AU2383999A - Improvements to garden edging - Google Patents

Description

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Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT IMPROVEMENTS TO GARDEN EDGING The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: Ross Paterson 11 Doreen Crt Montrose 3765

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IMPROVEMENTS TO GARDEN EDGING This invention relates to a flexible open mesh low visibility garden barrier to keep paths free of bird scattered leaf litter.

Like so many others, I am a keen gardener and as such I love the obvious advantages of recycling organic matter by composting and mulching the garden and attracting the birds.

However, I loath having to rake up the mess left by the birds on both paths and lawns and having to continually return the mulch to the garden. This is a time consuming and annoying dilemma.

This innovation, although it is both practical and aesthetic, does not discourage the birds but rather it enables the gardener and the blackbird to enjoy an amicable o a coexistence. This flexible open mesh garden barrier consists of a series of prudently spaced support posts which are fixed into the ground along the perimeter of the garden at spaced intervals as required to support an unobtrusive nylon (or similar) flexible open mesh material attached to each support post.

Ross Paterson Improvements to Garden Edging April 1999 2.

In one aspect the present invention provides a garden edging having an array of support posts along the edge of the garden and a strip of open mesh extending upwards from the ground and supported by the posts. Preferably the mesh is a flexible netting of plastics material having horizontally directed filaments and upward directed filaments. The horizontally directed and upwardly directed filaments may be bonded together at their points of crossing.

The support posts preferably rise between 150mm and 300mm from the ground and are preferably anchored between 100mm and 200mm into the ground. The posts preferably carry hook means engaged with and biasing the top horizontally directed filament in the mesh strip upwards and the bottom horizontally directed filament downwards. The posts may carry means for engaging upwardly directed 0. filaments of the mesh to restrict horizontal movement of such filaments.

The spacing between adjacent filaments in the netting is preferably between and Each of the posts may have a single elongate member, carrying mesh-engaging means, extending upwards from ground level and three spaced members extending downwards from ground level as prongs to engage the ground and support said upwardly extending member. Preferably two of said three spaced members are less than half the length of the third of said spaced members. Preferably the ground engaging prong members extend substantially vertically into the ground and said upwardly extending member is tilted from the vertical between 100 and 25' towards o o 25 the garden.

The posts comprising the upstanding member, mesh engagement means and downwardly extending members may be formed as a single moulding of plastics material.

In another aspect the invention provides a kit of parts for the erection of a garden edging, said kit having a strip of open mesh between 150mm and 300mm wide, a plurality of posts adapted to be located into the ground to protrude above the ground approximately the same height as the width of the mesh, and retaining means on or for mounting on the posts for supporting the mesh when installed.

Preferably the mesh is a non self-supporting netting of filaments directed lengthwise of the strip and filaments directed widthwise of the strip. Preferably the filaments in the netting are made from a plastics material bonded together at their points of crossing. Ross Paterson Improvements to Garden Edging April 1999 Preferably each of the posts has part-way along it a joint portion adapted to be positioned in use at ground level, the post having extending in one direction from the joint a single elongate member and extending in generally the opposite direction from the joint portion three generally parallel laterally spaced prongs for ground penetration. Preferably each of said single elongate members has hook means for engaging with a longitudinally extending filament at or near each lateral edge of the mesh in order to tension the mesh laterally. Preferably each of said single elongate members has means for engaging with a laterally extending filament in order to restrict the mesh from sagging.

Ross Paterson ImProvements to Garden Edeine 4 Various embodiments and aspects of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached diagrams.

Support Posts Supports are preferably constructed utilising either the: a) Steel or Plastic Post Design (Figs.l) using approximately 4mm thick welded tubular steel (or possibly flat steel or plastic or like material) OR b) Plastic Post Design (Figs.2 and 3) using either a transparent plastic (or translucent or coloured material to render the product non-detectable) with similar above ground dimensions Below the ground the plastic post designs (Figs 2 and 3) illustrated is constructed with one of two Foundation Pegs described hereunder.

S* 10 Foundation Pegs for Plastic Post Design Foundation Pegs are also preferably constructed as described above (Figs. 2 and 3) and stand approximately 380mm long These pegs are constructed with a flange-type contour base 30 (Fig. 2) and 40 (Fig.3) (as for pegs used in sprinkler systems) such that it is firmly fixed into the ground to minimise movement. The foundation peg preferably has: 15 i) an aperture 34 (Fig.3) to house the flanged insert 32 (Fig.3) protruding downwards vertically from the upper section of the post or ii) a bolt type head 24 (Fig.2) which is hammered through to overlap the horizontal short joint portion 22 (Fig.2) of the support post to hold it firmly to the ground Mesh The preferred flexible open mesh (Fig.5) utilises strips of material already commercially available in large sheets and used as a bird mesh for protecting horticultural produce. Its dark colour (preferably black) means it is difficult to see. It is a durable light-weight nylon (or similar) material with approximately 20mm square holes (or with similar dimensions as a rectangular opening) possibly with a multi-strand edging 44 (Fig.5)at each or either end (approximately 7 strands) for extra strength. The flexible open mesh netting strip is approximately 200mm wide and its length, although probably in the order of 4m 10m will depend upon the needs of the purchaser Ross Paterson Application and Design Support posts (Fig. 1 Fig.2 and Fig.3) may either be consistently straight vertically, or may be angled or arched inwardly towards the garden.

Steel or Plastic Support Post (Fig.l) From bottom to top, the steel or plastic (or like material) support post consists of an in-ground vertical prong 2 (approx 155mm) for ground penetration which in turn bends at 90 degrees into a horizontal short joint portion 4 which is approx 20mm long. Also protruding downwards and attached to the above horizontal short joint portion are two laterally spaced vertical prongs 6 approximately 50mm in length which prevent the support posts from twisting.

S: 10 The horizontal short joint portion 4 in effect separates the above and below ground sections of the support post and: a) angles the support post 8 away from the garden edge so that it is unobtrusive and b) serves as a hammering surface which enables the support post to be hammered into the ground.

The support post then angles upwardly at approximately 70 degrees constituting the angled S 15 above ground member 8 which is approx 230mm long.

*o*o Plastic Support Posts (Figs 2 and 3) Above the ground the support post may consist either of a vertical, angled or arched post with similar design and specifications to those described for Fig. above but in the arched support post (Fig.2) with the mesh engaging means 28 on one side of the support post only.

Plastic support posts are fixed to the ground either i) (Fig.2) by means of the foundation peg 20 being inserted through the horizontal component 22 at the base 26 of the arched support and hammered into the ground or ii) (Fig.3) by means of a vertical flanged insert 32 (part of the arch support moulding) which would, because of its flanged profile fit snugly into the aperture 34 at the end of the secured foundation peg such that the support post above the ground will not twist as for foundation pegs used in existing sprinkler systems.

Ross Paterson Improvements to Garden Edging f7th Anril 1Q9Q 6 Aligning the Flexible Open Mesh Symmetrically to the Post The flexible open mesh fence (Fig.5) is attached both top and bottom as described by one or more of its horizontally directed filaments.42 (Fig.5) Further the support post in whichever of the suggested designs is employed may also embrace means for engaging one of the upwardly directed filaments 46 of the flexible open mesh (Fig.5) thus causing it to lie reasonably symmetrically with the appropriate support post by restricting the horizontal movement of that upwardly directed filament.

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*a a a. a a a a .a Ross Paterson Improvements to Garden Edging April 1999 7 Fence The flexible open mesh netting (Fig.5) will follow the garden perimeter (Fig. 4) and act as a fence barrier.

The flexible open mesh netting will stand approximately 200-230mm above the soil level and will either be straight or will lean or arch inwardly to the garden depending on its post support option thereby a) making it very difficult to detect (because of the angle to the eye) b) making it practical for walking along adjacent paths (it won't catch feet) affording protection for establishment of border plants The flexible open mesh is to be fixed top and bottom by its horizontal filaments 42 (Fig.5) to each support post (Fig.4) in turn by means of either i) (Fig. lb) attaching to tee- nuts 10 or (Fig. la) hook or mesh engaging means 12 fixed top and bottom to each post o ii) (Fig 2) plastic plugs 28 which would be inserted through both the flexible open mesh and a 15 hole in the arched support thereby holding it firmly in place or iii) (Fig.3) the attachment of the mesh over strategically placed lugs 36 or mesh engaging means like 12 (Fig.la) which may be part of the upper support post.

Each of the instances described above provides for a vertical thread or filament lying between the said attachment points enabling both a more symmetrical appearance and an even tension to be imposed on the flexible open mesh netting.

U-Shaped Anchor Pegs (Fig.6) In any of the stated designs the flexible open mesh may be further anchored by hammering U-shaped (or similar design) anchor pegs 52 into the ground over one or more horizontal filament threads 54 at the base of the flexible open mesh fence Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions other than those specifically described may be introduced into the invention described in this specification without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims (19)

1. A garden edging having an array of support posts along the edge of the garden and a strip of open mesh extending upwards from the ground and supported by the posts.

2. An edging according to claim 1 wherein the mesh is a flexible netting of horizontally directed filaments and upwardly directed filaments of plastics material.

3. An edging according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the horizontally directed and upwardly directed filaments are bonded together at their points of crossing.

4. An edging according to any one of claims to 3 wherein the support posts rise 4. An edging according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the support posts rise An edging according to any one of claims i to 4 wherein the support posts are anchored between 100mm and 200mm into the ground.

6. An edging according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the spacing between adjacent filaments in the netting is between 10mm and

7. An edging according to any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the posts carry hook S 20 means engaged with and biasing the top horizontally directed filament in the mesh strip upwards and the bottom horizontally directed filament downwards. S..o

8. An edging according to any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein the posts carry means for engaging upwardly directed filaments of the mesh to restrict horizontal movement of such filaments. elongate member, carrying mesh-engaging means, extending upwards from ground level and three spaced members extending downwards from ground level to engage the ground and support said upwardly extending member. An edging according to claim 9 wherein two of said three spaced members are less than half the length of the third of said spaced members.

11. An edging according to claim 9 or 10 wherein said ground engaging members extend substantially vertically into the ground and said upwardly extending member is tilted from the vertical between 10' and 250 towards the garden. Ross Paterson 9

12. An edging according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein each of said posts comprising the upstanding member, mesh engagement means and downwardly extending members is formed as a single moulding of plastics material.

13. A kit of parts for the erection of a garden edging, said kit having a strip of open mesh between 150mm and 300mm wide, a plurality of posts adapted to be located into the ground to protrude above the ground approximately the same height as the width of the mesh, and retaining means on or for mounting on the posts for supporting the mesh when installed.

14. A kit according to claim 13 wherein the mesh is a non self-supporting netting of filaments directed lengthwise of the strip and filaments directed widthwise of the strip. A kit according to claim 14 wherein the filaments in the netting are made from a 15 plastics material bonded together at their points of crossing. •o 00

16. A kit according to any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein each of the posts has part- S'way along it a joint portion adapted to be positioned in use at ground level, the post having extending in one direction from the joint a single elongate member and extending in generally the opposite direction from the joint portion three generally "parallel laterally spaced prongs for ground penetration.

17. A kit according to claim 16 wherein each of said single elongate members has 0000 hook means for engaging with a lengthwise extending filament at or near each 25 lateral edge of the mesh in order to tension the mesh widthwise.

18. A kit according to claim 16 or 17 wherein each of said single elongate members has means for engaging with a widthwise extending filament in order to restrict the mesh from sagging.

19. A kit according to any one of claims 16 to 18 wherein two of said three prongs are less than half the length of the third of said prongs. Ross Paterson Improvements to Garden Edging OMNIBUS CLAIMS A garden edging as described in the specification with reference to Figure 4.

21. A garden edging as described in the specification with reference to Figure 6 22 A kit of parts for the erection of a garden edging as described in the specification with reference to Figure 4.

23. A kit of parts for the erection of a garden edging as described in the specification with reference to Figure 6.

24. A post for supporting netting as a garden edging, said post being as described in this specification with reference to Figure 1 (including both la and Ib) 10 25. A post for supporting netting as a garden edging, said post being as described in this specification with reference to Figure 2 *g9

26. A post for supporting netting as a garden edging, said post being as described in this specification with reference to Figure 3 Ross Paterson Improvements to Garden Edging April 1999