Paving and tiling

The invention relates to paving blocks or tiles or to wall tiles, and has for its objective to provide a block or tile shape giving substantial freedom to a designer in providing any one of a considerable number of available patterns employing numbers of blocks or tiles of the same size. This objective is met by a construction comprising a generally rectangular body (2) having two generally parallel sides (3) and two ends each formed by two curved surfaces (3, 5) one end being formed by two equally and oppositely curved convex surfaces (4) that meet on the general center plane of the block or tile, and the other end being formed by two equally and oppositely curved concave surfaces (4) that meet on the general center plane of the block or tile (1), all the curved surfaces being of the same curvature.

This invention relates to paving and tiling. 
Paving as a means of providing an acceptable surface for use by pedestrians 
and traffic has long been known, in the form of paving tiles or slabs 
traditionally used for pedestrian areas, pavements and the like, and in 
the form of so-called cobblestones, traditionally used for both pedestrian 
areas and road surfaces. 
The increasing provision of traffic-free pedestrian areas has caused 
increased attention to the visual effect of a paved or cobblestoned area, 
and with conventional square or rectangular paving slabs or cobblestones, 
whilst some variation of pattern and hence surface effect is possible, the 
number of variations that are possible is very small. 
This has led in some instances to first the designing of a desired pattern 
for a paved or cobblestoned area, and then the production of paving slabs 
or cobblestones of particular shapes to enable them to be laid to create 
the required pattern and hence visual effect. This is obviously 
inconvenient and expensive. 
In other instances, it has led to consideration being given to the creation 
of shapes of, particularly, paving slabs, and where paving slabs of one or 
a small number of different shapes can be laid side-by-side with a large 
number of variations of pattern and hence visual effect, than is permitted 
by conventional square or rectangular shapes, and it is the object of the 
present invention to provide such shapes. 
Equally well-known is the tiling of walls and floors to provide a hard 
wearing surface of pleasing aesthetic effect. Predominantly, such tiles 
are square or rectangular, relying on a surface pattern on the tiles to 
create the desired visual appearance. 
According to the present invention, a block or tile comprises a body having 
each of its ends formed by two equally and oppositely curved surfaces that 
meet on the general center plane of the body, and generally parallel side 
surfaces to the body extending between the outer end of the curved 
surfaces, with one end of the block or tile formed by two equally and 
oppositely curved convex surfaces, the junctions between the side surfaces 
and the equally and oppositely curved concave end surfaces to the opposite 
end lie respectively on a projection of the arcs forming the convex 
surfaces. 
Thus the block or tile of the invention has a generally chevron-like 
appearance and blocks and tiles can be placed in side-by-side and 
end-to-end relationship to generate a multiple number of patterns. 
Most desirably the operative surface of the block or tile can be patterned 
or decorated in such a manner that the pattern or decoration on one block 
or tile blends with the pattern or decoration on an adjacent tile to 
enhance the appearance generated by the blocks or tiles. Thus, for 
example, the surface of a block can be patterned to simulate a number of 
small cobblestones, the simulated cobblestones to each side of a block may 
be of an arcuate pattern curved in the same direction as the convex and 
concave surfaces to that side of the block. Thus, an arcuate pattern of 
one block is continued by the arcuate pattern on an adjacent block to 
further enhance the appearance. 
Particularly with blocks, it is further preferred to form the two sides 
with castellations that interfit with the castellations on the sides of 
adjacent blocks, to mask the joint between adjacent blocks, which 
castellations may be created by simulated cobblestones when provided as 
the pattern on the surface. 
To provide a variety of patterns, a variety of generally rectangular shapes 
can be provided. Thus a block or tile based on a square can be employed to 
produce a regular pattern. Alternatively a rectangular shape where the 
ends are longer than the sides to create a laterally elongate or stretched 
pattern can be employed. Equally a rectangular shape where the sides are 
longer than the ends can be employed to create a longitudinally elongate 
or squashed pattern.

In the drawings, a block or tile 1 comprises a generally rectangular body 2 
with two generally parallel sides 3. To one end, two convex surfaces 4 are 
provided that meet generally centrally of the block or tile, and to the 
opposite end, two concave surfaces 5 are provided that again meet 
generally centrally of the block or tile. 
The surface of the block or tile can be plain, but can equally be provided 
with any required pattern or surface effect. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the 
surface can be formed to simulate a number of cobblestones when it is a 
block to be laid and form a surface for use by pedestrians or traffic. To 
heighten the visual effect, and as is illustrated, the lines of simulated 
cobblestones are curved to follow the curvature of the ends of the block 
or tile, and when the curved pattern of one block or tile is continued by 
the curved pattern on an adjacent block or tile. 
As is shown particularly by FIG. 3, the sides 3 of the block or tile can be 
provided with castellations 6 to assist in the location of adjacent blocks 
or tiles in side-by-side relationship. 
By providing a requisite number of identical blocks or tiles, such as of 
the particular configurations exemplified in FIGS. 2 and 3, a truly 
considerable number of different patterns are available to a designer. 
Thus, and purely by way of example, FIGS. 4 to 6 show three patterns 
available when using the blocks of either of FIGS. 2 or 3. 
It will be understood that in addition to the cobblestone effect 
illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, any textured or patterned effect can be 
formed or printed on the surface to suit the intended purpose of the 
blocks or tiles and to suit the requirements of the designer or user of 
the surface formed by the blocks or tiles.