US1973088A - Molded block building construction - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 11, 1934. J. MASIELLO ET AL.

MOLDED BLOCK BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fla. 1

INV ENTOR5 BY 1! H W 1 28?) ATTORNEY J. MASIELLO ET AL 1,973,088

. MOLDED BLOCK BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Sept. 11, 1934.

' Filed Sept. 8. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fla- 5' ZZez'r ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 11, 1934 ei-spas A 1,973,088 MOLDED BLOCK BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Julius Masiello and Vito A. Masiello, Rochester, N. Y.

Application September 8, 1932, Serial No. 632,174

2 Claims.

Our present invention relates to building construction and more particularly to masonry, and it has for its general object to provide an improved building unit in the form of a cement, clay, 5 tile, cinder concrete or similar form of block molded to standard dimensions according to known practices and useful in the construction of interior or exterior walls. The invention also extends to a method of laying the blocks and constructing such walls therefrom. The improvements are directed toward features tending to eliminate to a large extent the need for skilled masons in the work, while at the sametime reducing the time and hence the labor costs of relatively unskilled masons through facilities offered in the matters of both accurately placing the blocks and applying the mortar or binder which cementsor locks them in place.

To these and other ends, the invention resides go in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a fragment of a wall in process of construction, such view being that of the upper course thereof which has last been laid, the view being. partly in horizontal section on the line A-A of Fig. 2 and the wall and the units thereof being constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of our invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of such a fragment of wall with a portion thereof broken away and shown in vertical section through an intersection of one of the mortar lines;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line B-B of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the blocks or building units taken from below, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a corner fragment of a wall under construction with the blocks of the upper course shown in various sections.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

Referring first to the block or unit itself, a form of which for constructing the body of the wall is shown in Fig. 4 and indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, this, as aforesaid, can

be cast, pressed or molded of the various materials suitable for masonry construction. It is preferably hollow, being provided with cores or air spaces 2 in the center separated by a strengthening bridge piece 3 in the manner of two vertical fiues. A central depression or channel 4 extends endwise about its perimeter including the bridge piece 3, as clearly appears, so that when enclosed on all four sides there will be air spaces at the top, bottom and both ends, all in-free cornmunication with the inner spaces 2, as will be later referred to and further explained.

On its opposite horizontal faces and preferably on both sides of the cored center areformed parallel, complementary tongues 5 and grooves 6, the tongues being preferably on the bottom and being sufficiently smaller in cross section than the grooves to permit the flow of a plastic binder therebetween when one such block'is. laid upon another, as clearly shownin Fig. 3. The 'end faces of the block preferably on both sides of the depression or channel 4 are provided with deep grooves 11 intersecting the tongues 'and'grooves first mentioned so that "what remains of "the plainiface is resolvedinto a series of ribs, as appears from Fig. 4.

r In the further practice of our invention, the usual level-foundation or 'sill, indicated at 7, is prepared and the first and following courses of blocks 1 are laid thereon dry and in the usual manner so that they lie directly one upon an- 30 other and with the end faces of adjoining blocks of each course similarly abutting one another so that, if the blocks are molded square and true, they will present a smooth unbroken wall surface. The blocks used for the first course, as shown in Fig. 3, preferably have the ribs 5 omitted and grooves 5 substituted therefor for obvious reasons. The other tongues and grooves facilitate sliding the blocks easily into place along the course. In the assembly, the channels or depressions 4 of adjacent blocks form continuous horizontal air flues 8 through the wall connected both by the core spaces 2 of individual blocks and similar but smaller intervening vertical air spaces or fiues 9, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 1, respectively, insulating the wall for resistance to temperature changes. At the same time, the vertical grooves 6 on the abutting end faces jointly form verticallaterally closed passages 10 of substantial capacity, from which the air passages 9 are sealed.

These passages 10 are continuous with or, rather, communicate laterally with the beforedescribed mortar spaces left between the smaller tongues 5 in the larger grooves 6. When two or perhaps several courses have thus been dry laid the mortar binder or grouting is introduced in a semi-liquid or fluid plastic state into the open ends of the passages 10, through which it flows striking the course below and spreading lateral- .110

2 ly through the channels or grooves 6 and thence downwardly into other passages 10 until all these spaces are completely filled. If of a lesser fiuidic nature, it may be forcefully applied or introduced under pressure, the intent being that continuous concealed lines of mortar shall be established surrounding all of the blocks throughout the entire wall.

A wall constructed in accordance with our invention through the use of our improved block has further advantages and improvements over prior practice other than considerations of time and convenience, hereinbefore referred to. It will not settle, shrink or crack,as"-happens with prior constructions and methods @employing wide mortar joints, as the blocks lie directly upon'each other and if a lower course settles in selfadjustment due to the weight of following courses, it is immaterial as the mortar is not present at the time in the joints and in its later application disposes itself according to the condition :that it finds at .a time when stability has :finally :been reached. Illhere being 1:10 exposed mortar :to attractlmoisture from the exterior andabsorb it,

- the -.ob'jec'tion .of crumbling and falling vmortar otheriirregularformations;specialiblocksaarepro vided using the principles of construction herein set forth, such as the corner block 13, shown in Fig. 5.

We claim as our invention:

1. A molded building block or the like having an open core and a central depression extending endwise about its perimeter in communication with ithezcore to form connected airsfiues horizontailly and verticallythroughawall composed of abutting blocks laid in courses, said block being further provided with uninterrupted con- ;ztinuous inter-communicating grooves on intersecting faces paralleling the depression to form relatively angular open passages between adja- .cent;blocks of .acourse and receive a plastic binderifrom which the depression is sealed, the blocks of an upper course being freely slidable endwise on-those'of the lower course while being laid.

.2. 'Amolded building block or the like having a continuous and uninterrupted complementary tongue and groove on :opposite horizontal faces respectively, the tongue *beingsuificiently smaller .in cross :section than the groove to permit the flow of a plastic binder therebetween when :one such block is laid :uponanother and the blocks of an upper :course being freely'slidable endwise on those .of the lower course while being laid, the end faces of the block being :formed with deep {grooves intersecting the .tongueand groove first mentioned adapting each such :end groove .to form a substantial vertical :laterally closed passage jointly with the correspending groove on an end .iace of an abutting block when two such .hlocks-tarei-soilaidinracourse of a wall, the terminals of ithe end grooves lbeing ideiepened -,to ,provide enlargements of the said passage :at the points =of intersection aforesaid.

JULIUSIMASIEIJLO.

.A. .MAS-IELLQ.

iio

Images