US3707820A

US3707820A - Construction block assembly

Info

Publication number: US3707820A
Application number: US00091707A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Leandri
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-11-23
Filing date: 1970-11-23
Publication date: 1973-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-02

Abstract

The present invention concerns improvements in hollow building blocks, such as cement or cinder blocks and a method for assembling same. The hollow blocks of the present invention have a male tongue at one end, a groove for receiving the tongue at the opposite end, and an intermediate offset transverse web of a thickness slightly exceeding the depth of a groove. In assembly, the blocks of each course are arranged with tongues reversed from those of lower course and with each joint situated over the web of a lower block.

Description

United States Patent [191 Leandri [4 1 Jan. 2, 1973 [54] CONSTRUCTION BLOCK ASSEMBLY 2,737,801 3/1956 Barnhart ..52/606 x Inventor: Boulevard de 2 t X Reuilly, Paris, France I Primary ExammerPr1ce C. Faw, Jr. [22] Flled: 1970 AttorneyLane, Aitken, Dunner & Ziems [21] Appl. No.: 91,707

[57] ABSTRACT 52 us. Cl. ..52/436, 52/272, 52/595 The present invention concerns improvements in 51 rm. Cl. ..E04b 2/18, E04 7/10 low building blocks, such as cement or einder blocks [58] Field of Search ..52/284, 436, 593, 595, 286, and a method for assembling same. The hollow blocks 52/437, 272 of the present invention have a male tongue at one end, a groove for receiving the tongue at the opposite [56] References Cited end, and an intermediate offset transverse web of a thickness slightly exceeding the depth of a groove. In UNITED STATES PATENTS assembly, the blocks of each course are arranged with 1,409,284 3/1922 DeFernelmont ..52/436 tongues reversed from those of lower course and with 3,256,657 6/1966 each joint situated over the web of a lower block. 1,430,431 9/1922 2,028,997 1/1936 Schmitz ..52/284 X 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures i i 1 1 l I l n i I p A I l i I J l l i m g L h BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional construction blocks are hollow or have openings which make the blocks lighter to facilitate handling and which serve to create air spaces which improve the heat insulation properties of the blocks. In present construction methods, the general practice is to allow openings to pass completely through the blocks and thereby permit air to circulate throughout the entire height of a wall formed by the blocks, which circulation serves to speed evaporation and to prevent accumulations of humidity.

In conventional block construction, the mortar mixes used are in general, very fluid and the presence of an opening under the clearance in the joint permits the mortar to drain out. If enough of the mortar drains in this fashion, the strength of the joint will be adversely affected.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a block which may be adapted to a technique of assembly wherein the mortar in each joint of a given course is retained by a block of the course beneath it.

It is a further objective of this invention to provide a construction block which makes possible savings in labor time and labor skill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found that the foregoing and related objectives can be achieved by use of a tongue and groove construction block having an offset intermediate web portion which presents a solid surface for retention of mortar in a joint of the next higher course. The offset web is of a width only slightly exceeding the depth of the groove so that the retaining surface may be provided in keeping with the auxiliary object of providing a lightweight block.

The offset feature referred to above additionally allows for a pleasing aesthetic effect wherein each joint of the finished wall is centered with respect to the face of a lower block.

In assembly the blocks of each course are arranged with their tongues facing in a direction opposite from that of the next higher and lower courses. This staggered construction is made possible by provision of special angle blocks, each of which has a receiving groove located at a right angle to its tongue.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a course of the tongue and groove blocks of this invention at the angle of a wall section constructed therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the course above and below the one shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation showing a wall section constructed according to the method of this invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a block as used in the wall of FIG. 3 with dotted lines showing the disposition of a joint in the lower course;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken on line j-j of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it may be seen how special angle blocks, d and e, allow the blocks of each course to be staggered with respect to the blocks of the adjacent courses. If the course of FIG. 2 is superimposed on the course of FIG. 1, and a third course identical to that of FIG. 1 superimposed on both, the result is a wall section as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows that each joint is centered with respect to the face of a lower block to produce an aesthetic symmetry.

FIG. 4 shows a construction block of this invention having a pair of transversely spaced longitudinal webs m which establish generally rectangular front and rear side faces, a pair of transversely extending end web portions n and 0, and an intennediate transverse web portion it. Web portion n has a vertically oriented, longitudinally projecting tongue a. Web portion 0 has a complementing tongue receiving groove b. Line i-i represents the joint between blocks located in the course immediately above or below block c. The tongue a is somewhat smaller than the receiving groove b which feature results in a clearance k (FIGS. 4 and 5). The clearance k of the tongue and groove joint which receives the mortar is situated over the solid intermediate web h. The upper surface of the web h serves to retain the mortar in the clearance k.

Referring again to FIG. 4, it may be seen that the solid intermediate web h is offset with respect to the center line of the block 0. The solid web h lies transverse to the length of the block and extends through the center line but only so far as to provide a good seal with clearance k. .Any further extension of the width of web h toward either the tongue or the groove would only serve to create unnecessary weight. Because of this offset feature it follows that there is a dissymmetry in the openings or hollows f and g of the block c.

Iclaim:

l. A structure comprising a plurality of blocks arranged in a plurality of successive courses and the blocks in each course arranged in an interfitting end-toend relationship while the blocks in each course are symmetrically offset from the blocks in each adjacent course; each of said blocks including a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal web portions to establish front and rear faces, first and second transversely extending web portions disposed between said longitudinal web portions to establish the ends of said block, said first transverse web portion including a verticallyoriented longitudinally-projecting tongue, a portion of said block including a groove generally complementing said tongue, each of said tongues and grooves being of relative sizes so that a mortar receiving space is defined between all the complementing surfaces of said tongue and groove in adjacent blocks in .each course, each of said blocks being generally hollow in construction and further including an offset transverse web portion defining at least one hollow portion on either side thereof between said offset transverse web portion and said first and second transverse web portions, the hollow portion on one side of said offset web portion being larger in its longitudinal dimension than the hollow portion on the other side of said offset web portion by at least the width of the offset web portion, said offset web portion being of a width slightly greater than the width 3. The structure in claim 1, wherein the groove in each of said blocks is formed in one of the longitudinal webs of the l'locks in said portion and said second transverse web portion has an outer planar face to establish a comer joint.

4. The structure in claim 1, wherein the blocks in each course are arranged with their tongues and grooves facing in a direction opposite from that of the blocks in the adjacent courses.

Claims

1. A structure comprising a plurality of blocks arranged in a plurality of successive courses and the blocks in each course arranged in an interfitting end-to-end relationship while the blocks in each course are symmetrically offset from the blocks in each adjacent course; each of said blocks including a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal web portions to establish front and rear faces, first and second transversely extending web portions disposed between said longitudinal web portions to establish the ends of said block, said first transverse web portion including a vertically-oriented longitudinally-projecting tongue, a portion of said block including a groove generally complementing said tongue, each of said tongues and grooves being of relative sizes so that a mortar receiving space is defined between all the complementing surfaces of said tongue and groove in adjacent blocks in each course, each of said blocks being generally hollow in construction and further including an offset transverse web portion defining at least one hollow portion on either side thereof between said offset transverse web portion and said first and second transverse web portions, the hollow portion on one side of said offset web portion being larger in its longitudinal dimension than the hollow portion on the other side of said offset web portion by at least the width of the offset web portion, said offset web portion being of a width slightly greater than the width of said groove and offset from the center of said block a distance sufficient to act as a mortar retaining surface for the mortar in the mortar receiving space between adjacent blocks in the overlying course while maintaining the symmetrically offset relationship between blocks in adjacent courses.

2. The structure in claim 1, wherein the groove in each of said blocks is included in the second transverse web portion and both of said longitudinal webs in the blocks in said portion have planar faces to establish a wall.

3. The structUre in claim 1, wherein the groove in each of said blocks is formed in one of the longitudinal webs of the blocks in said portion and said second transverse web portion has an outer planar face to establish a corner joint.