Restraint edge for paving members

Claim 2

Paving stone edge restraint apparatus for edging and restraining paving stones on a base surface comprising: substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means being flexibly formed to accommodate for irregular shaped boundaries around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means including a first side surface for facing said paving stones and for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said paving stones and a second side surface facing away from said paving stones; substantially horizontal extension means extending out laterally from said second side surface of said substantially vertical strip restraining means; force converting means interconnecting said substantially vertical strip restraining means to said substantially horizontal extension means in the form of a closed hollow profile1 for converting said horizontal forces received by said substantially vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces into said base surface; and attaching means for providing a detachable mounting of at least one of said horizontal extension means and said force converting means to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said horizontal extension means and said force converting means include a plurality of sections detachably disposed in spaced intervals on said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said force converting means include connecting strip means extending from said vertical strip restraining means and being inclined toward said horizontal extension means when attached to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said horizontal extension means extends from a lower end region of said vertical strip restraining means when attached to said vertical strip restraining means and said connecting strip means extends from a region greater than half the length of said vertical strip restraining means above said horizontal extension means when attached to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said vertical strip restraining means and said horizontal extension means are connected to one another at a 90° angle.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said force converting means include connecting means extending from said vertical strip restraining means and being inclined toward said horizontal extension means when attached to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 2, further including stake means inserted through said force converting means and said horizontal extension means.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said inserted stake means is substantially parallel to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said force converting means and said horizontal extension means each include an aperture therethrough for receiving a stake, said aperture of said force converting means and said horizontal extension means being aligned around a common axis substantially parallel to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 2, further including connecting peg means for connecting adjacent sections of vertical strip restraining means, said connecting peg means wedging into at least a portion of said closed hollow profile.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of said force converting means, at least a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and at least a portion of said horizontal extension means form said closed hollow profile.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said force converting means include connecting means connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said horizontal extension means when attached to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said connecting means include a connecting strip means connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said horizontal extension means, and cross connecting strip means connecting a central portion of said connecting strip means to at least one of said vertical strip restraining means and said horizontal extension means.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 13, wherein said cross connecting strip means extends from said connecting strip central portion to a juncture of said vertical strip restraining means and said horizontal extension means.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said horizontal extension means and said force converting means comprise separate attachment sections being removably attached to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said vertical strip restraining mean is a continuous strip and said attachment sections are removably disposed in spaced intervals on said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said attaching means provides a sliding attachment between said vertical strip restraining mean and said attachment sections.

Claim 19

Apparatus as in claim 17, wherein said attaching means include projections extending out from said vertical strip restraining means and mating projections on said attachment sections which engage into said vertical strip restraining means projections.

Claim 20

Apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said vertical strip restraining means projections extend out from said vertical strip restraining means in a T-shape forming slots between said vertical strip restraining means projections and said vertical strip restraining means, and said mating projections being fitted into said slots.

Claim 21

Apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said spaced intervals are in the range of about 10 inches to 14 inches.

Claim 22

Paving stone restraint system comprising: a plurality of paving stones; substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means being flexibly formed to accommodate for irregular shaped boundaries around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means including a first side surface for facing said paving stones and for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said paving stones and a second side surface facing away from said paving stones; and substantially horizontal extension means extending out laterally from said second side surface of said substantially vertical strip restraining means; and force converting means interconnecting said substantially vertical strip restraining means to said substantially horizontal extension means in the form of a closed hollow profile for converting said horizontal forces received by said substantially vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces into a base surface.

Claim 23

Paving stone restraint system comprising: a plurality of paving stones; substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means being flexibly formed to accommodate for irregular shaped boundaries around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means including a first side surface for facing said paving stones and for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said paving stones and a second side surface facing away from said paving stones; and substantially horizontal extension means extending out laterally from said second side surface of said substantially vertical strip restraining means; and force converting means interconnecting said substantially vertical strip restraining means to said substantially horizontal extension means in the form of a closed hollow profile for converting said horizontal forces received by said substantially vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces into a base surface.

Claim 24

Arrangement as in claim 21, wherein said horizontal extension means include base strip means extending out substantially transverse from vertical strip restraining means in a lower region.

Claim 25

Arrangement as in claim 22, wherein said force converting means include connecting strip means for connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said base strip means.

Claim 26

Arrangement as in claim 23, wherein said connecting strip means, a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and a portion of said base strip means form a triangular cross section, said connecting strip means forming a longest side of said triangular cross section.

Claim 27

Arrangement as in claim 24, wherein said connecting strip means, said vertical strip restraining means and said base strip means are a continuous extrusion.

Claim 28

Paving stone edge restraining apparatus for edging and restraining paving stones on a base surface comprising: substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means being flexibly formed to accommodate for irregular shaped boundaries around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means including a first side surface for facing said paving stones and for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said paving stones and a second side surface facing away from said paving stones; and substantially horizontal extension means extending out laterally from said second side surface of said substantially vertical strip restraining means; and force converting means interconnecting said substantially vertical strip restraining means to said substantially horizontal extension means in the form of a closed hollow profile for converting said horizontal forces received by said substantially vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces into said base surface.

Claim 29

Paving stone edge restraining apparatus for edging and restraining paving stones on a base surface comprising: substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means being flexibly formed to accommodate for irregular shaped boundaries around said paving stones, said substantially vertical strip restraining means including a first side surface for facing said paving stones and for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said paving stones and a second side surface facing away from said paving stones; and substantially horizontal extension means extending out laterally from said second side surface of said substantially vertical strip restraining means; and force converting means interconnecting said substantially vertical strip restraining means to said substantially horizontal extension means in the form of a closed hollow profile for converting said horizontal forces received by said substantially vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces into said base surface.

Claim 30

Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said extension means have a total length extending from said vertical strip restraining means longer than a first length portion of said vertical strip restraining means extending from said extension means to an upper end of said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 31

Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said extension means include base extension strip means extending out substantially transverse from said surface of said vertical strip restraining means in a lower region.

Claim 32

Apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said base extension means include a continuous planar base extension strip.

Claim 33

Apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said force converting means include connecting means for connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said base extension means.

Claim 34

Apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said connecting means include a continuous planar connecting strip.

Claim 35

Apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said connecting means further include a connecting strip connecting said vertical strip restraining means and horizontal extension means and cross connecting means connecting a central portion of said connecting strip to at least one of said vertical strip restraining means and said base extension means.

Claim 36

Apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said connecting means, a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and a portion of said base extension means form a triangular cross section, said connecting means forming a longest side of said triangular cross section.

Claim 37

Apparatus as in claim 33, wherein said triangular cross section includes a right triangle and said connecting means is a hypotenuse of said right triangle

Claim 38

Apparatus as in claim 33, wherein said connecting means include a continuous planar connecting strip, said base extension means include a continuous planar base extension strip and said vertical strip restraining means include a continuous planar vertical restraining strip, said base strip and vertical strip having a continuous juncture line parallel to said defined boundary of said paving stones.

Claim 39

Apparatus as in claim 35, wherein said base extension strip has a length extending from said vertical restraining strip longer than a length of said vertical restraining strip extending from said base extension strip to an upper end of said vertical restraining strip.

Claim 40

Apparatus as in claim 36, wherein said base extension strip has a length of about three to four inches and said vertical restraining strip has a length of about one to two inches.

Claim 41

Apparatus as in claim 36, wherein said connecting strip extends from an outer end of said base extension strip at an end opposite to said vertical restraining strip to said vertical restraining strip at a line approximately three-fourths of said vertical restraining strip length from said base extension strip.

Claim 42

Apparatus as in claim 38, wherein said vertical restraining strip includes a border length parallel to said boundary of said paving stones, said connecting strip including cut out portions along intervals of said vertical restraining planar strip border length, said base extension strip including cut out portions corresponding to said cut out portions of said connecting strip.

Claim 43

Apparatus as in claim 39, wherein said cut out portions of said connecting strip and said base extension strip are triangular sections, said triangular sections having an apex at a juncture of said connecting strip and said vertical restraining strip and at a juncture of said base extension strip and said vertical restraining strip.

Claim 44

Apparatus as in claim 35, wherein said connecting strip and said base extension strip include an aperture therethrough for receiving a stake, said aperture of the connecting strip and the base extension strip being aligned around a common axis parallel to the vertical restraining strip

Claim 45

Apparatus as in claim 35, further including connecting peg means for connecting adjacent sections of vertical restraining strips, said connecting peg means wedging in between said triangular cross section.

Claim 46

Apparatus as in claim 35, further including a lower lip extending from the inner surface of said vertical restraining strip in the same plane as the base extension strip.

Claim 47

Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said force converting means includes connecting ,means extending from said vertical strip restraining means and being inclined toward said horizontal extension means.

Claim 48

Apparatus as in claim 44, wherein said horizontal extension means extends from a lower end region of said vertical strip restraining means and said connecting means extends from a region greater than half the length of said vertical strip restraining means above said horizontal extension means.

Claim 49

Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said vertical strip restraining means and said horizontal extension means are connected to one another at a 90° angle.

Claim 50

Apparatus as in claim 46, wherein said force converting means includes connecting means extending from said vertical strip restraining means and being inclined toward said horizontal extension means.

Claim 51

Apparatus as in claim 26, further including stake means inserted through said force converting means and said horizontal extension means.

Claim 52

Apparatus as in claim 48, wherein said inserted stake means is substantially parallel to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 53

Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said vertical strip restraining means includes a border length parallel to said boundary of said paving stones, said force converting means including cut out portion along intervals of said vertical strip restraining means, said horizontal extension means including cut out portions corresponding to said cut out portions of said force converting means.

Claim 54

Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said force converting means and said horizontal extension means each include an aperture therethrough for receiving a stake, said aperture of said force converting means and said horizontal extension means being aligned around a common axis parallel to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 55

Apparatus as in claim 26, further including connecting peg means for connecting adjacent sections of vertical strip restraining means, said connecting peg means wedging into at least a portion of said closed hollow profile.

Claim 56

Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said force converting means, at least a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and at least a portion of said horizontal extension means form said closed hollow profile

Claim 57

Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said vertical strip restraining means, said horizontal extension means and said force converting means are a continuous extrusion.

Claim 58

Apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said cross connecting means extends from said connecting strip central portion to a juncture of said vertical strip restraining means and said base extension means.

Claim 59

Apparatus as in claim 54, further including connecting peg means for connecting adjacent sections of vertical strip restraining means, said connecting peg means wedging in between said vertical strip restraining means, said connecting strip and said cross connecting means.

Claim 60

Apparatus as in claim 41, further including a plurality of said stake apertures and a stake extending through each of said stake apertures.

Claim 61

Support apparatus for edging and restraining a hard surface means in a given position on ground surface comprising: substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said hard surface means, said vertical strip restraining means having an upper region, a lower region, an inner surface facing toward said hard surface means for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said hard surface means, and an outer surface facing away from said hard surface means; base strip extension means extending out from said outer surface of said vertical strip restraining means in said lower region for receiving vertical forces relative to the ground surface; force converting means for converting said horizontal forces received by said vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces against said base strip extension means thereby restraining said hard surface means in said boundary, said force converting means including connecting strip means for connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said base strip extension means; and wherein said connecting strip means, a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and a portion of said base extension means form a triangular cross section, said vertical strip restraining means including a border length parallel to said boundary of said hard surface means, said connecting strip means including cut out portions along intervals of said vertical strip restraining means border length, said base strip extension means including cut out portion corresponding to said cut out portions of said connecting strip means.

Claim 62

Support apparatus for edging and restraining a hard surface means in a given position on ground surface comprising: substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said hard surface means, said vertical strip restraining means having an upper region, a lower region, an inner surface facing toward said hard surface means for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said hard surface means, and an outer surface facing away from said hard surface means; base strip extension means extending out from said outer surface of said vertical strip restraining means in said lower region for receiving vertical forces relative to the ground surface; force converting means for converting said horizontal forces received by said vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces against said base strip extension means thereby restraining said hard surface means in said boundary, said force converting means including connecting strip means for connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said base strip extension means; and wherein said connecting strip means, a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and a portion of said base extension means form a triangular cross section, said vertical strip restraining means including a border length parallel to said boundary of said hard surface means, said connecting strip means including cut out portions along intervals of said vertical strip restraining means border length, said base strip extension means including cut out portion corresponding to said cut out portions of said connecting strip means.

Claim 63

Apparatus as in claim 58, wherein said triangular cross section is a closed hollow profile.

Claim 64

Landscaping support apparatus for edging and restraining a hard surface means in a given position on ground surface comprising: substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said hard surface means, said vertical strip restraining means having an upper region, a lower region, an inner surface facing toward said hard surface means for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said hard surface means, and an outer surface facing away from said hard surface means; base strip extension means extending out from said outer surface of said vertical strip restraining means in said lower region for receiving vertical forces relative to the ground surface; force converting means for converting said horizontal forces received by said vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces against said base strip extension means thereby restraining said hard surface means in said boundary, said force converting means including connecting strip means for connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said base strip extension means; wherein said connecting means, a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and a portion of said base extension means form a triangular cross section; and connecting peg means for connecting adjacent sections of said vertical strip restraining means, said connecting peg means wedging in between said triangular cross section formed between said vertical strip restraining means, said connecting strip means and said base strip extension means

Claim 65

Landscaping support apparatus for edging and restraining a hard surface means in a given position on ground surface comprising: substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said hard surface means, said vertical strip restraining means having an upper region, a lower region, an inner surface facing toward said hard surface means for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said hard surface means, and an outer surface facing away from said hard surface means; base strip extension means extending out from said outer surface of said vertical strip restraining means in said lower region for receiving vertical forces relative to the ground surface; force converting means for converting said horizontal forces received by said vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces against said base strip extension means thereby restraining said hard surface means in said boundary, said force converting means including connecting strip means for connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said base strip extension means; wherein said connecting means, a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and a portion of said base extension means form a triangular cross section; and connecting peg means for connecting adjacent sections of said vertical strip restraining means, said connecting peg means wedging in between said triangular cross section formed between said vertical strip restraining means, said connecting strip means and said base strip extension means

Claim 66

Apparatus as in claim 60, wherein said triangular cross section is a closed hollow profile.

Claim 67

Support apparatus for restraining a hard surface means in a given position comprising: substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said hard surface means, said vertical strip restraining means having an upper region, a lower region, an inner surface facing toward said hard surface means for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said hard surface means, and an outer surface facing away from said hard surface means; base strip extension means extending out from said outer surface of said vertical strip restraining means in said lower region for receiving vertical forces relative to the ground surface; and force converting means for converting said horizontal forces received by said vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces against said base strip extension means thereby restraining said hard surface means in said boundary, said force converting means including connecting strip means for connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said base strip extension means; wherein said connecting means, a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and a portion of said base extension means form a triangular cross section, said connecting means forming a longest side of said triangular cross section; wherein said vertical strip restraining means and said base strip extension means are integrally connected to one another at said lower region of the vertical strip restraining means, and wherein the horizontal length of the base strip extension means is between 1.5 and 3.5 times the vertical height of the vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 68

Support apparatus for restraining a hard surface means in a given position comprising: substantially vertical strip restraining means for defining a boundary around said hard surface means, said vertical strip restraining means having an upper region, a lower region, an inner surface facing toward said hard surface means for receiving substantially horizontal forces from said hard surface means, and an outer surface facing away from said hard surface means; base strip extension means extending out from said outer surface of said vertical strip restraining means in said lower region for receiving vertical forces relative to the ground surface; and force converting means for converting said horizontal forces received by said vertical strip restraining means into vertical forces against said base strip extension means thereby restraining said hard surface means in said boundary, said force converting means including connecting strip means for connecting said vertical strip restraining means to said base strip extension means; wherein said connecting means, a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and a portion of said base extension means form a triangular cross section, said connecting means forming a longest side of said triangular cross section; wherein said vertical strip restraining means and said base strip extension means are integrally connected to one another at said lower region of the vertical strip restraining means, and wherein the horizontal length of the base strip extension means is between 1.5 and 3.5 times the vertical height of the vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 69

Apparatus as in claim 62, wherein said triangular cross section is a closed hollow profile.

Claim 70

Apparatus according to claim 62, wherein said connecting means, a portion of said vertical strip restraining means and a portion of said base extension means form a triangular cross section, said connecting strip means and said base strip extension means each including an aperture therethrough for receiving a stake, said apertures of said connecting strip means and said base strip extension means being aligned around a common axis parallel to said vertical strip restraining means.

Claim 71

Apparatus according to claim 64, wherein triangular cross section is a closed hollow profile.