Retainer for landscape element

• US 5,129,627 A
• Filed: 12/18/1990
• Issued: 07/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eugene H. Mongeau
• Original Assignee: Eugene H. Mongeau
• Inventors: Mongeau, Eugene H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHACKELFORD, HEATHER CHUN
• Application Number:
  US07/629,239
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 256/1, 256/19, 256/DIG. 5, 404/7, 404/8, 52/102, 52/712, 47/33, 403/213, 403/232.1, 403/234, 403/238, 403/239, 403/241, 403/291, 403/397, 403/404, 403/406.1
• US Class Current: 256/19
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/28 Raised beds; Planting beds; Edging elements for beds, lawn or the like, e.g. tiles
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/248 of wire
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/54 Flexible member is joint component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7176 Resilient clip

Abstract

A retainer for a landscape body which has a pair of base portions for supporting the bottom surface of the body, a pair of feet portions which extend downwardly from the base portion for penetrating the ground and anchoring the body to the ground, and a pair of arm portions which connect the base portions for engaging the side surfaces of the landscape body.

Claims

1. A retainer for a generally rectangular landscape body which has a bottom surface and at least two opposite vertical side surfaces, said retainer comprising:

(a) a horizontal base for engaging the bottom surface of a landscape body,

(b) a pair of spaced opposed arms which extend upwardly from said base engaging said opposite vertical sides surfaces of the body, and

(c) at least one foot which extends downwardly from the base for penetrating the ground and anchoring said body at a desired position on the ground, said foot comprising two rod-like elements which are spaced at the top of the foot, said rod-like elements converging toward the bottom of the foot and are joined at the bottom of the foot.

2. A retainer as recited in claim 1, wherein said arms are made of a flexible resilient material for yieldably clamping the body therebetween.

3. A retainer as recited in claim 1, wherein said horizontal base comprises two spaced portions, one of said portions being connected to one of said rod-like elements and to one of said arms, and the other of said portion being connected to the other of said rod-like elements and to the other of said arms.

4. A retainer as recited in claim 1, wherein said rod-like elements are made of a flexible resilient material which enables the arms to be moved away from each other for receiving a landscape body therebetween and for biasing the arms against said opposite side surfaces of the landscape body for clamping said body therebetween.

5. A retainer for a generally rectangular landscape body which has a bottom surface, and at least two opposite vertical side surfaces, said retainer comprising:

(a) a first horizontal base for engaging the bottom surface of a landscape body,

(b) a second horizontal base which is spaced from the first base for engaging the bottom surface of a landscape body,

(c) a first foot which is connected to said first base and which extends downwardly from said first base for penetrating the ground and for anchoring said body at a desired location on the ground,

(d) a second foot which is connected to said second base and which extends downwardly from said second base for penetrating the ground and for anchoring said body at a desired location on the ground,

(e) a first elongated arm which is connected to said first and second bases so that said first arm extends from said first base to said second base and upwardly from said bases for engaging one of said opposite side surfaces of said landscape body, and

(f) a second elongated arm which is spaced from said first arm and which is connected to said first and second bases so that said second arm extends from said first base to said second base and upwardly from said bases for engaging the other of said opposite side surfaces of said landscape body so that said body is confined between said arms, each of said first and second feet comprising two rod-like elements which are spaced at the top of the foot, said rod-like elements converging toward the bottom of the foot and joining together at the bottom of the foot, each of said bases comprising spaced portions, one of said spaced portions being connected to one of said rod-like elements and to said first arm and the other of said spaced portions being connected to the other of said rod-like elements and to said second arm.

6. A retainer as recited in claim 5, wherein rod-like elements are made of a flexible resilient material which enables the arms to be moved away from each other for receiving a landscape body therebetween and for biasing the arms against said opposite side surfaces of the landscape body for clamping said body therebetween.

7. A retainer as recited in claim 5, wherein the retainer if formed of a single continuous rod which has a plurality of bends to define the elements of the retainer as claimed.

8. A retainer for a generally rectangular landscape body which has a bottom surface and at least two opposite vertical side surfaces, said retainer being constructed of a single continuous length of wire and having:

(a) a pair of spaced base portions, each base portion having a pair of spaced horizontal sections and a downwardly extending V-shaped section between said horizontal sections which functions as a foot for anchoring the retainer in the ground,

(b) a pair of spaced parallel arm portions which are connected to the horizontal sections of said base portions, each of said arm portions comprising;

(1) a first section which extends upwardly from one of the horizontal sections of one of said base portions,

(2) a second section which extends upwardly from one of the horizontal sections of the other of said base portions, and

(3) a third section which extends horizontally from said first section to said second section, so that when said retainer is applied to said landscape body, the horizontal sections of each of said base portions abuts the bottom surface of said landscape body, one of said arm portions abuts one of said vertical side surfaces and the other of said arm portions abuts the other of said vertical side surfaces.

9. A retainer as recited in claim 8, wherein said wire is steel which can be deformed by bending upon exceeding its limit of bending elasticity and which is flexible and resilient prior to reaching said limit of bending elasticity.