Road structure – process – or apparatus – Pavement – Modules or blocks
Patent
1992-08-05
1994-01-11
Neuder, William P.
Road structure, process, or apparatus
Pavement
Modules or blocks
404 42, E01C 506
Patent
active
052775143
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a block for paving and like uses, and particularly although not exclusively to a block made of concrete.
Many different designs of paving block are known. Two prior known designs were invented by the present inventor, and are disclosed in the British Patents Nos. EP(UK) 102214 and 2157335. There is a continuing demand for new paving blocks which is fuelled by residential demand and the increase in requirements and sophistication of organisations and local authorities who wish to pave public areas. The great majority of prior known paving blocks (including the blocks shown in the two patents cited above) are of generally rectilinear shape. In other words, their edges are in general defined by substantially straight lines. Disadvantages of most rectilinear blocks are that their structural stability when laid is less than desirable and they have a visual "sameness" and hence are uninteresting. When rectilinear laid blocks are subject to directional frictional forces, for example the effect of braking of vehicles moving in one direction, the lines of the blocks tend to bow, that is, become shallowly curved in a horizontal plane. In this specification the references to "horizontal" and "vertical" assume that the blocks are laid on a horizontal substrate but of course, as is well known, paving blocks can also be laid on sloping or curved surfaces.
When the lines of blocks tend to bow as mentioned above, the resulting surface has decreased stability and is less safe, and disruption and expense are involved in taking up and re-laying the blocks.
The present invention aims to provide a block which is an improvement over known blocks in this respect.
According to the present invention in one aspect, there is provided a paving block made up, as seen in plan, of two connected portions, one portion comprising four connected substantially identical quadrants and the other portion having an inside-out pillow shape substantially defined by four arcuate surfaces, the curvature of each surface being substantially the same as that of the curved boundary of any one of the quadrants.
According to another aspect of the invention, a paving block arrangement comprises two separate or separable parts, one such part consisting of four connected substantially identical quadrants and the other such part having an inside-out pillow shape as seen in plan substantially defined by four arcuate surfaces, the curvature of each surface being substantially the same as that of the curved boundary of any one of the quadrants.
A plurality of such arrangements can be laid to yield a pattern substantially identical to a pattern obtainable by laying blocks according to the first aspect of the invention mentioned above. When such an arrangement is laid, the two parts are laid in such a way that one of the curved sides of the inside out pillow shape block is placed closely adjacent to an arcuate surface defining the edge of a quadrant.
In a preferred version of the invention, the shape of the block as seen in plan is such that the quadrants are disposed in relation to each other such that one of the linear surfaces of each quadrant is adjacent to one side of a square centrally located with reference to the quadrants, and the other linear surface of that quadrant is adjacent to a linear surface of an adjacent quadrant. Although references made herein to four quadrants, a square, and an inside-out pillow shape, all of these component parts are integral or permanently connected together to constitute a single block in the most preferred version of the invention. The block preferably has substantially planar upper and lower surfaces. Parts of the preferred block however are layered to form local depressions. In the alternative, or in addition, shallow grooves or channels may be cut in or otherwise provided in the upper surface. Such grooves or channels may be included to provide desired aesthetic effects.
A block according to the invention may have various proportions, and blocks according to the invention may be made to variou
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