Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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llhis invention relates to an improvement in BUILDING
CONSr~lRUCTIONS ~
To supply the deman~ which always exists in varying degree,
for building structures which may ba quickly erected in the
field by assembling together structural building elements or
units originally fabricated at a distant factory, or factories,
an ingenious new building block system has heretofore been made,
all with the end in view of reducing the cost, facilitating
erection, or rendering the building so erected more satisfactory
insofar as strength and resistance to weathering conditions are
concerned.
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a
further improvement in building structures of this generaly type,
particularly an improved building block construction for building
structures of the type which may be readily erected in the field
from prefabricated fiberglass~foam or cement/foam building
~ elements where by the cost of erection is lowered and a more
ruggedr simpler, more weather-resisting, more insulative and
visually pleasing wall construction is realized. Furthermore, in
the design o~ the improved building block construction a major
objective has been to provide ~ structure of such simple nature
that field assembly may not only be quickly effected, by rela-
tively unskilled labour, but that colour-coded building block kits
can be distributed on the retail market, allowing for citizen
participation in the construction industry; and eliminating the
necessity of a building contractor in some types of construction.
It is common in the construction industry today for the
various components of a wall; namely the interior finish (paint,
paneling, wallpaper), the interior wall (plaster, gyprock),
interior vapour barrier (plastic), frame (wood, aluminum, or ~j~
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st~el studs), insulation (fiberglass or polystyrene), exterior
vapour barrier (plastic or tarpaper); exterior wall (usually
plywood or brick),and exterior surface (vinyl siding, aluminum
siding, textured woods, or brick), to be carried individually to
the construction site and fabricated labour-intensively on the
site requiring considerable power machinery (saws, drills,
planers etc.) With my new building block and system, all of the
aspects of the above components are found in one lightweight,
very strong, fiberglass or cement coated, over a highly insula- -
ted core, building block manufactured in lengths of up to fifty
(50) feet each. Imitation exterior surfaces can emulate any
kind of wood, aluminum or vinyl siding, brick, stucco, stone,
and/or marble. Imitation interior surfaces include those of the
exterior surfaces adding: any colour of paint, wallpaper of any
design, cloths such as burlap, any colour of plastic, and mirror
surfaces. The builder easily stacks the building blocks in their
appropriate positions bonding the joints with silicone glues.
.
Today in most prefabricated buildings, each unit is made in
very large pieces nearly fully finished in the factory. The
trip from the factory to the site by road and highway is not
only dangerous and costly but seriously limits the design of the
structure to one which will fit on a truck and pass all h-~;ghway
obstacles (i,e. bridges). Transferring the prefab unit onto its
foundation require~ many men and e~pensive machine~ - all beyond
the technical scope of the average person. With my building
block system, each piece can easily be carried by 1 or 2 men
without the assistance of power machines over short distances of
up to lO0 yards~at a construction site. All pieces, even blocks
of up to forty (40) feet long would weight circa eighty (80)
pounds. The end result will be a very strong, highly ~nsulative
weatherproof, and visually pleasing building wall(s).
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One centrally located factory(s) could distribute to a large
area because the building block system is easily secured on a
truck/train/plane for shipment, easily loaded, not seriously
aEfected by cross-winds during flat-bed truck shipments, and
can be manually unloaded at the site by only two men.
Construction can occur year around - contrary to some fiber~
glass building systems which can only be erected in summer months.
Organized, often unionized, highly trained construction labour
would not be necessary with this building block system because
it has been designed to a simple, human scale. Considerable
cost savings occur because of all the above mentioned factors.
The invention is particularly adapted to the building of
garages, silos, barns, warehouses, airplane hangars, offices,
houses, or the like, and in fact, wherever it may be convenient
'co use a structure of this character
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of
the inventian,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the basic building block
prior to being glued together sh~wing the accompanying joint
interior gasket.
Figure 2 is a cross-section side view showing one basic block
shape, attachment tracks, and aircraft cable stressing mechanism.
Figure 3 is a top view of a whole cast corner piece showing
the location of stressing cable and location of joint splines.
Figure 4 is a top view of a mitered or cut corner and its
accompanying joining mechanism.
Figure 5 is a perspective of the building block system show-
ing three adjoining walls including a window, a door, and roof
and foundation attachment schemes; and showing portions of cer-
tain component elements being broken away in order that details
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of interior elements may be more clearly perceived. ~
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r~ the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, the upper-
most block with the slanted exterior surface 1 which can be made
of fiberglass or concrete compounds and can be made to emulate
wood, vinyl or aluminum siding. The slanted surface 1 of this
block allows for a ~" edge protruding over the block underneath
it giving the appearance of the classical wood frame house. In
terms of the strength of the block, these fiberglass or cement
angles, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13 greatly increase the strength
of the block, making it impossible to be bent in any direction
without great force. The interior skin 14 of the block is
vertical when placed in its proper building position and can be
pre-coloured any colour and can look like wallpaper, cloth,
mirror, metal, stucco, stipple, brick, marble or stone. The
interior of the block 15 is made from urethane or polystyrene
foams and not only forms an incredible insulation factor to the
stoppage of the transfer of heat and cold from the exterior sur-
face to the interior surface and vice versa, but it also greatl~
strengthens the skin of the block, so that it can withstand
tremendous pressures without bending.
Inside the tongue 9,10,11,~2 and groove 3,4,5,6 interlocking
join~ I place a weather sealing gasket 16 of insulating material~
~otice that the tongue and the groove are angled inward in the
upward direction. This is keyed to the release of the fiber-
glass/cement from the molds allowing for easier forming, lessexpensive molds, and easier block extraction from forming molds.
(The distance 10-11 is smaller than the distance 9-10 by ~ inch.)
In~Figure 1, the lower block shows a ~ertical exterior
surface 17 which could emulate not only wood, but stucco, marble,
stone, brick, and forms a built-in vapour barrier for the cover-
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311
ing of real brick or stone on the outside surface of the struc-
ture if so desired. Silicone or other adhesive caulking would
be beaded along the length of a block on surfaces 18,19,20,21
much the same as mcrtar is used with conventional brick, only
much easier and quicker. Then the subsequent colour-coded block
would be placed on top as per plans and specifications and
pressed into place.
Figure 2 is a shortened cross-section of a complete wall.
Starting at the bottom with a cement foundation 22 we insert
lO metal screws 23 and position in place the building block tracks
24 made of fiberglass plastic, wood or metal. I have the option
of attaching them to a wood or plastic frame 25 using nails,
screws, or glue. When the tracks are secured in place we insert
a flashing 27 for moisture protection. Next I screw on the
stainless steel aircraft cable attachment bolt 28 on the metal
screws 23 embedded in the foundation. A length of prefabricated
metal cable is secured soundly by the bolt 28 to the screw 27
and threaded through pre-drilled holes 30 in each block. This
"threading" of blocks occurs with the "laying" of each block
2~ until we fini~h laying the uppermost block. To complete the
wall before the installation of the roof joists 31, screw the
upper attachment bolt 28' onto the upper attachment screw 23'
; and thread it on the preattached block tracks 24' and horizontal
wood/metal/plastic ceiling frame 25'. I cover this with a
flashing 27' - an exact mirror image of attaching the block to
the foundation. Do not forget to screwdown the bolt on the
attachment screw and stress (compact~ the wall for added
strength.
In the form of the invention, Figure 3 is a top view of a
pre-cast corner block. This block is formed with an angle, in
this case a perfect right angle in the factory. In the instal-
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lation procedure it is first "threaded" with the aircraftcable 29 through the drilled hole 30. Then adhesive caulking
is beaded on the block below in the corresponding areas of 18
and 21, and then the block is pressed into place. Finally the
splines 32 are glued into place and the vertical joint 33 is
adhesive caulked. The procedure would be duplicated until the
desired corner/wall height is realized.
In the form of the invention Figure 4 is a top view of a
mitered or cut corner. This corner type is either pre-cut in
the factory or on the job site at a 45 angle. In the instal-
lation procedure both blocks would be "threaded"wi~h the air-
craft cable 29 through the drilled holes 30 and glued into
place. Considerable caulking would be placed in the corner
joint 37. Next an exterior channel piece 34 and an interior
channel piece 35 would be either glued in place or fastened with
bolts 36. A second exterior channel 34' is snapped over the
first exterior channel 34 to finish the surface and hide the
bolts forming a weathertight seal. These channels would fit
individual block pieces or fit the entire height of the wall
depending on specifications.
In the form of the invention Figure 5 is a perspective of
the building block system in a partially-built structure being
broken away in order that details of interior elements may be - -
more clearly perceived. The wood floor or cement slab 22 is
completed. First a wood/plastic frame 25 is secured to the floor
22. Next the cables are attached and the tracks 24 are attached.
The flashing 27 is laid in place and each consecutive block 17
is "threaded" and adhesive caulked into place. The precast
corner is perspectively closest to the viewer showing stainless
steel aircraft cable 29 and the notches including the splines
vertical joints 33. On the cut or mitered joint 37 we can see
g~
the interior joint covering channels 35 and the exterior
corner joint covering channels 34 and 34'. Notice how t-bar
steel or aluminum can reinforce window spans 38. Again we see
tongue and groove insulative gasket 16, the ceiling tracks 24',
the horizontal roof frame 25', and finally the roof joists 31.
This isometric drawing clearly shows how simple this building
block system is to install.
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