CA1089621A - Honeycomb building wall construction - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A building wall structure formed from a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers adhesively secured to each other in vertical arrangement, each honeycomb layer having a central core of paperboard honeycomb having vertical axes honeycomb and a paperboard closure sheet essentially covering the top and bottom of the core, the opposite long sides adhesively secured to the bottom closure sheet of an adjacent honeycomb layers to the desired wall paperboard honeycomb layers to the desired wall height. This invention also includes prefabricated walls, prefabricated wall sections, and building blocks to erect the above building wall utilizing mimimal on-the-site labor. The walls of this invention are suitable to interior and exterior load bearing walls. The walls of this invention may be directly plastered with materials such as stucco or interior plaster. The building wall structure of this invention provides an inexpensive method of construction which may be erected at the job site with relatively unskilled labor.

Description

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There is a continuing need for improve-ments in,structural materials, particularly those suitable for home and light industry buildings.
There is also a need for construction materials .~ which permit rapid erection by relatively unskilled workers. Thi's invention is directed to both of these needs by providing a building wall:structure having a plurality of paperboard honeycomb;layers . ~ adhesively secured to each other.in vertical ~ - - , arrangement, each of the honeycomb layers..~having , a~central core of paperboard honeycomb;~having .`.
: vertical axes and a paperboard closure sheet essen~
tially covering the~top and the bottom of the core.
The opposite long sldes of the central~core honey~

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comb are open on each side and the top closure : sheet of one honeycomb layer is:adhesivély~secured~
to the~bottom closure:~sheet'of an adjacent,honeycomb ' layer forming a plurality of:paperboard`honeycomb ;~
:' layers to a desired wall hPight. Utilizing-;the ;~
structure of this invention, an-entire:load:~bearing ~1 :, `'';`~ : . : interior or exterior wall or a:large,sec~io:n of -:~
such~'wall may be~'prefabricated;at a central location,'.
,.:.~..~ : ~ ,,~ '; i'~'~,~::' ' ~and~due to its.}ightweight and easy erection tech~
niques9 may~be::readily transported and~erécted at~
' the building site by relatively~ s illèd~-`wo ~ er '~

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Alternatively, any desired size building block may be prefabricated at a central location and shipped for on-the-site construction requiring a minimal amount of skill in'the labor force ~ doing the on-the-site erection. When erected, the walls constructed according to this invention may be plastered directly on either side with a cementious substance such as' an exterior stucco,-interior plaster or mayibe~
~- ~ covered with conventional panels.
~ There have been previous attempts~to : : utilize paperboard in building construction, but ; those known to the applicant have only ussd the .' .paperboard as a com~ponent in otherwise conventional building structuraI systems. .For examplèj'U. S.
Patent 3,753,843 teaches a ~uilding paneI..having a core comprised of heavy paper honeycomb~.materiaL
itX a seamles3 covering of moldable material ' such~as::synthetic polymers~ : The molded ~.~ructural~ ` :
` panels formed by the 3,753~843 patent,~when.used in conventional wàll~systems,~have ths~axes~of :~
the-honeyco ~ corè~in a~:horizontal dire ~ n.
U.-S'. Patent 3,883,999 and U. S. Pa~ent~-3,'7~98,852 : relate to precut, oid b~Ie~site~2rected:~aperboard~

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,: , .,: : : ' panels and trusses. The structures of these patents do not provide the desired simplicity of erection nor surfaces on both sides of the wall which may be readily plastered.
It is an object of this invention to overcome the above disadvantages.
It is an object of this invention to provide a building wall structure of paperboard honeycomb layers which may be preassembled in wall units and readily erected at the building site.
It is another object of this invention to provide a building block for building wall construction, which building block is made of paper honeycomb layers, alternate layers being offset to form a tongue-and-groove joint with adjacent building blocks.
In one particular aspect the present invention provides a building wall structure comprising a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers adhesively secured to each other in verticai arrsngement; each said honeycomb layer having a central core of paperboard honeycomb cells having vertical cell axes and a paperboard closure sheet essentially covering the top and bottom of szid core, the opposite long sides of said central core honeycomb being open on each side; the top closure sheet of one honeycomb layer adhesively secured to the bottom closure sheet of an adjacent honeycomb layer forming a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers to the desired wall height.
In another particular aspect the present invention provides a building block for building wall construction comprising a plurality of building blocks, each of said building blocks comprising a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers adhesively . ;~
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secured to each other in vertical arrangement; each said honeycomb layer having a central core of paperboard honeycomb cells having vertical cell axes and a paperboard closure sheet essentially covering the top and bottom of said core, the opposite long sides of said central core honeycomb being open on each side; the top closure sheet of one honeycomb layer adhesively secured to the :
bottom closure sheet of an adjacent honeycomb layer forming a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers to the desired building block height, the ends of said building blocks having alternate honeycomb layers offset to form a tongue-and-groove joint with adjacent building blocks.

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These and other objects, advantages and features of this inven~ion will be apparen~ from the description and by reference to the drawings wherein preferred embodiments are'shown as:
.~ ` Fig. l is a perspective cutaway view of a paperboard honeycomb layer sui~able for use in this invention; '' . :
' Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one em- , - bodiment of a building block according to this~

:,~invention;
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Fig. 3 is a side view of the building..
block shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the corner portion of a wall structure,according~to ;~
this.invention utiliæing building~blocks as~shown n Fig. 2; and ~ : si'~
ig.. 5 i9 a perspective~corner view'.of , :~
a wall structure of:'this inve~tion utilizing.pre-: ~.~ ''':' fàbricated wall sections:according to one~embodiment,:'~
oE-this inventioD. ~
Fig. l shows a cueaway.~view~of a paperboard honeycomb suitab1e~for, use in~thls'~invention.
Th~-honeycomb ~oard has a centra1 core~ formed . '',;~
from paperboard incIudin~ heavy~paper su~h às~ k~aft ~ ~ .
paper.: Throughout this disclosure~-and :claims',.the . ~ ,' :term "paperboard" ls used to~includ~ any suitable paper such as krae paper~ laminaeed pap~r,~;thin corrugated, paper she~ts~ and ~other~;suitable~paper sheets.

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The honeycomb core, due to its internal closed 'cells, provides excellent thermal and acoustical insulation. The shape and size of the individual honeycomb cells may be modified to obtain desired .
compression, bending and shear strength of the ' honeycomb board. The ends of the honeyco=b - :
core are covered by closure sheets 12 and 13 whlch essentially cover the top and boteom of : ' --' the central core structure. Closure sheets ~ ~-12 and.13 are also paperboard such as heàvy kra~t.
paper~which is adhesivély secured to the..ends '~
of the honeycomb core material. The honeycomb :core~material shown in Fig.~ is a hexagonal .
: ~ expanded core wherein the long axes of the~
:: . core~material i~:'''transverse to the long'axis of the honeycomb board strips as useû~in this ;~
invention. Paperboard honeycomb boards are 'presently commercially available in various sizes '~
and th~cknesses.~. For use in::this invent~on it is.' ' pa~rticularly desired to u~e honeycomb~paperboard having~a thickness o~ about~ l/2 to'4`"' he~
For~use iD this invention,~:the honeycom~.paper~
board is'first cu~ into strips of~the~desired ' thickness of the wall s~ructure, ple~èrably about~
l/2 to about 6 inohes. Aè~shown in~Fig.~
8ide face 14 and~end facs 15~ as well~as~their ' ` KIRK-103 :~ 6~

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opposite faces, not shown, are cut honeycomb cell structures which are left open to provide a rough ; surface suitable for application o~ plaster. Thus, . the side and end faces have inherent lath charac-- teristics suitable for plastering directly~thereby eliminating any need for wire mesh or expanded metal lath.
In one embodiment of this invention, the ~ .
;honeycomb strips as shown in Fig. 19;are cut to.
désired ]engths.to make individual honeycomb building blocks such as shown in Fig.~ 2:as 20.~
Building block 20 is made by adhesively securing:
four strips of honeycomb~:paperboard in the con~
figuration as shown in Fig. 2 having first layer~ . -21~second layer 22, third:layer 23,~and ~ourth layer~24. Second layer~22 and fourth layer~24 are ~ ;
of~set from the ends of~first layer 21 and third layer 23, an amount approximately equal to the~
wi of the buildi~g~block fo ~ ing-groove~;~27~
;a~d 28. Thus, in wall~constzuction,-~ ~ adjacent building block extension.layers ~orresponding--to~ s~
; 2 nd 24, acting as~t ngues, extend i:nto grooves :``;27 and 28 eqoslly well whether it.is de~ired. t~
.the ad~acent~building~block be::in~the~:.sam~ planar :~
relationship or~at.a~9R planar~relationship hav :~
ound that it i9 desirabl2 to cr ~ r~the~end of the: : : ;.
tongue portion6 o~ each layer sl ~ so that ~t~
ll be more readily~rece ~ ed~ ~ g a ~T s ` ~y-easily~be done.as the strip~. e.c~t to~d re~

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length by passing one end of the strip through a roller havlng the deisired narrowing action.
It is seen that the buiiding blocks of this invention may be erected into a wall structure by simply assembling adjacent building blocks .~ith adhesive on lower surface 25,and upper :, surface 26, as ~ell as on the faces of the tongue-and-groove joints at both ends of the ' blocks. Thus, a unitized wall system may~be~
readily constructed UBing thie bailding blocks~
shown in Figs. 2 and~3. , ;~
. The buiIding blocks,~ as~shown in Figs.

2~and 3, may be made at a central location'and .
shipped to:the building site for easy erection. , ;~
The building blocks as shown in Figs. 2~and`3;"
ma~ be of aDiy desired size and~may preferably ha~e about 3 to 6 layers of honeycomb paper~
board. 'Figs:. 2~ànd;3;~show four layera'~
as exemplary only and i~ is readiIy seen~that `:'',:~.. ~.:.:.: :-.`',:
;one layer~may be el~ inated~making a thrèe~
layer block~or~addieional~layers~; ay~be. d~t:
'the:same fashion. Due~to:'the~lightnes ~in , ,~
weight,~it is. praceicsl:an~.dèsired~to mak~;t~e b~llding.blocks of thisA'inve i rger~than present b:used buildlng bIocks;,:`~
ormed~from CQncrete:or bric~ T~ë bui~ding~
d this invention may, l.~to.
length and 1 to 4~feet in height and~

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readily handled by unskilled erection personnel at the ~ob site as well as readily transported to the job site. Preferably, the block is spray coated at the manufacturing site with a moisture b rbsistant.coating such as is provided by a wide number of synthetic polymers and paint-type coatings presently available to~provide protection-during storage and transport and to permit an . aqueous plaster.or cement to be-applied.~ Any - coating providing desired moisture resist~nce is : ' satisfactory.
Fig. 4 shows one embodimen~ o~f a~buiiding~
: , ' : ,wall structure constructed of 8 plurality:of '-building blocks according to this inventian such .~ , ,as~-illustrated in Figs. 2 and'3. The oor~er ' ...
`;` - tongue-and-groove structure'is clearIy.s ~ :at corner 43'. It i8~ seen that outer face~of~the block wall 4l provides~a roughened surfaqè^cauoed ~ f~
.s ~ by the:cutting of the cellular~core. '~Inner:face '42~is the~sa e t~ e'surface~ai uter ~ 1.
It is readily see~.that the:lower course`~':of.' ,~
building~blocks~may be~placet directly :~a~
-~" ~ ~ "''''` ' ''~eve~sill of any'nature.-~The'sill ùpon ~ ich.~,'J~
,J ~: the~wall is placed may be;tXe~op of a concr te ,~: ' ' ''' ''' ~ foundation or,footi~g~or~may be a woode~ or:steel~
J~ ill supported.~in any desired,~ashion.'.?":The only~
',.':requireme~t b~ing~that the 8ill prov ~ the ;
': ~ desired vertical,struct~ral`support,.fo~ e'wall.,~ ",".,,~:'~''~,:''' IRK-103 ~ 9~

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system. Any desired ~eans of lateral resistance may be supplied at the base of the wall. For example, the bottom course of blocks may be set . in a channel shape, may be held by strips on either side, or may be forced over projections sticking up from the sill structure. L-ikewise, the top . .
of the wall structure.of this invention may be~
secured in any desired manner. For example, .~ ~
~afters or joists may be set directly on a plate ::
attached to the top of the uppe2 course of blocks.
A prefabricated roof slab may also be set dlrectly on top of such plate. The building blocks may~
also be drilled for alignment and rein~orcement rod holes which may be provided so that reinforcement~
~:r~ods ~ay:be ins~rted between blocks or extending the:entlre~height of;the wall.
. Desired outer sheathing`44 may be applied to~the exterior of the outer-face~41. Outer ~
sheathing 44 may be~any type of~de~sired exterior finish panel such as wood or Letal,~which may.be adhesively or ~echanically ateached to:.outer ace 41. For e~ample, conventional wood or:metal~
siding may be attachet to outer face~41 by nails or strips~having barb~projectlon~ which ma; be~
driven into the honeycomb core for anchoring wi~h or:withoùt supplemental ~astening.by àdhesive~

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The outer face 41, previously coa~ed with mois~ure resistant coating, is then plastered with a cementious substance such as Portland cement or s~ucco to provide an exterior weatherproof coating. Likewise, the inner face 42 may be provided with inner sheathing 45 which may be adhesively and/or mechanically secured to inner face 42. Inner face 42 may also have interior plaster applied.directly to the coated inner face ~ :
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~2. Thusj it is seen-that when the wall system~as :~
shown in Fi~.' 4 is utilized as an -exterior wall ~system, it may be coated with stùcco on the outside and coated with plaster~on the~inside'providing a structurally composite system which'~;provides goot thermal insulation, desired acoustical properties and ~ire resistance.
The same wall~systems as~previously~
described, uti~izing~the building'blocks of~this ~veotion, may be used for interior';walls. Such interior walls provide~load bearing wall structures~ ~ ~'..'.
whieh may be plaster~d~directly~on bo~h side~
; Fig.~5 shows~another;embodi ent of '~
in~ntlon wherein:an entire wall or wall~section :~
L8 pre~abricated ant coated with~a moistore'.;reoista coating at a central-location~and rapidly erected ; .
by relatively unskilled, on-the-site~personné;l.~ .~;s~

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The prefabricated wall assembly 50 shown in Fig. :
5 has outer face 51 and inner face 52 with the same random cut core, as more fully shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Fig. 5 is shown in a more stylized manner. ~ikewise, the prefabricated wall assembly may~be covered with the desired outer sheathing 54 and inner sheathing 55 in the same manner as described above. The wall shown in Fig.
. ~ . .
S is erected by.simply securing the bottom of the : : : wall to a sill as previously described and~securing ~ " . .
adjacent wall sections to each~other by coating : ~ the tongue-and-groove~areas wi~th~a suitable.~
: ' adhesive and placing:~adjacent~wall sectiDns'in ; their desired pos~tiDnsO ~ g~
; , A wide number o~ suitable adhesives are~
: availablej especially synthetic~'adhesives~such ' as e*oxy resins and the like..'Any water:reæistant.
a ~esiv ~providi g,desired strength is ~ ~ le. :-~, ,; : :
' It is~preferred that the.adh siv- be~r ~ ly fast:drying or'setting to m~nimize the~,need'~or p,ecial ~igs or tempDrar bracing.
:It i8 noted~that~ in.the erec ~ of~both ,'~
the ex~terior and lnterior~walls,acoording'`to~this vention, the:walls may:be erécted with:~.no"~
- ::openings:or with'the:larger.~openings~:ini~ve:ry :~
: ,.rough-~:~orm si~ce~::all~desired~openings-~may~,~be~

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readily cut for prefabricated doors, windows, , and the like, by simply sawing the opening after the wall is 2rected and prior to installation of the inner and outer sheathings. It is seen from Fig. 5 that large prefabricated wall assemblies may be readily erected at the building site by simply coating the tongue-and-groove end . ~
surfaces with adhesive and forcing the adjacent :~ ~ :
wall assemblies.into the desired position.
~: It is seen that the prefabricated:wall assembly and building blocks of this invention~
: I provide an extremely lightweigh~ simply erected, load bearing wall structure which may be utiIized :~
.for either an interior or exterior;wall. The waIl construction according to this~invention, :particularly suited for.use in those part~ of the:world wherè paper~;pulp is~in~good supply~~and erienced on-the-sLee conatruction~labor is.
t~avallable. It is~seen that:~:a~wide~va ~ :~of ;~
rolative b~simple one-sto ~ housing~structures~
s~may.be rapidly and inexpensively.produced~w~ile~
a~fordlng- 8 sturdy insulat ng s :1 wall structure of this:invention may be plastered : ~ ; o~ both sides wlth a locally available ado~e~
C~ e clay or.variou8~ mud compo~itions.
:: Nhil~ in the fore~oing::~specification this:~
:~vention ~ s be ~ described~in relatio~ to certai ~ :

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preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

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Claims (10)

1. A building wall structure comprising a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers adhesively secured to each other in vertical arrangement; each said honeycomb layer having a central core of paperboard honeycomb cells having vertical cell axes and a paperboard closure sheet essentially covering the top and bottom of said core, the opposite long sides of said central core honeycomb being open on each side; the top closure sheet of one honeycomb layer adhesively secured to the bottom closure sheet of an adjacent honeycomb layer forming a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers to the desired wall height.

2. The building wall structure of Claim 1 wherein the alternate honeycomb layers are offset an amount approxi-mately the thickness of said wall to form a tongue-and-groove end joint with an adjacent similar building wall structure having corresponding alternate honeycomb layers oppositely offset at their ends.

3. The building wall structure of Claim l wherein the opposite sides of said wall having open honeycomb core structure have a moisture resistant sealant coating.

4. The building wall structure of Claim 3 wherein at least one side of said open honeycomb core structure is covered with a cementious material.

5. The building wall structure of Claim 4 wherein said cementious material is plaster.

6. The building wall structure of Claim 4 wherein said cementious material is stucco.

7. The building wall structure of Claim 1 wherein said wall comprises a plurality of building blocks, each of said building blocks comprising a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers adhesively secured to each other in vertical arrangement; each said honeycomb layer having a central core of paperboard honeycomb cells having vertical cell axes and a paperboard closure sheet essentially covering the top and bottom of said core, the opposite long sides of said central core honeycomb being open on each side; the top closure sheet of one honeycomb layer adhesively secured to the bottom closure sheet of an adjacent honeycomb layer forming a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers to the desired building block height, the ends of said building blocks having alternate honeycomb layers offset to form a tongue-and-groove joint with adjacent building blocks.

8. The building wall structure of Claim 1 wherein said wall comprises a plurality of prefabricated wall sections, each of said prefabricated wall sections comprising a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers adhesively secured to each other in vertical arrangement, each said honeycomb layer having a central core of paperboard honeycomb cells having vertical cell axes and a paperboard closure sheet essentially covering the top and bottom of said core, the opposite long sides of said central core honeycomb being open on each side; the ends of said prefabricated wall sections having alternate honeycomb layers offset to form a tongue-and-groove joint with adjacent prefabricated wall sections.

9. A building block for building wall construction comprising a plurality of building blocks, each of said building blocks comprising a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers adhesively secured to each other in vertical arrangement; each said honeycomb layer having a central core of paperboard honeycomb cells having vertical cell axes and a paperboard closure sheet essentially covering the top and bottom of said core, the opposite long sides of said central core honeycomb being open on each side; the top closure sheet of one honeycomb layer adhesively secured to the bottom closure sheet of an adjacent honeycomb layer forming a plurality of paperboard honeycomb layers to the desired building block height, the ends of said building blocks having alternate honeycomb laters offset to form a tongue-and-groove joint with adjacent building blocks.

10. The building block of Claim 9 having 3 to 6 of said layers.