US1055074A - Building-block. - Google Patents

Description

W. 5. PHASE. BUILDING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1912.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

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WILLIAM E. PEASE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BUILDING BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August.12, 1912. Serial No. 714,682.

To all whomz't mag concern:

Be it'known that I, WVILLIAM E. PEASE, a cltizen of the United States, resident of Cleveland, county of Guyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Building-Blocks, ofwhich the following is aspecification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to dis-' tinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to building blocks, and particularly to blocks used in the construction of the walls of tunnels or subways.

I-Ieretofore, in'the construction of such tunnels 'or subways it has been customary and necessary to utilize 'a temporary wooden backing for holding the soil back, against which the brick or concrete wall was built, which backing also prevented such wall from being subjected to strains during the period in which the mortar orconcrete was setting. This backing was also necessary for' the purpose of providing a fixed structure which. could be used as a rest or base fon driving the shield'in advance of the masonry, as will be understood by those skilled 'inthe art. Inasmuch as such backing was entirely covered by the masonry, it could not be removed and the material entering into its construction became a deadloss. Suchmaterial and the labor involved in the erection of the backing thus became a large element in the cost of construction. In addition to such backing itwas also necessary to provide a temporary inner structure, for holding the upper or overhanging portionof the wall in place while setting, the

labor and material involved in the construction of which also formed a large element in the cost of construction.

The object of my invention is to reduce the cost of tunnel or subway construction by eliminating completely the necessity for the use of such above described backing and which will permit the walls to be built with the use of very little, if any, temporary support, while at the same time the.

walls will have the necessary strength and water-tight character.

.The said invention consists of means hereinafter fully described and particularly setforth in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain means embodying my invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting'but one of various mechanical forms in which the prin* ciple of my invent-ion may be employed. f

In said annexed drawings :Figure 1 is an end, and Fig. 2 aside elevation of a building block embodying my invention.

' Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

Fig. 3 represents a transverse section and Fig. 4 a fragmentary longitudinal section of a tunnel wall embodying my invention. 1

In the illustrated embodiment of my said 1 invention, the wall A is constructed of tapered blocks Blaid end to'end and side to side, and having a thickness equal to the thickness of the wall, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4;. Each block has its two opposite side faces 2'), b, and end faces 5'' Z) each formed with an outer plane port-ion, Z1 6 and b b respectively, and an inner b b and b b respectively.

plane portion,

The plane-portions b and 12 instead of lying "in'the same plane are so situated that the portions 6 fall inside of the plane of portions 6 as shown in Fig.2 in which the dotted line XX indicates said plane. Likewise portions Z) fall insidethe plane of1portions b as shown in Fig. l in which In other words the plane of portions 5 and '6 intersect, 1when producedfthe other end of the block.

As a result of the above-described conthedotted line YY indicates such plane.

stru'ction, portions 6 of adjacent blocks are in contact. as are alsoportions bias shown at 0 1n Fig. 2; while .portlonsb and b are out of contact, as shownflat' c 1n said figure.

Each plane portion and b is formed with a groove 6 whose 'ends are in communicatlon as shown and lnwardly ad acent to said grooves are further plane portions 6 and b which lie in the-planes of portions 6 and b respectively. These portions .72 and o are. hence in contact as shown at 0 Fig. 2.

By means of the described construction, narrow. grooves intersect the interior surface of the wall and lie between the sides and ends of adjacent blocks, by means of which oakum may be introduced into the passages formed by the grooves 72 and the inside joints of the blocks can thus be calked and made water-tight after the struc ture is completed and has been in use for a time, if such calking be found necessary or desirable.

The outer plane portions 6 and b are formed with grooves 5 which communicate as their ends, and which when contiguous form communicating passages of a diameter suflicient to allow, during the course of construction, grouting to be poured therein and to set. The outer joints are thus rendered water-tight.

That portion of the ends and side faces of the blocks intermediate of the plane-portions above described is formed with grooves forming projections, so arranged that contiguous sldes and contiguous ends of the blocks interlock, as will be understood and as shown in Fig. 2. By means of this interlocking feature the blocks sup-port each other, and no mortar or cement binder is therefore required. As soon as a course is laid it is complete and may hence be used as a base for forcing the shield forward. The necessity of much if any tempo rary structure for supporting overhanging blocks, is hence also obviously eliminated. In addition it will also be seen that the peculiar shape of joint between the blocks, adds materially in strengthening the walls and also in making same water-tight.

In practice I find it desirable to make the grooves b about one-half inch and grooves b one inch in diameter.

In the event that the previously-described calking with oakum or the like be found, in after years, to be necessary and is resorted to,the passages formed by grooves b prevent the calking material from being blown outby water-pressure from the exterior. Such necessity for calking may arise by reason of settlement of the wall after completion of the tunnel, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

I also prefer, in order to add to the watertight feature of the joints, to apply a coating of pitch or the like to the grooved intermediate surfaces of the blocks.

Having fully described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a building block having grooved end and side face-portions and a plane portion adjacent to each of said grooved face-portions; each of said plane portions being provided with a groove; such last-named grooves communicating with each other at their ends.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a building block having grooved end and side face-portions and a plane portion adjacent to both the inner and outer ends of said grooved face-portions.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a building block having grooved end and side face-portions and a plane portion adjacent.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a

building block having plane face-portions adjacent to one end of each face and in different parallel planes, together with a groove separating such portions.

6. A tunnel-wall consisting of contiguous blocks having interlocking side and end facep0rtions; outer plane face-portions in contact and inner plane face-portions out of contact; said inner plane face-portions being provided with grooves having their ends in communication with each other.

7. A tunnel-wall consisting of contiguous blocks having interlocking side and end face-portions; an outer plane face-portion on each side and end of each of said blocks, adjacent outer plane-portions of contiguous blocks being in contact; an inner plane faceportion on each side and end of each of such blocks, adjacent inner plane-portions of contiguous blocks being out of contact; the inner plane face-portions of each block being provided with grooves having their ends in communication with each other.

Signed by me this 8th day of August 1912.

W. E. PEASE.

Attested by WM. ROTHENBERG, A. EQMERKEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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