Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A one-piece coving strip (10) of the type utilized along fences, rails, or the like, for preventing vegetation growth at the base thereof, comprising: an upper fence-engaging portion (22) and a lower ground-engaging portion (24), joined together by curved connections (26,28) and characterized by attachment means (36) for directly attaching said upper portion by interlocking said portion with a fence (16), rail, or the like, so as to cover an area of ground between the fence and said ground-engaging portion, preventing vegetation growth and the passage of objects thereunder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
A one-piece coving strip (10) of the type utilized along fences, rails, or the like, for preventing vegetation growth at the base thereof, comprising: an upper fence-engaging portion (22) and a lower ground-engaging portion (24), joined together by curved connections (26,28) and characterized by attachment means (36) for directly attaching said upper portion by interlocking said portion with a fence (16), rail, or the like, so as to cover an area of ground between the fence and said ground-engaging portion, preventing vegetation growth and the passage of objects thereunder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A coving strip as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by anchoring means (38) for anchoring said lower portion to the ground.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A coving strip as set forth in claim 2 further characterized by said anchoring means (38) including sharpened pegs extending downwardly from and formed integrally with the underside of said lower portion (24) and driven into the ground.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A covering strip as set forth in claim 2 further characterized by said anchoring means (38) comprising a spike (40) received through an aperture (42) in said lower portion (24) and driven into the ground.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A coving strip as set forth in claim 2 further characterized by said anchoring means (38) comprising a separate barbed stake (46) having a bent head (48) for engaging and urging a bottom edge (50) of said ground-engaging portion downward when said stake (46) is driven into the ground.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A coving strip as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said attachment means (30) including a plurality of slits (32) extending inwardly from a top edge (34) of said fenceengaging portion (22) and terminating in an eyelet (36) for receiving and retaining a fence wire (16) therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A coving strip as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said attachment means (38) including a plurality of serrated slits (60) extending inwardly from a top edge (34) of said fence-engaging portion (22), defining a series of undulatory fingers (62) for receiving and retaining a fence wire (16) therebetween.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A coving strip as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said lower portion (24) having a less thickness than said upper portion (22), biasing said lower portion downwardly to engage the ground.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A coving strip as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said coving strip (10) having an undulatory substantially S-shaped cross section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A coving strip as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by notches formed along a top edge of said upper portion to receive a post (12) from a fence, barrier (58), or the like.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
A coving strip as set forth in claim 1 further wherein said attachment means is characterized by a transverse brace (70) conforming to the external contour of said strip (10) and having a ground-engaging end with groundanchoring means (72) thereon and a fence-engaging end for urging said strip axially toward the fence and downwardly toward the ground.