GB2270934A

GB2270934A - Structure comprising elongate notched members

Info

Publication number: GB2270934A
Application number: GB9220198A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerald Walters
Original assignee: ROWLINSON TIMBER Ltd
Current assignee: ROWLINSON TIMBER Ltd
Priority date: 1992-09-24
Filing date: 1992-09-24
Publication date: 1994-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2012-09-24
Also published as: GB9220198D0; GB2270934B

Abstract

A garden structure, e.g. a fence, border is formed by linking together multiple members (11, 12) by co-operation of notches (13) in upper and/or lower edges of the members. The co-operation of the notches (13) locks the members (11, 12) together in an assembled configuration to form the structure. <IMAGE>

Description

GARDEN STRUCTURE This invention relates to a garden structure and more particularly to such a structure which is formed by the interlinking of a number of separable elements.

Commonly it is desired to provide a garden structure which can be readily and easily assembled by linking together a number of separable elements. Furthermore it is sometimes desirable to allow the elements to be assembled in such a way that they extend at an angle other than 900 to each other in order to enable a wide variety of configurations to be assembled. In order to achieve this it has been usual to provide a notch in a suitable position on each element to allow it to cooperate with a notch on another element to link the elements together. These notches, where it is desired to have the elements at an angle to each other, are usually provided with angled edges to the notches, angled to an extent sufficient to allow the elements, once linked, to be at a predetermined angle relative to each other.It will be appreciated that the processes involved in providing notches in the elements having angled edges are necessarily more complicated and are more costly to produce than a normal parallel sided notch.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a garden structure in which the elements which are linked together to form the structure have parallel sided co operating notches which will allow the elements to be linked so that they can extend at an angle to each other and the structure, once formed, is locked in its final position.

According to the present invention therefore there is provided a garden structure comprising a plurality of members linked together by way of co-operating notches on each respective member, said notches having substantially parallel sides thereto and being dimensioned such that said structure is locked against movement at said cooperating notches once assembled.

With this arrangement it is possible to provide a garden structure which is cheap and easy to manufacture and which can be versatile in its uses.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a part of one embodiment of garden structure according to the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of two types of element which are linked together to form the structure of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 shows a plan view, partly in section, which shows the interlocking of the elements of Fig. 1 in more detail.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown part of a garden structure 10 which could be, for example, a fence around a border or lawn, the edge of a sand pit or any other partial or complete enclosure as desired or as appropriate.

The structure 10 comprises base 11 and wall members 12 linked together at respective ends by the co-operation of notches 13 provided in the members.

The base and wall members 11 and 12 are shown more clearly in Fig. 2 and comprise generally elongate members which may be formed from wood, plastics or any other suitable material as desired or as appropriate.

The base members 11 have two rectangular notches 13 in an upper edge thereof adjacent each end and the wall members 12 have two substantially identical notches 13 on both upper and lower edges adjacent each end.

Each notch 13 is of extended form and has substantially parallel edges 16 thereto which extend substantially transversely of a longitudinal axis 17 of the member.

In use, base members 11 and wall members 12 are linked at adjacent ends alternately by co-operation of respective notches, as is shown more clearly in Fig. 3, to form the base of the structure of a desired configuration. Other wall members 12 can then be linked to these members by co-operation of the notches 13 on the lower edge thereof with the notches 13 on the upper edge of the members 11, 12 already assembled.

Accordingly it will be appreciated that any desired structure in the form of partial or complete enclosure can be constructed using the present invention and indeed the partial or complete enclosure can also be constructed to any desired height.

Once the structure has been assembled, the top of the structure is formed in like manner to the base, i.e.

by linking alternately base 11 and wall members 12 as is shown in Fig. 3.

Once assembled, it is arranged that edges 16 of a notch 13 abut the edges 16 of the notch 13 with which it co-operates and it will therefore be realised that this abutment will prevent movement of the members 11, 12 about the co-operating notches 13 thereby locking the structure in its assembled configuration.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims

1. A garden structure comprising a plurality of members linked together by way of co-operating notches on each respective member, said notches having substantially parallel sides thereto and being dimensioned such that said structure is locked against movement at said cooperating notches once assembled.

2. A garden structure according to claim 1 wherein each said notch is substantially rectangular in shape.

3. A garden structure according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said members comprise base and wall members, each said base member having a notch adjacent each end of an upper edge thereof and each said wall member having a notch adjacent each end of an upper and lower edge thereof.

4. A garden structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein, once the structure is assembled, edges of the respective co-operating notches abut each other to lock the members in their assembled configuration.

5. A garden structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.