Improvements in Building Blocks or Bricks.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Building Blocks or Bricks.
1, GEORGE ELLSWORTH BRIGGS, Teacher of Mathematics, 5 Lombard Street, in-
the City of Pittsburgh, in the County of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement, viz. -—
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved building block or brick.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a wall constructed of my improved
building blocks or bricks showing the manner in which they bond when used in a
wall equal in thickness to two-thirds (3) of the longest side of the block or brick.
Figure 3 is a similar view of a wall in which the depth is equal to the length of.
the block or brick.
Figure 4 is also a perspective view of a wall which shows the bond and arrange-
ment of a wall equal to one and one-third (1) the length of the block or brick.
My improved block or brick is of greater width than depth and consists of the two
parts, A and 4, said part A being of such proportion as to admit of the subdivision
of the same into three equal substantially square parts 1, 2 and 3 arranged side by
side, and the part 4 which is also substantially square and of substantially similar
proportion to either of the parts 1, 2 and 3 composing part A, the edge thereof
being attached to the edge of said part A opposite part 2 thereof and being in
horizontal alignment with the top and bottom a and at right angles with the sides
or edges of the part 4 leaving spaces on opposite sides of said part 4 each of which
spaces are bounded on opposite sides by parts of said brick as shown.
These blocks in practice are placed on their sides and may be arranged in various.
manners as will be seen by reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4 and a wall of any
desired depth constructed with a more perfect bond and therefore of a greater
strength and durability than can be obtained by the use of any other building block
or brick.
In practice I prefer to make the block or brick in a certain proportion, i.e. each
part or unit equal to one-half (4) the actual size of a common brick or such sizes as
are in use in different parts of the country and adopted as standards.
By using these proportions the common or standard size brick may be used in
combination with my improved block or brick in the construction of various sizes.
of walls. By reference to Figures 3 and 4 a number of these bricks will be seen.
Practical experience has demonstrated the fact that my improved block or brick
has doubled the bonding surface of the ordinary or common brick, consequently walls,.
piers etc. constructed of my improved brick have proportionally greater strength
than walls etc. of equal size constructed of ordinary brick, and that by the use of my
improved brick a great saving of material and labor is secured and that the
strength and durability of walls etc. constructed therewith are not (as is the case
where the same are constructed with ordinary brick) affected largely by the
character of the workmanship employed, it being impossible to use my improved
brick in walls etc. without perfectly locking all parts in every course and producing
uniform solidity throughout the structure.
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 :-
As an improved article of manufacture the herein described building block or
brick comprising the oblong part A and the substantially square part 4. said part 4

page_text: being secured to the edge of the part. A opposite the middle thereof and extending
therefrom on a line with the top and bottom thereof, said parts being of greater
width than depth substantially as shown and described.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of August A.D. 1892, at Pittsburgh, Pa.
In presence of:—
Jxo. H. RONEY.
G. H. ALEXANDER,
GEORGE ELLSWORTH BRIGGS.