MORTARLESS CONCRETE BLOCK SYSTEM HAVING REINFORCING BOND BEAM COURSES

Abstract: Prior mortarless block construction system failed to provide secure T-intersections and cross-wall intersections. In a mortarless interlocking concrete or other material block of the present system, general purpose intersection blocks (40) have parallel grooves (47) formed on their bottom surfaces (46), but each has mating ridges (45) on the upper surface (44) of its inner end (41) only. The corner end portion (51) has, in each of its two opposite side faces (54, 56) and in its outer end face (52), parallel vertical grooves (53, 55, 57) matable with tongues (17) on the system's stretcher block (10), to provide interengagement at both left and right corners and T-shaped and crossing-wall intersections. Breakout provisions (121) in the corner core (120) inward of these faces (111, 113, 115) make it simple, at any intersection, to lend horizontal reinforcing rods b to the cored corner (120) end portions (110) through which vertical rodding a and grouting is provided. By utilizing horizontal reinforcing rods (133) formed at a right angle to extend through the corner block (90) between its two adjacent blocks (70), the two perpendicular walls may be more securely tied together, to prevent vertical cracking. This furnishes to the easily-constructed mortarless wall block system a sturdy, reinforced concrete grid.

Description: MORTARLESS CONCRETE BLOCK SYSTEM HAVING REINFORCING BOND BEAM COURSES Related Applications This application is a continuation of my co- pending continuation-in-part application Serial No. 101,484 filed December 10, 1979, which is a continuation- in-part application of Serial No. 912,520 filed June 5, 1978. Background of the Invention 1. Field of the Invention: The present inven¬ tion relates to molded concrete blocks for masonry con- struction, and specifically to mortarless interlocking blocks for such use. 2. Prior Art: In the prior art, concrete blocks have been molded with tongue and groove inter¬ locking provisions in their top and bottom surfaces and end surfaces for mortared block systems, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,256,657 to Phipps, U.S. Patent No. 811,534 to Akers, et al, U.S. Patent No. 2,482,719 to Riga on , and U.S. Patent No. 2,452,463 to Herbert, as well as for mortarless block systems, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,962,842 to ilhel , and British Patent No. 166,623 to Christmas. Each of the above-named patents discloses special corner blocks for its specific interlocking system; West German Patent No. 2,200,015 to Bender dis- closes special corner blocks, but is without inter¬ locking features on the upper and lower block surfaces and does not provide for reinforcing rods. No known prior mortarless block construction system provides secure T-intersections and crossing- wall intersections. Bond beam courses are made up of channel-like blocks which receive steel reinforcing rods and grout¬ ing to form a horizontal beam to strengthen the struc¬ ture, as in French Patent No. 2,346,514 to Bastianelli. French Patent No. 546,143 to Vaux discloses an inter¬ locking concrete block having end webs which may be broken away to receive horizontal reinforcing rods. Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 989,677 to Wiederholdt shows break-away end webs in a building tile to be secured to adjacent tiles by interior grouting only. No prior block construction provides for reinforcing the corners of bond beam courses except by extensive on-site modi¬ fication. Summary of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a mortarless system of interlocking molded concrete blocks in which only a minimum number of blocks need be manufactured, and oire specifically, to provide such a system having a general purpose corner or in¬ tersection block which may be utilized for both right and left corners, partition walls, pilasters and cross- ing-walls. A second object is to provide such a mortar¬ less interlocking block system without blocks having projections extending outward from the block side faces, whereby to permit efficient use of standard molding apparatus. Another object is to provide a similar bond beam intersection block which may be utilized for both right and left corners and for partition walls, to re¬ ceive horizontal reinforcement which extends through the corner. Still another object is to provide channel bond beam blocks in which the steel reinforcing rods may be supported, previously to grouting, above the channel bottom. Other objects will be apparent from the disclosure which follows. For constructing right and left corners, and T-shaped and crossing-wall intersections, the 1 system has general purpose intersection blocks, each comprised of two portions. Its inner end portion is somewhat conven- tional, with a pair of parallel mating grooves formed in its inner end face and a pair of parallel mating ridges formed on its upper surface, as well as a pair of para¬ llel mating grooves formed into its lower surface. How¬ ever, its corner end portion, outer end face and two oppo- site side faces each have a pair of parallel vertical mating grooves, which will receive the parallel vertical tongues of stretcher blocks, while its corner end portion top surface is without ridges, thereby accommodating the bottom surface of a corner end portion of a similar int- ersection block of the next upper course positioned there¬ on at right angles thereto or in linear alignment therewith. For bond beam courses, which are horizontally rodded and grouted by utilizing channel-shaped bond beam blocks, the system has a corresponding bond beam intersection block whose inner end portion has a channel hollow ex¬ tending from its inner end face., which is vertically grooved, into its corner end portion, which has a hollow vertical core continuing from the inner end channel hol¬ low. The interior of the corner end portion is vertic- ally grooved similar to the general purpose intersection block. The vertical core has a plurality of breakout pro¬ visions for opening its side and end faces. The contin¬ uous horizontal rodding and grouting so afforded through bond beam courses and vertical grouting through said ver- tical cores provide a strong interlocking grid. Rein¬ forcing rods having right angle bends with the corner end portion of the corner block and extending horizontally into both adjacent blocks may be used to tie the two walls, preventing cracking. Likewise, right-angle reinforcing rods may be installed in a vertical plane extending from a bond beam course upward or downward through a grouted vertical core adjacent to a window or door, or at a wall intersection. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is an isometric view of a general purpose intersection block embodying the present in¬ vention, shown from above and from its outer or corner end; Figure 2 is an isometric view of the general purpose intersection block of Figure 1 shown inverted and from its inner end; Figure 3 is an isometric view of a stretcher block, for use with the general purpose intersection block of Figure 1, shown from above; Figure 4 is a bottom isometric view of the stretcher block of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a top isometric view of a chan- nel bond beam block having saddle-like webs to support a reinforcing rod; Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5; Figure 7 is an isometric view of a bond beam intersection block embodying the present invention, taken from above and from its outer or corner end; Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 7; Figure 9 is an isometric view of a plurality of courses of blocks embodying the present invention, showing the intersection of a forward wall with a left wall and a partition wall. A half-length block is shown to the right of the partition wall in the course there uppermost; Figure 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of Figure 9, from above the second course, showing the intersection of the forward wall with the partition wall; Figure 11 is an isometric view of a wall system embodying the present invention, a bond beam course with reinforcing rods in place, prior to grouting; Figure 12 is an isometric view of an alterna- 0_ tive bond beam intersection block, shown receiving right angle reinforcing rods and vertical rodding in its corner end; a side face of the block inner end is partially broken away to show the bottom knocked out to receive a second vertical rod in the cores ad¬ jacent to the corner core; Figure 13 is a plan view of a reinforced bond beam course utilizing the intersection block and right angle reinforcing rods of Figure 12. Description of the Preferred Embodiment The present invention comprises a mortarless system of interlocking molded concrete rectangular blocks of an established depth, including numerous blocks of varying shapes and lengths, each for differ- ent purposes. Typically, the blocks are 8 inches high (20.32 cm), 16 inches long (40.64 cm) and nominally 8 inches wide (20.32 cm) {actually slightly less]. Such block is referred to, both in the trade and in this specification, as an 8 inch (20.32 cm) block and is the type shown in the drawings. Blocks of similar heighth and length, but of 12 inch width (30.48 cm), are refer¬ red to as 12 inch (30.48 cm) blocks. The present system is described herein with reference to 8 inch (20.32 cm) blocks, but those of other widths may be used, with slight modifications which will be apparent. The most extraordinary results of the present invention follow from the features of construction of the blocks used at intersections, at corners and at intermediate partition walls, of both the unreinforced courses and the reinforced courses known as bond beam courses. The intersection blocks so used will be des¬ cribed after describing the other blocks used in such courses. Full-length Stretcher Blocks The most often used blocks in the system are full-length stretcher blocks, shown in Figures 3 and 4 and generally designated 10, which are positioned atop and overlapping one another to form the wall be¬ tween corners. They have a generally flat upper sur¬ face 11 on which are formed a pair of parallel hori¬ zontal ridges 12, one near each edge of the block's long sides. In the embodiment shown, the ridge is three-fourths inch (1.905 cm) in width and three- eighths inch (.95 cm) in heighth, and is spaced three- eighths inch (.95 cm) from the block edge. The ridges 12 are shown ending spaced from the block end face, but it may be preferable in many circumstances to pro¬ vide them extending to the end face, especially where a good vapor barrier is required. The full-length stretcher block 10 has a lower surface 13 in which are formed a pair of parallel horizontal grooves 14 at the same spacing as for the upper surface horizontal ridges 12, hereinafter referred to as the ridge spacing, and matable therewith when one block 10 is positioned atop a second block 10 with their side faces 15, which are flat, in alignment. The stretcher blocks 10 have a first end 16 on which are formed a pair of parallel vertical tongues 17, here shown at approximately the same spacing as the upper surface ridges 12, but hereinafter referred to as the tongue spacing. The opposite or second end 18 of the stretcher block 10 has a pair of parallel vertical grooves 19 at the above-described tongue spacing, thus being matable with the first end vertical tongues 17. Each stretcher block 10 has a pair of four-sided verti¬ cal cores or hollows 20 extending between its upper sur- face 11 and lower surface 13, one located at each end of the block 10. Reversal Stretcher Blocks For masons to reverse the full-length stretcher blocks 10 so that their first tongued ends 16 are orien- ted in the opposite direction than other blocks in the same course, the system is provided with reversal- stret¬ cher blocks, not shown, which are similar to the full- OM length stretcher blocks 10. The reversal stretcher blocks differ only in that their second ends have, instead of grooves, a second pair of parallel vertical tongues identical to the tongues on their first ends. Shortened Stretcher Blocks The mortarless block system also has blocks shorter than the full-length stretcher blocks, in the embodiment shown, being a half-length block or half- block 30, shown in Figure 9 in the forward wall third course at the right side of the partition wall. The configuration of the ends and the upper and lower sur¬ faces of the half block 30 are identical to the full- length stretcher blocks 10. For block systems of other widths, such as 12 inches (30.48 cm), the length of the shortened stretcher blocks would be substantially equal to the difference between the length and width of the stretcher blocks 10. General Purpose Intersection Blocks In the mortarless block system, the stretcher blocks 10 are not adapted to fit atop one another at right angles as in forming corners ar at intersections with partition walls. To serve these functions, the present system provides general purpose intersection blocks, generally designated 40 and shown in Figures 1 and 2, of substantially the same exterior dimensions as the full-length stretcher blocks 10. These intersection blocks have corner end portions so different from their inner portions as to require separate description. The general purpose intersection blocks 40 each have an inner end portion, generally designated 41; this portion has an inner end face 42 with a pair of parallel vertical grooves 43 at the tongue spacing, like the second end 18 of the full-length stretcher blocks 10. The inner end portion upper surface 44 has a lengthwise pair of parallel horizontal ridges 45 while the lower surface 46 has a pair of parallel hori¬ zontal grooves 47, both pairs being at the ridge spacing as in the full-length stretcher blocks 10. The inner end portion 41 has a four-sided hollow vertical core 48 which extends from its upper surface 44 to its lower surface 46 in substantially similar position to the stretcher block vertical core 19. The corner end portion 51 of each intersec¬ tion block 40 has an outer end face- 52 with.a pair of parallel vertical grooves 53 formed at the tongue spac- - ing. It further has a first side face 54 with a pair of vertical parallel grooves 55 at the tongue spacing and a second opposite side face 56 having an identical pair of vertical parallel grooves 57 at the tongue spa¬ cing. Its upper surface 58 continues linearly from the inner end portion upper surface 43, but is without ridges. Its lower surface 59 similarly continues from the inner end portion lower surface 45; and the grooves 47 of the inner end portion 41 continue therealong to the outer end face 52. The corner end portion 51 has a similar vertical core or hollow 61 extending from the upper surface 58 to the lower surface 59. Bond Beam Channel Blocks Intermediate of horizontal courses comprised of stretcher blocks 10 and general purpose intersection blocks 40, and at the top of walls, the system utilizes bond beam courses, which are concrete blocks adapted to contain horizontal reinforcing rods b surrounded by grout, placed in position after the blocks have been laid. To comprise the major portion of the bond beam courses, between corners and other wall intersections, the system has bond beam channel blocks, generally desig¬ nated 70 and shown in Figures 5 and 6, which are substan¬ tially equal in length to the full-length stretcher blocks 10, and are generally channel-like in structure. The channel blocks 70 each have a pair of vertical sides or side walls 71 which extend upward from a U- shaped solid channel bottom 73 forming, with the side OMP ,A> WiP walls 71, a channel. The first end 74 of each channel block 70 has a pair of parallel vertical tongues 75 at the tongue spacing, identical to the full-length stret¬ cher block first end 16. The opposite or second end 76 has a pair of parallel vertical grooves 77 at the same tongue spacing. The channel block upper surface 78 has a pair of parallel horizontal ridges at the- ridge spacing, as in the full-length stretcher block upper surface 11; one ridge will be at the top of each side wall 71. The channel block lower surface 50 has a pair of parallel horizontal grooves 81 at the ridge spacing; identical to the full-length stretcher block lower sur¬ face 13. At the first, end 74, the second end 76, and spaced halfway therebetween, the channel block 70 has V-shaped saddle-like webs 82 projecting upward from the channel bottom 73 and extending between the side walls 71. These serve both to reinforce the channels and to support horizontal reinforcing rods b above the channel bottom 73 and below the upper surface of the block 70, as shown in Figure 6. Alternately, as in Figure 13, the saddle-like webs 82 may be U-shaped, the saddles having a somewhat flat bottom, for use with the alternative bond beam intersection block of Figure 12, described below. Bond Beam Intersection Blocks To connect corners and partition walls in bond beam courses utilizing the bond beam channel blocks 70, the system has bond beam intersection blocks, generally designated 90, which are of the same established depth as the full-length stretcher blocks 10. The bond beam intersection blocks 90, like the general purpose inter¬ section blocks 40, are best described as being made up of two .portions, an inner end portion and a corner end portion, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The inner end portion, generally designated 91, has vertical side walls 92 ending outwardly in an inner end face 93 which has formed therein a pair of OMPI parallel vertical grooves 94, spaced at the tongue spacing. The side walls 92 extend from an upper sur¬ face 95, which has formed thereon a pair of parallel horizontal ridges at the ridge spacing, to a lower surface 97 having formed therein a pair of parallel vertical grooves 98 at the same ridge spacing. Uni¬ quely, the inner end portion 91 has a horizontal chan¬ nel hollow 99 extending inward through the inner end face 93 and ending downwardly in a solid channel bottom 100. Both its inner end face 93 and at its opposite end, (which corresponds to an intermediate web and leads to the corner end portion described below) the inner end portion 91 has V-shaped saddle-like webs 101 similar to the channel block saddle-like webs 82, ex- tending between' the side walls 92 and projecting above the channel bottom 100, the saddle being of such depth as to support rodding above the level of the channel bottom 100 and below the upper surface of the inner end portion 91, as shown in Figures 8 and 11. The corner end portion, generally designated 110, has an outer end face 111 with a pair of parallel vertical grooves 112 formed therein at the tongue spac¬ ing, a first opposite side face 113 with a pair of parallel vertical grooves 114 formed therein at the tongue spacing, and a second opposite side face 115, again with parallel vertical grooves 116 at the tongue spacing. The corner end upper surface 117 continues linearly from the inner end portion upper surface 95, but unlike the inner end portion, is without ridges. The corner end portion lower surface 118 similarly con¬ tinues from the inner end portion lower surface 97, whose parallel horizontal grooves 98 continue through this portion. Extending between the upper and lower surfaces 117, 118 is a four-sided vertical core or hol¬ low 120 to which the horizontal channel hollow 99 in the inner end portion 91 extends. The vertical core 120 has pairs of parallel vertical breakout score lines 121 extending toward the first opposite side face 113, second opposite side face 115 and the outer end face 111 downward from the corner end portion upper surface 117 ending upward of the corner end portion lower sur¬ face 118, as shown in Figure 8. An alternative bond beam intersection block, generally designated 130, is shown in Figures 12 and 13. It is similar to the above-described bond beam intersection block of Figures 7 and 8, and its features are similarly designated, except that the inner end face 93 and the intermediate web instead have U-shaped sad¬ dles 131 which have a somewhat flat bottom 132. Figure 12 shows the block 130 accommodating reinforcing rods 133 each having an intermediate right angle bend and two rectilinear elongated portions extending therefrom. One such reinforcing rod 133 is shown in a horizontal plane for connecting two bond beam channel blocks in the same course at the adjacent ends of two perpendicular walls; another is shown in a vertical plane for connec¬ ting a bond beam channel course to the aligned grouted cores of general purpose intersection blocks 40 at wall intersections, or to stretcher blocks 10 adjacent to windows and doors. Manufacture of the Present Invention Each of the above-described blocks, being sub¬ stantially 8 inches in width (20.32 cm), may be manu¬ factured in modified standard molds which accommodate three such 8 inch (20.32 cm) blocks side by side. Other standard molding equipment is utilized, typically having movable pallets on which blocks are formed by hydraulic manipulation of mold parts. Constructing Walls with the Present Invention Construction of running-wall portions utili- zing the stretcher blocks of the present invention is substantially similar to the construction of other mor¬ tarless block walls. The primary differences lie in in- -In¬ tersections, as at corners, partition walls and crossing- walls, as well as at the bond beam courses. In forming each intersection at which a forward wall meets another wall at right angles, as shown in Figure 9, in courses made up by stretcher blocks, a general purpose inter¬ section block 40, as shown in Figure 1, is utilized. Sines the corner end upper surfaces 58 of the general purpose intersection blocks 40 are flat and un- ridged, onto each will fit the lower surface 59 of a similar intersection block of the next upper course fit¬ ted thereon at right angles. Adjacent to the inner end portion 41 of each is a stretcher block 10, whose ton¬ gues 17 engage the inner end grooves 43. On. the other side of the corner, another stretcher block 10 has its vertical tongues 17 engaged in the grooves of one of the side faces 54, 56 of the intersection block 40. The grooves of the other side face and outer end face are seen on the outer wall surface and may be considered to be of decorative value; however, their presence permits blocks of identical conformation to be used at both right and left corners, and iinearly at intermediate portions where partition walls intersect, as hereafter described. From the corner, the wall continues in both directions with additional full-length stretcher blocks 10. Persons skilled in the art will realize that before another corner is reached, it will be necessary to utilize a double-tongued or reversal stretcher block as described above so that the general purpose inter- section block 40 utilized at the next corner may receive vertical tongues. The corner is further strengthened by vertical reinforcing rods a_ in the intersection block corner end portion vertical core 61, along with grout poured therein as the wall is being built. An example of construction of a partition wall which interlocks with a forward wall is shown in Figure 9. At the partition inward of the right side of the drawing, the lower two courses each utilize general purpose intersection blocks 40. Viewing the course shown in Figure 10, their second side face vertical grooves 57 are mated to vertical parallel tongues 17 of partition wall stretcher blocks. These general pur¬ pose intersection blocks 40 are mounted in linear a- lign ent with the stretcher blocks of the forward wall; hence, the tongues 17 of adjacent stretcher blocks are inserted matingly in the corner block outer end face grooves 53 at all such courses. In the course below that shown in Figure 10, the corresponding general pur¬ pose intersection block 40 is reversed left to right, but its corner end portion 51 is directly beneath that of the overlaying course. Hence, the tongues 17 of the partition wall stretcher block at the lower of these courses will mate with the corner block opposite side face grooves. For the third, or uppermost course of the partition, as shown in Figure 9, a general purpose in- tersection block 40 extends forward from the partition wall, at a right angle to the forward wall blocks, to have its corner end portion 51 lie vertically above the corner end portion 51 of the second course inter¬ section block 40. Its inner end portion 41 forms part of the partition wall, overlapping the full-length stretcher block 10 in its second course. The deficiency of wall length, caused by using only the width of this intersection block at the third course, is compensated for by inserting a half-block 30, whose vertical tongues engage the second side face vertical grooves 57. The full-length stretcher blocks 10 and a reversal stretcher block, as described, lead to the next corner. ' In this example, other courses above these three described al¬ ternately have these configurations of blocks. Similarly, should it-be desired to have a wall cross another, the general purpose intersection blocks 40 may be used to provide, at such crossing inter¬ sections, both the interlocked connections, as at the upper part of Figure 9, and the non-interlocked inter¬ sections shown in Figure 10. This is made possible because these intersection blocks have vertical grooves on each of the three surfaces of their corner ends. In construction of bond beams, bond beam in¬ tersection blocks 90 as shown in Figures 7 and 8, or the alternative bond beam intersection block 130 as shown in Figure 12, are utilized at corner, partition wall and crossing-wall intersections, with bond beam channel blocks 70 forming the bond beam courses there¬ between. At a corner of the uppermost course shown in Figure 11, a bond beam intersection block 90 is posi¬ tioned linearly continuing from one bond beam channel block 70 and at right angles to another, with its cor- ner end portion 110 atop the general purpose intersection block corner end portion 51 of the course be.low. By breaking out the bond beam intersection block 90 between its breakout score lines 121 which extend toward its first side face 113, preferably down to the level at which the saddle 82 will support a reinforcing rod, horizontal reinforcing rods ' b may be laid to extend through the channel blocks on each side of the corner end to the vertical core 120 at the corner. Vertical reinforcing rods a_ and grout through the hollow verti- cal core 120 are there connected to the horizontal rods b_ and grout, to form an interlocking grid. At intersections with partition walls, to tie the horizontal rods b_ and grout from a running forward wall into the partition wall, a bond beam intersection block is utilized, as shown near the right side of the upper course in Figure 11. The bond beam intersection block corner end portion 110 receives in the grooves 116 of its second side face 115 the end tongues 75 of a bond beam channel block 70. By breaking away the corner end portion 110 between that portion of the side face 115 between its score lines 121 and also breaking away the score lines 121 in its outer end face 111 ad- " BU O jacent the linearly abutting channel block 70, hori¬ zontal reinforcing rods b_ there intersecting can be tied together and the grout can flow together, forming a strong link between the bond beams. Unbroken pairs of breakout score lines 121 become filled with grout and the block is then of unimpaired strength. Verti¬ cal reinforcing rods a and grout in the corner end portions of both the bond beam intersection block 90 and general purpose intersection blocks 40 complete the integral reinforced concrete grid. Should there be a crossing-wall intersection, all three scored faces of the corner end portion 110 of the bond beam intersection block 90 will be broken away so that there may be a four-way reinforced intersection. The alternative bond beam intersection block 130 is used in a similar manner for corners and par¬ tition walls, as shown in Figure 13. Its U-shape sad¬ dles and broken out portions may accommodate multiple side-by-side reinforcing rods, including the horizontal right angle rod 133 whose intermediate right angle bend is received and accommodated within the cored corner end 110 of the corner block 130; one of its elongated rectilinear end portions extends through the broken- away portion between the score lines 121 of the side face 115 to the adjacent bond beam channel block of the perpendicular wall. The other elongated end extends through its inner end 91 to an adjacent linearly con¬ tinuing bond beam channel block 70. Conventional straight reinforcing rods b overlap the right angle rod 133; if desired they may be tied together by conventional means, though it is through to be unnecessary. As further shown in Figure 12, the right angle rod 133 may be installed in a vertical plane, with one of its rectilinear end portions extending horizontally in the bond beam course and its opposite end portion ex¬ tending vertically, upward or downward, either through the corner ends of the general purpose intersection blocks 40 at a wall intersection or through the cores of stretcher blocks adjacent to windows and doors. In either case, the reinforcement provides added strength where most needed, to prevent the cracking which is likely to occur with conventional construction, If even greater strength is required where intersection blocks are utilized, the vertical cores adjacent to the intersection may be rodded and grouted, such as suggested in Figure 12. The solid bottom of the inner end of the bond beam intersection block may be knocked out and a vertical reinforcing rod and grout installed. The bond beam intersection block may be provided with score lines or a thinned area in the inner end bottom to facilitate knocking out such a portion. Universal Intersection Blocks As an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the mortarless concrete block system may utilize universal intersection blocks at corners, par- tition walls, crossing-walls, or pilasters of both bond beam courses and the non-reinforced courses be¬ tween them, in substitution for the general purpose blocks 40 and bond beam intersection blocks 90. Such universal intersection block, not shown in the drawings, has a corner end portion identical with that of the bond beam intersection block 90. How¬ ever, its intermediate web has score lines, extending from the corner core, similar to the score lines in the other- sides of the core. Its inner end portion is also like that of a bond beam intersection block 90, characterized by ease of fabrication, advantageous thermal insulating properties, desirable surface fin¬ ishes and similar considerations. The educational value to children of building with toy blocks has long been recognized. The confor¬ mations of the present general purpose intersection blocks, together with stretcher blocks, reversal blocks and half blocks, make their combination a system well suited for toy use when made of molded plastic. The corner end portions of the intersection blocks may be adapted to receive corner posts of such cross-section as to press-fit within their vertical cores, so as to secure the intersection blocks, stacked alternately at right angles, by their corner end portions. These and other modifications will, from the above disclosure, be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

Claims: 1. For use in horizontally rodded and grouted bond beam courses in a system using concrete rectan¬ gular blocks of an established depth, such system in¬ cluding bond beam channel blocks of the type having a ' solid bottom and a pair of vertical sides, thereby forming a horizontal channel-like structure, bond beam intersection blocks of such estab¬ lished depth, each comprised of two portions, namely (a) an inner end portion having side walls and an inner end face and having in its upper surface a horizontal channel hollow extending inward through said inner end face and ending downwardly in a channel bottom, and (b) a corner end portion.having an outer end face and two opposite side faces and having upper and lower surfaces contiguous with the upper and lower sur¬ faces of said inner end portion, and having therethrough- a hollow vertical core to which the channel hollow in said inner end portion extends, said portions having therebetween an inter- ■ mediate saddle-like web projecting above the channel bottom to such depth as to support rodding below the upper surface of the inner end portion and above the level of the channel bottom, whereby when the inner end portion of said bond beam intersection block is positioned adjacent the end of a bond beam channel block, horizontal rod¬ ding and grouting may be filled in the bond beam course to connect to vertical rodding and grouting filled into and extending upward through the vertical core in the bond beam intersection block corner end portion. 2. Bond beam intersection blocks as defined in Claim 1, such bond beam channel blocks being further of the type having a pair of parallel vertical tongues at one of their ends and having at their opposite ends a pair of vertical grooves at said tongue spacing characterized in that said bond beam intersection block corner end portion has formed in its outer end face and in at least one of its said two opposite side faces a pair of parallel vertical grooves at said tongue spacing, whereby the tongues of such bond beam chan¬ nel blocks may be matingly inserted into said grooves, thereby to provide a bond beam course with either a wall corner or a wall intersection. 3. Bond beam intersection blocks as defined in Claim 1, such bond beam channel blocks being further of the type having a pair of parallel vertical tongues at one of their ends and having at their opposite end a pair of vertical grooves, both at said tongue spac¬ ing, characterized in that said bond beam intersection block corner end portion has formed in its two opposite side faces a pair of grooves at such tongue spacing, whereby the tongues of such bond beam chan¬ nel blocks may be matingly inserted in the grooves of either or both of said opposite side faces, thereby permitting intersection blocks of identical conforma¬ tion to be used at both left and right corners of a bond beam course. 4. Bond beam intersection blocks as defined in Claim 3, wherein the outer end face of said corner end portion likewise has a pair of parallel grooves formed therein at said tongue spacing, whereby to receive the tongues of such bond beam channel blocks in linear alignment therewith, thereby to provide both T-shaped and crossing-wall in¬ tersections of bond beam courses. __0ft.PI 5. Bond beam intersection blocks as defined in Claim 1, wherein said corner end portion vertical core has pairs of parallel vertical breakout score lines exten- ding toward both said opposite side faces and downward from the upper surface of said corner end portion, ending upward of the lower surface of the corner end portion, whereby to permit the block side faces to be broken out between said breakout score lines for re¬ ceiving and supporting, above the level of the lower surface of the block, the horizontal rodding from such adjacent channel blocks at right angles thereto, the unbroken pairs of breakout score lines of said vertical core being filled on the grouting of said corner end portion. 6. Bond beam intersection blocks as defined in Claim 5, wherein said corner end portion vertical core further has a pair of similar parallel vertical breakout score lines extending outward toward its outer end face, whereby to permit linearly continuous rod¬ ding and grouting at both T-shaped and crossing-wall intersections.- 7. Bond beam intersection blocks as defined in Claim 1, wherein at least one side face of said corner end portion vertical core has pair of parallel vertical breakout score lines extending toward the opposite side face and downward from the upper surface of said corner end portion, ending upward of the lower surface of the corner end portion, in combination with reinforcing rod members each having a sub¬ stantially right-angle intermediate bend and recti¬ linear elongated portions extending therefrom in the sa e plane , thereby to permit passage to an adjacent channel block of one of said rectilinear portions while the right-angle bend is accommodated within said corner end portion of said intersection block and the other rectilinear portion extends through the inner end channel hollow of said intersection block to a channel block thereadjacent. 8. The bond beam intersection block as defined in Claim 7, wherein said corner end portion vertical core fur¬ ther has a pair of similar parallel vertical breakout score lines extending outward toward its outer end face, whereby the outer end face may be broken away to so receive said right-angle reinforcing member at both T-shaped and crossing-wall intersections. 9. Bond beam intersection blocks as defined in Claim 1, for use with such concrete rectangular blocks •being further of the type having hollow vertical cores, together with reinforcing rod members, each having a sub- stantially right-angle intermediate bend and rectilinear elongated portions extending therefrom in the same plane, whereby said intermediate bend may be accom¬ modated within the corner end portion of an intersection block with one of its rectilinear portions extending horizontally in the bond beam course and its other rectilinear portion extending vertically through the hollow vertical cores of vertically adjacent blocks. 10. A system of inter-locking rectangular blocks of an established depth, comprising (a) full-length stretcher blocks having a pair of parallel vertical tongues at one of their ends and having at their opposite end a pair of vertical grooves at said tongue spacing, further having a pair of parallel horizontal ridges formed on their upper surfaces and a pair of parallel grooves on their lower surfaces whose spacing equals said ridge spacing, (b) reversal stretcher blocks having a pair of parallel vertical tongues at said tongue spacing at each of their ends, and having a pair of parallel horizontal ridges formed on their upper surfaces and a pair of parallel grooves on their lower surfaces whose spacing equals said ridge spacing, said stretcher blocks and reversal stretcher blocks being of substantially equal length and width, (c) shortened stretcher blocks whose length is substantially equal to the difference between the length of said stretcher blocks and the width of said stretcher blocks, said shortened blocks having a pair of parallel vertical tongues at one of their ends and having at their opposite ends a pair of vertical grooves at said tongue spacing, further having a pair of paral¬ lel horizontal ridges formed on their upper surfaces and a pair of parallel grooves on their lower surfaces, both at a spacing equal to said ridge spacing, and (d) general purpose intersection blocks of such established depth, each comprised of two portions, namely (i) an inner end portion having an inner end face and a pair of parallel grooves formed therein at said tongue spacing, further having a pair of par¬ allel ridges formed on its upper surface at said ridge spacing and a pair of parallel grooves formed into its lower surface at the same spacing, and (ii) a corner end portion having an outer face and two opposite side faces and having upper and lower surfaces continuous with the upper and lower sur¬ faces of said inner end portion, the upper surface of Oi PI said corner end portion being without ridges and each of said two opposite side faces and said outer end face having formed therein a pair of grooves at said tongue spacing, whereby the upper surface without ridges of the corner end portion of each intersection block ac¬ commodates the lower surface of the corner end portion of a similar intersection block of the next upper course positioned at right angles thereon, and the tongues of said stretcher blocks and reversal blocks may be matingly inserted in the grooves- of either or both of said oppo¬ site side faces and receive the tongues of said stretcher blocks in linear alignment therewith, thereby permitting intersection blocks of identical conformation to be used as both left and right corners and to provide both T-shaped and crossing-wall intersections. 11. . For use as an educational toy, the system of interlocking rectangular blocks as defined ' in Claim 10, wherein the rectangular blocks are of molded plastic, and wherein the corner end portions of said general pur¬ pose intersection blocks each have a hollow vertical core, in combination with corner posts of such cross-section as to press- fit within the cores of said intersection blocks, whereby on construction of a wall intersection said intersection blocks of alternate courses will be secured by said corner posts at right angles to each other. 12. For use in a mortarless system of interlocking molded concrete rectangular blocks of an established depth, such system including stretcher blocks of the type which have a pair of parallel vertical tongues at one of their ends and have at their opposite ends a pair vertical grooves at such tongue spacing, and which have a pair of parallel horizontal ridges formed on their upper surfaces and a pair of parallel grooves on their lower surfaces which have a spacing equal to such ridge spacing, and further including bond beam channel blocks of the type having a solid bottom and a pair of vertical sides, thereby forming a channel-like structure, and having a pair of parallel vertical tongues at one of their ends and a pair of vertical grooves at their oppo- site end at such tongue spacing, and which have a pair of parallel horizontal ridges formed on their upper sur¬ faces and a pair of parallel grooves on their lower sur¬ faces which have a spacing equal to such ridge spacing, the combination of (a) general purpose intersection blocks of such established depth, each comprised of two portions, namely (i) an inner end portion having an inner end face and a pair of parallel grooves formed therein at such tongue spacing, further having a pair of parallel ridges formed on its upper surface at such ridge spacing and a pair of parallel grooves formed into its lower surface at the same spacing, (ii) a corner end portion having an outer end face and two opposite side faces and having top and bottom surfaces continuous with the upper and lower sur¬ faces of said inner portion, characterized in that the upper surface of said corner end portion is without ridges and in that each of its said opposite side faces has formed therein a pair of grooves at such tongue spacing, together with (b) bond beam intersection blocks of such established depth, each comprised of two portions, namely Ci) an inner end portion having side walls and an inner end face and a pair of parallel grooves formed therein at such tongue spacing, further having a GM pair of parallel ridges formed on its upper surface at such ridge spacing and a pair of parallel grooves formed into its lower surface at the same spacing, and having a horizontal channel hollow extending downward to and ending in a channel bottom, said channel ex¬ tending through the inner end face and there having a saddle-like web projecting above said channel bottom, (ii) a corner end portion having an outer end face and two opposite side faces and having upper and lower surfaces continuous with the upper and lower surfaces of said inner end portion, char¬ acterized in that its upper surface is without ridges, each of its said opposite side faces has formed therein a pair of grooves at said tongue spac¬ ing, and in that it has therethrough a hollow vertical core to which the channel hollow of said inner end portion extends, whereby vertical rodding and grouting, in¬ cluding that through the corner end portions of said general purpose intersection blocks and said bond beam intersection blocks, and horizontal rodding and grout¬ ing through bond beam courses having said bond beam intersection blocks, form an integral reinforced con¬ crete grid. 13. For use in both bond beam courses and in in¬ termediate courses in a mortarless system of inter- locking molded concrete rectangular blocks of an estab¬ lished depth, such system including stretcher blocks and bond beam channel blocks of substantially equal length, said bond beam channel blocks having solid bot¬ toms and pairs of vertical sides extending upward there- from, thereby forming a channel-like structure, universal intersection blocks of such estab¬ lished depth, each comprises of two portions, namely .a) an inner end portion having an inner end face and a hollow vertical core extending downward in its upper surface and ending in a core bottom, there¬ by forming an end web above the level of said bottom at said inner end face, said end web having a pair of par¬ allel vertical breakout score lines leading downward from the upper surface, (b) a corner end portion having an outer end face and two opposite side faces and having upper and lower surfaces continuous with the upper and lower sur¬ faces of said inner end portion, and having therethrough a hollow vertical core, whereby an intermediate web is formed between said vertical core of said corner end portion and said vertical core of said inner. end portion, and the vertical core of said corner end portion having extending downward from the upper surface, pairs of parallel vertical breakout score lines formed in said intermediate web and in the core sides adjacent to said outer end face and to said two opposite side faces, whereby said universal intersection block may be utilized at an intersection of a bond beam course by breaking out between any of said pair of breakout score lines for receiving the horizontal rodding from such adjacent channel blocks either at right angles or in linear alignment therewith; and may be utilized at an intersection of intermediate courses, either at right angles to or in linear alignment with such stret¬ cher blocks, without breaking away between said score lines. 14. For use in grouted bond beam courses in a system using rectangular concrete blocks, bond beam corner construction comprising Ca). bond beam channel blocks of the type having a solid bottom and a pair of vertical sides, thereby forming a horizontal channel-like structure of a n established depth, Cb). bond beam intersection blocks of such established depth, each comprised of two portions, namely _ an inner end portion having side walls and' an inner end face and having in its upper surface a horizontal channel hollow extending inward through said inner end face and ending downwardly in a channel bottom, and a corner end portion having an outer end face and two opposite side faces and having upper and lower surfaces continuous with the upper and lower sur¬ faces of said inner end portion, and having therethrough a hollow vertical core to which the channel hollow in said inner end portion extends, at least one of said side faces having a pair- of parllel vertical breakout score lines extending toward the opposite side face and downward from the upper surface of said corner end por¬ tion, ending upward of the lower surface of the corner end portion, together with (c) reinforcing rod members each having a substantially right-angle intermediate bend and recti¬ linear elongated portions extending therefrom in the same plane, whereby the intersection block side face may be broken out between said breakout score lines there- by to permit passage to an adjacent channel block of one of said rectilinear portions, while the right angle bend is accommodated within said corner end portion of said intersection block and the other rectilinear por¬ tion extends through the inner end channel hollow of said intersection block to a channel block thereadjacent. -28- 15 The combination of the bond beam intersec¬ tion block as defined in Claim 1, whose inner end terminates in a saddle-like end web, with bond beam channel blocks having corresponding saddle-like end webs, to provide support for horizontal reinforcing rodding extending through the channel blocks into the intersection blocks. 16. A wall course having first and second sections extending from each other, each section comprising a plurality of first blocks, each first block having side and end walls with one end wall provided with spaced parallel narrow vertical ribs and an opposite end wall provided with correspondingly spaced parallel narrow vertical grooves, and the wall course having an intersection block adapted to connect the first and second sections to enable them to extend at an angle to each other; the intersection block having rectan¬ gular end walls and side walls extending from top to bottom of the block, with parallel narrow vertical grooves in its rectangular end wall and in each side wall, that are spaced to receive the ribs on the first blocks, whereby the same intersection block may provide for the second wall portion to extend to the right or to the left from the intersection block, and wherein the parts of the end or side walls that are not engaged by another wall section extend from top to bottom and side to side of the block, with the narrow grooves exposed. 17. In the wall of Claim 16, the block having an inner portion and an outer portion; the outer por¬ tion having the parallel grooves in its side and end walls, and a bottom wall across at least one of the portions. 18. In the wall of Claim 16, the block having weakening lines in its side walls to enable portions thereof to be knocked out to provide passages in said walls to admit reinforcing rods or the like. 5 19. A wall including a plurality of block courses of Claim 16: one course on top of another to make a wall of two intersection sections; at least one of the said courses being a bond beam course wherein the ad- 0 jacent walls of the several blocks all have means providing recesses extending down from their top edges to make saddles to receive reinforcing rods, and having metal reinforcing rods in said saddles extending hori¬ zontally along both portions of the wall, the blocks 5 having bottom walls, grout or like material in the blocks engaging the rods; the saddles being sufficient¬ ly above the bottoms of the blocks and below the top to enable the group to surround the blocks. 20. 0 In the wall of Claim 19: the intersection blocks having means to provide openings in the bottom thereof, vertical reinforcing rods extending through a plurality of courses, and bent into said saddles, to extend horizontally, whereby with the course having -5 horizontal rods, the vertical rods form a reinforcing frame for the wall. 21. A building block having a top, a bottom wall, side walls and transverse walls; the block having an 0 opening extending downwardly from the top to the bot¬ tom wall; the transverse walls having means therein providing saddles to extend downwardly from the top edges thereof to receive and supporting reinforcing rods; the opening of the block being adapted to receive 5 and hold grout or the like confined by the bottom, side -30- and transverse walls; the saddles being of an elevation to support rods above the bottom wall and below the top so that the rods may be surrounded by the group.

Inventors: BROWN S
Applicants: BROWN S
Application year: 1980
Main classification: E04B2
IPC codes: A63H33, E04B2