Improvements in Building or Paving Blocks.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1892-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Building or Paving Blocks.
We HORACE BRUNSON of 713 Congress Street and EGBERT WARREN GILLETT
of 9 River Street, both of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Merchants,
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:-
In the accompanying drawings forming part of the Specification,
Figure 1 is a view of the interior frame in perspective.
Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section showing the frame embedded in the
concrete block.
Figure 3 is a view in plan of a modified form of the invention.
The blocks may be of any desired size, preferably from six to eight feet in
length, and from three to four feet broad, and of thickness suitably adapted to the
proposed use. Any of the usual cements, concretes, or compositions, reduced to
plastic condition by water or heating, can be used for the body of the block, and
in order to strengthen the same, an interior frame is provided which is ordinarily
of cast or wrought iron. The frame consists of the side pieces A, and end pieces B.
arranged together in rectangular form, and furnished as shown, with the inturned
flanges or ledges C near the lower rim of the frame. Extending diagonally across
from corner to corner, are the stays D which serve to stiffen the parts and aid also
in effecting a secure interlock of the frame with the composition body.
The frame may be cast with its several parts integral or as shown in the modified
form (Fig. 3), the sides A' and ends B¹ thereof may be made of angle iron, cut of
suitable length and mitered at the corners. The cross-stays D are also made
separate and a tie-plate or bar E is fixed in place at the intersection of the stays, or
as appears at the left in Fig. 3, the diagonal stays may be formed in piece with the
end plates of the frame.
A part of the plastic composition is first laid in a suitable mould, and then the
strengthening frame, or parts thereof, are laid in place, after which the remainder.
of the composition is filled in and tightly rammed down to compact the block.
After the material is set, the form can be removed from the mould and when
suitably hardened is ready for use. The composition completely embeds the
strengthening frame, so that the presence of the latter is not perceptible. The
surface of the block can be ornamented or colored in any manner desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A paving or building block comprising a mass of cement, concrete or
similar material having embedded therein an interior frame which consists of side
and end pieces and cross-stays extending from side to side, substantially as
described.
2. A paving or building block comprising a mass of cement, concrete or similar
material having embedded therein an interior frame which consists of side and end
pieces with inturned flanges, and diagonal stays extending from the corners of the
frame, substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.