Patent Application
20100162649
This invention pertains to interlocking blocks for use in constructing 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.
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. U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,041 Boot and U.S. Pat. No. 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 reinforcement, which limits their strength and stability.
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 accommodate reinforcing members and concrete in-fill for the purpose of reinforcing the block walls. Buildings made with such horizontal reinforcement are considerably stronger than buildings made using prior art block systems lacking such reinforcement. 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 interlocking 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.
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.
In drawings which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the invention:
Referring to
A channel 26 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.
A hole 34 extends through the block from the top surface to the bottom surface.
When used in the construction of a wall, the blocks 10 are intended 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 10P.
In constructing a double-wythe wall using the blocks 10 and the prior art blocks 10P, a first course of prior art blocks 10P is made on a suitable footing along the perimeter of the structure. To do this, a series of the prior art blocks 10P is placed at the external side of the wall to begin the external wythe and a series of half height blocks (identical to blocks 10P 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.
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 10P 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 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 uppermost course of prior art blocks 10P, 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 surface 12 of the uppermost course of the prior art blocks 10P. The channel bottom wall 32 of the blocks of the second series 48 is accordingly 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 generally horizontally through the wall. 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 passageway 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 10P). Once the concrete has set, construction of the wall continues with a series of prior art blocks 10P 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 surfaces of the wall formed by the prior art blocks 10P 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 U.S. Pat. No. 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.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CA2007/001017 | 6/11/2007 | WO | 00 | 12/10/2009 |
