WASTED SPACER MEMBER FOR WALL ELEMENTS, ESPECIALLY FOR GLASS BRICKS

ESPACEUR POUR ELEMENTS MURAUX, NOTAMMENT POUR BRIQUES EN VERRE

English Abstract

INVENTOR
Walter Christian Neuhardt
TITLE
WASTED SPACER MEMBER FOR WALL
ELEMENTS ESPECIALLY FOR GLASS BRICKS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A consumable spacer member for wall bricks
consists of cross-shaped or T-shaped members each
composed of two elements whose face planes are parallel
to each other, and the intersecting point of their arms
lies on a common axis perpendicular to the face planes.
The two elements of the spacer member are connected to
each other by at least one web member of such a length
that the distance between the two outer surfaces of the
spacer member is less than the thickness of the wall
elements and the width or thickness of the arms
measured in the planes of the elements corresponds
either to the joint width between the individual wall
elements or to the joint width plus the sum of the
groove depths disposed in two adjacent wall elements;
hence the distance between corresponding surfaces of
two adjacent bricks.

Claims

In the embodiments of the invention in which an
exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined
as follows:
1. A space member that is consumed during the
construction of a wall of bricks, especially glass
bricks, the member consisting of a pair of elements
each carrying vertical and horizontal arms lying in a
common plane, said elements being arranged parallel to
each other in spaced relation with the intersecting
points of the arms of both elements lying in a common
axis perpendicular to the plane of the elements; at
least one web extended between and connecting the said
pair of arm carrying elements to dispose outer surfaces
of each element a distance less than the thickness of
the bricks, while the thickness of each arm measured in
the plane of the element corresponds to the distance
between corresponding surfaces of two adjacent bricks.
2. A spacer member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
web constitutes a support for iron reinforcing bars
which are placed between layers of wall bricks.
3. A spacer member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
elements have a rough outer surface.
4. A spacer member as claimed in claim 3 wherein the
two elements are joined through connecting members to
the web.
5. A spacer member as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
web is offset relative to the intersecting point of the
arms of each element.
6. A spacer member as claimed in claim 5 wherein the
surface of the webs facing the intersecting points of

the arms are offset by about half the diameter of a
reinforcing bar relative to the intersecting point of
the arms.
7. A spacer member as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
arms of the elements have a rectangular cross-section.
8. A spacer member as claimed in claim 7, wherein the
elements have removable vane means for enclosing the
corners of the wall bricks.
9. A spacer member as claimed in claim 7, wherein
each element is provided with a disc whose surface
facing the element lies in the plane of the outer
surface of the wall brick.
10. A spacer member as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
distance between the discs or vertical portions of two
oppositely disposed removable vane means which enclose
the outer surfaces of the wall bricks correspond to the
thickness of the wall element.
11. A spacer member as claimed in claim 10, wherein
the disc is spaced by means of an integral projection
disposed between disc and element.
12. A spacer member as claimed in claim 10, wherein
the disc is releasably connected to the element.
13. A spacer member as claimed in claim 12 consisting
of three parts wherein the two elements are equal to
each other and provided with a cyndrical projection by
means of which the two elements may be connected to
each other by a sleeve-like web.
14. A spacer member as claimed in claim 13, wherein
the length of the sleeve-like web is adjusted to
correspond to the varying wall thickness.

15. A spacer member as claimed in claim 14 consisting
of a material which is substantially non-expandable in
water.
16. Spacer member as claimed in claim 15, wherein the
web has openings for receiving vertically disposed
reinforcing bars.
17. The spacer member as claimed in claim 15
fabricated as a synthetic material including filler
substances.
18. In a wall construction including a plurality of
bricks arranged in layers to lie above each other with
space between the top and bottom surfaces and the end
surfaces of adjacent bricks for receiving mortar, and
reinforcing bars placed between layers of the bricks, a
wasted spacer member receivable between the corners of
said bricks for mounting the bricks in correctly spaced
relationship to receive mortar and to support said
reinforcing bars in proper position, said spacer member
including: a pair of elements each carrying vertical
and horizontal arms lying in a common plane, said
elements being arranged parallel to each other in
spaced relationship with the intersecting points of the
arms of both elements lying on a common axis
perpendicular to the planes of the elements; and at
least one web extending between and connecting said
pair of arm-carrying elements, so that the distance
between the outer surfaces of said elements is smaller
than the thickness of said bricks to be spaced thereby,
said web being offset relative to said common axis
passing through said intersecting points of said arms

and constituting a support for a reinforcing bar placed
between layers of said bricks, said vertical and
horizontal arms of said elements having a thickness
such that the bricks to be spaced thereby are in proper
relationship to receive mortar when the side surfaces
of said arms are in engagement with the confronting
surfaces of said bricks.
19. In a wall construction according to claim 18,
wherein the surface of the web facing the intersecting
points of the arms of the arm-carrying elements are
offset by about half the reinforcing bar diameter
relative to the common axis passing through said
intersecting points.
20. In a wall construction according to claim 19,
wherein the arms have a rectangular cross-section.
21. In a wall construction including a plurality of
bricks arranged in layers to lie above each other with
space between the top and bottom surfaces and the end
surfaces of adjacent bricks for receiving mortar, and
reinforcing bars placed between layers of the bricks, a
wasted spacer member receivable between the corners of
said bricks for mounting the bricks in correctly spaced
relationship to receive mortar and to support said
reinforcing bars in proper position, said spacer member
including: a pair of elements each carrying vertical
and horizontal arms lying in a common plane and which
are rectangular in cross section, said elements being
arranged parallel to each other in spaced relationship
with the intersecting points of the arms of both
elements lying on a common axis perpendicular to the

planes of the elements; at least one web extending
between said connecting said pair of arm-carrying
elements, so that the distance between the outer
surfaces of said elements is smaller than the thickness
of said bricks to be spaced thereby, said web being
offset relative to said common axis passing through
said intersecting points of said arms and constituting
a support for a reinforcing bar placed between layers
of said bricks, the surface of the web facing the
intersecting points of the arms of the arm-carrying
elements being offset by about half the reinforcing bar
diameter relative to the common axis passing through
said intersecting points, said vertical and horizontal
arms of said elements having a thickness such that the
bricks to be spaced thereby are in proper relationship
to receive mortar when the side surfaces of said arms
in engagement with the confronting surfaces of said
bricks; and outwardly projecting, removable vane means
carried by said arm-carrying elements for enclosing the
corners of the bricks.
22. In a wall construction including a plurality of
bricks arranged in layers to lie above each other with
space between the top and bottom surfaces and the end
surfaces of adjacent bricks for receiving mortar, and
reinforcing bars placed between layers of the bricks, a
wasted spacer member receivable between the corners of
said bricks for mounting the bricks in correctly spaced
relationship to receive mortar and to support said
reinforcing bars in proper position, said spacer member
including: a pair of elements each carrying vertical
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and horizontal arms lying in a common plane, said
elements being arranged parallel to each other in
spaced relationship with the intersecting points of the
arms of both elements lying on a common axis
perpendicular to the planes of the elements; and at
least one web extending between and connecting said
pair of arm-carrying elements, so that the distance
between the outer surfaces of said elements is smaller
than the thickness of said bricks to be spaced thereby,
said web being offset relative to said common axis
passing through said intersecting points of said arms
and constituting a support for a reinforcing bar placed
between layers of said bricks, said vertical and
horizontal arms of said elements having a thickness
such that the bricks to be spaced thereby are in proper
relationship to receive mortar when the side surfaces
of said arms are in engagement with the confronting
surfaces of said bricks, and each arm-carrying element
being provided with a disc disposed outwardly thereof,
and which lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the
element, the distance between the discs on opposite
sides of the spacer member corresponding to the
thickness of the bricks, and each disc being spaced by
means of a projection from its corresponding
arm-carrying element.
23. In a wall construction including a plurality of
bricks arranged in layers to lie above each other with
space between the top and bottom surfaces and the end
surfaces of adjacent bricks for receiving mortar, and
reinforcing bars placed between layers of the bricks, a
12

wasted spacer member receivable between the corners of
said bricks for mounting the bricks in correctly spaced
relationship to receive mortar and to support said
reinforcing bars in proper position, said spacer member
including: a pair of elements each carrying vertical
and horizontal arms lying in a common plane, said
elements being arranged parallel to each other in
spaced relationship with the intersecting points of the
arms of both elements lying on a common axis
perpendicular to the planes of the elements; a
cylindrical projection on the inner side of each of
said arm-carrying elements; and at least one web
extending between and connecting said pair of
arm-carrying elements, so that the distance between the
outer surfaces of said elements is smaller than the
thickness of said bricks to be spaced thereby, said web
being offset relative to said common axis passing
through said intersecting points of said arms and
constituting a support for a reinforcing bar placed
between layers of said bricks, said vertical and
horizontal arms of said elements having a thickness
such that the bricks to be spaced thereby are in proper
relationship to receive mortar when the side surfaces
of said bricks, and said web comprising a sleeve-like
member, the opposite ends of said sleeve-like member
receiving said cylindrical projections to connect said
arm-carrying elements in spaced apart relationship.
24. In a wall construction including a plurality of
glass bricks or the like arranged in layers to lie
above each other with space between the top and bottom
13

surfaces and the end surfaces of adjacent bricks for
receiving mortar, the mating surfaces of said bricks
each having a pair of supporting surfaces thereon
extending along and adjacent to their front and rear
edges, a wasted spacer member receivable between the
corners of said bricks for mounting the bricks in
correctly spaced relationship to receive mortar, said
spacer member including: a pair of elements each
carrying vertical and horizontal arms lying in a common
plane, said elements being arranged parallel to each
other in spaced relationship with the intersecting
points of the arms of both elements lying on a common
axis perpendicular to the planes of the elements; at
least one web extending between and connecting said
pair of arm-carrying elements, so that the distance
between the outer surfaces of said elements is smaller
than the thickness of said bricks to be spaced thereby
but substantially greater than the minimum distance
between the pairs of said supporting surfaces
associated therewith, said vertical and horizontal arms
of said elements having a thickness such that the
bricks to be spaced thereby are in proper relationship
to receive mortar when the side surfaces of said arms
are in engagement with the confronting surfaces of said
bricks; and outwardly projecting, removable vane means
carried by each of said arm-carrying elements for
enclosing the corners of the bricks, each vane means
including at least one surface spaced from and
extending parallel to its associate arm-carrying
member, the distance between the vane means surfaces on
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opposite sides of the spacer member corresponding to
the thickness of the bricks.

Description

~6~930 ;.
S P E C I F I C A T I 0 N `-
The invention relates to a wasted spacer member for
wall elements, especially for glass bricks, consisting of at least
one cross-element or T-element whose arms are disposed in two
planes that are perpendicular to each other.
~he placing of wall elements~ especially of glass bricks,
.~ . . . .
is carried out in such a way that a first layer of bricks is put ~
, . .
in place and short wooden strips are used to provide a spacing
between the adjacent wall blocks or bricks. Therea~ter narrow
planed wooden strips are put on so as to obtain a uniform spacing
of the next layer, and between these wooden strips the mortar and
a reinforcing bar is put, the wall elements for the next layer -
being placed on top of the wooden strips. After the wall is ~`
finished and the mortar has hardened the wooden strips are removed,
but this causes usually a destruction of the wooden strips. After
lS the wooden strips have been removed the grooves thus created are
filled in with a ~oint mortar. It is obvious that in this known '~
working procedure the wooden strips must be kept in the brick `
construction until the mortar has ~ardened as otherwise the wall
would settle unevenly whereby the good visual impression of the
wall construction would be destroyed. It is clear that when the
mortar is hard it is very difficult to remove the wooden strips
because the mortar sticks to them, and when a chisel is used to
help remove them this is likely to cause damage to the bricks. In
any case, even when a special mortar is used a subsequent filling
out of the joints is necessary.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a -
spacer member for wall elements, especially for glass bricks.
which makes possible a working operation that eliminates the above
mentioned disadvantages. This is obtained according to the inven-
tion in that the spacer member consists of two cross-elements or
T-elements which lie in parallel planes to each other, wherein the

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intersecting points of the arms of both elements lie on a common
axis which is perpendicular to the plane of the elements, that the
two elements are joined to each other by at least one web~ wherein
the distance between the two outer surfaces of the elements from
S each other is smaller than the thickness of the wall elements, and
the width (thickness) of the arms measured in the planes of the
elements corresponds either to the width of the joints between the
individual wall elements or the width of the joint plus the sum
of the groove depths of two adjacent wall elementsO The spacer `
members of the invention are imbedded into the mortar and as they ~
are set back relative to the surface of the bricks they can remain -;
in place. It is also possible to finish the constructed wall direct-
ly after the placing of the last layer or, when using a visible
joint mortar, to finish it sumultaneously with the placing of the
lS bricks. This produces a considerable saving of time with regard to ~ `
the known working procedure because in the conventional procedure
the filling out of the joints may be carried out only one or two
days after the wall is built so that the workers are forced to
go twice to the same construction site. ~A further advantage of
the spacer member according to the invention consists in that the
correct vertical as well as horizontal distance between adjacent
elements can be assured with a single spacer member while in the
known working procedure at least two strips are necessary which
must be removed subsequently.
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The web according to the spacer member of the invention ~
is designed in a preferred embodiment as a support element for the ~ -
iron reinforcing bars which are placed between the wall elements,
wherein the surface of the web supporting the reinforcing bar is ;~
displaced relative to the intersecting point of the arms of the cross-
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element or T-element by half the diameter of the reinforcing bar ~
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whereby the strength properties of the wall with reinforcing bars
is improved.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the spacer
member the cross-elements or T-elements are provided with break-
off vanes which enclose the wall elements, or with a disc which
encloses the outer surfaces of the wall element, wherein the
distance of the discs enclosing the outer surfaces of the wall
elements or the vertical parts of two oppositely disposed break-
off vanes correspond to the thickness of the wall element. This
arrangement guarantees not only an exact maintenance of the joint
width but prevents simultaneously that one wall element is set
back relative to an adjacent wall element so that an even wall is
produced. These break-off vanes may be broken off simply with a
spatula or a trowel as soon as the mortar is hardened a little and
therefore do not get in the way during the filling of the joints,
which is always necessary.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the
discs are releasably connected with the cross-elements or T-ele-
ments so that they may be repeatedly used in contrast to the
cross-elements or T-elements.
According to an additional feature of the invention the
spacer member consists of a material which is essentially not
subject to expansion in water and preferably of a synthetic
material containing filler materials.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description of several
embodiments of the spacer member according to the invention and
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
~ig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of
the spacer member according to the invention,
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:106Z930
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of
the spacer member according to the invention,
Fig. 3 ls a side view of the spacer member according to `
Figure 2,
Fig. 4 shows a further arrangement of the spacer member
corresponding to Fig, 3 with grooved wall elements and,
Figs. 5 - 7 show a third embodiment of the spacer member
according to the invention respectively in an elevation view, a
plan view and a side view.
As may be seen fro~ Figures 1 and 2 each spacer member ;,~
consis~sof two cross elements 1 which are disposed in two planes
that are parallel to each other. The two cross elements are
connected by a web 2 which is arranged either centrally as in
Figure 1 or opposite the intersecting points of the arms of the
cross elements 1 in an offset relationship as seen in Figure 2.
This web 2 may serve also as support element for an iron reinforc-
ing bar 3 which can be inserted between the wall elements, espe-
cially glass bricks. `
Each of the cross elements 1 consists of two arms 4
standing vertically on each other. In order to be able to use these
spacer members also for the first and last layer or along the side
one uses T-elements instead of cross elements
The width of the arms 4 corresponds to the desired joint
width between the wall elements or glass bricks. The distance of
the outer sur~aces of the cross-elements or T-elements from each
other is less by at least double the joint depth than the thickness
of the wall elements used for constructing the wall. ~ -
In case the wall elements are provided with a g~oove i~`
extending along the side surfaces, and whose walls are either
parallel or perpendicular to the joint surfacesj~ or present ~
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1(~6293l~
centering steps in connection with the joint surfaces, the spacer
member may be exclusively in contact with these surfaces. The
width of the arms of the cross-elements or T-elements must
correspond in that case to the width of the joint plus the double
groGve depth or step height, as seen in Figure ~
In order to line up the wall elements exactly to each
other also in the vertical direction break-off vanes are provided
as shown in the embodiment of Figure 2~ and their vertical parts
enclose also the outer surfaces of the wall elements as shown in
dash lines in Yigure 3.
These break-off vanes are connected to the arms of the
cross.elements or T-elements and are provided with breaker lines
so that they may be easily broken off after a short period, namely
as soon as the mortar has hardened a little.
The embodiment according to Figures 5 through 7 differs
from that of Figures 2 and 3 merely in the fact that in place of
the break-off vanes 5 each cross-element or T-element 1 is provi-
ded with a disc 7 which is spaced by means of a projection 8
relative to the wall element. ~his disc 7 is integral with the
projection 8 and may be separated from the cross-element or T-
element, and this is done for manufacturing reasons. In order to
receive vertical reinforcing bars (not shown) the web 2 is provi-
ded with openings 9. There are also openings 10 in the cross-
elements or T-elements 1 and they provide on the one hand a saving
of material and improve on the other hand the anchoring of the
spacer member in the joint material.
It is particularly necessary in the embodiment of ;;
Figure 2 that the spacer member is exactly adjusted to the wall
element thickness. For this purpose each of the cross-elements or
T-elements is provided with a projection 6, for example of
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~6293~
cyndrical form, by means of which the two elements 1 may be
connected tbrough a sleeve-like web 2. By means of sleeve~like
webs 2 of varying lengths the spacer members may be adapted easily
to the thickness of the wall elements to be used.
. - .. . . . .. .
In order to prevent a turning of the two cross-elements
or T-elements relative to each other these elements may be provi-
ded with two pro;ections 6 so that two webs 2 lnstead of one may
be attached. It is obvious that the spacer member of the invention
may be manufactured also either as a one piece or a two-piece
member.
It has been found that it is useful to provide the outer
surfaces of the cross-elements or T-elements with a rough surface
so that the joint mass can combine also with the spacer member.
In order to prevent a working of the spacer members in ~ ;
the finished wall structure they ConSiSt of a material which is
essentially non-expandable in water and preferably of a synthetic
material which is provided with filler material.
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