GB2243628A - Hollow brick - Google Patents

Abstract

A hollow brick having a reduced weight and a heat-insulating function is provided. The hollow brick is of generally rectangular cross section with 6 side surfaces 21 to 26 and is provided with a plurality of hollow spaces 31, 32 and 33 which are isolated from all of the side surfaces and which contain stagnant air serving as a heat-insulating medium. <IMAGE>

Description

HOLLOW BRICK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a brick, and more particularly to a hollow one.

The brick generally being of rectangular crosssection is solid and has a particular size to have the length, width and depth in the ratio of 4:2:1. Such brick plays an extremely important role in building a wall or a building and can find the following shortcomings: 1) Since the brick is solid, it is relatively hard to transport and work with the brick.

2) Since the brick has a continuous structure, it does not have a good heat-insulating ability. For example, in summertime, the indoor air of a room having a bricked wall receiving and reflecting the sunlight is smotherily hot.

In an effort to overcoming the above shortcomings, it has been proposed that the bricks should have vertical or longitudinal through hollow spaces or holes of circular or rectangular crosssection as shown in one of Figs. 1 - 4.

Such bricks are not actually practical since every two adjacent side surfaces of two relevant adjacent bricks must be applied with a connecting cement which will flow into the hollow spaces or holes so that the worker cannot perfectly or efficiently build a wall. By the same token, a flush wall surface cannot be easily obtained at the area where holes of the brick are directed to the wall surface.

It is therefore that such bricks are not extensively put into use.

It is therefore attempted by the Applicant to deal with the above situation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a brick having a reduced weight to facilitate the transportation therefor.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a brick having a good heat-insulating function.

It is additional an object of the present invention to provide a brick achieving the above two objects not at the sacrifice of use convenience.

According to the present invention, a hollow brick generally has 6 side surfaces and at least a hollow space wherein the feature is that the hollow space is isolated from any of the 6 side surfaces.

The present invention may best be understood through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Figs.1-4 are perspective views respectively showing 4 hollow bricks according to the prior art; Fig.5 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment according to the present invention; Fig.6 is a perspective sectional view taken along line 6-6 in Fig.5; and Fig.7 is a perspective sectional view taken along line 7-7 in Fig.5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring how to Figs. 5-7, a preferred embodiment of a brick 20 according to the present invention being generally of rectangular crosssection includes 6 side surfaces 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 and 3 hollow spaces 31, 32 and 33 which are of rectangular cross section and are isolated from one another and from any of side surfaces 21-26. Each hollow space 31, 32, or 33 has 6 side surfaces respectively parallel to side surfaces 21-26.

Two transverse areas 34, 35 of brick 20 respectively divide apart hollow spaces 31, 32 and 32, 33 and have a thickness Xl. The shortest distances between side surface 25 and hollow space 31 as well as side surface 26 and hollow space 33 are X2. The shortest distance between hollow spare 31,32 or 33 and side surface 21 or 22 is X3.

Hollow space 31, 32 or 33 has a length, a width and a height respectively being Y1, Y2 and Y3. The values of X1, X2, X3, Y1, Y2 and Y3 can be determined by optimally considering both factors of the strength and the weight of brick 20.

Since hollow spaces 31, 32 and 33 contain therein stagnant air, side surfaces 21 and 22, 23 and 24, or 25 and 26 are heat-insulated to a satisfactory degree from each other.

Through the above description, it should now be readily apparent how and why the present invention can achieve the objects it contemplates. It should be noted that the brick needs only receive the static pressure so that the strength factor is nearly negligible since the major pressure in a building is taken mainly by summers nowadays and the brick usually only serves for dividing purpose. Further, since the present brick 20 is heat-insulating, it will save the power required for air-conditioning.

Claims (6)

1. A hollow brick having 6 side surfaces and at least one hollow space, wherein said hollow space is isolated from all of said side surfaces.

2. A hollow brick according to Claim 1, wherein said hollow space is of rectangular cross section.

3. A hollow brick according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, comprising at least two hollow spaces isolated from all of said side surfaces.

4. A hollow brick according to Claim 3, wherein said hollow spaces are isolated from each other.

5. A hollow brick according to Claim 4, wherein each of said hollow spaces is of rectangular cross section and has 6 side surfaces respectively parallel to said 6 side surfaces of said hollow brick.

6. A brick substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.