CA1208031A - Inter locking modular elements - Google Patents

Abstract

INTERLOCKING MODULAR ELEMENTS
PANDHARINATH D. KARNICK

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Interlocking modular elements for use in combination with each other wherein the elements are identical to one another and wherein an element consists of a central body; two opposing side faces, the faces having identical projections located on each face forming recesses for engagement of identical projections from another element.

Description

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INTERLOCKING MODULAR ELEMENTS

PANDHARINATH D. ~ARNICR
CI~IZENSHIP: CANADIAN
RESIDENCE: 25 WILDROSE CIRChE
TORONTO, CANADA _....
..... ~ . ..

BACXGRO~ND OF THE INV~N'YION
Thls inventlon rela~es to modular elements of appopriate shape whiah can be used a~ building blocks fPr larger struc~ures typlcally but nok l~mited to f~oo~/ walls, columns, arches, retaining walls, and for model~ and toys~ etc.
Several previous patents have descrlbed nterlockin~ building blocks and elements of various shapes. To construct large , structures utllizlng su~h elements, various shaped element~ have . j , .
to be selec~ed so that they can interlock with one another. It is also necessary to predetermine the quantitie~ of each o~ the various shaped elements required to ~orm a deslred structure~
Thus to manufacture these aforementioned blocks or elements several different shapes of formwork or molæ~, are neaessary.
Secondly, at least a semiskilled wor~er is required ~o interlock the elements to construc~ the desired ~tructure. ~hlrdly~ these variou~ shapes take up more space during transportation, thereby increasing the co~ts.

osJEc~ OF THE l~v~lIO~
It is an object of the inventio. to overcome most of the above mentioned disaclvantages, and it is more particularly an object of my invention to provide an element or elements which are simple and hence economical in cost, simple and easy to assemble thereby saving time of construction and labor costs; and are convenient and economical to transport.
Another objec* o~ my invention is to produce a structure having shear strength substantially the same in all the three directions of the structures made up of these elements.
Another object of my invention is to provide hollow interlocking prefabricated elements in which concrete may be poured to form a solid structure Another object of my invention is to provide a simpIe means for constructing a curved structure without the use of mortar or the like~ For example, during khe excavati,n of a tunnel the elements can be interlocked to form an arch so as to act as temporary support for the shattered roof and later on act as permanent lining, thereby eliminating the time consuming9 laborious, and costly concreting operation.
All the above mentioned objectives are achieved by the novel feature of my invention that only "one type" of the special elements is required to construct a given structure. Jus~ like the common brick or concrete bloclc with the added advantage that no mortar or the like is needed to connect one element with another elemerlt.
The elements may be manuactured from concrete, metal, plastic or the like.

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A BRIEE` SYMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the invention which could be solid or hollow has a central body; juxtaposed two side faces having cubical projections symmetrically located on each of the two faces leaving recesses for engagement of identical projections from a similar elemen~
These and othe~ characteristics will be ~learly app~rent rom the following descrip'cion, with reference to the attached drawings in which the object of the invention is more particularly illustrated, without however limiting it to the forms of embodiment shown therein. In these drawings:
FIG~ 1 is a perspective view lllustrating a first form of embodiment.
FIGo 2 is a perspective view illustrating in hollow ~hape the first form of embodimen~
FIG. 3 ? S a perspective view illustrating in another hollow shape the first form of embodiment.
FIG. 4 7 llustrates one method of Eorming a wall using a number o the elements which are identical to each other. This Fig. 4 shows in elevation a portion of a wall. The bottom layer of the wall iB made up oE a number of identical elèments 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 which are placed dovetailing each o'her to form a continuou~ ooting for the wall. The second row consists of the elements numbered 6, 7, and 8, which are placed separated from each other by a distance equal to the thickness of the central body of an element so that when the third row of elements numbered 9 and 10 is placed above this second ro~, interlocking takes place between these two rows leaving voids (hatched), as shown, above the bottom layer. These voids ~ay be used as passages for waterl sewage, etc., an~/or closed with concrete or the like. Construction of the wall is continued by placing the Eourth row consi~ting of elements numbered 11, 12, 13, and then the fifth row and so on until the desired height of wall is obtained. It can be seen that a fully integrated wall is formed. To obtain a flat top surfac~, a horizontal layer similar ;71~

~12~8~!3~

to the bottom layer may be placed as shown using the elements numbered 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28, which are placed dovetailing each other but not interlocking with the row under it. Thus leaving voids as shown (hatched), these may be used to support the ends of roof beams, or as passages for utilities, and/or closed as aforementioned.
In a similar manner a floor or a patio may be formed using a number of identical elements.
FIG. 5 illustrates the use of the elements to form an arch or roof of a tunnel. In this construction the outer elements 31, 32, 33 are identical to one another and the inner elements 34, 35, 36 are also identical to each other.
The outer elements and the inner elements are substantially identical to each other except that their matching faces are made with matching slants, the angle of the slants depending on the radius of the desired arch.
FIG. 6. illustrates the formation of a reinforced column using the hollow elements, where in the identical hollow elements 41, 42, 43, 44 are placed one on top of another, bars 51 are then inserted and concrete 60 is poured in to complete the construction. It will be cleax that if elemen-ts of the solid form are used a solid column will be formed which may be used immediately.
A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention is explained here under referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8:
The element consists of five parts. A parallelopiped central body 101 and four identical cubical projections 104, 105, 106, and 107. The central body 101, has two identical square faces, defined by the points a b c d and e f g h, and has a thickness a e defined by the two square faces. This thickness a e is equal to half the width a b of its square face a b c d. The thickness a e is also equal to the thickness of the identical cubical projections."

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Claims

The embodiment of the invention in which property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.
Claim 1 "Interlocking modular elements for use in combination with each other wherein the elements are substantially identical to one another and wherein an element in a solid form consists of a parallelopiped central body having two identical square faces separated by a thickness equal to half the measure of a side of its square face, the element also consists of two identical cubical projections which are in thickness equal to the thickness of the central body, the said projections being symetrically located on one of the said square faces of the said central body leaving recesses on the said square face for engagement of identical projections from another element, the element also consists of a second set of identical cubical projections which are equal in thickness to the thickness of the said central body the second set of projections being symetrically located on the second square face of the said central body leaving recesses for engagement of identical projections from yet another element."

Claim 2 Interlocking mocular elements as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the said cubical projections are located diagonally on opposite corners of each of the said two square faces of the said central body of the element.

Claim 3 Interlocking modular elements as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the elements are of hollow form.