Patent Publication Number: US-2015059278-A1

Title: Wall block element

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a wall block element. The wall block elements may be e.g. used for building a basement wall and/or for landscaping purposes, such as for building a retaining wall, a masonry wall and/or a curb. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In prior art there are known several types of wall block elements for landscaping purposes, such as for building retaining walls, masonry walls and/or curbs. The wall block elements may be made of concrete, lightweight aggregate or a natural stone. In many landscaping applications the look of natural stone block elements is most pleasing. The problem associated with wall block elements, which conventionally are massive natural stone blocks, is that they are heavy and very difficult or impossible to be handled by manpower. Therefore, a special lifting apparatus is needed for the transfer and installation of such elements. 
     OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of the invention is to alleviate the disadvantages mentioned above. 
     In particular, it is an objective of the present invention to provide wall block elements which, at least when installed to form a retaining wall, a masonry wall or a curb, has a look of genuine natural stone, and which wall block elements are also lightweight and can be lifted and handled by manpower without a need for a lifting apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect, the present invention provides a wall block element. According to the invention the wall block element comprises a first panel and a second panel, at least said first panel being a natural stone slab, one or more spacer elements, made of metal for placing and adjoining the first panel and the second panel together in parallel and at a distance in relation to each other, and an inner space being defined by the panels in-between the panels, in which inner space a filling material, such as cast concrete, can be placed, said spacer elements each having connecting means to attach at least the first panel to the spacer elements. 
     The advantage of the invention is that the wall block element is lightweight and easy to lift, handle and install by manpower. No lifting apparatus will be necessarily needed. For example, while a massive granite (density about 2750 kg/m 3 ) wall block element having dimensions in conformity with the aggregate concrete masonry unit standards, e.g. with a length 600 mm, height 200 mm and width 200 mm, weighs about 66 kg, the wall block element with a structure according to the invention and e.g. having two natural stone slabs, with a length 600 mm, height 200 mm and thickness 20 mm, weighs only about 15 kg. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the connecting means comprise a connecting flange which is parallel to the surface of the panel to which the connecting flange is attached. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the connecting means comprise a glue joint by which the connecting flange is attached to the panel. The glue joint is advantageous because it does not require any holes, borings or other machining to be made in the natural stone slab. The surface of the natural stone slab achieved by sawing is suitable for gluing. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the connecting means comprise a plurality of holes arranged at each connecting flange to enhance the grip of the glue joint. The plurality of holes can be arranged as a pattern of perforations. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the second panel is made of a sheet metal and is an integral structure with the spacer elements, said wall block element being for the retaining wall in which the second panel is against the soil and the first panel having an outer surface as a façade of the wall block element. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the second panel and the spacer elements are formed of a single sheet metal blank, the two spacer elements, being bent from the ends of the second panel perpendicularly in relation to the plane of the second panel. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the second panel comprises an upper edge and a lower edge, said upper edge having an edge bend which is directed perpendicularly towards the first panel, and said lower edge having a receptable which opens to an opposite direction in relation to the direction of the edge bend, the receptable being adapted to receive inside the edge bend of another wall block element. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the first panel and the second panel are both natural stone slabs, both of said natural stone slabs having a sawn inner surface which is towards the inner space and a treated outer surface. The treatment of the outer surface may include sawing, splitting, cleaving, polishing, honing, bush hammering, flaming, sand blasting, shot blasting and/or water jetting. The wall block element having two natural stone slabs on its opposite sides is suitable for building a masonry wall wherein both sides of the wall are exposed and visible. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the wall block element comprises two spacer elements which are separate from each other. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the first panel and the second panel have two end surfaces which are sawn surfaces, and that the spacer elements are connected with glue joints to said end surfaces. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the connecting means comprise connecting flanges which are bent perpendicularly from the sheet steel material of the spacer elements to be parallel with the inner surfaces of the panels, said connecting flanges being connected with glue joints to the sawn inner surfaces. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the spacer elements are placed into the inner space, the spacer elements being located at a distance from the end surfaces of the panels. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the spacer element comprises an upper edge having one or more notches which are located at a distance below the upper surface of the panels. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the spacer element comprises one or more holes to provide a path for the filling material, such as cast concrete. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the spacer element comprises a stiffening flange at the lower edge of the spacer element. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the stiffening flange is bent perpendicularly from the plane of the sheet metal material of the spacer element. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the natural stone slab is 1 to 8 cm. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the wall block element has outer dimensions which are in conformity with the aggregate concrete masonry unit standards. 
     It is to be understood that the aspects and embodiments of the invention described above may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the aspects and embodiments may be combined together to form a further embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the wall block element according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows the wall block element of  FIG. 1  the first panel being drawn with a dash line and shown as transparent, 
         FIG. 3  is an axonometric view of a retaining wall built form the wall block elements of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic cross section of IV-IV of the retaining wall of  FIG. 3 , 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the wall block element according to the invention, 
         FIG. 6  shows the wall block element of  FIG. 5  the first panel and the second panel being drawn with a dash line and shown as transparent, 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the wall block element according to the invention, 
         FIG. 8  shows the wall block element of  FIG. 7  the first panel and the second panel being drawn with a dash line and shown as transparent, 
         FIG. 9  is an axonometric view of a masonry wall built from the wall block elements of  FIG. 5 , and 
         FIG. 10  is an axonometric view of a masonry wall built from the wall block elements of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a first embodiment of the wall block element  1 . The wall block element is suitable for building a basement wall of a building or a retaining wall  4  (see also  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). A retaining wall is a structure designed and constructed to resist the lateral pressure of soil when there is a desired change in ground elevation that exceeds the angle of repose of the soil. 
     The wall block element  1  comprises a first panel  6  and a second panel  7 . In this embodiment the second panel  7  is made of sheet metal (sheet steel or sheet aluminium) and the first panel  6  is a natural stone slab. Two spacer elements  8 ,  9  which are made of sheet metal are arranged at a distance from each other to placing and adjoin the first panel  6  and the second panel  7  together in parallel and at a distance in relation to each other. An inner space  10  is defined by the panels in-between the panels  6  and  7 . A filling material  11 , such as cast concrete, can be placed into the inner space  10 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , each of the spacer elements  8  and  9  have connecting means  12  to attach the first panel  6  to the spacer elements  8  and  9 . The connecting means  12  comprise a connecting flange  13  which is parallel to the surface of the first panel  1  to which the connecting flange  13  is attached by a glue joint. In order to enhance the grip of the glue joint a plurality of holes  14  are arranged at the connecting flanges  13 . 
     The second panel  7  is made of a sheet metal and is an integral structure with the spacer elements  8 ,  9 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , in the retaining wall  5  the second panel  7  is against the soil  15  and the first panel  6  having an outer surface  16  as a façade of the wall block element  1  and forming a façade of the retaining wall. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the second panel  7  and the spacer elements  8 ,  9  are formed of a single sheet metal blank. The two spacer elements  8 ,  9  are bent from the ends of the second panel  7  perpendicularly in relation to the plane of the second panel  7 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the second panel  7  comprises an upper edge  17  and a lower edge  18 . The upper edge  17  has an edge bend  19  which is directed perpendicularly towards the first panel  6 . The lower edge  18  has a receptable  20  formed as an open hem which opens to an opposite direction in relation to the direction of the edge bend  19 , the receptable  20  being adapted to receive inside the edge bend of another wall block element. The interlocking of the edge bend  19  and the receptbale  20  holds the wall block elements  1  firmly before and during the inner spaces  10  are filled with the filling material  11 . Preferably the filling material  11  is cast concrete. The inner spaces  10  of the different wall block elements  1  are all vertically and laterally connected to each other to allow the concrete flow inside the wall during casting. For this purpose, the spacer elements  8 ,  9  comprise holes  27  to provide a path for the filling material  11 . The spacer elements  8 ,  9  comprise notches  25  formed at the upper edge  24 . The notches are located at a distance h below the upper surface of the panel  6 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  reinforcement bars  26  can be placed on the support of the notches  25 . 
     A further embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  9 . In this embodiment the wall block element  2  comprises a first panel  6  which is a natural stone slab and a second panel  7  which is also a natural stone slab. Such a wall block element  2  having two natural stone slabs on its opposite sides is suitable for building a masonry wall (see  FIG. 9 ) wherein both sides of the wall are exposed and visible. 
     The first panel  6  and the second panel  7  both have a sawn inner surface  21  which is towards the inner space  10  and a treated outer surface  22  on the façade sides of the slabs. The outer surface  22  may be treated by any known process suitable for treating a natural stone surface. These include sawing, splitting, cleaving, polishing, honing, bush hammering, flaming, sand blasting, shot blasting and/or water jetting. Two spacer elements  8 ,  9  made of sheet metal (such as sheet steel or sheet aluminium) are arranged at a distance from each other for placing and adjoining the first panel  6  and the second panel  7  together in parallel and at a distance in relation to each other. An inner space  10  is defined in-between the first and second natural stone slab panels  6 ,  7 . A filling material (not shown), such as cast concrete, can be placed inside the inner space  10 . The spacer elements  8 ,  9  have connecting means  12  to attach the first and second natural stone slab panels  6 ,  7  to the spacer elements  8 ,  9 . 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the wall block element  2 ,  3  comprises two spacer elements  8 ,  9  which are separate from each other. The first panel  6  and the second panel  7  have vertical end surfaces  23  which are sawn surfaces. The spacer elements  8 ,  9  are connected with glue joints to these end surfaces  23 . 
     Each of the spacer elements  8  and  9  are formed of a single sheet metal blank. The spacer elements  8  and  9  are identical. The connecting means  12  comprise a connecting flange  13  at the vertical edge regions of the spacer elements. The spacer elements  8  and  9  are attached by glue joints to the end surfaces  23  of the first panel  6  and the second panel  7 . In order to enhance the grip of the glue joint a plurality of holes  14  are arranged at the connecting flanges  13 . 
     Also in the embodiment of  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the spacer elements  8 ,  9  comprise an upper edge  24  having notches  25 , which are located at a distance h below the upper surface of the panels. The notches  25  can form a support for the reinforcement bar. The spacer elements  8 ,  9  comprise holes  27  to provide a path for the filling material  11 , such as cast concrete. Further, the spacer elements  8 ,  9  comprise a stiffening flange  28  at the lower edge  29  of the spacer element. The stiffening flange  28  is bent perpendicularly from the plane of the sheet metal material of the spacer element  8 ,  9 . 
     A further embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  10 . In this embodiment the wall block element  2  comprises a first panel  6  which is a natural stone slab and a second panel  7  which is also a natural stone slab. Such a wall block element  2  having two natural stone slabs on its opposite sides is suitable for building a masonry wall (see  FIG. 10 ) wherein both sides of the wall are exposed and visible. 
     The first panel  6  and the second panel  7  both have a sawn inner surface  21  which is towards the inner space  10  and a treated outer surface  22  on the façade sides of the slabs. The outer surface  22  may be treated by any known process suitable for treating a natural stone surface. These include sawing, splitting, cleaving, polishing, honing, bush hammering, flaming, sand blasting, shot blasting and/or water jetting. Two spacer elements  8 ,  9  made of sheet metal (sheet steel or sheet aluminium) are arranged at a distance from each other for placing and adjoining the first panel  6  and the second panel  7  together in parallel and at a distance in relation to each other. An inner space  10  is defined in-between the first and second natural stone slab panels  6 ,  7 . A filling material (not shown), such as cast concrete, can be placed inside the inner space  10 . The spacer elements  8 ,  9  have connecting means  12  to attach the first and second natural stone slab panels  6 ,  7  to the spacer elements  8 ,  9 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the wall block element  2 ,  3  comprises two spacer elements  8 ,  9  which are separate from each other. The spacer elements  8 ,  9  are placed into the inner space  10 . The spacer elements are located at a distance from the vertical end surfaces  23  of the panels  6  and  7 . The connecting means  12  comprise connecting flanges  13  which are bent perpendicularly from the sheet metal material of the spacer elements  8 ,  9  to be parallel with the inner surfaces  21  of the panels  6 ,  7 , said connecting flanges being connected with glue joints to the sawn inner surfaces. 
     Each of the spacer elements  8  and  9  are formed of a single sheet metal blank. The spacer elements  8  and  9  are identical. The connecting means  12  comprise a connecting flange  13  at the vertical edge regions of the spacer elements. The spacer elements  8  and  9  are attached by glue joints to the inner surfaces  21  of the first panel  6  and the second panel  7 . In order to enhance the grip of the glue joint a plurality of holes  14  are arranged at the connecting flanges  13 . Also in the embodiment of  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the spacer elements  8 ,  9  comprise an upper edge  24  having notches  25 , which are located at a distance below the upper surface of the panels. The notches  25  can form a support for the reinforcement bar (not shown). The spacer elements  8 ,  9  comprise holes  27  to provide a path for the filling material  11 , such as cast concrete. Further, the spacer element  8 ,  9  comprises a stiffening flange  28  at the lower edge  29  of the spacer element. 
     The stiffening flange  28  is bent perpendicularly from the plane of the sheet metal material of the spacer element  8 ,  9 . 
     In the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 to 10  the thickness of the natural stone slab may be 1 to 8 cm depending on the application. A natural stone slab having a treated outer surface  22  may have a thickness which is 1 cm or more. A natural stone slab having a split (cleaved) outer surface  22  may have a thickness of 5 to 8 cm. Preferably, the wall block elements  1 ,  2 ,  3  have outer dimensions which are in conformity with the aggregate concrete masonry unit standards. Such a wall block element  1 ,  2   3  may have dimensions e.g. length 600 mm, height 200 mm and width 150 mm or 200 mm or 300 mm. 
     Although the invention has been the described in conjunction with a certain type of wall block element, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any certain type of wall block element. While the present inventions have been described in connection with a number of exemplary embodiments, and implementations, the present inventions are not so limited, but rather cover various modifications, and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the purview of prospective claims.