CA2159941A1 - Building block - Google Patents
Building blockInfo
- Publication number
- CA2159941A1 CA2159941A1 CA 2159941 CA2159941A CA2159941A1 CA 2159941 A1 CA2159941 A1 CA 2159941A1 CA 2159941 CA2159941 CA 2159941 CA 2159941 A CA2159941 A CA 2159941A CA 2159941 A1 CA2159941 A1 CA 2159941A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- mould
- face
- block
- facing material
- building block
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Abstract
The invention provides a method of manufacturing a building block which uses a prefabricated hollow core concrete block and a mould made from elastomeric material. The mould will simulate natural stone or other complicated textures with a high fidelity and the mould may be peeled away for reuse.
Description
21599~1 BUILDING BLOCK
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the fabrication of a building block having a simulated stone surface or other desired texture applied to at least one face of the block.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
An architectural preference for buildings having a simulated stone exterior has created a demand for building blocks of which at least one face has an integrally moulded irregular surface. Such blocks are much easier to manipulate and install by conventional bricklaying techniques than natural stone and the resulting structure is less expensive to build. An exemplary block of the foregoing kind is described in U.S.
Patent 5,131,202.
One object of this invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a building block having at least one face with a selected profile which may, for example, simulate stone and which uses a prefabricated building block. Such a method is more easily performed than integrally moulding a block with an irregular surface.
While others have moulded decorative surfaces to prefabricated building blocks, as in U.S. 2,629,135, such surfaces simulating inter alia natural stone, the moulding methods used are impractical in today's economy and do not reproduce the surface of natural stone with sufficient fidelity to satisfy the demands of today's consumer.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a building block having a decorative profile with irregularities and undercuts capable of simulating natural stone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a building block having at least one face which is textured, the method comprising the following steps:
- selecting a prefabricated building block having at least one face prepared 21599~1 for receiving a facing material, said face having a series of undercuts adapted to mechanically lock facing material applied to the face;
- selecting a prefabricated mould having an interior surface dimensioned to receive said face of the building block and having a selected profile adapted to impart a desired texture to the block face, the mould being made from elastomeric material;
applying a selected quantity of mouldable facing material to the said interior surface of the mould;
pressing the block into the mould so that said face is brought into intimate contact with said facing material;
allowing the facing material to set for a predetermined time sufficient to lose substantial plasticity; and separating the building block from the mould by peeling said elastomeric material away from the set facing material.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mould is made from silicone rubber having a decorative profile made using a natural stone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The method of the invention and the resulting advantages achieved from fabricating a building block in accordance with the method of the invention are described below with reference to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a building block made in accordance with the invention;
Figs 2-7 are schematic drawings showing a series of steps in manufacturing a building block according to the invention, including a cross-sectional view through a mould of silicone rubber supported in a wooden tray and a side elevation of a prefabricated concrete block oriented so that a bottom face has a series of dovetailed undercuts;
Fig 8. is a schematic flowchart showing the steps of the method of the invention corresponding to Figs. 2-7;
Fig. 9 is a schematic drawing similar to Figs. 2-7 showing an alternative 21599~1 step in a method according to the invention;
Fig. 10 shows a first series of exemplary profiles applied to blocks of the same size drawn as elevational views;
Fig. 11 is a schematic elevational view of an exemplary wall constructed with the blocks of Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 shows a second series of exemplary profiles applied to blocks of different sizes drawn as elevational views; and Fig. 13 is a schematic elevational view of a wall constructed using the blocks of Fig. 12.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring firstly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a building block generally indicated by numeral 20 and made in accordance with the invention. It will be seen that the block 20 comprises a prefabricated concrete block 22 to which has been applied a textured facing 24 which simulates natural stone.
The method of fabricating such a block 20 will now be described with reference to Figs 2-8. Fig. 2 shows a tray 26 made of wood comprising a base 28 and side walls 30 fixed to the perimeter of the base 28 so as to inscribe a rectangle (not shown).
A silicone rubber mould 32 rests inside the tray 26 and has outside ~imencionS which substantially match the inside ~limencions of the tray, as drawn. An interior surface 34 of the mould opposite from the base 28 is textured to have a selected profile created from natural stone during fabrication of the mould 32. A release agent 36 is sprayed on the interior surface of the mould and may, for example, comprise Sunoco 65X Formoil Compound.
The mould 32 is preferably made from an elastomeric material so that it will not only penetrate irregular surfaces, it will peel away from such surfaces for reuse.
A convenient material is Dow Corning's Silicone RS2 ~ (?).
The steps of Fig. 2 are summarized in item 38 of Fig. 8.
After preparation of the mould 32, a mouldable facing material 40 is poured into the mould 32. The nature of the facing material will vary in accordance with architectural preference. Conveniently, the material will comprise 20-30% cement;
60-70% aggregate; and about 10% water. A suitable aggregate will comprise concrete sand, No. 4 sieve -3/16". The quantity of facing material provided in the mould will vary as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Typically, the facing material will occupy one-half the height of the mould 32. This step of the process is schematically illustrated in item 42 of Fig. 8.
The prefabricated block 22 is typically made of concrete material and has a hollow interior which conveniently results in a lighter block which is less costly to transport and requires less material to fabricate. In some applications, the hollow interior of the block may be filled with vapour barriers or insulating material after assembly into a wall or other architectural element. It will be noted that one face 44 of the block 22 has a series of undercuts having a dovetailed profile. This profile is adapted to mechanically interlock with the facing material 40 when it has cured sufficiently to lose substantial plasticity.
This step of the process is schematically illustrated by item 46 in Fig. 8.
It will be understood that some of the facing material 40 will exit the mould 32 as shown by arrow 48 in Fig. 5, as a result of applying pressure to the block 22 and agitating the block 22 in the mould 32 as indicated by arrows 47. Item 50 in Fig. 8 corresponds. The excess facing 40 material indicated by arrow 48 is removed, conveniently with a wiping cloth.
The facing material 40 must be allowed to set for a predetermined time sufficient for the facing material to lose its plasticity and maintain (limencional stability.
Typically, a period of 16-24 hours is required depending on the nature of the mix and the ambient temperature and moisture conditions. It will be understood that full curing of the mix takes place outside the mould and may take up to 28 days. It is expected that the facing material will have acquired 50-60% of its potential strength in the afore-mentioned 16-24 hour period. The partial curing of the facing material is schematically illustrated in Fig. 6 and by item 52 in Fig. 8.
When the required time for partial curing of the facing material 40 has lapsed, the block 22 is withdrawn from the tray 26. The mould 32 will naturally part from the tray 26 and adhere to the face 44 of the prefabricated block 22. The mould 21$99q~
..
32 may then be grasped at one end and simply be peeled away from the block 22 for reuse in another tray. It is expected that a mould made from silicone rubber could be reused in such a process about 1,000 times. This step of the process is schematically illustrated in Fig. 7 and by item 54 in Fig. 8. Any excess residue on the block may be cleaned off and the fresh textured surface 24 is allowed to cure more fully in an ambient environment.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, schematically drawn in Fig.
9, a prefabricated block 60 having a face 62 with undercuts is placed in a mould 64 so that the face 62 is vertically disposed and spaced from the corresponding sidewall 66.
Facing material 68 is added to the mould after placing the block 60 into the mould. As in the previously-described embodiment, the mould 64 is supported in a wooden tray 70. The tray 70 may be made of other material strong enough to support the mouldand the block, wood being selected mainly for reasons of economy.
It will be understood that the method illustrated in Figs. 1-7 and 9 respectively may be combined to provide a decorative textured face to more than one face of a prefabricated block.
In fabricating the mould 32, a single natural stone face may be used or other equivalent textured surface. Such a face is schematically shown by item 1 in Fig.
10. Alternatively, the mould 32 could simulate the appearance of a plurality of stones spaced from each other by mortared joints. Such variations of the mould 32 are schematically illustrated by items 2-6 in Fig. 10.
It will be understood that blocks made according to the invention having a decorative face corresponding to any one of the faces represented in items 1-6 of Fig.
10 may be mixed and matched as illustrated in Fig. 11 to produce a wall 72 having an irregular appearance which simulates a wall constructed from natural stone having different sizes with the added convenience of simply laying blocks of uniform ~limencions.
Alternatively, blocks of varying sizes shown in Fig. 12 may have a decorative face simulating a single stone applied to a respective face of the prefabricated block to produce a wall 74 as shown in Fig. 13 which will have an even more convincing natural appearance.
21599~1 .
It will be understood that several variations may be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without departure from the scope of the appended claims, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
It will, of course, be understood that the prefabricated block need not be made from concrete and could, itself, be a brick or some other premoulde~ construction block which need not be hollow.
While the foregoing examples have described the application of the method of the invention for simulating stone, other textured surfaces may be applied using the method of the invention. In particular, the method of the invention is suitable for producing irregular textures having undercuts which otherwise are difficult to mould using rigid materials.
While silicone rubber has been found to be particularly suitable for fabrication of the mould, other elastomers, including polyurethane, may provide the same advantages.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the fabrication of a building block having a simulated stone surface or other desired texture applied to at least one face of the block.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
An architectural preference for buildings having a simulated stone exterior has created a demand for building blocks of which at least one face has an integrally moulded irregular surface. Such blocks are much easier to manipulate and install by conventional bricklaying techniques than natural stone and the resulting structure is less expensive to build. An exemplary block of the foregoing kind is described in U.S.
Patent 5,131,202.
One object of this invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a building block having at least one face with a selected profile which may, for example, simulate stone and which uses a prefabricated building block. Such a method is more easily performed than integrally moulding a block with an irregular surface.
While others have moulded decorative surfaces to prefabricated building blocks, as in U.S. 2,629,135, such surfaces simulating inter alia natural stone, the moulding methods used are impractical in today's economy and do not reproduce the surface of natural stone with sufficient fidelity to satisfy the demands of today's consumer.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a building block having a decorative profile with irregularities and undercuts capable of simulating natural stone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a building block having at least one face which is textured, the method comprising the following steps:
- selecting a prefabricated building block having at least one face prepared 21599~1 for receiving a facing material, said face having a series of undercuts adapted to mechanically lock facing material applied to the face;
- selecting a prefabricated mould having an interior surface dimensioned to receive said face of the building block and having a selected profile adapted to impart a desired texture to the block face, the mould being made from elastomeric material;
applying a selected quantity of mouldable facing material to the said interior surface of the mould;
pressing the block into the mould so that said face is brought into intimate contact with said facing material;
allowing the facing material to set for a predetermined time sufficient to lose substantial plasticity; and separating the building block from the mould by peeling said elastomeric material away from the set facing material.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mould is made from silicone rubber having a decorative profile made using a natural stone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The method of the invention and the resulting advantages achieved from fabricating a building block in accordance with the method of the invention are described below with reference to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a building block made in accordance with the invention;
Figs 2-7 are schematic drawings showing a series of steps in manufacturing a building block according to the invention, including a cross-sectional view through a mould of silicone rubber supported in a wooden tray and a side elevation of a prefabricated concrete block oriented so that a bottom face has a series of dovetailed undercuts;
Fig 8. is a schematic flowchart showing the steps of the method of the invention corresponding to Figs. 2-7;
Fig. 9 is a schematic drawing similar to Figs. 2-7 showing an alternative 21599~1 step in a method according to the invention;
Fig. 10 shows a first series of exemplary profiles applied to blocks of the same size drawn as elevational views;
Fig. 11 is a schematic elevational view of an exemplary wall constructed with the blocks of Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 shows a second series of exemplary profiles applied to blocks of different sizes drawn as elevational views; and Fig. 13 is a schematic elevational view of a wall constructed using the blocks of Fig. 12.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring firstly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a building block generally indicated by numeral 20 and made in accordance with the invention. It will be seen that the block 20 comprises a prefabricated concrete block 22 to which has been applied a textured facing 24 which simulates natural stone.
The method of fabricating such a block 20 will now be described with reference to Figs 2-8. Fig. 2 shows a tray 26 made of wood comprising a base 28 and side walls 30 fixed to the perimeter of the base 28 so as to inscribe a rectangle (not shown).
A silicone rubber mould 32 rests inside the tray 26 and has outside ~imencionS which substantially match the inside ~limencions of the tray, as drawn. An interior surface 34 of the mould opposite from the base 28 is textured to have a selected profile created from natural stone during fabrication of the mould 32. A release agent 36 is sprayed on the interior surface of the mould and may, for example, comprise Sunoco 65X Formoil Compound.
The mould 32 is preferably made from an elastomeric material so that it will not only penetrate irregular surfaces, it will peel away from such surfaces for reuse.
A convenient material is Dow Corning's Silicone RS2 ~ (?).
The steps of Fig. 2 are summarized in item 38 of Fig. 8.
After preparation of the mould 32, a mouldable facing material 40 is poured into the mould 32. The nature of the facing material will vary in accordance with architectural preference. Conveniently, the material will comprise 20-30% cement;
60-70% aggregate; and about 10% water. A suitable aggregate will comprise concrete sand, No. 4 sieve -3/16". The quantity of facing material provided in the mould will vary as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Typically, the facing material will occupy one-half the height of the mould 32. This step of the process is schematically illustrated in item 42 of Fig. 8.
The prefabricated block 22 is typically made of concrete material and has a hollow interior which conveniently results in a lighter block which is less costly to transport and requires less material to fabricate. In some applications, the hollow interior of the block may be filled with vapour barriers or insulating material after assembly into a wall or other architectural element. It will be noted that one face 44 of the block 22 has a series of undercuts having a dovetailed profile. This profile is adapted to mechanically interlock with the facing material 40 when it has cured sufficiently to lose substantial plasticity.
This step of the process is schematically illustrated by item 46 in Fig. 8.
It will be understood that some of the facing material 40 will exit the mould 32 as shown by arrow 48 in Fig. 5, as a result of applying pressure to the block 22 and agitating the block 22 in the mould 32 as indicated by arrows 47. Item 50 in Fig. 8 corresponds. The excess facing 40 material indicated by arrow 48 is removed, conveniently with a wiping cloth.
The facing material 40 must be allowed to set for a predetermined time sufficient for the facing material to lose its plasticity and maintain (limencional stability.
Typically, a period of 16-24 hours is required depending on the nature of the mix and the ambient temperature and moisture conditions. It will be understood that full curing of the mix takes place outside the mould and may take up to 28 days. It is expected that the facing material will have acquired 50-60% of its potential strength in the afore-mentioned 16-24 hour period. The partial curing of the facing material is schematically illustrated in Fig. 6 and by item 52 in Fig. 8.
When the required time for partial curing of the facing material 40 has lapsed, the block 22 is withdrawn from the tray 26. The mould 32 will naturally part from the tray 26 and adhere to the face 44 of the prefabricated block 22. The mould 21$99q~
..
32 may then be grasped at one end and simply be peeled away from the block 22 for reuse in another tray. It is expected that a mould made from silicone rubber could be reused in such a process about 1,000 times. This step of the process is schematically illustrated in Fig. 7 and by item 54 in Fig. 8. Any excess residue on the block may be cleaned off and the fresh textured surface 24 is allowed to cure more fully in an ambient environment.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, schematically drawn in Fig.
9, a prefabricated block 60 having a face 62 with undercuts is placed in a mould 64 so that the face 62 is vertically disposed and spaced from the corresponding sidewall 66.
Facing material 68 is added to the mould after placing the block 60 into the mould. As in the previously-described embodiment, the mould 64 is supported in a wooden tray 70. The tray 70 may be made of other material strong enough to support the mouldand the block, wood being selected mainly for reasons of economy.
It will be understood that the method illustrated in Figs. 1-7 and 9 respectively may be combined to provide a decorative textured face to more than one face of a prefabricated block.
In fabricating the mould 32, a single natural stone face may be used or other equivalent textured surface. Such a face is schematically shown by item 1 in Fig.
10. Alternatively, the mould 32 could simulate the appearance of a plurality of stones spaced from each other by mortared joints. Such variations of the mould 32 are schematically illustrated by items 2-6 in Fig. 10.
It will be understood that blocks made according to the invention having a decorative face corresponding to any one of the faces represented in items 1-6 of Fig.
10 may be mixed and matched as illustrated in Fig. 11 to produce a wall 72 having an irregular appearance which simulates a wall constructed from natural stone having different sizes with the added convenience of simply laying blocks of uniform ~limencions.
Alternatively, blocks of varying sizes shown in Fig. 12 may have a decorative face simulating a single stone applied to a respective face of the prefabricated block to produce a wall 74 as shown in Fig. 13 which will have an even more convincing natural appearance.
21599~1 .
It will be understood that several variations may be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without departure from the scope of the appended claims, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
It will, of course, be understood that the prefabricated block need not be made from concrete and could, itself, be a brick or some other premoulde~ construction block which need not be hollow.
While the foregoing examples have described the application of the method of the invention for simulating stone, other textured surfaces may be applied using the method of the invention. In particular, the method of the invention is suitable for producing irregular textures having undercuts which otherwise are difficult to mould using rigid materials.
While silicone rubber has been found to be particularly suitable for fabrication of the mould, other elastomers, including polyurethane, may provide the same advantages.
Claims (5)
1. A method of manufacturing a building block having at least one face which is textured, the method comprising the following steps:
- selecting a prefabricated building block having at least one face prepared for receiving a facing material, said face having a series of undercuts adapted to mechanically lock facing material applied to the face;
- selecting a prefabricated mould having an interior surface dimensioned to receive said face of the building block and having a selected profile adapted to impart a desired texture to the block face, the mould being made from elastomeric material;
applying a selected quantity of mouldable facing material to the said interior surface of the mould;
pressing the block into the mould so that said face is brought into intimate contact with said facing material;
allowing the facing material to set for a predetermined time sufficient to lose substantial plasticity; and separating the building block from the mould by peeling said elastomeric material away from the set facing material.
- selecting a prefabricated building block having at least one face prepared for receiving a facing material, said face having a series of undercuts adapted to mechanically lock facing material applied to the face;
- selecting a prefabricated mould having an interior surface dimensioned to receive said face of the building block and having a selected profile adapted to impart a desired texture to the block face, the mould being made from elastomeric material;
applying a selected quantity of mouldable facing material to the said interior surface of the mould;
pressing the block into the mould so that said face is brought into intimate contact with said facing material;
allowing the facing material to set for a predetermined time sufficient to lose substantial plasticity; and separating the building block from the mould by peeling said elastomeric material away from the set facing material.
2. Method according to Claim 1 in which the prefabricated building block comprises a hollow core concrete block.
3. Method according to Claim 1 in which the mould is made from silicone rubber.
4. Method according to Claim 1 in which the interior face of the mould simulates the appearance of natural stone.
5. Method according to Claim 1 in which the facing material is allowed to set for a period of 16-24 hours.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US32102994A | 1994-10-06 | 1994-10-06 | |
| US08/321,029 | 1994-10-06 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2159941A1 true CA2159941A1 (en) | 1996-04-07 |
Family
ID=23248870
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2159941 Abandoned CA2159941A1 (en) | 1994-10-06 | 1995-10-05 | Building block |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2159941A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US10883267B2 (en) * | 2017-01-25 | 2021-01-05 | E.P. Henry Corporation | Method and apparatus for double faced wall |
-
1995
- 1995-10-05 CA CA 2159941 patent/CA2159941A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US10883267B2 (en) * | 2017-01-25 | 2021-01-05 | E.P. Henry Corporation | Method and apparatus for double faced wall |
| US11802406B2 (en) | 2017-01-25 | 2023-10-31 | Since 1903, Inc. | Method and apparatus for double faced wall |
| US11879248B2 (en) | 2017-01-25 | 2024-01-23 | Since 1903, Inc. | Method and apparatus for double faced wall |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |