Improvements in Bricks or Blocks for Building,
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bricks or Blocks for Building,
I, HAROLD TYRRELL GRAINGER, of 1, Glastonbury Street, West Hampstead,
London, Mechanical Engineer, 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:―
My invention relates to building blocks or bricks and has for its object an
improved form of blocks or bricks which shall key with one another to form a
strong and stable structure furnished internally with both horizontal and vertical
air passages, and shall enable wall ties to be dispensed with.
According to my invention I form blocks or bricks each with a deep longitudinal
groove in two opposite sides and ends, and I also furnish one of the said grooved
sides and one of its adjacent ends with one or more keyways or grooves and the
remaining side and adjacent end with ridges or keys. Or I may furnish all the
grooved sides and ends of some of the bricks with keyways and all the grooved
sides and ends of others with ridges or keys; or arrange these ridges and key-
ways in any other convenient manner so long as the said ridges or keys fit into
the keyways, and the deep grooves form horizontal and vertical continuous air
passages within the walls of the structure when built.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to
the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view and Figure 2 is a vertical section of a block
formed according to my invention.
A is the building block having a smooth face and B B are longitudinal grooves
or air passages formed in the sides and ends thereof; CC are ridges or keys and
DD are grooves or keyways corresponding to the said ridges or keys. E is a
plug of wood or other soft material hereinafter referred to. When building the
structure these blocks are fitted together so that the smooth faces thereof form the
surfaces of the walls, the grooves forming continuous internal vertical and hori-
zontal air passages which intersect one another, and the ridges or keys C C
fitting into the corresponding keyways D D.
It is obvious that the shape number and size of these keyways and ridges may
be considerably varied, and that all the ridges may be placed on some of the
blocks or bricks and all the keyways on others, or that the relative positions of
the said ridges and keyways may be otherwise modified to suit requirements for
bricks in special positions such as corners or elsewhere, without departing from
my invention.
When making building blocks the materials I propose to use consist prefer-
ably of suitable proportions of debris from stone or slate quarries, ballast, sand,
gravel, shingle or other suitable materials, with Portland or other cement or
cements, lime or other materials agglomerated with water and placed in suitable
moulds in a semifluid state. After the blocks are set they are removed and im-
mersed in a tank containing a silicate solution for a period of eight days or there-
abouts in order to harden and mature them.

page_text: When constructing blocks, in this way I may embed therein during manu-
facture a plug or plugs of wood or other suitable material (such as E) in double
dovetail or other suitable form to receive the nails by which ornaments or any
required fixtures are to be attached to the walls of the structure.
Or I may make the blocks of ordinary brick earth rendered plastic by the
usual methods and then pressed into moulds previously coated with a suitable
substance to allow the component parts thereof to be easily detached after the
moulding process is completed. The bricks being subsequently dried and burnt
in a kiln in the ordinary way.
When using brick earth as described two or more of the component parts of
the mould may be made to slide into position upon or between suitable guides or
tongues relatively to the remaining members of the mould; or rods and screws
or screw clamps may be used to exert pressure upon one or more sides of the
mould and force them into position, the surplus earth being forced out at the top
of the mould.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention. and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. Building blocks or bricks provided with external horizontal and vertical air
passages for the purpose specified.
2. Building blocks or bricks provided with grooves and corresponding ridges for
the purpose specified.
3. Building blocks or bricks constructed and arranged substantially as herein
described with reference to the accompanying drawings and for the purposes
specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.