EP0232644A1 - Constructional element for assembly by linkage - Google Patents

Abstract

The constructional element is intended to be assembled with other similar elements and is of the type comprising an upper face 1, lateral faces 2 and 3 and ends 4 equipped with linkage members 11 and 12. Each end 4 has an oblong recess 10 over the entire height of the element, which is located between two linkage members 11 and 12 and which extends obliquely relative to the lateral faces 2 and 3 over a length l corresponding substantially to the width of a human hand, the major oblique axes of the two recesses 10 of the two ends 4 and 5 of one and the same element being in parallel. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a construction element intended to be assembled with other similar ones by embedding members situated on its end faces (or "ends").

It allows vertical masonry joints to be made if desired, but it also makes it possible to do without it thanks to its design which provides advantages both in solidity and in sealing.

All masonry, including particular masonry such as that which consists of double or composite walls, can be made with this element, the installation of which provides a significant saving of time and, therefore, leads to a reduction in the cost of mounting.

Document GB-A-140 066 is known which describes a construction element having end faces provided with embedding members in relief and in hollow respectively. Two juxtaposed elements are blocked laterally thanks to the interpenetration of the embedding members of the facing ends. In practice, such an element is unusable because it is very difficult to handle. However, the presence of the embedding members requires delicate and precise handling. We understand that it is impossible to place one element next to another and then push it to make it rip because the elements are placed on a layer of mortar. The correct positioning of such an element therefore requires it to be placed vertically by sliding the embedding members into each other. However, this can only be obtained by maintaining the element by its external faces: either its lateral faces, or its ends. It is necessary to eliminate the case of the lethal faces because, in practice, the mason is on one side of the wall to be assembled and cannot be placed astride or take any other fanciful position. There remains therefore the grip by the ends or, according to a usual more practical gesture, by two opposite corners. But we have just shown that the embedding members must be engaged from the start of the movement of pose, so that the mason should hold the element only by its upper part, unrealistic operation if we know that such an element weighs about 25 kilos if it is hollow and up to 40 kilos if it is full .

It should be noted that even when hollow, such an element must have a full upper face and that the mason cannot use the internal walls since there is no access to it.

Document DE-A-2 315 384 is also known, which describes a simple parallelepipedic construction element, each end of which is provided with a central recess thanks to which the mason can manipulate the block by placing his hands against the ends, helped in this by holes in which he puts his thumbs.

However, such an element cannot include embedding members on the ends for lack of space. It is in fact conceivable on the one hand that the recess of the ends must have a length at least equal to the width of a rather large human hand and on the other hand that the embedding members, to have a significant role, must have minimum dimensions: the recess must be at least 10 centimeters and the embedding members at least 5 centimeters on either side of the recess. The absolute minimum is therefore just over 20 centimeters for the width of the element.

However, the standard elements have a width of fifteen or twenty centimeters and must comply with existing standards. Any increase in width would in any case result in an increase in the quantity of material, an increase in weight and an increase in price. It is therefore impossible to combine the arrangements described in the two documents cited above to produce a construction element which meets practical requirements and comprising both embedding members and means for gripping by the ends.

The present invention precisely makes it possible to achieve such a combination by providing a solution to this insoluble problem.

Furthermore, the implementation of small traditional building elements called "symmetrical" generally involves the filling of vertical joints, they do not fit. Certain "non-symmetrical" interlocking products can be assembled without seals vertical, but they impose a lateral laying direction, which complicates their handling. Even if they are "symmetrical", they do not leave the possibility of making a vertical joint during assembly, which is necessary in particular in the case of narrow trumeaux, that is to say of short walls.

The building element according to the invention overcomes these drawbacks. It indeed has a particular geometry thanks to which the elements remain symmetrical.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a construction element intended to be assembled with other similar ones, of the type comprising an upper face, lateral faces and butt ends provided with embedding members, characterized in that each about has an oblong recess over the entire height of the element, which is located between two embedding members and which extends obliquely with respect to the lateral faces according to a length corresponding substantially to the width of a human hand, the large oblique axes of the two recesses of the two ends of the same element being parallel.

According to other characteristics of the invention:
- the embedding members located on either side of the recess are projecting from it, those located on one side being in relief and those located on the other side being hollow;
- the oblique vertical wall which determines each recess concurs at an acute angle with a vertical wall of an embedding member by forming a vertical edge set back relative to the most protruding parts of the end piece, which are sections located in vertical planes perpendicular to the planes of the lateral faces;
- The upper face has two holes located near the recesses and preferably in the longitudinal axis of the element;
- The side faces have vertical grooves opening to the outside through narrower slots.

The structure of the end faces has been studied to allow mounting by embedding, without lateral laying direction, the recess arranged on the two end faces allows an implementation without bodily risk, the elements are placed contiguous, the adjustment is automatic, the area for filling the vertical joints is then delimited. The seals can be filled or not. If the installation is planned with vertical joints not filled, the airtightness of the masonry is favored. In effect, the side walls of the element are not designed on the same plane unlike small traditional "symmetrical" elements, thus avoiding a bridging effect, by creating baffles. The manufactured elements obtained according to the invention are compatible with the operation of an industrial production and automatic palletizing device.

• La figure 1 est une vue schématique avec coupe horizontale par­tielle et montrant la face d'about d'un élément selon l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue schématique partielle montrant l'encas­trement des faces d'about de deux éléments selon l'invention juxtaposés.
• La figure 3 est une vue schématique en coupe verticale transver­sale de deux éléments selon l'invention superposés.
• La figure 4 est une vue schématique avec coupe partielle illus­trant une variante adaptée à la réalisation de certains types de murs, notamment de faible épaisseur.
• La figure 5 est une vue schématique partielle montrant une face d'about de l'élément de la figure 4.

The invention will be better understood from the detailed description below made with reference to the accompanying drawing. Of course, the description and the drawing are given only by way of an indicative and nonlimiting example.

• Figure 1 is a schematic view with partial horizontal section and showing the end face of an element according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a partial schematic view showing the embedding of the end faces of two elements according to the invention juxtaposed.
• Figure 3 is a schematic view in vertical cross section of two elements according to the invention superimposed.
• Figure 4 is a schematic view with partial section illustrating a variant suitable for the production of certain types of walls, especially thin.
• FIG. 5 is a partial schematic view showing an end face of the element in FIG. 4.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, it can be seen that an element according to the invention has an upper face 1, two lateral faces 2 and 3 and two end faces (or "ends") 4 and 5, the face lower here being only virtual because the element is hollow and has interior partitions respectively longitudinal 6 and transverse 7 and 8 which create cells opening out under the element.

The structure of an end face 4 or 5 of an element according to the invention comprises a recess 10 located between the embedding members 11 and 12 located projecting from the recess 10. The members 11 are hollow and the members 12 are in relief, their shapes being complementary.

The embedding members 11 comprise a pan 13 perpendicular to the lateral face 2, an oblique face 14, a bottom 15 parallel to the pan 13 and another oblique face 16 which forms an acute angle with the wall 17 of the recess 10, along a vertical edge 18.

The embedding members 12 comprise a pan 20 perpendicular to the lateral face 3, an oblique face 21, another pan 22 parallel to the previous one and another oblique face 23 which is connected to the rounded bottom 24 of the recess 10.

When two elements are juxtaposed, the members 11 of one receive the members 12 of the other and vice versa. Their respective dimensions must therefore be coordinated: the pan 13 has the same width as that of the pan 20, the oblique faces 14 and 16 are equal to the oblique faces 21 and 23, the bottom 15 is equal to the pan 22. These provisions are shown in Figure 2, while taking into account the need for a certain play. It is therefore necessary that the set in relief 21-22-23 is a little smaller than the set in hollow 14-15- 16 for example.

The length l of the recess 10 is less than the useful length L of two recesses 10 placed face to face, as can be seen in FIG. 2, due to their offset. This arrangement makes it possible to create a vertical opening in which the mason can leave his hand without risk of injury. The obliquity of this opening is particularly favorable for gripping the element because the mason can easily, with the palm of his hands, orient the element angularly for perfect positioning. This coincides with the habit of masons to take a rectangular element by two diagonal angles in order to be able to easily orient the element.

The separation between the two elements in place is done on offset planes by forming baffles. Thanks to this, it is possible to avoid providing vertical joints because the baffles, avoiding any bridging effect, favor the airtightness of the finished wall. If we used traditional elements, parallelepipedic without built-in bodies ment, the absence of a vertical joint would allow air to pass freely from one face of the wall to the other and, in addition, would create a deplorable effect since the eye would perceive the light passing through the inevitable intervals between elements.

Near each recess 10, there is a hole 25 which crosses the upper face 1 and which opens next to the vertical walls of the element. In this way, the mason can engage his thumb in the hole 25 by placing his hand in the recess 10, his palm flat against the wall 17, and can thus benefit from the clamping effect resulting from the combined action of the fingers of the hand and thumb, which gives it more strength and more safety.

It is advantageous that the hole 25 is located in the longitudinal axis of the element to ensure the equilibrium of the latter while avoiding any tilting effect when it is raised because the installation of an element in accordance with the The invention is preferably made, as mentioned above, by sliding it from top to bottom to insert it into the mortar 26, still fresh, previously placed on the lower element (FIG. 3).

In order to comply with this condition, despite the presence of the median longitudinal partition 6, an oblique partition 27, substantially perpendicular to the wall 17, is provided between the transverse partition 7-8 and the end wall 17 of the recess 10.

The sides 13 and 22 are located in the same plane in order to constitute supports for the usual self-tightening clamps which equip known automatic palletizing machines and which must hold the element by tightening.

The edge 18 is set back relative to the plane of the sides 13 and 22 so that it is not touched by the handling clamps or damaged by shocks because it is obviously quite fragile. If this edge 18 were replaced by a panel, the recess 10 would be shorter. If the wall 17 was connected to the bottom 15, the oblique face 16 would be eliminated and the element would only be held on one side, which is obviously not suitable.

Whether the element is hollow or solid, the execution of masonry, in accordance with the regulations, has horizontal joints 26. In order to produce the upper row, after finishing the lower row, it remains to extend on the upper face 1 a mortar bed 26. The implementation is simplified, the assembly '', progressively, using the traditional tools of the mason. In the case of masonry of the dry-mounted "shuttering block" type or of "insulating shuttering blocks", the end face according to the invention remains suitable. The simplicity of installation guarantees an irreproachable masonry and does not require any particular qualification.

It is in particular possible to provide a corner element which comprises two end faces no longer parallel but perpendicular.

Masonry of the double wall, composite or attached wall type is usually fixed by sealed fasteners, as and when it is mounted, in the mortar of the horizontal joints 26. The variant of FIGS. 4 and 5 is adapted to an element width in concrete lower than that of the element in Figures 1 to 3, for example fifteen centimeters instead of twenty. These narrower elements are used when, in the known manner, a particular masonry is adapted after the installation of the elements. The side walls 1 and 2 are then provided with several vertical grooves 30 distributed so that the mechanical resistance of the element and its air tightness are not impaired. These grooves 30 are intended to receive fasteners (not shown) of any known type, the number of which is determined according to the type of walls chosen. They include an inner part 31 which opens to the outside through a narrower slot 32 so that the fasteners can be inserted or removed by vertical sliding and that they cannot move perpendicular to the faces 2 and 3. These fasteners serve to maintain coatings or other complementary element. When they are inserted into the grooves 30, the position of the appropriate fasteners can be adjusted in height. The wide part 31, in addition, opposes the initiation of cracks and to preserve the solidity of the element, the grooves are arranged in line with the transverse partitions 7-8.

FIG. 5 represents, in top view, the detail of a face end of an element with a width of about fifteen centimeters. The thickness of the masonry wall is narrower, hence the design of different details on the end face compared to those shown in Figures 1 and 2. The angles which alternate the raised parts and the recessed areas are different from those of the element of Figures 1 and 2, and first of all the angle that the wall 17 of the recess 10 makes in order to still allow the mason to place his hands in the recesses 10 of the two ends. They are between 30 and 150 °. The recess 10 is proportionally more hollowed out than that shown in Figures 1 and 2. It is always located between two projecting parts, one in hollow 11 and the other 12 in relief. The bottom 24 is offset laterally and is connected to the oblique face 23 by a straight line wall 28 at an angle of about 60 °. Given the small thickness of the element (about fifteen centimeters), it is no longer necessary to provide a longitudinal partition 6.

The actual execution of different masonry by assembling built-in elements, with or without vertical joint, is the same as with elements of the type of Figures 1 and 2.

The invention contributes to further improving the quality of masonry works.

It is possible to pour vertical joints constituting the posts, after installation of the elements, in the vertical spaces formed by the openings born from the juxtaposition of two recesses 10. This is recommended for short walls for example.

Claims (5)

1- Construction element intended to be assembled with other similar ones, of the type comprising an upper face (1), lateral faces (2 and 3) and ends (4 and 5) provided with embedding members (11 and 12), characterized in that each butt (4-5) has an oblong recess (10) over the entire height of the element, which is located between two embedding members (11 and 12) and which extends obliquely to the side faces (2 and 3) along a length ( l ) corresponding substantially to the width of a human hand, the major oblique axes of the two recesses (10) of the two ends (4 and 5) of the same element being parallel. 2- element according to claim 1, characterized in that the embedding members (11 and 12) located on either side of the recess (10) are projecting from it, those (12) located d 'one side being in relief and those (11) located on the other side being hollow. 3- element according to claim 1, characterized in that the oblique vertical wall (17) which determines each recess (10) concurs at an acute angle with a vertical wall (16) of an embedding member by forming a vertical edge (18) set back relative to the most protruding parts of the end piece (4-5), which are sections (13 and 22) located in vertical planes perpendicular to the planes of the side faces 2 and 3). 4- Element according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper face has two holes (25) located near the recesses (10) and preferably in the longitudinal axis of the element. 5- Element according to claim 1, characterized in that the side faces (2 and 3) have vertical grooves (30) opening to the outside by narrower slots (32).

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