Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Opaque stonelike module – Particularly related to adjacent module
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-17
2003-07-08
Chapman, Jeanette (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Opaque stonelike module
Particularly related to adjacent module
C052S605000, C052S606000, C052S607000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06588168
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a block unit useful in constructing various structures. More particularly, it relates to a block having specialized contours which renders it particularly useful in providing walls and finished structures having increased strength over prior art constructs, and more particularly those having enhanced resistance to the forces of nature such as high winds and earthquakes. Constructs derived from the block unit and system according to the invention also find use in subterranean earth retention.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The concrete block constructions of the prior art are made of individual blocks which are conventionally rectangular in shape, and which generally have one or more cavities through the blocks from their top to bottom, as such are familiar to those in the art. During their use in fabricating structures, a layer of mortar is layered onto a foundation, and a course of closely spaced blocks are laid on the mortar layer, with additional mortar applied between the contiguous block ends. Another layer of mortar is applied to the top of the first course and additional courses are similarly laid, generally staggering the block ends from course to course. Generally, some uncommon degree of skill is required to achieve level courses and a vertical wall, and because of the skill required for such construction, construction costs of such structures are not the most economic availably. These blocks have vertically aligned cavities that can be optionally filled with reinforcing materials such as rebar and concrete to provide added strength to a wall formed from such conventional blocks.
Various types of mortarless interlocking blocks have been devised by various workers to facilitate the construction of block walls and other structures. Most of such blocks have been prohibitively expensive to the end consumer for reasons which include the requirement that the interlocking portions (usually grooves or protrusions) must be cut into the blocks after they have been formed, typically by molding. Further, it is difficult to maintain the required tight tolerances required for accurate construction of large walls or other structures through the molding and cutting steps. The prior blocks often required additional finishing or grinding steps to meet the require tolerances which adds to their production costs.
Certain specialized blocks of the prior art have been used successfully for many years. While generally effective, the prior art block designs often require three or more different block configurations may for many structures, such as walls, buildings with openings and floor panels connected to the block wall. Additional block configurations require the manufacture of additional expensive molds and increased cost and time in changing molds in a block making machine and maintaining and inventory of the different block configurations. Further, many building walls made from the blocks of prior art have excessive thermal conductivity across the wall, which is a particular problem in cold climates where the interior is heated or in hot climates where the interior is cooled. Heat transmission across such a wall varies between areas where the blocks have large open internal cavities and areas where the cavities are filled with concrete reinforcing material or insulative materials. In addition to the undesirable loss of interior heating or cooling through the wall, with heated buildings, cold spots may form on the interior of the wall that condense water from the inside atmosphere and run down the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,678 discloses an interlocking building block construction comprising an overlapping masonry block having opposite sides, stepped opposite upper and lower longitudinal faces, and stepped opposite vertical end faces. There are a plurality of spaced tapered recesses with flat bottom surfaces are located on the upper longitudinal face, and a plurality of correspondingly shaped lugs are formed in the lower longitudinal face. There are two enlarged rectangular openings extending entirely through the block located in the central area of the upper and lower faces between the vertical end faces. A plurality of small apertures are formed in and adjacent to the lugs for receiving pins for interlocking adjacent blocks. Header blocks, pilaster blocks, partition blocks and filler blocks are provided for interlocking assembly with the interlocking building blocks to build walls of a building without the use of grout or cement. These special component blocks are formed with tapered recesses and lugs corresponding to the recesses and lugs of the interlocking building block for interlocking assembly therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,949 sets forth a wall comprising superposed rows of longitudinally aligned building blocks, the blocks having approximately parallel front and back faces connected by a plurality of transverse webs defining chambers between the webs, the top and bottom of the front and back faces being approximately parallel and providing longitudinally extending tops and bottoms for the blocks, the tops and bottoms being formed to include uniformly spaced apart ball-receiving depressions positioned so that the depressions in the tops of each block mate with the depressions in the bottoms of the block above it, balls fitted into the space defined by mating depressions, the balls being slightly larger than the mating depressions to space the blocks. The depressions in the tops of each block are machined to a specific depth in relation to the height of the block so that the interconnection of the blocks by the balls provides horizontal alignment for each ball-supported block. The upper face of the webs are formed with longitudinally aligned V-shaped grooves which are accurately positioned at a uniform distance from the front faces of the blocks, and elongated straight bars of circular cross-section fitted in the grooves and extending longitudinally and horizontally from one block to the next to provide longitudinal alignment of the blocks in each row.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,447 discloses a building block to be used in the construction of houses, buildings, garages, sheds and the like, which is constructed of expanded, polystyrene beads. The building block is to be arranged with other similar building blocks in a vertically orientated, horizontally staggered relationship. Each building block is constructed of two parts which are adhesively secured together in a facing relationship. Each building block includes a pair of vertically aligned openings. When the building block is in the assembled, stacked relationship with other similar building blocks, there are a series of horizontally aligned openings to permit the conducting of rigid reinforcing rods between the blocks. Each building block includes within its upper surface and lower surface interlocking structure which is to interlock with other similar blocks when located in the stacked relationship.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,746 teaches a wall assembly comprising a plurality of repeating building blocks successively arranged in a tandem array within a row, the wall assembly comprising a number of rows, each stacked one above another, the tandem arrays within each row facing in an opposite direction with respect to an adjacent row stacked above and below thereto, for the purpose of enhancing lateral forces such as those produced during an earthquake, each building block of the array being generally rectilinear with the exception of two oppositely disposed distal end walls having arcuate, circumferential male and female mating surfaces, respectively, each arcuate, circumferential male and female mating surface having a radial diameter almost equal to a width of the block to further enhance resistance to the lateral forces, each end wall being rotatively engageable with an arcuate mating end wall of an adjacent block of the assembly at any desired angle of rotation within a limited range of arc defined by circumferential end abutments terminating the arcuate mating surfaces of the mating end walls,
Chapman Jeanette
Whewell Christopher
LandOfFree
Construction blocks and structures therefrom does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Construction blocks and structures therefrom, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Construction blocks and structures therefrom will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3107599