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TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to building blocks and more particularly, to blocks having integrated insulating material. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE ART 
       [0002]    There are various examples of building blocks for construction projects wherein the building block is a composite structure made up of parallel inner and outer concrete face shells spaced apart by an insulating foam core. An example of such a composite building block is shown and described on a website www.isobloc.com. Reference is also made to patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,585 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,978,581 both to Spakousky. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A construction in accordance with a particular aspect comprises an insulating core for a block for a building wall, wherein the block has spaced apart parallel face shells. The insulating core defines spaced apart parallel surfaces capable of engaging the respective face shells. The insulating core is provided with channels such that when the block forms part of a wall with other blocks, the channels in the insulating cores form intersecting, uninterrupted passageways capable of receiving elongated reinforcing members and grout to provide a reinforcing structure to the wall. 
         [0004]    In a particular aspect, the insulating core is provided with a face shell mechanically engaged on each surface. 
         [0005]    In another aspect, there is provided a wall assembled from the building blocks, as well as the method of assembling the wall wherein horizontal channels and intersecting vertical passageways are formed from corresponding channels formed in selected building blocks. The channels provide passageways capable of receiving reinforcing rods, as well as grout, extending horizontally and vertically through a wall made up of the building blocks. Other utilities may be provided in passageways void of reinforcing rods and grout. 
         [0006]    In another aspect, there is a block for a building wall, the block having spaced apart parallel face shells and an insulating core filling the space between the parallel face shells. The insulating core defines spaced apart parallel surfaces engaging the respective face shells wherein the insulating core includes male interlocking members while the face shells have complementary female interlocking members and metal connecting bars are provided in the insulating core with lateral wings provided within at least one of the male interlocking member to mechanically secure the face shells to the insulating block and such that a thermal break is provided between the connecting bars and the face shells. 
         [0007]    The thermal break in the present description means that a thermal bridge is not formed between the connecting bar, buried in the insulating material, and the face shell. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a building block in accordance with a first embodiment; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective, exploded view of the building block shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a detail of the building block showing the insulating core; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the detail shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation of the detailed shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an end elevation thereof; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a vertical cross-section taken along lines A-A of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view, partly transparent, showing a further detail incorporated in the first embodiment; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8   a  is a fragmentary cross section of the detail in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view, taken from the top, of a portion of a wall assembled with building blocks in accordance with the first embodiment; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view of a partially assembled wall made with the building blocks in accordance with the first embodiment; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the insulating core in accordance with a second embodiment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the insulating core shown in  FIG. 11  but taken from a different angle; 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view, taken from the top of a portion of a wall assembled with building blocks, in accordance with the second embodiment shown in  FIGS. 11 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 14  is a perspective end view of the portion of the wall shown in  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a the wall portion shown in  FIG. 13 , from a different angle; 
           [0024]      FIG. 16  is a top plan view of the portion of the wall illustrated in  FIGS. 13 to 15 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view, taken from the bottom, of a portion of the wall shown in  FIG. 13 ; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view taken from the top, of the insulating cores, in accordance with the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 , assembled to form a partial wall. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a building block  10  having a central insulating core  12  and face shells  14  and  16 , in accordance with a particular embodiment. The insulating core  12  is preferably made of foam, such as polystyrene or similar insulating material. The insulating core  12  provides thermal insulation as well as soundproofing. The face shells  14  and  16  may typically be aggregate and/or concrete face shells. The face shells  14  and  16  are connected to form the building block  10 , by means of the insulating core  12  as will be described later. 
         [0028]    A particular embodiment of the insulating core  12  is illustrated in detail in  FIGS. 3 to 7 . The core  12  includes parallel wall surfaces  18  and  20  each defined by a respective base, as well as top wall surface in plane  22  and bottom wall surface in plane  24 . End wall surfaces in planes  23  and  25  are also illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , for instance. The top wall surface  22  is provided with a concave channel  26 . The channel  26  is shown as having a semi-cylindrical surface but it may also have other configurations such as with planar surfaces. The channel  26  may also be provided with grooves  34 . The end wall surfaces  23  and  25  are also provided with concave channels  30  and  32 , respectively. Finally, the bottom wall surface  24  includes a concave channel  28 . A vertically extending bore  35  is typically provided centrally of the core  12  with an axis parallel to the axis of channels  30  and  32  in the end wall surfaces  23  and  25 . In the embodiment shown, the distances between the axis of each channel  30 ,  32  and the axis of the bore  35  are equal. 
         [0029]    In the embodiment shown, the horizontal channels  26 ,  28  of adjacent blocks are complementary such that when the blocks  10  are assembled in a wall, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the cooperating channels  26 ,  28  provide horizontal, uninterrupted passageways. The vertical channels  30 ,  32  are also complementary such that when the blocks  10  are assembled, the cooperating channels  30 ,  32  define a bore. 
         [0030]    As can be seen in  FIGS. 3 through 7 , in the embodiment shown, the core  12  is designed to provide overlapping interlocking portions, such as shown in the Isobloc™ website. For instance, elements  23   a  protrude beyond elements  23   b  of end wall  23  to interlock with recessed portions  25   a  and  25   b  of the adjacent block. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the face shells  14  and  16  are mounted to the wall surfaces  18  and  20  of the core  12 , for example by means of male and female interlocking members. In the embodiment shown, male members  36   a,    36   b  and  36   c  are provided on walls  20  and  18 . These members are dovetailed as shown in  FIG. 4 , and mate with complementary slots  38   a,    38   b  and  38   c  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0032]    The insulating core  12  may also be provided with drainage channels  40  extending horizontally of the core  12 , adjacent the wall surface  20  defining the outer surface of the block  10 . These drainage channels  40  may have a slight slope and communicate with vertical drain drainage channels  42  defined in the wall surfaces  18  and  20 , for example between the male members  36   a,    36   b  and  36   c.  The drainage channels  40 ,  42  may also be used for ventilation, for example to dry the channels. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 8-8   a  shows the core  12  somewhat transparent in order to illustrate the metal connector bar  44  which may be provided within the foam core  12 . As shown on  FIG. 8   a , the connector bar  44  is provided with wings  44   a  and  44   b  at each end and extending at right angles thereto. When assembled with the face shells  14  and  16 , the wings  44   a  and  44   b  at the ends of the connector bar  44  extend within the male members  36   a.  The combined length of the wings  44   a  and  44   b  is greater than the opening of the slots  38   a  such that the connector bar is mechanical locked within the dovetail slot  38   a  of the face shell  16 . In the present embodiment, there is a connector bar  44  corresponding to each opposite set of male members  36   a,    36   b  and  36   c.  In a particular embodiment, because the connector bar  44  is contained completely within the molded insulating foam core  12 , there is no thermal bridge that might conduct heat from one side of the block  10  to the other, such that a thermal break is provided. 
         [0034]    A further advantage to the channels  26 ,  28 ,  30 , and  32  is to facilitate handling of the blocks  10  when they are being assembled. The blocks  10  may come for example in full-size, half-size as well configured to form right and left corner units. 
         [0035]    In a particular embodiment, the block  10  measures about 406 mm (16″) in length, based on the face shell  14 ,  16 , while the overall thickness or width of the block  10  is about 305 mm (12″) and the height is about 203 mm (8″). Other dimensions are of course possible. 
         [0036]      FIG. 9  illustrates how blocks  10  might be arranged to form a building wall. Typically, the blocks are laid in offset arrangement, such that the passageway formed by cooperating concave channels  30  and  32  of adjacent blocks is aligned with a bore  35  in a subsequent row. The vertical channels  30 ,  32  and bore  35 , as well as the horizontal channels  26 ,  28 , respectively define intersecting and uninterrupted vertical and horizontal passageways. 
         [0037]    A partially assembled wall is also shown in  FIG. 10 . As can be seen in the present embodiment, the concave channels  30 ,  32  formed in each block  10 , when placed end to end, form vertical passageways in the wall with the bores  35 . Thus each passageway  30 ,  32  alternates with bores  35  at alternating rows. Likewise the concave channels  26  and  18  at the bottom and top of each block form horizontal passageways. Selected vertical passageways, so formed, may include vertical reinforcing rods  50 . Horizontal reinforcing rods  48  may be provided in selected horizontal passageways, and may be attached to the vertical rods  50 . The grooves  34  in channel  26  may provide seats for such reinforcing rods when laid horizontally. Once the wall is assembled, grout is injected into the passageways  30 ,  32 ,  35  as well as in the horizontal passageways  26 ,  28 ; that is, those passageways in which reinforcing rods have been placed. The other passageways  30 ,  32  and  35 , and  26 ,  28 , void of reinforcing rods, may also serve as passageways for plumbing, electrical wiring and communication conduits. The passageways that are void of reinforcing rods are provided with caps  46  to prevent grout from pouring into such voids. This method of assembly provides a horizontal and a vertical reinforcement to the structure. The number of passageways being used to allow reinforcing rods and grout, in any given construction, will be determined by the calculations made by structural engineers. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 11 to 18  illustrate another embodiment of an insulating core  112 . All of the numerals corresponding to similar components in the embodiment described in  FIGS. 1 to 10  have been raised by  100 . 
         [0039]    Referring now to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the insulating core  112  is shown having a front or outside wall defining the surface  120  while a plane  122  delimits the top wall surface. The front wall is identical to the wall defining the wall surface  20  of the insulating core  12  shown in  FIGS. 3 to 7 . A pair of projections  160  and  162  extends at right angles to the rear of the wall. The projections  160  and  162  are identical and each defines a male member  136   a  and  136   c,  with portions of the inside wall in plane  118  being defined by the ends of the projections  160  and  162 . The face shells  114  and  116  are the same as the face shells  14  and  16  shown  FIG. 2 . 
         [0040]      FIGS. 13 to 17  show a partially assembled wall made up of blocks  110 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , outside cladding made up of individual face shells  114  are engaged on the male members  136   a,    136   b  and  136   c  of outside wall surface  120  defined by the base. Likewise, face shells  116  engage male members  136   a  and  136   c  of the inside wall  118  defined by projections  160  and  162  extending from the base. Overlapping stepped portions  119  and  121  allow the blocks to be interlocked as the wall is being assembled. 
         [0041]    Each block  110  includes concave channels  130 ,  132  (see  FIG. 13 ) defined outwardly of the projections  160  and  162  and a concave channel  135  (see  FIG. 16 ) defined between the projections  160  and  162 . As shown in  FIGS. 13-17 , once the blocks  110  have been assembled, the channels  130 ,  132 ,  135  of adjacent blocks  110  cooperate to provide continuous vertical passageways. Similarly, concave channels  126  and  128  formed by the top and bottom surfaces of the projections  160  and  162 , as shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , and cooperate once the blocks  110  have been assembled to define horizontal passageways. In a particular embodiment, alternate vertical passageways are provided with reinforcing rods and grout. Selected horizontal passageways are also provided with reinforcing rods and grout. The horizontal reinforcing rods may be attached to the vertical rods at intersecting passageways. The passageways that are void may contain other components to be inserted in the wall being constructed. 
         [0042]    Drainage channels  140  may be provided in the upper surface of the base or front wall  120  in order to allow water to drain therefrom. The drainage channels  140  may also be used for ventilation, for example to dry the channels. 
         [0043]    Grout may also enter the open slots  138   b  formed in the face shells  116  as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 17 , further anchoring the face shell  116  to the insulating cores  112 . 
         [0044]    The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. Modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims.

Summary:
An insulated core for a building block for a building wall, the block has spaced apart parallel face shells with the insulating core filling the space between the parallel face shells. The insulating core defines spaced apart parallel surfaces for engaging the respective face shells. The insulating core is provided with channels such that when the block forms part of a wall with other blocks, the channels form intersecting uninterrupted passageways for receiving elongated reinforcing members and grout to provide a reinforcing structure to the wall. A method of preparing a structural insulating wall for buildings and an insulating core including a metal connecting bar with lateral wings provided within at least one male interlocking member to provide a thermal break are also disclosed.