Patent ID: 8181415

Claim:
A modular construction block, comprising: a hollow, one-piece frame having a pair of upper longitudinally extending members, a pair of lower longitudinally extending members, a pair of upper laterally extending members respectively secured to, and extending between, longitudinally opposed ends of the pair of upper longitudinally extending members, wherein each of the upper laterally, extending members has an upwardly facing, horizontally extending recess formed therein and being spaced from the opposed upper ends, a pair of lower laterally extending members respectively secured to, and extending between, longitudinally opposed ends of the pair of lower longitudinally extending members, and first and second pairs of vertically extending members respectively secured to, and extending between, vertically adjacent ends of the pairs of upper and lower longitudinally extending members, wherein each of the upper and lower laterally extending members has an outwardly facing, vertically extending recess respectively formed therein and being spaced from the opposed .upper and lower ends, respectively; first and second walls secured to, and covering, laterally opposed ends of said hollow frame; a plurality of projecting engaging elements being formed on upper surfaces of said pair of upper longitudinally extending members, each of the projecting elements being spaced from the pair of upper laterally extending members and the midpoint of each of the upper longitudinal frame members, a plurality of recesses being formed in lower surfaces of said pair of lower longitudinally extending members and being vertically aligned with a corresponding projecting element, whereby the plurality of projecting engaging elements are received within the plurality of recesses of a vertically adjacent one of said modular constructions blocks; and a pair of vertically extending engaging bars mounted to the first pair of vertically extending members and extending outwardly therefrom, a pair of vertically extending recesses being formed in the second pair of vertically extending members, whereby the pair of vertically extending engaging bars are received within the pair of vertically extending recesses of a horizontally adjacent one of said modular construction blocks, wherein an upper end, a lower end and a pair of longitudinally opposed ends of said hollow frame are each open.