US20140059965A1

US20140059965A1 - Double Locking Mortarless Block

Info

Publication number: US20140059965A1
Application number: US13/599,093
Authority: US
Inventors: Douglas Edwards
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-08-30
Filing date: 2012-08-30
Publication date: 2014-03-06

Abstract

The invention is to make a rectangular block that will be used in a construction system based on the combined use of a double locking mortar-less block designed that locks together. The double locking mortar-less block of rectangular configuration with two end cavities of equal size and ears on the middle web. Each ear is the same dimension as the grooves in the internal faces of the end and sidewalls of each cavity. Each groove being positioned, shaped and dimensioned so that an ear and groove of adjacent blocks can be interlocked. The contour face of the block is contoured along axes perpendicular to the top and bottom faces of the block and the block face has protruding and receding portions. The respective protruding and receding portions interlock so that the block is adapted to form a rigid structure.

Description

Mold for making a mortar-less interlocking block. The invention was engineered and developed to make a double interlocking block that has internal ears and grooves. Also, it has one receding and protruding portion on the external faces of said block.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is to make mortar-less blocks for construction of residential dwellings and commercial buildings. With the system, you can implement the sweat equity concept cutting the construction time from days to hours. After the first tier of blocks is in grout and with rebar, you can stack blocks starting at any corner. The contractor can save approximately 80% on labor for constructing the walls of residential and commercial buildings. The interlocking mortar-less block system can be a prepared kit so an unskilled person can build 90 percent of their own house. The kit would contain precut plumbing, bundled electrical wires and door jambs; also the windows would be pre-framed.
Another objective is to obtain a construction system which does not require special equipment.
Another objective is to provide the means for precision molding of blocks.
Another objective is to make it easy for the builder to choose and use the blocks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An Englishman, Terrance J. Hunt, arrived in California in the mid-1980s and developed the first double locking mortar-less block and was issued a published patent with a priority date of Feb. 21, 1985. He developed a fence block that would withstand an earthquake and later was issued a U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,472, dated Jan. 30, 1990. Douglas Eugene Edwards of Gainesville, Texas was issued a provisional patent application No. 61/626/877 filing date Oct. 5, 2011. The invention relates to a double locking mortar-less block. The building block will facilitate the construction of buildings, walls, cross walls, and the likes without the need of special equipment or techniques. The essential idea is to provide a basic system of five blocks. The blocks are designed to firmly lock together and thus the construction does not require the traditional mortar or cement to bond it together. This is due to the ears protruding from the blocks and the grooves in all the blocks that fit on said protruding ears. The blocks have external faces and some faces has protruding and receding portions mating with each other so that the blocks are adapted to form a rigid structure. As a result, it is possible to interlock said blocks in parallel, longitudinally or transversely. Thus with this system any simple or complex structure may be built.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The system comprises the combination of five interlocking building blocks.
These blocks should be manufactured with precision for interlocking without the use of mortar. Load-bearing structures can be built therewith.

The Full Block:

As shown in FIG. 1, the blocks are a rectangular configuration of two spaced, parallel end walls and two spaced, parallel side walls extending longitudinally of the block between the therefore transverse end walls. The side and end walls have respective external faces 101, 102 that defines an open-ended internal cavity extending between top and bottom faces 108, 109, respectively, of the walls and, therefore, of the open-ended internal cavity.
The middle web 103 extending transversely of said block and parallel to end walls that separate the open-ended internal cavities. There are two end cavities of equal size of one end wall, one internal face of one end wall, one internal face of one middle web, and the intervening internal faces of side walls.
An ear 107 on a central web protrudes from the top face 108, each ear being the same dimensions. Each ear has a transversely extending surface 104 delimiting the extent of said ear toward said central web and oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending surface 114, each delimiting the extent of said ear toward the proximal wall.
The side edges 106 of the groove in each end wall are each spaced from the external face 101 of the proximal side wall a distance X substantially the same as the distance from the longitudinally-extending surfaces 114 of the ears 107 respectively to the same, proximal side wall faces. Each transversely-extending surface 104 of each ear is spaced from the external face 102 of the proximal end wall a distance Y substantially one half the external length of a side wall minus the distance Z of the face of the groove 100 Z in the proximal end wall to said external face 102 Z of said end wall. The side edge 106 Z proximal the end wall of the groove in each said side wall is substantially the same distance ZX from the external face 102 Z of said proximal end wall as the distance Y of each longitudinally-extending surface 114 of each ear to the external face 101 of the proximal side wall.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, an ear and groove of four adjacent blocks A, B, C and D or C, D and F can be male-female interlocked with external side and end faces of one block flush in a longitudinal orientation, like blocks F, C and E, or transverse orientation, like C, D and F. The full block is such, therefore, that four such blocks in sequence are adapt to form a running bond of longitudinal or transverse orientation of the sequential full blocks. In the longitudinal orientation, each groove 100BE, 100CE in each end wall of one full block E respectively male-female interlocks with one ear 107BE, 107CE of each of the other two full blocks B, C the external faces 102 of the end walls of the other full blocks D, C being in mating relationship at 102 and the external faces 101 of the side walls of each full block being parallel and respectively flush with the external faces of the side walls and one groove 100 CF in one side wall of one full block F respectively male-female interlocks with one said ear 107CF, 107DF of each of said other two full blocks C, D, the external faces of side walls 101 of full F block being transverse to the external faces of the side walls 101 of at least one of said other two full blocks C, D.
In other words each groove extending from the bottom toward the top face at least as far as the ears project from the top face is positioned, shaped and dimensioned so that an ear and groove of adjacent block can be male-female interlocked with one external face of one block flush with an external face of another block for either longitudinally or transverse orientations of the blocks.

Mold Design

In the manufacture of conventional blocks only one bar 400B is used for the cores. The bar 400B is located along the top face of a mold to support steel cores 401B to form a cavity or hollow in a concrete block. The mold method herein described uses twin, i.e. two parallel-spaced core bars 400A for supporting steel cavity-forming 401A in a block forming press mold. The positions of the twin bars 400A can be approximately 6 mm from opposite longitudinal edges of the protruding ear 107 to a position of approximately 3 mm with relation to the external edge of the steel core.
Molding guides 407 on sections of the twin bars at the area of the top face 403A and extend downward between the steel cores 401A to the frits levels defined by top face 404A of said block aside from the ear projections. These are in the 6 mm space between the twin bars 400A and the longitudinal sides face 408A of the projections at 403A as delimited by the steel cores 401A. The molding guides 407 are removable.
The contours are such that external faces have one protruding portion 150 and one receding portion 152. The depth from and into the block of the protruding and receding portion of the contours together define an average face (only one shown) at 154 of each wall which is shown in phantom because not real. The average face at 154 corresponds to the face from which various distance have heretofore been described as being measured.
In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the average face of the walls corresponds with the non contoured portion of the side and end external faces 101′, 102′ at the ends of each wall and also at the middle of the side walls.
The protruding and receding portion of the contours on opposite end and side faces of the block are complementarily positioned for nesting with those of another full block similarly oriented relative to the top and bottom faces when complementary end or side faces of the blocks mate. This prevents relative movement of the blocks transverse of the contours and, when there are three such blocks with the ears and grooves interlocked it adapts the blocks for forming a rigid structure.
It will be understood that various other characteristics of the invention are apparent from the drawings that such variations of the characteristics or features of the invention as may occur to one of ordinary skills in the art are contemplated by the drawings of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Merely-preferred embodiments, which do not limit the invention, are shown in drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a prospective top and bottom view of a group of full blocks.
FIG. 2 is a top view of a partition block.
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a partition block.
FIG. 4 is a top view of a left corner block.
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a left corner block.
FIG. 6 is a top view of a right corner block.
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a right corner block.
FIG. 8 is a top view of the in-line or stretcher block.
FIG. 9 is the bottom view of the in-line or stretcher block.
FIG. 10 is the top view of a window or door block.
FIG. 11 is the bottom view of a window or door block.
FIG. 12 is cross sectional view of the end of the bloc and a view of the ear protruding from the top of the block.
FIG. 13 is a longitudinal, side cross-sectional view.
FIG. 14 is a view showing the twin bars for making the ears on the block.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. An interlocking block building system, comprising:

a) plural blocks aligned in rows, which rows are stacked vertically to form a wall;

b) each block having parallel first and second side walls, parallel first and second end walls and plural cavities located within the side and end walls, an intermediate web extending parallel to the end walls between the side walls, the intermediate web separating the cavities, each cavity being bounded by the first and second side walls and at least one of the first and second end walls or the intermediate web, the first and second side walls each being longer than each of the first and second end walls, each of the first and second side walls extending in a longitudinal direction and having first and second longitudinal segments, the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls forming first and second faces, with the first face of one block in a first row contacting the second face of another block in an adjacent second row, the intermediate web comprising ears extending from the first face, the ears being located longitudinally with respect to one another, the first face being smooth and having no protrusions other than the ears the first face being located between the ears and the end walls, the second face having grooves in at least one of the cavities, the grooves receiving and interlocking with the ears of a block positioned in an adjacent row, the second face being smooth and having no recesses other than the grooves and the cavities, the second face being located between the the end walls;

each block having connecting portions, with one of the connecting portions comprising the first end wall and with an other of the connecting portions comprising either the second end wall or the first longitudinal segment of one of the first or second side walls, each connecting portion comprising external protruding and receiving portions, the connecting portion of the one block mating with the connecting portion of a third block in the same row as the one block, the respective protruding and receding portions having smooth exterior faces;

d) each block having exposed portions, with the exposed portions comprising at least those longitudinal segments of the first and second side walls that do not have a connecting portion, the respective exposed portions of one block being coplanar with the respective exposed portions of the other blocks in the same wall, the exposed portions being flat and smooth.

11. The interlocking block system of claim 10, wherein each cavity has four internal faces, with at least three of the internal faces having at least one of the grooves.

12. (canceled)

13. The interlocking block system of claim 10, wherein each of the protruding and receiving portions having a depth that is parallel to the side walls and a width that is parallel to the end walls, the width being at least three times the depth.

14. The interlocking block system of claim 10, wherein the cavities of the stacked blocks are aligned vertically to receive a reinforcing rebar.

15. The interlocking block system of claim 10, wherein at least some of the blocks are of a first type, each of the blocks of the first type having the other connecting portion located on the second end wall, with the side walls being entirely exposed portions, the first type of blocks arranged in an end-to-end manner along a row.

16. The interlocking block system of claim 10, wherein at least some of the blocks are of a second type, each of the blocks of the second type having the other connecting portion located on the first segment of the first side wall, the first side wall first segment located adjacent to the second end wall, the second segment of the first side wall, the second side wall and the second end wall each having one of the exposed portions.

17. The interlocking block system of claim 10, wherein at least some of the blocks are of a third type, each of the blocks of the third type comprising:

a) the other connecting portion located on the first segment of the first side wall, the first side wall first segment located adjacent to the second end wall, the second segment of the first side wall, the second side wall and the second end wall each having one of the exposed portions;

b) a third connecting portion located on the first segment of the second side wall, the second side wall second segment located adjacent to the second end wall;

c) the second segments and the second end wall each comprising an exposed portion.

18. The interlocking block system of claim 10, wherein:

a) at least some of the blocks are of a first type, each of the blocks of the first type having the other connecting portion located on the second end wall, with the side walls being entirely exposed portions, the first type of blocks arranged in an end-to-end manner along a row;

b) at least some of the blocks are of a second type, each of the blocks of the second type having the other connecting portion located on the first segment of the first side wall, the first side wall first segment located adjacent to the second end wall, the second segment of the first side wall, the second side wall and the second end wall each having one of the exposed portions;

c) at least some of the blocks are of a third type, each of the blocks of the third type comprising:

i) the other connecting portion located on the first segment of the first side wall, the first side wall first segment located adjacent to the second end wall, the second segment of the first side wall, the second side wall and the second end wall each having one of the exposed portions;

ii) a third connecting portion located on the first segment of the second side wall, the second side wall second segment located adjacent to the second end wall;

iii) the second segments and the second end wall each comprising an exposed portion.