Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – With step of making mold or mold shaping – per se
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-21
2001-03-27
Heitbrink, Jill L. (Department: 1732)
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
With step of making mold or mold shaping, per se
C264S071000, C264S234000, C264S267000, C264S274000, C264S275000, C264S277000, C264S279000, C264S279100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06207094
ABSTRACT:
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to concrete masonry blocks and more particularly to concrete masonry blocks that have external plates anchored through the blocks. Further, the invention relates to a method of constructing a wall having concrete masonry blocks with external plates at predetermined locations so that heavy objects can be supported from the external plates secured in concrete masonry blocks in the wall. A method for forming concrete masonry blocks with external plates and internal anchors is also shown.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Concrete masonry blocks have been used in the building of buildings throughout most industrialized countries of the world. Concrete masonry blocks come in many different sizes and shapes. A typical rectangular concrete masonry block used in building a wall will have two external faces so that when the concrete masonry block is installed in the wall, the external faces will be on either side of the wall. Internally, within the concrete masonry blocks, a pair of vertical holes extend upward through the concrete masonry blocks. Typically, one end of the concrete masonry block is fluted and the other end of the concrete masonry block is smooth. The width of the concrete masonry block may vary depending on the strength desired in the wall.
In government buildings, especially prisons, concrete masonry blocks are used because they are structurally strong, functional, and are easy to maintain. However, in many governmental buildings, especially prisons, it is important to be able to anchor items to the wall, which items would not touch the floor. In the past, it has been a very labor intensive process to suspend items from the wall. For example, a hole will have to be drilled through concrete masonry blocks forming the wall and anchor plates installed on either side of the wall. The anchor plates would have to be installed in a way that would not be easily removable. The installing of anchor plates in the wall after the wall is built is very time consuming, labor intensive, and expensive.
Just some of the things that are typically attached to the wall that would require anchor plates would be shelf hooks, privacy panels, grab bars, bunk beds, sliding devices, mounting of doors, television stands, or ceiling plates. These are only some of the items that may have to be attached to the wall in a governmental facility such as a prison.
There is a long felt unmet demand for better ways to attach to concrete walls throughout the industrialized countries of the world. It may be a facility such as a public restroom, cafeteria, school, or any other similar facility that needs to be structurally strong, functional, and easy to maintain. Any public facility that has items suspended from the wall rather than sitting on the floor is much easier to clean and maintain.
Fricker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,255, shows an anchoring device for attaching flat panels to a wall. The Fricker patent does not appear to be that close to the present invention.
Kline, U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,616, shows the imbedding of a metal weldment into the concrete slab structure. Again, this patent does not appear to be very close to the present invention.
Parkes, U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,545, shows a replacement block that is used for electrical outlets and conduits. Parker does not talk about supporting items from the wall structure.
Woodruff, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,674, shows an electric furnace thermal insulating module that does not appear to be close to the present invention.
The patents cited hereinabove were the patents found in the patentability search conducted by applicant. None of the prior art found by applicant suggests in any way the anchoring of external plates to the surface of concrete masonry blocks with internal anchors during the forming of the concrete masonry blocks.
Dec-Tech, Inc. from Covington, Louisiana, has been offering for sale a steel block that can be substituted for a concrete masonry block. The steel blocks by Dec-Tech, Inc. are not formed with concrete. Also, because the steel blocks do not have concrete, the Dec-Tech, Inc. steel blocks do not have anchors extending through concrete to hold the plates in position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to show concrete masonry blocks having an external plate or plates that are anchored in the concrete at the time the concrete masonry block is formed.
It is another object of the present invention to have a series of different types of concrete masonry blocks having external plates anchored therethrough, the design of the external plate and the concrete masonry blocks depending on the needs of the end user.
It is a further object of the present invention to have a series of concrete masonry blocks with external plates and anchors extending therethrough, such concrete masonry blocks include the following:
a. Full length, double sided plates with end caps.
b. Half length, double sided plates with end caps.
c. Full length, double sided plates.
d. Half length, double sided plates.
e. Full length, single sided plates.
f. Half length, single sided plates.
g. Half blocks with full length, double sided plates and end caps.
h. Half blocks with double sided plates.
i. Upper half, single sided plates.
j. Full length, double sided plates with different anchor designs.
k. Full length, single sided plates with different anchor designs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide other designs of external plates on concrete masonry blocks having anchors formed within the concrete masonry blocks at the time of casting.
It is yet another object of the present invention to construct a wall having external plates at various locations in the wall to which items can be suspended from the wall.
It still another object of the present invention to determine the type of external plate that is needed and to include the particular type of external plate in the wall at the time of construction of a wall to support items from the wall.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of forming concrete masonry blocks having external plates and embedded anchors at the time of casting the concrete masonry blocks so that when the concrete masonry blocks are cured, the external plates are securely anchored to the external surface of the concrete masonry blocks.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide indexing for positioning the external plates and anchors within molds used to form the concrete masonry blocks.
A concrete casting machine using a mold and supporting pallet is normally used to form concrete masonry blocks. In the present invention, the supporting pallet feeds into the concrete casting machine, and while the casting machine is open, external steel plates and anchors are placed at predetermined locations on the supporting pallet. The mold is then either lowered into position on the supporting pallet with the external plates and anchors being received inside of the mold or raised into position replacing the supporting pallet. The latter method is made possible where the external plates and anchors are secured from the sides via electromagnets. Concrete mix is used to fill the mold box. Normally the mold is vibrated to insure the concrete fills up all of the voids in the mold box.
Next, the compression portion of the mold pushes down into the mold box to compress the concrete mix in the desired shape of a block having external plate or plates with internal anchors. The mold is stripped from the concrete masonry block, the concrete masonry block is removed from the concrete casting machine, and the concrete masonry block is moved to the kiln chamber for heating and solidifying the concrete. The anchors are formed inside the concrete masonry block at the time it is made with the external plates being on the external surface or surfaces of the concrete masonry block.
A wide variety of different types of blocks with external plates can be made. The only limitation is the expense and cost to the end user.
When
Farmer, Sr. William Ray
Pilcher James W.
CCC Group, Inc.
Gunn, Lee & Keelin
Heitbrink Jill L.
Poe Michael I.
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