GB2304129A - Building blocks with open channel to form conduit - Google Patents

Abstract

A building block comprising at least one open channel 52 formed at the time of the block's manufacture in at least one of a vertical front wall and a vertical rear wall of said block, and alignment means provided on a top surface and a bottom surface of said block such that said at least one channel in respective adjacent bricks may be aligned when, in use, a wall is assembled from a plurality of said blocks. The channel may be for electric wiring; a recess 54 may be provided for a socket.

Description

BUILDING BLOCKS This invention relates to building blocks.

As is customary, building blocks such as bricks, concrete blocks or thermal insulation blocks for example, are used to construct a multitude of different structures.

Once assembled, these prior art building blocks need to be finished via a variety of different processes before the structure is complete. In particular, internal and external walls of the completed structures need to have channels or grooves cut in a surface thereof to enable piping or electrical wiring, which may be in a conduit, to be hidden beneath the surface of the wall when plastered.

Typically, all of these channels are cut by hand into the building blocks upon completion of the structure's assembly. This manual process is typically undertaken by an individual equipped with a powered machine, e.g. a Disc Cutter, a Stone Router, a Pneumatic Chisel or, on minor work, a hammer and chisel.

This method is the accepted way of cutting channels in interior or exterior walls throughout the building industry. As will be immediately apparent when one considers the large amount of electrical wiring and plumbing within a modern home or office, this process is extremely time consuming and laborious. Furthermore, this process is also environmentally unsound.

Indeed, this process is so potentially harmful to the health of operators that the Health and Safety Executive has issued strict guidelines regarding the proper procedures that should be adopted when cutting conduit channels in walls. It is recommended that the operator is equipped with safety glasses, a safety helmet, hearing protection and respiratory protection equipment. In addition, when a powered tool is used, a dust extraction system is required to control dust emissions. Such guidelines and legal requirements greatly increase the expense and inconvenience of what should be a relatively simple operation.

These matters have been brought to a head by recent legislation, in particular the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994, which has been adopted by both the United Kingdom Government and European countries as required by Council Directive 92/57/EEC. These bodies, amongst others, have noted that prior art chiselling and cutting methods are extremely time consuming, labour intensive and pose a significant hazard to health from the dust, noise and vibrations arising from the operations. The above mentioned regulations have imposed a duty upon designers, architects and the like to avoid any such processes if possible.

In addition, recent environmental concerns have added to the general dissatisfaction with the prior art method as a large amount of unnecessary industrial waste is created by this process. The industrial waste chiefly comprises bits of building block and dust that have been cut from the channel and often also comprises broken blocks which have been fractured as a result of the channelling process. This industrial waste needs to be collected and removed from the completed structures prior to its disposal.

A number of different systems have been previously proposed to alleviate these problems. For example, United Kingdom Patent No. 470,953 discloses a system wherein a vertical open groove is formed in the face of a hollow block. The groove being provided for the purpose of fitting conduits, pipework etc. therein after a wall has been constructed from the blocks.

These blocks, whilst alleviating the problems associated with channel cutting in blocks, have not been commercially exploited as it is difficult for workers in the field to accurately align the blocks so that a channel in one block is in alignment with channels in neighbouring blocks. As a consequence, construction workers are still utilising traditional methods to cut channels in building blocks.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a building block comprising at least one open channel formed at the time of the block's manufacture in at least one of a vertical front wall and a vertical rear wall of the block, and alignment formations provided on a top surface and a bottom surface of the block such that said at least one channel in respective vertically adjacent blocks may be aligned when, in use, a wall is assembled from a plurality of said blocks.

In this way, the present invention reduces the need for any chiselling or cutting process whilst also providing a means for accurate alignment of adjoining blocks and their channels. Thus, the present invention provides a simple, convenient arrangement for enclosing wiring, pipework or other conduits within a wall.

In one embodiment, the block may comprise a second open channel formed in at least one of the vertical front and rear walls.

In this case, each of the channels may run substantially vertically along said block and substantially perpendicular to the top wall and the bottom wall of the block.

Alternatively, each of the channels may run substantially horizontally along said block and substantially in parallel to the top wall and the bottom wall of the block.

As a further alternative, each of the channels may run across at least one of the front and rear walls and at angles other than horizontal or perpendicular to the top wall of the block.

In any of the above embodiments, the at least one channels may run in parallel or may run in different directions.

In another embodiment, the block may comprise at least one socket depression formed at the time of the block's manufacture in at least one of the front and rear walls, the socket depression being connected to said at least one channel.

In this case, a third channel may be provided for linking a socket depression in the front wall of the block to a socket depression in the rear wall of the block.

Preferably, the at least one depression is approximately 8cm in height and approximately 15cm in length, and the at least one channel is sized so as to accept electrical wiring therewithin i.e. approximately 3cm in width and approximately 1.5cm in depth. Alternatively, the at least one channel may be sized so as to accept fluid piping therewithin.

In any of the above embodiments, the alignment formations may comprise at least one projection on the top surface of the block and at least one depression on the bottom surface of the block, the at least one projection being matable with at least one depression on a bottom surface of an adjacent upper block and the at least one depression being matable with at least one projection on a top surface of an adjacent lower block.

Alternatively and/or additionally, the alignment formations may comprise at least one depression on the top surface of the block and at least one projection on the bottom surface of the block, the at least one depression being matable with at least one projection on a bottom surface of an adjacent upper block and the at least one projection being matable with at least one depression on a top surface of an adjacent lower block.

In either case, it is preferred that the height of the at least one projection is greater than the depth of the at least one depression so that a gap is provided when the at least one projection on a first block is mated with the at least one depression on a second adjacent block.

In any of the above embodiments, a member may be provided within the at least one channel thereby to provide ducting for air-conditioning, heating or wiring purposes. The member may have a substantially "U" shaped cross-section. In this case, a pushfit cover may be provided to close the open face of the substantially "U" shaped member. The member may have a roughened outer surface which frictionally engages a surface of the channel thereby to retain the member within the channel.

Alternatively or in addition to, the member may be retained within the channel by releasable fixing means which fix the member within the channel.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a building block using a mould, the method comprising: (a) filing said mould with a liquified material from which said block is to be formed, said mould having a plurality of raised members sized to produce at least one channel of a desired size and shape in a vertical front or back wall of said block and to produce alignment formations in a top surface and a bottom surface of said block; (b) allowing said liquified material to harden; and (c) removing the hardened brick from said mould.

The mould may be provided with a further raised member, the further member being sized so as to produce at least one depression in a vertical front or back wall of the block, the depression being connected to the at least one channel.

The above mentioned method may be used to manufacture a building block having any of the features described above. Blocks may also be manufactured by other processes such as extrusion or forming, for example.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the appended drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts, and in which; Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a building block according to a first embodiment; Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a building block according to a second embodiment; Figure 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a building block according to a third embodiment; Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 show schematic perspective views of walls that have been fabricated utilising blocks according to a variety of the various embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3;; Figure 8 illustrates an enclosure suitable for use with a block according to any of the above embodiments, and Figure 9 illustrates such an enclosure when placed within a wall constructed from blocks according to any of the above embodiments.

With reference to Figure 1, a building block 10 according to a first embodiment of the present arrangement is illustrated. The building block 10 has a top 16, a base (not visible), four sides 18 (two of which are visible), a projection 11 and a depression 13. Mortar may be applied to the top 16 and the bottom so as to enable a plurality of such building blocks to be fastened together. In this embodiment, a channel 12 has been formed, at the time of the building block's manufacture, in a side 18 of the building block 10. A second channel 14 has been formed, also at the time of the block's manufacture, in the opposing side of the block.

It should be understood, that a building block is intended to encompass any kind of modular building material. Building blocks include concrete slabs, breeze blocks, concrete blocks, thermal insulation blocks, hollow blocks, preformed concrete sections, bricks and other materials such as plastic, wood-based or plaster, for example. Furthermore, it should be noted that the precise location of the channel in the face of the building block is also not essential. It is only preferable that the spacing of these channels in the face of the building block be consistent throughout the manufacturing process and the manufacture of other building blocks.

Figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the present arrangement. In this case, a building block 20 has been preformed, at the time of its manufacture, with four channels 22, 24, 26 and 28 - two channels each in a front and back wall of the building block 20 - two projections 21 and two depressions 23.

Figure 3 illustrates a third embodiment of the present arrangement. A building block 30 has been formed with a large socket depression 34 in a front face thereof.

The socket depression 34 is connected to a top and bottom surface of the block 30 by way of channels 32 and 36, and to a side face of the block by way of a channel 35.

A further channel 37 is provided that passes through the block from the socket depression 34 to a similar socket depression provided on a rear face of the block. In this way, the large socket depression may be sized so as to accept, in close cooperation, an electric socket, an appliance socket or other device, and the channel 37 allows wiring etc. to be passed from one socket depression in the block to the other.

As in the previous figures, the block is provided with a projection 31 on the top surface of the block and a depression 32 on the bottom surface of the block.

The projections 11, 21 and 31 and depressions 13, 23 and 33 provide a convenient means for enabling accurate alignment of the blocks. In use, the projections on the top surface of a block mate with the depressions on a bottom surface of an adjoining block so that the channels in each block are accurately aligned.

The height of the projection may be greater than the depth of the depression so that when assembled, there is a gap between the bottom surface of one block and the top surface of an adjoining block, the gap being of a suitable thickness to enable the provision a good mortar joint between the blocks. For example, the gap may be between approximately 10 and 15 millimetres.

Whilst only the abovementioned projection/depression alignment means is described in any great detail herein, it should be noted that a variety of alternative arrangements may be employed instead. These alternative arrangements include dowel and socket arrangements, locating spacers and other locating means. The dowel or spacer may be removable so that the blocks have no projecting surfaces that may be damaged during transport. In use, one end of the dowel would locate in a socket in a top surface of a block and the other end of the dowel would locate in a socket in a bottom surface of an adjoining block. Whilst this arrangement would adequately align the blocks, it may be somewhat difficult to locate the blocks in practice, and thus, it is preferred that projections/depressions similar to those shown in the figures are provided. These projections/depressions have the advantage of being relatively large which facilitates location and reduces the effect that any damage to the projections/depressions might have on the location process. Whilst the depressions/projections have been shown as having an approximately "U" shaped cross section, it will be appreciated that alternatively shaped depressions/projections may be provided instead. For example, the projections/depressions may have a square, rectangular or triangular cross section.

The spacer may comprise a block of resilient material having a peg protruding from an upper and a lower face thereof. In this way, the pegs may be located within suitable holed in neighbouring blocks, the resilient block serving to maintain a suitable gap between adjacent blocks. Other arrangements of locating spacer will also be apparent.

The above mentioned Figures show channels suitable for accommodating electrical wiring, conduits, sockets and the like. It should be noted, however, that the present embodiments are not be limited to the type of wiring or piping to be hidden beneath the surface of the completed wall. Embodiments of the building block may also be utilised to hide water pipes, central heating pipes, gas pipes or any other form of conduit or expanded metal closure for surface coating or to provide enclosed channels for ventilation, heating, air extraction and the like. Expanded metal closures greatly facilitate the adhesion of plaster to the wall, as they provide a roughened outer surface to which the plaster may easily adhere. It will be apparent, however, that adjustments to the size and shape of the channels may be necessary to snugly accommodate the chosen piping or fitting.However, any such adjustments would be made in the manufacturing process of the building block and would not generally be undertaken on a building site.

In one embodiment, the channel forms an air conduit for air-conditioning or heating purposes. In this embodiment, a flexible member of approximately "U" shaped cross-section is placed within the channel so that the open side of the member faces the block. In this way, an open air channel is formed between the member and the block. Alternatively, the member may be a flexible hollow pipe or expanded metal fitting. The assembled wall may then be finished by plastering over the member in the normal way. The outside of the member may be roughened to improve adhesion between the member and any plaster applied thereto. Such a member could also be used for covering wiring etc. running through the channel. In this case, the member would remove the need for the provision of electrical conduits or other channel lining materials.The member may be composed of any material (such as plaster, metal, plastic, rubber etc.) or any material mixture (such as glass reinforced plastic).

A further modification may be provided whereby the U shaped member is provided with a barbed or roughened outer surface and inserted into the channel so that the open side of the member faces away from the block. The roughened outer surface may then frictionally engage with the channel in the block to aid in the retention of the member within the channel. A pushfit cover may then be provided to close the open side of the U shaped member so that wires, pipes etc. may be safely enclosed within the member without fear of damage during any subsequent plastering process. The member may be pushfit secured within the channel or nails, screws or other fixing means may be provided to secure the member within the channel.Whilst the member has been described above as having an approximately "U" shaped cross section, it will be appreciated of course that any other cross sectional shape may be adopted instead. For example, the member's cross section may be square, rectangular, oval or circular.

It should also be noted that the above mentioned Figures may also be rotated about an axis joining their respective tops and bottoms and thus, that any references to orientation are purely exemplary.

Typically, for the hiding of electrical conduits, the channels are at least approximately 3cm in width and approximately 1 cm in depth. Once again, in the case of electrical conduits, the socket depression 34 is typically approximately 15cm in length and 8cm in height. The depth of the socket depression 34 may be varied depending on the depth of the housing to be enclosed therein.

Figure 4 illustrates a wall that may be built utilising a mixture of traditional building blocks and blocks according to the present embodiments. By using blocks 10, as illustrated in Figure 1, in conjunction with identically sized traditional blocks, a wall structure 40 can be built. In this way a vertical channel 42 may be created in both faces of the wall 40. Plastic conduit or other such section, for example, can then be readily fixed within the channel without the need for any cutting or machining of the wall 40.

When the wall 40 is being assembled, it is likely that mortar may be forced into a top portion of the channels. However, this mortar can easily be removed whilst still wet thereby opening the channels once more.

Figure 5 illustrates the construction of a wall 50 incorporating blocks 10 and 30 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 respectively with traditional blocks. The wall 50 that is thereby created enables a conduit and double outlet switch sockets, for example, to be installed without having to machine the wall's face.

Figure 6 illustrates a wall 60 that has been constructed with blocks 10 and 20 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. These blocks, when interspersed with traditional blocks, create two adjacent vertical channels 62, 64 on each face of the wall.

Figure 7 illustrates a wall 70 that has been fabricated utilising blocks 10, 20 and 30 as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 respectively. In this way, a wall has been formed with vertical channels 72, 74 and socket depressions 76, 78 in each face thereof.

Figure 8 illustrates a suitable member that may be push-fitted (or otherwise retained) in a channel. The member 80 has a roughened outer surface 82.

Figure 9 shows the member 92 illustrated in Figure 8 when fitted in a channel in a wall 90 constructed from the blocks 10 illustrated in Figure 1 and conventional building blocks.

As mentioned above, the specific placing of the channels within the block is not essential. However, in order to award the building block the upmost flexibility in use, it is preferred that the channels are formed at a distance of approximately one quarter of the total length of the building block from either end of the block.

The above described building blocks are manufactured from a moulding process whereby a mould is provided with a suitable number of raised features, the raised features being utilised to form the depressions/projections, channels and socket depressions in the finished block. Preferably, the blocks are moulded in one complete process. The mould is then filled with a liquified material from which the block is to be formed. The filled mould is then left for the liquified material to harden before the finished brick is removed from the mould. Other manufacturing steps may be included if desired.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention has been described above by way of example only, and that modifications and additions may be made within the scope of the invention.

For example, many different types of building block may take advantage of the present arrangement. Furthermore, the exact number of conduits and/or their specific shape is not an essential feature of the block. It is a feature of the present technique that the forming of channels, socket depressions etc. at the time of the manufacturing process can avoid or at least significantly reduce the need for inefficient post-moulding cutting steps.

In addition, the present techniques need not be limited to vertically running channels. The channels may run horizontally along the block, or, they may run across the block at an angle to the top or bottom walls. Indeed, any shape of channel could be produced, if required.

Similarly, the present technique is not limited to any one type of alignment aiding means. The alignment aiding means may be a depression/projection, a peg receivable within a passage or any other type of arrangement.

Claims (27)

1. A building block comprising at least one open channel formed at the time of the block's manufacture in at least one of a vertical front wall and a vertical rear wall of said block, and alignment formations provided on a top surface and a bottom surface of said block such that said at least one channel in respective vertically adjacent blocks may be aligned when, in use, a wall is assembled from a plurality of said blocks.

2. A block according to Claim 1, comprising a second open channel formed in at least one of said vertical front and rear walls.

3. A block according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each of said channels run substantially horizontally along said block and substantially in parallel to a top wall and a bottom wall of said block.

4. A block according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each of said channels run substantially vertically along said block and substantially perpendicular to a top wall and a bottom wall of said block.

5. A block according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein each of said channels run across at least one of said front and rear walls and at angles other than horizontal or perpendicular to a top wall of said block.

6. A block according to Claim 2, wherein all of said at least one channels run in parallel.

7. A block according to Claim 2, wherein all of said at least one channels run in different directions.

8. A block according to any one of the preceding Claims, comprising at least one socket depression formed at the time of the block's manufacture in at least one of said front and rear walls, said socket depression being connected to said at least one channel.

9. A block according to Claim 8, comprising a third channel linking a socket depression in said front wall of said block to a socket depression in said rear wall of said block.

10. A block according to any one of Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein said at least one depression is approximately 8cm in height and approximately 15cm in length.

11. A block according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said at least one channel is sized so as to accept electrical wiring therewithin.

12. A block according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said at least one channel is approximately 3cm in width and approximately 1.5cm in depth.

13. A building block according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein said at least one channel is sized so as to accept fluid piping therewithin.

14. A building block according to any preceding claim, wherein said alignment formations comprises at least one projection on said top surface of said block and at least one depression on said bottom surface of said block, said at least one projection being matable with at least one depression on a bottom surface of an adjacent upper block and said at least one depression being matable with at least one projection on a top surface of an adjacent lower block.

15. A building block according to any one of Claims 1 to 14, wherein said alignment formations comprises at least one depression on said top surface of said block and at least one projection on said bottom surface of said block, said at least one depression being matable with at least one projection on a bottom surface of an adjacent upper block and said at least one projection being matable with at least one depression on a top surface of an adjacent lower block.

16. A building block according to Claim 14 or Claim 15, wherein the height of said at least one projection is greater than the depth of said at least one depression such that a gap is provided when said at least one projection on a first block is mated with said at least one depression on a second adjacent block.

17. A building block according to any preceding claim, wherein a member is provided within said at least one channel thereby to provide ducting for airconditioning, heating or wiring purposes.

18. A building block according to Claim 17, wherein said member has a substantially "U" shaped cross-section.

19. A building block according to Claim 17, wherein said member has a substantially rectangular shaped cross-section, open at one end.

20. A building block according to Claim 17, wherein said member has a substantially square shaped cross-section, open at one end.

21. A building block according any one of Claims 18 to 20, wherein a pushfit cover is provided to close the open end of the member.

22. A building block according to any one of Claims 17 to 21, wherein said member has a roughened outer surface which frictionally engages a surface of said channel thereby to retain said member within said channel.

23. A building block according to any of Claims 17 to 22, wherein said member is retained within said channel by releasable fixing means which fix said member within said channel.

24. A building block substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 and/or in Figures 2, 6 and 7 and/or in Figures 3, 5 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

25. A method of manufacturing a building block using a mould, the method comprising: (a) filing said mould with a liquified material from which said block is to be formed, said mould having a plurality of raised members sized to produce at least one channel of a desired size and shape in a vertical front or back wall of said block and to produce alignment formations in a top surface and a bottom surface of said block; (b) allowing said liquified material to harden; and (c) removing the hardened brick from said mould.

26. A method according to Claim 25 wherein said mould is provided with a further raised member, said further member being sized so as to produce at least one depression in a vertical front or back wall of said block, said depression being connected to said at least one channel.

27. A method of manufacturing a building block substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.