US3290849A - Block with spacing legs and facing section - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, 1966 L. E. WRIGHT BLOCK WITH SPACING LEGS AND FACING SECTION Filed Sept. 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Dec. 13, 1966 1,. E. WRIGHT 3,290,849

BLOCK WITH SPACING LEGS AND FACING SECTION Filed se tA 2, 1964 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR Lvue EWRacm-rm iswwwm ATTORNEY United States Patent BLOCK WITH SPACING LEGS AND FACING SECTION Lyle E. Wright, Lanham, Md., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Universal Building Products Corporation, a corporation of Maryland Filed Sept. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 393,893

1 Claim. (Cl. 52-541) This invention relates to a block unit or module primarily intended for use in masonry construction such as walls, and the like. The invention provides for a wall assembly of interlocked construction, wherein main block portions are connected by suitable mortar joints, and outer facing block portions, individually secured to the main block portions, are connected in edge-to-edge relation.

An objective of this invention is to provide a block unit in an assembly as aforesaid wherein the facing block portion may be optionally formed of a material different from that of the main block, or coated with such different material. Thus, the main block may be formed of an inexpensive material and the outer block of a more costly, finish grade material. A related feature of importance resides in the provision of main blocks adapted for joining in a construction by mortar placed therebetween, and offset facing blocks meeting in substantially edge-to-edge contact at locations spaced from the mortar joints.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a block of the character indicated which is of a configuration adapting it for production with minimum modification of existing block fabrication machinery.

A still further object'is to provide a main block having a fiat upper and lower surface and having plural legs depending from the lower surface. The legs are of substantially the same depth as the space provided for mortar, and hence, one block may be supported on the flat upper surface of a subjacent block either before or after the application of mortar.

Yet another objective is to provide blocks with means associated therewith for exterior shielding of all mortar joints in a wall construction, to enhance the appearance of the construction, or to prevent the entrance of moisture between the joints.

Another object of importance is to provide a block Wall construction of increased strength.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of wall construction in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of another form of wall construction hereof, showing one corner assembly;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary rear elevational view of a portion of the wall of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the section 4-4 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, perspective view of an individual block or module hereof; and

FIGURE 6 is another perspective of the block of FIGURE 5.

With more specific reference to the drawings, in FIG- URES 5 and 6 a typical block or module 10 of this invention is shown. The blocks 10 comprise a main block body portion 12 and an outer facing block 14.

The main block body portion 12 is preferably formed of a low cost aggregate material and may have the usual cores 16 formed therein. The body portion 12 is generally rectangular in configuration and includes a substantially flat, uniplanar upper face 18, a lower face 20, and opposite, substantially fiat side faces 22, 24. The body portion 12 further includes forward and rear sides 26, 28, respectively.

Each of the side faces 22 and 24 of the main body portion have an upper end edge 30 and a lower end edge 32, and the upper face 18 and forward side 26 meet at a forward upper edge 34. The side 26 and block lower face 20 meet at a forward lower edge 36the edges being herein defined for reference below.

Elongated, substantially rectangular legs 37 and 38 depend from the main block body portion 12, each extending substantially the full width of the body portion between its front and rear faces and having sloping side Walls 40 tapering to a base 42. The leg 38 depends from the lower face 20 closely adjacent the side face 24, while the leg 37 depends from the face 20 at a location spaced inwardly from the side face 22.

Connected either integrally or otherwise to the main block body portion 12 is an outer facing block 14, which may be of the same or a different material and which includes a generally solid body 44 with an outer side surface 46 and inner surface 47. The surface 46 may be coated with a decorative material, or the entire facing block 14 may be formed of a decorative type of aggregate. The facing block 14 is offset with respect to the main block body portion, and includes a top side 48 arranged substantially parallel to and spaced inwardly of the forward upper edge 34 of the main block body portion, and a bottom side 50 substantially parallel to and spaced outwardly of the forward lower edge 36 thereof. First and second ends 52, 54 of the facing block '14 are substantially parallel to and spaced, respectively, inwardly and outwardly of the respective side faces 22 and 24 of the body portion 12, and as best seen in FIGURE 3, the facing block end 52 is generally aligned with the outward extent of the leg 37, and the facing block is of slightly greater dimension in length and height than the main block body portion to permit the application of mortar between the block body portions while maintaining the facing blocks in edge-to-edge contact in a wall construction.

As is readily observable in the drawing and particularly in FIGURES 3 and 6, the location of the legs 37 and 38 is such as to balance the block correctly regardless of its subjacent support means. The center of gravity of the block 10 is, by reason of the offsetting and dimension of the facing block 14, spaced from the center of the main body portion 12. By positioning the leg 38 at the extremity of the body portion 12 carrying the extended portion of the facing block, and by locating of the leg 37 at an inwardly spaced position aligned with the edge 52 of the facing block, the legs are spaced substantially coequally on opposite sides of the center of gravityof the block 10 to maintain balance and insure correct block alignment in installation of the blocks.

In an installation of a wall construction W of the type shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the blocks 10 are arranged in courses with a base course B and superimposed upper courses U. After installation of the course B on a suitable footing, the next course of blocks 10 is installed with mortar joints 60 between the main block body portion 12. Mortar is not required between the outer facing blocks, the ends and sides of which are adapted to contact one another. If desired, mortar or other non bulk connecting material may be placed between the facing blocks. The legs 37 and 38 are adapted to rest on the flat upper faces 18 of subjacent blocks, and the inner surfaces 47 of the facing blocks contact the front sides 26 of the block body portions. Thus, an interlocked engagement of the blocks is provided.

It will be further observed (FIGURE 4) that the seams formed by abutment of the outer facing blocks are offset from the mortar joints between the main block body portions, thereby increasing the strength of the structure and increasing the resistance of the structure to moisture entrance which often occurs at mortar joints.

A special corner block a is shown in FIGURE 2, the corner block including dual, right angularly related outer facing blocks 14a and a generally square main block body portion 12a.

In FIGURE 1, an alternative wall construction is shown wherein the blocks are arranged in vertically staggered rows further increasing the strength of the structure.

It will be noted that the flat upper faces 18 of the blocks provide for the fabrication thereof with at least one flat side, thereby adapting the same for manufacture in most conventional block machinery.

Having described and illustrated the invention in some detail, it will be understood that the description and illustration have been offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A building block for use in a wall construction including a plurality of blocks arranged in courses with a base course and upper courses, and with vertical and horizontal mortar strips connecting the block units to one another, each building block comprising:

a block main body portion of aggregate material having a substantially flat, uniplanar upper face, a lower face, and opposite, substantially fiat side faces;

the block main body portion having forward and rear sides;

the side faces each having an upper end edge and a lower end edge;

the upper face and the forward side meeting at a forward upper edge and the lower face and forward side meeting at a forward lower edge;

the block main body portion having an individual center of gravity substantially equidistant its side faces;

elongated, substantially rectangular legs depending from the block lower face, one such leg being closely adjacent the lower end edge of one of the side faces, and the other being spaced inwardly from the lower end edge of the other side face;

the legs being tapered and extending substantially the full width of the block main body portion and being 4- adapted to rest on the upper face of an adjacent block;

an outer facing block of a length and height greater than that of the block main body portion, including an outer side surface, secured to the forward side of the block main body portion;

the facing block having a top side arranged substantially .parallel to and spaced inwardly of the forward upper edge of the block main body portion, and a bottom side arranged substantially parallel to and spaced outwardly of the forward lower edge thereof a distance equal to said top side spacing plus the outward extent of said depending legs;

' the facing block having first and second ends arranged substantially parallel to the block side faces and being spaced respectively inwardly of said other side face and outwardly of said one side face, the spacing of said second end being .greater than the spacing of said first end;

whereby the facing block is horizontally and vertically offset from the block main body portion, and the building block has a center of gravity ditferent from said center of gravity of the block main body portion;

the legs being located such that they are substantially equidistantly spaced on opposite sides of the building block center of gravity;

an outer surface of said other leg being substantially aligned with said first end of the facing block whereby the block is adapted to be suitably balanced on a subjacent block; and

whereby the facing blocks in the wall construction are adapted to be joined at their ends and sides at locations offset from the vertical and horizontal mortar strips connecting adjacent block main body portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,435,865 11/1922 McDaniel 52-592 1,544,478 6/1925 Payne 52-592 X 1,719,749 7/1929 Berman 52440 1,859,236 5/1932 Covell 52--425 3,149,437 9/1964 Wheeler-Nicholson 52--259 X FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

A. C. PERHAM, Assistant Examiner.

Images