# US 8,769,896 B2 · Artificial stone > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,769,896 B2 - Document ID: US8769896B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/794,452 - Filed: 2013-03-11 - Published: 2013-10-10 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-05-21 - Assignees: Oldcastle Building Products Canada Inc. - Applicants: Oldcastle Building Products Canada Inc. - Inventors: Marc-Andre Lacas; Bertin Castonguay; Robert Daoust - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8769896B2 ## CPC - E04F 15/02161: {Floor elements with grooved main surface} - B44C 5/06: Natural ornaments; Imitations thereof (artificial flowers, fruit, leaves A41G1/00; artificial feathers A41G11/00) - B44F 9/04: of stone surfaces, e.g. marble - E01C 5/00: Pavings made of prefabricated single units (specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds E01C13/04, for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks E01C15/00; making artificial stones C04B; building stones E04C; flooring E04F) - E01C 15/00: Pavings specially adapted for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks - E04F 13/141: {with an outer layer of concrete (E04F13/147 takes precedence)} - E04F 15/08: only of stone or stone-like material, e.g. {ceramics}, concrete; of glass {or with a top layer of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete or glass (E04F15/02005 takes precedence)} - E01C 2201/16: Elements joined together - Y10T 428/24488: Differential nonuniformity at margin - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) - B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)} - B44F: SPECIAL DESIGNS OR PICTURES - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An artificial stone is disclosed for use in creating a covering for a supporting surface. The artificial stone includes a body for placement on the supporting surface, which is shaped for mating engagement with like stones with intermediate perimeter joints to produce a continuous surface covering. The stone has a facing surface on the body, which facing surface has a contour defining a surface area and is subdivided by at least one simulated joint into a major surface portion and at least one minor surface portion. The major surface portion is free of simulated joints and extends over at least about 60% of the total surface of the facing surface. The stone further includes at least one perimeter recess in the body for generating a gap between the stone and another like stone in mating engagement therewith, which gap is wider than adjacent the adjoining perimeter joint. Stones of this construction can easily be arranged in a regular, repeated pattern to generate a continuous covering for the supporting surface with the surface of the resulting covering having an irregular, natural appearance. The irregular top contours of the stones, the uneven division of the facing surface and the perimeter recesses and the resulting gaps between mating stones simulate the appearance of a natural stone surface covering for walkways, roadways, pavements or walls. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An artificial stone for covering a supporting surface, comprising: a base portion having a base surface forming a lowermost surface of the base portion for placement on the supporting surface, the base portion having a body shape with a body contour for mating engagement of the artificial stone with other like stones in a repeating pattern with intermediate perimeter joints; a top portion positioned above the base portion and having a facing surface forming an uppermost surface of the top portion, the facing surface having a total surface area defined by an irregular facing contour and being subdivided by at least one simulated joint into a continuous, major surface portion and at least one minor surface portion, wherein the at least one simulated joint extends from the facing surface, through at least a portion of the top portion, and without extending into the base portion; an intermediate portion positioned between the top and base portions, the intermediate portion having at least one outwardly tapered circumferential portion connecting the top portion with a sidewall of the base portion; and at least one perimeter recess extending from the facing surface, through the top portion, and through at least a portion of the base portion for generating a gap between the artificial stone and another like artificial stone in mating engagement therewith, the gap having a larger width than an adjoining perimeter joint. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the at least one perimeter recess extends from the facing surface to the base surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, comprising at least two perimeter recesses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the facing surface has at least one irregularly shaped protrusion or depression for giving the top portion an appearance of natural stone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the facing surface has at least one irregularly shaped protrusion and at least one irregularly shaped depression. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the facing surface includes at least two simulated joints and at least two minor surface portions located at the facing contour. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The artificial stone of claim 6, wherein the at least two minor surface portions are adjacent to one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the facing surface includes at least three minor surface portions, one minor surface portion being spaced from the facing contour. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The artificial stone of claim 6, wherein the at least two minor surface portions are positioned spaced apart along the facing contour. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the major surface portion extends over at least about 60% of the total surface area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the facing contour fits into the body contour. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the minor surface portion extends over at most about 30% of the total surface area and is free of simulated joints. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The artificial stone of claim 12, wherein the at least one simulated joint covers at most about 5% of the total surface area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the artificial stone is a dry cast concrete stone. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the facing contour fits within the body contour. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, shaped and constructed as a wall veneer stone, a wall tile, or a paving stone, preferably made of dry concrete. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The artificial stone of claim 16, wherein the at least one perimeter recess is formed by a division plate of a mold used during a dry casting process. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The artificial stone of claim 1, wherein the facing surface has at least two irregularly shaped areas of respectively different elevation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A set of artificial stones, comprising at least two artificial stones as defined in claim 1, an appearance of the facing surface of one artificial stone in the set being different from the appearance of the facing surface of every other artificial stone in the set. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The set of artificial stones as defined in claim 19, wherein all artificial stones in the set have the same body shape when the at least one perimeter recess is not included with each artificial stone. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The set of artificial stones as defined in claim 19, wherein each artificial stone has a hexagonal body contour. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The set of artificial stones as defined in claim 19, wherein each artificial stone has a rectangular body contour. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The set of artificial stones as defined in claim 19, wherein each artificial stone has a triangular body contour. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The set of artificial stones as defined in claim 1, wherein the major surface portion is free of any simulated joints and has an appearance of a slab and the at least one minor surface portion has an appearance of a filler stone. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The set of artificial stones as defined in claim 1, wherein the circumferential portion tapers outwardly at an acute angle of 0 to 25°.