Glass block walls using acrylic or glass filters

A system of interconnected glass blocks by bonding translucent or transparent glass or plastic plates to form the joint between the abutting surfaces of each of the blocks.

This invention relates to the assembly of translucent glass blocks to 
provide a wide variety of wall structures, and more particularly, to the 
assembly of glass blocks by bonding translucent or transparent glass or 
plastic plates to form the joint between the abutting surfaces of each of 
the blocks. 
The use of translucent block, such as glass block, for exterior and 
interior applications is well known. Using glass block for various wall 
structures offers various design and aesthetic possibilities, as well as 
provides various functional characteristics and advantages over other 
materials which may be used for similar purposes. The selection of 
translucent block, such as glass block, significantly contributes to the 
overall aesthetic value of the wall structure or column. 
Although translucent and glass blocks are available in various 
configurations, shapes, curvatures, symmetries and dimensions, the 
appearance of the abutting surfaces of the assembled blocks, particularly 
the appearance of the interface between abutting blocks, has not been 
governed by aesthetic considerations. Accordingly, the aesthetics of 
translucent or glass block wall structures is frequently limited by these 
interfaces and joints. 
Abutting surfaces of adjacent blocks are frequently joined by a bonding 
material such as a conventional cementitious material, mortar, or adhesive 
material which prohibit the transmission of light to an adjacent block. 
Furthermore, clear adhesives or caulking is frequently not suitable for 
bonding one block to another because the gap or space between the abutting 
faces of the interfacing blocks which is to be filled by the bonding 
material such as a silicone compound can exceed the maximum thickness of 
the bonding material. Once the maximum thickness is exceeded, a secure 
bond cannot be obtained between adjacent blocks. This occurs most 
frequently with glass blocks that have concave faces. 
It would be an advantage over prior art glass block walls to provide a 
glass wall or structure which is uninterrupted by the unslightly mortar, 
cement or adhesives which are used at the interfaces and abutting surfaces 
of adjacent blocks and which limit and interfere with the translucency of 
the glass wall or structure. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, a system of interconnected blocks are 
formed from a plurality of translucent blocks having side surfaces of 
predetermined dimensions, configuration and shape, each of which is 
connected on at least one side surface to a side surface of an adjacent 
block by a translucent filler piece having contact surfaces of 
substantially the same dimensions as the block side surfaces. The filler 
pieces abut with and mate with the side surfaces of the blocks and are 
affixed by the application of transparent adhesive to the contact surfaces 
.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 shows two typical glass blocks 10 each having front side face 12, 
back side face 14, upper side face 16, lower side face 18 and end side 
faces 20 and 22. Faces 16, 18, 20 and 22 have substantially concave 
surfaces. Front and back side faces 12 and 14 are shown as smooth although 
they may also be concave. The length, height and thickness of blocks 10 
are indicated by the letters x, y, and z as shown in FIG. 1. Useful in the 
practice of this invention are glass blocks which are available from a 
number of commercial sources. (e.g. Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, 
Pittsburgh Pa., and Westerwald A.G., West Germany which manufactures glass 
blocks under the tradename of Solaris). Each of the two blocks 10 is 
positioned between translucent or transparent horizontal interfacing 
filler pieces 40 and 41. Horizontal translucent/transparent interfacing 
filler piece 41 is affixed to each upper face 16 of blocks 10 by a clear 
adhesive 80 (FIG. 2). Useful in the practice of the invention are clear 
adhesives manufactured by General Electric Co., Silicone Products 
Division, Waterford, N.Y. under the tradename Construction 1200 Silicone 
Sealant, and by Dow Corning Corp., Midland, Mich. and designated as 
silicone building and glazing sealant 999-A. Translucent/transparent 
vertical interfacing piece 61 is similarly affixed by clear adhesive 80 to 
the end side faces 20 and 22 of blocks 10 which abut one another. Two 
translucent/transparent vertical interfacing pieces 60 are identical to 
vertical piece 61 and are affixed to the nonabutting end side faces 20 and 
22 by adhesive. With the exception of front end face 12 and back end face 
14, each face of each block is affixed to an interfacing filler piece. 
Translucent/transparent vertical and horizontal interfacing filler pieces 
40, 41, 60 and 61 are prefabricated cast acrylic sheets or plate glass 
sheets of predetermined thickness depending upon the contour of the block 
faces and the thickness "t" of the joint required. Typical thicknesses are 
1/4" and 3/8". The other dimensions of vertical filler pieces 60 and 61 
will depend upon the particular dimensions of the blocks selected. The 
length of horizontal filler pieces 40 and 41 will depend upon the length 
of the wall structure whereas its width depends solely upon the thickness 
of the block. Thus, if one desired to erect a wall approximately four feet 
long from blocks 8" long.times.6" high.times.4" thick, four foot 
horizontal filler pieces 4" wide and vertical filler pieces 6".times.4" 
would be used. 
Examples of acrylic sheets which are useful in the practice of this 
invention are manufactured by Rohm and Haas Co., Philadelphia, Pa. under 
the tradename Plexiglass, by Polycast Technology Corp., Stamford, Conn. 
under the tradename Polycast, and by American Cyanamid Co., Wayne, N.j. 
under the tradename Acrylite. An example of plate glass useful in the 
practice of this invention is manufactured by PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, 
PA. 
Horizontal pieces 40 and 41 can be fabricated and supplied in any 
convenient length such as 2', 4', 6', 8' etc Vertical filler pieces on the 
other hand are one common size depending upon the dimensions of the 
individual block. After fabrication of the horizontal and vertical filler 
pieces, each exposed edge e.g. 40c, 41c, 60c and 61c is polished. After 
assembly, each polished exposed edge of the vertical and horizontal filler 
pieces is perfectly clear and blends with the glass blocks and clear 
adhesive. In addition to the elimination of unsightly cement, mortar, 
and/or caulking joints, a very aesthetically pleasing integrated 
translucent structure is formed. 
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1. 
Clear adhesive 80 is shown on end side faces 20 and 22 of blocks 10 as 
well as on surfaces 61a and 61b of filler piece 61. The concave shape of 
faces 20 and 22 of blocks 10 are also shown in FIG. 2. 
FIG. 3 is an elevational side view of a translucent/transparent wall 
structure composed of four rows and three columns of glass blocks. Each of 
the blocks 101-112 has the same dimensions, configurations and contours as 
blocks 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, side faces 12-22 of blocks 101-112 
are identically to the corresponding side faces of blocks 10. 
Horizontal filler piece 42 which forms the bottom of the wall structure is 
installed and adhesive 80 applied to glass block contact surface 42b. 
Adhesive is also applied to vertical filler piece surface 62a, and to 
filler piece edge 62d which is to be affixed to filler piece surface 42b. 
Block 101 is then installed by placing block lower side face 18 and block 
end side face 22 in contact with surfaces 42b and 62a, respectively as 
shown in FIG. 3. Adhesive 80 is next applied to surfaces 63a, 63b and edge 
63d of vertical filler piece 63 to secure it to block 101 and to 
horizontal filler piece 42 as well as prepare for the installation of 
block 102. Edge 63d of vertical filler piece 63 is mounted onto horizontal 
filler piece 42 so that surface 63b contacts side face 20 of block 101 and 
is affixed thereto by the adhesive. Block 102 is affixed to horizontal 
piece 42 (upon which adhesive had been previously applied) in the same 
manner as block 101. Vertical piece 64 is affixed to surface 42b of 
horizontal piece 42 and to surface 20 of block 102 in the same way, as 
discussed above, that vertical piece 63 is affixed to surfaces 42b and 
62a. To complete the first row, adhesive is applied to edge 65d and 
surface 65b of vertical piece 65 which is then placed in contact with 
horizontal piece 42 and side face 20, respectively, of block 103. 
The next and each succeeding row of blocks (104-106, 107-109, 110-112) are 
assembled in the same manner. Each block in the second and third row is 
affixed by adhesive to a lower and an upper horizontal filler piece as 
well as to vertical filler pieces. The block wall shown in FIG. 3 is 
completed by applying adhesive to surface 46a of horizontal piece 46 and 
placing it in contact with edges 62e, 63e, 64e, 65e of the vertical filler 
pieces and upper surface 16 of each of blocks 110-112. 
The completed wall structure shown in FIG. 3 is aesthetically pleasing in 
that all joints, abutting surfaces, as well as interfaces, are translucent 
and/or transparent. The aesthetics of the completed structure is further 
enhanced due to the polished edges of all exposed vertical and horizontal 
transparent/translucent interfacing filler pieces (i.e. 62c, 63c, 64c, 
65c, 42c, 43c, 44c, 45c, 46c). If any other surface of the glass wall 
shown in FIG. 3 is intended to be visible to an observer (e.g. top surface 
46b of the top horizontal piece 46), then it can be polished prior to 
installation. 
Other configurations of translucent or glass block wall structures are 
possible by utilizing individual blocks having geometries other than 
regular rectangular solids with flat or concave faces. Depending upon the 
particular configuration as well as the composition of the glass blocks to 
be utilized, varying degrees of light transmission through the translucent 
blocks and the vertical and horizontal filler pieces are possible. 
Furthermore, when translucent or transparent building blocks having at 
least one internal reflecting/refracting surface, other pleasing visual 
effects can be obtained. 
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with 
reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by 
those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be 
made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.