Patent Application
20100064621
Cinder blocks and similar concrete and masonry structures have long been and continue to be favored and commonly used building components in the construction industry. Cinder blocks, especially, provide the fundamental, permanent support for many structures, including foundations, walls, flooring etc. Cinder blocks are relatively economical to manufacture and their block configuration allows for ease of installation.
Cinder blocks are also versatile in the manner they are used in the construction process. The basic design of cinder blocks, with their through cavities, allows them to be used with studs to create spacers for insulation or for supporting dry wall. Electrical wiring and piping are often run through cinder block cavities. Cavities sometimes are reinforced to accept and secure joist anchors and other connector elements. Certain cinder block cavities are filled with insulating material or insulation inserts.
While the versatility of cinder blocks and cinder block construction is well known, there presently is no integral self-contained cinder block component which specifically provides for a quick and ready connection to a separate construction member like a sill plate, door and window jamb, or similar component. Similarly, there is no method of cinder block construction which uses such an integral, self-contained cinder block component to efficiently and easily accomplish this connection. Further, there is no method of converting, at the worksite, standard cinder block components to cinder block components which can be readily connected to a separate construction member.
In addition, in preparing cinder block and similar concrete and masonry structures for attachment to sill plates and other construction components, holes must be drilled into the masonry for the connecting screws. Such pre-drilling often results in breakage of the cinder block components, leading to the use of more components than would otherwise be necessary. Also, the particular drill bits which are required to drill through the concrete or masonry material are expensive and must be replaced frequently. There is currently no cinder block component or similar structural element which addresses this problem.
It is thus the object of the present invention to overcome the limitations and deficiencies of prior cinder block construction systems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cinder block construction system and method which uses a unique, integral self-contained cinder block component to easily, efficiently and effectively connect cinder block components to separate construction members, such as sill plates and door and window jambs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cinder block construction system and method which uses a unique, integral, self-contained cinder block component containing an insert material which is specifically designed to permit penetration by a connector element, for connecting construction members to the cinder block component.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cinder block construction system and method which permits standard cinder block components to be converted, at the worksite, to components which can readily be connected to a separate construction member.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cinder block construction system and method which uses a unique cinder block component with connection insert which will markedly decrease pre-drilling breakage of cinder block components and damage to and frequent replacement of drill bits.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cinder block construction system and method which provides for unique, integral, self-contained cinder block components which are economical to manufacture and easy to use.
These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, a cinder block construction system which employs a cinder block component with top and side surfaces and cavities extending downwardly from the top surface. Solid body inserts are located in the cavities and are permanently bonded to the cavities' sidewalls. The inserts are composed of material specifically adapted to allow penetration into the body by a connector element. The connector element secures the cinder block component to a construction member such as a sill plate or door or window jamb. The cinder block component can be prepared with its insert in advance, or the insert material dispensed to the cinder block component at the worksite to convert a standard cinder block to one which can readily be connected to a separate construction member.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention, itself, however, both as to its design, construction and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The cinder block construction system of the present invention comprises cinder block component 2, typically made of concrete or other masonry material, having a unitary body. Cinder block component 2 comprises top surface 4, side surfaces 6, 8, 10, and 12 and cavities 14 and 16, with sidewalls 18 and 20 (shown in
Cavities 14 and 16 contain solid inserts 22 and 24 which are adhered, by bonding to the sidewalls of each cavity. Solid inserts 22 and 24 are composed of a joining compound which is injected, poured or otherwise dispensed into cavities 14 and 16, either in advance of the construction work for delivery to the worksite, or at the worksite itself where standard cinder block components are converted to block components of the present invention. It is contemplated that the insert material constitutes an adhesive inclusive joining compound, liquid upon its application, which will bond not only to concrete and masonry products, but also to metal, wood, and certain plastics. The joining compound is rapidly setting and will harden and solidify into a high tensile, high compressive strength material, capable of allowing penetration by and retention of a construction connector element, such as a lag bolt or equivalent connector. Such material can be a rapid acting adhesive epoxy, resin, or similarly performing compound.
The construction method which employs the unique cinder blocks of the invention is exemplified by reference to
Thus, by the unique, integral, self-contained cinder block components of the present invention and its manner of use, a variety of building and construction components can easily be secured to cinder blocks, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the overall construction process. Since the use of the cinder block components of the present invention eliminates the need for pre-drilling and thus the wasteful damage to standard concrete and masonry components and the resultant destruction of drill bits, economy of construction is similarly enhanced.
Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
