Abstract:
A system of interlocking construction blocks comprising mating interlocking protrusions and openings with interior openings in the blocks creating passageways through assembled arrays of blocks for conduits and wiring to pass.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not Applicable  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
       [0004]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0006]     The present invention relates to construction materials and in particular to a system of interlocking modular blocks for stronger structures with built-in passageways for utility conduits and wiring to be used in constructing entire structures.  
         [0007]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0008]     Several attempts have been made in the past to reduce ever increasing construction labor costs. Laying blocks constitute a big portion of the direct labor cost. The need for a sturdy structure limits the economic steps that may be taken to reduce cost. The previous construction block systems could not route wires or conduits up and or around corners.  
         [0009]     It is worthwhile noting the approach take by Ernest A. Rabassa U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,431 was close to a workable solution but his design lacked a method for routing wires and conduits around and up corners and the “column interlocking block and corner interlocking block” in this patent would have been difficult to cast or mold. The present invention addresses short comings of the original column blocks and corner blocks of the “block interlocking blocks” of U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,431.  
         [0010]     Other patents for interlocking building blocks provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem of building a sturdy and economical wall structure. Refer to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,314,431; 2,392,551; 2,291,712; 2,544,983 and 1,430,431. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.  
         [0011]     The present application provides an improvement over in part over patents in several countries in Central and South America, namely: 
    (a) El Salvador, No. 128, Book 15, Nov. 22, 1977.     (b) Dominican Republic, No. 1105, Jun. 11, 1964     (c) Venezuela, No. 2199, Nov. 21, 1975.     (d) Ecuador, No. 5, May 17, 1976     (e) Honduras, No. 2.172, Nov. 29, 1976.     (1) Panama, No. 32123, Apr. 14, 1975.     (g) Nicaragua, No. 2163521, Feb. 28, 1975.    
 
         [0019]     What is needed is a system comprising new interlocking block types with built-in passageways for utility conduits and wiring and a new method of fabricating structures using the blocks that will interlock-and cooperate with each other forming stronger wall structures with minimum labor.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     An object of the present invention is to provide a system comprising three new interlocking building blocks to greatly strengthen corners where more then two walls intersect.  
         [0021]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a system comprising six different block types with built-in passageways for utility conduits and wiring and a new method of fabricating structures using the blocks that will interlock and cooperate with each other forming stronger wall structures with minimum labor.  
         [0022]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a column block, corner column blocks and T column blocks with an opening on the top of the blocks to route electrical wiring and conduits to the standard block above by chiseling a two inch opening on the bottom of the longitudinal horizontal opening of a Standard Block.  
         [0023]     The invention also comprises such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by the invention.  
         [0024]     In brief, a system of interlocking modular blocks are structured to be interlocked to form various structural features having great strength and ease of fabrication qualities with built-in passageways for conduits, wiring, cement and reinforcing bars.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0025]     These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings:  
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a standard block interlocking block of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is an end elevational view of two stacked standard blocks of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a tie beam block interlocking block of the present invention;  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is an end elevational view of a stacked standard block and tie beam block of the present invention interlocked together in a stacked relationship for a typical application;  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a top of a column block interlocking block of the present invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a bottom of the column block interlocking block of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a top of a T column block interlocking block of the present invention;  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a bottom of the T column block interlocking block of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a cube block interlocking block of the present invention;  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  is a side elevational view of a 2 by 4 board used as lintel rib in conjunction with two cube blocks;  
         [0036]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a top of a corner column block interlocking block of the present invention;  
         [0037]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a bottom of the corner column block interlocking block of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0038]      FIGS. 13-17  are perspective views of various assemblies of the interlocking blocks of the present invention stacked and locked together in various combinations to create different structures and structural components. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0039]     The modular interlocking block system of the present invention provides a number of interlocking blocks structured to be interlocked to form various structural features having great strength and ease of fabrication qualities with built-in passageways for conduits, wiring, cement and reinforcing bars.  
         [0040]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , where the Standard Block interlocking block  20 A is shown, it is seen that it has, a substantially rectangular shape block  24  with a longitudinal trapezoidal built-in protrusion  21  along the center of it&#39;s upper side. The Standard Block interlocking block  21  also has a longitudinal trapezoid slot  22 , between two bottom longitudinal legs  25 A and  25 B, which is capable of receiving the top protrusion  21  from another standard block  20 A to interlock the blocks when the blocks are staggered or aligned in abutting rows as shown in  FIG. 2 . A center longitudinal opening  23  provides a channel for conduits and wires  50 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , when a number of standard blocks are aligned to form a wall.  
         [0041]     In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a Column Block interlocking block  20 C has the same overall dimensions as Standard Block  20 A without the longitudinal protrusion along the center of top.  FIG. 5  shows the cable and conduit routing opening  19 B on the top of the Column Block interlocking block  20 C.  FIG. 6  show the bottom view of the Column Block interlocking block  20 C with the lower respective partial longitudinal trapezoidal slot  18  molded in the same half of the block in communication with the conduit routing opening  19 B, the partial longitudinal slot  18  receives the top longitudinal protrusion  21  from a Standard Block interlocking block  20 A to interlock the two blocks. The other half of the Column Block interlocking block  20 C is provided with a vertical column opening  19 A from the top to the bottom, through which vertical column opening  19 A mortar may be poured reinforced with iron rods CC+ROD which extend all the way down to the foundation.  
         [0042]     In  FIGS. 11 and 12 , a Corner Column Block interlocking block  20 F has an elongated rectangular box portion  24  the same overall dimensions as a Column Block interlocking block  20 A with the addition of a second column block  24 A extending at a right angle sharing the common opening  19 B through which mortar may be poured reinforced with iron rods CCB+ROD which extend all the way down to the foundation.  FIG. 12  shows the bottom view of the Corner Column Block interlocking block  20 F with the lower respective partial longitudinal trapezoidal slot  18  molded in the same half of both part of the block for receiving the top longitudinal protrusion  21  from a Standard Block interlocking block  20 A to interlock the two blocks.  
         [0043]     In  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a T Column Block interlocking block  20 D has the same overall dimensions as a Corner Column Block interlocking block  20 F with the addition of a third column block  24 B extending at a right angle from the rectangular box portion  24  and extending straight from the second column block portion  24 A, and sharing the common opening  19 B through which mortar may be poured reinforced with iron rods TCB+ROD which extend all the way down to the foundation.  FIG. 8  show the bottom view of the T Column Block interlocking block  20 D with the lower respective partial longitudinal trapezoidal slot  18  molded in the same half of all three parts of the block for receiving the top longitudinal protrusion  21  from one or more Standard Block interlocking blocks  20 A to interlock the blocks.  
         [0044]     In  FIG. 10 , a wooden 2 by 4 board  40  is used as a lintel rib in conjunction with two Cube Blocks  20 E as a procedural change to the original use of cement and iron rod shaped into an elongated trapezoidal cross-section. Producing a cement and steal rod lintel for door or window openings is too complicated a process for the scope of simplified construction.  
         [0045]     In  FIG. 3 , a Beam Block interlocking block  20 B is the same overall size as the Standard Block interlocking block  20 A and has a longitudinal trapezoid bottom slot  22 , between two bottom longitudinal legs  25 A and  25 B, which is capable of receiving the top protrusion  21  from a Standard Block interlocking block  20 A to interlock the blocks, is shown in  FIG. 4 . The Beam Block interlocking block  20 B also has a larger top longitudinal rectangular slot  28  between two top longitudinal arms  26 A and  26 B along its length.  
         [0046]     In  FIG. 14 , a constructed intersection of four walls, 8 feet high, made with Corner Column Blocks interlocking blocks  20 F and interlocking Standard Block interlocking blocks  20 A, is three times stronger for West walls, two times stronger for South walls and approximately 1.6 times stronger for North and East walls compared to using Column Blocks interlocking blocks  20 C, as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0047]     The Corner Column Block interlocking block  20 F connects with Standard Block interlocking blocks  20 A in six places for West walls compared to two places using Column Block interlocking blocks  20 C, as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0048]     The Corner Column Block interlocking block  20 F connects with Standard Block interlocking blocks in six places for South walls Compared to three places using Column Block interlocking blocks  20 C, as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0049]     The Corner Column Block interlocking block  20 F connects with Standard Block interlocking blocks in five places for North and East walls compared to three places using Column Block interlocking blocks, as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0050]      FIGS. 15-17  are perspective views of various assemblies  30 C- 30 G of the interlocking blocks of the present invention stacked and locked together in various combinations to create different structures and structural components, including structures with windows  61  and frames  60  and doors  62 .  
         [0051]     In practice, the interlocking blocks of the present invention are assembled quickly and easily in interlocking assemblies to form different structures with built-in passageways for conduits, wires, cement, and reinforcing bars.  
         [0052]     It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.