Spacers for the construction of walls from superimposed blocks

The spacer for the construction of walls from superimposed blocks which have at least one opening on their horizontal sides is provided with a supporting member consisting of four spacing members which are radially symmetrically attached to a holding ring and which are located outside the opening of the block when laid, and with centering means consisting of centering tabs attached to the holding ring. In the case of the spacer for the construction of dry walls, the spacing members are attached to a connecting ring which is linked to the holding ring, the two rings together having a T-shaped cross-section. The centering tabs are each provided with a reinforcement tab extending inwards, which has a T-shaped cross-section together with the centering tab. Such a spacer enables a safe, motionless and torsionally stiff support of the wall blocks and is well suited for mass production.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a spacer for the construction of walls from 
superimposed blocks which have at least one opening on their horizontal 
sides, the spacer having centering means projecting into an opening of 
each block below and above as well as a supporting means for the blocks. A 
spacer of this kind in the form of a single piece injection-moulded ring 
is known from EP-A-170 840 and is used primarily for the erection of 
so-called dry walls. In a known dry wall system, for example as described 
in DE-C-26 50 292, the stacked blocks have plugs on one side and 
corresponding recesses on the other horizontal side, a concentric offset 
collar being provided which on the one hand ensures that there is a 
distance between the blocks and on the other hand prevents injury through 
fingers becoming trapped when these blocks are laid. As the manufacture of 
these blocks with plugs and collars is relatively expensive, the 
abovementioned spacer was created in order that flat blocks with a through 
recess could be manufactured, which permits considerably more economic and 
rational manufacture. With the known spacer, the blocks rest on a 
relatively narrow continuous ring. 
Different problems arise from the fact that the heavy blocks rest on a 
continuous ring each, for unevennesses of the blocks' surface, partly 
depending on their manufacture, are poorly compensated for, so that the 
upper layers of blocks may rock or the ring breaks. In addition, there is 
a danger that the supporting ring may become twisted. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In contrast, the object of this invention is to provide a spacer which 
provides a better support for the overlying blocks. A further object of 
one embodiment is to achieve increased torsional stiffness and safe 
building height of the wall without filling up the openings of the blocks. 
This first object is attained by all the spacers defined by FIGS. 1-10, 
whereas the second object is attained by the spacer defined in FIGS. 5 and 
6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In the first embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3, the spacer 1 with the 
holding ring 2 is shown, to which (see FIG. 2) a short tube-like 
connecting ring is perpendicularly attached, the holding ring together 
with the connecting ring having a T-shaped cross-section. This results in 
a great torsional stability. Four spacing members 4 are disposed around 
the connecting ring 3, which are designed to take up the weight of the 
blocks. On principle, three spacing members would be sufficient for a 
stable support of the overlying blocks, but four spacing members have been 
chosen for reasons of symmetry. The spacing members 4 have an annular form 
and are provided with bracings 5 in order to give them the necessary 
strength. Moreover, the bracings are disposed in such a manner that, 
together with the annular wall, triangles turned by 180.degree. with 
respect to each other are alternately formed. Thereby, maximum stability 
with minimum material consumption is realized. Over the circumference of 
the holding ring 2, centering tabs 6 and 7 are disposed at regular 
intervals, in the center of which reinforcement tabs 29 and 30 pointing 
inwards are attached. Each reinforcement tab runs into a supporting fin 8 
pointing inwards. In the present embodiment, this is the case with the 
four reinforcement tabs 29, while the four reinforcement tabs 30 are 
shorter. The number of centering tabs is not critical, i.e. there might as 
well be more or less centering tabs. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the 
holding ring's diameter is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the 
opening 12 in the block 11, so that the blocks do not rest thereon but on 
the spacing members exclusively. The supporting fins 8 have the task of 
receiving reinforcement steel rings 9 which serve to fill up the block 
openings. Vertically disposed reinforcement rods 10 are secured to the 
reinforcement steel rings 9. Filling up the walls is necessary especially 
when the construction height exceeds a certain prescribed construction 
height or when the terrain requires it. Furthermore, FIG. 3 illustrates 
the two courses of blocks 11 with their openings 12. These may be wall 
blocks having the appearance of those according to DE-C-26 50 292, of 
course without the plugs and the concentric offset collars around the 
plugs. The spacer according to FIGS. 1 to 3 is expediently 
injection-moulded in one piece from plastics, its form as well as the 
disposition of the centering tabs and the spacing members being directed 
to the construction of a relatively simple mold in order to provide for 
most economical production in big series. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates 
two superimposed layers of blocks, the bottom layer being anchored in the 
foundation 13. As plastics materials normally have relatively smooth 
surfaces, and, consequently, a different reflexion coefficient than the 
wall blocks, the outer surfaces of the spacers which are visible when laid 
are optically roughened in order to diminish their visibility, 
particularly when exposed to light. 
In the alternative embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the connecting ring 3 is 
additionally reinforced near the spacing members through the two 
reinforcement tabs 29 and 30 being connected with the ends of the spacing 
members by reinforcement ribs 14 and 15, one reinforcement rib, 14, being 
provided underneath the connecting ring, and the other, 15, above it. 
Besides, it is apparent from FIG. 2 and 3 in particular that the 
reinforcement tabs have a chamber 16 on both sides on the inside in order 
to save material. 
In the second embodiment according to FIGS. 7 to 10, the spacer 17 is 
primarily intended for walls which are filled in with concrete, although 
for few layers, this spacer is also appropriate. The spacer 17 essentially 
consists of a holding ring 18, to which four spacing members 20 are 
attached by two webs 19 each, and which are similar in construction to the 
spacing member 4 of the first embodiment and are also provided with 
oblique bracings 21. 
The holding ring 18 is provided with centering tabs extending upwards and 
downwards which are distributed over the entire circumference, the 
centering tabs 22 extending downwards being less in number than the 
centering tabs 23 extending upwards. In other words, the holding ring 18, 
which has the form of a centering ring, has less and smaller recesses 24 
on its upper side than below, whereby this spacer isn't fully symmetrical 
any more. This means that during construction, the upper side must in fact 
face upwards because its centering function is more pronounced in this 
direction than facing downwards, the bottom part already centering the 
block essentially. 
As already mentioned, the spacers 17 are intended for walls which are to be 
filled in with concrete, and therefore, means are provided for securing 
the vertical reinforcement rods 10, on the one hand, and the reinforcement 
steel rings 9 on the other. The two vertical reinforcement rods 10 are 
seized by a fork-shaped holder 25 each, the fork web 26 being attached to 
the holding ring 18. The two fork prongs are formed to be elastic. The 
reinforcement steel rings 9 rest on two supporting fins 28. Both near the 
forks and near the supporting fins, the centering ring has recesses 24 so 
that the reinforcement rods or the reinforcement steel rings may easily be 
secured there by means of wire if necessary. This spacer as well is 
generally injection-moulded in one piece from plastics and is provided 
with optically roughened lateral surfaces. 
As follows from the above description, both embodiments have in common that 
the individual, symmetrically disposed spacing members allow to avoid 
unevennesses of the blocks, production techniques implying certain 
unevennesses, respectively continuous bulges. Secure support of the blocks 
results, while the torsion-proof construction of the spacing members and, 
in the case of the first embodiment, of the T-shaped cross-section of the 
holding ring and connecting ring assembly, provides for motionless support 
of the wall blocks which can be stacked to a height of over a meter 
without having to be concreted-in, which wasn't possible before.