Channel and foam block wall construction

A generally U-shaped channel member is positioned on top of the top surface of a plurality of foam plastic blocks in a horizontal wall segment, and vertically aligned concrete confining openings are formed through both the channel member and the plastic blocks. Concrete or the like is poured into the U-shaped channel and is funneled therefrom into the vertical openings. Once the concrete sets as a rigid supporting structure, the U-shaped channel is permanently retained in the wall structure. The U-shaped channel member is employed for attaching means to the exterior of the completed wall structure. Additional horizontal segments of the wall structure are formed by placing another horizontal layer of plastic blocks and a U-shaped channel member on top of the previously completed horizontal segment.

This invention pertains to, and is useful for, building and housing 
construction. More specifically, this invention pertains to improvements 
in a type of construction wherein wall structures are constructed using 
foam plastic blocks and concrete is poured into openings in blocks. The 
concrete forms the rigid structural support for the wall section after it 
hardens. The blocks serve initially as forms for confining the fluid 
concrete, and thereafter as highly effective thermal insulation. External 
coverings, such as wall board or drywall sheets, are thereafter connected 
to the foam plastic blocks to finish the wall section. 
Building with foam plastic blocks and poured concrete is well known, and 
use of the technique has resulted in moderate success. However, there are 
certain limitations and disadvantages inherent in all known prior building 
techniques of this type. 
One notable limitation in prior foam block and poured concrete construction 
is a difficulty in attaching other structural and external members, such 
as floor and ceiling joists and wall finishing materials, to the exterior 
surfaces of the foam blocks. Typically, the prior foam blocks are intended 
to be stacked and interconnected with one another and on top of one 
another for the full height and width of the wall structure. The 
interfitting relationship of the adjacent blocks is critical for confining 
the concrete during pouring and hardening. The concrete may be poured in 
layers as each horizontal segment of the blocks is layed up. The resulting 
complete wall structure lacks readily convenient means for attaching 
exterior materials thereto because the exterior of the wall segment is all 
foam plastic. Although some relatively lightweight wall covering material, 
such as wallboard, can be glued directly onto the exterior surface of the 
foam blocks, substantial structural elements, such as floor joists, can 
not. To connect floor joists in the past, it has been necessary to attempt 
to attach hangers to the interior concrete reinforcement, either prior to 
pouring or after the concrete has set. In either event, it is necessary to 
cut away a segment of the foam block to gain access to the concrete 
confining opening in the block. Cutting away the foam block requires extra 
effort and skill and results in increased building costs and time. 
Frequently, the openings cut in the foam blocks are improper in shape and 
configuration and thereby allow the poured concrete to leak out. Some 
means, usually extra bracing or support, is thereby required to confine 
the poured concrete within the foam block and prevent it from leaking. 
Attaching hangers to the solidified concrete within the block is 
inconvenient and requires extra time for construction and results in extra 
expense. Special adjustments in the width and height of prior foam blocks 
are required to form a horizontal shelf ledge or support for supporting 
brick layed up along the exterior surface of the foam blocks. To construct 
the ledge or attach the support, substantial modifications to the foam 
blocks must be made in the manner in which they interconnect with one 
another and to allow the concrete to form the support ledge or means for 
attaching the shelf support. Such special modifications entail substantial 
effort and expenditure of time and result in an increase in building 
costs. To form a stucco or similar covering on the prior foam blocks 
requires the wiring of lath or wire mesh through the foam blocks to means 
on the opposite side of the block or to the concrete within the interior 
openings. 
Another disadvantage of prior foam block and poured concrete construction 
is that the foam blocks are intended to interconnect with one another, 
both vertically and horizontally. Various interfitting means, such as 
tongues and grooves, are provided. When it is necessary to cut or trim the 
blocks during construction, the normal interfitting relationship is 
disturbed. Special modifications are thereafter required to reestablish 
the interfitting relationship. Furthermore, the interfitting relationship 
is normally critical to confining the concrete to the interior openings. 
Typically, the interfitting means are of less thickness than the remaining 
portions of the foam block and therefore are subject to easy breakage. The 
weight of the poured concrete also tends to force these limited thickness 
areas outward and disturb what would otherwise be a normally smooth planar 
exterior wall surface of the foam blocks. Protrusions and bulges make 
attaching wallboard and drywall covering materials very difficult. The 
poured concrete frequently leaks from the interfitting areas either 
because of damage thereto or because of a lack of strength to confine the 
foam blocks together and the concrete therein. 
Another important limitation in foam block and poured concrete construction 
is that certain types of prior foam blocks are actually two separate 
halves which are joined together. The two halves may be joined together by 
relatively thin metallic pieces which extend between the halves, or the 
interfitting relationship is supposed to maintain the halves together with 
only a minimum amount of exterior bracing. Frequently, the thin metallic 
connectors pull away from one of the walls under the weight of the 
concrete poured in the interior openings. Experience has shown that 
considerably more exterior bracing is required than had been originally 
anticipated in such prior building techniques. 
Other limitations and disadvantages of prior foam block and poured concrete 
construction arrangements are known. 
INVENTION SUMMARY 
Certain improvements of the present invention pertain to providing a 
plastic block and poured concrete method and apparatus wherein there is 
provided an efficient means for attaching various types of materials and 
coverings to the exterior of the wall, while maintaining a consistent, 
uninterrupted, and efficient technique in constructing the wall. In one 
broad aspect, the present invention employs a generally U-shaped channel 
member placed during construction of the wall structure on the top of each 
horizontal layer of plastic blocks. The U-shaped channel member extends 
adjacent to the exterior surface of the blocks and allows various 
fasteners to be attached directly to the channel member. After the poured 
concrete hardens, the channel member is held permanently and rigidly in 
position in the wall structure. The various materials and coverings can be 
directly attached to the channel member. In situations where a shelf 
support or ledge is required, the U-shaped channel member is extended 
outward past the exterior wall of the block and is filled with concrete 
during pouring to inherently provide a ledge or shelf support. 
Openings are formed in a lower horizontal wall of the channel member. These 
openings are aligned with vertically extending concrete confining openings 
formed in the plastic blocks. Preferably, the blocks are of unitary, 
single-piece construction and abut against adjacent blocks of the same 
construction. The vertically extending concrete confining openings are 
located interiorly with respect to the exterior surfaces of the block and 
play no part in interconnecting with other blocks. The integral strength 
of each block is available to restrain the weight of the concrete poured 
within its interior concrete confining openings. Side walls extend upward 
from the bottom wall of the channel member. The side walls serve to funnel 
the concrete poured into the channel member into the openings in the 
bottom wall and into the concrete confining openings of the blocks. The 
concrete is more quickly and conveniently directed into the openings. When 
the concrete confining openings of the blocks are filled, the upward 
opening U-shaped channel defined by the side and bottom walls is also 
filled with concrete. A horizontal beam is produced which separates each 
horizontal layer of the wall segment from the next horizontal layer. After 
one horizontal layer is complete, the next horizontal layer is formed by 
laying up the next vertically spaced horizontal layer of blocks and the 
next channel member. No interfitting of the blocks is required. The 
concrete confining openings in the blocks are of high strength since they 
are formed integrally in the block and do not depend on any connection 
with any other foam blocks for their integrity. Any bracing required 
during the building is simply and quickly attached to the side walls of 
the channel member by nailing or the like. Cutting openings in the block 
is not required because the channel members provide a quick convenient 
means for connecting exterior materials to the wall segment. Many other 
significantly improved features and advantages are available from the 
invention, and are described in the following detailed description of a 
preferred embodiment and in the drawings.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Preferred embodiments of a channel member 10 and a foam plastic block 12 
are illustrated in FIG. 1. The channel member 10 is defined by a lower 
bottom wall member 14 and upstanding side wall members 16 are connected on 
opposite transverse sides of the bottom wall. The side walls 16 and bottom 
wall 14 define an upward opening U-shaped channel 18. Circular holes or 
channel openings 20 are formed completely through the bottom wall 14 in 
the U-shaped channel 18 between the side walls 16 and at predetermined 
intervals along the length of the channel member 10. The bottom wall is 
preferably formed of pressure-treated plywood, and the side walls are 
preferably formed of pressure-treated lumber, although other types of 
materials can be utilized. For example, the side walls 16 could be formed 
by or with any type of relatively strong material or means to which 
fasteners, such as nails and screws, could be attached or connected. 
The plastic block 12 is preferably of right rectangular configuration. 
Described in relation to its orientation during use, as shown generally in 
FIG. 1, the block 12 includes two parallel, planar, vertically-extending, 
opposite, exterior surfaces 22; two parallel, planar, 
vertically-extending, opposite end surfaces 24; and a planar top surface 
26 which is opposite of and extends parallel to a planar bottom surface 
28. The length of the block 12 along a longitudinal dimension is defined 
by the distance between the surfaces 24. The thickness of the block 12 
along a width dimension is defined by the distance between surfaces 22. 
The height of the block along a height dimension is defined by the 
distance between surfaces 26 and 28. Cylindrical-like block openings 30 
are formed in the block 12 and extend completely through the block 12 
between the top wall 26 and bottom wall 28. The block openings 30 extend 
parallel in both of the planes defined by the exterior walls 22 and end 
walls 24. The interval or spacing between the centers of each block 
opening 30 is predetermined and is the same as the predetermined interval 
or spacing between the channel openings 20 in the channel member 10. The 
diameter of the block openings 30 is preferably the same as the diameter 
of the circular channel openings 20. The blocks 12 are preferably formed 
of expanded bead polystyrene plastic, although other types of plastic can 
be used. It is desirable that the plastic of the blocks 12 have a high 
insulating capacity since, it will be seen, the block 12 is utilized in a 
completed wall structure essentially as a thermal insulating material, and 
not as a load-bearing element. 
Wall structures are formed by assembling the channel members 10 and blocks 
12 in horizontal layers. A bottommost one 48' is shown in FIG. 2. The 
blocks 12 are assembled with the end surfaces 24 of next-horizontally 
adjacent blocks abutting one another. The external surfaces 22 are aligned 
in a common plane. A length of channel member 10 is placed on the top 
surfaces 26 of each of the blocks, with the flat bottom wall 14 abutting 
and mating with the flat top surface 26. The channel openings 20 in the 
bottom wall 14 of the channel member are aligned with the block openings 
30 in each of the blocks. Since the intervals between each of the openings 
20 correspond with the intervals between the block openings 30, alignment 
is readily accomplished. A predetermined number of lengths of channel 
member 10 are employed to extend along the full length of the wall 
structure being formed. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the 
width of the channel member 10 is equal to the width of the blocks 12. 
Thus, the exterior surfaces of the side walls 16 also fall within the 
common planes defined by the surfaces 22. The channel members 10 can be 
fastened to the top walls 26 of the blocks 12 by extending sharp, narrow 
fasteners, such as nails (not shown), through the bottom wall 14 into the 
material of the block 12. 
A bottommost horizontal layer 48' of the wall structure is initiated by 
positioning the first horizontal layer of blocks 12 on a footing 32, as is 
illustrated in FIG. 2. The footing 32 is of conventional poured concrete 
design, which preferably includes a plurality of steel reinforcing members 
or bars or rods 34 extending along the length of the footing 32. In 
addition, vertically-extending reinforcing members or bars or rods 36 are 
positioned in alignment in the concrete footing 32 at intervals equal to 
the intervals between the openings 30. The reinforcing rods 36 extend into 
the block openings 30 upwardly past the bottom wall 28 of each block 12. 
Preferably, reinforcing rods 36 extend into all of the block openings 30 
in the lowermost layer 48'. To help align the blocks 12 on the footing 32, 
a board 38 or other similar elongated, straight member can be temporarily 
connected to the concrete footing, and the blocks 12 are positioned 
against the board 38 and retained in that position by friction. Once the 
bottommost layer has been completed, the board 38 can be removed. 
To provide additional rigid support for the concrete which will ultimately 
occupy the block openings 30 in the blocks 12 and in the U-shaped channel 
18 in the channel member 10, vertical reinforcing members or bars or rods 
40 are positioned into at least some or all of the block openings 30, as 
is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In those horizontal layers 48' (FIG. 4) which 
are below grade, or the surface of the earth, it is desirable to fill each 
longitudinally-spaced block opening 30 with at least one reinforcing rod 
40 and concrete. In those horizontal layers above grade, e.g. 48" and 
48"', it is generally sufficient if every third longitudinally-spaced 
opening 30 is filled with a reinforcing rod 40 and concrete. The interval 
between openings 30, and the member of these openings 30 which are filled 
with concrete and reinforcing rods, are engineering matters determined in 
accordance with the desired strength to be achieved in the wall structure. 
In addition, horizontal reinforcing members or bars or rods 42 are placed 
in the channels 18 of all of the channel members 10 in each horizontal 
layer. The reinforcing rods 40 in the openings 30 of the lowermost layer 
48' can be suitably connected to those rods 36 extending from the footing 
32, or at least a suitable overlap is provided, as is known in the art. 
The horizontal reinforcing rods 42 can similarly be connected to one or 
more of the vertically-extending reinforcing rods 40 within the U-shaped 
channel 18. 
Fluid concrete 44 is poured into the U-shaped channel 18 of each channel 
member 10 after the reinforcing rods 40 and 42 have been inserted and 
properly connected. The U-shaped channel 18 serves to confine and hold the 
concrete 44 and funnel it into the openings 20 and 30. The block openings 
30 confine the concrete until it hardens. 
Once all of the openings 30 in the blocks 12 of the lowermost layer 48' 
have been completely filled with concrete, the U-shaped channel 18 of the 
channel member 10 of the layer 48' is likewise filled with concrete until 
the upper surface of the concrete reaches the upper edge of the side walls 
16. A horizontally-extending, generally smooth upper surface 46 is formed 
by the concrete 44, and reinforcing rods 40 at predetermined locations are 
allowed to extend above the surface 46. The fluid concrete 44 in the 
lowermost layer 48' thereafter begins setting up or hardening. 
After the concrete in the lowermost layer 48' has hardened sufficiently, 
the next vertical horizontal layer 48" is built up by placing the blocks 
12 on top of the concrete surface 46 of the lowermost layer 48' and by 
placing the channel member 10 on the top surface 26 of the blocks 12 of 
the layer 48". In the second layer 48", and in the layers 48"', etc., 
thereabove, only selected openings 30 are filled with concrete 44 and 
reinforcing rods 40. Openings 20 (FIG. 1) are formed into the channel 
members 10 at locations which align with those openings 30 which are to be 
filled with concrete. No openings 20 in the bottom wall 14 (FIG. 1) of 
each channel member are formed in alignment with those openings 30 which 
remain open and unfilled with concrete. The vertical reinforcing rods 40 
extend upward from the concrete surface 46 in the channel member 10 of the 
layer 48' only at the predetermined locations in the layers 48" and 48"', 
etc., where continuing vertical support columns are to be located. As a 
result of being able to selectively determine which openings are to be 
filled with concrete, a substantial savings in the amount of concrete 
results as compared to prior certain plastic block and poured concrete 
techniques where the openings and interfitting relationship of the plastic 
blocks require all the interior openings to be filled with concrete. 
After the concrete in the second layer 48" has hardened, the third layer 
48"' is built up and poured with concrete in the same manner as described. 
In those horizontal layers above the second layer 48", the concrete is 
poured only into those openings 30 vertically aligned with those openings 
30 in the next lower level. In this manner, the resulting vertical support 
columns rest on top of one another to maintain the strength of the 
poured-concrete and rod-reinforced structure. 
A plurality of vertically-extending, generally cylindrical load-bearing or 
support columns are formed by the hardened concrete in the block openings 
30, as shown in FIG. 4. Similarly, a plurality of generally 
horizontally-extending structural support beams are provided by the 
hardened concrete in the U-shaped channel 18. Thus, a rigid horizontal and 
vertical support structure is achieved in the wall structure without undue 
complication common in prior art plastic blocks which attempt to achieve 
both vertical and horizontal concrete support structures from the internal 
openings in the block itself. Instead, the present invention utilizes only 
the hardened concrete and reinforcing rods in the block openings 30 in the 
block 12, which are relatively easily formed and convenient to fill from 
above with concrete, to achieve vertical load-bearing support, and 
utilizes the hardened concrete and the reinforcing rods in the channel 
member 10, with its attendant improvements in wall structure assembly and 
concrete pouring and exterior material connection, among others, to 
achieve horizontal load-bearing support. 
Multiple layers of channel members 10 and blocks 12 typically complete the 
wall structure. The horizontal layers, each designated 48 in FIG. 4, are 
set up and poured one at a time in the manner described. However, no 
reinforcing rods 40 are allowed to extend above the upper smooth surface 
46 of the concrete 44 in the uppermost channel member 10, shown in FIG. 5. 
Instead, a top plate member 50 is anchored to the concrete 44 in the 
uppermost U-shaped channel 18 by extending nails or other types of 
attachment means 52 from the top plate 50 down into the concrete in the 
channel 18. Thereafter, rafters or other ceiling support members can be 
conveniently attached to the top plate member 50 in one of the known 
techniques. Of course, the top plate 50 will typically be a wooden board. 
If lateral support for the wall structure shown in FIG. 4 is desired during 
construction, the support members can be conveniently attached or nailed 
to the side walls 16 of the channel members 10 and extended downward and 
outward to the ground or other support in a triangular-like manner. In 
many cases, however, segments of the wall structure will intersect one 
another and the intersection itself will provide the needed degree of 
lateral support for both segments of the wall structure. 
An exemplary method of joining wall structures at angles is illustrated in 
FIGS, 6 and 7. Wall structure 54 joins the wall structure 56 at a right 
angle as shown in FIG. 6. To open the U-shaped channels of the channel 
members 10 of the wall structures 54 and 56 to one another, a segment of 
the adjoining side wall 16 of the channel member 10 in the wall structure 
54 is omitted. The horizontal reinforcing rods 42 from within the U-shaped 
channel of the channel member 10 of the wall structure 56 are bent at 
right angles to intersect and preferably connect with the reinforcing rods 
42 in the U-shaped channel of the channel member 10 of the wall structure 
54. Consequently, when the concrete is poured in the channels of the 
channel members 10 of the wall structures 54 and 56, it solidifies into an 
integral T-shaped horizontal beam at the intersection. In addition, other 
linking reinforcing members or rods 58 may be employed at the junction of 
the wall structures 54 and 56 as shown in FIG. 7. The linking reinforcing 
rods 58 are driven or pushed through the exterior walls 22 of the block 12 
of the wall structure 54, and into the end wall 24 of the block 12 of the 
wall structure 56. The linking rods 58 extend between at least one block 
opening 30 in each block of the wall structures 54 and 56 at a height 
position above and/or below the channel member 10. Thus, when the concrete 
in the block openings 30 solidifies, a rigid linkage through the linking 
rods 58 extends between the wall structures 54 and 56 substantially along 
the full vertical height of the layer. 
The convenience of attaching exterior members to the completed wall 
structure is illustrated in FIG. 8. A member 60, such as wallboard or 
drywall, can be conveniently nailed into the side wall 16 of the channel 
member 10. Thus, the side wall 16 serves as means for attaching fasteners 
to the completed wall structure. In a similar manner, other types of 
hangers and similar devices can be attached to the channel members 10. If 
necessary or desired, the member can be glued to the exterior surface 22 
of the blocks 12 at predetermined intervals. 
In the case, however, where a relatively heavy element, such as a floor 
joist 64, is to be attached to the wall structure, as shown in FIG. 9, or 
in other desireable situations, a beam channel member 62 is utilized in 
constructing the wall structure. The beam channel member 62 is preferably 
formed of wood, such as pressure-treated plywood and lumber, which allows 
the ready connection thereto of substantial connecting members, such as 
joist hangers 66. The beam member 62 is formed by a pair of parallel, 
vertically-extending exterior side walls 68 and a top and a bottom 
horizontally-extending wall 70 and 72, respectively. Cylindrical channel 
openings 74 are formed in the top wall 70 and bottom wall 72 at intervals 
to align with the openings 30 in the blocks 12 above and below the beam 
channel member 62 which are to be filled with concrete. The vertical 
reinforcing rods 40 extend through the openings 74. When poured concrete 
44 has solidified, the hollow interior 76 of the beam member 62 is 
completely filled with concrete to define a substantial 
horizontally-extending beam. The joist hangers 66 are thereafter nailed or 
otherwise fastened to one of the exterior surfaces of one of the side 
walls 68. The joists 64 are supported and connected to the joist hangers 
66 in the conventional manner. It should be noted that the beam channel 
member 62 need not be formed with the top wall 70 connected to the side 
walls 68 prior to filling its hollow interior 76 with concrete 44. 
Instead, the beam channel member 62 can be filled completely with concrete 
44 before the top wall 70 is attached to the side walls 68. If additional 
load bearing support is desirable, spikes 78 can be driven through one 
side wall 68 into the opposite side wall, prior to filling the interior 76 
with concrete 44. The spikes 78 act as members which connect the side 
walls together and support the side walls from the hardened concrete in 
the interior 76. In certain circumstances, it may be possible to avoid 
connecting the top wall 70 to the beam channel member 62, in which case 
the beam channel member 62, without the top wall 70, functions as a 
vertically-extended version of the U-shaped channel member 10. In other 
circumstances, it may be desirable to connect a top wall to the U-shaped 
channel member 10, in which case each of the channel members 10 assumes 
the appearance of reduced-height version of a beam channel member 62. 
The manner by which the U-shaped channel members are employed as a shelf or 
horizontal support for an exterior brick wall or the like is illustrated 
in FIG. 10. An extended width shelf support channel member 80 is inserted 
in the wall segment at the vertical height or level where it is desired to 
commence the upward extension of the wall of bricks 82 or the like. The 
shelf support channel member 80 is formed by a bottom wall 84 having a 
width substantially greater than the width of the blocks 12 and by side 
walls 86 which extend upward from the outer longitudinal edges of the 
bottom wall 84. The width to which the shelf support channel member 80 
extends outward from an exterior surface 22 of the blocks 12 is sufficient 
to accommodate the bricks or other items to be attached. Channel openings 
20 are formed in the bottom wall 84 to align with the openings 30 in the 
vertically adjacent blocks 12. Additional horizontal reinforcing rods 42 
extend outward into the extended width U-shaped channel 18 provided by the 
shelf support channel member 80. Additional reinforcing members, such as 
rods 88, extend into the extended U-shapod channel 18. In this manner, 
interior load-bearing structural supports are provided around which the 
concrete 44 can solidify in the extended width channel 18. Once the 
concrete 44 has hardened, the bricks 82 can be layed up from the resulting 
concrete shelf extending outward from the surface 22 of the plastic blocks 
12. 
The use of the channel members 10, 62 and 80 makes it possible to 
conveniently employ the well known normal types of construction in 
conjunction with plastic block and poured concrete method of wall 
structure construction. Various wall cover materials can be quickly, 
conveniently and accurately placed over the exterior surfaces 22 of the 
formed wall segments. Internal structural elements, such as floor and 
ceiling joists, are readily attached. Exterior facing elements, such as a 
brick wall, are conveniently constructed. The single-piece integral 
plastic blocks provide good strength to prevent bulges and leaks as the 
concrete is poured into the block openings. The fluid concrete is quickly 
and conveniently funneled into the block openings by the U-shaped channel 
members, and is confined to the block openings and channel members without 
dependence on an interfitting relationship of the foam plastic blocks. 
Since the end surfaces of the plastic blocks abut one another without 
necessity for any specific type of interlocking or interfitting 
relationship, due to the interval spacing of the block openings 30, no 
difficulty is encountered in assembling the blocks in order to pour the 
concrete. Adjustments in the length of the blocks and the channel members 
are conveniently made by cutting both elements. Many other advantages are 
apparent from a full comprehension of the present invention. 
Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with a 
certain degree of particularity. It should be understood, however, that 
changes in details may be made without departing from the invention as 
defined by the scope of the appended claims.