Improvements in the Construction of Walls, Floors, and Ceilings, -and in Building Blocks therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1896-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Walls, Floors, and Ceilings,
-and in Building Blocks therefor.
I, MORITZ MICHAEL GUELDENSTEIN of 31 Kaiserstrasse, Frankfort-on-the-
Main in the German, Empire, Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The latest efforts of architects as regards hygiene in building have been directed
to finding some means of constructing walls, floors and ceilings with a regular series
of hollow chambers, serving:
1.) To isolate sound.
2.) To isolate and thus exclude cold and heat.
These efforts have however hitherto been only partially successful.
For the isolation of sound it is essential that the interior of a wall or such like
should not be one hollow space, but consist of as many as possible separate hollow
chambers; on the other hand the isolation of heat and cold conditions that the
circulation of the air in and thro' the hollow chambers should be an uninterrupted.
one; these two conditions are obtained by the use of the here described two-or
more-flanged building-blocks. They may be made of any suitable material, such.
as plaster, clay, cement or some similar composition and should be thoroughly dry
when used. The said building block is composed of a centre plate with two or
more flanges at right angles, open on one or more sides. Figures 1 & 8 show two
of the described building-blocks, suitable alike for walls, floors and ceilings and
Figures 9 & 10 such as are specially suitable for floors and ceilings; these forms
do not of course exhaust the variations in which these building blocks may be
made. They are best made in one piece, about 6 feet long, 6-10 high. and
4-10" thick, but of course can also be made in any combination of other
dimensions. The centre plate is made with rebates, into which the next block is
fitted; the flanges may also be provided with similar rebates, when required. The
individual blocks may however also be connected where desirable in any other
way, as by a screw arrangement or such like.
In
The centre plate and in some cases also the flanges are made with several small
holes, through which the air can circulate freely; see Figures 2. 3. 7. & 12.
erecting walls it is best to lay down the building blocks lengthways with the centre
plate upwards and the two flanges ground wards, see Figures 1. & 2. Thus the
floor closes the first row of blocks and their centre plates close the next row and
80 on. The blocks may of course also be laid with the flanges up and also
perpendicularly. In laying down ceilings or floors the blocks are made or cut to
fit in the space between the wood joists and ranged therein alongside of each other,
with fillets nailed to the joists as bases, see Figures 6 & 11. Where iron joists are
used instead of wood then fillets are unnecessary.
The above shows that a wall floor or ceiling constructed with the aid of the said
building blocks, consists in its interior of a series of separate air chambers, which,
while breaking the sound waves, yet allow the air to circulate freely within the
whole interior of the wall or floor through the small holes which are in each
building block; see Figures 2. 3. & 12.
The following advantages are thereby secured :-
1.) Almost entire isolation of all sound.
نم
11

page_text: Besides also:-
3.) Great carrying capacity. While at present, where cement plaster and other
such slabs are used in the construction of internal walls, only such walls may be
thus made, which have only to carry their own weight, with the here described
building blocks, walls of any required carrying capacity may be constructed. In
connection herewith it is important that the individual building blocks can also be
connected, where specially desirable, by means of screws, bolts and other similar
fastenings, thus forming together one firm body...
4.) The said building blocks are made quickly and independently of season and
as soon as dry they are always ready for use according to requirements, without
necessitating the employment of mortar.
5.) Great security against dry rot, because no dampness is imported with the
building blocks during building operations.
6.) Great firmness of the wall in consequence of the large base and stability of
the individual building blocks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1.) Two or more-flanged building blocks, open on one or more sides, which,
put on the top or alongside of each other, make it possible to construct walls,
Hoors or ceilings containing a series of hollow chambers and possessing all necessary
carrying capacity.
2.) Two or more-flanged building blocks, open on one or more sides, which,
put on the top or alongside of each other, make it possible to construct walls floors
and ceilings with a series of hollow chambers, but with an uninterrupted air
circulation.
3.) A system of connecting by means of screws or bolts into one solid body a
number of the said one-or more-flanged building blocks, open on one or more
sides, which, put on the top or alongside of each other, make it possible to
construct walls floors and ceilings containing a series of hollow chambers and
possessing the necessary carrying capacity and an uninterrupted air circulation.
Dated this Third day of February 1896.
MORITZ MICHAEL GUELDENSTEIN.