Abstract:
Concrete masonry unit blocks with recesses providing pockets sized to receive dimensional lumber components, enabling easy design and fabrication of block and lumber assemblies, typically using construction adhesive to bond the blocks to each other. Various dimensions and shapes of blocks are possible, as well as numerous shapes and sizes of pocket-forming recesses in the blocks. A wide variety of attractive and functional structures can be built with the blocks of this invention and widely-available dimensional lumber.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent claims priority to and incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/832,360 filed Jun. 7, 2013 for “Concrete Masonry Unit Blocks With Dimensional Lumber Pockets and Assemblies of Blocks and Lumber.” 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to concrete masonry unit (“cmu”) blocks intended for use together with dimensional lumber and other components. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Concrete masonry unit blocks are available that are intended for use with dimensional lumber. These units are scaled to match the lumber sizes. For instance, there are nominal 2″×4″ units (actually about 1½″×3½″) so that omission of a block of that size from an assembly of such blocks will leave a void sized to receive a portion of a “2×4” piece of lumber. Among other deficiencies, such blocks look small and insubstantial, and assemblies of such blocks require a large number of units because of their relative small size. 
     SUMMARY 
     The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim. 
     The concrete masonry unit blocks (“cmu blocks”) described below and in the claims of this patent may be construction materials manufactured of concrete of any type, and may also be other suitable materials, including, without limitation, other cementitious, cement or masonry products; and structural foam, plastic, plastic composite, reinforced plastic, filled plastic, and polymer materials. 
     “Dimensional lumber” as used in this patent and its claims means not only lumber cut from wood of trees like pine, spruce and other soft woods, but also hardwoods and other wood products like laminated wood beams (including “gluelam” beams and other structures), oriented strand and composite wood materials, and non-wood materials, including metal (including steel, steel alloy, aluminum and other metal I-beams, H-beams and other metal structures), bamboo, polymer materials, polymer composite materials, fiber cement materials and any other suitable materials typically, but not necessarily, having predetermined cross-sectional shapes and dimensions. 
     The concrete masonry unit blocks (“cmu blocks”) of this invention contain recesses sized to receive dimensional lumber, but the over-all dimensions of the blocks generally are larger than the dimensional lumber with which they are used so that the units are visually (and actually) somewhat larger than blocks that are the same dimensions as typical softwood lumber sizes. This facilitates expeditious assembly of the units into functional structures and results in structures that are visually more substantial-looking and attractive. The overall dimensions of the blocks of this invention are complimentary so that a wide variety of attractive and functional assemblies can be easily made by unskilled users. 
     Recess-containing concrete masonry unit blocks can also be installed with the recesses facing in, so that there is no visible recess at that location in the structure. Recesses can also receive structures other than dimensional lumber, such as lights, planters, storage drawers, lockboxes and water features. Recesses can face a solid wall of a block, thereby defining a pocket the size of the recess, or two recesses in two blocks may face each other to provide a larger pocket that is the sum of the two recesses, which may be twice the size as each of the two recesses or another size. 
     Pockets can also receive manufactured structural members like glue laminated (“gluelam”) lumber and other engineered wood products like Trus Joist products and components, as well as other structures that are not wood or wood products such as plastic structures, metal I-beams or other metal components. Glass blocks or other components can be back-lighted to provide illumination or desirable visual effects. 
     The concrete masonry unit blocks of this invention are typically glued together using construction adhesives such as urethanes or other conventional adhesives that are usually dispensed from cartridges for application. Such adhesives are typically used by fully coating mating surfaces with thin layers of adhesives so that the adhesives to not materially separate abutting blocks and therefore do not significantly contribute to the dimensions of the structures. Such adhesive assembly contrasts with conventional assemblies of brick or cmu blocks with mortar that typically is relatively thick, and therefore materially contributes to the size of structures built of conventional brick or cmu and mortar. However, all construction units (and the lumber, if desired), may be bonded with any suitable bonding material, including, without limitation, construction adhesives; polymeric adhesives, including, without limitation, acrylic adhesives, urethane adhesives, polyester adhesives, thermoplastic adhesives and epoxy adhesives; and masonry mortar and other masonry materials. Moreover, in some applications the blocks of this disclosure may be simply stacked without adhesive or may be secured with mechanical fasteners. 
     The blocks of this invention can be manufactured upright and flat in a standard or large board block machine. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawing figures: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are front and partial rear isometric views of two concrete masonry unit walls in accordance with this invention supporting wood joists. 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are front and rear isometric views, respectively, of two concrete masonry unit square columns in accordance with this invention supporting two horizontally oriented dimensional lumber members. 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are front and rear isometric views, respectively, of three concrete masonry unit square columns shown with a fence panel between each of the pairs of columns. 
         FIG. 7  is enlarged rear isometric view of two of the posts shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  with one fence panel, from which some of the pickets have been removed. 
         FIG. 8  is a further enlarged rear isometric view of one of the posts and a portion of the panel of  FIG. 7  shown with two of the cmu blocks removed. 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  are front and rear views of a cmu block of this invention having a dimensional lumber-receiving recess. 
         FIG. 11  is an isometric view of a “right hand” tapered cmu block of this invention having a dimensional lumber-receiving recess. 
         FIG. 12  is an isometric view of a “left hand” tapered cmu block of this invention having a dimensional lumber-receiving recess. 
         FIG. 13  is an isometric view of a pair of the blocks shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12  with facing recesses and the trapezoidal block faces oriented horizontally. 
         FIG. 14  is an isometric view of the same pair of blocks shown in  FIG. 13 , also with facing recesses but with the trapezoidal faces oriented vertically. 
         FIG. 15  is an isometric view of two block walls of this invention aligned end to end with a table spanning the space between those ends. 
         FIG. 16  is an isometric view of two parallel block walls of this invention together with wood joists spanning the space between the walls. 
         FIG. 17  is an isometric view of the two block walls depicted in  FIG. 15  but with a single wood 2×4 spanning the space between the two wall ends. 
         FIG. 18  is an isometric view of two serpentine block walls of this invention with opposed wall ends and a wood table spanning the space between those ends. 
         FIG. 19  is a is an isometric view of a solid block  81 . 
         FIG. 20  is an isometric view of a block  82  having a through pocket  84 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described. 
     North American softwood framing lumber (used, for example, for studs, joists, plates and the like in building houses and other structures) are identified by their nominal width and thickness dimensions in inches and length in feet. The actual width and thicknesses of such lumber is less than the nominal sizes. The following table sets forth the typical actual dimensions opposite the nominal sizes. These nominal sizes are routinely used to refer to such lumber. These dimensions are generally applicable to both treated and untreated wood lumber and are often also used for man-made construction materials such as manufactured wood, fiber-cement and polymer products. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Nominal Lumber 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Dimensions in 
                 Actual Lumber Dimensions in inches 
               
               
                   
                 inches 
                 (and millimeters) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 1 × 2 
                 ¾ in × 1½ in 
                 (19 mm × 38 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 1 × 3 
                 ¾ in × 2½ in 
                 (19 mm × 64 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 1 × 4 
                 ¾ in × 3½ in 
                 (19 mm × 89 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 1 × 6 
                 ¾ in × 5½ in 
                 (19 mm × 140 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 1 × 8 
                 ¾ in × 7¼ in 
                 (19 mm × 184 mm) 
               
               
                   
                  1 × 10 
                 ¾ in × 9¼ in 
                 (19 mm × 235 mm) 
               
               
                   
                  1 × 12 
                 ¾ in × 11¼ in 
                 (19 mm × 286 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 2 × 2 
                 1½ in × 1½ in 
                 (38 mm × 38 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 2 × 3 
                 1½ in × 2½ in 
                 (38 mm × 64 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 2 × 4 
                 1½ in × 3½ in 
                 (38 mm × 89 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 2 × 6 
                 1½ in × 5½ in 
                 (38 mm × 140 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 2 × 8 
                 1½ in × 7¼ in 
                 (38 mm × 184 mm) 
               
               
                   
                  2 × 10 
                 1½ in × 9¼ in 
                 (38 mm × 235 mm) 
               
               
                   
                  2 × 12 
                 1½ in × 11¼ in 
                 (38 mm × 286 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 4 × 4 
                 3½ in × 3½ in 
                 (89 mm × 89 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 4 × 6 
                 3½ in × 5½ in 
                 (89 mm × 140 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 6 × 6 
                 5½ in × 5½ in 
                 (140 mm × 140 mm) 
               
               
                   
                 8 × 8 
                 7¼ in × 7¼ in 
                 (184 mm × 184 mm) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The blocks of this invention may be manufactured with recesses that serve, either alone or together with another recess, to form pockets intended to receive and hold portions of some of the more commonly used sizes of softwood lumber. 
     The blocks of this invention may also be sized for assembly with other blocks without the significant thicknesses of bonding material like the mortar usually placed between bricks or conventional cmu blocks. Instead, the blocks are assembled with nothing between adjacent blocks or, more typically, with adhesive between abutting blocks to secure those blocks to each other without appreciably separating the blocks from each other. Block assemblies of this invention containing lumber-sized pockets are superior to other systems that have blocks the same cross-sectional dimensions as the lumber with which they are used so that pockets are formed by omitting blocks. In such other block systems, the blocks are too small to be aesthetically pleasing, and such smaller sizes require more blocks for a particular size of structure, making assembly of such a structure more demanding in terms of time and (at least) adhesive materials. 
     The cmu blocks of this invention contain recesses or voids dimensioned to receive portions of standard dimensional softwood lumber so that structures of such blocks and standard lumber can be easily and quickly designed and constructed. Such recesses or voids also reduce the weight of a cmu block containing such a void or pocket as compared to a like-sized cmu block without a recess or void. Such recesses or voids can face inward in block assemblies if it is desired that they not be visible. 
     The actual dimensions of a particular piece of lumber at a particular point in time may vary a little from the “actual size” set forth in the chart above because of variations in planning during processing, variations in moisture content and because of shape changes, such as “cupping,” that a piece of lumber may experience over time. The cross-grain dimensions of lumber vary by measurable, sometimes significant amounts with changes in moisture content as the lumber “dries” from its “green” moisture content when the timber was cut and in response to changes in the moisture content of the air surrounding the lumber after it has been “dried.” Accordingly, it will typically be desirable to manufacture blocks of this invention containing or forming pockets that are modestly larger than the intended actual lumber dimensions shown in the chart above. For instance, the pockets may be formed ⅛ inch larger in thickness and in width than the actual lumber dimensions of the lumber with which the blocks are to be used. 
     In addition to square and rectangular blocks, blocks may be in the form of a trapezoid so that two facing pairs of such trapezoidal blocks measure 4×8×12 (or any other desired dimensions). 
     Nominal block dimensions and nominal and actual pocket dimensions may include these exemplary recesses: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Nominal 
                 Actual Recess dimensions, not 
               
               
                 Nominal Block 
                 Recess, 
                 including allowance for over-size 
               
               
                 Dimensions 
                 if included 
                 lumber 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 4 × 4 × 8 solid 
                 NA 
                   
               
               
                 4 × 4 × 8 with a 
                 2 × 4 
                 1½ in × 3½ in (38 mm × 89 mm) 
               
               
                 pocket 
               
               
                 4 × 8 × 8 solid 
                 NA 
               
               
                 4 × 8 × 8 with a 
                 2 × 4 
                 1½ in × 3½ in (38 mm × 89 mm) 
               
               
                 pocket 
                 through 
               
               
                   
                 pocket 
               
               
                 4 × 8 × 12 solid 
                 NA 
               
               
                 4 × 8 × 12 with a 
                 2 × 8 
                 1½ in × 7¼ in (38 mm × 184 mm) 
               
               
                 pocket 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Exemplary blocks  20 ,  22  and  24  of this invention are illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  stacked into low walls that support a series of joists  30 . Blocks  20  can be 4″×8″×12″ and are depicted separately in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . Blocks  20  measuring 4″×8″×12″, blocks  22  measuring 4″×8″×8″ and blocks  24  measuring 4″×4″ by 8″, are shown assembled into the low wall structures depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The joists  30  may be (so called) “2×8” joists having the nominal and actual dimensions set forth in the table above. As is most easily seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the 4″×8″×12″ blocks  20  have a recess  21  nominally 2 inches by 8 inches on the 4″ by 12″ block  20  face  23  and nominally six inches by 8 inches on the 8″ by 12″ block  20  face  25 . This permits a length of approximately five inches of the end of joist  30  to be received in the recess  21 . 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the blocks  22  and  24  may also have recesses usable to provide lumber-receiving pockets, but no lumber is shown positioned in those recesses in these figures. 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 19 and 20 , solid block  81  could also be produced as a block  82  having a through pocket  84 . Other shapes and sizes of blocks could also have through pockets if desired to permit lumber or other components to pass all the way through a block or blocks and the structure in which such block or blocks are used. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  depict two square columns  40  formed solely of blocks  20 . Two of the blocks  20  in each of the columns  40  are oriented with their faces  23  out, so that the recess  21  in each such block  20  provides a pocket that receives an end of a horizontally oriented 2×8 board  32 . 
       FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8  depict square columns  41  supporting, between pairs of columns  41 , fence panels  42  made of pickets  44  attached to horizontal supports  34 . Square columns  41  are assembled from blocks  20  (4″×8″×12″) and 4″×8″×8″ blocks  22  or  22 ′. Blocks  22  are oriented with a 2″×4″×6″ recess facing out so that it can provide a pocket for receiving an end of 2×4 lumber or, as depicted in  FIGS. 5-8 , blocks  22 ′ include a 2″×4″×(approximately) 6″ recess with the 2″×4″ portion facing out to receive an end of 2×4 lumber  34 . 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  depict “right hand”  50  and “left hand”  52 , respectively, tapered cmu blocks of this invention having dimensional lumber-receiving recesses  54  and  56 , respectively. Each of  FIGS. 13 and 14  depict a pair of tapered cmu blocks  50  and  52  with facing recesses  54  and  56 . Each of the recesses is sized to receive a portion of 2×4 lumber, and the paired recesses  56  and  56  depicted in  FIGS. 13 and 14  can receive a portion of 4×4 dimension lumber. 
       FIGS. 15-18  depict exemplary block and lumber assemblies of this invention utilizing tapered, pocket-containing blocks  50  and  52 . 
     Like pairs of walls  66  and  68  of this invention appear in  FIGS. 15 and 17 . Walls  66  and  68  use tapered blocks, such as block  50  (with a recess) and block  74  (that need not have a recess) together with rectilinear blocks  78  and cut blocks  80 . Tapered blocks  50  and  74  are stacked facing in alternating directions, so that walls  66  and  68  are straight. 
     Blocks  50  on opposed ends of each of walls  66  and  68  face each other and each receive one end of 2×4  62 , as may be seen in in  FIG. 17 . A table  64  rests on and obscures 2×4  62  in  FIG. 15 . 
     An identical table  64  is also supported between blocks  50  on facing wall ends in  FIG. 18 , but the walls  70  and  72  in  FIG. 18  are built entirely of tapered blocks  50  and  74  facing the same way, so that each wall  70  and  72  is curved rather than straight. 
     Facing straight walls  69  and  71  appear in  FIG. 16  supporting 2×4 wood joists  60 . Each joist  60  end is received in a tapered block  50  (in wall  71 ) or  52  (in wall  69 . Walls  69  and  71  use tapered blocks  74  facing in alternating directions, together with other blocks as needed so that walls  69  and  71  are straight. 
     Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described are possible. Flexibility in design and construction of components, and of assemblies of components, are among the hallmarks of this invention, so many components and structures in addition to those depicted and described here are possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.