Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Field of the Invention
This invention relates to interlocking building blocks
and walls formed therefrom.
Description of the Prior ~rt
A number of attempts have been made to provide building
blocks capable of being joined together wi~hout the use o~
mortar into walls or other ~oad b~aring structUres. Ideally,
such mortarless building blocks should be lightweight so
that they are easy to handle and transport, easy to use so
that the walls can be quickly constructed by unskilled work-
men, ànd adapted to accept varying deyrees of reinfo~cemént
so that the walls may readily be constructed to meet any de-
gree of load bearing requirements.
Prior mortarless building blocks have ~allen consider-
ably short of these ideals. No prior blocks have provided
practical, mortarless building elements which are adapted,
when assembled into a wall, of receiving a variable amount
of reinforcement to provide different degrees of strength
and stability. A number of prior blocks are designed to
be filled with cement or other heavy material at the time
they are asseMbled or constructed. Although such blocks
are comparatively massive and thereby impart some stability
to the finished wall, they provide no advantage whatsoever
in terms of ease of handling or transportation over con-
ventional cinder blocks. Other prior blocks have sought
to achieve stability by providing flared interlocking
structures between adjacent blocks. In addition to in-
creasing the complexity of the blocks' designs, such flared
structures also add considerably to the difficulty of as-
sembling the blocks into walls, since such blocks may only
be brouyht together from certain directions or angles.
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Summar~ o~ the Inventionl~his lnvention provides novel,liyh-tweight, highly in-
sulating building bloc~s in a number of embodiments, which
blocks are capable of being joined together without mortar to
form a wall or other load be~ring structure. The blocks are
extremely lightweight and easily used by unskilled laborers.
The blocks are designed such that when joined together into
a wall, the interior of the wall contains form~ for a vari-
able number of reinforcing structures. Such structure5 may
be provided to yield walls of differing strengths and load
bearing abilities.
The building blocks of the p~esent invention have
a generally rectangular exterior configuration, and are
composed of urethane foam or other lightw~ight, highly
insulating non-cementitious material. In one embodiment,
the block comprises a pair of op~osed side walls, a pa:ir
of opposed end walls having heights equal to that of the
side walls; an interior wall having a height equal to that
of the side walls and extending between the side walls
approximately parallel to the end walls, the interior wall
forming two vertical passages through the blocks of approxi-
mately equal, rectan~ular cross sections; projections on
the upper surfaces of the end, side and interior walls,
the projections being formed into two identical patterns
respectively associated with said two passages; and the
lower surfaces of the side, end and interior walls being
shaped so as to form recesses identical to the projections
in size and shape, and directly below the projections in
position. In a second embodiment, reerred to as a hori-
zontal support block, the upper portions of the end and
interior walls are removed to form a horizontal channel
extending through the block. Blocks according to the present
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invention may be used to construct walls comprising a series
of horizontal rows, with adjacent rows offset horizontally
by half the length of a block, and with pro jections of the
blocks in each row being received within the recesses of
the blocks of the row above. Certain rows may consist
entirely of horizontal support blocks, and hori~ontal rein-
forcing struc~ures may be placed throusll the channels of the
bloc~:s in such rows. Vertical reinforcing structures may
be placed through the vertical openings forr~ed b~ the pas-
sages o.' several blocks. By such means, a wall or other
structure having almost any desired amount of reinforcincJ
may be constructed.
These and other features and advantages of the invention
will be apparent from the detailed description and claims to
follow taken in conjunction with the accornpanying drawings.
~rief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 presents a partly broken away perspeetive view
of a part of a building structure assemb~ed from building
blocks according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 presents a perspective view of a building block
according to the present invention;
Fig. 3 presents a perspective view of the block of
Fig. 2 as seen from below;
Fig. 4 presents a perspective view of a right hand
corner block according to the present invention;
Fig. S presents a perspective view of a left hand
corner block according to the present invention;
Fig. 6 presents a perspective view of a half unit
block according to the present invention;
Fig. 7 presents a perspective view of a clouble unit
reinforciny block according to the present invention;
Fig. 8 presents a perspective view of a building
block according to the presen-t invention adapted to re-
ceive a horizontal reinforcing structure;
Fig. 9 presents a perspective view of a reinforced
section of a wall comprising the blocks o~ Figs. 2 and ~;
Fiy. 10 presents a side elevational view, partly
broken away, of a reinforced wall according to the prssent
invention.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 depicts a structure 10 comprised of mortarless
building blocks according to the present inventian. Struc-
ture lO, as shown, consists of foundation ll, walls 12, 14
and support structure 16 extending inwardly from wall 12.
Each wall consists of a series of horizontal rows, such as
rows 18a-f comprising wall 12, positioned one on top of
another. Each such row is composed principally of rectan-
gular blocks 20 placèd end to end. With two exceptions to
be described below, all the blocks of the present invention
preferably have identical outer dimensions, which dimensions
may be the same as that of a standard 8" x a~ x 16" cinder
block. Each row 18a-f is horizontally o~fset from the rows
above and beneath it by one half the length of blocks 20.
Figs. 2 and 3 depict, from above and below respectively,
one of the blocks 20 of Fiy. 1. Block 20, as well as the
other building blocks described herein, are made from
urethane oam, compressed resin reinforced sawdust, or other
lightweiyht, non-cementitious material. The use of such
material results in a block which has excellent insulating
properties, and which is extremely lightweight for easy
transportation and handling. Block 20 comprises side walls
22, 24, end walls 26, 2~ and interior wall 30. All walls
are of equal height and extend from the top to the bottom
of block 20. Interior wall 30 extends between side walls
.
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22, 24 from points intermediate their ends so as to form r~ctangular
passages 32, 34 of identical size. Passages 32, 34 extend entirely
through block 20 in a vertical direction and are oF uniform cross section
throughout.
The upper surfaces of side walls 22, 24, end walls 26, 28 and
interior wall 30 carry a set of continuous projections 36. The projections
are of constant, rectangular cross section and have a width less than the
widths of the narrowest walls on which they are mounted. Projections 36
are formed in two identical rectangular portions 38, 40, and two short
linear portions 42, 44 positioned midway between and parallel to side walls
22, 24. Linear portion 42 extend between rectangular portions 38 and 40,
and linear portion 44 extends outwards from rectangular portion 38. As
used herein, linear portion 44 refers to that structure overlying end wall
26, and not to that structure, described below7 extending outwardly from
such end wall. The rectangular portions 38, 40 completely surround the
upper edges of passages 32, 34 respectively, and the inwardly Facing sides
of such rectangular portions are coplanar with the inner surfaces of the
walls forming passages 32, 34.
The lower surfaces of side walls 22, 24, end walls 26, 28 and
interior wal 1 30 carry a set of continuous recesses 46 having si zes and
shapes identical to projections 36 and positioned directly below and
corresponding to such projections. When two blocks 20 are positioned one
on top of another, the projections of the lower block frictionally fit within
the recesses of the upper block, by which means the blocks are aligned and
secured together.
Block 20 additional Iy comprises the lateral projection 48 outstand-
ing from end wall 26 and the lateral recess 50
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formed on end wall 2~. Lateral projection ~8 and lateral
recess 50 each has a rectangular cross section of dimensions
equal to those of ~rojections 36 and recesses 46. La'ceral
recess 50 extends vertically the full height of end wall
2B intermediate its sides. Lateral projection 43 has a
total height equal to that o:E end wall 26, bu~ is offset
upwardly a distance equal to the height of projection 36,
and therefore to the depth of reeesses 46. Thus the upper
por~ion of lateral projection 48 forms a uniform continuous
strueture with linear portion 44 of projeetion 36, and the
length of sueh eontinuous strueture is identieal to the
length of linear portion 42.
A series of bloeks 20 may be positioned end to end to
form horizontal rows 18a-f (Fig. 1) with lateral projeetions
frietionally fitted into lateral recesses of adjaeent blocksO
When such a row is constructed, the projections 36 of the
several blocks, together with the upper portions of lateral
projections 48, form a pattern of connected rectangles on
the upper surfaees of blocks 20, which pattern repeats it-
self twice per block, as indicated at 52 in Fig. 1. Simi-
larly, recesses 46 toyether with the lower ends of lateral
recesses 50, form an identical repeating pattern of reeesses
on the lower surfaces of sueh blocks. Thus, when horizontal
rows of blocks 20 are positioned one above another with pro-
jections 36 and recesses 46 frictionally fitted together
to form walls, bloc]~:s in adjacent rows may be aligned either
directly above or below one another or, preferably, offset
norizontally by half the length of one block, as indicated
in Fig. 1.
Fig. ~ depicts a lefthand corner block 60. Block 60
is identical -to block 20 except tha'c lateral projec~ion 62
has been positioned on sicle wall 64 rather than on end wall
688
66, and linear projection 61 has been relocated such that
it connects lateral projection 62 and rectangular projection
63. The distance between lateral projection 62 and end
wall 66 is identical to the distance between lateral pro-
jection 48 and side wall 22 (Fig. 3). End wall ~ carries
a lateral recess (not shown) identical to lateral recess
50 of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 depicts the incorpor~tion of several
lefthand corner blocks 60 into an assembled struCture.
Fig. S depicts a righthand corner block 70. Block 70
is identical to block 20 except that lateral recess 72 has
been positioned on side wall 74. The distance between
lateral recess 72 and end wall 73 is equal to the distance
between lateral recess 50 and side wall 22 (Fig. 2). Fig.
1 illustrates the incorporation of several righthand cor-
ner blocks 70 into an assembled structure, as well as a
~broken-away area 71 where such a block 70 would be placed.
Fig. 6 shows a half-section block 80. Bloclc 80 is
identical to the righthand half of block 20 (Fig. 2), ex-
cept that projection 82 does not include a linear portion
such as 42 in Fig. 2. Half-section blocks 80 permit the
construction of windows or doorways in walls in which
adjacent rows are offset, as in Fig. 1.
Fig. 7 depicts a pylon block 90, which block is
similar to two blocks 20 joined side to side. In particular,
one-half 92 of block 90 is identical to block 20, whereas
the other half 94 is similar to block 20 except that it
has neither a lateral projection nor a lateral recess. Pylon
blocks 9n are used to form a double thickness section of
a wall or other skructure to increase the strength and
stability of the wall at such section. Fig. 1 shows three
pylon blocks 90 positioned one above another in rows 18b,
18d and 18f. Blocks 20 are positioned between the rear
halves 94 of the pylon blocks 90 to form a double thick-
ness support structure 16 in wall 12. Such a support
structure increases the strengt'n of the wall 12 in and of
itself, and it is further capahle of receiving a supple-
mental reinforcing structure as described below.
Fig. 8 illustrates a horizontal support block 100.
Support block 100 is identical to block 20, except that
the entire upper portions of the end and i.nterior walls,
as well as the ~rojections and recesses carried thereon,
have been removed. Thus, block 100 comprises side walls
102, 104, end walls 10~, 108 and interior wall 110. End
walls 106, 108 and interior wall 110 are all of a height
considerably less than the height of side walls 102, 104,
such that a longitudinal, horizontal U-shaped channel 112
is formed in the upper interior portion of block 100.
Interior wall 110 extends between side walls 102, 104 from
points intermediate their ends so as to form equal size
rectangular passages 113, 114 extending through block 100
in a vertical direction. Passages 113, 114 correspond to
passages 32, 34 of ~lock 20.
~ he lower surfaces of side walls 102, 104, end walls
106, 108 and interior wall 110 are formed so as to form re-
cesses (not shown) in the lower surfaces thereof which are
identical to recesses 46 on the lower sur~aces of block 20.
Side walls 102, 104 carry projections 116 119 on the upper
surfaces thereof, such projections being identical to the
side wall sections OL rectangular projections 38, 40 of
block 20. End walls 106, 108 respectively carry lateral
projection 120 and a lateral recess (not shown), such lateral
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recess and projection beiny identical to lateral projection
48 and lateral recess 50 of block 20, except that their
upper sections have been removed along with the upper sec-
tions of end walls 106, 108.
Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate the way in which walls or
other struetures constructed of blocks according to the
present invention may be reinforced to provide almost any
desired amount of strength or stability. Refer~ing ini-
tially to Fig. 10, there is shown a wall 122 comprising
horizontal rows 124a-1 stacked one on top oE another as
already described. Each row is o~fset from adjacent rows
by one-half the length of an individual block. Rows 124a-e
and g-k are made up entirely of blocks 20, whereas rows
124f and 1241 are composed entirely of horizontal support
bloeks 100. In each row, adjacent bloclcs are joined to-
gether via their lateral projections and reeesses. Adjaeent
rows are joined via the projeetions and recesses Oll the
upper and lower surfaces thereof.
Each row of horizontal support blocks 124f, 1241 earries
a horizontal reinforeing structure lZ6, 128 respectively,
such reinforcing structures extending through the longi-
tudinal channels 112 of blocks 100. The frequency with
whieh rows of horizontal support blocks appear may be varied
as desired. Further, periodically throughout wall 122, ver-
tical support structures 130-133 extend through aligned
passages 32, 34 or 113, 114 in bloe]cs 20 or 100 respectively.
In wall 122, as shown, such vertical reinforcing structures
130-133 extend through one of the passage3 of every fourth
bloek in eaeh row, although here again any other repeat fre-
quency could be used as desired. Thus the number of vertical
and horizontal reinforc:Lng structures incorporated :into a
wall may be adjusted based on the load bearing requirements
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of the wall and related factors. In a wall intended to
carry any substantial load, essentially all of such load m~y
be borne by the reinforcing structures, a feature which
permits the use of extremely lightweight and highly in-
sulating material for the blocks. ~here the reinforcing
structures comprise concrete, the blocks of the present
invention may be viewed as forms as well as structural
elements.
Fig. 9 illustrates details of one type of reinforcing
structure. In Fig. 9, the lower row 140 is composed of
blocks 20, whereas the upper row 141 is composed of hori
zontal support blocks 100. The horizontal reinforcing
stxucture 1~3 is shown as consisting of concrete 144
reinforced by rebar 145, 146, while the vertical reinforcing
structure 148 consists of concrete 149 reinforced by rebar
150. Primarily for purposes of illustration, a second
vertical reinforcing structure is shown extending through
blocks 152, 154, and this reinforcing structure is reinforced
by rebax 156. Other material, such as logs or steel sleeving,
may be used as well as reinforced concrete for the reinforcing
structures. Fig. 9 also illustrates the way in which the
spaces within the walls provided for the reinforcing struc-
tures can also be used as conduits for electrical cabling
and the like.
As stated above, a number of pylon blocks 90 can be
used to construct a support structure 16 (Fig. l) at those
sections of a wall where additional ~trength i5 required.
The back half 94 of such a support structure may receive
vertical reinforcing structures such as those already de-
scribed to provide an even greater measure of strength and
stability.
Referring again to Fig. 10, wall 122 as shown therein
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is constructed by first providing posts 160 extending
from foundation or footings 162. Rebar for the lower por-
tions of vertical reinforcing structures 130-133 is then
attached to such posts, and blocks are then stacked to
form rows 124a-f. Since such blocks are extremely light-
weight and easily fitted together, the construction of
such rows is a rapid process, even for unskilled labor.
Rebar for horiæontal reinforcing structure 126 and for the
next higher portion of vertical reinforcing s~r~ctures
130-133 is then fixed in position, after which concrete
is poured to form horizontal reinforcins structure 126 and
the lower sections of vertical reinforcing structures
130-133. Prior to pouring, squares of cardboard or any
other convenient material are placed over those passages
of the row 124f blocks where vertical reinforcement is
not wanted. This construction process may be repeated
indefinitely to form walls of any height. ~he finished
wall contains a reinforced concrete grid which tightly
locks the blocks together into a strong and durable wall.
While the preferred embodiment of this invention has
been illustrated and described herein, it should be under
stood that variations will become apparent to one skilled
in the art. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited
to the specific embodiment illustrated and described herein
and the true scope and spirit of the invention are to be
determined by reference to the appended claims.
