Abstract: A mine seal or wall capable of retaining its integrity under a transverse load. The mine seal is constructed of a plurality of interlocking masonry blocks. The interlocking blocks include a body with a top surface, planar sides, planar ends, and a bottom surface. A top shear lug extends longitudinally along the top of the block. An end shear lug extends vertically along each end of the block. The bottom surface and each end of the block includes a groove therein. When stacked end to end in successive rows, the top and end shear lugs of each interlocking block engage the complimentary grooves in the adjacent blocks thereby enabling the blocks to self-align vertically and lock together as they are stacked. The resulting mine seal exhibits a high resistance to transverse loads.

Abstract: The present invention is an arch/building support system comprising two (or more) opposing wedges, at least one located at the base of each side of the arch, with the bases of the opposing wedges facing each other, the opposing wedges connected to each other by a semi-rigid flexible rod or rods. In a building structure, the flexible member could be rebar(s) made of one or various materials (metal, plastic, nylon etc.) with various degree of elasticity. The rebars could envelop the structure (around the outside or shell) or reside within it, and may also incorporate some sort of spring mechanism. The rebar(s) are anchored to the upper wedge on each side of the arch, but need not be, and could instead be anchored to the ground.

Abstract: A culvert structure interconnectable with interconnectable paver blocks. The culvert structure comprises an elongated rigid casing having a bottom wall, opposed parallel vertical side walls, and an open top end. One of the vertical side walls has at least one projection formation for interconnection with a slot of adjacent ones of the paver blocks in a paved surface formed by the paver blocks. The other of the vertical side walls has a slot formation for interconnection with a blocks engaging projection of adjacent ones of the paver blocks in the paved surface. The bottom wall has passage means for the evacuation of water therethrough and a support structure connected to the rigid casing for supporting a grate over the open top end.

Abstract: A block suitable for use in paving, edging or wall applications comprises a lower portion having parallel, substantially vertical side faces that are spaced apart by a first width, and an upper portion having parallel, substantially vertical side faces that are spaced apart by a second width. The second width is smaller than the first width of the lower portion, and the side faces of the upper portion are angled relative to the side faces of the lower portion. The block further comprises a transition portion between the upper and lower portions, having at least one slanted side extending between one or more sides of the lower portion and one or more sides, respectively, of the upper portion.

Abstract: A molded brick, in particular made from concrete, for laying ground coverings (10, 30), the molded brick (11, 12, 31, 32, 33) having an upper side (13) which is delimited in the transition to upright side faces (15, 16, 17, 18) by a side edge (20) which frames the upper side (13). The course of the side edge (20) of the molded brick is of curved configuration at least in regions and to correspond to a mathematical function, the course of the side edge (20) preferably corresponding at least in regions to the function ƒ(x)=a*ln(x)+b.

Abstract: A paving block is provided that includes a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. The side surface includes a recess extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the recess has a top opening in the top surface and a bottom opening in the bottom surface, wherein the bottom opening is larger in area than the top opening. The side surface also has at least a portion that extends inwardly into the paving block. In some cases, the side surface comprises an upper side surface section and a lower side surface section, wherein the lower side surface section extends inwardly into the paving block.

Abstract: An artificial stone is disclosed for use in creating a covering a supporting surface. The artificial stone includes a base portion for placement on the supporting surface, which base portion is shaped as a right regular prism for patterned, fitting arrangement of the flagstone with like flagstones to produce a continuous surface covering. The base portion has a regular base contour. The stone further includes a top portion with a facing surface, the facing surface having an irregularly shaped top contour different from the base contour and an intermediate portion connecting the top portion with the base portion. The intermediate portion has an inclined wall extending between the top portion and a sidewall of the base portion. Stones of this construction can easily be arranged in a regular, repeated pattern to generate a continuous covering for the supporting surface without the surface of the resulting covering having a regular, patterned appearance.

Abstract: Aircraft arresting beds at ends of runways may be subject to damaging effects of jet blast phenomena. Arresting units for that and other applications and which are resistant to such effects are described, with related methods.

Abstract: A concrete cast stone resembling a flagstone for use with other ones of the concrete cast stones for covering a surface. The concrete cast stone comprising a body having a peripheral contour of non-repetitive jagged shape for interlocking engagement of a plurality of the concrete cast stone. The peripheral contour defining a distinguishable orientation with interlocking side sections and part-interlocking side sections such that said concrete cast stones placed side-by-side interlock by one or a combination of (1) matching the interlocking side sections in a linear arrangement of the concrete cast stones, and (2) matching the part-interlocking side sections in a herringbone arrangement. A method for assembling the concrete cast stone is also provided.

Abstract: A set of concrete pavers is formed by a plurality of pavers being arranged in a paver row, and a plurality of paver rows being arranged to form a row. A number of parallel, adjacent rows form linear or meandering joints in the end-paver region of the rows when the rows are laid together. At least one section of the upper delimiting surface of the pavers is convexly cambered towards the outside, and projections on the side faces of the pavers form support elements for the adjacent pavers. The support elements, in combination with projections on adjacent pavers, create spaces that act as water-drainage openings in the joint regions. The pavers in each set include not only paving blocks with a length-to-height ratio of less than or equal to 4 but also at least one paving slab with a length-to-height ratio greater than 4.

Abstract: A paving brick with a means for reducing mechanical stress on at least one edge of a top surface, particularly when used in a paving system for roads, streets, sidewalks and like when heavy vehicle load applies a force on the top surface. In one embodiment the means for reducing mechanical stress is a rounded edge. In another embodiment the means for reducing mechanical stress is an angle sidewall having an angle theta between 75 and 85 degrees.

Abstract: The inventive support structure for a soft ground consists of at least two elements which comprise a plate [1], on the lower supporting surface of which three anchoring projections in the form of hooks are made or secured, one of these projections [9] being located near the end face [5] and two other [8, 10] being located near side faces [6, 7], and a curved anchoring element [11], the side surfaces [12] of which are inclined with respect to the horizontal surface of the plate and have three arc-like segments [13, 14, 15] projected outside the contour of the plate base. The invention is characterized in that the side faces [6, 7] of the plate [1] consist of two parts [16, 19] which are inclined in the opposite directions with respect to the longitudinal section, in that the end faces [4, 5] of the plate [1] are inclined in the same direction and in that stops [20, 21] are provided in the area where the differently directed parts of the side faces are conjugated.

Abstract: An essentially quadrate paving stone having a corresponding base block (21) is provided on all four side surfaces (25, 26) with flange-like, upright spacers (22) which are spaced apart from each other at intervals corresponding approximately to the width of the spacers, making it possible for them to make an interlocking connection with adjacent shaped paving stones of the same type. Furthermore, the bottom side (24) of the paving stone features a number of transverse, gutter-like depressions resulting in the formation of ribs between these depressions. This creates an additional dentification, or anchoring, in the bed surface of the installed paving stones.

Abstract: First and second concrete pavers that are configured to form a paver system arrangeable in a herringbone pattern. A plurality of the first pavers and a plurality of the second pavers, which together form a kit of pavers, can be used to construct a permeable pavement with the herringbone pattern. The first and second pavers are preferably molded in a layer with the pavers arranged in the herringbone pattern. The layer can then be mechanically installed using suitable mechanical installation equipment.

Abstract: A cluster of paving elements is formed with a peripheral edge having a re-entrant formation formed between the upper supporting surface and the lower, supported surface. The formation engages a complimentary formation on an adjacent cluster to inhibit relative movement between the clusters. The re-entrant formation may be applied to individual paving elements in the cluster or to the exposed faces of the elements at the periphery of the cluster. The elements in the cluster may be shaped to inter-engage to inhibit relative movement between the elements with in the cluster.

Abstract: Interlocking paver system for the use of constructing sidewalks, pathways and decks being formed from a light weight material for easy handling. Joined together by a plastic spline with gripping teeth, which when placed in spline receiver slots on sides of paver, which has a protruding upper edge that surrounds the entire perimeter allowing the pavers to tilt up or down, which allows the pavers to be placed on uneven or unlevel surfaces and prevents pavers from separating and from moving side to side, back and forth, and from settling downward and lifting upward which establishes a stable walking surface that is easy to install or assemble.

Abstract: A drip berm for mounting onto a drip mat includes one or more inner berm members and one or more cooperating outer berm members. Each inner berm member is mountable contiguously around the circumferential edges of the drip mat. Each outer berm member is mountable along an inner edge of the outer berm member contiguously along or around an outer edge of, or perimeter of a frame formed by the inner berm member or members. Each inner berm member includes at least one clamp member for mounting onto the circumferential edges of the drip mat. Each clamp member includes a pair of jaws for mounting inwardly of the circumferential edges of the drip mat. The jaws are pivotable about a clam-shell hinge so as to, in a closed position, engage and clamp the circumferential edges of the drip mat between the pair of jaws, and so as to, in an open position, release the circumferential edges of the drip mat from between the pair of jaws.

Abstract: A interlocking paving unit has a top surface (2) and a plurality of side surfaces (4, 5), with at least one of the side surfaces (4, 5) of the paving unit being provided with at least one substantially vertically extending, substantially asymmetric protrusion (10). The protrusion (10) comprises a first ridge portion (11) and a second portion (12) being spaced apart by an intermediate portion (13). The protrusion (10) is locatable in a complementary recess on an adjacent paving unit, wherein the interengagement between the protrusion and the recess provides interlock between the paving unit and an adjacent paving unit.

Abstract: A ramp member is provided for attachment with an edge of a floor mat to facilitate transportation of an object from a floor to an upper surface of the mat. A tab is provided which extends from the ramp member and defines a plane. Two projections extend from the plane of the tab out of alignment with the plane. Additionally, two cavities are formed in the ramp member adapted for receiving at least one of the two projections therein. A method of connecting ramp members is also included.

Abstract: A palisade comprises visible or wall surfaces disposed on opposing sides and intermediate end faces. One of the end faces is provided with a projecting convex head, while the other end face comprises a correspondingly formed concave receptacle for the head. When forming a palisade wall, the head of a palisade can engage in the receptacle of a neighboring palisade such that the head substantially completely fills the receptacle. To be able to bend neighboring palisades relative to one another over a large angle and to increase the design possibilities of a palisade wall, the head and the receptacle are disposed eccentrically on the respective end face and preferably in the corner region between the end face and the associated visible or wall surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a paving block for use in the construction of a paved surface, which paving block has a top surface, a bottom surface and at least one lateral surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces and abutting in use at least part of a lateral surface of at least one adjacent paving block, wherein a portion of the lateral surface of the paving block adjacent to the top surface is tapered.

Abstract: The invention relates to a construction kit made of concrete paving stones comprising substantially prismatic stone bodies of a uniform height and upright lateral surfaces. A plurality of stone paving stones (2) arranged in rows and having the same width in addition to the same or different lengths can be placed manually or placed by means of a machine with continuous or offset joints in said joint areas. A plurality of rows of paving stones that are arranged next to each other in a parallel position is used to form a rectangular or square packet that can be placed using a machine. The paving stones (2) have side surfaces (4) which have head pieces (2′) that are defined by a wavy line along part of their height and base pieces (2″) in sections, comprising domed areas (5) or projections jutting out laterally in relation to the head pieces (2′) extending along another part of their height.

Abstract: A paving stone (1) has a linkage securing against displacement. This is achieved by overengaging interlocking elements (6) and underengaging interlocking elements (5) being respectively provided on each side (3, 4) of the paving stone (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a ground covering of pentagonal shaped concrete slabs (F.sub.1) placed against another with joints. The shaped slabs are simple to produce and simple to lay and in order to give such a covering an appearance similar to a ground covering of irregular quarry slabs each shaped slab has two adjacent straight sides of equal length disposed at an obtuse angle, two adjoining concave sides of equal length and equal curvature, and a convex side disposed therebetween which is twice the length of the concave sides and has a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the concave sides. Together the three shaped slabs form a group of three, the straight sides abutting one another with the formation of a star-shaped joint. The outer convex sides of one group of three abut the concave sides of the adjacent group of three and vice versa.

Abstract: A paving element for the water-permeable reinforcement of surfaces, said paving element comprising a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of sides. One or more of the sides have vertical recesses extending from the top surface of the paving element to the bottom surface. The recesses are disposed asymmetrically about the mid points of the sides such that recesses of the adjacent sides of neighboring elements are offset from one another when the neighboring elements are laid in alignment, thereby avoiding alignment of the recesses. Alternatively, an offset of the recesses on neighboring stones is achieved by laying the elements in a displaced or staggered manner.

Abstract: A paving block for covering the ground, floor and like surfaces. The paving block is generally planar with a vertical dimension. The upper and lower planar surfaces and the vertical sides define a pentagon. the pentagon has three longer sides and two shorter sides. Two of the longer sides are equal. The third longer side is at least as long as the two equal longer sides. The two equal longer sides are joined at one end at a 90.degree. internal angle. Each is joined at its opposite end to one of the shorter sides at a 90.degree. internal angle and each shorter side is then joined at a 135.degree. internal angle to the third longer side. The third longer side opposes the right angle between the two equal longer sides and is bisected by a line bisecting the 90.degree. angle between the two equal longer sides.

Abstract: A surface covering slab element with a unique shape which has a combination of straight edges and complementary concave and convex edges. Numerous slab elements of this shape can be assembled in a variety of different ways for generating circular, straight and curved patterns with interfacing edges for connecting curved patterns to straight patterns.

Abstract: Shaped slabs (10) made of concrete for forming groundcoverings have spacers (15 to 20) on their edges with which the shaped slabs are braced against one another when the groundcovering is completed. This bracing of the shaped slabs (10) on their spacers (15 to 20) determines the permissible traffic weights such a groundcovering may carry. This means that different shaped slabs have to be provided for groundcoverings which are suitable for heavier traffic weights. The invention is concerned with creating a universal shaped slab (10) which can be used for different traffic weights and therefore suggests shaped slabs (10) the spacers (15 to 20) of which being arranged on the side faces (11 to 14) of said shaped slabs (10) such that depending on the relative positioning of the side faces (11 to 14) when laying the shaped slabs (10), said spacers (15 to 20) are either interlocking or abutting. This way, wide or narrow joints can alternatively be formed between adjacent shaped slabs (10).

Abstract: The fracture-free paving block comprises a cement block substrate and a top solid layer, and is characterized in that the top layer is selected from a cured cement mortar layer and tile-like layer firmly bonded to the substrate with cement mortar; the top layer is bonded to the block substrate with lateral margins of 1 to 8 mm wide in horizontal distance from the peripheral edges of the substrate; and the vertical distance from the surface of the top layer to the peripheral edge of the substrate is 5 to 50 mm.

Abstract: A paving stone for use with other similarly configured paving stones all of which are to be laid adjacent each other to form a paved surface. The paving stone having two centrally symmetrical contiguous parts at least one of which is generally square-shaped and has cut-off corners. The parts being joined along a side that is common to the two parts. There being, along the common side, a dummy groove that is common to the two parts and gives the appearance of separateness between the two parts. The one part also has at each of the four cut-off corners of the square, a protrusion which extends along the continuation of a line which joins the corner with the diametrically opposite corner. Each protrusion being directed toward a protrusion of an adjacent paving stone when the paving stone is part of a paved surface formed by a plurality of paving stones.

Abstract: A paving stone set includes a square paving-stone, a larger rectangular paving-stone and a smaller rectangular paving-stone. Each of the paving stones has generally planar top and bottom surfaces and generally planar side walls, with a clothoid shaped surface being formed on two corners of each paving-stone. The radius of curvature of each clothoid shaped surface may be different from that of the other clothoid shaped surfaces on each paving-stone. The top surface may have a different color and texture than the bottom surface. The paving-stones may be irregularly broken surfaces.

Abstract: Known groundcovering elements (44) consist of three basic shaped slabs which are connected to form a unit and which are delimited from one another by at least two dummy joints (stem dummy joint 74 and middle dummy joint 81), the peripheral surface having projections (67, 68, 79) and depressions (69, 70, 80) along an (imaginary) base line to form a toothing. To improve the stability and laying of such groundcovering elements (44), it is proposed to make these T-shaped by means of a half-size stem (13) formed approximately centrally on an elongate crossbar (12). When rhombi (45-47) are used as the basic shaped slab, the groundcovering element (44) has the form of an inclined "T".

Abstract: A tile for positioning on walkways, crosswalks and other areas of pedestrian traffic for providing direction and warning to visually handicapped persons. The tile comprises a flat plate having a chamfered edge and including raised bumps coupled to a top surface of the plate and projecting upward therefrom to a maximum height of less than 8 millimeters. A flowable adhesive used at the chamfered edge provides for a tapered seal around the tile or for formation of an expansion joint between two contiguous tiles. The bumps are configured as truncated structure having a larger base and tapered to a top surface which bears the foot traffic. A bottom surface of the tile includes a uniform adhesive layer which enables attachment of the tile to a street surface. A system of tiles for assisting visually handicapped persons across the street is also disclosed and includes a combination of dot and bar tiles oriented to give direction to the pedestrian.

Abstract: The paving stone comprises a recess which divides the stone into an upper part having a smaller circumference and a lower part with a greater circumference. The lower part, having also a greater height than the upper part, comprises a ribbing or other vertically oriented interlocking means and the upper part can have the appearance of a natural stone. The shape of either the upper or the lower part may be chosen arbitrarily and independent from each other. The molding box for the manufacturing of such paving stones is made of two pieces joined together and comprises the corresponding recess. The lower piece comprises an insert for forming interlocking means.

Abstract: A floor mat assembly is disclosed which is molded from resilient plastic material, and made up of only two different elements, mat modules and ramp strips. The mat module comprises a rectangular shape with two adjoining edges, each of the edges having an upper coupling edge flap with a row of downward directed projections, and two other adjoining edges, each of the other edges having a lower coupling edge flap with a row of vertical holes to couple with a row of projections on an upper coupling edge flap of a ramp strip or an adjoining mat module. The ramp strip comprises a tapered face with an upper coupling edge flap adjacent the tapered face, and a lower coupling edge flap joined by a severable link to the upper coupling edge flap, the lower coupling edge flap of the ramp strip to couple with an upper coupling edge flap of a mat module, and when the link is severed, the upper coupling edge flap of the ramp strip to couple with a lower coupling edge flap of a mat module.

Abstract: Prefabricated concrete elements for constructing paths corresponding to a width N or a multiple thereof contain two groups. The first group comprises flat, four-sided slabs for the straight sections of the path, having a dimension corresponding to the normal width N or half said normal width. The second group of prefabricated concrete elements comprise a plurality of sets of flat, sector slabs for the curved sections of the path having different predetermined radius each set consists of sector slabs having a predetermined radius and radii having a dimension corresponding to the normal width.

Abstract: A plurality of pavings stones are organized in an array to form a walkway having the appearance of cobblestones. Each of the prime elements of the walkway includes an elongated stone having the general appearance of three hexagonal stones joined together. The sides allow the stones to be interfitted to with adjacent stones being offset one-half a hexagon or more. The top surface of the stones includes three rounded projections above the planar sidewalls so that earth, sand and the like which falls into the cracks between the projections will give the walkway the appearance of cobblestones.