Patent Application
20160145864
This invention relates to interlocking masonry building blocks and construction of load bearing and non-load bearing walls and more particularly to interlocking masonry walls that include a pair of vertically extending rebars and horizontal tie bar wrapped around each of the parallel rebars in opposite directions.
A variety of interlocking type masonry building blocks are available for the construction of load bearing and non-load bearing walls. Such blocks are laid in courses without the use of mortar as done in conventional masonry. As a general rule, conventional masonry wall blocks are heavy and relatively difficult to handle. Such blocks typically include projections that mate with corresponding indentations on adjacent blocks. However, many of these projections are relatively small and thus there is an inherent weakness in the block. Also the use of small projections and small indentations means that the blocks have to be built to close tolerances which make the blocks more expensive. The typical small projections may be easily broken or chipped off prior to or during construction which means that many blocks are discarded adding to the expense. Further, the available blocks do not have suitable provisions for the installation of embedded utilities. Thus there is a need for masonry wall blocks that are relatively light and easier to handle that are cost effective to manufacture and easily assembled into a more stable and dependable wall structure with provisions for embedding utilities.
A U.S. Pat. No. 8,640,407 of Saleh H. Alsayed, Mohammed S. Alhaddad and two inventors of the present invention disclose a rectangular shaped interlocking building block comprising a pair of exterior sides and an upper and a lower longitudinally extending horizontal faces and a pair of opposite vertical ends and wherein the building blocks include a pair of side members and wherein each of the side members includes a vertically extending exterior rib on an inner side thereof; a generally rectangular intermediate section is disposed between the side members in an abutting relationship and wherein the intermediate section defines a rectangular shaped vertical recess between the side members and a recess that extends between a bottom of one of the side members and the top of an adjacent block. The rectangular rib and vertical recesses are constructed and dimensioned so that one rib fits loosely but closely within the recess and the intermediate section includes a pair of elliptical shaped vertical passageways.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a need and a potential commercial market for the improved building blocks and wall structure according to the present invention. There should be a need and a potential market for such masonry building blocks because they are strong, will support heavy vertical loads and at the same time are relatively lightweight. In addition, the masonry building blocks in accordance with the present invention have a high resistance to wind and other lateral forces and can be manufactured and sold at a competitive price. Still further the weight and costs of such blocks are further reduced by the rectangular vertical passageways that extend through the blocks.
In essence, the present invention contemplates an interlocking masonry block system for the construction of load bearing and non-load bearing walls. The block system comprises or consists of a plurality of generally rectangular shaped building blocks wherein each block comprises or consists of a pair of opposite longitudinally extending sidewalls each of which includes an internal rectangular shaped vertical rib. The block also includes a central section disposed between the sidewalls in an abutting relationship therewith. In addition, the central section defines one or two diagonally oriented rectangular vertical passageways extending through the central section at an angle of between 30° and 45° and preferably an angle of about 38°. The central section also includes vertical extending recesses corresponding to and mating with the vertical ribs on each side thereof. Still further, the central section and the pair of sidewalls define four rectangular shaped vertical passageways for conduit and/or utility pipes.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a pair of vertically extending rebars are extending through several layers of blocks are disposed in the angularly disposed rectangular vertical passageways with one of the rebars at each end of the rectangular passageway. A horizontal tie bar is wrapped around each of the rebars in opposite directions.
In a further embodiment of the invention the masonry blocks as disclosed herein are arranged in multiple rows to provide load bearing or non-load bearing walls with and without vertical rebars and horizontal tie rods as well as horizontal rebars. When rebars are provided, the openings are grouted and when no rebars are provided, the blocks may be used with or without grouting.
The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are identified with like numbers.
As illustrated in
The central section 24 includes one or two vertical rectangular shaped passageways 25 and 26 extending through the block 20. Each of the passageways 25 and 26 define a rectangular shape of about 105 mm in length and about 44 mm in width. The passages are disposed diagonally within the central section 24 at an angle of preferably about 38° or within a range of 30° to 45° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the central section 24.
The central section 24 is designed to extend outwardly beyond the sidewalls 21 and 22 at one end of the block 20 by about 30 mm and includes a recess at the opposite end of about 30 mm The outward extension is designed to fit slightly snugly within a comparable recess in an adjacent block. For example, there might be about a 2 mm difference in the size of the outward extension and the recess in an adjacent block.
The central section 24 together with the sidewalls 21 and 22 form two large size and four small size vertical passageways extending from the top of the block 20 through the block 20. These passages are aligned with adjacent blocks above and below the block 20 in a column of aligned blocks assembled in a wall of multiple rows so that conduits or pipes can extend from a top of the wall to an intermediate or bottom portion thereof.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention a first vertical rebar 28 extends downwardly through a column of aligned blocks in a wall at one end of the rectangular passageways 25 and 26. A second vertically disposed rebar 29 is disposed at an opposite end of the rectangular passages extending through the column of blocks in a wall. An important feature in the preferred embodiment resides in a generally horizontal tie bar 30 that is wrapped tightly around the first rebar 28 as for example in a clockwise direction while the opposite end is wrapped tightly around the second vertical rib 29 in the opposite or counterclockwise direction.
An isomeric building block 20, as shown in
The central section 24 also includes a recess 42′ while the sidewalls 21 and 22 extend beyond the central section. As illustrated in
A still further modification of the block 20 is illustrated in
As shown in
For contrast,
A building block 20 with four vertical rebars 28, 28′, 29 and 29′ are illustrated in
In addition, one or more steel bars 54 (only one shown) have been passed through one or more horizontal passageways 56 that pass through the building blocks 20 and through several columns of building blocks 20. The horizontal steel bar or bars are positioned within the building blocks by one or more spacers.
It should be recognized that the tie bars 30 are not necessarily included in each block but may be placed in alternate blocks or in a column of perhaps a few in a relatively high wall.
It should also be recognized that the central section includes two vertical passageways to accommodate ribs 23 on each of the central section 24.
While the invention has been described in connection with its preferred embodiment, it should be recognized that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
