labour content in the laying of the structures, in addition to the substantial cost of the materials.

However, while these costs will be justified for public works e.g. roads, and paths in public parks, they are somewhat expensive when applied in the purely domestic area.

The invention has therefore been developed primarily with a view to providing an edging strip which is more robust than the garden type of metal or plastics edging strip referred to above, but which can be installed readily i.e. with a lower labour content than brick, block and kerb edging type structures.

According to the invention there is provided an edging strip which is intended to be buried at least partly in the ground in order to separate one region from another, in which the strip is made at least partly of plastics material and is of sufficient thickness that it can be resiliently deformed from a rectilinear datum position so as to adopt any required configuration, and in which mounting brackets are mounted at spaced apart positions along the length of the strip and spikes are provided which can be driven through the brackets and into the ground in order to secure the strip in the ground in the required configuration.

The edging strip of the invention is more robust than the existing metal and plastics strips, in that it is thicker and extends rectilinearly when undeformed (unlike the strips which are so thin that they can be supplied in rolls), but can be laid in a pre-formed trench in the ground almost as easily as the known thinner edging strips.

Also, by virtue of the brackets and spikes, the strip can be readily positioned in any required configuration.

The manufacture of the strip from mainly plastics material provides a rot-free and durable product, which can have a long useful life. Preferably, the strip is made from recycled plastics, which is commercially available in "board" form of 8 foot by 4 foot, and which comprises textile reinforcement embedded in the plastics material.

This board can be readily cut-up in suitable widths of edging strip, and then the brackets are mounted in the required positions. The brackets are preferably arranged with their upper ends at a predetermined spacing below the upper edge of the strip, and this enables the brackets to be covered by back fill material after the strip has been laid in a pre-formed trench and secured in position by driving the spikes through the brackets.

The brackets may be square or rectangular in cross section, and the spikes are preferably circular in cross section so that they can readily be driven through the brackets, even if the brackets become partly clogged with soil or stone.

To facilitate joining together of adjacent edging strips, it is preferred that each strip (apart from starting or finishing strip), may have a rebate at each end, so that two adjacent strip ends can be secured together e.g. by bolts to form a continuous constant thickness edging strip buried in the ground.

One embodiment of edging strip according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the edging strip according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the edging strip: and, Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the manner by which the edging strip can be bent into a required curved configuration and then secured in position in a preformed trench dug to this particular configuration.

Referring now to the drawing, there is disclosed an embodiment of edging strip which is designated generally by reference 10, and which is intended to be buried at least partly in the ground in order to separate one region from another By way of example only, the edging strip can be used to separate a gravel path or drive from an adjacent flower bed or lawn.

The edging strip 10 is preferably formed by cutting-up a pre-formed board 8 foot by 4 foot of recycled plastics material having textile reinforcement embedded therein, and of a thickness of about 1 cm. This will provide an edging strip which is capable of being bent fairly readily into any required conf-iguration, usually a curved configuration, but if a more robust construction is required e.g. to form the edge of a drive, preferably two such strips are secured back to back to each other.

The strip 10 is therefore made at least partly of plastics material, and is of sufficient thickness that it can be resiliently deformed from a rectilinear datum position, as shown in Figure 2, and so as to adopt any required configuration e.g. the curved configuration shown in Figure 3. This deformation will be a resilient deformation, in the sense that once the deforming force should be removed, the strip will tend to revert back to the datum position shown in Figure 2.

Mounting brackets 11 are mounted at spaced apart positions along the length of the strip 10, and spikes 12 are provided which can be driven through the brackets 11 and into the ground in order to secure the strip in the ground in the required configuration.

The edging strip 10 is therefore more robust than existing metal and plastics lawn edging strips, in that it is very considerably thicker and extends rectilinearly when undeformed, but which can be laid in a pre-formed trench in the ground almost as easily as the known thinner edging strips. Also, by virtue of the brackets 11 and spikes 12, the strip 10 can be securely positioned in any required configuration.

By making the strip from mainly plastics material, this provides a rot free and durable product, having a long useful life.

The brackets 11 are made of metal of square or rectangular cross section, and are securely mounted in position on face 13 of the strip which will be substantially concealed from view upon completion of the laying and securing operation, by being covered by back fill material. The. spikes 12 are metal and are circular in cross section, so that they can readily be driven through the brackets 11, even when the brackets become partly clogged with soil or stones.

To facilitate joining together of adjacent edging strips (apart from a starting and finishing strip), each strip 10 has a rebate 14 at each end, so that two adjacent strip ends can be secured together e.g. by bolts, to form a continuous constant thickness edging strip.

The disclosed embodiment of edging strip is therefore suitable for paths and driveways, and can form uniform curves, or curves of varying curvature, to suit requirements The edging can be used to retain gravel, or as an edging for tarmac, concrete and grass.

Desirably, the strip will be supplied in 8 foot lengths, with 5.5 inch width, and in either one of two thicknesses, namely 25mm or 18mm. The brackets can be fixed to one side only at 20 inch spacings, and can receive 13.5 inch metal spikes driven into the ground. The strip may be supplied coloured to suit any particular environment, and one preferred colour will be scorched earth (brown).

There will now follow a description of one way in which the edging strip can be buried in a pre-formed trench and secured in position therein.

The surface of the ground should be reasonably flat, although a sloping ground is acceptable.

1. Place the edging strip on the ground, and secure one end temporarily with two metal spikes, arranged one on each side of the strip, as shown at the left hand end of Figure 2. The edging strip should then be stood vertically on its lower edge.

2. Taking the free end of the strip, this is pushed away along the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 3, against the resilient opposition provided by the strip, until the required final position for the end of the strip is reached, and temporary fixation is then made by another spike, as illustrated at the right hand end of Figure 3.

3. Mark the ground surface following the required configuration of the strip between the beginning and terminal ends of the strip, this being done with a spade or the like to define the required surface marking. The strip is then removed from its temporary fixation.

4. The ground is then excavated to a depth of approximately 4.5 inches to provide a trench which follows the shape of the marked curve chosen, and this depth is made as uniform as possible throughout the length of the curve.

5. Fit the edging strip in the trench so that the brackets and the spikes will be located on the, inside face of the excavation, so that in due course they will be covered when the path / drive is back filled.

6. Hammer spike into the ground through the bracket at the starting end of the strip, and subsequently drive successive spikes through the brackets in order to follow the required configuration. When driving the spikes fully home, care should be taken to avoid damaging the edging strip by using a separate punch to engage the spike head.

7. Finally, back fill in the usual way, using any suitable material, depending on the finish required i.e.

with aggregate or soil.

For gravel or grass finish, desirably the edging strip should project approximate 3/4 to 1 inch above the finish level. However, in the case of tarmac / concrete, the height of the edging strip top will be determined by the finished tarmac / concrete surface level.

The edging strip can therefore be readily deformed to take up any required configuration, is simple to install, maintenance free and rot proof therefore having a long service life, is unobtrusive, and enables rockery plants to grow over the edge, giving a natural look. Grass can also be mown up to, and over the edging, without the need for following with edging tools.

Claims (7)

1. An edging strip which is intended to be buried at least partly in the ground in order to separate one region from another, in which the strip is made at least partly of plastics material and is of sufficient thickness that it can be resiliently deformed from a rectilinear datum position so as to adopt any required configuration, and in which mounting brackets are mounted at spaced apart positions along the length of the strip and spikes are provided which can be driven through the brackets and into the ground in order to secure the strip in the ground in the required configuration.

2. An edging strip according to Claim 1, in which the strip is made from recycled plastics material.

3. An edging strip according to Claim 2, in which textile reinforcement is embedded in the plastics material.

4. An edging strip according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the brackets are arranged with their upper ends at a predetermined spacing below the upper edge of the strip, to enable the brackets to be covered by backfill material after the strip has been laid in a preformed trench and secured in position by driving the spikes through the brackets.

5. An edging strip according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the brackets are of square or rectangular cross section, and the spikes are circular in cross section so that they can readily be driven through the brackets, even when the latter become partly clogged with soil or stone.

6. An edging strip according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the strip has a rebate at each end, so that two adjacent strip ends can be secured together to form a continuous constant thickness edging strip buried in the ground.

7. An edging strip according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.