Relationally predimensioned stone surfacing system
AssigneeBuffaloStone, Inc.
InventorRobert D. McStay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surfacing system including both methods and apparatus may in some embodiments comprise a single width relationally sized surfacing system and associated design patterns that involve discrete stone surface units in several embodiments. In at least one embodiment, surfacing units are stone. A multi-width surfacing unit system is also included as part of the invention, as are associated design patterns. Other embodiments include surface unit packaging apparatus and methods that reduce surface unit transport costs and breakage.
Claims268
A relational stone, building surface system comprising:
- a. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular first length thin quarried material surface units substantially having a unit width and substantially having a first length, wherein a total of said unit width plus a longitudinally adjacent thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-half said first length;
- b. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular second length thin quarried material surface units substantially having said unit width and substantially having a second length, wherein a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-fourth said second length;
- c. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular third length thin quarried material surface units substantially having said unit width and substantially having a third length, wherein a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said one sixth said third length;
- and
- d. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular fourth length thin quarried material surface units substantially having said unit width and substantially having a fourth length, wherein a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-eighth said fourth length,
- wherein a number of each installed predimensioned rectangular first length thin quarried material surface units, installed predimensioned rectangular second length thin quarried material surface units, installed predimensioned rectangular third length thin quarried material surface units and installed predimensioned rectangular fourth length thin quarried material surface units is approximately twenty-five percent the total number of installed predimensioned rectangular thin quarried material surface units.
A method of stone, building surface creation comprising the steps of:
- a. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular first length thin quarried material surface units to each have a unit width and a first length and so that a total of said unit width plus a longitudinally adjacent thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-half of said first length;
- b. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular second length thin quarried material surface units to each have said unit width and a second length and so that a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-fourth of said second length;
- c. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular third length thin quarried material surface units to each have said unit width and a third length and so that a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-sixth said third length;
- d. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular fourth length thin quarried material surface units to each have said unit width and a fourth length and so that a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-eighth said fourth length;
- and
- e. fixedly establishing said thin quarried material surface units to create a building surface,
- wherein said step of fixedly establishing said thin quarried material surface units to create a surface comprises the steps of:
- a. fixedly establishing a first substantially one-fourth of said thin quarried material surface units using said plurality of rectangular first length thin quarried material surface units;
- b. the step of fixedly establishing a second substantially one-fourth of said thin quarried material surface units using said plurality of rectangular second length thin quarried material surface units;
- c. the step of fixedly establishing a third substantially one-fourth of said thin quarried material surface units using said plurality of rectangular third length thin quarried material surface units;
- and
- d. the step of fixedly establishing a fourth substantially one-fourth of said thin quarried material surface units using said plurality of rectangular fourth length thin quarried material surface units.
A stone surface system comprising:
- a. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units having a first width;
- b. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units having a second width;
- and
- c. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units having a third width,
- wherein said first width is approximately three times said third width and said first width is approximately one and one-half times said second width,
- wherein said first width is the widest of said widths and substantially twenty percent of said predetermined rectangular thin quarried material surface units have said first width,
- wherein substantially forty percent of the said predetermined rectangular thin quarried material surface units have said second width,
- wherein substantially forty percent of the said predetermined rectangular thin quarried material surface units have said third width,
- wherein said predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units comprise units having a first length, a second length, a third length and a fourth length, wherein said predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units comprise units having said first length, said second length, said third length and said fourth length and wherein said predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units comprise units having said first length, said second length, said third length and said fourth length, and
- wherein a number of each said predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units having said first length, said predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units having said second length, said predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units having said third length, and said predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units having said fourth length is approximately twenty-five percent of the total number of predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units;
- wherein a number of each said predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units having said first length, said predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units having said second length, said predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units having said third length, and said predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units having said fourth length is approximately twenty-five percent of the total number of predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units;
- and wherein a number of each said predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units having said first length, said predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units having said second length, said predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units having said third length, and said predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units having said fourth length is approximately twentyfive percent the total number of predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units.
A stone surface method comprising the steps of:
- a. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units to have a first width;
- b. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units to have a second width that is substantially two-thirds said first width;
- and
- C. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units to have a third width that is substantially one-half said second width,
- wherein approximately twenty percent of all rectangular thin quarried material surface units have said first width;
- so that approximately forty percent of said all rectangular thin quarried material surface units have said second width;
- and so that approximately forty percent of all rectangular thin quarried material surface units have said third width,
- wherein said step of predimensioning a plurality of rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units further comprises the step of predimensioning to have a first length, a second length, a third length and a fourth length,
- wherein said step of predimensioning a plurality of rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units further comprises the step of predimensioning to have said first length, said second length, said third length and said fourth length,
- wherein said step of predimensioning a plurality of rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units further comprises the step of predimensioning to have said first length, said second length, said third length and said fourth length,
- wherein said step of predimensioning a plurality of said rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units to have a first width and four lengths further comprises the step of predimensioning so that a number of each said predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units having said first length, said predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units having said second length, said predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units having said third length and said predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units having said fourth length is approximately twenty-five percent of the total number of predimensioned rectangular first width thin quarried material surface units;
- wherein said step of predimensioning a plurality of said rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units to have a second width and said four lengths further comprises the step of predimensioning so that a number of each said predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units having said first length, said predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units having said second length, said predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units having said third length, and said predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units having said fourth length is approximately twenty-five percent of the total number of predimensioned rectangular second width thin quarried material surface units;
- and wherein said step of predimensioning a plurality of said rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units to have a second width and said four lengths further comprises the step of predimensioning so that a number of each said predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units having said first length, said predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units having said second length, said predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units having said third length and said predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units having said fourth length is approximately twenty-five percent the total number of predimensioned rectangular third width thin quarried material surface units.
A stone surface system comprising:
- a. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular first length thin quarried material surface units substantially having a first length and a unit width;
- b. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular second length thin quarried material surface units having a second length and said unit width;
- c. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular third length thin quarried material surface units having a third length and said unit width;
- and
- d. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular fourth length thin quarried material surface units having a fourth length and said unit width,
- wherein one fourth of said second length less seventy-five percent of a uniform thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one half of said first length less fifty percent said uniform thin quarried material surface unit design separation width and substantially equal to said unit width, one-sixth of said third length less eight-three and one third percent of a uniform thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said unit width and one eighth of said fourth length minus seven-eighths of said uniform thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said unit width, and
- wherein a number of each said predimensioned rectangular first length thin quarried material surface units, said predimensioned rectangular second length thin quarried material surface units, said predimensioned rectangular third length thin quarried material surface units and said predimensioned rectangular fourth length thin quarried material surface units is approximately twenty-five percent the total number of installed thin quarried material surface units.
A method of stone surface creation comprising the steps of:
- a. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular first length thin quarried material surface units to each have a unit width and a first length and so that a total of twice said unit width plus a uniform thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said first length;
- b. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular second length thin quarried material surface units to each have said unit width and a second length and so that a total of four times said unit width plus three times said uniform thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said second length;
- c. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular third length thin quarried material surface units to each have said unit width and a third length and so that a total of six times said unit width plus five times said uniform thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said third length;
- d. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular fourth length thin quarried material surface units to each have said unit width and a fourth length and so that a total of eight times said unit width plus seven times said uniform thin quarried material surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said fourth length;
- and
- e. fixedly establishing a first substantially one-fourth of said thin quarried material surface units using said plurality of rectangular first length thin quarried material surface units, fixedly establishing a second substantially one-fourth of said thin quarried material surface units using said plurality of rectangular second length thin quarried material surface units, fixedly establishing a third substantially one-fourth of said thin quarried material surface units using said plurality of rectangular third length thin quarried material surface units and fixedly establishing a fourth substantially one-fourth of said thin quarried material surface units using said plurality of rectangular fourth length thin quarried material surface units to create a surface.
A packaging system comprising:
- a. a box-type crate having an internal crate width, an internal crate length, and an internal crate height;
- b. a plurality of crated side-packed quarried material thin surface units comprising a plurality of first length quarried material thin surface units having a first length, a quarried material thin surface unit width and a quarried material thin surface unit height, a plurality of second length quarried material thin surface units each having a second length, substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit width, and substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit height, a plurality of third length quarried material thin surface units each having a third length, substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit width and substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit height, and a plurality of fourth length quarried material thin surface units each having a fourth length, substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit width and substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit height;
- wherein said second length is substantially twice said first length, said third length is substantially three times said first length, and said fourth length is substantially four times said first length;
- c. a plurality of crated side-packed quarried material thin surface unit layers that each have a crated side-packed quarried material thin surface unit layer length;
- wherein said plurality of crated side-packed quarried material thin surface unit layers comprises:
- i. a top quarried material thin surface unit layer within said crate comprising only fourth length quarried material thin surface units;
- and
- ii. a lowest quarried material thin surface unit layer and a middle quarried material thin surface unit layer disposed within said crate wherein each said layer comprises a horizontally edge-to-edge packed quarried material thin surface unit combination selected from the group consisting of:
- at least four first length quarried material thin surface units, a plurality of second length quarried material thin surface units, a plurality of first length quarried material thin surface units and one second length quarried material thin surface units, and at least a third length quarried material thin surface unit and one first length quarried material thin surface unit,
- wherein said internal crate height less a vertical padding thickness is substantially an integer multiple of said quarried material thin surface unit width, said internal crate length less a longitudinal padding thickness is at least a maximum crated quarried material thin surface unit length and is substantially an integer multiple of said first length,
- wherein said vertical padding thickness comprises a top vertical padding thickness, a bottom vertical padding thickness and a intermediate vertical padding thickness,
- wherein said longitudinal padding thickness comprises a first end padding thickness and a second end padding thickness,
- wherein said internal crate length less said longitudinal padding thickness is substantially equal to a maximum end-to-end single layer quarried material thin surface unit length,
- wherein said top quarried material thin surface unit layer comprises only fourth length quarried material thin surface units,
- wherein said top quarried material thin surface unit layer comprises only fourth length thin surface units, and
- wherein substantially twenty-five percent of all said crated side-packed quarried material thin surface units are first length quarried material thin surface units, substantially twenty-five percent of all said crated side-packed quarried material thin surface units are second length quarried material thin surface units, substantially twenty-five percent of all said crated side-packed quarried material thin surface units are third length quarried material thin surface units and substantially twenty-five percent of all said crated side-packed quarried material thin surface units are fourth length quarried material thin surface units.
A packaging method comprising the steps of:
- a. obtaining a plurality of each first length quarried material thin surface units having a first length, a quarried material thin surface unit width and a quarried material thin surface unit height, second length quarried material thin surface units having a second length, substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit width and substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit height, third length quarried material thin surface units having a third length, substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit width and substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit height, and fourth length quarried material thin surface units having a fourth length, substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit width and substantially having said quarried material thin surface unit height wherein said second length is substantially twice said first length, said third length is substantially three times said first length, and said fourth length is approximately four times said first length;
- b. establishing a bottom quarried material thin surface unit layer in a crate having a rectangular solid internal surface with an internal crate length, an internal crate width, and an internal crate height;
- c. establishing an intermediate quarried material thin surface unit layer;
- d. vertically stacking said intermediate quarried material thin surface unit layer directly above said bottom quarried material thin surface unit layer;
- e. vertically stacking directly above a highest intermediate quarried material thin surface unit layer said top quarried material thin surface unit layer;
- f. wherein said internal crate width less twice a first padding thickness is substantially an integer multiple of said quarried material thin surface unit width, said internal crate length less twice a second padding thickness is at least a maximum crated quarried material thin surface unit length and is substantially an integer multiple of said first length, said internal crate height less a bottom padding thickness and less a top padding thickness is substantially an integer multiple of said quarried material thin surface unit height;
- g. establishing a top quarried material thin surface unit layer from only at least a portion of said fourth length quarried material thin surface units.
A relational building surface system comprising:
- a. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular first length thin surface units substantially having a unit width and substantially having a first length, wherein a total of said unit width plus a longitudinally adjacent thin surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-half said first length;
- b. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular second length thin surface units substantially having said unit width and substantially having a second length, wherein a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-fourth said second length;
- and
- c. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular third length thin surface units substantially having said unit width and substantially having a third length, wherein a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said one sixth said third length.
A relational building surface made using a relational surface system as described in 83, 84, 85, 89 or 93.
A method of building surface creation comprising the steps of:
- a. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular first length thin surface units to each have a unit width and a first length and so that a total of said unit width plus a longitudinally adjacent thin surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-half of said first length;
- b. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular second length thin surface units to each have said unit width and a second length and so that a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-fourth of said second length;
- c. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular third length thin surface units to each have said unit width and a third length and so that a total of said unit width plus said longitudinally adjacent thin surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one-sixth said third length;
- and
- d. fixedly establishing said thin surface units to create a building surface.
A relational building surface system comprising:
- a. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular first length thin surface units having a unit width and a first length, wherein said first length is substantially equal to a sum of a uniform thin surface unit design separation width plus a quantity twice said unit width;
- b. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular second length thin surface units having said unit width and a second length, wherein said second length is substantially equal to a sum of three times said uniform thin surface unit design separation width plus a quantity four times said unit width;
- and
- c. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular third length thin surface units having said unit width and a third length, wherein said third length is substantially equal to a sum of a five times said uniform thin surface unit design separation width, plus a quantity six times said unit width.
A relational building surface system comprising:
- a. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular first length thin surface units substantially having a first length and a unit width;
- and
- b. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular second length thin surface units having a second length and said unit width,
- wherein one fourth of said second length less seventy-five percent of a uniform thin surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to one half of said first length less fifty percent said uniform thin surface unit design separation width and substantially equal to said unit width.
A method of building surface creation comprising the steps of:
- a. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular first length thin surface units to each have a unit width and a first length and so that a total of twice said unit width plus a uniform thin surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said first length;
- b. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular second length thin surface units to each have said unit width and a second length and so that a total of four times said unit width plus three times said uniform thin surface unit design separation width is substantially equal to said second length;
- and
- c. fixedly establishing said thin surface units to create a surface.
A relational building surface system comprising:
- a. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular first width thin surface units having a first width;
- b. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular second width thin surface units having a second width;
- and
- c. a plurality of predimensioned rectangular third width thin surface units having a third width,
- wherein said first width less a cut width is approximately three times said third width and said first width less a cutting width is approximately one and one-half times said second width.
A relational building surface method comprising the steps of:
- a. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular first width thin surface units to have a first width;
- b. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular second width thin surface units to have a second width that is substantially two-thirds of the quantity said first width less a cut width;
- and
- c. predimensioning a plurality of rectangular third width thin surface units to have a third width that is substantially one-half said second width.
A packaging system comprising:
- a. a box-type crate having an internal crate width, an internal crate length, and an internal crate height;
- b. a plurality of crated side-packed thin surface units comprising a plurality of first length thin surface units having a first length, a thin surface unit width and a thin surface unit height, a plurality of second length thin surface units each having a second length, substantially having said thin surface unit width, and substantially having said thin surface unit height, a plurality of third length thin surface units each having a third length, substantially having said thin surface unit width and substantially having said thin surface unit height, and a plurality of fourth length thin surface units each having a fourth length, substantially having said thin surface unit width and substantially having said thin surface unit height;
- wherein said second length is substantially twice said first length, said third length is substantially three times said first length, and said fourth length is substantially four times said first length,
- wherein said internal crate height less a vertical padding thickness is substantially an integer multiple of said thin surface unit width, said internal crate length less a longitudinal padding thickness is at least a maximum crated thin surface unit length and is substantially an integer multiple of said first length.
A packaging method comprising the steps of:
- a. obtaining a plurality of each first length thin surface units having a first length, a thin surface unit width and a thin surface unit height, second length thin surface units having a second length, substantially having said thin surface unit width and substantially having said thin surface unit height, third length thin surface units having a third length, substantially having said thin surface unit width and substantially having said thin surface unit height, and fourth length thin surface units having a fourth length, substantially having said thin surface unit width and substantially having said thin surface unit height wherein said second length is substantially twice said first length, said third length is substantially three times said first length, and said fourth length is approximately four times said first length;
- b. establishing a bottom thin surface unit layer in a crate having a rectangular solid internal surface with an internal crate length, an internal crate width, and an internal crate height;
- c. establishing at least one intermediate thin surface unit layer;
- d. vertically stacking said at least one intermediate thin surface unit layer directly above said bottom thin surface unit layer;
- e. vertically stacking directly above a highest intermediate thin surface unit layer said top thin surface unit layer;
- and
- f. wherein said internal crate width less twice a first padding thickness is substantially an integer multiple of said thin surface unit width, said internal crate length less twice a second padding thickness is at least a maximum crated thin surface unit length and is substantially an integer multiple of said first length, said internal crate height less a bottom padding thickness and less a top padding thickness is substantially an integer multiple of said thin surface unit height.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.