Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2181{)2~
Wo 95/19475 PCTICA94/00016
BRICR-P~TTT'T~NT~'n ~3UTT~nING BLOCK
BACKGROUN,D OF T~TT~ INVENTION
1. Field of the; nvention: =
The present invention relates to a
building block comprising spaced apart inner and outer
walls made of hard moldable material, and
interconnected through tie members.
2. Brief descril~tion of the ~rior art:
Many building blocks of the above type
have been proposed in the prior art . Such b~ tl i n~
blocks usually comprise outer and inner concrete walls
which are spaced apart f rom each other but
int~,u.,.,e,-,Led through at least two tie members.
Examples are illustrated and described in U.S. patent
No. 783, 452 (~orenus) issued on February 28, 1905, in
U.S. patent No. 1,448,648 granted to /I. Wilkins on
~qarch 13, 1923, in U.S. patent No. 1,778,881 (Alford)
granted on October 21, 1930, and in U.S. patent No.
4,177,617 issued on ~ec ' -r 11, 1979, in the name of
DeLuca et al.
The building blocks described in the above
prior art patents present a common major drawback.
After a wall structure has been erected, these blocks
do not provide for easy nailing and/or screwing of the
interior fjn;~::h;n~ materials.
2181029
Wo 9S/19475 PCr/CA94100016
To ~V~ this drawback, U.S. patent No.
5,074,088 (BeI~eron et al.) issued on December 24,
l99l proposes a building block comprising inner and
outer walls made o~ concrete and interconnected
through elongate tie members having first and second
ends respectively ~ in the concrete of the
inner and outer walls. A body in which nails and/or
screws can be easily driven is fastened to the first
end o~ the tie member and ~ ecl in the concrete of
the inner wall with a sur~ace thereof exposed on the
outer side of the inner wall to enable nailing 2md/or
screwing through that body.
A disadvantage of the building block of
lS U.S. patent No. 5,074,088 is that it requires a
complex molding process; two different elements, the
tie member and the nailing/screwing body have to be
assembled, mounted and held in the mold, and
automatically supplied to the block molding station.
OBJECTS OF THE INVFNTION
An object of the present invention is
therefore to provide a b~ in~ block in which the tie
member and nailing/screwing body are incorporated into
a single element.
Another object of the invention is a
brick-patterned building block in which the simulated
bricks can be longitudinally offset with respect to
each other in the successive rows.
218102~1 i
Wo 95/19475 PCT/CI~94~0016
STJMMAT~Y OF TI~T~ INVENIION
In accordance with the present invention,
there is provided a bu;l~in~ block comprising:
first and second spaced apart walls of
which at least the second wall is made of hard
moldable material, this second wall comprising an
outer face: and
at lea6t one tie member for
interconnecting the first and second walls, this tie
member having a first end fixedly secured to the first
wall and a second hollow end section ~ in the
hard moldable material of the second wall and formed
with a distal end wall portion exposed on the outer
face of the second wall whereby a fa5tener can be
driven through the exposed distal end wall portion to
thereby fasten building material on the outer face of
the second wall.
The hollow end section enables fabrication
of a one piece tie member enabling screwing of
building material to the outer surface of the inner
wall.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment
of the building block, the hollow end section of the
tie member comprises a proximate end wall portion
exposed on the inner face of the second wall.
The present invention also relates to a
kit of ~11; l~lin~ blocks for erecting a wall structure
2~ 81023
WO9S/19475 ~ ~ ~ f; ' PCT/C~9-1/00016
by superposing many rows of said blocks, wherein each
building block comprises inner and outer spaced apart
walls of which at least the outer wall has an outer
brick-patterned face, and at least one tie member for
5 interconnecting the inner and outer spaced apart
walls, this tie member having a first end fixedly
secured to the outer wall and a second end f ixedly
secured to the inner wall. According to the
invention, the outer brick-patterned face simulates a
lO 6ingle row of n bricks, n being an integer greater
than l, whereby longitudinal offset of the building
blocks in successive rows of the wall ~LU~:LULC: will
also offset the simulated bricks of the s~lrc~CC;ve
rows .
In accordance with a preferred: _ ;r ~,
the kit further comprises corner blocks each including
(a) inner and outer spaced apart right angle walls of
which at least the right angle outer wall has an outer
20 brick-patterned face, and (b) at least one tie member
having a first end fixedly secured to the outer right
angle wall and a second end f ixedly secured to the
inner right angle wall, for thereby inte:L~;u~ e.Ling
the inner and outer spaced apart right angle walls.
25 The outer brick-patterned face of the right angle
outer wall defines an edge dividing the outer brick-
patterned face into first and second brick-patterned
face 5ections, the first brick-patterned face section
simulating a single row of a number m of bricks, m
30 being an integer, and the second brick-patterned face
section simulating a single row of a number p l/2 of
bricks, p being an integer. Preferably, the kit
includes first and second corner blocks and the first
218102~
Wo 95/19475 PCT/CA94100016
and second brick-patterned face sections have
respective positions in the first corner blocks, these
respective positions of the first and second brick-
patterned face sections being reversed in the second
5 corner blocks. At each corner of ! the wall structure,
the f irst and second corner blocks alternate in the
successive rows of b~ i n~ blocks to thereby
automatically offsetting the simulated bricks of these
s~ c~ss;ve rows by half the brick length.
According to a further preferred
: ' 'ir t of the kit of the invention, the building
blocks comprises tongue and groove j oints to be
assembled together into successive rows and form the
15 wall structure. The outer wall of each building block
comprises a top horizontal and longitudinal tongue and
a vertical end tongue forming together a continuous
angular tongue, and the outer wall comprises, on
opposite sides of the top tongue, a first inner
20 ch~ r and a first outer shoulder offset downwardly
with respect to the first inner ~hmll ~r to simulate
on the outer brick-patterned face a horizontal brick
j oint . The outer wall also comprises, on opposite
sides of the vertical tongue, a second inner ch~lllflPr
25 and a second outer shoulder offset toward the center
of the outer wall with respect to the second inner
shoulder to simulate on the outer brick-patterned face
a vertical brick j oint .
Advantageously, to form the tongue and
groove joints, each inner and outer wall of the
bl~ i 1 tl; n~ blocks comprises an inner layer of hard
moldable material, an int~ -1; Ate layer of hard
21~102~
Wo 95/1947~ PCTIC~9~100016
moldable material and an outer layer of hard moldable
material, the in~P a;Ate layer being offset
horizontally and verticalLy with respect to the inner
and outer layer6 to form the tongues and grooves of
5 the j oints .
The objects, advantages and other feature6
of the present invention will become more apparent
upon reading of the following non restrictive
lO description of preferred ~ 5 thereof, given by
way of example only with reference to the A~-r- -nnAnying
drawings .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the appended drawings:
Figure l is a perspective view of a
b1~;lding block in accordance with the present
invention, for erecting the foundations of a building,
this block comprising an outer wall and an inner wall
int~ ., ., .G. l e~a~ by means of tie members;
Figure 2 is a bottom view of the b11ildin~
block of Figure l;
Figure 3 i5 an elevational end view of the
building block of Figure l;
Wo 95/19475 2 ~ ~10 2 g PCT/C~94/00016
Figure 4 is an elevational view of the
outer face of the inner wall of the building block of
Figure l;
Figure 5 is an elevational view of the
outer face of the outer wall of the b~ n~ block of
Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a f irst : ' ~ ' i ~ of tie
member for interconnecting the outer and inner walls
of bll i 1 r~ i n~ blocks in accordance with the present
invention;
Figure 7 is a top plan view of a blank
from which the tie member of Figure 6 is fabricated;
Figure 8 is a second : ' ';~ L of tie
member for int~r.,u---.e. Ling the outer and inner walls
of building blocks in accordance with the present
invention;
Figure g is a top plan view of a blank
from which the tie member of Figure 8 is fabricated;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a first
corner block in accordance with the present invention,
for use with the building block of Figure 1:
Figure 11 is a bottom view of the corner
block of Figure 10;
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a
second corner block in accordance with the present
21s~a2s
Wo 95/19475 PCr/CA94/00016
invention, for use with the building block of Figure
l;
Figure 13 is a bottom view of the corner
5 block of Figure 12;
Figure 14 i6 a perspective view of a
brick-patterned building block in accordance with the
present invention, for erecting an exterior wall
10 structure, this block compri~;ing an outer wall and an
inner wall interconnected by means of tie members;
Figure 15 is a bottom view of the brick-
patterned building block of Figure 14;
Figure 16 is an elevational end view of
the brick-patterned bll; 1 tl i n7 block of Figure 14;
Figure 17 is a perspective view of a first
20 corner block in accordance with the pre6ent invention,
for use with the b~ lin~ block of Figure 14;
Figure 18 is a bottom view of the corner
block of Figure 17;
Figure 19 is a perspective view of a
second corner block in accordance with the present
invention, for use with the building block of Figure
14; and
Figure 20 is a bottom view of the corner
block of Figure 19.
WO 95119475 218 1 0 2 9 PCT/CA94/00016
.
DF:rrATTlT~n DEStlRTPTION OF THE ~ tK~ T~MRnDIMT~N~s
Figures 1 to 5 of the ~rp~n~led drawings
5 illustrate a first ~~ of the bl~iltlin~ block in
a~;- .,Ld~..ce with the present invention, generally
identified by the reference lO. Block 10 is adapted,
in particular but not exclusively, to erect the
foundations of a building, and comprises an inner wall
10 12 and an outer wall 13 interconnected through a pair
of tie members 14 and 15.
Although other material6 can be envisaged,
the inner and outer walls 12 and 13 of block 10 are
15 advantageously made of molded concrete. As can be
seen in the ~ -nying drawings, the respective ends
of the tie members 14 and 15 are ^~ d in the
concrete of the walls 12 and 13.
The tie members 14 and 15 will now be
described .
As illustrated in Figure 7, each tie
member 14 ,15 is made from a blank 17 of sheet metal,
preferably galvanized steel. Blank 17 is bent along
dashed lines such as 16 to form the tie member 14 ,15
of Figure 6. This type of construction is well known
to those of ordinary skill in the art and accordingly
will not be further described in the present
description.
Referring now to Figure 6, each tie memoer
14 ,15 comprises an elongate body 18 having a
2~ 81~9
Wo 9~/19475 ! i ~ Pcr/CA9~100016
sP~n;hPY~qonal cross section and formed with
longitudinal side flanges 19 and 20. The end 23 of
the elongate body 18 to be ~ Pd in the outer wall
13 ;n~ P4 flanges such as 21 and 22 perp~on~l;clll~r to
5 the longitudinal axis of the body 18 to f irmly retain
this body 18 to the concrete of the outer wall 13. As
shown in Figure 2, the end 23 of the elongate body 18
iS ~ Pd in the concrete but is not exposed (see
Figure 5) on the outer face 24 of the outer wall 13,
10 normally forming the outer side of an exterior wall
structure erected by means of building blocks 10.
The elongate body 18 also comprises an end
section 25 opposite to end 23. End section 25 defines
15 a closed hollow box of hexagonal cross section.
Hollow section 25 comprises a distal end wall portion
26 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body
18, a proximate end wall portion 31 parallel to wall
portion 26, a longitudinal side flange 27 superposed
20 to flange 19, and a longitudinal side flange 28
superposed to flange 20. The hollow end section 25 is
Pl-~h~ d in the concrete of the inner wall 12 tFigure
2). Superposed flanges 19 and 27 are formed with a
cut 29 and superposed flanges 20 and 28 with a cut 30
25 to firmly retain hollow section 25 in the concrete of
the inner wall 12.
The length of hollow section 25 is equal
to the thickness of the inner wall 12 whereby the
30 distal end wall portion 26 is exposed (see Figure 4)
on the outer face 32 of the inner wall 12 and the
proximate end wall portion 31 is exposed on the inner
face 33 Of this inner wall 12. Di~tal end wall
2i~10~9
Wo~s~l947s 11 ~cDcA9~000l~
portion 26 and eventually proximate end wall portion
31 therefore provide for ea6y screwing of building
materials on the interior side of an exterior wall
structure erected by means of b~ 9 i n~ blocks 10 .
5 Metal screws are used for that purpose, which screws
can therefore be driven through the distal end wall
portion 26 only, or through both the distal 26 and
proximate 31 end wall portions to extend in the space
between the inner 12 and outer 13 walls of the
10 b~l;lA;ng block 10.
One of ordinary skill in the art can also
appreciate that the ~Pm;h~Y~gonal shape, including the
flanges 19 and 20, provides the elongate body 18 with
15 suf f icient rigidity to properly secure the inner and
outer walls 12 and 13 together.
When the block 10 is used to erect a
partition or other wall structure to which building
20 materials have to be screwed on both sides thereof,
tie me_bers such as 34 shown in Figure 8 can be used.
Tie member 34 still comprises the elongate
s:Pm;hPY:~Jonal body 18 and the hollow end section 25
described hereinabove with re~erence to tie member
25 14,15. The modification consists of replacing the end
23 of tie member 14 ,15 by a second hollow end section
35 identical but symmetrical to hollow end section 25.
Again, the end section 35 forms a closed hollow box of
hexagonal cross section. Hollow section 35 also
3 0 comprises a distal end wall portion 3 6 perpendicular
to the longitudinal axis of the body 18, a proximate
- end wall portion 37 parallel to wall portion 36, a
longitudinal side flange 38 superposed to flange 19,
WO 9S/19475 218 ~ ~ ~ 9 PCrlCA94/00016
12
and a longitudinal side flange 39 superposed to flange
20. The superposed flanges 20 and 39 are formed with
a cut 40 while the superposed flanges 19 and 38 are
provided with a similar cut (not shown) to better
5 retain the hollow section 35 in the concrete of the
outer wall 13.
Again, the length of hollow section 35 i8
equal to the thi~-kn~q~ of the outer wall 13 whereby
10 the distal end wall portion 36 is exposed on the outer
face 24 of the outer wall 13 and the proximate end
wall portion 37 is exposed on the inner face 41 of
this outer wall 13. Distal end wall portion 36 and
eventually proximate end wall portion 37 provide for
15 easy screwing of building materials, in particular
f;n;e:hin~ materials, on the ~uLr~ u~ n~ side of a
wall structure erected by means of b~ A;n~ blocks 10.
Figure 9 shows a blank 42 of sheet metal,
20 prefer~bly galvanized steel from which tie member 34
is made. Blank 42 is bent along dashed lines such as
43 to form the tie member 34 of Figure 8.
Of course, any material other than sheet
25 metal but presenting 5imilar characteristics can be
used to fabricate the blanks 17 and 42 and therefore
the tie members 14, 15 and 34 .
Ref erring back to Figures 1 to 5, the
30 irmer wall 12 is formed with a horizontal and
longitudinal top tongue 44, a vertical end tongue 45,
a horizontal and longitudinal bottom groove 46, and a
vertical end groove ~7. As can be seen, tongues 44
Wo 95/19475 21~10 .~ 9 PCT/CA94/000l6
13
and 45 form a continuous angular tongue while grooves
46 and 47 a continuous angular groove.
The outer wall 13 is also formed with a
5 horizontal and longitudinal top tongue 48, a vertical
end tongue 49, a horizontal and longitudinal bottom
groove 50, and a vertical end groove 51. Again,
tongues 48 and 49 form a continuous angular tongue
while grooves 50 and 51 a continuous angular groove.
The corner block 53 of Figures 10 and 11
and the corner block 54 of Figures 12 and 13 enables
interconnection of perp~n~l; cul ~r wall structures
erected by means of b~ in~ blocks 10 illustrated in
Figure 1. The corner blocks 53 and 54 ensure adequate
strength of the right angle corners of wall structure
and also ensure impervi mlcnPqc of such corners .
Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the corner
20 block 53 comprises an outer right angle wall 55 and an
inner right angle wall 56. Although other materials
can be contemplated, the right angle walls 55 and 56
are advantageously made of molded concrete. The right
angle walls 55 and 56 are secured to each other by
25 means of tie members 57 and 58 identical to the above
described tie members 14 and 15, and of which the end
23 (Figure 6) is ~ ' '''^d in the concrete of wall 55
and of which the hollow end section 25 (Figure 6) is
~mh~ 1F.cl in the concrete of wall 56. The hollow
30 section 25 of tie member 57 will provide for screwing
from the inner side of the corner of the erected wall
structure as explained in the foregoing description.
WO 95/19475 2 ~ 2 ~ PCT/CA94/00016
14
As shown in Figure 11, the distance
between the edge 59 and the end edge 60 of right angle
wall 55 i5 equal to half the distance between the edge
59 and the end edge 61 (corr~ rnn~ling to the length of
5 a block 10), whereby longitudinal offset of the blocks
10 by half the block length in the successive rows is
enabled 26 will be described in the following
description. Of course, the thickness and height of
the walls 55 and 56, the spacing between these two
10 walls, and the width and height of the tongues and
grooves thereof are the same as in the case of the
walls 12 hhd 13 of building block 10.
Also, referring to Figures 10 and 11, the
15 right angle inner wall 56 is formed with a horizontal
right angle top tongue 62, a vertical end tongue 63,
a horizontal right angle bottom groove 150, and a
vertical end groove 64. Tongues 62 and 63 form a
continuous angular tongue while the vertical 64 and
20 bottom 150 grooves form a continuous angular groove.
In the same manner, the right angle outer
wall 55 is formed with a horizontal right angle top
tongue 65, a vertical end tongue 66, a horizontal
25 right angle bottom groove 151, and a vertical end
groove 67. Again, tongues 65 and 66 form a continuous
angular tongue while the vertical 67 and bottom 151
grooves form a continuous angular groove.
Referring now to Figures 12 and 13, the
corner block 54, which is the inverse of corner block
53, comprises an outer right angle wall 68 and an
inner right angle wall 69. Although other materials
WO9S/1947S 2181~ 2 ~ PCT~CA94/00016
can be contemplated, the right angle walls 68 and 69
are advantageously made of molded concrete. The right
angle walls 68 and 69 are 5ecured to each other by
means of tie members 70 and 71 identical to the above
5 described tie members 14 and 15, and of which the end
23 (Figure 6) is A~ d in the concrete of wall 68
and of which the hollow end section 25 (Figure 6) is
1D~ in the concrete of wall 69. The hollow
section 25 of tie member 70 will provide for screwing
10 from the inner side of the corner of the wall
structure as A~Al~ jn_cl in the foregoing description.
As shown in Figure 13, the distance
between the edge 72 and the end edge 73 of right angle
15 wall 68 is eyual to half the distance between the edge
72 and the end edge 74 (~u~ ;nAj to the length of
a block 10), whereby offset of the blocks 10 by half
the block length in the ~Cl~ AAcfiive rows is enabled.
Of course, the thickness and height of the walls 68
20 and 69, the spacing between these two walls, and the
width and height of the tongues and grooves thereof
are the same as in the case of the walls 12 and 13 of
building block 10.
Figures 12 and 13 show the right angle
inner wall 69 formed with a horizontal right angle top
tongue 75, a vertical end tongue 76, a horizontal
right angle bottom groove 153, and a vertical end
groove 77. Tongues 75 and 76 form a continuous
angular tongue while the vertical 77 and bottom 153
grooves form a continuous angular groove.
2~8102~
WO 95119~75 PCT/CA94/00016
16
The right angle outer wall 68 is formed
with a horizontal right angle top tongue 78, a
vertical end tongue 79, a horizontal right angle
bottom groove 152, and a vertical end groove 80.
5 Again, tongues 78 and 79 ~orm a continuous angular
tongue while the vertical 80 and bottom 152 grooves
form a continuous angular groove.
To erect a wall structure (not shown), a
lo first row of blocks 10 and 53 and/or 54 is installed
and levelled on a concrete footing (not shown) with
the vertical tongues 45, 66 and 76 of the blocks 10,
53 and 54 inserted in the vertical grooves 47, 64 or
77 of the following ad~acent block of the first row,
and with vertical tongues 49, 66 and 79 of the blocks
10, 53 and ~4 inserted in the vertical grooves 51, 67
or 80 of the following ad~acent block of that first
row. To install the 5llh~-~r~ nt rows or blocks, the
bottom grooves 46, 150 and 153 of blocks 10, 53 and 54
of a given row are placed on the top tongues 44, 62
and 75 of blocks lo, 53 and 54 o~ the lower row, and
bottom grooves 50, 151 and 152 of blocks 10, 53 and 54
of the row of concern are placed on the top tongues
48, 65 and 78 of the blocks 10, 53 and 54 of the lower
row, with the vertical tongues 45, 63 and 76 inserted
in the vertical groove 47, 64 or 77 of the following
adjacent block, and with the vertical tongues 49, 66
and 79 inserted in the vertical groove 51, 67 or 80 of
the following adjacent block in the row.
At each corner of the erected wall
structure, the blocks 53 and 54 alternate in the
Sllrc~ccive rows whereby the blocks 10 are
~181~
~09V19475 17 ~Cr/CA9~100016
automatically and longit~ ;nllly offset by half the
block length in the successive rows.
-
After the wall structure has been erected,
polyurethane is inj ected in the empty space between
the inner walls and the outer walls of blocks 10, 53
and 54 to thereby isolate the wall structure.
Polyurethane also secures the5e blocks to each other
to improve the rigidity of the wall structure. Then,
mortar or any other binding agent is not re~auired to
assemble the bll; 1~; nq blocks. According to an
alternative, the building blocks lO, 53 and 54 can be
secured to each other by means of appropriate concrete
glue known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The
inner empty space can then be filled or not with any
available material such as desert sand.
Figures 14 to 16 of the ~rrPn~lPd drawings
illustrate a second ~ of the building block
in accordance with the present invention, generally
identified by the reference 81. Block 81 is adapted,
in particular but not exclu6ively, to erect an
exterior wall :~LLu~iLuL~ of a building, and compri6es
an inner wall 82 and an outer wall 83 interconnected
through a pair of tie member6 84 and 85 identical to
tie member 14 ,15 de6cribed in the foregoing
description with reference to Figure 6.
Although other material6 can be envisaged,
the inner wall 82 of block 81 is advantageously made
of molded concrete. As the outer face 86 of outer
wall 83 imitates bricks, this outer wall 83 is
advantageously made o~ material from which bricks are
Wo 95119475 2 ~ g 1~ 2 ~ PCT/CA94100016
18
. ~ .
manufactured. Again, the respective ends of the tie
members 84 and 85 are ~''^~ in the materials of the
inner 82 and outer 83 walls as explained hereinabove.
The inner wall 82 is formed with a
horizontal and longitudinal top tongue 87, a vertical
end tongue 88, a horizontal and longitudinal bottom
groove 89, and a vertical end groove 90. As shown,
tongues 87 and 88 form a continuous angular tongue
while grooves 89 and 90 a continuous angular groove.
In the same manner, the outer wall 83 is
formed with a horizontal and longitudinal top tongue
91, a vertical end tongue 93, a horizontal and
longitudinal bottom groove 94, and a vertical end
groove 92. Again, tongues 91 and 93 form a continuous
angular tongue while grooves 92 and 94 a continuous
angular groove.
As indicated hereinabove, the outer face
86 of the outer wall 83 is patterned to imitate a row
of bricks, three bricks in the illustrated example.
In order to simulate brick j oints, vertical
rectangular ~h InnPl ~:: 95 and 96 (Figures 14 and 15) are
made in face 86, horizontal shoulder 97 (Figure 16) is
offset downwardly with respect to horizontal ~:ho~ lPr
98, and vertical shoulder 100 (Figure 15) is offset
toward groove 96 with respect to qholll clPr 99 .
Figures 17 and 18 illustrate a corner
block 101 and Figures 19 and 20 illustrate a corner
block 102 ~n~hlin~ interconnection of perpPntliclll;~r
wall structures made of building blocks 81 as
Wo 95/19475 21 ~ 1 ~ 2 ~ PCT/CA94100016
19
illustrated in Figure 14. The corner blocks 101 and102 ensure adequate strength of the right angle
corners of wall structure and also ensure
impervi .nlcnF-cc of such corners.
Referring to Figures 17 and 18, the corner
block 101 comprises an outer right angle wall 103 and
an inner right angle wall 104. Although other
materials can be contemplated, the right angle inner
wall 104 is advantageously made of molded concrete,
and the right angle outer wall 103 of material
conventionally used to r-nllf;sc~llre bricks. The right
angle walls 103 and 104 are secured to each other by
means of tie members 105 and 106 identical to the
above described tie members 14 and 15, and of which
the end 23 (Figure 6) is ~ od in the material of
wall 103 and of which the hollow end section 25
(Figure 6) is ~rh~ in the concrete of wall 104.
The hollow section 25 of tie members 105 and 106 will
provide for screwing from the inside of the corner of
the erected wall ~ Lu~_~uLe as explained in the
foregoing description.
As shown in Figures 17 and 18, surface
section 107 of the outer face of the outer wall 103 is
patterned to simulate one and a half (1 1/2) brick and
surface section 108 one (1) brick. To simulate the
brick j oints, a vertical rectangular channel lO9 is
made in surface section 107, horizontal shoulder llO
(Figure 17~ is offset downwardly with respect to
horizontal shoulder 111, and vertical shoulder 112
(Figure 18) is offset toward edge 130 with respect to
vertical cholll ~9~r 113 .
Wo 9S/1947~ 2 ~ 81~ 2 ~ PCT/CA94/00016
, ~
The right angle inner wall 104 is formed
with a horizontal right angle top tongue 114, a
vertical end tongue 115, a horizontal right angle
bottom groove 139, and a vertical end groove 116.
Tongues 114 and 115 form a continuous angular tongue
while the vertical 116 and bottom 139 grooves form a
continuous angular groove.
In the same manner, the right angle outer
wall 103 15 formed with a horizontal right angle top
tongue 117, a vertical end tongue 118, a horizontal
right angle bottom groove 140, and a vertical end
groove 119. Again, tongues 117 and 118 form a
continuous angular tongue while the vertical 119 and
bottom 140 grooves form a continuous angular groove.
of course, the th;rkn-~cc: and height of the
walls 103 and 104, the spacing between these two
walls, and the width and height of the tongues and
grooves thereof are the same as in the case of the
walls 82 and 83 of building block 81.
As illustrated in figures 19 and 20,
corner block 102, which is the inverse of corner block
101, comprises an outer right angle wall 120 and an
inner right angle wall 121. Although other material~;
can be contemplated, the right angle inner wall 121 is
advantageously made of molded concrete, and the right
angle outer wall 120 of material conventionally used
to fabricate bricks. The right angle walls 120 and
121 are secured to each other by means of tie members
122 and 123 identical to the above described tie
members 14 and 15, and of which the end 23 (figure 6)
2181029
Wo 9~/19475 PCT/CA94/OOOlG
21
is I ` ~lAecl in the material of wall 120 and of which
the hollow end section 25 (figure 6) is ~ Pd in
the concrete of wall 121. The hollow section 25 of
tie members 122 and 123 will provide for screwing from
5 the inside of the corner of the erected wall structure
as explained in the foregoing description.
As shown in Figures 19 and 20, surface
section 124 of the outer face of the outer wall 120 is
10 patterned to simulate one and a half (1 V2) brick and
surface section 125 one (1) brick. To simulate the
brick joints, a vertical rectangular channel 126 is
made in surface section 124, horizontal ~h~ r 127
(Figure 19) is offset downwardly with respect to
horizontal shoulder 128, and vertical shoulder 129
(Figure 20) is offset toward channel 126 with respect
to vertical shoulder 131.
The right angle inner wall 121 is formed
with a horizontal right angle top tongue 132, a
vertical end tongue 133, a horizontal right angle
bottom groove 142, and a vertical end groove 134.
Tongues 132 and 133 form a continuous angular tongue
while the vertical 134 and bottom 142 grooves form a
2 5 continUous angular groove .
The right angle outer wall 120 is also
formed with a horizontal right angle top tongue 135,
a vertical end tongue 136, a horizontal right angle
bottom groove 141, and a vertical end groove 137.
Again, tongues 135 and 136 form a continuous angular
tongue while the vertical 137 and bottom grooves form
a continuous angular groove.
2~ g~g
Wo gs/l947s PCr/CA94100016
22
Of course, the thickness and height of the
walls 120 and 121, the spacing between the6e two
walls, and the width and height of the tongues and
grooves thereof are the same as in the case of the
walls 82 and 83 of building block 81.
To erect an exterior wall structure (not
shown) on a foundation wall structure made of blocks
10 (Figure 1) and of corner blocks 53 (Figure 10) and
54 (Figure 12), a first row of blocks 81, 101 and 102
is installed on a top row of blocks lo and 53 and/or
54. For that purpose, bottom grooves 89, 139 and 142
of blocks 81, 101 and 102 are placed on top tongues
44, 62 and 75 of blocks 10, 53 and 54, and bottom
grooves 94, 140 and 141 of blocks 81, 101 and 102 are
placed on top tongues 48, 65 and 78 of blocks 10, 53
and 54, with the vertical tongues 88, 115 and 133
inserted in the vertical groove 9o, 116 or 134 of the
following adjacent block of the first row, and with
the vertical tongues 93, 118 and 136 inserted in the
vertical groove 92, 119 or 137 of the following
adj acent block in that f irst row. For the s~lhs~qu~nt
rows, bottom grooves 89, 139 and 142 of blocks 81, 101
and 102 of a given row are placed on top tongues 87,
114 and 132 of the blocks 81, 101 and 102 of the lower
row, and bottom grooves 94, 140 and 141 of blocks 81,
101 and 102 of that given row are placed on top
tongues 91, 117 and 135 of the blocks 81, 101 and 102
of the lower row, with the vertical tongues 88, 115
and 133 inserted in the vertical groove 90, 116 or 134
of the following adjacent block of the row, and with
the vertical tongues 93, 118 and 136 inserted in the
Wo 9~/19475 2 ~ 2 ~ PCT/CA94100016
23
vertical groove 92, 119 or 137 of the following
adjacent block in that given row.
At each corner of the erected wall
structure, the blocks 101 and 102 alternate in the
successive rows. One can therefore appreciate that
the design of the surface sections 107, 108, 124 and
135 automatically and longitll~l;n~lly offset the
simulated bricks by half the brick length in the
successive rows. It should also be pointed out that
offset of the bricks of the successive rows is
possible only when a single row of bricks is simulated
by each blocks 81, 101 and 102.
After the wall structure has been erected,
polyurethane is inj ected in the empty space between
the inner walls and the outer walls of blocks 81, 101
and 102 to thereby isolate the exterior wall
structure. Polyurethane also secures these blocks to
each other to improve the rigidity of the col.~Llu~ Led
wall structure. Then, mortar or any other binding
agent is not required to assemble the building blocks.
Alternatively, the b~ in~ blocks 81, 101 and 102 can
again be secured to each other by means of appropriate
concrete glue known to those of ordinary skill in the
art . The inner empty space can then be f illed or not
with any available material such as desert sand.
As indicated in the foregoing description,
the blocks according to the invention are assembled by
means of tongue and groove j oints . As illustrated in
the various figures of the appended drawings, the
molded inner and outer walls of each building block
W0 9511947~ 2 ~ 2 9 PCrlc~g~1oool6
24
comprises an inner layer of hard moldable material, an
int~ te layer of hard moldable material and an
outer layer o~ hard moldable material, the
int~ te layer being offset horizontally and
5 vertically with respect to the inner and outer layers
to form the tongues and grooves of these joints.
Although the present invention has been
described hereinabove by way of preferred embotl;- ~ Ls
10 thereof, these embodiments can be modified at will,
within the scope of the appended claims, without
departing from the spirit and nature of the present
invention .
