Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BUILDING BLOCK SYSTEM
Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to interlocking blocks for use in construct-
ing buildings and the like. More particularly, it pertains to interlocking
blocks that form horizontal channels in a building wall. The channels
can be used for reinforcement of the wall.
Background of the Invention
It is known in the art of building with concrete blocks to make
double-wythe walls which comprise two vertically-offset series of
blocks, one series of which forms one wall face and the second series of
which interlocks with the first series and forms the opposed wall face.
US 6,508,041 Boot and US 4,704,832 Vassiliadis show examples of
this type of wall system. It is used in the dry-stack construction of load-
bearing and non-load-bearing walls.
Walls made using these systems can be reinforced by vertical
members but they do not provide for horizontal means of reinforce-
ment, which limits their strength and stability.
Summary of the Invention
The invention provides a form of block for vertically-offset
double-wythe wall construction, which blocks are arranged to form
generally horizontal wall channels. The wall channels can accommo-
date reinforcing members and concrete in-fill for the purpose of rein-
forcing the block walls. Buildings made with such horizontal reinforce-
ment are considerably stronger than buildings made using prior art
block systems lacking such reinforcement.
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In general terms, the block has an outer block wall that defines a first
side surface of the block and an interlocking section for attachment to
the interlocking section of a cooperating interlocking block whose first
side surface is opposite to the first side surface of the block, and a
channel that is open to the top surface of the block.
The invention provides a block comprising an outer block wall on
one side of the block and a head portion extending towards the opposed
side surface of the block. The head portion has a connecting portion
which interfits with a receptacle of a similar cooperating block that is
positioned with its outer block wall opposite to that of the first block.
The block has a channel extending generally parallel to the outer block
wall.
The invention further provides a building wall which includes
such blocks arranged so as to form a horizontal wall channel.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, there is
provided a block for use in interlocking with similar blocks in forming a
substantially horizontal channel in a building wall. The block comprises
a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer block wall defining a first side
surface of the block and a head portion extending from the outer block
wall towards an opposed, second side surface. The head portion defines
at least one connecting portion. The block has at least one receptacle
substantially matching in shape the connecting portion for receiving in
interlocking relationship the connecting portion of a cooperating inter-
locking block whose first side surface is opposite to the first side surface
of the block. The block has a channel open to the block top surface
extending generally parallel to the outer block wall and having two
opposed channel side walls and a channel bottom wall.
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According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, there
is provided a block for use in interlocking with other similar blocks in
forming a substantially horizontal channel in a building wall, which
block comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer block wall
defining a first side surface of the block, and a head portion extending
from the outer block wall toward an opposed, second side surface. The
block has two connecting portions each on a respective side of the head
portion. The block has two abutment portions each at a respective end
of the outer block wall and each defining a respective abutment shoulder.
There is a central groove in the head portion at a position thereon
opposite to the outer block wall, the groove at opposite ends thereof
defining two inwardly facing shoulders each for engaging and retaining
the abutment portion of a respective one of two abutting blocks such that
the abutment portions are retained end to end within the central groove.
There is defined between the abutment portion and the connecting
portion a receptacle substantially matching in shape the connecting
portion for receiving in interlocking relationship the connecting portion
of a cooperating interlocking block. The block defines a channel open to
the block top surface extending substantially parallel to the outer block
wall and having two opposed channel side walls and a channel bottom
wall.
Brief Description of the Drawin!s
In drawings which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the
invention:
Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a block according to one
embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the block of Fig. 1;
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Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the block of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is an end view of the block of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a top plan view of three interlocking blocks;
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a building wall having
two series of the blocks of Fig. 1 forming a horizontal wall channel; and
Figs. 8 and 9 are a perspective and plan view respectively of a
prior art block.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, which illustrate an exemplary embodi-
ment of the invention, the block 10 has a top surface 12, a bottom
surface 14, an outer wall 16 and a head portion 18. The block outer
wall 16 defines one side surface 17 of the block. The head portion 18
extends to the opposed, second side surface 20. The head portion has a
lobe-shaped connecting portion 22 on each side thereof. The outer block
wall 16 has an abutment portion 36 at each end thereof, each defining an
abutment shoulder 38. Two concave receptacles 24, each between a
respective connecting portion 22 and abutment shoulder 38, have a shape
corresponding to that of a connecting portion 22 and are sized to receive
a connecting portion 22 of a second block in interlocking relationship
therewith. The head portion 18 has a central groove 40 at a position
opposite to the outer block wall 16. The groove 40 defines two shoul-
ders 42 which engage the abutment portions 36 of two abutting interlock-
ing blocks.
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A channe126 in the block is open to the top surface 12 of the
block and has opposed side walls 28, 30 and a bottom wall 32. The
channel 26 extends generally parallel to the outer block wall 16. The
channel bottom wall 32 is spaced from the bottom surface 14 by a
distance that is greater than the distance between the channel bottom wall
and the top surface 12, as explained below.
The head portion 18 defines a flange 15 extending between the
"` channel side wall 30 and the second side surface 20 of the block and to
the top surface 12 of the block.
A hole 34 extends through the block from the top surface to the
bottom surface.
Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a prior art block lOP as disclosed in US
6,508,041 Boot. The shape and size of the block 10 is such that it
interlocks with the prior art block lOP, which prior art block is similar
to the block 10 but it does not have any channel. In the illustration of
the prior art block lOP in Figs. 8 and 9, corresponding and like elements
to those of the block 10 are indicated by the same reference numerals.
When used in the construction of a wall, the blocks 10 are in-
tended to be used in forming horizontal channels at selected heights, for
example at a height of four feet in an eight-foot high wall. The blocks
10 are not intended for construction of the entire wall, as horizontal wall
channels at every course are not necessary. It is intended that the
remainder of the wall below and above such wall channel would be
constructed using the prior art blocks lOP.
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In constructing a double-wythe wall using the blocks 10 and the
prior art blocks lOP, a first course of prior art blocks lOP is made on a
suitable footing along the perimeter of the structure. To do this, a series
of the prior art blocks lOP is placed at the external side of the wall to
begin the external wythe and a series of half height blocks (identical to
blocks lOP except one half the height) is placed at the internal side of the
wall to begin the internal wythe, interlocking with the blocks of the first
series. After this first course, all subsequent courses consist of full
height units (except where levelled at window sills and at the wall top,
where half height blocks are used). The external series and the internal
series of blocks are always offset from each other by one half of a block
height as a result of placing half height blocks in the first course.
Figs. 5-7 show the blocks 10 interfitting with like blocks. As best
seen in Fig. 7, at a selected height in the construction of a wall, say four
feet, the blocks 10 of the present invention are employed to form a
channel for horizontal reinforcement of the wall. A first series 44 of the
blocks 10 is laid to interlock with the uppermost course of the prior art
blocks lOP. This series 44 of blocks 10 is laid with the channels 26
facing upward. The connecting portions 22 of the uppermost course of
the prior art blocks lOP are received in the respective receptacles 24 of
the blocks 10, and the abutment portions 36 of the abutting blocks 10 are
fitted in respective central grooves 40 of the prior art blocks lOP.
Before placing a reinforcing bar 58 in the horizontally-extending
space formed by the channels 26 of the series 44 of blocks 10, the holes
34 in the prior art blocks lOP and in the blocks 10 that will lie under the
reinforcing bar are plugged sufficiently to retain the concrete that is later
in-filled around the bar. The plugging can be done, for example, using
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crushed sheets of newspaper. Any holes 34 that will be used for vertical
reinforcing bars 60 and in-filling of concrete are not plugged.
A reinforcing bar 58 is then placed in the horizontally-extending
space formed by the channels 26, resting on the bottom wall 32 of the
channels 26. It will be apparent that, because the channel bottom wall
32 is higher than the vertical midpoint of the block, the channel bottom
wall 32 of the blocks 10 is higher than the top surface 12 of the upper-
most course of prior art blocks lOP, so the reinforcing bar 58 does not
rest on such top surface 12 but is supported only by the relatively narrow
parts of the channel bottom wall that are on either side of the hole 34.
This feature permits the concrete which is filled into the wall channel, as
discussed below, to more completely surround the reinforcing bar and
therefore to better bond to it.
The horizontal reinforcing bars 58 are adjacent to the vertical
reinforcing bars 60 that are positioned in holes 34 at selected spacing
(for example 120 cm spacing) and can be affixed thereto by means of
twisted wire or the like.
After the reinforcing bar 58 is laid in position, a second series 48
of the blocks 10 is laid in interlocking arrangement with the first series
44 to form the wall channel 52. The second series is placed with the
channels 26 facing downward. The connecting portions 22 of the blocks
10 of the second series 48 are received in the respective receptacles 24
of the blocks 10 of the first series 44, and the abutment portions 36 of
abutting blocks 10 of the second series 48 are fitted in respective central
grooves 40 of the blocks 10 of the first series 44. The top surface 12 of
the blocks of the second series 48 faces downward and abuts the top
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surface 12 of the uppermost course of the prior art blocks lOP. The
channel bottom wall 32 of the blocks of the second series 48 is accord-
ingly spaced from and opposed to the channel bottom wall 32 of the
blocks of the first series 44, and the channels 26 of the blocks of the first
and second series collectively form a wall channel 52 extending gener-
ally horizontally through the wall. As best seen in Fig. 6, the flanges 15
of the blocks of each of the series 44, 48 are received in the channels 26
of the blocks of the respective other series, with the top surface 12 of the
flanges abutting the channel bottom wall 32 of the blocks of the respec-
tive other series. It will be noted that the channel 26 in each block 10 is
sufficiently wide and is so positioned relative to the width of the block
that the channels 26 of the blocks of one series overlap in longitudinal
extension with those of the second series so that a continuous passage-
way through the wall, i.e. wall channel 52, is formed by the block
channels 26.
At this point in the construction of the wall, concrete is in-filled
into the wall channel 52 through the holes 34 in the blocks 10 of the
second series 48, and into selected vertical channels (i.e. the channels
comprising aligned holes 34 in vertically positioned blocks 10 and lOP).
Once the concrete has set, construction of the wall continues with a
series of prior art blocks lOP fitted to the second series 48 of the blocks
10, and so on to the desired wall height.
It will be apparent that the first side surface 17 of the blocks 10 of
the first series 44 forms part of one vertical side surface 46 of the
building wall 54, and the first side surface 17 of the blocks 10 of the
second series 48 forms part of the second, opposed vertical side surface
50 of the wall. These parts are continuous with the respective side
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surfaces of the wall formed by the prior art blocks lOP that are below
and above the first and second series 44, 48 of the blocks 10.
Walls and buildings constructed using the blocks 10 can include
end blocks for ending a wall and corner blocks for making corners in
walls, as described in US 6,508,041 Boot.
The block 10 of the invention is made of concrete, or alternatively
of clay or other suitable material. It is nominally 40 cm long, 20 cm
high and 15 cm wide.
Apart from the use of concrete in the horizontal wall channels and
in selected vertical channels, concrete is not used in the building of the
walls as the construction is dry-stack type, the blocks not being mortared
in place.
Although the invention has been described in terms of specific
embodiments, it is not intended that the invention is limited to those
embodiments. Various modifications within the scope of the invention
will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is
defined by the claims that follow.
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