Patent Publication Number: US-11384539-B2

Title: Masonry block system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to masonry blocks, and in particular blocks that are used in creating building structures. 
     DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART 
     Masonry blocks are frequently used for, among other things, building walls of residential and commercial structures, and in particular exterior walls that largely support the entire building structure. In a conventional masonry block wall, the blocks are laid on bond, that is, one block covers one half of two blocks below it, so that the vertical joint formed by adjacent blocks in one row does not align with a vertical joint similarly formed in a previous row. Such blocks typically have one or more chambers to allow for the insertion of utilities, insulation, and reinforcing steel bars. Thick layers of mortar are used to seal the connection between one row of blocks the row of blocks above/beneath it. 
     In the United States, for example, the typical block is 16 inches in length and 8 inches in width. The cores of the blocks are typically tapered so that the top surface has a greater area on which to spread a mortar bed. It is common for the blocks to have two cores that allow for the insertion of steel reinforcement that spans courses in order to increase tensile strength so that the wall of blocks has sufficient strength. In short, this is a large and sturdy block that is generally configured to support the exterior of a building. 
     However, masonry blocks may be used for other forms of walls as well, for example, interior building walls, outdoor kitchens, and landscaping wall. In many situations such as these, such a large and sturdy block is not only unnecessary but in many ways unwanted. For example, interior walls generally need to be narrower so as to not take up too much interior space while still being strong and also allowing for utility installations such as electrical wiring and plumbing. The conventional 16×8 inch blocks, which work well for these outer walls, are often too large and cumbersome to serve as inner walls. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a block that is comparatively narrow but that still has the strength to stand as a building structure. What is further needed a block design that allows for the installation of utility features that are common while also enabling the convenient installation of such utility features. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is masonry block that is narrow, relative to the conventional 16 inch by 8 inch block, having at least two small chambers for the installation of utility features such as electrical outlets and at least one large chamber for installation of reinforcing members and/or insulation. The narrow masonry block is adapted to be particularly advantageous for construction of the inner walls of buildings such as residential homes as well as with a number of other wall structures such as landscaping walls and outdoor kitchens. 
     The narrow masonry block has an approximately rectangular shape with two wall faces and two end faces that are closed to bound the chambers and top and bottom faces that open around the chambers. The closed wall faces and end faces include score lines that indicate areas where the blocks may be broken to allow reinforcing supports and/or allow access to the chambers for the inclusion of external items such as the aforementioned electrical outlets. 
     For example, a score line may be vertically oriented near a midpoint of each of the at least two small chambers. This illustrates to an installer where the block may be broken in order to open the side of the inner chamber and allow for the insertion of an electrical outlet. 
     A channel may be positioned on the top face between the two narrow chambers to allow reinforcing supports such as rebar to be laid at the top of the block. Additionally, the end face, and particularly the end face that closes the large chamber, has score lines near a top portion along with knockout cuts to weaken that portion of the block so as to allow users to break a select area that is in line with the channel so as to allow the reinforcing supports to run across the entire block and, when used to form a wall, allow the supports to run along a row of the wall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The drawings are not drawn to scale. 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the full block according to the invention, showing the front, top, and right side. 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view showing the front, top, and left side. 
         FIG. 1C  is a perspective view showing the front, bottom, and right side. 
         FIG. 1D  is a perspective view showing the front, bottom, and left side. 
         FIG. 1E  is a top view of the block. 
         FIG. 1F  is a perspective view of the block. 
         FIG. 1G  is a front end view of the block. 
         FIG. 1H  is a side view of the block. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the half block according to the invention, showing the front, top, and right side. 
         FIG. 2B  is a perspective view showing the front, top, and left side. 
         FIG. 2C  is a perspective view showing the front, bottom, and right side. 
         FIG. 2D  is a perspective view showing the front, bottom, and left side. 
         FIG. 2E  is a top view of the block. 
         FIG. 2F  is a perspective view of the block. 
         FIG. 2G  is a front end view of the block. 
         FIG. 2H  is a side view of the block. 
         FIG. 3A  is a top view of a partial wall built from a single course of blocks. 
         FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of a partial wall. 
         FIG. 4A  is a top view of a partial wall built from multiple courses of the blocks. 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of a partial wall. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described more fully in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     The invention is a masonry block  100  for building masonry block walls and that is constructed to receive reinforcing materials and utility devices. The utilities include the conventional types of electrical outlets, wires, cables and piping that are common in most building structures. The common reinforcing means are reinforcing bars or “rebar”. The block  100  may be used in the construction of any number of types of buildings and walls, but it is particularly advantageous when used in the construction of an interior building wall. 
     The term “masonry block”  100  is a general term for the block according to the invention and includes a stretcher block  120  and a half block  140  that fit together to form a wall. Incorporated into each block  100  is at least one chamber  200  for receiving, among other things, reinforcing bars, as well as a connector means  300  for mating adjacent blocks with each other. 
     The general shape of the blocks  100  is square or rectangular, with the outer perimeter having one or more indentations and/or protrusions on one or more of the faces of the particular block. Each block has two wall faces  102  that form opposite sides of the block and are the faces of the block that are visible on the two faces of a wall, and each block has a first end face  104  and a second end face  106 , a top face  110 , and a bottom face  112 . Elements that are functionally identical in the various blocks  120  and  140  retain the same reference designation. 
       FIGS. 1A-H  illustrate the stretcher block  120 . The wall faces  102  are mirror-reverse images of each other and, thus, one reference designation shall be used to indicate one or both of the wall faces. The connector means  300  on the stretcher block includes a male connector  302  and female connector  304  on each end face  104 ,  106 . When two stretcher blocks  120  are assembled adjacent to one another on a row, the male connector  302  on the first end face  104  mates with the female connector  304  on the second end face  106  of the adjacent block. 
     The stretcher block  120  includes a plurality of chambers  200 . More particularly, the block  120  includes one large chamber  220  and two narrow or small chambers  240 , the chambers being bounded by an outer web  260  and separated by an inner web  280 . The large chamber  220  is ideal for the insertion of reinforcing members such as rebar. The small chambers  240  are particularly well suited for utilities such as electrical wiring and electrical outlet boxes. The wall faces  102 ,  104 , that are adjacent to, or that bound, the small chamber  240  may be cut away, after which electrical boxes may be inserted in the opened narrow chamber  240  in such a manner that the outer edge of the electrical box is flush with an inside wall of a building. 
     A u-shaped channel  270  is provided on the top of the stretcher blocks  120  between the small chambers  240 , and two small knockout cuts  290  are made on the end of the large chamber  220 . As the small chambers  240  are generally used for utilities and as such it may not be possible to fill them with reinforcing materials such as grout and rebar. The cuts  290  are scores which cause that part of the block to be a weaker relative to the other parts of the block in order to allow that part out of the block to be knocked away such that rebar may be laid horizontally through the channel  270  and the knocked out space between the cuts  290 . 
     Long score marks  230  are provided on the wall faces to indicate location of the narrow chambers  220 . In general, these score marks indicate a location that is at or near the center of the narrow chamber and inform a builder where to break or cut the block in order to access the chamber in order to insert utilities. 
     The stretcher block  120  may be constructed in any suitable size, however, a block that is roughly six inches in width, eight inches in height, and twelve inches in length is particularly useful for constructing a strong inner wall with space for utilities and reinforcing supports. In this example, the large chambers  220  may be approximately 4.7 inches in length and 4 inches in width while the small chambers  240  may be approximately 4.7 inches in length and 1 inch in width. This size block is also well suited for the installation of a conventional electrical box, which typically has a depth of 2⅛ inches or 2¼ inches. These measurements are merely examples of one suitable size for the block and are not limiting, for example, while the design is advantageous for narrow blocks, such as those that are less than 8 inches in width, it is suitable for any block measuring at least 6 inches in width. 
       FIGS. 2A-2H  illustrate the half block  140 . This block is often used as an end block, in place of the full-size stretcher block  120 , so that the blocks  100  may be laid on bond relative to the previously laid course of blocks  100 . The construction of this half block  140  is very similar to that of the stretcher block  120 , in that it has the wall faces  102 ,  104 , recesses  220  and connectors. The difference being that it has only one chamber and is roughly half as long as the stretcher block. 
     Again, the block may be of any size, but is generally intended to have a length that is approximately half the length of the stretcher block  120  while having the same or similar height and width. When constructed for use with a stretcher block of the previous example, the half block is likely to be roughly six inches in width, eight inches in height, and six inches in length. 
     Two small cuts  290  are made on the end of the chamber  220 . Again, as with the stretcher block the cuts  290  cause this portion of the block to be weaker relative to the other parts of the block in order to allow that part out of the block to be knocked away such that rebar may be laid horizontally through the top of the block  140 . 
     Small notches  205  are provided in the upper corner of each face  104 ,  106  of the block  100 , which allow for the insertion of line pins (not shown). After a course of blocks  100  has been put in place, and/or during the laying of a course of blocks  100 , a range line may be hooked to each pin to ensure the wall is kept straight. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B and 4A and 4B  illustrate a course of a wall constructed with the building blocks  100  according to the invention. Stretcher blocks  120  and/or half blocks  140  are interconnected with each other. In the embodiment shown, the wall includes a first wall and a second wall that extends at a 90-degree angle to the first wall. It is preferable if vertical rebar is placed every four feet and horizontal rebar is similarly placed every four feet 
     It is understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the construction of the masonry may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the invention herein disclosed and as defined by the following claims.