US1769844A - Waterproof building-wall structure - Google Patents

Description

July 1, 1930. E. H. KLEIN WATERPROOF BUILDING WALL s'mucrunn Filed March 17, 1950 Patented duly l, 1930 STATES PATEN'E OFFICE WATERPROOF BUILDING-WALL STRUCTURE Application filed March 17, 1930. Serial No. 436,387.

This invention is a novel waterproof building wall structure, and pertains more particularly to the construction of walls for buildings and the like from preformed wall blocks laid in horizontal courses and with successive courses breaking vertical joints; it being understood that in referring to blocks it is intended to include any similar wall elements such as bricks; and the invention relates especially to modern fireproof walls comprising a face wall portion and a back wall portion, both portions built up of blocks, and the whole permanently united by mortar, including any cementing material.

The general object of the present invention is to afford a building wall structure, and a system of wall elements or blocks adapted to the formation of such construction, which wall may be readily, quickly and accurately 2o laid and have-improved strength and durability. A particular object is to afford a construction of building wall which will tend to exclude, to the maximum degree, the entry of water or moisture through the wall. In modern high buildings, subject to high wind pressure, rain tends to percolate or seep through the wall, especially if the mortar be somewhat pervious, to the substantial injury of the wall, and disfigurement of its interior surface; and the present invention is intended more especially to the prevention of the passage of moisture and wet through the wall notwithstanding weather conditions involving a driving rain with intense wind pressure.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be explained in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof or will be understood to those skilled in the subject. To the attainment of such objects and advantages the present invention consists in the novel building wall structure, wall elements or blocks, and features of combination, arrangement and detail as herein illustrated or described.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a building wall embodying the structure of the present invention, the lowermost tier being seen in underneath perspective to show the con struction of the under sides of the wall blocks.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the next lower portion of such wall, the upper course of blocks seen from above to show the upper side construction thereof, matching with and complementary with the under side construction in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2 of a portion of a course next below that seen at the left end of Fig. 2.

Said three Figures 1, 2 and 3 may be considered as a single figure since they comprise consecutive parts of a wall separated for purposes of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view generally similar to Fig. 2 but showing the construction at one of the: bonding courses usually laid at regular intervals in a building wall, for example at everysixth course.

Fig. 5 is a'ge'nera'l vertical section view of the complete wall of the other figures, showing the wall face portion, back portion and bonding arrangement.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detached. perspective views of the two types of corner block embodied in this invention and corresponding with the corner blocks seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

In one aspect the invention may be described as a building wall structure comprising at its face portion a system of preformed blocks laid in courses andbreaking vertical joints, the blocks in each course constructed at their upper sides with upstanding shoulders extending longitudinally in alinement, so as to constitute a continuous interior barrier against inflow between courses, located at a substantial distance back of the front sides of the blocks, and the blocks constructed at their under sides with complementary longitudinal recesses or depressions to receive the shoulders of the blocks of the next course below. Specifically the upper sides of the blocks are formed with lower and higher flat surfaces or steps and with upstanding shoulders between such surfaces, the resulting formation resembling upwardly trending steps, with complementary surfaces or steps at the under side to rest upon those of the blocks below; it being understood that the conformation of the upper and under surfaces respectively is such as to admit and allow for a layer of connecting cement or mortar between the several blocks. The structure so described cooperates with a corner structure to be described, afiording a complete system.

Referrin to the drawings, the major part of the wall %ace of this invention may be com posed of blocks or bricks A, which will be described as the regular form or side bricks to distinguish them from the special forms also disclosed. In addition to the regular bricks A the drawings show special corner bricks B and'other special corner bricks C, these two special forms adapted to be set alternately at right angles to each other in successive courses. A complete wall face can be constructed according to this invention with only the three shapes A, B and C; but as it is usually necessary to anchor or bond the exposed wall portion to a backing or interior wall, there is disclosed also a fourth form of face block or brick D constituting a header or bondin brick for anchoring purposes. These four forms adapt the invention to substantially all practical purposes, it

being understood that in certain circumstances it may be necessary to split a block or brick to complete ,or fill out a course, for example the split header brick D as shown in F ig. 4.

efore describing the details of the blocks 7 or bricks A, B, C and D ofthis invention,

which are preferably solid, reference may conveniently be made to Fig. 5, in which the wall of this invention is shown as including aback wall portion composed of hollow tile E, superimposed and in contact with the blocks of this invention. Such hollow backing tile is illustrative of the wall backing, which mi 'ht be constructed on any known system. ig. 5 indicates a course'ofbonding bricks D arranged periodically, for interlocking the .two wall portions, the usualinterval being every sixth course, and the hollow backmg tile E is shown as of a height substantially equal to 2% courses of wall blocks, with a pro ecting extension 6 behind the back end of the bonding bricks D, each pair of such tile enclosm a recess receiving the backwardly extende end of one or more bonding face bricks.

Referring next in detail to the regular blocks or bricks A of this invention, each of them is shown as of substantially greater widththan height, and of substantially greater length than width, as is usual with building bricks. The front surface a may constitute the face of each brick 'and afford the exposed face of the wall. Each brick A at its upper side is constructed with a lower surface or step a, next to the front, and then a shoulder or a rise a which presents an abrupt elevation or ascent, and then a further surface or step a The surfaces or steps a and a are preferably flat and horizontal. The abrupt shoulder a between them forms. a barrier to the inwardflow of moisture, even under air pressure. The successive shoulders at each course constitute a substantially coninuous barrier against inflow. The shoulders are shown substantially midway of the width of the side bricks A; they must be relatively far back from the front to ensure that the pressure of inflow will not be able to overcome the rise of the shoulder; and must not be relatively near either the front or back, as resulting in a shape easily breakable, as 111 transit.

The under side of each .block or brick is preferably formed complementary to the upper side, with due allowance for connecting cement or mortar. Thus as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the under surface of each block A is formed with a flat horizontal portion a followed by a shoulder a stepping upwardly to a second step or surface a.

Beneath the surface a is the recess or depression accommodating the shoulder of the course beneath, as stated. The shoulders 0, and a at the bottom and top of each brick do not aline, but the former is set back sufliciently to accommodate a vertical extension or rise of mortar, as best seen in Fig. 5. By this the mortar at each course extends continuously through from front to rear, and a full bed of mortar, from to inch, is preferred in accordance with modern practice.

By the system thus described a straight wall may be constructed which is substantially moisture proof. Any moisture tend ing to enter along the horizontal spaces between courses, occupied by cement or mortar, is effectively obstructed by the barrier or shoulder (1 The necessity of rising from the level of step a to step a at this far interior point is suflicient to prevent inflow of moisture beyond this point. Moisture tending to enter at the vertical spaces between two bricks in the same course is met by the same barrier, since the inflowing moisture naturally descends at an incline so as to strike upon the low front step a of a brick in the next course below, being thus barred against further inflow by the shoulder a back of such step. The importance of having the shoulders an set far in the interior is thus further emphasized, since otherwise the wetness entering at the vertical joints and penetrating at a downward incline would strike on top of the shoulder or rear high step and thus percolate through the wall.

The corner blocks or bricks B and C are special blocks adapting each course to be carried around a corner of the building in such a way as to preserve the moisture excluding structure and at the same time permit complementary interlocking of each course with the adjacent courses. For this purpose the bricks B and C are different from each other, but may be substantially symmetrically opposite in construction, as will be clear by comparing the bricks B at the right side of Fig. 1 and at the left side of Fig. 2 with bricks C at the left side of Fig. 1 and at the right side of Fig. 2.

Taking the special brick B shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 6, this has a front side I) and at its upper side has two surfaces b and b at different levels, the front surface or step I) being at the lower level and separated by a shoulder 12 from the higher step 5 Unlike the brick A however the upper step b is not of the full length of the brick but is shortened at its right end by an amount approximately equal to the width of the lower step b. If the shoulder be assumed as midway of the width of the brick then the shortening of the upper step b is by an amount equal to half the width of the brick. The effect is clearly shown at the left end of Fig. 2 where the lower step b is of L-shape matching up with the lower steps of the adjacent bricks A, while the upper step b is of the regular width but shortened, thus matching up with the. upper steps a of the adjacent bricks A, at the adjoining sides of the wall.

The under side of the brick B may be constructed complementarily to its upper side. At the front, the under side has a horizontal lower level or surface b and then a shoulder 6 stepping up into a recess or higher surface I), the result being a cut-out or recess similar to that at the under side of brick A- upper step of a special brick C in the same course; there preferably being allowance for a vertical portion of mortar between shoulers.

The special brick C, seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7, being substantially symmetrically opposite in structure to the special brick B need not be described in detail. It has the front side or face 0 and the upper side has a first step or surface 0', then a shoulder 6 then a second step or higher surface 6 shortened at its left end, so that the surface 0 is of L-shape. At the under side the front surface 0 steps up by a shoulder c to a higher surface or recess 6 of shortened length at its left end, complementary to the upper step 0 The two special bricks B and C cooperate with each other in substantially the relation indicated by the respective Figs. 6 and 7,

shown more fully and in connection with other wall elements in the other figures.

The specialheader or bonding bricks D are generally similar to the regular form A, but they are shorter in a longitudinal direction and longer in a direction at right angles to the wall face so as to extend back into bonding engagement with the wall backing. As best seen in Fig. 2 each header or bonding brick D may have a front side or face (1 and at its upper side a lower level or step d, then a shoulder (Z then an upper step or surface d At its under side it may have comple mentary surfaces (Z and d connected by shoulder (Z In order that the header bricks D may break joints with the regular bricks A, they may be relatively laid as shown in Fig. 4, and a half width or split header brick D inserted between the endmost header brick and the special corner brick B or C as the case may be.

In-the several figures the wall elements are shown spaced slightly for the accommodation of cement or other motar m by which the wall elements are unitarily connected. WVhile the main figures show only a short length of wall it is to be understood that the same principles of construction may be continued indefinitely.

TVhere it is required to turn an interior corner additional special corner blocks or bricks may be necessary, these to be substantially similar to the bricks B and C already described with the exception that the relatively lower and higher steps as shown will be reversed, or, stated in another way, the higher step, and the corresponding underneath recess will be of L-shape, and the front or lower step will be of shortened length.

With the present invention there is substantially no change in the mode of setting up a building wall and the exterior appearance and line-up of bricks is not necessarily difierent than before. The invention therefore serves all former purposes of building wall elements andin addition gives the effective moisture-proof advantages already described. These advantages moreover are secured by a construction which is substantially fool-proof, that is to say the bricks are such that, once the lowest course isstarted correctly, the balance of the wall can not be erected except in the proper manner; the bricklayer is compelled to lay the bricks in their intended manner. A wall assembled according to the present invention is readily shaped to window openings or other special features of a wall by applying the principles already described; and above such window or other opening, the back recesses of the overlying course of bricks naturally accommodate the top bar or lintel of the window, thus excluding the entry of wet and moisture at this critical point.

There has thus been described a building wall structure embodying the principles and attaining the objects of the present invention. Since many matters of combination, arrangement and detail may be variously modified without departing from the principles of the invention it is not intended to limit the invention to such matters except so faras set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A waterproof building wall structure comprising a face wall portion and a back wall portion, the face wall portion comprising superposed courses of blocks arranged to break vertical joints, each or" such blocks having at its upper side an upstanding longitudinal shoulder spaced substantially midway thereof, and the several shoulders in each course forming a substantially continuous interior barrier against inflow between courses, and the blocks having at their under sides longitudinal depressions accommodating the shoulders of the blocks in the next course below, and periodic bonding members extending from one wall portion into permanently interlocking engagement with the other wall portion.

2. A waterproof building wall structure comprising a face wall portion and a back wall portion, the face wall portion built up of superposed courses of solid face blocks arranged to break vertical joints, some of which face blocks are extended as bonding members into the back wall portion, each of such blocks having at its upper side an upstanding longitudinal shoulder, and such shoulders being spaced substantially midway of the blocks other than the bonding blocks, and the several shoulders in each course forming a substantially continuous interior barrier against inflow between courses, and each block having at its under side a longitudinal depression accommodating the shoulders of the blocks in the next course below, the back wall portion being built up of hollow tile, with recesses receiving the extended portions of the bonding blocks, and all said blocks and tile being permanently united by mortar.

3. A waterproof building wall structure extending around a corner and comprising superposed courses of side bricks breaking vertical joints, each side brick having at its upper side an upstanding longitudinal shoulder spaced substantially midway of the brick, and having lower front and higher back steps connected by such shoulder, and, at the wall corner, in alternate superposition, a first form of shouldered corner brick having a lower front and higher back step and one of such steps shortened at one end, and a second form of shouldered corner brick having a lower front and higher back step, and one of such steps shortened at the other end, and the second form set at right angles to the first form,

' and the shoulders of all said side and corner bricks in each course forming an intermediate continuous barrier against inflow; and all the bricks in each coursebeing formed at their under sides complementarily to their upper sides to accommodate the shoulders and steps of the next course below.

In testimony whereof, this specification has been duly si ned by:

E iDWABD HENRY KLEIN.

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