US2392552A

US2392552A - Hollow building block

Info

Publication number: US2392552A
Application number: US486356A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roe James
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-05-10
Filing date: 1943-05-10
Publication date: 1946-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1963-01-08

Description

Jan. 8, 1946. J. ROE

HOLLOW BUILDING BLOCK Filed May 10, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 8, 1946. -:.ROE 2,392,552

HOLLOW BUILDING BLOCK Filed May 10, 1943 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 8, 1946 i assassz HOLLOW BUILDING BLOCK James Roe, Chicago, Ill., assignor of one-half to Albert Ka hn, Chicago,` Ill. 1

Application May v10, 1943, Serial No. 486,356

8 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of constructing walls of buildings and the like, and is particularly concerned with an improvement in the construction of hollow tiles or building units for the formation of building walls.`

While the tiles or hollow blocks of the present invention may be used for many purposes, it is an object of the present invention to provide a construction unit which' is applicable for exterior walls of a building 'and which vis particularly applicable for partition Walls of al1 types of buildings, and which construction unit shall be of a minimum weight for the purpose. The building unit of the present invention is hollow and preferably,A although not necessarily, of a generally rectangular shape.

It is a further object of th'e present invention to provide a building unit of such a shape that it caribe formed by extrusion whereby it may be manufactured in any lengths desired. Standard types 'of joints, cornersvand other fittings are provided for attachment to the buildingl unit. The building unit itself is preferably made of such material that may be sawed on the job to the requisite length, if it is necessary to reduce the length of a unit.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the unit isl made of non-hygroscopic plastic, which may be cut by an ordinary sawing operation, similar to the way in which wood is cut.v Any suitable thermo-plastic, thermo-setting, or synthetic resin material, having the desired strength, durability, weather resisting properties, heat and fire resisting properties, and aesthetic appearance may be used. The walls of 'the hollow unit may be made very thin where the unit does not have to support any substantial load. If the unit is to be used in a building wall that is subjected to appreciable compressive loads then the unit may be provided on the inside with' one or more stifiening or load sustaining members which will carry the load to which the unit is subjected.

The tting elements, joints and the like, are preferably attached to the body element by means of a sleeve that extends into and ts snugly within the main bodyelement. Where the plasticelement is a thermo-plastic material the joints may be permanently locked together by weldingyas by applying heat to force some of the material of the body element into recesses provided therefor in the sleeve.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specication taken in con- Figure 2 is a perspective'viewpof a building unit of the present invention, joined at one end to a window jamb;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a coupling or joining element;

Figure 4 is'a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a building unit of the present invention with a joining element secured in one end thereof:

Figure 6 is a `perspective view of a corner fitting for use with the building element of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a unit of the present invention and illustrating the manner of positioning the reenforcing elements in place;

Figure 8 is a sectional view through a modi'- fied corner element joining units of the present invention; and l Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view of a. building element for use on cornices or the like.

Reference may now be had more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all the views.`

In carrying out the present invention there are a number of elements or units necessary for the construction of the desired walls. These elements consist essentially of the hollow tiles or building blocks which constitute the main part of the building wall, the coupling elements for coupling adjacent building blocks, corner elements, and the elements used at window jarnbs and the like. By having a supply of these elements or units various combinations may be used to effect the desired construction.

The body lelements are extruded from nonhyg'roscopic plastic materials and the joints or coupling elements may be` cast or molded from like materials.

The wall i of Figure 1 is formed of a plurality of superimposed h'ollow rectangular building elements or blocks 2 joined by joints or couplings 3. A window jamb is indicated at 4, said jamb being secured in place by rabbeted iittings 5 that t `into the ends of the building elements 2.

Each hollow building element 2 is in the form of a tube of rectangular cross section andis, op-

tionally, provided with trussed stiifening and l load sustaining elements 1. Each stiifening eleone corner to the opposite corner thereof. A hub 9 having an opening I0 is formed at the center or intersection vof the truss members 8 for a purpose'which will be apparent .as this description proceeds. On the outer surface of each one of three or four sides of the load sustaining element 1 two depressions I 2-I2 are formed. These depressions may be circular in shape and are provided merely to facilitate forming a lock 'between the load sustaining element and the hollow building element. After the truss member 1 has been positioned within the rectangular hollow building element a vhot tool is pressed on the outer surface of the building element 2 opposite each of the depressions I2, to heat the adjacent plastic material to a temperature suilicient to soften it and to force some of it to protrude into the depressions I 2; The load sustaining element 1 is thus locked in position within' the rectangular building element by the protuberances extending into the depressions I2. 'I'his interlocking arrangement is omitted on at least one surface of the building element, which surface is to be on the exposed side of the finished wall. If desired these interlocking projections may be lomitted on two opposite surfaces of the block element 2, especially where the4 tile or building element is to be built into a wall, such as a partition wall, where opposite surfaces of the building element of the wall are exposed. Ihe load sustaining element 1, as previously stated, may be made of plastic, although it is within the purview of the present invention to use other materials, such as steel, where a much greater strength is required.

Figure 3 shows a coupling element 3. The

coupling element is of a generally hollow rectangular shape, trussed as are the load sustaining elements 1, and of outside dimensions such as to enable it to fit snugly into the end of a building element 2. A centrally located peripherally extending flange l5 limits lthe extent to which the coupling element or joint may be inserted into the building element. This ange extends from the outer surface i6 of the joint an amount equal to the thickness of the wall of the building element 2, or it may extend outwardly a slightly lesser Aamount where it is desired to produce a slight recess at each joint in a course or row on the building. I'he coupling element is also a load sustaining member and may be made of the same plastic material as are the building elements 2 or, where a greater strength is desired, it may -be made of other materials, such as steel.

As shown in Figure l, the stiffening or'load sustaining elements 1 of the various building elements in any one course, and the joints 3, which also act as load sustaining members, are all in vertical alignment with the corresponding load sustaining elements of the other courses. As a result, if any appreciable vertical dead load is -to be placed on the wall it is placed in such positions as to be immediately over vertically aligned 3rovv's. of stiifening or load sustaining elements When the building element 2 is to be used for forming partition walls, which are not subjected to any appreciable vertical load, the load sustaining elements 1 may be omitted.

' Each rabbeted fitting 5 is preferably made of plastic, asis the element 2. I'he fitting 5 consists of a solid rectangular plastic block 20 having a vertically extending channel 2| formed therein for receiving a window sash 22 and having a rearwardly extending rectangular sleeve 23 integral therewith which fits snugly within the hollow building element. The outside dimensions of the rectangular rabbeted fitting 5 are the same as the outside rectangular dimensions of a building element 2.

Figure 6 shows a corner element. This corner element is a molded or cast hollow plastic boxlike structure having rectangular sleeves 3 I-SI integral therewith. These sleeves fit snugly within the hollow rectangular building elements 2. The length, width and height ofthe part 30 of the corner element are such as to cause its surfaces to lie flush with the adjacent surfaces of building elements 2 joined thereby.

In the forming of a wall, as shown in Figure 1, the joints between adjacent elements 2 in a given row are, preferably, cemented together, as by coating the sleeve i6 of each coupling element with a plastic cement immediately before the sleeve is inserted into the building element 2. Likewise, the sleevetl of each corner element is coated with a plastic cement immediately before the sleeve is inserted into a building element-2. Also, if desired, the top surface of each building element 2 may be coated with a plastic cement immediately before another element is laid thereupon.

While I have shown the top and bottom outer surfaces of the element 2 as perfectly fiat, this is not an indispensable part of the present invention. For instance, the top surface of the element 2 may be provided with a longitudinally extending ridge or projection, and the bottom surface may be provided with a similarly located longitudinally extending groove of a size adapted to receive the projection of the subjacent tile or element, in the manner shown in my pending application entitled, Hollow insulating building block, filed of even date herewith, to which reference may be had. A

Reference may now be had to Figure 7 which shows one manner of inserting two or more load sustaining elements 1 into a preformed building construction, except that the central openings` I0 of the respective load sustaining elements are of different diameters, that of' the element 1a being smallest and the others being of progressively larger diameter. 'Ihe ele ents 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d are mounted upon a rod 4 that has

projections

41, 42, 43 and '44 thereon. iThese projections are of different diameters, thd projection li being of smallest diameter and the projections 42, 43 and 44 being of progressively larger diameter. The projection 4i is of a diameter slightly in excess of the diameter of the central opening i0 in theelement 1a and of slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the opening I Il in the element 1b. The projection 42 is of slightly larger diameter than that of the opening I0 in the element 1b and of less diameter than that of the opening l0 in the element 1c. Likewise, the projection 43 is of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the opening in the element 1c and less than the diameter of the corresponding opening in the element 1d. The projection M is of a diameter slightly greater than that of the opening I0 in the element 1d. As a result of this arrangement the load sustaining elements 1d, 1c, 1b and 1a may be progressively strung upaaeassa on the rod 40 until they reach the

projections

44, 4I, 42 and 4|, respectively, which limits the extent to which they may be strung on the rod. Thereafter the rod may be pushed or pulled into the element 2A from the right to the left, thereby forcing the load sustaining elements into the building element while maintaining the load sustaining elements a fixed distance apart. When they are thus properly positioned the rod 40 may be withdrawn to the right, thereby withdrawing it from the buildingelement 2. Since the positions of the load sustaining elements within 'the build- .ing element 2 are known, they may be locked in place by forming the depressions I2 previously referred to.

In Figure 'I there` is shown one method of positioning the load sustaining elements 1 within the member 2. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular method as other methods may be used. For instance, the holes I in the load sustaining elements 1 may be oval, rather than circular in shape, in which case the holes in all of the load sustaining elements 1 would be ofthe same size. The projections 4|, 42, 43 and 44 on the rod 40 would then be oval projections, all of the same size and slightly less than the size of the oval holes in the load sustaining elements 1. The rod may then be inserted through the holes I0, and by turning the rod through 90,the ends of the major axes of the oval projections 4 |-44 would coincide with the minor axes of the openings I0 and therefore'- the projections 4 I-44 would abut against the respective elements 1er-1d and force those elements in the block 2 to the desired position. Thereafter, to remove the rod it would merely be necessary to turn it through approximately 90 and then withdraw it. As another alternative, the openings I0 may all be circular and all of the same diameter. The rod 40 could bereplaced by a slotted tube. having a pronged rod therein which could be moved to project through the slots into abutment with the elements 1, or retracted so as not to project through the slots, thus permitting the ready insertion of the elements 1 into the block 2 in the same manner as was described above in connection with the description of Figure 7.

Figure 8 shows a corner joint of a construction dierent from that of Figure 6. This corner joint differs from that of Figure 6 only in that the sleeves 3 i-ii lof Figure 6 have been omitted. When this is done the corner joint is connected to the rectangular building element by means of couplings 3.

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view through a building element corresponding to the building element 2, but used at the cornices of the building, or the like. This element is extruded in the same manner as before, and has a fiat bottom surface 50, 'fiat top surface 5i, flat rear surface 52, and an ornamented front surface 53. Stiffening elements 55, which correspond to the load sustaining element 1 previously described, are mounted in this unit in the same manner as the load sustaining elements 1 are mounted in the unit 2. 'I'hese stiffening members 55 are of a cross sectional shape the same as that of the interior of the cornice member of Figure 9 and help to retain its shape.

In compliance ywith the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. v

What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A building block comprising a hollow tube of substantially uniform thickness, and a load sustaining element comprising a plate entirely within and extending transversely of the tube, the interior of the tube being of4 substantially uniform shape lengthwise thereof so that the load sustaining element may be shifted lengthwise of the tube to any desired position therein, the thickness of the element in `a direction lengthwise of the tube being a fraction of half of the length of the tube, the upper longitudinally extending surface of the tube being substantiallya counterpart of the lower longitudinally extending surface so that a plurality of l I. blocks may be laid one upon another.

2. A building block comprising a hollow tube of substantially uniform thickness, and a separate load sustaining element entirely within and extending transversely of the tube, the interior of the tube being of substantially uniform shape lengthwise thereof so. that the load sustaining eleme'nt may be shifted lengthwise of the tube to any desired position therein, and means locking the load sustaining element in vthe tube, the upper longitudinally extending surface of the tube being substantially a counterpart of the lower longitudinally extending surface so that a plurality of blocks may be laid one upon another.

3. A building block comprising a hollow tube, a load sustaining element comprising a stiftening plate member within and extending transversely of the tube, said tube and said element being both made of a non-hygroscopic plastic be laid one upon another, a stiffening plate fitting snugly within the tube. said plate having at least one depression in a surface thereof that is in contact with the inner surface of the tube, and a protuberance formed on the inner surface of the tube and extending into the depression 7 for locking the stifening plate 'in the tube.

5. A building element comprising a tube substantially rectangular in cross section, a. plurality of spaced stiffening plates within the tube, said plates being separate from and fitting within the tube and said tube being of uniform internal cross section so that the stiffening plates may be located at any desired position therein,

and means for locking the plates in position r within the tube.

6. A building element comprising a tube adapted to be placed in superimposed rela-tionship with other such tubes, a plurality of spaced stiifening plates within the tube, said plates being separate from and fitting within the tube and said tube being of uniform internal cross section so that the stiffening plates may be located at any desired position therein, and means for locking the plates in position within the tube, said means comprising a plurality of spaced apart protuberances formed on the inner surface of the tube and being in engagement with the stiffening plates.

'7. A building element comprising a tube of uniform cross section throughout its length and having two opposite parallel substantially planar faces each extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube and having an interior opening of the same shape and size throughout the length of the tube, a plurality of spaced stiiening plates within the tube, said plates being separate from the tube so that they may b'e positioned therein any desired distance apart, and means for locking the plates in position within the tube.

a. A building block comprising n hollow tube having two opposite substantially parallel faces each of which is substantially parallel to the 'longitudinal axis of the tube,'a, stiiIening plate -tltting snugly within the tube, said plate having at least one depression in a surface thereof that is in contact with the inner surface of the tube, and a protuberance formed on the inner surface of the tube and extending into the depression for locking the stifening plate in the tube.

JAMES ROE.