IMPROVED BRICK OR BUILDING BLOCK

Abstract: A brick or a building block in the form of a rectangular parallelopipedon having on its upper and lower faces a male (10) and a female (11a and 11b) dovetail section respectively. The construction is such that male dovetail (10) of one brick or block may slide into the dovetail cavity (11a or 11b) of another brick or block when placed above one another. The brick or block having plain side faces (15) and a dovetail groove formed in each end face (13) extending throughout the depth of the brick or block for further locking them together end to end using a special locking piece (14).

Description: IMPROVED BRICK OR BUILDING BLOCK TECHNICAL FIELD:- The present invention relates to an improved brick or building block that would lend itself very favourably to both the professional building industry and amateur building construction fields alike. PRIOR ART:- # The main problems with conventional bricks or building blocks are that they are difficult to properly align one to the other, which is time consuming for the professional and also difficult for the amateur. Further, extra labour and materials are also required 10. for consolidating the conventional bricks or blocks. These problems have been overcome with this invention by way of the fact that this improved brick or building block would:- 15 # (a) be constructed in such a manner as to facilitate its easy and quick use in building operations by way of its self aligning characteristics. (b) provide a structure that is stronger than that 20. produced by the use of conventional bricks or building blocks, and (c) make a significant saving in both time and material cost since the invention will not require the production and application of mortar 25. as in the laying of conventional bricks or building blocks, (apart from the first course which is laid onto the normal foundation work) . DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES:- 30. FIG.1 is a plan view of a brick according to the invention. FIG. is a view of the bottom thereof. FIG. is a side elevation, and 35- FIG.-lj. is an end elevation. FIG.5 is a perspective view of a seperate dovetail locking piece. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT;- The preferred form of the invention consists of a -0. brick similar in shape and size to a standard house brick. The bricks are joined both horizontally and vertically. Horizontally:- On the upper surface of the brick (10) there is a protruding dovetail section centrally 5« placed and protruding for approximately half of the length of the brick. On the bottom of the brick (12) there are a pair of dovetail cavities (one at each end of the brick), (11a and 11b); separated by a void space. The dovetail cavities (11a and lib) are so 50. shaped as to equal the size of the protruding dovetail section of the upper face, were they to be placed together. The void space between the cavities (11a and 11b) is large enough to accommodate the placing of one brick 55- over the protruding dovetail section of brick below. A brick so laid, is then able to be slid along horizontally to lock with two adjacent bricks below, in the half brick spacing position. gO. Vertically:- Normally, on the ends of the brick (13) there is a vertically tapering dovetail cavity, and when two bricks are placed end to end a single vertically tapered double dovetail locking piece (11+) is driven into the cavity thus formed, and locks the 6 . bricks together. The end faces (13) of the brick that has to form the end of a building or structure may be formed without the dovetail cavity, and left either plain or with some decorative feature as may the side faces (15)« Bricks according to the invention 70. may be produced by moulding from concrete or other suitable material provided that they can be formed with sufficient accuracy to enable sliding engagement of the dovetail parts to be effected. When a brick is placed on top of another it will be appreciated that 5.- since the sides (15) overlap the top and bottom abutting surfaces a perfect weatherproof seal is made; this is also the case for the ends (13). The design of this weathersealing quality has been such that a gap will remain around the perimeter of the brick face 80. (15) which also gives it a rendered look, similar to that of conventional bricks and mortar. It will also be readily appreciated that if any structure be constructed with bricks according to the invention then the strength of that structure will be Q5. enhanced in that there is a positive engagement between adjacent bricks and that reliance is not placed simply on a layer of mortar between them. The embodiment of the invention described above is given by way of example only and as will be readily 90. appreciated a wide variety of different forms and sizes of bricks and building blocks may be constructed within the scope of the invention as defined in the succeeding claims. Also half bricks may be constructed and used in the normal manner. Corner bricks however 100. will require modification to allow the locking piece - - to fit into one of the side faces (15) (leaving an end face (13) blank). When insufficient sliding space is available for laying the last brick on a corner of a structure the dovetail section of the brick immediately below will require removal, and mortar added.

Claims: CLAIMS : - 1. A brick or building block in the form of a rectangular parallelepipedon, characterised by the f-ct that it has formed on its upper face a central protruding dovetail section and on 5. the lower face a pair of matching dovetail cavities (one at each end of the brick or block) seperated by a void space, such that a brick or block may be placed one above the other and slid horizontally to lock together 10. in the half brick spacing position. 2. A brick or building block according to Claim 1., characterised by the fact that it also has at each end a vertically tapering dovetail cavity, such that when two bricks 15. or blocks are abutted end to end, a matching double dovetail locking piece may be driven into this cavity thus created, locking them together. 20. • 3« A brick or building block according to Claim 1. , characterised by the fact that the side faces overlap forming a complete weatherproof seal all-round and giving the appearance of a conventionally rendered brick 25. or block. i. A brick or building block according to Claim 1., characterised by the fact that it is substantially as shown in and as described 30. with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: MIFSUD ALFRED PAUL, MIFSUD, ALFRED, PAUL
Applicants: MIFSUD ALFRED PAUL, MIFSUD, ALFRED, PAUL
Application year: 1982
Main classification: E04C1
IPC codes: E04B2