Abstract:
A system for manufacturing stones for use in construction such that the manufactured stones may be easily used in conjunction and alongside compressed earth blocks. The manufactured stones have a plurality of surfaces, wherein at least one of the surfaces includes a simulated-stone appearance and a length and/or height which are determined based on dimension equations derived at least in part from compatibility factors, which may be based on the dimensions of a compressed earth block.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of building materials. More particularly, this invention relates to crushed stone building systems. 
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
       [0002]    Historically, construction of walls, interior and exterior, has implemented numerous building methods and materials. Ancient societies such as the Ancient Egyptians and the Sumarians are believed to have initiated large-scale manufacture of bricks with a systematic approach using engineered dimensions for wall construction and other types of building. 
         [0003]    Conventional bricks, also called compressed earth blocks (CEBs), in use today are typically ceramic blocks made of kiln-fired materials, such as clay. On a small scale, clay bricks are formed in a mold, which is called the soft mud method, and on a large, commercial scale, clay bricks are made by extruding clay through a die and wire-cutting the bricks, which is called the stiff mud process. Sometimes the clay is mixed with water and these dampened clay bricks are subjected to high pressures. Such bricks are highly resistant to weathering and therefore well-suited for construction of exterior walls. The shaped clay is dried and fired to achieve the final brick shape with the desired strength. The firing process is usually done by a continuously fired kiln, in which the bricks move slowly through the firing on a conveyor belt or the like. This enables production of an essentially indefinite number of bricks which exhibit consistent physical characteristics. 
         [0004]    Other types of building materials are sometimes used for wall construction, including wood, vinyl, stucco, and/or stones. For many years stones or natural rocks were thought by many in the building trade to be superior to bricks both functionally and aesthetically. However, stones for use in wall construction are typically heavier than bricks and must normally be sculpted into the proper shape. Some prefer stone walls because the stones are shaped and colored more naturally and randomly, and provide less of an “assembly-line” look, and more aesthetically pleasing look. However, using such irregular shapes in construction of a wall introduces difficulties in addition to regular building considerations. For example, irregular shapes may require individual stones to be broken/sculpted in order to finish the corner or side of a wall or to fit with other stones in the construction of a wall. However, this is very difficult, time-consuming, and wasteful because stones and rocks tend to break and crack irregularly. For this and other reasons, the commercial success of “natural” stone walls remains limited, despite their aesthetic, functional, and other advantages. 
         [0005]    Attempts have been made to produce manufactured stone walls which do not require the use of sculpted or reshaped stones. Such attempts have comprised cast stone “tiles” which are cast from aggregate and/or ground stone and are plastered to the sides of a building to provide the illusion of natural stone walls. However, such stone tiles are not easily used in conjunction with conventional bricks. 
         [0006]    A recent trend in home building involves the use of varying external materials to build a single wall, such as areas of brick and areas of wood paneling and/or areas of brick and areas of stone all in one wall surface. However, there is no known method of effectively combining bricks and stones in the production of a wall. The regularity of bricks and the irregularity of stones makes it very difficult to integrate the two into a single wall structure, even with the use of the aforementioned manufactured stone tiles. 
         [0007]    Further, unlike the stone tiles, conventional bricks are laid on top of each other a certain distance from the side of a building to create a brick wall. The space between the bricks and the side of the building has the advantage of acting as an insulating space. Such a space is not possible with stone tiles, which are plastered to the side of a building. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a wall with a stone appearance which enjoys such insulating properties. 
         [0008]    In relation to the above and other needs, the present invention include a manufactured stone for use in building a wall, the manufactured stone having a plurality of surfaces, wherein at least one of the surfaces includes a simulated-stone appearance and having a length, a height, and a depth, and wherein at least one of the length, height, and depth are determined based at least on a compatibility factor. The compatibility factor is used to derive a dimension equation for the length, height, and depth and the dimension equations are used to fabricate the manufactured stone blocks. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Further advantages of the invention will become known by reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale so as to more clearly show certain details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a block such as a compressed earth block or a manufactured stone. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2A  is a diagram of a manufactured aggregate stone. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2B  is a diagram of a manufactured aggregate stone having a broken corner illustrating a non-uniform aggregate stone consistency. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a front view of an embodiment of a wall made with manufactured stones. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A and 4B  a corner view and side view, respectively, of an embodiment of a wall made with manufactured stones. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 5A ,  5 B,  5 C, and  5 D are diagrams of comparisons of manufactured stones with compressed earth blocks. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show comparisons between manufactured stones and compressed earth blocks. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  shows a portion of a wall made with manufactured stones and compressed earth blocks. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating a method for using manufactured stones to build a wall. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a diagram of a block such as a compressed earth brick or a manufactured stone block  14  is shown. It is helpful to define portions of a block  14  in order to discuss the use of the blocks  14  in the building of a wall. The length  26  is typically the longest of the three dimensions. The length, along with the height  28 , define a front and rear face  38  of the block  14 . The depth  30  and the height  28  define two side faces  40  of the block  14 . Finally, the length  26  and the depth  30  define upper  42  and lower faces  44  of the block  14 . The front and rear faces  38  and the side faces  40  are typically used on a face of a wall as discussed below. The two side faces  40  have substantially the same dimensions and the front and the rear faces  38  have substantially the same dimensions. Therefore, the phrase front face  38  refers to either the front face or the rear face, and the phrase side face  40  refers to either of the side faces. 
         [0020]    Crushed stone or an aggregate mixture, or other material suitable for creating simulated-stone blocks, may be used for the manufactured stone blocks  22 . Referring now to  FIG. 2A , an aggregate stone block  10  is shown. The aggregate stone block  22  has pieces of stone  12  dispersed throughout the body of the aggregate stone block  22 . These pieces of stone  12  are irregular in shape and are dispersed throughout the aggregate stone block  14  in varying consistencies. An unfinished face  16  of the aggregate stone block  22  is shown in  FIG. 2A , which reveals the pieces of stone  12  used to construct the aggregate stone block  22 . A finished face  18  of the aggregate stone block  22  is shown in  FIG. 2B . The upper right-hand corner of the aggregate stone block  22  has been chipped from the brick and is referred to as a chipped surface  20 . The coloration, texture, shape, and many other characteristics of the finished face  18  differ greatly from those of the chipped surface  20  or the unfinished face  16  ( FIG. 2A ). Thus, although either aggregate or crushed stone may be used for the present invention, aggregate stone blocks are less desirable than crushed stone blocks, which have a substantially constant coloration and texture throughout. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 A, and  4 B, a wall  24  made from manufactured stone blocks  22  is shown. The manufactured stone blocks  22  each have a length  26 , a height  28 , and a depth  30 . Typically, the depth  30  of the manufactured stone blocks  22  remains substantially constant. In the figures, the depth  30  of several manufactured stone blocks  22  may be seen at the corner  36  of the wall  24  between the front face  38  and the side face  40 . As illustrated, in order to increase the stability of the wall  24 , the manufactured stone blocks may alternately face the front face  38  and then the side face  40  as they proceed upward from the ground. 
         [0022]    As shown, the manufactured stone blocks  22  making up the front face  38  of the wall  24  may vary in shape and dimensions. However, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, both the length  26  and the height  28  are based on compatibility factors. The compatibility factors allows the maker of the manufactured stone blocks  22  to fabricate numerous shapes and sizes of manufactured stone blocks  22  that may be used in conjunction with one another to build a stable, well organized wall  24 . The dimensions of the manufactured stone blocks  22  are proportional so that various sizes of manufactured stone blocks  22  may be used in conjunction to build a wall  24 . This provides improved structural integrity and support, but also a desired seemingly disorderly and more natural appearing organization of the manufactured stone blocks  22  on the wall  24 . 
         [0023]    The compatibility factors are preferably determined based on the dimensions of the classic clay brick, sometimes referred to as a compressed earth block (“CEB”). The dimensions of a compressed earth block in the United States typically include a length  26  of about eight (8) inches, a height  28  of about two and one quarter (2.25) inches, and a depth  30  of about four (4) inches. Thus, the compatibility factor for the length  26  is eight (8) inches in a preferred embodiment. Also, the compatibility factor for the height  28  is two and a quarter (2.25) inches and the compatibility factor for the depth  30  is four (4) inches and remains constant, that is, the manufactured stones  22  are preferably manufactured with dimensions at multiples of the compatibility factors for length  26  and height  28 , but are manufactured at substantially the compatibility factor for depth  30 , which is substantially equal to the depth  30  of a compressed earth block. 
         [0024]    One motivation and advantage behind sizing manufactured stone blocks  22  based on their CEB counterparts is that the manufactured stone blocks  22  and the CEBs may be easily used in conjunction if their shapes are proportional. With reference to  FIG. 7 , a wall  24  built from both manufactured stone blocks  22  and CEBs  50  is shown, which was previously unfeasible. 
         [0025]    Mathematical relationships discussed below relate the dimensions of the CEBs  50  to the dimensions of the manufactured stone blocks (MB)  22  and may be used in the manufacture of manufactured stone blocks  22 . The manufactured stone block  22  dimensions are represented by the functions L(N), H(N) and D for length as a function of N, height as a function of N, and depth, respectively. The relationships between the dimensions of the manufactured stone blocks  22  and the CEBs  50  may be understood with reference to  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B,  5 C, and  5 D. With references to these figures, “N” represents an integer variable indicating the relative size of the MB  22 . For example, regarding length, for an N=1, two of the resulting MB  22  match one CEB  50  or in other words, one MB  22  matches one-half a CEB  50 . For an N=2, one of the resulting MBs  22  match one CEB  50 . For an N=3, one of the MBs  22  matches about one and a half CEBs  50 . This is demonstrated with reference to  FIG. 5A , which illustrates two CEBs  50  and four MBs  22 . The lengths of the CEBs  50  are referred to as CEBL and are represented by  52 . The lengths  58  of the manufactured stone blocks  22  are represented by L(N=1). 
         [0026]    The lengths  58  of the MBs  22  are not simply half of the length  52  of the CEB. One must account for the mortar or similar substance used for setting the CEBs  50  and MBs  22  in place. The width of the mortar (MW) is represented by  54  and is preferably about half an inch. Thus, the length  58  of an MB  22  in order to fit two MBs for every one CEB (also referred to as the first size of MBs) is represented by the equation as follows: 
         [0000]        L =(½)( CEBL )−(½)( MW ). 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 5B , the second size of MBs  22  is compared to CEBs  50 . The length  58  of the MBs  22  in this figure may be represented by the equation as follows: 
         [0000]      L=CEBL. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 5C , the third size of MBs  22  is compared to CEBs  50 . The length  58  of the MBs  22  in this figure may be represented by the equation as follows: 
         [0000]        L =( 3/2)( CEBL )−(½)( MW ). 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIG. 5D , the fourth size of MBs  22  is compared to CEBs  50 . The length  58  of the MBs  22  in this figure may be represented by the equation as follows: 
         [0000]        L =(2)( CEBL )+ MW.    
         [0030]    The lengths  58  of the above sizes and the remaining sizes of MBs may be represented by the equations compiled in TABLE 1 below. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Lengths of MBs for a Given Value of N 
               
             
          
           
               
                 N 
                 L 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 N = 1 
                 L = (1/2)(CEBL) − (1/2)(MW) 
               
               
                 N = 2 
                 L = CEBL 
               
               
                 N = 3 
                 L = (3/2)(CEBL) + (1/2)(MW) 
               
               
                 N = 4 
                 L = (2)(CEBL) + MW 
               
               
                 N = 5 
                 L = (5/2)(CEBL) + (3/2)(MW) 
               
               
                 N = 6 
                 L = (3)(CEBL) + (2)(MW) 
               
               
                 N = 7 
                 L = (7/2)(CEBL) + (5/2)(MW) 
               
               
                 N = 8 
                 L = (4)(CEBL) + (3)(MW) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0031]    TABLE 1 compiles the various equations representing the lengths  58  of MBs  22  corresponding to a particular value of the integer variable N. These various equations, however, may be represented by a simplified equation including N as a variable and not a number as follows: 
         [0000]        L ( N )=( N/ 2)( CEBL )+[( N/ 2)−1][ MW],    
         [0000]    wherein L is a function of N and L is the length  58  of the MB  22 , N is an integer variable, CEBL is the compatibility factor for length, which is preferably the length  52  of the CEB  50 , and MW is the mortar width, which represents the preferred width of any mortar-like substance used to build the wall. 
         [0032]    Similarly, the height  28  of the MBs  22  may be represented a simplified equation as follows: 
         [0000]        H ( N )=( N/ 2)( CEBH )+[( N/ 2)−1][ MW],    
         [0000]    wherein H is a function of N and H is the height  28  of the MB  22 , N is an integer variable, CEBH is the compatibility factor for height, which is preferably the height  28  of a CEB  50 , and MW is the mortar width, which represents the preferred width of any mortar-like substance used to build the wall. 
         [0033]    As discussed above, the depth of the MBs is preferably constant and is represented by the equation as follows: 
         [0000]      D=CEBD, 
         [0000]    wherein D is a constant and represents the depth  30  of the MB  22  and CEBD,is the depth of the CEB  50 . 
         [0034]    In other embodiments, different compatibility factors may be chosen and equations representing those compatibility factors may be derived. For example, if CEBs from the United Kingdom were being used in conjunction with MBs  22 , the compatibility factors may be CEBL=215 millimeters, CEBH=65 millimeters, and CEBD=102.5 millimeters, which are the standard dimensions of CEBs in the United Kingdom. Thus, MBs could be manufactured according to the derived equations and used in conjunction with United Kingdom CEBs without the need for time consuming modification of MBs  22 . 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6A and 6B  MBs  22  are compared to CEBs  50  in various configurations. In comparison  62 , a CEB  50 , which is broken in half length-wise, is compared to MBs  22 . This comparison represents L(N=1) as discussed regarding  FIG. 5A  above. Comparison  64  has a MB  22  placed above a CEB  50 . This comparison represents L(N=2) as discussed regarding  FIG. 5B  above. Also in comparison  64 , the MB  22  is compared to three CEBs  50 , which is represented by H(N=6) in the above equation. Comparison  66  shows a half-CEB and a full CEB  50  underneath a MB  22 , which is represented by L(N=3) above. Comparison  68  shows a lengthwise comparison represented by L(N=2) and a height-wise comparison represented by H(N=4). Comparison  70  shows a height-wise comparison represented by H(N=8). Comparison  72  shows a length-wise comparison of L(N=4). Comparison  72  also demonstrates the space left in between the CEBs  50 , which corresponds to the mortar width  54  as discussed regarding  FIG. 5D  above. Comparison  74  shows a height-wise comparison where H(N=6). 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a wall  24  constructed from both CEBs  50  and MBs  22  is shown. As illustrated, the MBs  22  are manufactured such that their dimensions are compatible with the dimensions of the CEBs  50 . This is because the dimensions of the MBs  22  are determined based on the dimensions of the CEBs  50  as discussed above. A wall constructed from both CEBs  50  and MBs may comprise two distinct sections, where one section consists entirely of CEBs and the other section consists entirely of MBs, with a transition between the two sections which is either straight, interleaved, or otherwise uneven. However, in other alternate embodiments, such as the wall shown in  FIG. 7 , a wall constructed from both CEBs and MBs may be variegated, with individual MBs and/or continuous or discontinuous sections of MBs interspersed amongst individual CEBs and/or continuous or discontinuous sections of CEBs; and having straight, interleaved, or otherwise uneven transitions between the sections of blocks. 
         [0037]    Further, in other alternate embodiments of the invention, MBs may be used to construct a wall in conjunction with other building materials, such as wood paneling or vinyl siding, where certain dimensions of the building materials are used to derive the compatibility factors and related equations for determining the dimensions of MBs. 
         [0038]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a flowchart of a method for using MBs for building a wall with increased structural stability and aesthetic design  100  is shown. First, compatibility factors are chosen  46 . Once the compatibility factors are chosen  46  for length and height, and potentially depth, which are preferably based on the dimensions of a CEB, equations representing the dimensions of the MBs are derived  102 . Next, the desired quantity of MBs is manufactured with dimensions based on the derived equations  104 . The MBs are preferably crushed stone manufactured blocks but may be aggregate stone blocks or other brick made from various stone substitutes. Finally, the MBs are used to build a wall such as those shown in  FIG. 3  or  FIG. 7 , which includes both MBs and CEBs. 
         [0039]    The foregoing description of embodiments for this invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as is suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.