Improvement in the Art of Building Walls, Conduits, and other Allied Structures.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 25th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Art of Building Walls, Conduits, and other
Allied Structures.
1, OCTAVIUS BLANCHARD SCHMALL, M.D. of 513 Chase Avenue, Cincinnati,
in the County of Hamilton, State of Ohio, United States of America, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a peculiar construction of building blocks, in combina-
tion with means for binding them together in walls, conduits, and other allied
structures, and the principal objects are (1) to secure said structures against
the percolation of water or gases, (2) to strengthen the structure by throwing the
lateral wall strains upon the body of material instead of upon the bonding cements,
and (3) to provide a building block of plastic material which can be manufactured
with a minimum of hand labor and cured and burned with a minimum of loss while
curing and burning.
I accomplish the said object by the means set forth in the following description
and illustrates in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure is a perspective of two of my improved blocks, laid together, and
illustrates the interlocking feature of my invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view of one of my improved blocks, illustrating the peculiar
arrangement of the partition key slots in the end of the block.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic section of wall, and illustrates the method of bonding
and carrying up the corners.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan view of a portion of conduit, illustrating the preferred
form of ducts, the tee connections therewith, and the position of the interlocking
partition keys between the ducts.
Figure 5 is a cross section of a conduit, built of my improved blocks, with the
keys in position in the middle course.
Figure 6 is a diagram of a portion of conduit, illustrating the method of bonding
the sections, keying the joints, and protecting the same from the inflow of cement
and from violence.
Figure 7 is a view of a modified form of my improved block, having a portion
of the upper surface flattened for the support of floor beams, girders, &c.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the corner block shown in Figure 3.
Similar letters represent corresponding parts throughout the several views.
My improved block consists of a body, A, proper, having a single row or tier of
parallel perforations, B, through the body of the block, with fluted and channeled
bearing surfaces, C, constituting a series of obtuse, regular angles adapted to fit
over and interlock duplicate surfaces, substantially as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5.
This form of construction is adopted for the purpose of throwing the lateral wall
strains upon the body of the block, instead of placing said strains upon the mortar
joint of ordinary masonry. Where it is desired to isolate the ducts or perforations
from each other, for conduit or other service, vertical key slots, D, for the reception
of short, interlocking keys, d, are formed in the ends of the block, and when
specially designed for conduit service, the perforations, B, may be flared, or
widened at the ends of the section, as shown at b, b, b, b, Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and when it
is desired to have access to the service ducts of the conduit, for taking out loops
for electrical installation, tees, F, are formed in or with one or more perforations
in the same block or section, as shown in Figure 4. These tees are provided with
round nipple plates, G, or elongated double nipple plates, G', substantially as
shown in Fig. 5. The nipple plates are recessed in the upper portion of the tees,

page_text: where they are supported on the ledge, F, see Fig. 4. In all instances it is
preferred to lay a bed plate, A', having its lower bearing surface, C', plain. This
plate may be used to re-enforce the joints of the top course of conduits, as shown
at H, Fig. 6; or, the re-enforcing plate A", as shown on the upper front portion
of Fig. 5, may be used. All of the blocks being composed of plastic material, and
formed with one or both surfaces adapted to interlock adjoining surfaces of
succeeding or preceding courses. The external angle of the flute may be made
straight, but it is preferred to curve it to the horizontal plane as shown at c, in
order to carry or support the pointing material in the joints on the face of the wall.
In carrying up the walls, it is found necessary to form supporting ledges for joists,
girders, &c. These are formed by making a portion of the bearing surface of the
block flat, as shown in Fig. 7, C, while the corner blocks necessarily have a
portion of their flutes upon one surface, running transversely to the other portion
of the same surface, as shown at C, Figures 3 & 8, while the other face of the
block has all the flutes running longitudinally. Strips of fabric, I, of tarred paper,
or other suitable material, are used to protect the joints from the fluid cement used
in laying the blocks.
The practical application of my improved blocks to the construction of buildings,
is as follows;-
Upon a suitably prepared foundation, the bed plates, A', are laid, with their
ends abutting, and their channeled surfaces uppermost. Corner blocks having one
flat bearing surface upon the foundation bed and the upper surface C, substan-
tially as shown in Fig. 8, are laid at all of the corners; the channels are now filled
to one half their depth, more or less, with bitumenous or other fluid cement; the
following course are next laid down, and bedded in the cement, which flows up
over the flutes of the lower block, forming an intimate union with the course above;
a pointing material composed of asphaltum cement or other indurating material is
next laid upon the ledges, c, c; the channels are next filled with fluid cement, and
the following course laid down, the blocks overlapping the course below,
substantially as shown in Fig. 3. Floor bearings are formed as the work progresses,
with the blocks shown in Fig. 7, while the top course may be finished off in any of
the various forms known to the art. In many instances it is desired to give
increased strength to the structure. This is accomplished by use of the block
shown in Fig. 2, which is laid in the preceding manner, while short keys of similar
material to the blocks, are dipped into hot asphalt or other bitumenous cement,
and then pressed into the keyways. The fabric may, or may not be used, as
desired by the builder.
When my improved blocks are used in conduit construction, the foundations are
prepared, of bitumenous material, the foundation blocks laid upon the foundation,
as previously described in the construction of buildings, cement is next poured
into the channels and the following course laid down in the cement. Keys dipped
in cement are next forced into the keyways; cemented fabric is next laid over the
joints, and this process repeated until the top course is reached. In this course
the tee blocks are laid as frequently as required, and the top joints covered with
fabric and re-enforced with the bed plate A¹, or A", as desired or required.
The corner blocks are preferably made solid, but may be formed with blind
ducts running nearly through to the face of the wall, or may be formed into angles
corresponding with the outer faces of the block. The composition of the blocks
may consist of any plastic material suitable for bricks, drain tile, or sewer pipe,
and may be vitrefied, or vitrefied and salt glazed, as required.
The key slots are formed by the cut off device attached to the machine.
Dated this 16th day of
100.
Witnesses-
JOHN ARZEND.
VINCENT BOTELLE.
OCTAVIUS B. SCHMALL.

page_text: Improvement in the Art of Building Walls, Conduits, and other
Allied Structures.
I, OCTAVIUS BLANCHARD SCHMALL, Doctor of Medicine and Engineer, of
513 Chase Avenue, Cincinnati, in the County of Hamilton, State of Ohio, U.S.A.
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 more particularly to a peculiar construction of inter-
locking building blocks, and method and means for bonding such blocks into walls
for buildings, into conduits for electric wires, and for other allied structures, and it
has for its object to provide a block of this character which can be manufactured
with a minimum of loss in curing and burning, and which when used in buildings
will increase the lateral strength of the wall, and improve the sanitation of the
house by the intervention of air spaces in the walls, and the exclusion of dampness
therefrom, and when used as a conduit, to provide a multiple conduit, having
insular ducts for electrical wires.
In the present state of the art, the walls of buildings depend for lateral strength
upon the cohesive strength of lime mortar in the joints. This is sometimes
re-enforced by buttresses or other outside lateral bracing. In other instances,
vertical rods are inserted into perforations through the bodies of the blocks, thus
tying the courses together, no provision being made to exclude dampness from the
walls. Conduits of earthen material are usually made in short sections, having
ducts arranged in a series of rows, or grouped together around a central duct or
When such sections are manufactured of plastic clay, the material contracts
in drying upon the various centers in the interior of the block, and upon the outside
rim or wall.
core.
As clay loses its plasticity before it ceases to contract and become dry, the
division walls crack or split between the center and the rim or external wall,
rendering nearly all of the product defective. In the remainder, when such
sections are laid in a conduit, the internal spaces are left open, or but ineffectually
closed between the ends of abutting sections, allowing water or gases to flow freely
from one duct to another, thus destroying the insular character of the ducts, and
facilitating the induction of currents between the conductors in the various ducts,
rendering it impractical to carry high and low tension conductors in the same
system of conduits. This condition is invariably present where sections of earthen
material are laid in cements of a porous nature, which allow the percolation of
water or gases through them.
In my invention, I overcome these defects by the peculiar construction of the
blocks, and the method and means of bonding them together in a structure, as
hereinafter fully described in the Specification and particularly pointed out in the
claims; reference being had to the drawings left with the Provisional Specification,
D which
Fig. is a perspective of two of my improved blocks, laid together, and illustrates
the interlocking feature of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of one of my improved blocks, illustrating the peculiar
rrangement of the partition keyslots in the ends of the block.
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic section of wall, and illustrates the method of bonding
nd carrying up the corners.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of a portion of conduit, illustrating the preferred
orm of ducts, the tee connections therewith, and the position of the interlocking
partition keys between the ducts.

page_text: Fig. 5 is a cross section of a conduit, built of my improved blocks, with the keys
in position in the middle course.
Fig. 6 is a diagram of a portion of conduit, illustrating the method of bonding
the sections, keying the joints, and protecting the same from the inflow of cement
and from violence.
Fig. 7 is a view of a modified form of my improved block, having a portion of
the upper surface flattened for the support of floor beams, girders, &c.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the corner block shown in Fig. 3.
Similar letters represent corresponding parts throughout the several views.
My improved block consists of a body A, proper, having a single row or tier of
parallel perforations, B, through the body of the block, with fluted and channeled
bearing surfaces, C, constituting a series of regular, obtuse angles, adapted to fit
over and interlock duplicate surfaces, substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 3 & 5.
This form of construction is adopted for the purpose of throwing the lateral wall
strains upon the body of the block, instead of placing said strains upon the mortar
joint of ordinary masonry.
Where it is desired to isolate the ducts or perforations
from each other, for conduit or other service, vertical keyslots, D, for the reception
of short, interlocking keys, d, are formed in the ends of the block, and when
specially designed for conduit service, the perforations, B, may be flared or widened
at the ends of the section, as shown at b, b, b, b, Figs. 2, 4 & 5; and when it is
desired to have access to the service ducts of the conduit for taking out loops for
electrical installation, tecs, F, are formed in or with one or more perforations in the
same block or section as shown in Fig. 4. These tees are provided with round
nipple plates, G, or elongated double nipple plates, G', substantially as shown in
Fig. 5. The nipple plates are recessed in the upper portion of the tees, where
they are supported on the ledge, f, see Fig. 4. In all instances it is preferred to
lay a bed plate, A', having its lower bearing surface, C³, plain. This plate may
be used to re-enforce the joints of the top course of conduits as shown at H, Fig. 6,
or the re-enforcing plate, A", as shown on the upper front portion of Fig. 5, may
be used.
All of the blocks being composed of plastic material, and formed with one
or both surfaces adapted to interlock adjoining surfaces of succeeding or preceding
courses. The external angle of the flute may be made straight, but it is preferred
to curve it to the horizontal plane, as shown at c, in order to carry or support the
pointing material in the joints on the face of the wall. In carrying up the walls it
is found necessary to form supporting ledges for joists, girders, &c. These are
formed by making a portion of the bearing surface of the block flat, as shown in
Fig. 7, C, while the corner blocks necessarily have a portion of their flutes upon
one surface, running transversely to the other portion of the same surface as shown
at C, Figures 3 & 8, while the other face of the block has all the flutes running
longitudinally. Strips of fabric, I, of tarred paper or other suitable material, are
used to protect the joints from the fluid cement used in laying the blocks.
The practical application of my improved blocks to the construction of buildings,
is as follows,-
Upon a suitably prepared foundation, the bed plates, A', are laid, with their
ends abutting and their channeled surfaces uppermost. Corner blocks, having one
flat bearing surface upon the foundation bed and the upper surface, C1, sub-
stantially as shown in Fig. 8, are laid at all the corners. The channels are now
filled to one half their depth with bituminous or other fluid cement; the following
course is next laid down, and bedded in the cement, which flows up over the flutes
of the lower block, forming an intimate union with the course above. A pointing
material composed of asphaltum cement or other indurating material, is next laid
upon the ledges, c, c; the channels are next filled with fluid cement, and the
following course laid down, the blocks overlapping the course below, substantially
as shown in Fig. 3. Floor bearings are formed as the work progresses, with the
blocks shown in Fig. 7, while the top course may be finished off in any of the
various forms known to the art. In many instances it is desired to give increased

page_text: strength to the structure. This is accomplished by use of the block shown in
Fig. 2, which is laid in the preceding manner, while short keys of similar material
to the blocks, are dipped into hot asphalt, or other bituminous cement, and then
pressed into the keyways. The fabric may or may not be used as desired by the
builder.
When my improved blocks are used in conduit construction, the foundations are
prepared of bituminous material, the foundation blocks laid upon the foundation, as
previously described in the construction of buildings. Cement is next poured into
the channels and the following course laid down in the cement. Keys dipped in
cement are next forced into the keyways, cemented fabric is next laid over the
joints and this process repeated until the top course is reached. In this course, the
tee blocks are laid as frequently as required, and the top joints covered with fabric,
and re-enforced with the bed plate, A', or A", as desired or required.
The corner blocks are preferably made solid, but may be formed with blind ducts
running nearly through to the face of the wall, or may be formed into angles
corresponding with the outer faces of the block. The composition of the blocks
may consist of any plastic material suitable for bricks, drain tile or sewer pipe and
may be vitrefied, or vitrefied and salt glazed, as required.
The keyslots are formed by the cut off device attached to the machine.
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-
1st. As an improvement in the art of building, in combination, blocks having
each a longitudinal series of ducts and parallel key slots across their ends between
the ducts, keys fitted in such ways to interlock the adjoining ends of such blocks
and form partitions between the ducts, all substantially as shown and for the
purposes described.
2nd. In a conduit or other structure, in combination, blocks having longitudinal
ducts and corrugated or channeled bearing faces adapted to interlock, keyways in
the ends thereof arranged between such ducts, and insulated key members adapted
to fit such ways to interlock the ends of the blocks, and insulate the ducts from each
other, substantially as shown and described.
3rd. In an interlocking building block, the combination of interlocking surfaces
substantially as shown, with perforations in the enlarged portions of the block, and
T connections therewith substantially as described.
4th. The combination in a wall, conduit or other analogous structure, of a series
of interlocking blocks substantially as shown, united by interlocking partition keys,
strips of fabric over the joints, and a cementing material over the fabric supporting
and binding the blocks together, substantially as shown and for the purposes
described.
5th. In a conduit structure, in combination, blocks having longitudinal ducts
laid end to end in layers, said layers arranged to break joints, a fabric or analogous
substance laid over the meeting ends of such blocks, and a cement filling over such
fabric and between each layer of blocks, all arranged substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 15th day of October 1894.
Witnesses-
JOHN ARZEND.
VINCENT BOTELLE.
OCTAVIUS BLANCHARD SCHMALL.