Patent 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.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE APPLICATION 
     The present application relates to paving stones, and more particularly to a paving stone for use in an interlocking system of pre-cast paving stones. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE ART 
     Pre-cast paving stones of concrete are commonly used to lay out pavements, to define patios, driveways, walkways. When compared to natural stones, pre-cast paving stones are relatively inexpensive to make, and provide numerous advantages. The paving stones are for instance pre-cast with a flat surface, and generally uniform thickness. Accordingly, when they are laid out on compacted ground, an assembly of pre-cast paving stones forms a uniform flat surface. Moreover, the paving stones are usually sized for ergonomic handling. 
     The challenge in designing a pre-cast paving stone is to make it look like natural stones once laid out. Some paving stones generally have polygonal geometries, which geometry results in the paving stone lay out producing repetitive patterns. In instances, some paving stones have been designed to look like natural stones and consequently may have an irregular contour. However, such stones may be difficult to assemble, by a lack of distinguishable orientation due to their irregular contour. US Patent Application Publication no. 2007/0217865, by Castonguay et al. shows a flagstone having a generally hexagonal shape. Referring to  FIG. 4  thereof, an arrangement of flagstone lay-out is illustrated. Due to the repetitive contour formations of the flagstone of Castonguay et al., the assembly of these stones may be difficult as some of the formations look alike. Moreover, the compact shape of these flagstones and relatively straight edges results in their lay-out being repetitive. It is therefore desirable to produce a pre-cast paving stone that can simulate natural flagstone and which is easy to install while having an irregular contour with non-repetitive projections and depressions. 
     Another disadvantage of the prior art stone is that its contour shape does not lend itself to forming paved areas with outer edges having generally well defined demarcations, such as when laying an assembly of such stones against a straight edge or when constructing pathways with well defined edges. 
     SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION 
     It is therefore an aim of the present application to provide a novel paving stone, resembling a flagstone, and method for assembling same. 
     In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a concrete cast stone for use with other ones of the concrete cast stones for covering a surface. The concrete cast stone comprises an elongated shaped body having a longitudinal axis with the body tapering along the axis from opposed sides thereof to define a smaller tapering end resulting in a distinguishable orientation for the stone. The body has a peripheral contour of non-repetitive jagged shape for interlocking engagement of a plurality of the concrete cast stone. The peripheral contour has interlocking side sections and part-interlocking side sections such that the 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 wherein the stones are aligned along their longitudinal axis, and (2) matching some of the concrete cast stones with their longitudinal axis transverse to the linear arrangement and partly interlocked with each other and the concrete cast stones of the linear arrangement to form a herringbone arrangement. The body has three pairs of side sections with (a) the side sections of different pairs being different from one another, (b) the side sections of a same pair generally being translated images of one another and being on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the body to define interlocking profiles, such that the concrete cast stones placed side-by-side interlock by matching equivalent pairs of side sections in the linear arrangement of the concrete cast stones, and (c) the adjacent side sections of a first pair and of a second pair of one of the concrete cast stone being an interlocking image of the adjacent combined side sections of the second pair and of a third pair of two of the stones, such that when a first row is defined by interlocking the concrete cast stones by the first pair, and a second row is defined by interlocking the concrete cast stones by the third pair, the first row and the second row are interlockable by the adjacent combined side sections of the first row interlocking with the adjacent side sections of the second row in the herringbone arrangement of the concrete cast stones. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a paving stone constructed in accordance with the present application and illustrating its distinctive irregular contour pattern; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a paving stone with the contour pattern of  FIG. 1 , and wherein the top surface thereof is segmented into a variety of stone shapes; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of an assembly of a plurality of the paving stones of  FIG. 2 , as interlocked in a linear manner; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view illustrating the inter-relationship of the paving stones of  FIG. 1  interlocked in the linear manner; and 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view illustrating the inter-relationship of the paving stones of  FIG. 1  interlocked in a herringbone manner. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated the paving stone  10  of the present disclosure. Paving stones are fabricated so as to have a body  11  peripherally defining the pattern of the paving stone  10 . The periphery of the paving stone  10  of the present disclosure defines a jagged outline that is non-repetitive when contouring the paving stone  10 . The paving stone  10  has projections and depressions of different shapes and different sizes (i.e., receiving cavities). Moreover, the paving stone  10  has a generally elongated shape with one end along its longitudinal axis  12  being smaller than the opposite end, resulting in a distinguishable orientation. This elongated shape facilitates the positioning of the paving stones in an interlocked herringbone arrangement, as well as in an interlocked linear arrangement, or in a combination thereof, as described hereinafter. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is illustrated a pre-cast paving stone  20  having a body  21  which is the same as the paving stone  10  of  FIG. 1 , and with an exposed surface portion  22  projecting upwardly from the body  21 . The long face of the body  21  is the interface of the paving stone  20  with the ground, or other surface upon which the paving stones will be laid out (e.g., it is possible to lay out the paving stones on edges to form a stone face wall). In an embodiment, the exposed surface portion  22  is the visible portion of the paving stone  10  when laid out. The paving stone  20  is a pre-cast concrete stone, and may have the exposed surface portion  22  formed with a plurality of smaller distinct substones  23  spaced apart to form joints therebetween to simulate a flagstone assembly. The exposed face  23 ′ of the substones  23  may have a textured surface to simulate real stones. A shoulder  25  may be defined by the base  20 , at the outer periphery of the exposed surface portion  22 , to form joints with adjacent stones when the paving stones  10  are laid out. Alternatively, as is well known in the art, spacing formations can be cast at spaced intervals to form joints between adjacent stones when laid side-by-side. In the embodiment of the paving stone without the substones  23  and joints (e.g.,  FIG. 1 ), the shoulder  25  may be a slanted surface between the edge and the top surface of the paving stone  10 . Accordingly, when the paving stone  10  of  FIG. 1  is assembled with others, a contour joint is defined by the side-by-side shoulders  25 . 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the paving stone  20  is pre-cast into a plurality of different models. Using the body  21  with the paving stone  10 , the different sub-stones have patterns to define a different exposed surface portion. One method considered to pre-cast a plurality of different models is to use a casting cavity with the paving stone  10  ( FIG. 1 ) to form the base of the paving stone  20  ( FIG. 2 ), and with inserts to simulate the exposed portion  22  ( FIG. 2 ). The inserts form the joints defining the substones  23 , and the surface texture of the substones  23 . Different pigments may be injected into the concrete mixture, to imitate discoloration and veins of real stones. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a plurality of the paving stones with the paving stone  10  ( FIG. 1 ) are illustrated as being assembled in a linear arrangement with their longitudinal axis  12  aligned. The paving stones are illustrated as  20 A to  20 E, with each of the paving stones  20 A- 20 E having its own exposed portion  22 . By the presence of different sets of sub-stones, for example six sets, the interlocking system of paving stones of  FIG. 3  has a natural flagstone look, despite the fact that the system is made of pre-cast paving stones. The system may have more or less of the different sets of substones. However, in an embodiment, there are a sufficient amount of stones such that any paving stone  20  in a paving arrangement with multiple other paving stones  20  is preferably not interlocked with another paving stone  20  having the same set of substones. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , there is illustrated a set of half paving stones  20 F and  20 G. The half paving stones  20 F and  20 G are precise parts of any one of the paving stones  20 A- 20 E, but with a straight side  39 , for instance for installation against a wall or a linear abutment, or to form a paved surface having a substantially straight edge outline. Straight edge outlines are desirable when laying a walkway, for instance. The half paving stones  20 F- 20 G may be pre-cast by placing an insert in the casting cavity, thereby forming half of a paving stone. Alternatively, any of the paving stones  20 A- 20 E may be cut to form a half paving stone, or a paving stone portion. This cut could also be made by the installer if there is a need to do so during installation. 
     The paving stone  10  is defined to allow installation in both linear interlocking and herringbone interlocking. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the paving stones  10  are shown in an exploded view to illustrate their inter-relationship when constructing a linear interlocking assembly, as all stones  10  are all oriented in the same direction with their longitudinal axis  12  aligned in each row and parallel with adjacent rows. 
     The paving stone  10  of  FIG. 1  allows the linear interlocking of an assembly of stones by a sequence of three pairs of dissimilar side sections. Looking at the paving stone  10  of  FIG. 1 , the paving stone  10  has a first pair of side sections  31  defined between the demarcation lines  13  and  13 ′, and  14  and  14 ′, a second pair of side sections  32  between demarcation lines  14 ′ and  15 , and  13  and  15 ′, and a third pair of side sections  33  between demarcation lines  25  and  13 ′, and  14  and  15 ′. The two side sections of a same pair are generally translated images of one another, and are on opposite sides of the paving stone  10 , thereby defining interlocking profiles. 
     Accordingly, when paving stones  20  are installed side by side, with equivalent pairs being adjacent, the side sections interlock. This is schematically illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in a linear arrangement of the paving stones  20  of the present disclosure. For instance, paving stone  40  is placed side-by-side with paving stones  41 , whereby side sections  33  interlock. Similarly, the paving stone  40  interlocks with paving stones  42 , by interlocking of the side sections  32 . Finally, the paving stone  40  interlocks with paving stones  43 , by interlocking of side sections  31 . Therefore, by matching equivalent pairs of side sections, a linear arrangement of the paving stones  20  (i.e.,  40 - 44 ) is obtained, in which the elongated shapes of the six paving stones surrounding any given paving stone are parallel to the elongated shape of that given paving stone. 
     It is pointed out that the side sections of different pairs (e.g., side section  31  and side section  32 ) are different from one another. Moreover, the side sections  31  and  33  have depressions and projections, facilitating the interlocking between paving stones  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the paving stones  20  may also be interlocked in a herringbone arrangement. This is achievable by the paving stone  10 . More specifically, the pairs of side sections  31 ,  32  and  33  are configured such that the adjacent side sections  31 A,  32 A of the first pair and of the second pair of the paving stone  10  (e.g., illustrated as stone  50  for clarity), are an interlocking image of the adjacent combined side sections  32 B,  33 B of the second pair and of the third pair of two of the patterns  10  (e.g., illustrated as stones  51  for clarity). Accordingly, when a first row B is defined by interlocking the paving stones  51  by the first pair of side sections  31 , and a second row A is defined by interlocking the paving stones  50  by the third pair of side sections  33 , the first row B and the second row A are interlockable by the adjacent combined side sections  32 B,  33 B of the first row B interlocking with the adjacent side sections  31 A,  32 A of the second row A. This defines a herringbone arrangement of the paving stones  20 , in which the elongated shapes of four paving stones surrounding any given paving stone are transverse to the elongated shape of the stone, whereas the elongated shapes of two paving stones surrounding that given paving stone are transverse to the elongated shape of that given paving stone. 
     Another row C is illustrated adjacent to the first row B, in view of being interlocked in the herringbone pattern. It is however pointed out that the paving stones  20  of row C may be oriented in a similar orientation as the paving stones of the first row B, for linear arrangement therebetween. In such a linear/herringbone arrangement, the elongated shapes of four paving stones surrounding any given paving stone are parallel to the elongated shape of that given paving stone, whereas the elongated shapes of two paving stones surrounding that given paving stone are parallel to the elongated shape of that given paving stone. 
     As all stones  20  have exposed surfaces  22  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ), the linear arrangements and herringbone arrangements are not visible from a top plan view when the paving stones  20  are laid out (e.g.,  FIG. 3 ). Accordingly, any combination of the linear and herringbone arrangements may be used, to enhance the natural flagstone look of a pavement with the paving stones  20 . 
     In an embodiment, the side sections of any of the pairs  31 ,  32  and  33  may not be exact translated images of one another. Accordingly, when the paving stones are laid out, the differences in shape of the side sections may result in joints of varying width between the substones  23  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ), enhancing the natural look of the assembly of paving stones  20 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 4