BUILDING UNIT WITH COBBLE TOP
A building unit has a substantially planar base having an outer periphery including multiple mating sides. Each mating side has at least one “S”-connection, which includes at least one outwardly extending male mating section and at least one inwardly extending adjacent female section. On the base, there are multiple cobbles or raised regions separated by false joints. A first portion of the raised regions are positioned on the male mating sections, respectively and extend to positions proximate to the outer periphery of the base. A second portion of the raised regions are positioned adjacent the female mating sections, respectively and are set back from the outer periphery. Each side of one unit can mate with any side of another like unit. The arrangement results in a surface covering that lacks a discernible pattern.
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This disclosure relates to building units forming a surface covering and/or structure, and more specifically relates to stones, bricks, pavers and tiles.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSUREConventional surface coverings are well known, such as walkways, driveways, patios, floors, work surfaces, walls, and other interior or exterior surfaces with stones, bricks, pavers, tiles, and other architectural surface covering units. It is further known to construct walls and other structures with stone and bricks. Natural stone surface coverings and structures are constructed by cutting and fitting irregularly sized and shaped stones. The work requires a skilled stonemason to select, cut and fit the stone. It is labor intensive, and accordingly expensive. Custom built natural stone surfaces and structures, however, are very attractive and desirable.
Also, coverings and structures are constructed of manufactured pavers, bricks, tiles or other similar units. Manufactured units are typically provided in various geometric shapes, such as squares, rectangles and hexagons, etc. Surfaces covered with the manufactured units typically are laid in repeating and easily recognizable patterns. Alternatively, it is known to lay conventional units in random, non-repeating patterns. Random patterns are regarded as esthetically pleasing and are becoming more popular due to their more natural appearance and non-geometric forms. However, random patterns of manufactured units do not have the degree of natural irregularity that is desirable in custom stone walkways, driveways, patios, walls and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREAccording to the present disclosure, there is provided a building unit having at least three, preferably four or more mating sides. The building unit includes a substantially planar base having an outer periphery. Each mating side has at least one “S”-connection, which includes at least one male section and at least one adjacent female section. On the base, there are multiple raised regions where a first portion of the raised regions are positioned at male mating sections adjacent to the unit periphery and a second portion of the raised regions are positioned set back from the periphery of the unit at the female mating section.
In another embodiment, a building unit having four sides is provided that includes a substantially planar base, a first mating side, a second mating side disposed on an opposite side of the first mating side, a third mating side disposed generally perpendicularly relative to the first mating side, a fourth mating side disposed on an opposite side of the third mating side, and multiple raised regions on the base. Each mating side has at least one “S”-connection, which includes at least one male mating section and at least one female mating section arranged continuously and alternatively on a periphery of the unit. One or more of the raised regions extend outwardly at one or more male sections of each mating side proximate to the periphery of the unit, and one or more of the raised regions are set back inwardly from the periphery of the unit at one or more female sections of each mating side.
In yet another embodiment, a building unit having a rectangular configuration is provided that includes a substantially planar base, and first and second pairs of mating sides. Each side has at least one “S”-connection, which includes at least one male mating section and at least one female mating section. The unit has a dimension in a longitudinal direction that is longer than the dimension of the unit in a transverse direction. Further, there are multiple cobbles on the base, where a first portion of the cobbles are positioned outwardly closely adjacent to the unit periphery at the male mating sections and a second portion of the cobbles are positioned set back inwardly from the unit periphery at the female mating sections such that the cobbles of the first portion extend outwardly to an outer contour edge of the male mating section that the cobbles of the second portion are set back from an outer contour edge of the female mating section.
The foregoing and other aspects and features of the disclosure will become apparent to those of reasonable skill in the art from the following detailed description, as considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described below by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the embodiment shown in
In this embodiment, three “S”-connections 23 are disposed of on each of the first and second sides and two “S”-connections are disposed on the third and fourth sides. Each opposing side has the same length, the same number of “S”-connections, and the same mating profiles. Preferably, all of the “S”-connections 23 have substantially the same length and configuration. Accordingly, each side of one unit is capable of mating with any side of another adjacent unit. This feature allows various and multiple ways of assembling the units, examples of which are described below.
Each “S”-connection 23 has a center point Z that bisects the “S”-connection into two sections, each section being a rotational image of the section on the other side of the center point. The length and shape or configuration of the male and female sections are the substantially the same and comprise a 180 degree rotation about the center point Z. Accordingly, each “S”-connection 23 will mate with any other “S”-connection of another like unit. In the embodiment shown in
As shown in
The natural, non-repeating pattern appearance of surface covering constructed with multiple units 12 is enhanced by selective arrangement of the raised regions 28 relative to the male and female mating sections 24, 26 of the “S”-connections. Specifically, one or more of the raised regions 28 are positioned proximate to the outer periphery 15 at male mating sections 24 and one or more of the raised regions 28 are set back from the outer periphery 15 of the unit adjacent female mating sections 26. By the term “proximate,” it means that the raised region(s) 28 extend into or over the convex section 24 of the base to a position that is flush with the outer periphery 15 of the base and/or close to the outer periphery 15. By the term “set back,” it means that there is a space between the raised region(s) 28 and the outer periphery 15 of the base, the space preferably having a dimension roughly equivalent to the width(s) of the false joints 33 between raised regions on the unit.
When assembled, the raised regions 28 at the male sections 24 extend closer to an adjacent mating unit than the raised regions 28 adjacent in the female sections 26. This is the case for both of the adjoining units. Moreover, the spacing width between the raised regions between units varies. According the visible “joint” between mating units at the level of the raised regions is irregular in shape (somewhat serpentine) and has a variable width. The actual joint between units at the base level 14 is hidden. If the joints (both actual and false joints) are filled with sand, grout or other materials, the actual joint at the base level will be concealed and unrecognizable in the constructed surface. As a result, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to discern the peripheries of individual units, and the surface covering 10 has a non-repeating pattern appearance.
The units of the present disclosure can be provided with irregular surface features, which provide aesthetic benefits. The base, raised regions and sides can be scraped, textured and/or sculpted to facilitate a natural rock-like appearance. To further enhance the natural appearance of surface coverings and structures made with the units, the sides can be molded such that the sides match less than perfectly, i.e., that non-substantial gaps are formed between adjacent units. These gaps can vary in thickness. This is preferably accomplished by introducing minor variations in the sides so that the surfaces are not identical without interfering with mating and interlocks. “Mate” generally refers to fitting or associating suitably. “Interlock” does not necessarily mean that surfaces are touching (though they can be), but refers more generally to the faces having at least two separate points that when shifted a direction parallel to the general direction of the face will contact points along an adjacent face.
To further improve the natural, random appearance of surface coverings it is desirable to provide variations in individual units. The number, shape and arrangement of raised regions can be varied from unit to unit, albeit with the same base. Dyes and colorants may be added to the units, and the color and quantity of dye may be regulated to produce color variations from unit to unit. Surface variations from unit to unit are also desirable. One method of introducing surface variation is to tumble the units after manufacture to roughen or otherwise to provide an aged appearance. An alternative method is to hammer the surface and/or edges of the unit to create small nicks or marks. Surface variations also may be made in the molds. For example, in a six-form mold assembly, each mold can include a different pattern of raised regions, false joint patterns or other surface irregularities. Thereby, only every sixth unit would be the same. Further, since there can be six different cobble patterns for the mold assembly, each unit can randomly have a different texture on an individual cobble stone.
Building units 12 may be molded or otherwise made of concrete, ceramics, plastic, natural or synthetic rubber, glass or other suitable material, or combinations thereof. Concrete is a preferred material for molding paver units in accordance with the present disclosure. There are two conventional concrete molding methods, namely dry cast and wet cast. Dry cast material can be used to mass manufacture low cost units. Wet cast is more expensive, but produces very high quality units. A preferred dry cast method is slip-form molding from dry mix concrete to form units suited for use in walkways, driveways and patios.
In the wet cast process, the units are molded upside down. The bottom of the form designed to mold the raised regions and false joints that will become the outer or top surface of the unit. An advantage of the wet cast process is that sharper details (e.g., fissures that appear in natural stone) can be replicated, which is difficult to accomplish with other manufacturing methods.
While preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been herein illustrated and described, it is to be appreciated that certain changes, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A building unit for forming a surface covering comprising,
- a substantially planar base having an outer periphery and at least three mating sides, wherein each mating side has at least one “S”-connection, each “S”-connection including at least one male section extending outwardly and at least one adjacent female section extending inwardly; and
- a plurality of raised regions on said base, wherein at least one raised region is positioned proximate to said outer periphery on one said male mating section, and at least another one of said raised regions is positioned set back from the outer periphery adjacent to a said female section.
2. The building unit of claim 1 wherein said unit has a first and second mating sides disposed opposite one another, and third a fourth mating sides disposed opposite one another and generally perpendicularly relative to said first and second mating sides.
3. The building unit of claim 1, wherein said “S”-connections are substantial images of each other and are configured such that any mating side of one said unit mates with any mating side of another like said unit.
4. The building unit of claim 1, wherein each said “S”-connection has a center point between the male and female sections, each said section being a 180 degree rotational image of the section on the other side of the center point.
5. The building unit of claim 1, wherein said “S”-connections are disposed substantially continuously, end-to-end on said periphery of said unit.
6. The building unit of claim 1, wherein said plurality of raised regions have different shapes and are separated by false joints.
7. A surface covering comprising multiple building units of claim 1 assembled together.
8. A building unit, said unit comprising:
- a substantially planar base having an outer periphery including at least two pairs of mating sides, the sides in each pair being opposed to each other,
- wherein each mating side has at least one “S”-connection, said “S”-connection including at least one outwardly extending male mating section and at least one inwardly extending female mating section,
- a plurality of raised regions on said base,
- wherein a first portion of said raised regions are positioned, respectively, at said male sections and extend outwardly proximate to said outer periphery,
- wherein another portion of said raised regions are positioned, respectively, at said female sections and are set back inwardly from said outer periphery, and
- wherein a distance between said raised regions and said outer periphery varies, the distance being greater at some of said female sections as compared to some of said male sections.
9. The building unit of claim 8, wherein said raised regions are separated by one or more false joints.
10. The building unit of claim 9, wherein each raised region has a different shape from the other raised regions, said unit further comprises irregularly shaped false joints between said raised regions.
11. The building unit of claim 8, wherein all of said “S”-connections have the same length and configuration.
12. The building unit of claim 11, wherein at least one of said first portion of raised regions positioned at a male mating section is at least partially flush with said outer periphery.
13. The building unit of claim 8, wherein one pair of sides each has three “S”-connections and the other pair of sides each has two “S”-connections.
14. The building unit of claim 8, wherein at least one of said raised regions extends over each said outwardly extending male sections.
15. The building unit of claim 8, wherein at least one of said raised regions positioned adjacent each said inwardly extending female sections and set back from said outer periphery.
16. A building unit comprising
- a substantially rectangular base having and outer periphery of first and second pairs of opposed mating sides, each said side having at least one “S”-connection, each said “S”-connection having the same length and configuration, each “S”-connection including a generally convex mating section and a generally concave mating section that is a rotational image of the convex section;
- wherein said unit has a dimension in a longitudinal direction that is longer than the dimension of said unit in a transverse direction;
- a first plurality of raised cobbles on said base that extend over respective convex mating sections to a position proximate to the outer periphery of said base; and
- a second plurality of raised cobbles on said base that are set back inwardly from the outer periphery of said base adjacent respective concave mating sections,
- wherein said first plurality of raised cobbles are positioned closer to the outer periphery of said base than said second plurality of raised cobbles.
17. The building unit of claim 16, wherein said cobbles are separated by one or more irregularly shaped false joints.
18. The building unit of claim 16, wherein at least one of said first plurality of cobbles extends over each said convex sections, and wherein at least one of said second plurality of cobbles is positioned adjacent each said concave sections and set back from said outer periphery.
19. A surface covering comprising multiple building units of claim 16 assembled to cover a surface without substantial gaps or overlap between adjoining units.
20. The surface covering of claim 19 wherein said building units are orientated in different directions relative to each other.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 15, 2013
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2014
Applicant: Keystone Retaining Wall Systems LLC (Minneapolis, MN)
Inventors: Thomas S. Riccobene (Albuquerque, NM), Robert A. MacDonald (Plymouth, MN)
Application Number: 13/835,841
International Classification: E04F 13/08 (20060101); E04F 15/02 (20060101);