Translucent end block

A translucent end block which may be secured to an exposed side or top abutting surface of a translucent block includes a pair of parallel upper and lower surfaces spaced from each other and having generally the same preselected shape. A pair of side walls extend between the upper and lower surfaces and are joined to the upper and lower surfaces. The pair of side walls each have first wall portions positioned in parallel, spaced relation with each other and nonparallel second wall portions. A first end wall is positioned between the pair of side walls first wall portions and is joined to the upper and lower surfaces and to the pair of side walls first wall portions. The end block is secured to an exposed side or top abutting surface of a translucent block which forms a part of a translucent block wall structure to provide a translucent block wall structure having usable top or side surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field Of The Invention 
This invention relates to an end block, and more particularly, to unitary 
translucent end blocks which may be secured to the exposed top or side 
abutting surfaces of translucent blocks which form a translucent block 
wall structure to provide a translucent block wall structure having usable 
top or side surfaces. 
2. Description Of The Prior Art 
The use of translucent block, such as glass block, for exterior and 
interior applications is well known. Using glass block for wall structures 
offers various aesthetic and design possibilities, as well as provides 
various functional characteristics and advantages over other materials 
which may be used for similar purposes. For example, glass block 
structures promote energy conservation through their insulating capability 
to reduce heat gain or loss and to provide thermal efficiencies for energy 
conservation. In addition, glass block structures can control light 
transmission and glare, as well as reduce surface condensation, draft and 
noise transmission. Because of their construction, glass block structures 
offer security advantages while maintaining light transmission 
therethrough. Lastly, glass block structures have the added advantage of 
easy maintenance and installation. 
Although translucent blocks may be utilized with excellent results to form 
various wall structures, it is often desired to form a translucent block 
wall structure which is used as a room or office divider or other wall 
structure which does not extend vertically from floor to ceiling. 
Typically, translucent block wall structures which form room or office 
dividers are between four and six courses of block in height. Similarly, 
translucent block wall structures may include passageways to permit 
pedestrian travel between partitioned room or office sections. 
As is known in the art, each individual block in the wall structure 
normally includes two abutting side surfaces, and a top and bottom 
abutting surface positioned between the opposed, outer block faces. Each 
glass block abutting surface includes two surfaces each tapered inwardly 
from an outside edge of the glass block to meet at the center of the 
abutting surface. 
As a result, if it is desired to form a translucent block wall structure to 
serve as a room or office divider which does not extend completely from 
floor to ceiling, the top surface of the translucent block divider 
structure, which is composed of a plurality of glass block abutting top 
surfaces, has a generally inwardly tapered configuration. Similarly, a 
pedestrian passageway formed in the block wall structure has a vertically 
extending side surface composed of a plurality of stacked, vertically 
extending glass block abutting side surfaces each having the same 
generally inwardly tapered configuration. 
Normally, the exposed top or side surface of the block wall structure is 
covered with either a finished wood or metallic sheet material to provide 
top and side surfaces, respectively, which may be usable for other 
purposes. For example, the exposed top surface of the block wall structure 
may be covered with a wood or decorative sheet material to provide a 
generally flat divider top surface which may be used as a shelf or for 
other suitable purposes. The pedestrian passageway vertically extending 
side surface may also be covered with wood or sheet material to provide a 
generally flat vertical side surface for use with a room divider door. 
Although wood or decorative metallic sheet material may be used to cover 
the exposed top or side abutting surfaces of a translucent block wall 
structure, these various coverings are difficult to secure to the exposed 
block abutting surfaces and detract from the otherwise generally 
aesthetically pleasing appearance of the block wall structure. 
The block wall structures heretofore formed from a plurality of individual 
translucent blocks each include exposed top or side wall surfaces which 
must be finished if it is desired to provide usable top or side wall 
surfaces. 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,425,102 discloses a wall structure made from glass blocks 
in which the individual glass blocks are assembled together into a 
permanent wall structure with the weight of the structure being supported 
by a plastic or reinforced concrete grid. However, since each block 
includes a pair of peripheral ribs which extend outwardly beyond the 
peripheral edges of the glass plates making up the block faces, the 
exposed top and side surfaces of the block wall structure must be either 
filled in with cement or covered over with a finished wood or metallic 
sheet material to provide top and side surfaces, respectively, which may 
be usable for other purposes. 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,994,387 discloses a hollow unit made from glass or other 
transparent material for use in the construction of a wall. Each of the 
hollow units has an upper assembling face with one or more tenons 
positioned thereon. The tenons are engaged by an upper hollow unit, and a 
groove positioned on each tenon is adapted to form a space within the 
interior of the upper unit in which cement may be dispersed to prevent the 
cement from rising into the interior of the upper unit above the tenon. 
However, wall structures made from these hollow units have, on the exposed 
upper exposed surface of the structure, a plurality of tenons which 
project upwardly from the top surfaces of the units. These upwardly 
projecting tenons prevent the exposed top surface of the wall structure 
from being used for any other purpose. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,086,185 discloses a hollow glass block having a pair 
opposing, hexagonal side faces. The glass blocks may be assembled to form 
a wall structure. However, because of the hexagonal shape of the blocks, 
if it is desired to form a wall structure having an exposed top surface, 
every other block in the top layer must be cut in half to provide a 
substantially level top surface. Since the blocks are hollow, the exposed 
top surface must be covered to provide a top surface which may be usable 
for other purposes. In addition, a block wall structure made from these 
blocks and having an exposed side surface requires each block lying along 
the exposed side surface to be cut in half. Therefore, if it is desired to 
provide a block wall structure having a usable side surface, the hollow 
interiors of the glass blocks forming the exposed side surface must also 
be covered over. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,110,885 discloses a wall structure made from glass bricks 
positioned in abutting relation at their edges. The edges of each brick 
are coated with a layer of polymerized vinyl resin to provide an adequate 
mortar adhering surface between opposing pairs of coated edges. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,110,900 discloses a hollow building block composed of 
several sections united to provide that the parting line between the 
sections will be disposed between exposed faces of the block. When the 
blocks are used to form a wall structure, the parting line or joint 
between the sections of each building block are protected and strengthened 
by the mortar or other medium employed in joining the blocks together. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,115,513 discloses a hollow glass block made from two 
rectangular cup-like sections which may be united by glass-to-glass 
contact effected while the glass is in a semi-plastic state, or by a film 
or sheet of aluminum or other suitable metal interposed between the two 
rectangular cup-like sections. Since the exterior surface of the block is 
smooth, the exposed mortar bearing surfaces of the block are coated with a 
gritty material to create an effective mortar bearing surface when the 
blocks are assembled into a wall structure. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,306,320 discloses a glass block which may be used in the 
assembly of panels suitable for use in relatively horizontally positioned 
structures, such as roofs, floors, canopies and the like. The glass blocks 
each have edges formed to facilitate the arrangement of the glass blocks 
in a deck structure with a supporting grid of reinforced grout enclosing 
the blocks and maintaining them in position. In this manner, the glass 
blocks may be assembled other than vertically, and the edges of the glass 
blocks support the glass blocks in a horizontal position. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,861 discloses a wall construction module for use in 
assembling building partitions. Each module is injection-molded from 
translucent colored plastic in the form of two hollow sections which are 
welded into a closed unit. Each module is contoured for interlocking 
engagement with a pair of uprights and for interfitting engagement with 
adjacent modules above and below in the partition assembly. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,319 discloses a curtain wall assembly made of 
interfitting glass blocks. Each glass block has at least top and bottom 
surfaces contoured for interfitting engagement with similar faces of upper 
and lower blocks. The opposite lateral faces of each block may also be 
contoured for interengagement with similar lateral faces of the blocks on 
both sides. Vertical bracing units may be used if desired to increase the 
stability of the glass block. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,486 disclosed a translucent block for use in wall and 
column structures. The block includes a pair of parallel upper and lower 
faces each having a generally irregular hexagonal shape. The block 
includes a first and second pair of generally rectangular opposing ends 
which are joined to the upper and lower faces. The block further includes 
a pair of generally rectangular opposing sides which are parallel with 
each other and are also joined to the upper and lower faces. The 
translucent block can be joined to similar translucent blocks and/or 
different translucent blocks to form a wide variety of wall and column 
structures. 
While it has been suggested by the prior art to use translucent blocks to 
form various wall structures, there remains a need for a translucent end 
block which may be conveniently secured to an exposed top or side abutting 
surface of a translucent block to provide a wall structure in which the 
exposed top or side surface of the wall structure does not require wood or 
similar coverings to form usable top or side surfaces. The translucent end 
block is preferably formed from the same translucent material as the 
translucent block and has the same decorative design as the translucent 
block. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a translucent 
end block which includes a pair of substantially parallel upper and lower 
surfaces spaced from each other. The upper and lower surfaces each have 
generally the same configuration. A pair of side walls are provided which 
are perpendicular and joined to the upper and lower surfaces. The pair of 
side walls have first wall portions positioned in parallel, spaced 
relation with each other and nonparallel second wall portions. One of the 
nonparallel second wall portions extends from and is integral with one of 
the pair of first wall portions. A first end wall is positioned between 
the pair of side walls first wall portions and is joined to the upper and 
lower surfaces and to the pair of side walls first wall portions. The 
first end wall is perpendicular to the substantially parallel upper and 
lower surfaces. 
Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a 
translucent end block which may be conveniently secured to an exposed top 
or side abutting surface of a translucent block which forms a part of a 
block wall structure. 
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a translucent 
end block formed from parallel upper and lower surfaces each generally 
having the same peripheral configuration and connected by means of a 
plurality of side walls in which the contour of the side walls is 
substantially identical to the peripheral configuration of the parallel 
upper and lower surfaces. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a translucent end 
block which may be secured to an exposed top or side abutting surface of a 
translucent block which forms a part of a translucent block wall structure 
to provide a translucent block wall structure having usable top and side 
surfaces. 
These and other objects of the present invention will be more completely 
disclosed and described in the following specification, the accompanying 
drawings and the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated 
a portion of a translucent block wall structure 10, such as a glass block 
wall structure, having at least one layer of translucent block. The layers 
of translucent block are generally designated by the numeral 12. The 
translucent block wall layers 12 each include a plurality of conventional 
glass blocks 14. The glass blocks 14 are themselves known in the art, and 
are described herein only as they relate to the present invention. The 
translucent glass block wall structure 10 also includes an end block 
section 16 joined with the conventional glass blocks 14. Although end 
block section 16 is joined with the straight translucent block wall 
section, end block section 16 is shown partially detached from the 
straight translucent block wall section in FIG. 1 to better illustrate end 
block section 16. 
To form end block section 16, the translucent block wall structure 10 
includes a plurality of translucent end blocks 18. An end block 18 is 
illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a perspective 
view of an end block 18, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the end block 
18 shown in FIG. 2 inverted to illustrate the end block lower surface. 
Translucent end block 18 has an upper surface generally designated by the 
numeral 20 and a lower surface generally designated by the numeral 22. As 
seen in FIG. 2, upper surface 20 has a pair of side edge portions 23 and 
24 which are substantially parallel with each other and have the same 
length. Upper surface 20 also includes a pair of nonparallel side edge 
portions 26 and 28. As seen in FIG. 2, side edge portion 26 is integral 
with and extends from side edge portion 23. In addition, side edge portion 
26 is angularly spaced from side edge portion 23 by a preselected angle. 
Side edge portion 28, which is integral with and extends from side edge 
portion 24, is angularly spaced from side edge portion 24 by the same 
preselected angle. Upper surface 20 also includes a rear edge portion 30 
which extends between the pair of side edge portions 23, 24 and a front 
edge portion 32 which extends between the pair of nonparallel side edge 
portions 26 and 28. 
As seen in FIG. 3, end block 18 lower surface 22 has a pair of side edge 
portions 34 and 36 which are substantially parallel with each other and 
also have the same length. Lower surface 22 also includes a pair of 
nonparallel side edge portions 38 and 40. As seen in FIG. 3, side edge 
portion 38 is integral with and extends from side edge portion 34. In 
addition, side edge portion 38 is angularly spaced from side edge portion 
34 by a preselected angle. Side edge portion 40, which is integral with 
and extends from side edge portion 36, is angularly spaced from side edge 
portion 36 by the same preselected angle. Lower surface 22 also includes a 
rear edge portion 42 which extends between the pair of side edge portions 
34, 36, and a front edge portion 44 which extends between the pair of 
nonparallel side edge portions 38, 40. 
As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, nonparallel side edge portions 26, 28, 38 and 40 
are angularly spaced from side edge portions 23, 24, 34 and 36, 
respectively by the same preselected angle. In addition, the rear edge 
portion 30 of upper surface 20 is substantially parallel with front edge 
portion 32, and the rear edge portion 42 of lower surface 22 is 
substantially parallel with front edge portion 44. As described, upper and 
lower surfaces 20, 22 have generally the same configuration. 
End block 18 also includes two side walls generally designated by the 
numerals 46, 48 which extend between upper and lower surfaces 20, 22. Side 
walls 46, 48 are perpendicular and integral with upper surface 20 and 
lower surface 22. The end block 18 further includes a first or rear end 
wall 50 and a second or front end wall 52 which are perpendicular and 
integral with upper surface 20 and lower 22. 
As seen in FIGS. 2 through 5, the pair of side walls 46, 48 include first 
wall portions 54, 56 which are parallel and spaced from each other. First 
wall portion 54 extends between upper surface 20 side edge portion 24 and 
lower surface 22 side edge portion 36. First wall portion 56 extends 
between upper surface 20 side edge portion 23 and lower surface 22 side 
edge portion 34. The pair of side walls 46, 48 also include nonparallel 
second wall portions 58, 60. Nonparallel second wall portion 58 extends 
between upper surface 20 nonparallel side edge portion 28 and lower 
surface 22 nonparallel side edge portion 40. Nonparallel second wall 
portion 60 extends between upper surface 20 nonparallel side edge portion 
26 and lower surface 22 nonparallel side edge portion 38. As seen in the 
Figures, nonparallel second wall portions 58, 60 are integral with and 
extend from first wall portions 54, 56 respectively. In addition, 
nonparallel second wall portions respectively by the same preselected 
angle by which nonparallel side edge portions 26, 28, 38 and 40 are 
angularly spaced from side edge portions 23, 24, 34 and 36 respectively. 
As seen in FIG. 2, end block 18 first or rear end wall 50 has a generally 
rectangular configuration, and is perpendicular and joined with upper 
surface 20 at rear edge surface 30 and lower surface 22 at rear edge 
surface 42. First or rear end wall 50 is positioned between the pair of 
parallel side wall first wall portions 54, 56 and is integral with first 
wall portions 54, 56. 
As seen in FIG. 3, the end block 18 may also include, if desired, a second 
or front end wall 52 of generally rectangular configuration which is 
perpendicular and joined with upper surface 20 at front edge surface 32 
and lower surface 22 at front edge surface 44. A illustrated in FIG. 4, 
second or front end wall 52 is integral with the pair of side wall 
nonparallel second wall portions 58, 60. In addition, front end wall 52 
and rear end wall 50 are positioned in substantially parallel, opposed 
relation with each other. 
Referring to FIG. 2, end block 18 upper surface 20 may include, if desired, 
a raised surface portion 62 which extends around a portion of the 
perimeter of upper surface 20. As seen in FIG. 3, end block 18 lower 
surface 22 may also include, if desired, a raised surface portion 64 which 
extends around a portion of the perimeter of lower surface 22. As will be 
explained later in greater detail, the raised surface portions 62 and 64 
may be formed on end block 18 to provide additional mortar-adhering 
surfaces between adjacent end blocks 18 when the end blocks 18 are joined 
to a column of translucent blocks such as shown in FIG. 1. 
As previously described and illustrated in FIG. 4, nonparallel second wall 
portion 58 is integral with first wall portion 54 on end block 18. 
Similarly, nonparallel second wall portion 60 is integral with first wall 
portion 56. Since nonparallel second wall portion 58 is connected between 
upper and lower surfaces 20, 22 nonparallel side edge portions 28, 40 and 
nonparallel second wall portion 60 is connected between upper and lower 
surfaces 20, 22 nonparallel side edge portions 26, 38, the adjacent side 
wall portions 54, 58 and the adjacent side wall portions 56, 60 
respectively meet to form angles between these adjacent side walls. As 
previously described, the angles between side wall portions 56, 60 and 
side wall portions 54, 58 are equal, preselected angles. The angles 
between adjacent side wall portions 56, 60 and side wall portions 54, 58 
are each greater than 90.degree.. The angles between adjacent side wall 
portions 56, 60 and adjacent side wall portions 54, 58 may be selected so 
that the nonparallel side wall portions 58, 60 of end block 18 are 
positioned in either converging or diverging relation with each other. 
If it is desired to form an end block 18 having a front or second end wall 
52, front end wall 52 is positioned between and integral with nonparallel 
second wall portions 58, 60. Since nonparallel second wall portions 58, 60 
are connected between the nonparallel edge surface portions of upper and 
lower surfaces 20, 22, front end wall 52 is angularly spaced from 
nonparallel second wall portions 58, 60. The angle between nonparallel 
second wall portion 58 and front end wall 52, and the angle between 
nonparallel second wall portion 60 and front end wall 52 are preferably 
equal angles. The angle between nonparallel second wall portion 58 and 
front end wall 52, and the angle between nonparallel second wall portion 
60 and front end wall 52 may each be varied depending upon the angle 
between adjacent side wall portions 54, 58 and 56, 60 to provide that 
front end wall 52 remains substantially parallel with rear end wall 50. 
End block 18 may be composed of any suitable translucent material, such as 
a suitable glass material, and can be formed by any conventional glass 
forming process known in the art. End block 18 is desirably a hollow glass 
block and is preferably formed from pressing two halves of glass block 
together under appropriate temperature and pressure conditions using known 
conventional processes and apparatus. Although not shown to include the 
wide variety of possible designs in the Figures, the forming process 
usually includes providing the interior surfaces of the side wall portions 
54, 56, 58, 60 and front end wall 52 with some type of molded decorative 
design which is clearly visible through the glass material after the 
halves of the end block 18 are joined. The location of the fusion of the 
two pressed halves of block forming the unitary end block 18 is indicated 
by the numeral 66 in FIGS. 2-4. Each of the halves of the end block 8 are 
identical and include one of the parallel side wall portions 54, 56, one 
of the nonparallel side wall portions 58, 60, half of the rear and front 
end walls 50, 52, and half of the upper and lower surfaces 20, 22. 
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the wall structure previously 
described, formed from a plurality of conventional glass blocks 14 and a 
plurality of end blocks 18. As seen in FIG. 1, each glass block 14 
includes a pair of opposing side faces (one shown at 68), an abutting top 
surface 70 and an abutting side surface 72. Although not shown, each glass 
block 14 also includes an abutting bottom surface and an additional 
abutting side surface between the pair of opposing side faces. Each glass 
block 14 further includes a pair of raised edge surfaces 74, 76 which 
extend around the perimeter of the opposing side faces and a raised 
surface portion 78 which is formed during the glass block 14 forming 
process. As further seen in FIG. 1, the overall width of end block 18 
substantially equals the overall width of glass block 14, and the overall 
length and height of end block 18 substantially equal the overall length 
and height of glass block 14. 
In order to form the translucent block wall structure 10 which includes a 
plurality of layers 12 of translucent block 14 and a translucent end block 
section 16, each end block 18 in end block section 16 is positioned in 
relation to a vertically adjacent glass block 14 as shown in FIG. 1. Each 
end block 18 is joined to an adjacent glass block 14 by a suitable bonding 
material 80. Many types of commercially available bonding materials can be 
utilized with the present invention, such as a conventional cementitious 
material or mortar. The bonding material can also include a water proofing 
constituent if desired. As seen in FIG. 1, the mortar or other suitable 
bonding material is laid up between the abutting side surfaces 72 of the 
glass blocks 14 and the first or rear end walls 50 of end blocks 18 to 
permanently bond each end block 18 to an adjacent glass block 14. In 
addition, mortar or other suitable bonding material is also laid up 
between the upper surface 20 of one of the end blocks 18 in end block 
section 16 and the lower surface 22 of an end block 18 positioned above 
the lower end block 18. In this manner, the mortar or other suitable 
bonding material permanently bonds the plurality of end blocks 18 to the 
plurality of adjacent glass blocks 14, and also bonds the plurality of end 
blocks 18 together to form the glass block wall structure 10 illustrated 
in FIG. 1. As previously described, the raised surface portions 62, 64 
formed on the upper and lower surfaces 20, 22 respectively, of each end 
block 18 provide additional mortar-adhering surfaces between adjacent end 
blocks 18 in end block section 16. 
The end block 18 illustrated in the Figures and described herein provides a 
usable vertical surface for the translucent block wall structure 10 
illustrated in FIG. 1. The usable vertical surface is formed from the 
plurality of vertically stacked end blocks 18 front or second end walls 52 
and nonparallel second wall portions 58, 60. Although not specifically 
illustrated in FIG. 1, it should be understood that an end block 18 may 
also be secured to the exposed top abutting surface 70 of each glass block 
14 in the top layer 12 of wall structure 10 to form a usable top layer 12 
top surface. 
It should further be understood that although an end block 18 having a 
specific configuration is described herein, an end block 18 having any 
predetermined configuration may be utilized without departing from this 
invention. As previously described, the nonparallel second wall portions 
58, 60 of end block 18 may be positioned in either converging or diverging 
relation relative to each other. In addition, end block 18 may have any 
desired ornamental aesthetic external appearance. 
According to the provisions of the Patent Statutes, we have explained the 
principle, preferred construction and mode of operation of our invention 
and have illustrated and described what we now consider to represent its 
best embodiments. However, it should be understood that, within the scope 
of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as 
specifically illustrated and described herein.