WO1983004423A1

WO1983004423A1 - Improvement in cement block walls

Info

Publication number: WO1983004423A1
Application number: PCT/US1982/000779
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles William Depka
Original assignee: Charles William Depka
Priority date: 1982-06-07
Filing date: 1982-06-07
Publication date: 1983-12-22
Also published as: EP0111484A1; AU8766082A

Abstract

Mortarless cement block wall (24) formed from H-blocks (10) and frame-like plastic inserts (30) engaging single central cells (16) and combined end cells (20) of the blocks (10). Upper and lower insert walls (50, 52) are tapered for ease of insertion and have flattened vertical wall portions (56, 58) for stable seating in the cells. Upper walls (50) have notches (74) for horizontal reinforcing rods (66). Horizontal walls (72) in inserts (30) hold grout around rods (66). Ends (110, 114) of face shell walls (12) have vertical corner recesses (40) and tongues (112, 116) limiting abutting areas. One tongue (116) laps the abutting areas in side view. There is grout space (118) between the tongues (112, 116) and there is grout space (120) between the inner tongue (116) and the facing portion (122) of the opposite end wall (110).

Description

IMPROVEMENT IN CEMENT BLOCK WALLS

Technical Field The invention pertains to the construction of cement block walls. Background Art

The following prior U.S. patents appear to be the most pertinent known to the applicant:

4,091,587 3,325.956 2,684,589

3,314,208 4,167,840 4,262,463 3,222,830 3,717,967 3,479,782

3,864,885 3,968,615

British patents of like pertinency are 1,385,045, printed 1975, and 591,067, printed 1947.

Patent 4,091,587, a previous patent to applicant will be reviewed later. The present and previous inventions concern cement block walls not using mortar between abutting block surfaces. Patent 3,325,956 includes inserts interengaging between superposed blocks in mortarless walls. The expression "mortarless" does not exclude the use of mortar to grout in reinforcing bars. The other patents listed deal with mortarless walls, interengaging means at the ends of face shield walls like tongues and grooves, i.e., grooves 13 in Patent 2,684,589, inserts interengaging between superposed blocks, i.e., sleeves 18 in Patent 3,479,782, grouting of horizontal and vertical reinforcing bars, horizontal and vertical recesses in mortarless walls to simulate mortar joints, i.e., grooves 26, 27 in Patent 3,314,208, knockouts, i.e., elements 8 & 9 in Patent 4,262,463 and element 17 in British Patent 1,385,045.

Disclosure of Invention The invention relates to a system for constructing a cement block wall without the use of mortar between the blocks in laying them up into the wall and with the use of interengaging inserts between superposed H-blocks and with interengaging means at the ends of face shell walls. The invention does not exclude vertical grouting of aligned cells, with or without vertical reinforcing rods, or the use of grout in installation of horizontal reinforcing rods in a bond beam manner in a cement block wall. It is the use of mortar to form joints between blocks that is eliminated.

Some of the principal objectives of the invention are:

(a) To avoid the work involved in the handling of the mortar in making mortar joints. (b) To avoid the work involved in aligning the cement blocks when mortar joints are used. (c) To avoid the materials cost of the mortar itself. A major concern in the building industry for some time, especially in locations like California with earthquake potentials, is the strength of cement block walls especially in earthquake conditions. It has become realized that most of the strength of cement block walls comes from grouting, particularly with reinforcing rods. In conventional cement block walls, the block wall portions between grouted areas have quite limited strength properties and are primarily enclosures in terms of the magnitude of physical forces involved in earthquakes or tornadoes for examples. Those realizations are important to the present invention in that the use of mortar joints is not considered to be necessary for the physical strength of a cement block wall. Another realization is that a non-load bearing structure such as a garden wall or fence does not need mortar joints for physical strength, which is better provided by spaced areas that are grouted. It is important to the present invention not only that a cement block wall be provided without mortar joints by also that grouting in of reinforcing rods be facilitated or at least not hampered. One common requirement in grouting of vertical reinforcing rods is that mortar droppings be cleaned out of cells to be grouted, and that problem is avoided if mortar isn't used.

Brief Description of Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cement block wall, with portions broken away, showing various features of a specific embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a block interengaging insert.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view taken as indicated by line 5-5 in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view from above a cement block made according to the present invention. Figure 7 is like Figure 6 only taken from below.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7 and including a knockout wall.

Figure 9 is like Figure 8 but with the knockout wall removed. Figure 10 is a perspective view from below of a full-length end block.

Figure 11 is a perspective view from below of a half-length end block. Figure 12 is an enlarged detail of the block corner area indicated by line 12-12 in Figure 10.

Figure 13 is like Figure 2 except of an insert with a horizontal vail.

Figure 14 is like Figure 3 except of an insert with a horizontal wall.

Figure 15 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a wall with inserts arranged in one pattern with inserts arranged in every other area of abutting upper and lower cells. The inserts are located in the tops of single central cells.

Figure 16 is like Figure 15 but with inserts disposed in every area of abutting upper and lower cells, which is a different option. One time when inserts may be arranged in every cell in a block course is when horizontal reinforcing rods are to be grouted in above that course and the inserts have horizontal walls as in Figures 13 and 14 to hold grout around those rods.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Particular reference is made to a prior patent of applicant concerning mortarless walls, U.S. Patent 4,091,587, dated May 30, 1978, issued to Charles W. Depka, entitled "Cement Block Wall". Reference is made particularly to the version of that patented construction shown in Figures 18-27, in which paired inserts are used which permit blocks to abut. Note in Figure 27 of that patent the knockout bottom walls 110 to hold mortar in grouting-in horizontal reinforcing rods.

One of the purposes of Patent 4,091_.587 was to use standard precision blocks. Such use of standard precision blocks suffers from the problem that in a course of blocks the center tie wall were not as wide as the combined widths of two abutted end tie walls. In superposed courses of blocks, cells were not exactly superposed between courses, i.e., Column 4, lines 3-11, of the patent reads: "There is additional reason for offset between the cells 12 of blocks of upper course 22 and lower course 24 in Fig. 10 and that Is, due to half-lapping of blocks, center tie wall 14 of upper course 22 is superposed to two end tie walls 18 of lower course 24 and end tie walls 18 of upper course 22 are superposed to centertie walls 14 of blocks of lower course 24. Considering the upper center tie wall 14 in Fig.10, it is roughly half of the width of the two adjacent end tie walls 18 therebelow." In the present invention, it is an objective to get the centers of superposed cells aligned in order to avoid the complications in the construction of block interengaging members or inserts 80 in the prior patent, in which the lack of symmetry in superposed cells resulted in complicated and uasymmetrical inserts 80. In the present invention, it has been discovered that such complications in mortarless walls can be avoided by the use of H-blocks 10 in which the face shell walls 12 are tied together by two medial tie walls 14 forming a single central cell 16 and forming two end half-cells 18. When an end half-cell 18 in one block is abutted to an end half cell 18 in another block the combined end cell 20 is the same size as the single central cell 16. When H-blocks are half-lapped on successive courses 22 in a wall 24, combined end cells and single central cells 16 will be superposed and will have common centers in plan view (will be concentric). In fact, they would be congruent in plan view were it not for the vertical tapers of cells 16, 18, 20 required for mold releases in making cement blocks.

A multiplicity of frame-like inserts or block interengaging members 30 are provided. A primary objective of the invention is to provide a mortarless cement block wall, i.e., a cement block wall with no mortar between blocks and therefore with no mortar joints. Mortar is used in grouting cells or grouting reinforcing rods in cells but mortar isn't used between blocks. They are simply abutted. Members 30 are used to facilitate laying up the cement block walls 24, i.e., inserts 30 provide the basic guide to the worker who puts inserts 30 into a lower block course 22 and orients blocks 10 in the next upper course 22 merely by engaging them with inserts 30. The inserts 30 have limited strength and may be slightly pliable, which means that the upper blocks 10 are properly engaged with inserts 30 rather than forced into place too roughly, as inserts 30 might give or break if they were subjected to excessive force. Of course it would be possible to make inserts 30 heavier or to make them of stronger material, to withstand more abusive treatment, but that is not necessary. Preferably inserts 30 are molded out of plastic, such as polythylene. They could be fabricated from metal or molded from a different material.

The purpose of inserts 30 is not primarily for sealing of joints and sealing does not have to be a function at all. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the inserts 30 are used only in alternate cells, as shown in Figures 1 and 15, i.e., the inserts preferably are only in stalled in the upper ends of single central cells 16 and not in the upper ends of combined end cells 20, so inserts 30 inthat configuration would only seal every other cell area. One purpose of sealing would be to confine grout in cells and that function can be taken care of by block abutments if suitable tolerances are maintained in block manufacture. However, how many inserts 30 are used is the decision of the builder and some builders may want to use inserts 30 at every cell joint for sealing or other purposes. As later will be described, use of inserts 30 in every cell of a course, as in Figure l6, is the preferred construction especially in a bond beam situation when a horizontal rein forcing bar is to be grouted in place.

Inserts 30 have a limited function in wall strength, i.e., strength against removal of a block from a wall, although if strength were a primary objective, inserts 30 could be used in every cell joint and inserts 30 could be made of heavier, stronger material. Blocks 10 are installed in a wall in inverted positions to their orientations when made. What is bottom during manufacture is top when installed in a wall. When manufactured, the block is supported on a flat metal plate, which means that edges on the bottom of the block when manufactured are especially true and sharp. Molds used in molding the cement block descend and abut the flat metal plate, and the molds are raised after molding while shoes strip the blocks from the molds. The blocks remain supported on the plates until sufficiently cured.

Horizontal mortar joints are simulated in each block 10 by a horizontal corner recess 32 extending from end to end of block 10 and from the face of each face shell wall inwardly at the top of the block as made. The inner recess wall should be upwardly tapered at about fifteen degrees to avoid a problem in upward mold release. The top of each block 10 as made (bottom of block in wall) should be radiused at 34 adjacent to each recess 32 to reduce mold suction when the mold moves upwardly from the molded block. Radiuses 34 have proven to be important in reducing block imperfections in that area. Horizontal corner recesses 32 are at the bottoms of blocks 10 as they are laid into a wall. vertical mortar joints are simulated in each block 10 by a vertical corner recess 40 extending from top to bottom of block 10 and from the face of each face shell wall inwardly at one end of the block. Each single central cell 16 and each combined end cell 20 have walls tapered from bottom to top in the positions thereof in wall 24. As before observed, blocks 10 are installed in wall 24 in inverted positions to their orientations when made. The upward tapers of the cells when installed is downward tapers of the cells when made which means that the mold portions used to make cells 16, 20 will be released as they move upwardly after making blocks 10. These tapers mean that at the locations of abutment of superposed upper and lower cells the upper cell has larger width and length dimensions and the lower cell has smaller width and length dimensions forming a generally evenly spaced ledge 42 around the lower cell on the lower block between the upper edge of the lower cell and the lower edge of the upper cell. Ledge 42 forms a generally rectangular and symmetrical outline in plan view.

Each frame-like insert 30 has end and side portions forming a generally rectangular outline in plan view. Each insert 30 has a larger upper wall 50 fitting in the larger lower portion of the upper cell of superposed cells 16, 20 and each insert 30 has a smaller lower wall 52 fitting in the smaller upper portion of the lower cell. Because of the difference in sizes of larger upper wall 50 and smaller lower wall 52, a lower horizontal medial surface 54 is formed extending generally horizontally inwardly from the lower margin of upper wall 50 to the upper margin of lower wall 52. Lower horizontal medial surface 54 forms a gen erally rectangular and symmetrical outline in bottom view. Lower hori zontal medial surface 54 rests on and generally fits ledge 42. Inserts 30 locate blocks 10 in upper and lower courses 22 of blocks in wall 24 by engaging adjacent superimposed upper and lower cells 20, 16.

The exterior surface of larger upper wall 50 of each insert 30 tapers upwardly to provide a wedging, camming action in inserting in the larger lower portion of the upper cell of superposed cells. The exterior surface of smaller lower wall 52 of each insert 30 tapers down wardly to provide a wedging camming action in inserting in the smaller upper portion of the lower cell of superposed cells.

The lower portion 56 of the exterior surface of the larger upper wall 50 adjacent to lower horizontal medial surface 54 is substantiall vertical to form a seat to engage in the larger lower portion of the up per cell of superposed cells. The upper portion 58 of the exterior sur face of the smaller lower wall 54 adjacent to lower medial surface 54 is substantially vertical to form a seat to engage in the smaller upper portion of the lower cell of superposed cells. Flattened vertical por tions 56, 58 adds to the stability of inserts 30 when originally set in the lower cell, during the process of engaging the upper cell on the insert, and after the insert is interengaged in upper and lower cells 20, 16. The importance of this feature was discovered after walls 50, 52 were tapered, which helped in engaging inserts 30 in blocks but also made them more unstable. Figure 1 shows grouting of vertically aligned cells 16, 20 with mortar 60 and often with vertical reinforcing rods 62. The spacing of vertical grouting 60 and vertical rods 62 will depend on needed strength for the particular wall 24 which will vary between load bearing walls and non-load bearing walls and also will vary as to special conditions such as earthquake-prone areas. In some walls, every line of vertically superposed cells 16, 20 will be grouted and reinforced, and, in other walls, grouting or reinforcing may be spaced or even widely spaced.

Horizontal grouting and reinforcement likewise will vary depending on needed strength in an application and related building codes. Such bond beam installations require bond beam blocks 10, meaning tie walls

14 must have recesses 64 in their lower portions to permit horizontal reinforcing rods 66 to pass.H-blocks 10 can be provided with regular blocks without recesses 64 and bond beam blocks with recesses 64. Another alternative is to provide blocks with spaced slots 68 forming recesses 64 when the wall between slots 68 is knocked out as shown in Figure 9. The wall between slots 68 can be termed "knockout wall". The narrowness of slots 68 and their considerable relative depths will not pass mortar even if slotted blocks are used in place of regular blocks, as the mortar will plug slots 68.

Horizontal grouting 70 is used to embed horizontal rods 66 as shown in Figure 4. Although Figures 1 and 4 show use of two horizontal rods 66, use of only one horizontal rod 66 is more common. The grouting 70 must be supported in vertically aligned cells 16, 20 in which vertical grouting 60 is not used. Such support of grouting 70 could be accomplished in a number of ways, such as use of a sheet of plastic or mesh or other material to hold up the mortar until it Is set. The use of a thin horizontal wall on floor 72 in inserts 30 is illustrated bridging the space between end portions and side portions of inserts 30. Horizontal wall 72 is located medially of insert 30 vertically, at near the level of horizontal surface 54. Wall 72 is thin enough to be knocked out or otherwise opened to pass vertical rods 62 or inserts 30 without walls 72 could be used. A series of inserts 16 with horizontal walls 72 supporting horizontal grouting 70 is preferred located side by side in the same course in adjacent central cells 16 and combined end cells 20. Whereas inserts 30 may be only set in the tops of single central cells 16 and may not be set in the tops of combined end cells 20 in many installations, if horizontal grouting 70 is to be supported then, in that case, the inserts 30 must be used in every cell whether central cell 16 or combined cell 20. Figure 1 shows horizontal rods 66 In a course in which in serts 30 are illustrated only used in the tops of single central cells 16, to demonstrate that condition, but ordinarily a full series of inserts 30 in the tops of both cells l6 and 20 would be used under horizontal rods 66,

To support horizontal reinforcing rods 66, the upper end portions of upper walls 50 of inserts 30 have upwardly open notches 74 under recesses 64 forming rests to receive and position horizontal rods 66. Preferably each end portion of upper walls 50 of inserts 30 have three spaced notches to accommodate either two spaced horizontal rods 66 or one cen trally located rod 66.

For needed strength or to comply with building codes, a certain minimum amount of grouting must be provided around rods 66 which means the bottom of notches 74 must be spaced from the top of horizontal wal 72 a considerable distance. The position of rods 66 in outer notches 74 must be spaced at least that distance from each other and from adjacent insert and block surfaces to the sides. As depicted, notches 74 are wider than the diameters of rods 66 normally used, so the minimum spacing is from the positions of rods 66 in notches 74 and not from the walls of notches 74 themselves. Hotches 74 are made wider than rods 66 so that rods 66 merely can be dropped into notches 74 rather than fitted into notches 74, in order to save labor.

It will be observed in comparing Figures 2, 3, 4, 13 and 14 that the upper end portions of upper walls 50 of inserts 30 are considerably higher when a horizontal wall or floor 72 is used in inserts, so that rods 66 will be sufficiently spaced from horizontal walls 72, etc. and this extra height of walls 50 may extend above the tapers in the end portions of walls 50. Horizontal wall 72 preferably has a series of drain openings 76.

Special blocks are needed where walls end and where walls turn corners. Examples of a wall end include a doorway, a window opening, and the end of a building or garden wall.

Blocks 10 normally are half-lapped in adjacent courses 22 in a wall 24. One way to end a wall 24 is to provide special full-length and half-length closed. end blocks 80, 82. Full-length closed end block

80 and half-lengthclosed end blocks 82 have one flush end tie wall 84, 86 which is at the very ends of the blocks and provide generally planar end surfaces on the blocks. If at the end of a wall, full-length closed end blocks 80 and half-length closed end blocks 82 were superimposed, the wall would end with a generally planar surface, as demonstrated at the right hand end in Figure 1. Also, the full-length end blocks 80 can be used to form a right-rectangular corner with a first end block 80 on a first level having its flush end tie wall 84 facing one direction and a second block 80 above or below having its flush end tie wall 8. facing in another direction, as demonstrated at tne left hand corner of Figure 1.

A question is presented with full-length and half-length end blocks 80, 82 as to what to do with tie walls other than end tie walls 84, 86. It was decided the blocks 80, 82 would work best if one medial tie wall 90, 92 were provided in each block 80, 82 spaced from the ends of the blocks opposite to walls 84, 86 the same distance as medial tie walls 14 are spaced from the ends of blocks10 to form like end half cells 94 96, whereby a combination of an end half-cell 18 with an end half-cell 94 or 96 will form a usual size combined end cell 20. This means that the remaining cellular space 98 on the full-length end block 80 is longer than an insert 30 and the remaining cellular space 100 on the half-length end block 82 is too small for an insert 30, but that should not be a problem as usually the end or corner superposed cells will be grouted and/or reinforced, so that inserts will not be needed for retention.

Face shell walls 12 have vertical end walls or surfaces 110, 114 that are provided with mating surfaces on the abutting vertical end walls of adjacent blocks 10, 80, 82 in the same course 22 in wall 24, as particularly shown in Figure 5. A first vertical end wall 110 has a tongue 112 outstanding from the remainder 122 of first wall 110 extending inwardly from the adjacent face of the block. The second type of vertical end wall 114 of face shell walls 12 has a vertical corner recess ko extending inwardly from the adjacent face of the block, so that when tongue 112 abuts end wall 114 they only abut in a relatively narrow area. Tongue 112 extends from the remainder 122 of the first wall 110 and second wall 114 has a second tongue 116 spaced inwardly from tongue 112 and extending only part way toward the remainder 122 of the first end surface 110, whereby the plane of abutment between tongue 112 and second end surface 114 in side view is intersected and shielded by second tongue 116 and whereby there is provided a space 118 for grout between second tongue 116 and tongue 112 and there is provided a space 120 for grout between second tongue 116 and the remainder 122 of first wall 110. Grout will flow into spaces 118 and 120 when the adjacent cellular space is being grouted, i.e., a vertical reinforcing rod 62 or a horizontal reinforcing rod 66 is being grouted in the adjacent space. Industrial Applicability The invention can be used in manufacturing cement blocks and in manufacturing plastic or other block interengaging inserts for cement block walls and the invention can be used in the actual construction of cement block walls.

Claims

Claims 1. In a section of a cement block wall formed by a multiplicity of generally right-rectangular cement blocks laid in a series of superposed courses forming a series of upper and lower courses and said blocks being laid in end-to-end series in each course and each block in an upper course having one end portion resting on one block of the next lower course and having its other end portion resting on a different block of the next lower course in a staggered manner, the improvement, comprising: (a) said blocks being of an H-block type, each having two face shell side walls and each having only two tie walls between the side walls forming a single central cell and forming two end half-cells each abutted to another such end half-cell of an abutting block to form a combined end cell of the same size as said single central cell, each single central cell in the wall section being in superposed relationship to a combined end cell formed from two end half-cells of two abutting blocks of a different course, (b) each single central cell and each combined end cell having walls tapering from bottom to top in the positions thereof in the wall section so that at the location of abutment of superposed upper and lower cells the upper cell has larger width and length dimensions and the lower cell has smaller width and length dimensions forming a generally evenly spaced ledge around the lower cell on the lower block between the upper edge of the lower cell and the lower edge of the upper cell, said ledge forming a generally rectangular and symmetrical outline in plan view, and a multiplicity of frame-like inserts separate from said blocks and each insert having end and side portions forming a generally rectan gular outline in plan view and having a larger upper wall fitting in the larger lower portion of the upper cell of superposed cells and having a smaller lower wall fitting in the smaller upper portion of the lower cell and having a lower horizontal medial surface extending generally horizontally inwardly from the lower margin of the upper wall to the upper margin of the lower wall said lower surface resting on said ledge, said lower medial sur face forming a generally rectangular and symmetrical outline in bottom view, whereby said inserts locate blocks in upper and lower courses by engaging in adjacent upper and lower cells, (c) at least part of said inserts having thin horizontal walls bridging the space between said insert end portions and bridging the space between said insert side portions and a series of said inserts having horizontal walls being located side by side in the same course in adjacent central cells and combined end cells and the lower portions of the walls above said series of inserts having recesses and at least one bond beam horizontal reinforcing rod disposed in recesses and superposed to that series of inserts and mortar grouting said reinforcing rod in place and said horizontal walls of said series of inserts hold ing said mortar from falling into said central cells and combined end cells in which said series of inserts are installed.

2. The subject matter of Claim 1 in which said end portions of said upper walls of said inserts have upwardly open notches under the recesses in said tie walls forming rests receiving and positioning said horizontal reinforcing rod.

3. In a section of a wall formed by a multiplicity of generally rightrectangular cement blocks laid in series of superposed courses forming a series of upper and lower courses and said blocks being laid in end-to-end series in each course and each block in an upper course having one end portion resting on one block of the next lower course and having its other end portion resting on a different block of the next lower course in a staggered manner, the improvement, comprising: (a) said blocks being of an H-block type, each having two face shell side walls and each having only two tie walls between the side walls forming a single central cell and forming two end half- cells each abutted to another such end half-cell of an abutting block to form a combined end cell of the same size as said single central cell, each single central cell in the wall section being in superposed relationship to a combined end cell formed from two end half-cells of two abutting blocks of a difference course, and (b) each single central cell and each combined end cell having walls tapering from bottom to top in the positions thereof in the wall section so that at the location of abutment of superposed upper and lower cells the upper cell has larger width and length dimensions and the lower cell has smaller width and length dimensions forming a generally evenly spaced ledge around the lower cell on the lower block between the upper edge of the lower cell and the lower edge of the upper cell, said ledge forming a generally rectangular and symmetri cal outline in plan view, and a multiplicity of frame-like inserts separate from said blocks and each insert having end and side portions forming a generally rectangular outline in plan view which is open between the end and side walls and having a larger upper wall fitting in the larger lower portion of the upper cell of superposed cells and having a smaller lower wall fitting in the smaller upper portion of the lower cell and having a lower horizontal medial surface extending generally horizontally inwardly from the lower margin of the upper wall to the upper margin of the lower wall and said lower medial surface resting on said ledge, said lower medial surface forming a generally rectangular and symmetrical outline in bottom view, whereby said inserts locate blocks in upper and lower courses by engaging in adjacent upper and lower cells.

4. The subject matter of Claim 3 in which the exterior surface of said larger upper wall of each insert includes a portion tapering upwardly to provide a wedging, camming action in inserting in the larger lower portion of the upper cell of superposed cells and in which the exterior surface of said smaller lower wall of each insert includes a portion tapering downwardly to provide a wedging camming action in inserting in the smaller upper portion of the lower cell of superposed cells.

5. The subject matter of Claim 4 in which the lower portion of said exterior surface of said larger upper wall adjacent to said lower horizontal medial surface is substantially vertical to form a seat to engage in the larger lower portion of the upper cell of superposed cells and in which the upper portion of said exterior surface of said smaller lower wall adjacent to said lower horizontal medial surface is substantially vertical to form a seat to engage in the smaller upper portion of the lower cell of superposed cells.

6. The subject matter of Claim 3 in which the lower portions of said tie walls have recesses and said end portions of said upper walls of said inserts having upwardly open notches under the recesses in said tie walls forming rests to receive and position horizontal reinforcing rods in the room provided by said recesses.

7. The subject matter of Claim 6 in which each end portion of said upper walls of said inserts have three spaced upwardly open notches to accommodate either two spaced horizontal reinforcing rods or one centrally located horizontal reinforcing rod.

8. The subject matter of Claim 6 in which there is a knockout wall disposed between two spaced through slots in each recess to retain grout when not removed to accomodate horizontal reinforcing rods.

9. The subject matter of Claim 3 in which vertical end walls on said face shell side walls are disposed with mating surfaces on the abutting vertical end walls of adjacent blocks with a first vertical end wall having a tongue outstanding from the remainder of the first end wall extending from the side of the block partway inwardly, the second vertical end wall having a mortar simulating corner recess extending from the side of the block partway inwardly so that the end walls only abut in a restricted area inwardly of said corner recess.

10. The subject matter of Claim 9 in which said second end wall has a second tongue spaced inwardly from the first-mentioned tongue and extending only part way toward said remainder of said first end wall whereby the plane of abutment between the first-mentioned tongue and the second end wall is intersected and thereby shielded by said second tongue and there is provided space for grout between said second tongue and said first-mentioned tongue and between said second tongue and said remainder of said first end wall.

11. The subject matter of Claim 3 in which there are corner recesses in said face shell side walls at the bottoms thereof and at one end edge thereof to simulate mortar and the bottoms of each block in the positions thereof in a wall section, which is the top of each block when it is made, is radiused where the bottom meets the corner recesses in order to reduce mold suction which otherwise would make more molding imperfections in that area.

12. The subject matter of Claim 3 in which there is at least one end block of half the length of the remainder of the blocks, said end block having half-length face shell walls, having one tie wall and having one end wall at a first end thereof which forms a generally planar end surface on the block at the end of a course, said tie wall of said end block being located the same distance from the second end of said end block as tie walls in the remainder of the blocks thereby forming an end half-cell which can join with an end half-cell of one of the other blocks to form a combined cell of the same size as said single central cell.

13. The subject matter of Claim 3 in which there are a series of closed-end blocks, said closed-end blocks having one end wall at a first end thereof which forms a generally planar end surface on the block, said closed end blocks each having one tie wall spaced from a second end thereof which is located the same distance from the second end of said closed-end block as tie walls in the remainder of the blocks thereby forming an end half-cell which can join with an end half-cell of one of the other blocks to form a combined cell of the same size as said single central cell, said closed-end blocks having the same lengths as other blocks, said closed-end blocks forming a corner in said section of said wall by having closed-end blocks one above another alternating degrees in direction and having said end walls at said first ends of said closed end walls forming part of the wall corner surfaces meeting at right angles.

14. In a section of a wall formed by a multiplicity of generally right-rectangular cement blocks laid in a series of superposed course forming a series of upper and lower courses and said blocks being laid in end-to-end series in each course, the improvement, comprising: (a) said blocks being of an H-block type, each having two face shell side walls and each having only two tie walls between the side walls forming a single central cell and forming two end half-cells each abutted to another such half-cell of an abutted block to form a combined end cell similar to said single central cell,

(b) said face shell side walls having vertical end walls disposed with mating surfaces on the abutting vertical end walls of adjacent blocks with a first vertical end wall having a tongue out- standing from the remainder of the first end wall extending from the side of the block partway inwardly, the second vertical end wall having a mortar simulating corner recess extending from the side of the block partway inwardly so that the end walls only abut in a restricted area.

15. The subject matter of Claim 14 in which said second vertical end wall has a second tongue spaced inwardly from the first-mentioned tongue and extending only part way toward said remainder of said first end wall whereby the plane of abutment between the first mentioned tongue and the second end wall is intersected and thereby shielded by said second tongue and there is provided space for grout between said second tongue and said first-mentioned tongue and between said second tongue and said remainder of said first end wall.

16. An insert for orienting superposed single central cells and combined end half-cells in a cement block wall made up of superposed and staggered courses of H-block type cement blocks, comprising:

(a) a frame-like body having end and side portions forming a generally rectangular outline in plan view,

(b) said body having a larger upper wall of generally rectangular outline and a smaller lower wall of generally rectangular outline, (c) said body having a lower horizontal medial surface extending generally horizontally inwardly from the lower margin of the upper wall to the upper margin of the lower wall, said lower medial surface forming a generally rectangular and symmetrical outline in bottom view, whereby said upper wall can fit in the lower portion of an upper cell and said lower wall can fit in the upper portion of a lower cell in superposed cement block courses in a cement block wall and said horizontal medial surface can rest on the lower block course around a lower cell to locate blocks in such cement block wall, (d) the exterior surface of said larger upper wall of each body including a portion tapering upwardly to provide a wedging camming action in inserting in an upper cell and the exterior surface of said smaller lower wall of each body including a portion tapering downwardly to provide a wedging camming action in inserting in a lower cell, (e) the lower portion of said exterior surface of said larger upper wall adjacent to said lower horizontal medial surface being substantially vertical to form a seat to engage in an upper cell and the upper portion of said exterior surface of said smaller lower wall adjacent to said lower horizontal medial surface being substantially vertical to form a seat to engage in a lower cell, (f) a thin horizontal wall bridging the space between said end por tions of said body and bridging the space between said side portions of said body whereby mortar can be supported in grout ing in a horizontal bond beam reinforcing rod above a cement block course having inserts installed in their cells, and (g) said end portions of said upper wall of said body having up- wardly open notches forming rests for receiving and positioning a horizontal bond beam reinforcing rod.

17. The subject matter of Claim 16 in which each end portion of said upper wall of said body has three spaced upwardly open notches to accommodate either two spaced horizontal reinforcing rods or one centrally located horizontal reinforcing rod.

18. An insert for orienting superposed single central cells and combined end half-cells in a cement block wall made up of superposed and staggered courses of H-block type cement blocks, comprising:

(b) said body having a larger upper wall of generally rectangular outline and having a smaller lower wall of generally rectangular outline, (c) said body having a lower horizontal medial surface extending generally horizontally inwardly from the lower margin of the upper wall to the upper margin of the lower wall, said lower medial surface forming a generally rectangular and symmetrical outline in bottom view, whereby said upper wall can fit in the lower portion of an upper cell and said lower wall can fit in the upper portion of a lower cell in superposed cement block courses in a cement block wall and said horizontal medial surface can rest on the lower block course around a lower cell to locate blocks in such cement block wall,

(d) the exterior surface of said larger upper wall of each body including a portion tapering upwardly to provide a wedging camming action in inserting in an upper cell and the exterior surface of said smaller lower wall of each body including a portion tapering downwardly to provide a wedging camming action in inserting in a lower cell, and

(e) the lower portion of said exterior surface of said larger upper wall adjacent to said lower horizontal medial surface being substantially vertical to form a seat to engage in an upper cell and the upper portion of said exterior surface of said smaller lower wall adjacent to said lower horizontal medial surface being substantially vertical toform a seat to engage in a lower cell.

19. An insert for orienting superposed single central cells and combined end half-cells in a cement block wall made up of superposed and staggered courses of H-block type cement blocks, comprising: (a) a frame-like body having end and side portions forming a generally rectangular outline in plan view, (b) said body having a larger upper wall of generally rectangular outline and smaller lower wall of generally rectangular outline, (c) said body having a lower horizontal medial surface extending generally horizontally inwardly from the lower margin of the upper wall to the upper margin of the lower wall, said lower medial surface forming a generally rectangular and symmetrical out line in bottom view, whereby said upper wall can fit in the lower portion of an upper cell and said lower wall can fit in the upper portion of a lower cell in superposed cement block courses in a cement block wall and said horizontal medial surface can rest on the lower block course around a lower cell to locate blocks in such cement block wall, and (d) the exterior surface of said larger upper wall of each body including a portion tapering upwardly to provide a wedging camming action in inserting in an upper cell and the exterior surface of said smaller lower wall of each body including a portion tapering downwardly to provide a wedging camming action in inserting in a lower cell.

20. An insert for orienting superposed single central cells and combined end half-cells in a cement block wall made up of superposed and staggered courses of H-block type cement blocks, comprising: (a) a frame-like body having end and side portions forming a generally rectangular outline in plan view, (b) said body having a larger upper wali of generally rectangular outline and smaller lower wall of generally rectangular outline, and (c) said body having a lower horizontal medial surface extending generally horizontally inwardly from the lower margin of the upper wall to the upper margin of the lower wall, said lower medial surface forming a generally rectangular and symmetrical outline in bottom view, whereby said upper wall can fit in the lower portion of an upper cell and said lower wall can fit in the upper portion of a lower cell in superposed cement block courses in a cement block wall and said horizontal medial surface can rest on the lower block course around a lower cell to locate blocks in such cement block wall.

21. The subject matter of Claim 20 in which there is a thin horizontal wallbridging the space between said end portions of said body and bridging the space between said side portions of said body whereby mortar can be supported in grouting in a horizontal bond beam reinforcing rod above a cement block course having inserts installed in the cells of the course.

22. The subject matter of Claim 20 in which said end portions of said upper wall of said body have upwardly open notches forming rests for receiving and positioning a horizontal bond beam reinforcing rod.