GB1567155A - Building brick - Google Patents

Description

(54) BUILDING BRICK (71) We, THOMAS GIPPS AHEARN, of 143, Adelaide Street East, Clayfield, Brisbane, in the State of Queensland 4011, Commonwealth of Australia, ANTHONY JOSEPH INOWERSEN, of 44, Tarnki Parade, Palm Beach, Gold Coast, in the State of Queensland 4221, Commonwelath of Australia, and CARL HABEGGER, of 6 Alpha Avenue, Currumbin, Gold Coast, in the State of Queensland 4223, Commonwealh of Australia, all Australian citizens, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a building brick and more particularly it relates to an improved self-aligning building brick.

This invention has been devised to provide a self-aligning building brick which will be easy to place and which will have a strong structural joint between adjoining bricks. It is also an object of this invention to provide a building brick usable for constructing a wall or the like which will have a uniform and pleasing apperance. It is also an object of this invention to provide a building brick which will be easy to manufacture and robust in use.

According to the present invention, a substantially rectangular solid building brick comprises the type having a first engagement feature on its upper horizontal load face and a complimentary second engagement feature on its lower horizontal load face whereby, when said brick is placed on a substantially identical brick, said second feature co-operates with the first engagement feature of said other brick to operatively position the side faces of said bricks and to provide restraint against the relative movement between the engaged bricks in the horizontal direction parallel to the end faces of said bricks, wherein one of said engagement features includes a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending ridges disposed on said load face and forming therebetween an open ended longitudinally extending recess with each ridge being defined by convergent surfaces forming a longitudinally extending apex portion adapted for abutting engagement against the adjacent load face of another of said bricks, said apex portions being spaced from the adjacent side faces of the brick by non-horizontal surfaces, and said other engagement feature includes an elongate longitudinally extending spigot assembly on the opposite horizontal load face for entry into the recess of another of said bricks, said spigot assembly extending away from the load face by a distance less than the depth of the recess and having a transverse cross-sectional configuration substantially corresponding to the transverse cross-sectional configuration of said recess.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of brick according to the invention and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of bricks shown in spaced apart relationship one above the other; Figure 2 is a plan view of either brick illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of a pair of bricks in operative relationship one above the other; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a brick similar to those shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a plan view of the brick of Figure 4:: Figure 6 is a perspective view of a typical layout illustrating the interlocking feature brick walls at right angles to one another; Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the arrangement of a pillar in a wall, and Fig. 8 is a side view showing the interlocking arrangement of bricks disposed one above the other and at right angles.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a substantially rectangular solid building brick 10 having a substantially planar upper horizontal load face 11 and a substantially illustrated the upper face 11 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending engagement ridges 13 which have a triangular transverse cross-section. The apex portions 22 of the ridges are spaced from the adjacent side faces by non-horizontal surfaces. The lower face 12 of the brick 10 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending engagement depressions 14 forming therebetween a lower spigot 26.

As shown in Fig. 3 the features 13 of the lower brick 15 engage within engagement depressions 14 of an upper identical brick 16. As illustrated, when the bricks 15 and 16 are in this position no relative movement of the bricks can take place in a direction transverse to the viewable or wall faces 18 of the bricks. Also there is a space 19 left between the upper brick 16 and the lower brick 15, which space contains mortar. Also the lower visible edge 19' of the upper brick 16 is spaced from the upper visible edge 20 of the brick 15 so as to provide a recess 21 between the bricks. This recess 21 could be left as is, or for decorative purposes mortar or some trimming could be inserted into the recess 21.

In operation mortar is placed in the recess 23 formed between the engagement ridges 13 of the lower brick. The spigot 26 of the upper brick 16 is then forced down on to the lower brick 15 until the apices 22 of the engagement ridges 13 abut against the lower face 23 of the engagement depressions 14. Also at this point the bricks will be restrained by the inter-engagement of the tapered surfaces of their respective engagement features. Preferably sufficient mortar is placed in the recess 23 so that as the bricks are brought together the mortar is squeezed out between the two bricks, between the tapered surfaces of their respective engagement features. Thus a bond is formed between the two bricks between the faces adjacent the mortar in the recess 23 as well as between the tapered faces of the respective engagement features.

As illustrated in the drawings, the end face 24 of the brick may be recessed to provide for a mortar joint between the ends of adjoining bricks. Thus the bricks can be laid in end to end relationship with a mortar joint between the ends. and the outer surfaces 25 of the ends flush against one another. Also while the brick illustrated has particular proportions the features of the invention could be incorporated in any size or shape of building brick. Also bottom bricks and top bricks having completely planar lower and upper surfaces respectively could be produced.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, a brick 101 is shown having an upper horizontal load face 111 provided with a pair of longitudinally extending engagement ridges 131.

As described in relation to the brick of Fig. 1, the ridges 131 are generally triangular in transverse cross-section except for longitudinally extending plateaux 271 at the apices.

The opposite horizontal load face 121 is provided with a pair of upstanding portions 281 separated by a transverse valley 291 to hold mortar.

Opposite end faces 241 and 301 are provided with complimentary mating features 251 and 261 respectively. As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, each run-brick 10a may be three times as long as the brick is wide, as compared to the conventional brick which is twice as long as it is wide, so that at intersections of walls at right angles to one another, the end brick 10b can terminate flush with the viewable face 18a of the exterior wall. This construction ensures that the walls are structurally interlocked and as shown in Fig. 8 in particular, the upper and lower engagement features of the bricks are also interlocked.For this purpose, the lower spigot assembly 26a is divided into three, as illustrated, each spigot part 27 being square shaped in plan view whereby it may be engaged, either way around, with the depression 14a formed in the upper face of the brick between the apices 22a of the next below brick.

The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 7 illustrates how a structural pillar may be interlocked into a wall. For this purpose, special pillar blocks 29 are provided as illustrated. This figure also shows the use of the aforementioned long run-bricks 10a together with the conventional length corner-bricks 10b.

While the above has been given by way of illustrative example it will of course be realised that many modifications of constructional detail and design may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the broad scope and ambit of the invention, the nature of which is defined in the appended claims.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A substantially rectangular solid building brick of the type having a first engagement feature on its upper horizontal load face and a complimentary second engagement feature on its lower horizontal load face whereby, when said brick is placed on a substantially identical brick,

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the arrangement of a pillar in a wall, and Fig. 8 is a side view showing the interlocking arrangement of bricks disposed one above the other and at right angles. Referring to the drawings there is shown a substantially rectangular solid building brick 10 having a substantially planar upper horizontal load face 11 and a substantially illustrated the upper face 11 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending engagement ridges 13 which have a triangular transverse cross-section. The apex portions 22 of the ridges are spaced from the adjacent side faces by non-horizontal surfaces. The lower face 12 of the brick 10 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending engagement depressions 14 forming therebetween a lower spigot 26. As shown in Fig. 3 the features 13 of the lower brick 15 engage within engagement depressions 14 of an upper identical brick 16. As illustrated, when the bricks 15 and 16 are in this position no relative movement of the bricks can take place in a direction transverse to the viewable or wall faces 18 of the bricks. Also there is a space 19 left between the upper brick 16 and the lower brick 15, which space contains mortar. Also the lower visible edge 19' of the upper brick 16 is spaced from the upper visible edge 20 of the brick 15 so as to provide a recess 21 between the bricks. This recess 21 could be left as is, or for decorative purposes mortar or some trimming could be inserted into the recess 21. In operation mortar is placed in the recess 23 formed between the engagement ridges 13 of the lower brick. The spigot 26 of the upper brick 16 is then forced down on to the lower brick 15 until the apices 22 of the engagement ridges 13 abut against the lower face 23 of the engagement depressions 14. Also at this point the bricks will be restrained by the inter-engagement of the tapered surfaces of their respective engagement features. Preferably sufficient mortar is placed in the recess 23 so that as the bricks are brought together the mortar is squeezed out between the two bricks, between the tapered surfaces of their respective engagement features. Thus a bond is formed between the two bricks between the faces adjacent the mortar in the recess 23 as well as between the tapered faces of the respective engagement features. As illustrated in the drawings, the end face 24 of the brick may be recessed to provide for a mortar joint between the ends of adjoining bricks. Thus the bricks can be laid in end to end relationship with a mortar joint between the ends. and the outer surfaces 25 of the ends flush against one another. Also while the brick illustrated has particular proportions the features of the invention could be incorporated in any size or shape of building brick. Also bottom bricks and top bricks having completely planar lower and upper surfaces respectively could be produced. Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, a brick 101 is shown having an upper horizontal load face 111 provided with a pair of longitudinally extending engagement ridges 131. As described in relation to the brick of Fig. 1, the ridges 131 are generally triangular in transverse cross-section except for longitudinally extending plateaux 271 at the apices. The opposite horizontal load face 121 is provided with a pair of upstanding portions 281 separated by a transverse valley 291 to hold mortar. Opposite end faces 241 and 301 are provided with complimentary mating features 251 and 261 respectively. As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, each run-brick 10a may be three times as long as the brick is wide, as compared to the conventional brick which is twice as long as it is wide, so that at intersections of walls at right angles to one another, the end brick 10b can terminate flush with the viewable face 18a of the exterior wall. This construction ensures that the walls are structurally interlocked and as shown in Fig. 8 in particular, the upper and lower engagement features of the bricks are also interlocked.For this purpose, the lower spigot assembly 26a is divided into three, as illustrated, each spigot part 27 being square shaped in plan view whereby it may be engaged, either way around, with the depression 14a formed in the upper face of the brick between the apices 22a of the next below brick. The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 7 illustrates how a structural pillar may be interlocked into a wall. For this purpose, special pillar blocks 29 are provided as illustrated. This figure also shows the use of the aforementioned long run-bricks 10a together with the conventional length corner-bricks 10b. While the above has been given by way of illustrative example it will of course be realised that many modifications of constructional detail and design may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the broad scope and ambit of the invention, the nature of which is defined in the appended claims. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A substantially rectangular solid building brick of the type having a first engagement feature on its upper horizontal load face and a complimentary second engagement feature on its lower horizontal load face whereby, when said brick is placed on a substantially identical brick,

said second feature co-operates with the first engagement feature of said other brick to operatively position the side faces of said bricks and to provide restraint against relative movement between the engaged bricks in the horizontal direction parallel to the end faces of said bricks, wherein one of said engagement features includes a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending ridges disposed on said load face and forming therebetween an open ended longitudinally extending recess with each ridge being defined by convergent surfaces forming a longitudinally extending apex portion adapted for abutting engagement against the adjacent load face of another of said bricks, said apex portions being spaced from the adjacent side faces of the brick by non-horizontal surfaces, and said other engagement feature includes an elongate longitudinally extending spigot assembly on the opposite horizontal load face for entry into the recess of another of said bricks, said spigot assembly extending away from the load face by a distance less than the depth of the recess and having a transverse cross-sectional configuration substantially corresponding to the transverse cross-sectional configuration of said recess.

2. A building brick according to claim 1, wherein the outermost side face of each said ridge converges away from the respective load face from the adjacent longitudinal edge of said brick.

3. A building brick according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one end face of said brick is provided with a recess extending between and communicating with the opposite said load faces.

4. A building brick according to claim 3, wherein the end face of said brick remote from said recessed end face is provided with an outwardly projecting portion adapted for engagement with the recessed end face of an identical brick engaged operatively therewith in end to end abutting relationship.

5. A building brick according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said side face of said brick has a length dimension three times the width dimension of the end face of said brick and said spigot assembly comprises three longitudinally spaced substantially identical spigot portions, each having a longitudinal cross-sectional configuration substantially identical to said transverse cross-sectional configuration.

6. A building brick substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.