US3378969A

US3378969A - Prefabricated composite masonry panel formed of prelaid individual masonry modules bonded together

Info

Publication number: US3378969A
Application number: US577688A
Authority: US
Inventors: George K Larger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-09-07
Filing date: 1966-09-07
Publication date: 1968-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1985-04-23

Description

Apnl 23, 1968 G. K- LARGER 3,378,969

PREFABRICATED COMPOSITE MASONRY PANEL FORMED OF PRELAID INDIVIDUAL MASONRY MODULES BONDED TOGETHER Filed Sept. 7, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. GEORGE K. LARGER- BY MAHONEY, MILLER. 8 RAMBO ATTORNEYS v Apnl 23, 1968 G. K LARGER 3,378,969

PREFABRICATEID COMPOSITE MASONRY PANEL FORMED OF PRELAID INDIVIDUAL MASONRY MODULES BONDED TOGETHER Filed Sept. 7, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

GEORGE K. LARGER v BY MA-IYONEY, MILLER a RAMBO 3.1 a.

I ATTORNEYS Aprll 23, 1968 G. K. LARGER 3,378,969

PREFABRICATED COMPOSITE MASONRY PANEL FORMED OF PRELAID INDIVIDUAL MASONRY MODULES BONDED TOGETHER Filed Sept. 7. 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet s mm q GEORGE K. LARGER IO 4 BY 5.1 E MA /9MB, MILLER aRAMBo ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,378,969 PREFABRICATED COMPOSITE MASONRY PANEL FORMED 0F PRELAID INDIVIDUAL MASONRY MODULES BONDED TOGETHER George K. Larger, 2744 Gantz Road, Grove City, Ohio 43123 Filed Sept. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 577,688 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-228) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A masonry panel which is formed of individual masonry units or modules, such as concrete blocks, bricks, tile or the like, that are bonded together in a composite unitary panel. The panel is prefabricated of the masonry units at a factory or shop rather than on the job for economy and efiiciency. The panel can be fabricated by use of the block-laying machine disclosed in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 524,892, filed Feb. 3, 1966, now Patent No. 3,350,833 issued Nov. 7, 1967, by other blocklaying machines or by hand but it is preferably made by use of the machine disclosed in said application.

General structure and advantages According to my present invention, the panel comprises a Series of masonry modules or units laid in any of the standard styles of horizontal courses set in a bonding material, such as mortar, between a lower clamping or supporting beam and an upper clamping or supporting beam which are joined together by vertically extending tensile members or rods that extend through aligned vertical openings in the various horizontal courses. The beams and cooperating tensile rods not only serve to hold the courses together in assembled relationship but the beams also serve as means for securing the panels in position in a building structure. The beam members are so formed as to cooperate in securing adjacent panels together vertically in superimposed, edgeto-edge, weathertight relationship, and the panels also preferably have means for securing in weathertight relationship the adjacent edges of panels disposed in side-by-side relationship.

Various other advantages of my invention will be apparent from the drawings and the following description.

Brief description of drawings The accompanying drawings illustrate panels made according to my invention and the manner in which they may be incorporated in various building structures but it is to be understood that this is by way of example only.

In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a panel embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through a panel and showing another panel positioned on its upper edge and secured in a building structure.

FIGURE 3a is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 3a-3a of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a horizontal joint between two panels disposed in superimposed edge-to-edge relationship.

FIGURE 5 is an outer fragmentary face view, partly broken away, taken from the position indicated at line 5--5 of FIGURE 3 and showing details of the means for securing the panels in the building structure.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 5 and showing details of the interlocking sealed joint between adjacent side edges of the panels made of concrete blocks.

ice

FIGURE 6a is a view similar to FIGURE 6 but showing the sealed joint between adjacent side edges of panels made of brick.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary plan view taken from the position indicated at line 7-7 of FIGURE 5 showing details of the means for securing the panels in the building structure.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a different way of incorporating the panel in a building structure.

Detailed description of drawings With particular reference to the drawings, the prefabricated panel of this invention is indicated best in FIG- URES 13. This panel is made as a composite unit and may be made at a factory or plant and then hauled to the job and erected as an integral unit. It is distinguished from the usual prefabricated masonry panels which are ordinarily made of a single casting of concrete or the like in that it is formed of a series of masonry modules or units laid in any of the standard styles of courses. Thus, in the example shown in FIGURES 1-3, the panel is shown made of masonry modules in the form of concrete blocks 10. These blocks are laid up with mortar joints 11 which may be of mortar of the type commonly used in laying concrete blocks or may be of other suitable bonding material. In the example shown, the blocks are laid in horizontal courses with the vertical joints staggered but other styles may be used. To form the composite panel, the series of vertically stacked horizontal courses are held in cooperative relationship by clamping and supporting beams 12 which are disposed at the upper and lower edges of the panel. These beams 12 are preferably formed of steel and are mainly of channel shape, each being provided with the inwardly directed channel portion 13 and the laterally directed outer flanges 14. The inwardly directed channel portions 13 provide ribs which fit into the respective upper and lower courses of the blocks 10. There fore, each upper and lower course of blocks is grooved as indicated at 15 longitudinally on its outer edges to receive the longitudinally extending ribs. To join the beams 12 into clamping relationship to the series of block courses, tensile members 16 are provided which are indicated as being in the form of steel rods and these tensile members extend through the core openings 17 of the respective courses of blocks which are in alignment in the usual manner. The opposite ends of these rods 16 project through openings formed in the channel portions 13 of the beam members 12 and have clamping nuts and washers 18 applied thereto. It will be noted from FIGURE 3 that the ends of the rods 16 and the nuts thereon are recessed within the respective edges of the panel being disposed in the channels of the members 12.

The beams 12 not only provide for clamping the courses of block together but also provide means for securing the panels, which are indicated generally by the numeral 20, in a building structure. For this purpose, the upper beam 12 is preferably provided with integral attaching lugs 21 which extend outwardly from one of the clamping flanges 14 and which are laterally spaced towards the side edges of the panel. These lugs are of right angle form and are provided with horizontal and vertical portions. The vertical portion 22 of each is provided with a vertical slot 23. A similar single lug 21a is provided on the lower beam 12 midway of its ends and is of greater length than the lugs 21.

In using these attaching

lugs

21 and 21a, as indicated in FIGURES 3 and 3a, the vertical portions 22 may be attached to an angle member 24 in a suitable steel supporting frame structure, both at the upper and the lower ends of the panel 20. This attachment may be made by means of clamping bolts 25 which are passed through the vertical slots 23 of the

lugs

21 or 210. As indicated in FIGURES and 6, the angle member 24 in its upright flange may be provided with horizontal slots 26 for cooperating with the clamping bolts to permit horizontal adjustment as Well as the vertical adjustment provided by the vertical slots 23 in the lugs. The member 24 may be attached to the framework by means of bolt and slot connections 27 for in and out adjustment to locate the panel in the proper vertical plane. The lower lug 21a of the upper panel will fit laterally between the pair of upper lugs 21 on the lower panel as indicated best in FIG- URE 5. Thus, the panel can be accurately positioned on the supporting frame structure. However, in some cases it may be desirable to weld the

lugs

21 or 21a to the building frame.

The panels 20 are preferably so formed that adjacent side edges of adjacent panels, disposed in side-by-side relationship, can interlock. A suitable arrangement for this purpose is illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. In forming each panel, preferably the end blocks are of special form with the aligning blocks at one end forming a vertical groove 30 and the aligning blocks at the other end forming a vertical tenon 31. Thus, the tenon arrangement 31 of one panel will extend into and interfit with the groove 30 of the adjacent panel, as indicated best in FIGURE 6. For sealing purposes, a sealing gasket 32 may be provided at the inner face of the groove 30. Thus, a strong interlocking joint is provided and this joint may be sealed weathertight with the gasket.

The panels may be made of bricks 10:: but, as indicated in FIGURE 6a, the bricks of adjacent panels 29a preferably do not interlock but the edges thereof abut with a gasket 32a disposed therebetween. The outer edges of the gaskets may be covered with mortar joints for sake of appearance. The bricks used in the panel will have aligning, vertical openings which receive the tie rods or tensile rods 16a. Also, the outer surfaces of the top and bottom courses (not shown) will be grooved for receiving the ribs of beams similar to the beams 12 but these beams need not be as wide as those used in the concrete block panels.

When the panels 20 are disposed in superimposed relationship in the same plane in an end-to-end abutting relationship, as indicated in FIGURE 4, they may be keyed together by means of steel keys 35 of angular cross section which extend vertically into the upper and lower grooves formed in the beams 12 which face toward each other. The keying members 35 are preferably made in short, horizontal sections so that they will fit between the projecting adjacent rods 16 that carry the nuts 18 and will not interfere therewith.

In the example shown in FIGURE 8, I have illustrated how the panel 20 may be incorporated in a building structure of wooden frame construction. In this case, the panel will be the supporting wall and the securing flanges 21 need not be provided on the beam members 12b. Some of the rods 16b may be extended through a wooden cap member 40. The roof structure 41 may then be attached to this cap.

The panels described above are of the general type disclosed in my previously mentioned copending application, Ser. No. 524,892. In that application, I have disclosed a machine which would be suitable for producing these panels at a factory or shop. However, other assembling machines may be used or the panels may be produced by hand.

It will be apparent from the above description that I provide a prefabricated panel composed of masonry modules or units laid in any of the standard styles of courses set in a bonding mortar and clamped between two opposed supporting and clamping beams which are connected together by tensile members extending through aligning openings in the masonry modules. The advantages of being able to produce the panel at a shop or plant are obvious. The use of the individual masonry modules or units is desirable since it is more economical and it is not necessary to provide the usual heavy cast panels and the panels can be made from standard size masonry modules. This use of standard size modules also facilitates their use in the building structure.

Various other advantages will be apparent.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed 1. A prefabricated masonry panel formed of individual masonry modules and comprising upper and lower clamping and retaining beams disposed in predetermined relationship, a plurality of masonry modules laid in horizontal courses between said beams with set bonding material such as mortar, and tensile members connected to said beams for holding them in said predetermined relationship; said masonry modules having vertical openings with the openings in the modules of the various courses being in vertical alignment, said tensile members being elongated members passing vertically through aligning openings and being connected to said beams, each of said beams having a longitudinally extending keying rib formed thereon inwardly adjacent the outer surface of the adjacent outermost course of masonry modules, said modules of the adjacent course being provided with grooves in longitudinal alignment which receive the keying rib of the respective beam, each of said beams being of channel form to provide the keying rib on its inner surface and a groove in its outer surface, said elongated tensile members having threaded end portions which project outwardly through openings in the rib into said groove, and clamping nuts threaded on said end portions and disposed within said groove, each of said beams having laterally extending clamping flanges on opposite sides of the rib, and attaching lugs projecting laterally from at least one of said flanges.

2. A building structure comprising a plurality of panels with each panel formed of individual masonry modules and comprising upper and lower clamping and retaining beams disposed in predetermined relationship, a plurality of masonry modules laid in horizontal courses between said beams with set bonding material such as mortar, and tensile members connected to said beams for holding them in said predetermined relationship; said masonry modules having vertical openings with the openings in the modules of the various courses being in vertical alignment, said tensile members being elongated members passing vertically through aligning openings and being connected to said beams, each of said beams having a longitudinally extending keying rib formed thereon inwardly adjacent the outer surface of the adjacent outermost course of masonry modules, said modules of the adjacent course being provided with grooves in longitudinal alignment which receive the keying rib of the respective beam, each of said beams being of channel form to provide the keying rib on its inner surface and a groove in its outer surface, said elongated tensile members having threaded end portions which project outwardly through openings in the rib into said groove, and clamping nuts threaded on said end portions and disposed within said groove, each of said beams having laterally extending clamping flanges on opposite sides of the rib; said panels being disposed in edge-to-edge relationship, with the edges interfitting.

3. A building structure comprising a plurality of panels with each panel formed of individual masonry modules and comprising upper and lower clamping and retaining beams disposed in predetermined relationship, a plurality of masonry modules laid in horizontal courses between said beams with set bonding material such as mortar, and tensile members connected to said beams for holding them in said predetermined relationship; said masonry modules having vertical openings with the openings in the modules of the various courses being in vertical alignment, said tensile members being elongated members passing vertically through aligning openings and being connected to said beams, each of said beams having a longitudinally extending keying rib formed thereon inwardly adjacent the outer surface of the adjacent outermost course of masonry modules, said modules of the adjacent course being provided with grooves in longitudinal alignment which receive the keying rib of the respective beams, each of said beams being of channel form to provide the keying rib on its inner surface and a groove in its outer surface, said elongated tensile members having threaded end portions which project outwardly through openings in the rib into said groove, and clamping nuts threaded on said end portions and disposed within said groove, each of said beams having laterally extending clamping flanges on opposite sides of the rib; said panels being disposed in edge-to-edge relationship with a sealing gasket between said edges.

4. A building structure comprising a plurality of panels with each panel formed of individual masonry modules and comprising upper and lower clamping and retaining beams disposed in predetermined relationship, a plurality of masonry modules laid in horizontal courses between said beams with set bonding material such as mortar, and tensile members connected to said beams for holding them in said predetermined relationship; said masonry modules having vertical openings with the openings in the modules of the various courses being in vertical alignment, said tensile members being elongated members passing vertically through aligning openings and being connected to said beams, each of said beams having a longitudinally extending keying rib formed thereon inwardly adjacent the outer surface of the adjacent outermost course of masonry modules, said modules of the adjacent course being provided with grooves in longitudinal alignrnent which receive the keying rib of the respective beam, each of said beams being of channel form to provide the keying rib on its inner surface and a groove in its outer surface, said elongated tensile members having threaded end portions which project outwardly through openings in the rib into said groove, and clamping nuts threaded on said end portions and disposed within said groove, each of said beams having laterally extending clamping flanges on opposite sides of the rib; said panels being disposed in edge-to-edge relationship with the beams of adjacent panels in contact and with their respective grooves facing toward each other, and a keying member of angular form disposed in said facing grooves.

5. A structure according to claim 4 in which the keying member is divided into longitudinal sections disposed between adjacent cooperating tensile member end portions and nuts in said grooves.

6. A structure according to claim 1 in which said lugs comprise a pair of laterally spaced flanges on the beam at one end of the panel and a single lug on the beam at the other end of the panel located laterally intermediate the lugs of said pair.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,960,575 5/1934 Davison 52-587 1,970,309 8/1934 Hoyer 52-434 2,040,578 5/1936 Venzie 52434 2,874,812 2/ 1959 Clevett 52227 3,112,578 12/1963 Rosenfeld 52-241 3,248,836 5/ 1966 Monk 52-235 HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.