Abstract:
A leveling tool including a screed bar and a scraper blade. The screed bar includes either a slot or a bracket to slightingly accommodate the scraper blade. These grape or blade is vertically adjusted within the slot or bracket to a desired height and may be fixed at the desired height by inserting bolts through aligned holes. Once the leveling tool has been adjusted to a desired height, the soil surface proximate the land escaping block can be planed or leveled at an elevation to enable a second block to be placed next to the first block, the tops of the blocks being level.

Description:
CLAIM TO PRIORITY  
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to United States provisional patent application No. 60/192,710, filed Mar. 28, 2000, and entitled “Leveling Tool.” The identified provisional patent application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to landscape tools and, more particularly, to landscape tools which may be used during the installation of concrete retaining wall blocks and pavers for leveling the surface upon which the first layer of blocks is placed.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Landscape blocks are used to create functional and esthetic structures such as retaining walls, walk ways, and flower beds. When installing landscape block, the first row (or tier) must be laid atop soil. To ensure a wall with an even height and satisfactory stability, it is important that the soil upon which the block is to be laid is even and level. Leveling is usually done with a shovel and is then visually examined for level and evenness at each step in erecting a structure with landscape blocks. In most instances, an installer attempts to level the soil and place the first block. The second block is then placed proximate the first block and “eyed-up” and/or measured with a level to ensure that the second block is level (hence even) with the first block. Most often, an even height is not achieved on the first attempt. If an even height is not achieved, the installer must remove the second block to attempt to level the soil once again, using hands, shovel, rake, etc. After the second attempt at leveling the soil, the second block is replaced to again determine whether the second block is even in height with the first. This potentially iterative process may occur numerous times, thereby undesirably lengthening the installation process and making the job more strenuous for the installer, e.g., multiple liftings of the same block.  
           [0004]    As such, there is a need for a tool that may be used to level the surface upon which a first layer of retaining wall block is placed. This tool should be easy to use and should significantly reduce the installation time and strain placed on the installer.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The needs described above are in large measure met by a leveling tool of the present invention. The leveling tool generally comprises a screed bar and a scraper blade. The scraper blade is insertable through a slot in the screed bar and is securable to the screed bar at various adjustable, possibly standard heights, e.g., the scraper blade may be adjusted to a height to accommodate a 4-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, or 8.5-inch block. It should be note that block sizes are now varying to metric dimensions and the leveling tool can be adjusted to new sizes by drilling appropriately placed holes in the scraper blade. The screed bar may further include a level.  
           [0006]    Both the screed bar and scraper blade are preferably made of aluminum. However, other materials may be used such as wood, molded plastics, Plexiglass®, etc.  
           [0007]    There is provided a leveling tool, the leveling tool enabling blocks to be placed on planed soil, such that the tops of the blocks are substantially level and such that the blocks will form a stable base for other tiers placed atop the base when constructing structures such as retaining walls. The leveling tool may include a substantially planar scraper blade and a screed bar. The screed bar may display a bottom surface and adjusting structure slidingly accommodating a horizontal cross section of the scraper blade therein. The adjusting structure may include a slot disposed in the screed bar. Alternatively, the adjusting structure may include a bracket fixed to a side of the screed bar. A level may be attachably or integrally present on the screed bar.  
           [0008]    There is further provided a process of laying a plurality of blocks on a soil surface using a leveling tool. The leveling tool may include a scraper blade and a screed bar. The screed bar may include an adjusting structure, the adjusting structure slidingly accommodating a horizontal cross section of the scraper blade. The process may include 1) disposing a first of a plurality of blocks on the soil surface; 2) vertically adjusting the scraper blade within the screed bar adjusting structure to a desired vertical distance between a scraper blade lower edge and the screed bar lower surface (e.g., to the height of the first block); 3) contacting the screed bar bottom surface with the first block upper surface; and 4) planing the soil adjacent the first block with a scraper blade while sliding the screed bar on the first block upper surface. 
       
    
    
       [0009]    These and other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the description which follows, when considered in view of the accompanying drawings.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a front, perspective view of one embodiment of the present leveling tool;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a front, perspective view of the present scraper blade;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, along lines  3 - 3 ;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, along the lines  4 - 4 ;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a top view of the present leveling tool being used to level soil in preparation for laying a landscape block; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a side view of the present leveling tool being used to level soil in preparation for laying a land escape block. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    Any references to such relative terms, such as front and back, right and left, top and bottom, upper and lower, horizontal and vertical, are intended for convenience of description and are not intended to limit the present invention or its components to any one positional or spatial orientation. All dimensions of the components in the attached figures may vary with a potential design and the intended use of an embodiment of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention.  
         [0017]    Tool Components  
         [0018]    The leveling tool  100  of the present invention, see FIGS.  1 - 4 , generally comprises a screed bar  104  with a lower surface  106  and a scraper blade  108  with a lower scraping (planing) edge  110 . The screed bar  104  includes adjusting structure, such as a slot  112  or a bracket  114  (shown in phantom in FIG. 4). A horizontal cross section of the scraper blade  108  (as indicated in FIG. 1) may be accommodated in the slot  112  or bracket  114 . The bracket  114  may be mounted on the side of the screed bar  104 . In one embodiment, the scraper blade  108  is provided with a plurality of, (e.g., two) columns  116  and  120  of holes, allowing it to be height adjustable to accommodate various block heights. Alternatively, slots  124  and  128  may be present in lieu of the columns of holes  116 , and  120 . The slots  124  and  128  would allow for a continuous height adjustment, rather than the discrete distances accommodated by the present of the hole columns  116  and  120 . Once inserted through the slot  112  in the screed bar  104  (or the bracket  114 ), the scraper blade  108  may be attached to the screed bar  104  through the use of fasteners, such as bolts  132  and wing nuts  136  (or pins), wherein the bolts  132  are inserted through the holes  116  and  120  in the scraper blade  108  and corresponding holes  140  and  144  in the screed bar  104  (or bracket  114 ). The present screed bar may incorporate a level  148  that is positioned atop (or attachable to) the screed bar  104  or integrally (or unitarily) incorporated into the screed bar  104 . Both the screed bar  104  and scraper blade  108  may be fabricated from aluminum, however, other materials, e.g., molded plastics, wood, Plexiglas®, etc., may be used without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. One suitable screed bar is made from {fraction (3/16)}″×¼″×2 ½″ tube aluminum. A suitable scraper blade may be made from {fraction (3/16)}″×10″ sheet aluminum.  
         [0019]    In one embodiment, one suitable screed bar has a length of about 36 inches, a thickness of about 1 ¼ inch, and a height of about 2 ½ inches. The screed bar slot may be about 10 inches long and ¼ inch wide. One suitable scraper blade is about 10 inches wide, 10 {fraction (7/16)} inches high and {fraction (3/16)} inch thick. The top holes in the scraper blade may be spaced about 1 ¼ inch from the upper edge thereof. The remaining holds may be spaced apart at a distance of about 2 inches. This arbitrary spacing would configure the present leveling tool for standard landscape block heights, e.g., 4″, 6″, 8″, and 10″. The holes present in the screed bar and scraper blade may be about ¼ inch in diameter.  
         [0020]    Instructions for Use  
         [0021]    Referring particularly to FIGS. 5 and 6, after one retaining wall block  204  is installed to the proper height, the installer is ready to use the leveling tool of the present invention. First, the height of the scraper blade is adjusted to correspond to the height of the block that is being worked with. Stated otherwise, the scraper blade is vertically adjusted so that a vertical distance  150  between the screed bar lower surface  106  and the scraper blade lower edge  110  is substantially equal to a height of the block. The height of the scraper block  108  is adjusted by aligning holes in columns  116  and  118  with respective holes  104  and  144  in the screed bar  104 .  
         [0022]    Next, the screed bar  104  is set on top  208  of the first block  204  with the scraper blade  108  hanging just past the edge  212  of the first block. The leveling tool  100  is then pulled forward and/or pushed backward with one hand while the installer&#39;s other hand maintains (slides) the screed bar  104  firmly against the top  208  of the first block  204 . As the leveling tool  100  is pulled along, the soil surface  216  beneath the scraper blade is flattened out (planed) to the proper, level height. If not enough soil is present beneath the scraper blade, soil may be added and tamped, then the process is repeated. Once the soil has been planed and adjusted to the proper height, the next retaining block may be laid atop the newly leveled soil. The process is then repeated for as many base blocks as desired. The term “soil” is intended to encompass soil (dirt), sand, gravel, aggregate or any planable and/or generally granular substance used as a base for a structure (wall) as described herein.  
         [0023]    Overall, by using the leveling tool of the present invention, the time needed to install the retaining wall base block is greatly reduced. Further, the block is installed more accurately positioned and the numerous repositionings of a single block are greatly reduced or entirely eliminated. The present leveling tool is of a straight-forward design that is easy to use allowing homeowners as well as contractors to install a retaining wall with accuracy and speed. The process of installing the wall is also less strenuous and repetitious for the installer by using the leveling tool.  
         [0024]    As an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the described scraper blade  108  may be used alone, without the screed bar  104 , however, the accuracy of the placement of blocks is diminished. Still another alternative embodiment of the present invention comprises securing the scraper blade  108  to a pre-existing standard level, e.g., a 4-foot level. The scraper blade  108  may utilizes holes  116  and  120 , with corresponding holes in the level, for securement to the level with bolts, or, alternatively, the scraper blade  108  may simply be clamped to the pre-existing standard level.  
         [0025]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the essential attributes thereof; therefore, the illustrated embodiments should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.