US1836408A

US1836408A - Building block

Info

Publication number: US1836408A
Application number: US197064A
Authority: US
Inventors: James L Sutton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-06-07
Filing date: 1927-06-07
Publication date: 1931-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1948-12-15

Description

Dec.l5, 1931.

J. L. SUTTON BUILDING BLOCK Filed June 7. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TORNE YS.

Dec. l5, 1931. J, L, SUTTON 1,836,408

BUILDING BLOCK Filed June 7, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOQ MME M Patented Dec. 15, 1931 PATENT OFFICE JAMES L. SUTTON, F LOS GATOS, CLIFORNIA BUILDING BLOCK Application med June 7,

This invention'relates generally to molded blocks for use in building construction.

It has become common practice to construct the walls of buildings from precast blocks of fire clay, concrete, or other suitable material.` These blocks are generally molded in such ay manner as to provide a hollow wall construction, and are provided with interfitting portions or other suitable means for retaining Vthe same in interlocking relationship. In all modern buildings, the walls fare wired with electric lightingiconductors, and the Fire Underwriters generally require that these conductors be strung through i5 metallic pipes or conduits. The arranging of metallic conduits and the necessary metallic outlet boxes in a wall constructed of hollow blocks or tile, is generally a diflicult and 4 expensive job even though apertures are proyided in the blocks before the wall is assemled.

It is an object of this invention to devise a premolded building block for the construc- H tion of walls, which will make unnecessary the lpositioning of wiring conduits after the wall has been constructed.

It is a further object of this invention to devise a premoldedvbuilding block having an outlet box which is molded in the same, so as to make it unnecessary to locate such a box after the wall has been assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide for metallic conduits in a wall constructed of a plurality of premolded blocks,

by forming the conduit of a plurality of sections, eachsection being molded within its associated block. i

It is a further object of rthis invention to devise premolded building blocks or tiles '40 which will permit any system of conduits for electrical wires, without necessitating insertion of the conduits after the wall has been constructed. y l Further objects of this invention will appear from the following description in which I have set forth the preferredembodiment of my invention. It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded a range of equivalents consistent with the state 5 of the prior art.

1927. Serial No. 197,064.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating a portion of a wall constructed of blocks incorporating this invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating how the 55 blocks of this invention are coupled together.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a building block having an outlet box cast within the same.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a building 50 block showing an outlet box cast within the same, the sectional conduit lengths connectin with the box being in the form of a T. V

ig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken thru an outlet box being employed as a switch housing.

This invention may be outlined brieiiy as comprising a remolded building block within which is mo ded as an integral part thereof,

a portion of a metal conduit. In construct- 'l0 ing a wall, a certain number of blocks carrying these integral conduit Ysections are assembled so that the sections are alined to form a continuous passage for strin ing electric light conductors. Where it is esired to ex- 'l5 tend an electrical connection thru the wall to provide for attachment of a light fixture, switch, or terminal connector, or where it is desired to join electrical wires in making abrupt bends, this invention makes use of a block within which is premolded a suitable metal outlet box which communicates with the conduit sections. Instead of forming all of the blocks of a thickness equal to the depth of the wall being formed, certain of the blocks 35 are intended to be set up in pairs, and have hollow inner faces. These relatively iat blocks are retained together at their edges by means of suitable tie blocks.

Thus referring to the specific construction which I have shown in the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a wall which has been fabricated from blocks constructed in accordance with this invention. These blocks are disposed in horizontal rows, each row having tie blocks 10 which are interconnected by pairs of blocks 11. The tie blocks 10 are of a thickness equal to the depth of the wall being formed and are of hollow construction, being provided with i the openingsY 12 extending vertically there- 10 being formed to provide adequate compres-V sional strength. The blocks are all retained y together along adjacent edges, by suitable tongue and` .groove connections. For ex- Vamplethe' tie block 10 in Fig. 3 hasbeen shown as provided with tongues 16 projecting from one edge thereof,'and with grooves 17 upon the Vother three edges. 'Il-he blocks 11 are each? shown as provided with tongues 18 projecting from three edges thereof. and a groove 19 formed along the third edge.. K

In assembling the wallthe groove at lthe ends of block 11 are engaged with the grooves .17; of blocks 10, yand* the tongues along-thetop edgel of, blocks 11 are therefore alined. with the tongues '.16 of tie; blocks 10.v The grooves l,provided alongfthe bottom edges ofthe next higherrow ofk blocks, therefore fit over the lprojecting tongues 16 of-tie bloeks'10 and-'the tongues '18 along the upper edge ofblocks 11. The tie blocks of alternate horizontal rowsare odset laterallyfor staggered. -In other words :aftieblock ofone horizontalrow is alined vertically -withfthe central portions offblocks 11 .the blocks togetherl .of the v-nextlowenand next higher row of` blocks. Therefore kthe central web 21 ofeach block: 10 is alined vertically withV the ribs 14 of blocks 11 so asto form continuous vertical `columns"forfcarrying compressione-l stresses.

.Cementfgrouting or suitablev mortarl is employedbetween-the blocks to iill up the spaces between the tongues and grooves andftosecure A `In practically-allwallsfofthis type, it is .cent the edges of the block.

lnecessaryto'stringelectrical light conductors through theblocks.; In ymy invention,`instead .ofinsertingmetal conduitpipe after: the wall hasV been built;V I provide certain'of the blocks with `integral conduit sections which Iare cast within .the blocks during vmanufacture ofthe same, .and theseA sections :are assembled Vso Vas toi form continuous passageways for electric light conductors.- For example `I'have shown certain of the tie` blocks 101 provided with conduit sections 23 jextending through the same and having vits ends :terminating adja- This conduit sectionis cast withinthe block during manu- Vfacture:andtherefore is an integral part of thesame. Likewise certain of the blocks 111 have conduit sections. 24'molded within the samefthe sectionsbeing similar to sections 23 provided in the' blocks 101.

as the, Conduit warmth@ Wan mamar@ y vright angle iturnsin ordery to'distribute the conductors to thedesired points, certainof :the blocks are provided `withcast in conduit :sections whichV meet in the Vform of .an L, while others may beprovidedwith conduits meetinglin the form of: a T.- VVihen twol conduit sections-'meet'atan:v angle within a block, fit is preferable 'to' provide aniv outlet 'box' atfthe junction point, so that the conductors may be conveniently connected together at such points. For example, tie blocks 102 have been shown as provided with conduits arranged to form an L junction, and a meta-1 outlet box 26 of conventional construction is molded into the block to form an integral part ofthe same. Y The conduit sections 241 and 242v are likewise imbedded in the block 102, and are secured to the outlet box 26 in the usualinanner. InFig: 4 I have shown one of the liatblocks which is numbered 111, as being provided with a similar outletbox 26 to which

areconnectedthe conduit sections

243 and 244, to formv a Tshaped junction.

The outlet boxes 26 shown in the rblocks ofFigs. 3 andf4i-ma-y be employed lfor the attachment of switches, or other electrical devices, in addition'totheirv usejas a means for making connections between the light conductors. However where'the conductors ter-- minate at an electrical instrument, anoutletV box may be providedwith ak single conduit section. For example in Fig. 5 I have shown .one of the tie blocksr103, as providedwith a molded in outlet-box 27v and a single pipe section 28. AV switch-29 has beenshown as :disposed within theo'utlet box`27, theswitch having a front plate 31 iiushwith the wall plastering or covering'32. In Fig. 1 the outlet-box 'of anothertie block has been shown as providing a mounting for alightbracket Yor fixture 33. Likewise ablock 113 has been .shownas having anele'ctrical connection ter-V minal 34 mounted upon its outlet box.

. In practice the wall is'assembled in such a manner as to have conduit sections extending to the points where itis desired to have light fixtures, switches or other electrical devices. 'Ihe pipe sections preferably have interfitti'ng ends in order to facilitate their alinement. For example certain sections may be providedl with projectingends 36 of reduced.

duitsec'tions'as by meansofa steeltape or ff v'other meanscommonly used by electricians.

Covers are then. secured to the outlet boxesl which are not being utilized for` mountingV electrical devices, and the wall maythen be y plastered. In the specific' arrangement'of conduit sections shown in Fig. 1`,the electrical conductorsenter the conduit systemat point 41, and supply `current to the terminal con'- ductor 34 and to theH electrical light xture 33 which is 'controlled' by switch? 29. -Iti is obvious however that any system of conduit may be formed depending upon the manner in which the conduit carrying blocks are assembled. l

I claim:

1. In a building wall consisting of a plurality of individual blocks, a series of adjacent blocks, each of the series having a section of metallic conduit embedded therein with ends terminating substantially in different edges of therespective blocks in position to aline with the ends of conduit sections of adjacent blocks of the series, whereby a continuous metallic conduit is provided in the wall for accommodating electrical wirlng.

2. In a building wall, a plurality of individual blocks adapted to be assembled in series relationship to form a part of a Wall, one of said individual blocks having a metallic outlet box embedded therein and a conduit section extending to one edge of one of said blocks and communicating with said box, both said conduit section and said box being embedded in said one block, said conduit section being adapted to communicate with conduit in the other blocks of said series for enabling extension of Wiring thru the same to said box.

3. In a building wall, a plurality of individual blocks adapted to be assembled in series relationship to form a part of said wall, each of said individual blocks having a section of metallic wiring conduit embedded therein with ends terminating substantially in different edges of the respective blocks in position to aline with the ends of conduit sections of adjacent blocks of the series when said blocks are assembled together whereby a continuous metallic conduit for electrical wiring is provided in the wall, one

of said blocks including a metallic outlet box in communication with the conduit section for said one block.

4. In a fabricated building wall, a series of blocks adapted to be assembled to form a part of said wall, said series including two blocks each having a hollowed inner face, a tie block engaging corresponding edges of said first mentioned blocks, an outlet box embedded in said tie block, a conduit section extending from said box, and a conduit section embedded in one of .said first mentioned blocks and adapted to aline with said first named conduit section to form a passageway for electrical wires.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set m hand.

y JAMES L. SUTTON.