Patent Grant
12054941
The invention relates to a wall block made of artificial stone material, having the following features:
The wall block has an overall elongate form with a longitudinal central axis and with a length that is greater than the width of the wall block, and the wall block comprises:
The wall block can additionally be formed having a fin at the transition between its second end face and its first wall surface side, and/or additionally at the transition between its second end face and its second wall surface side, which fin protrudes beyond a virtual flat surface located at the center of the second end face at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the wall block.
Wall blocks are used so that it is possible to build walls therefrom in an expedient configuration. Walls are three-dimensional structures which have a more or less great length (sometimes, when standing in front of the wall, it is said that the wall has a width of so-and-so many meters), a more or less great height, and a—not necessarily consistently constant—depth (which could also be referred to as “thickness” or “wall thickness”). The construction is often such that the wall is formed by a plurality of rows, each consisting of wall blocks adjoining one another in the longitudinal direction of the wall, and a plurality of wall-block rows one on top of the other.
Wall blocks made of artificial stone material are known in all kinds of designs. Previously, only wall blocks were considered which were positioned adjoining one another in a substantially straight line in the longitudinal direction of the wall, and 90° corners of the wall could also be created. When considering the construction of walls having a 90° bend, either makeshift solutions with imperfect continuation of the wall at the point of the bend were used or special wall blocks having exactly one shape reflecting this bend were provided. In the case of wall bends, the known wall block designs have either yielded poor results or have left the user of the wall blocks with no flexibility. Wall blocks which allow the variable construction of walls having bends that deviate from 90° have previously not allowed the construction of walls having at least substantially continuously closed wall surface sides and having resistance against the penetration of wind and rain.
The problem addressed by the invention is that of providing a wall block made of artificial stone material which makes it possible for walls having selectable bends to be constructed as desired, there being good cohesion of adjacent wall blocks across the angle and the transitions from wall block to wall block in the rows of wall blocks, whether in the case of a bend or in the case of a straight wall portion, being functionally improved (appearance, stability, wall tightness).
To solve this problem, the wall block according to the invention is made of artificial stone material, as specified in the first paragraph of the present application.
For the sake of brevity, in the following reference is made throughout to “wall block” or just “block” instead of “wall block made of artificial stone material.” In order to have a more easily imaginable picture at this point, it is hereby disclosed that concrete is a good artificial stone material for the wall block according to the invention. Alternative possible artificial stone materials are specifically addressed below.
The wall block according to the invention has, on its first seating face, protruding extension arrangements; the first seating face could therefore also be referred to as the “male seating face” of the wall block. The wall block according to the invention has, on its second seating face, internally accessible receiving arrangements; the second seating face could therefore also be referred to as the “female seating face” of the wall block. The wall block can be inserted in a wall such that its first seating face faces upward and its second seating face faces downward (“male is at the top”), or alternatively inserted such that its second seating face faces upward and its first seating face faces downward (“female is at the top”). In most cases, the relevant orientation of these two orientations remains the same at least for a portion of the wall, as will become clearer below in the embodiments.
When two wall blocks positioned one above the other—completely or with a mutual offset—having at least one pair of an extension arrangement and receiving arrangement are in form-fitting engagement with one another, these two wall blocks are prevented from relative movement of one wall block relative to the other in the “horizontal direction.” However, the wall block does not necessarily have to be designed such that the above-mentioned hindrance of the relative movement in all conceivable directions in the “horizontal plane” of engagement is prevented. It is possible to design the wall block such that said prevention of the relative movement takes effect only for part of the total conceivable relative movement directions over 360°. It is therefore possible, for example, that the relative movement of the two wall blocks is prevented if—in plan view of the first seating faces or the second seating faces—there is no angle or an angle between 0° and 45° between the longitudinal central axes of the two wall blocks, but that the relative movement of the two wall blocks is not prevented if, for example, there is an angle of 90° between the longitudinal central axes of the two wall blocks. This will become clearer below in the embodiments.
When, in the first passage of the application (=claim 1), it is mentioned that the form-fitting engagement between the extension arrangement of one wall block and the receiving arrangement of another wall block—considered per se—is possible irrespective of whether the longitudinal central axes of the two wall blocks are parallel to one another or whether there is an angle between the two longitudinal central axes, this is a statement regarding the basic relative pivotability, which arises in this form-fitting engagement, of the two wall blocks involved about a “vertical axis,” with a somewhat narrowed view only of the form-fitting engagement. Due to other features of the wall block, it may feasibly be the case that “form-fitting engagement is possible irrespective of whether the two longitudinal central axes involved are parallel to one another or have an angle to one another” applies only for part of the total conceivable 360° of pivot angles. An example of “relative pivoting—considered per se—possible, but concretely not feasible due to other circumstances” is a wall block having two extension arrangements and two receiving arrangements. If two such wall blocks are placed one on top of the other without longitudinal offset, relative pivoting is not possible. If, in contrast, the two wall blocks are placed one on top of the another with a longitudinal offset by substantially half a wall block length, the form-fitting engagement of the pair of the extension arrangement and the receiving arrangement—considered per se—allows relative pivoting, provided that the relative pivoting is not prevented or limited by other features; see details below.
In this application, reference is made at many points to “horizontal” or “horizontal direction” and to “vertical” and “vertical direction.” These are not intended to be statements on “vertical” and “horizontal” in a geometric sense, but are merely concise statements that allow the reader to quickly orient himself about the meaning. If, for example, a wall is constructed on a slightly inclined garage driveway, the straight line that is at a right angle to the seating face of the wall blocks is not a vertical straight line in a geometric sense, but it is a line “from bottom to top” and in most cases is substantially vertical. In the same example, the general orientation of the first seating face and the general orientation of the second seating face are not geometrically horizontal, strictly speaking. It could also be said that “vertical direction” refers to the direction that results when progressing from one wall block to the next wall block positioned above or below. And it could also be said that “horizontal direction” refers to the direction that results when moving in the direction of the flush longitudinal central axes of the wall blocks in a row of wall blocks.
When reference is made in this application to “claimed wall block,” this refers to the wall block claimed by the relevant claim and naturally has nothing to do with stress due to forces or the like.
All the statements in this application related to geometry specifications and size specifications in a wall block under consideration, and all the statements in this application related to geometric relations or to size relations between two adjacent wall blocks, are to be understood in light of the fact that it is common in the technical field of wall blocks made of artificial stone material to manufacture wall blocks with relatively large production tolerances. In order for adjacent wall blocks to fit together, certain dimensions must always be produced with a production tolerance in the minus range. For example, the extension arrangements must be made “slightly smaller” than the “receiving arrangements” to which they are complementary and with which they are intended to fit together in form-fitting engagement. “Complementary to one another” therefore does not mean “exactly fitting one inside the other” and “form-fitting engagement” does not mean “mutual engagement without backlash.”
The wall block according to the invention can be designed such that it is possible to place two wall blocks one on top of the other free of joining material (e.g. mortar) therebetween and still have the required force transmission capacity “in the vertical direction” and “in the horizontal direction.” The form-fitting engagement between the extension arrangement and the receiving arrangement not only fulfils a purpose in the force transmission in the horizontal direction, but is also a good positioning aid for the person constructing a wall out of wall blocks. The wall block placed on top is already substantially correctly placed on the lower wall block due to the form-fitting engagement. Of course, this statement does not exclude the possibility of placing or positioning the wall blocks according to the invention on top of one another with joining material (e.g. mortar) therebetween. In this case, the cohesion of the two wall blocks involved is more extensive and the wall is tight against wind and water. On the other hand, an existing wall can no longer be easily dismantled.
When reference is made in this application to “adjacent,” this is not intended to mean “directly adjacent” or “directly adjoining.” Instead, the meaning should be that there is no other wall block between a wall block under consideration and an adjacent wall block, whether this be in the horizontal direction or in the vertical direction, depending on the context. Nevertheless, with the exception of any mortar layers, in the invention adjacent wall blocks are positioned “close together,” although this does not mean immediate mutual contact in the horizontal direction due to the manufacturing tolerances mentioned above. This is possible, but not absolutely necessary. When reference is made in this application to a further wall block being positioned above or below a wall block under consideration, this is not intended to mean that the further wall block is substantially the same continuation of the wall block under consideration. Rather, this is merely intended to express a higher-positioning or a lower-positioning of the further wall block. As will become clearer below, there is quite often the situation during the construction of walls that a higher positioned further wall block or a lower positioned further wall block has an offset with respect to a wall block under consideration, i.e. in simplified terms, for example, only one half thereof sits on the wall block under consideration or only one half thereof sits directly below the wall block under consideration.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that in each case an extension arrangement and a receiving arrangement are arranged one above the other with a common central axis. This design has the result that the wall blocks can be easily used in great variability of mutual positioning.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that it has a single free passage or a plurality of free passages passing from its first seating face to its second seating face. Wall blocks designed in this way require less artificial stone material, are lighter and are advantageous with regard to thermal insulation. Further advantages will become clear below. At this point, it is emphasized that the wall block according to the invention can be designed in terms of weight and size such that it can be carried and placed or positioned by a person. It is possible to design the wall block according to the invention having a central floor which extends substantially parallel to the seating face of the wall block. This floor can be continuous as a whole (in which case the wall block has no continuous passage), but it can also have one or more openings.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that each extension arrangement has such a design of its outer face facing outward away from the center of the extension arrangement and each receiving arrangement has such a design of its inner face facing inward toward the center of the receiving arrangement that continuous arched, form-fitting engagement or interrupted arched, form-fitting engagement with the complementary receiving arrangement and extension arrangement, respectively, of the third further or fourth further wall block is possible.
In this way, the conditions for a variable-angle, form-fitting engagement can be created in a simple manner. “Interrupted arched, form-fitting engagement” means that the engagement surface of the relevant extension arrangement and/or the relevant receiving arrangement is not continuous, but has gaps or interruptions. For example, an extension arrangement which, viewed as a whole, extends over an angular range of 180° can be divided into three parts each having an angular range of 50°, and two interruptions each having an angular range of 15°. Correspondingly, interruption recesses are also possible in the engagement surface of the receiving arrangement. In this context, it is functionally essential to be able to place an arched envelope line in the extension arrangement or the receiving arrangement.
It is favorable if, at the outer face of each extension arrangement and at the inner face of each receiving arrangement, the design for arched form-fitting engagement extends over an angular range having a size of at least 180° and at most 360°. “At least 180°” provides favorable conditions for good engagement of adjacent wall blocks. If it is desired to implement with much more than 180°, this requires consideration in the other wall block design for wall blocks having continuous passages from the first seating face to the second seating face. Angular ranges that are slightly greater than 180°, in particular that have a size between 180° and 200°, are very advantageous.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that it has only two extension arrangements and two receiving arrangements; and in that the centers of the two extension arrangements and the centers of the two receiving arrangements are symmetrical to the transverse central axis of the wall block, which is located between the center of the first end face and the center of the second end face. It is possible to make the design such that the centers of the two extension arrangements and the centers of the two receiving arrangements have a spacing from one another which corresponds substantially to half the length of the wall block, measured between the centers of the first end face and the second end face.
The design of the wall block according to the previous paragraph makes a great variability in the construction of walls accessible. The wording “spacing of the two centers which substantially corresponds to half the length of the wall block” in practice amounts to the spacing of the two centers being slightly greater than half the length of the wall block, so that in the case of two wall blocks positioned adjacently in the longitudinal direction—in the sense of negative production tolerance—a little free space remains if, in the row of wall blocks above or the row of wall blocks below, the wall blocks are placed with a longitudinal offset with respect to the row of wall blocks under consideration. In the case of non-arched engagement surfaces, the term “centers” is to be understood to mean that an expedient center for the extension arrangement or the receiving arrangement, as seen in plan view of the first seating face or the second seating face, is considered.
The above-mentioned fin(s) increase(s) the stability of walls constructed using such wall blocks against forces acting against the first wall surface side or against the second wall surface side, e.g. wind forces or impact forces. The tightness of the wall against wind and rain is also improved. In addition, this also results in a smoother appearance of the first wall surface side and/or of the second wall surface side.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that its first end face and/or its second end face, in comparison with a virtual flat surface which is located in the center of the relevant end face at a right angle to the longitudinal central axis, is set back toward the wall block, at least in regions, on both sides of the relevant end face center, with the exception of the region or regions where an above-mentioned fin protrudes. In many wall block geometries, these recesses make it easier to connect a first further wall block and/or a second further wall block with angles between the longitudinal central axes. The first end face and/or the second end face can be designed—in plan view of the first seating face or the second seating face—to be outwardly convex and semicircularly rounded, with the exception of the region or regions where an above-mentioned fin protrudes.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that at least one of the fins is dimensioned such that it substantially reaches as far as an end face of an adjacently positioned first further or second further wall block which is designed as a fin-free end face of the claimed wall block.
This design increases the tightness of a wall constructed using wall blocks according to the invention and the stability of the wall against forces against the first or second wall surface side.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that at least one of the fins protrudes so far that in a situation in which the claimed wall block is positioned adjacently to a first further or a second further wall block, with said fin facing the adjacent wall block, it is possible for the claimed wall block to pivot relative to the adjacent wall block about the central axis of the extension arrangement of the adjacent wall block nearest to the claimed wall block at least in one of the two pivoting directions as far as a maximum angle, which has a value of less than 90°, but it is not possible for the claimed wall block to pivot further beyond the maximum angle, due to blocking abutment of said fin against the adjacent wall block, without moving the two relevant wall blocks apart. A maximum angle that is slightly smaller than 90° is possible. A maximum angle having a value in the range of from 25° to 50° is possible. A maximum angle of substantially 45° or slightly more than 45° is possible.
The embodiments according to the preceding paragraph achieved an optimal compromise with regard to variability as well as cohesion and stability of the constructed wall. If the claimed wall block has two fins facing the adjacent wall block, the increase in stability is more pronounced and effective in two directions.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that its second end face is overall outwardly convex and semicircularly rounded and one or two fins are provided on its first end face, and in that the extent of protrusion of the one fin or of the two fins, over the above-mentioned virtual flat surface, is smaller than the spacing between the center of the first end face and the center of the nearest adjacent extension arrangement of the wall block or of the nearest adjacent receiving arrangement of the wall block.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that the end face(s) on which at least one fin is provided is/are set back toward the wall block in comparison with the central region of a virtual arc which begins tangentially in the center of the relevant end face and extends to the end of the relevant fin, the extent to which it is/they are set back being so great that an empty pocket remains there when a first further wall block or a second further wall block having an overall outwardly convex and semicircularly rounded end face is positioned adjacently.
The above-mentioned pocket can be, but does not need to be, filled with pourable material after the relevant wall block or a larger number of wall blocks has/have been placed. Further details follow below.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that, in the case of each extension arrangement, a portion of its first seating surface is located between its outer face facing outward from the center and the lateral surface of the wall block located there.
In this way, as much of the first seating face of the wall block as possible is used to create the first seating surface.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that it has a single free passage passing from its first seating face to its second seating face;
Such a wall block has a good compromise between strength, low material use and great utilization of the seating surface despite the extension arrangements and receiving arrangements.
In the wall block described in the last paragraph but one, it can be provided that the two straight portions of the peripheral wall each have a greater wall strength in their central regions than the wall strength of the peripheral wall in the rounded portions; and that, on the first seating face, the first seating surface is widened in each case in the region of the relevant above-mentioned central region toward the inside of the wall block, beyond the above-mentioned greater wall thickness. This increases the stability of the wall block, especially in the central region of the wall block, which is particularly useful for this purpose.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that an opening is provided in each case in its first end face and its second end face. With these openings, conditions are created whereby adjacent wall blocks in the longitudinal direction of the wall block can be directly linked to one another in order to increase the force transmission capacity.
The wall block according to the invention, which has the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and can have one or more of the further features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that it has an integrally formed or separately inserted end plate adjacent to its first seating face or its second seating face; and in that an opening is provided in each case in its first end face and its second end face.
Due to these features, pourable material can be introduced into the interior of the wall block on the end plate. In addition, adjacent wall blocks in the longitudinal direction of the wall block can be linked in order to increase the force transmission capacity.
The invention also provides a wall block which can have one or more of the further features disclosed above and which is additionally wider in the region of its first end face than in the region of its second end face. Such a wall block makes it possible to conveniently produce a transition between a wall region of greater wall thickness and a region of smaller wall thickness.
As artificial stone material for the wall block according to the invention, many materials can be considered which can be brought into the shape of the wall block in a first, forming state, and which subsequently—usually after a hardening process—retain the shape of the wall block with the required strength. Specific materials under consideration include compacted clay, geopolymers, sand-lime bricks, bricks and—as already mentioned above as a prominent material—concrete. In the case of concrete, the desired strength can be varied in particular by varying the cement amount and selecting the grain size of the sand or gravel.
It is hereby expressly disclosed that the invention also provides a wall block which does not necessarily have an “overall elongate form with a length that is greater than its width,” but—with the exception of the fin(s)—can also be substantially as long as it is wide, and which does not necessarily have “a plurality of extension arrangements arranged in a row” and “a plurality of receiving arrangements arranged in a row,” but can also be provided with only one extension arrangement and only one receiving arrangement, this wall block otherwise having all the features mentioned in the opening passage of the application (=claim 1) and being able to have one or more of the further features disclosed above. The wall block mentioned in this paragraph is particularly suitable for use in combination with the disclosed wall block having an elongate form.
The wall block according to the invention can be used to construct many types of walls or partitions, the words “wall” and “(walled) partition” being synonymous and the term “wall” in the present application also being intended to include “partitions.” Typical examples of walls that can be constructed using the wall block according to the invention are walls of buildings (exterior walls and interior walls), division walls, supporting walls, decorative walls, boundary walls, parapet walls, etc. The use thereof for house walls (exterior walls or interior walls) is cited as particularly prominent. The simple producibility of the wall block according to the invention, even without an industrialized environment, and the extremely simple and rapid construction of walls using wall blocks according to the invention are very advantageous, very particularly in less industrialized environments, in connection with natural disasters and in connection with situations where it is desirable to create solid housing for a large number of people using simple means and as quickly as possible.
The invention further relates to a wall block family containing at least the 14 wall block types listed in the following:
(g1) wall block which is designed as specified under (aa), (bb) and (dd) for wall block type (a1) and which has a substantially corresponding length and width and is free of one or more fins;
These wall block types are explained in the following in the example part with reference to drawings. At this point, it is emphasized that the wall block types (a2) to (g2) can be designed as has been disclosed above for the wall block according to the invention, i.e. can have one or more of the features disclosed above.
The invention also relates to an assortment of wall blocks which contains wall blocks of at least two different wall block types from the above list (a1) to (g2), but which can also contain other wall block types. In an embodiment, the assortment of wall blocks comprises wall blocks at least of the wall block types (a2), (b2) and (c2).
The invention also relates to a wall, characterized in that it has at least one portion in which wall blocks are installed, as disclosed above as wall blocks according to the invention.
The wall according to the invention can have at least one portion in which claimed wall blocks having at least one passage in each case are present and pockets are present between adjacent end faces of adjacent wall blocks, which passages and/or pockets are filled with material that was pourable in the filling state. A variety of pourable materials can be considered, although a distinction can initially be made between materials that set permanently after filling and materials that do not set substantially permanently after filling. In the case of the last-mentioned materials, walls made of wall blocks according to the invention can be easily dismantled and the dismantled wall blocks can be used to construct new walls. In the case of the first-mentioned materials, it is possible to dismantle the wall blocks only with considerable effort; usually, the dismantled wall blocks can be reused only in part. The above-mentioned filling stabilizes the wall and increases its mass, heat storage capacity, thermal insulation and sound insulation. The pourable material can be, but does not need to be, filled in over the entire wall. Filling primarily at wall regions where there are increased requirements for strength is possible. Concrete is cited as a typical material that sets. Typical materials that do not solidify significantly are soil, clay, sand and gravel. Since the passages and the pockets, in many cases alternating with one another, usually extend from top to bottom in the wall, at least for a plurality of wall block heights, it is easy to set reinforcing bars in the passages and/or pockets and thus arrive at vertical reinforced concrete cores of the wall.
The wall according to the invention, which can have one or more of the features disclosed above, can also be characterized in that it has at least one bend in its longitudinal extension direction, which bend is formed by means of the above-mentioned variable-angle form-fitting engagement of an extension arrangement and a receiving arrangement.
With such bends it is possible to easily produce in particular wall corners of external building walls and wall corners of internal building walls. These corners often have an angle of approximately 90°, although they can also have other angles, as will become clearer below. One possibility that is particularly worth mentioning is to construct an external wall of a house having one or more bends which are mostly within the range of 0° to 45°, in order to follow a non-straight course of a property boundary and thus make optimal use of the property area.
The wall according to the invention, which can have one or more of the features disclosed above, can further have at least one T-cross connection and/or at least one X-cross connection. The wall blocks according to the invention make it possible to produce such connections in a very simple manner, as will become clearer below.
The wall according to the invention, which can have one or more of the features disclosed above, can further have at least one lintel over a wall opening and/or at least one wall anchor extending along the wall, the lintel or the wall anchor containing claimed wall blocks according to the invention filled with concrete. It is particularly favorable for such a wall to use wall blocks that have an integrally formed end plate or a separately inserted end plate, so that concrete can be filled into the relevant wall blocks and does not continue to run away downwards. The use of reinforced concrete, i.e. the insertion of reinforcing bars—usually extending horizontally—in the wall blocks, is advantageous.
The wall according to the invention, which has one or more of the features disclosed above, can further have at least one portion in which claimed wall blocks are placed one on top of the other free of joining material therebetween.
In the traditional construction of walls, blocks or bricks are placed one next to the other in a first, lowermost row, specifically with mortar being introduced between two horizontally adjacent bricks. A second row of bricks is then placed thereon, with a mortar layer being applied between the first row and the second row. The mortar, after hardening, produces a strong bond between two adjacent bricks, giving the wall the required strength. By means of wall blocks according to the invention, it is possible to erect a wall in the traditional way described, i.e. with mortar between adjacent wall blocks. On the other hand, it is an extraordinarily advantageous property of wall blocks according to the invention that the form-fitting engagement between extension arrangements and receiving arrangements, as well as one or more fins on each of the wall blocks, creates such a high force transmission capacity between adjacent wall blocks that in many cases it is possible to erect walls in which the wall blocks are positioned free of joining material therebetween. This does not affect the possibility of working with mortar at locations at which higher forces are applied to the wall. The wall blocks according to the invention can be used to construct walls that meet the “Eurocode 6” standard, which refers to wall strength, even without the mortared joints between the wall blocks.
The invention also relates to a formwork or mold for producing wall blocks according to the invention which have one or more of the features disclosed above, which formwork is characterized in that
The fact that the formwork is composed of a plurality of formwork parts which can be disassembled in a simple manner also makes it possible to produce a modified formwork very simply by leaving out and/or adding and/or exchanging individual formwork parts and thus to produce wall blocks having different geometries. This will become clearer below in the embodiments.
Individual formwork parts or all of the formwork parts can be inexpensively made of plastics material; alternatively, formwork parts made of metal are possible.
It is possible to design the formwork such that the formwork parts are held together by means of a tension rod or a plurality of tension rods. In this case, two pressure plates can be provided between which the formwork parts are clamped. It is possible to design the formwork parts such that, when assembled, they engage with one another and form a cohesive formwork unit without connecting means or with few connecting means between the formwork parts, by means of the tension rod(s). In this case, disassembling the formwork parts and removing the formwork from the produced wall block are particularly simple.
The invention is explained in more detail in the following with reference to embodiments shown in drawings. Instead of “wall block made of artificial stone material,” for the sake of brevity reference is made throughout simply to “block”; this always means a wall block made of artificial stone material. In the drawings:
In the block 2 of
In the positioning of the block 2 as shown in
The end faces 14 and 16 of the block 2 are intended to each face an end face 14 or 16 of an adjacent block 2 when the block 2 is in the insertion state. However, explanations below will show that there are usage situations in which the end faces 14 and 16 are not adjacent to end faces 14 and 16, respectively, of other blocks 2.
If a wall is erected by means of blocks 2, e.g. in the form of a lowermost, first row of blocks 2, end face 14 or 16 to end face 14 or 16, and a second row of blocks 2 of this kind is placed thereon and several further rows of blocks 2 are further placed thereon, the first wall surface sides 18 are all part of a first wall surface. Correspondingly, the second wall surface sides 20 are part of an opposing second wall surface.
On its first seating face 10, the block 2 has two extension arrangements 30 arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction of the block 2; see
The block 2 of
The regions on the first seating face 10 of the block 2 where there is no extension arrangement 30 and no passage 52 are collectively referred to as the first seating surface 4 of the block 2. The regions on the second seating face 12 of the block where there is no receiving arrangement 40 and no passage 52 are collectively referred to as the second seating surface 6 of the block 2. If a third further block 2, with its second seating face 12 facing downward, is placed on top of the block 2 of
The length l of the block 2 is measured from the center of the first end face 14 to the center of the first end face 16. The width b of the block 2 is measured between the center of the first wall surface side 18 and the center of the second wall surface side 20. Insofar as, unlike in the drawn embodiment, the outer lateral surface is not at a right angle to the first seating surface 22 and the second seating surface 24, the length l and the width b are measured at the largest point in each case. The height h of the block 2 is measured from the first seating surface 4 to the second seating surface 6. In this embodiment, the block 2 of
The block 2 of
It is emphasized that the block 2 can alternatively have a length l that is significantly greater than twice the width b. By way of example, reference is made to a block 2 in which the length l is four times the width b. It is also emphasized that the block 2 can alternatively have more than two extension arrangements 30 and more than two receiving arrangements 40, in a row in each case. For a block 2 of which the length l is four times the width b, it is possible to provide e.g. four extension arrangements 30 and four receiving arrangements 40, each in a row, and e.g. four continuous passages 52. Blocks 2 which have two extension arrangements 30 and two receiving arrangements 40 and a length l that substantially corresponds to twice the spacing of the two centers 32 or the two centers 42, can nevertheless be used in a particularly favorable and varied manner in the construction of walls. In this case, the width b can certainly be slightly larger or slightly smaller than half the block length l.
If a wall is constructed using a plurality of blocks 2 of
With the blocks 2 of
Since each extension arrangement 30 and each receiving arrangement 40 extend over an angular range of more than 180°, the mentioned form-fitting engagement between a relevant extension arrangement 30 and a relevant receiving arrangement 40 is effective not only against forces acting transversely to the wall, but also against forces acting in both longitudinal directions of the wall (highly tensile clamping in the longitudinal direction of the wall). However, when the upper block 2 is placed thereon with an angle between the longitudinal central axes L of the lower block 2 and the upper block 2 of more than approximately 45°, said form-fitting engagement is no longer effective in all horizontal directions, but is effective in some of the horizontal directions.
As can be seen in the top view of the second seating face 12 of the block in
When progressing in the passage 52 from the second seating face 12 to the first seating face 10 of the block, the cross-sectional area of the passage 52 progressively decreases slightly, and this sloping allows the separation of the block 2 from the formwork by means of which it has been produced. Approaching the first seating face 10 in said progression in the passage 52, the passage 52 has a greater slope 34 all round toward the interior of the passage 52. The extent of this greater slope 34 is selected such that the width of the two substantially semicircular strips 36 of the first seating surface 4 is substantially equal to the width of the semicircular strips 26 on the second seating surface 6. The straight strips 38 of the first seating surface 4 are wider between the ends of the two extension arrangements 30—measured in the width direction of the block 2—than the straight strips 28 on the second seating surface 6. This increases the stability of the block 2 and produces a better connection of the four end regions 44 of the two extension arrangements 30 to the wall 50 of the block 2.
Instead of forming each of the extension arrangements 30 as a continuous arched rib, for example a plurality of segments of a rib could be provided so as to provide interrupted arched form-fitting engagement with the relevant receiving arrangement 40. Functionally, there would then be a kind of arched envelope along the parts of the relevant rib.
In
The extent v of protrusion of the fin 60 beyond a virtual flat surface 61, which is located at the center of the first end face 14 at a right angle to the longitudinal central axis L, is smaller than the spacing between the center of the first end face 14 and the center 32 of the extension arrangement 30 which is nearest to the fin 60 and is at the top in
The block 2 of
The block 2 of
The block 2 of
The block 2 of
The block 2 of
In all of
In
The sections of
In
Nevertheless, this pivotability disappears when a further block 2 of the upper row of blocks is placed to the left of the upper block 2. A semicircularly rounded region of the peripheral wall 50 of the further block 2 then comes with its lower end region into the two gaps 78, each between an end region of the left extension arrangement 30 of the left lower block 2 and the outwardly concave region 72 of the relevant fin 60. The result is that a wall constructed in this way from the described blocks 2 is rigid against bending; even without the use of mortar, the wall behaves substantially as though it were constructed from the blocks 2 with mortar.
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
Considering
At this point, it is emphasized that, if desired, walls can also be constructed from two parallel wall block row stacks placed closely together. At desired points of this “double wall,” links can be created between the two wall block row stacks using connecting blocks placed at right angles to the wall face sides.
At this point, it is further emphasized that it is also possible to work with blocks in multiple widths, in particular in two widths. The blocks of greater width are used for thicker walls, and the blocks of smaller width are used for thinner walls. The transition between the thicker and thinner walls can be produced using the transition block mentioned above (wider at one end face than at the other end face).
In the first, lower row 82 of blocks there is, adjacent on the right to the corner 86 in
The seven blocks 2 of
The seven blocks 2 of
Dotted lines 92 indicate vertical reinforcing bars 92 and dotted lines 94 indicate horizontal reinforcing bars 94. The horizontal reinforcing bars 94 each extend in the longitudinal direction through a plurality of blocks 2 and the openings 90 thereof. The vertical reinforcing bars 92 extend vertically through a plurality of block levels, specifically into the interiors of the extension arrangements 30 and the receiving arrangements 40 and into the pockets 76. Since there is a passage 52 below each pocket 76 and above each pocket 76 in the next block level, the vertical reinforcing bars 92 can pass through a greater number of block levels without complication. The horizontal reinforcing bars 94 are most expediently inserted gradually, following the progress of the construction of the wall. Lateral “threading” of the blocks 2 on ready-placed horizontal reinforcing bars 94 is also possible.
As soon as the reinforcing bars 92 and 94 are in place, all the passages 52 and all the pockets 76 can be filled with flowable concrete. It goes without saying that it is not necessary to make the described reinforcements or fill with concrete as described throughout an entire wall, but this can be limited to particularly heavily loaded wall portions or wall parts. Wall corners, for example, are good candidates for reinforcements and filling with concrete.
It is emphasized that alternatively it is possible to work with blocks 2 without openings 90 and introduce only vertical reinforcing bars 92, or to work with blocks 2 having openings 90 but still introduce only vertical reinforcing bars 92. Attention is also drawn to the possibility of working without reinforcing bars 92 and/or 94 and still filling the passages 52 and the pockets 76 with flowable concrete.
The previous paragraphs have consistently referred to filling with concrete; however, it is emphasized that other pourable materials, as have been disclosed in the general part of the description, can be used instead of concrete. The reinforcing bars disclosed are usually structural steel bars of the type commonly used for constructing structures made of concrete.
If a plurality of blocks 2 of
The formwork 110 has the following formwork parts:
Four formwork parts 114, 116, 118, 120 for forming the first seating face 10 of a block 2 to be produced, which is designed as shown in
For details on the design of the above-mentioned formwork parts, reference is expressly made to
Roughly speaking, the formwork part 114 has the shape of a semicircular ring, the formwork parts 116, 118 have a rectangular shape, and the formwork part 120 has the shape of a semicircular ring having two extensions 142 which point downward in
The above-mentioned formwork parts, with the exception of the insertion formwork parts 138, 140, are closely assembled for use, as shown in
The formwork parts, which are closely assembled in the manner described, are assembled between two outer pressure plates 160 in the manner of a sandwich, by a central tension rod 162 being attached. The tension rod 162 is a metal rod having an external thread in each end region. It extends at a right angle to the plates 160 and passes through an opening 164 in the channel bottom 158 of the formwork part 134. Nuts 166 are screwed onto the two ends of the tension rod 162, such that the tension rod 162 tightens the entire sandwich described. The filling opening 112 for concrete can be seen at the top of
By installing one of the two insertion parts 138 or 140 when assembling the formwork 110, a block 2 having only one fin 60 can be produced, and by installing both insertion parts 138 and 140, a block 2 completely without fins 60 can be produced, as shown in
By leaving out the formwork parts 116, 118, 126, 128, 134 and providing shorter formwork parts instead of the formwork parts 128 and 128, it is easy to produce a formwork 110 that is suitable for forming a block 2 which—with the exception of any fins 60—has an equal length and width. The two half-openings 168 in the bowl bottom 156 of the formwork parts 132, 136 complete one another to form a full circular opening through which the tension rod passes. For working with insertion parts 138, 140 and producing blocks 2 without fins 60 and blocks 2 having one, two, three or four fins 60, the statements made in the previous paragraph apply accordingly.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2018 125 548.9 | Oct 2018 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2019/077733 | 10/14/2019 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020/078878 | 4/23/2020 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1684050 | Adams | Sep 1928 | A |
| 1768651 | Wyatt | Jul 1930 | A |
| 2351615 | Robert | Jun 1944 | A |
| 2826906 | Rice | Mar 1958 | A |
| 2888779 | Hostetter | Jun 1959 | A |
| 2942115 | Thomas | Jun 1960 | A |
| 3073061 | Pearson | Jan 1963 | A |
| 3382632 | Grofcsik | May 1968 | A |
| 3828502 | Carlsson | Aug 1974 | A |
| 3864885 | Muse | Feb 1975 | A |
| 4229123 | Heinzmann | Oct 1980 | A |
| 4514949 | Crespo | May 1985 | A |
| 4521138 | Steiner | Jun 1985 | A |
| 4752203 | Kanzaki | Jun 1988 | A |
| 4866891 | Young | Sep 1989 | A |
| 4965979 | Larrivee | Oct 1990 | A |
| 5003746 | Wilston | Apr 1991 | A |
| 5080523 | Steiner | Jan 1992 | A |
| 5154032 | Ritter | Oct 1992 | A |
| 5160212 | Vauhkonen | Nov 1992 | A |
| 5490363 | Woolford | Feb 1996 | A |
| 5601384 | Dawson | Feb 1997 | A |
| D378423 | Henry | Mar 1997 | S |
| 5657600 | Mensen | Aug 1997 | A |
| 6000186 | Fielding | Dec 1999 | A |
| 6038822 | Keys | Mar 2000 | A |
| 6105307 | Helmy | Aug 2000 | A |
| 6115983 | Poignard | Sep 2000 | A |
| D435305 | Pullen | Dec 2000 | S |
| 6161357 | Altemus | Dec 2000 | A |
| 6394705 | Lefebvre | May 2002 | B1 |
| 6557818 | Manthci | May 2003 | B2 |
| 7971407 | MacDonald | Jul 2011 | B2 |
| 8079195 | Cables | Dec 2011 | B2 |
| 8136325 | Van Lerberg | Mar 2012 | B1 |
| 8601758 | Biadora | Dec 2013 | B2 |
| 8677713 | Sheehy | Mar 2014 | B1 |
| 9068351 | Biadora | Jun 2015 | B1 |
| 9133619 | Roberts | Sep 2015 | B1 |
| 9404234 | Jain | Aug 2016 | B2 |
| 9617745 | Mackay Sim | Apr 2017 | B2 |
| 9689160 | Lanese | Jun 2017 | B2 |
| 10080979 | Lane | Sep 2018 | B2 |
| 10273649 | Lonero | Apr 2019 | B2 |
| 10273683 | Fryfogle | Apr 2019 | B2 |
| 20020187010 | MacDonald | Dec 2002 | A1 |
| 20040154256 | Kim | Aug 2004 | A1 |
| 20040177580 | Tremelling | Sep 2004 | A1 |
| 20070193183 | Price | Aug 2007 | A1 |
| 20080060313 | Edwards | Mar 2008 | A1 |
| 20090173027 | Bennett | Jul 2009 | A1 |
| 20110239570 | Bennett | Oct 2011 | A1 |
| 20160222655 | Lin | Aug 2016 | A1 |
| 20160309893 | Plikat | Oct 2016 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 373657 | Feb 1984 | AT |
| 849332 | Jun 1977 | BE |
| 8211843 | Apr 1982 | DE |
| 19512651 | Oct 1996 | DE |
| 19713037 | Jan 1998 | DE |
| 202007018469 | Oct 2008 | DE |
| 0163117 | Dec 1985 | EP |
| 2894270 | Jul 2015 | EP |
| 3867455 | Nov 2022 | EP |
| 2555633 | Jan 2016 | ES |
| 1120671 | Jul 1956 | FR |
| 2693755 | Jan 1994 | FR |
| 2729601 | Jul 1996 | FR |
| 3040406 | Mar 2017 | FR |
| 2095713 | Oct 1982 | GB |
| 2472068 | Jan 2011 | GB |
| 2536917 | Oct 2016 | GB |
| 970000253 | Jan 1997 | KR |
| 467217 | Jun 1992 | SE |
| WO-2015024134 | Feb 2015 | WO |
| WO-2015187358 | Dec 2015 | WO |
| WO-2017132425 | Aug 2017 | WO |
| 2018075493 | Apr 2018 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report for corresponding PCT Application No. PCT/EP2019/077733 mailed Feb. 24, 2020. |
| German Search Report for corresponding application No. M2135.5 mailed Jun. 9, 2019. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210348383 A1 | Nov 2021 | US |
