U.S. patent application number 10/258527 was filed with the patent office on 2003-08-14 for building block and method for producing the same.
Invention is credited to Godeke, Holger, Konig, Norbert, Witchler, Achim.
Application Number | 20030150185 10/258527 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7640283 |
Filed Date | 2003-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030150185 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Godeke, Holger ; et
al. |
August 14, 2003 |
Building block and method for producing the same
Abstract
The invention relates to a building block and a method for
producing the same, which has a reduced mass by comparison with
conventional building blocks and excellent insulating properties.
The building block according to the invention consists of a
lightweight material which is selected from expanded glass,
pearlite, expanded clay or mixtures thereof. The lightweight
material is obtained by liquid phase sintering or fusing of
pre-expanded glass granulate, clay granulate, pearlite or mixtures
thereof and forms a pore structure as an insulating core which is
at least partially enclosed by a shell body formed from a
conventional building block material. The building block is
produced by an appropriate shell body being filled with the
lightweight material, and the pre-expanded lightweight material,
which has a residual expanding agent content of at least 0.1 mass %
and is used in granulate form, being heated to above the softening
temperature of the granulate, an additional volume expansion
occurring and the granulate surfaces being fused.
Inventors: |
Godeke, Holger; (Achstetten,
DE) ; Witchler, Achim; (Asslar-Berhausen, DE)
; Konig, Norbert; (Leinfelden-Echterdingen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEYDIG VOIT & MAYER, LTD
700 THIRTEENTH ST. NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-3960
US
|
Family ID: |
7640283 |
Appl. No.: |
10/258527 |
Filed: |
January 31, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
March 19, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP01/03135 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/576 ;
52/405.1; 52/605 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2002/0293 20130101;
E04C 1/41 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/576 ; 52/605;
52/405.1 |
International
Class: |
E04C 002/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 28, 2000 |
DE |
100 20 956.4 |
Claims
1. Building block, in which a lightweight material, which has been
produced by fusing of pre-expanded glass granulate, expanded clay
granulate, pearlite or mixtures thereof, with a residual content of
binding agent of 0.1 to 3 mass % forms a closed-pore structure as
an insulating core (2) with a bulk density .ltoreq.600 kg/m.sup.3,
is enclosed at least partially by a shell body (1) formed from a
conventional building block material.
2. Building block according to claim 1, characterised in that the
shell body (1) is formed from burnt loam, clay and a clay mass as
well as wood-concrete, lightweight concrete formed from expanded
clay, pumice or similar lightweight aggregates.
3. Building block according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that
the shell body (1) is partially or completely open at least at its
upper end face.
4. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised
in that webs (3) and/or grooves are formed on the inner wall of the
shell body (1).
5. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised
in that recesses (4) are formed on upper and/or lower end faces of
the shell body (1) for reinforcing members to be led through.
6. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised
in that the shell body (1', 1") is configured in two parts with a
plurality of longitudinal webs (5) aligned parallel to each other,
in each case, adjacently in pairs, alternately air or an insulating
core (2) is present between these longitudinal webs (5) and the one
part of the shell body (1') can be guided into the second part of
the shell body (1") by an appropriate meander-shaped arrangement of
the insulating cores (2).
7. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised
in that grip recesses (7), reinforcement channels (10) and/or
hollow chambers (8) are formed in the insulating core (2).
8. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised
in that double webs (9) are formed on the shell core (1).
9. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised
in that the upper and lower end faces are configured as a
tongue-and-groove connection (11, 12).
10. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised
in that acoustic decoupling is present between the inner wall of
the shell core (1) and the insulating core (2).
11. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 10,
characterised in that the insulating body (2) has a bulk density
.ltoreq.250 kg/m.sup.3.
12. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 11,
characterised in that the insulating body (2) represents a
closed-pore structure.
13. Building block according to one of claims 1 to 12,
characterised in that lightweight aggregate particles, selected
from expanded glass, pearlite and expanded clay, are interconnected
in network fashion forming a soda-lime glass.
14. Method for producing a building block according to one of
claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the interior of a shell body
(1) is filled, to at least 80% of its final volume, with thermally
pre-expanded glass, thermally pre-expanded pearlite or thermally
pre-expanded clay, as a granulate, with a residual expanding agent
content of 0.1 to 3 mass %, and then heating is carried out up to
temperatures above the softening temperature of the granulate which
leads to a further volume expansion and to sintering of the
granulate surfaces.
15. Method for producing a building block according to one of
claims 1 to 13, characterised in that thermally pre-expanded glass,
thermally pre-expanded pearlite or thermally pre-expanded clay with
a residual expanding agent content of 0.1 to 3 mass % is placed as
a granulate, to at least 80% of its final volume, into a mould;
then heating is carried out up to temperatures above the softening
temperature of the granulate which leads to a further volume
expansion and to sintering of the granulate surfaces, and the
moulded article obtained is released from the mould as an
insulating body (2) and pressed into a shell body (1).
16. Method according to claim 14 or 15, characterised in that a
granulate with particle sizes in the range between 0.25 and 8 mm is
used.
17. Method according to one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in
that a residual content of expanding agent in the range between 0.1
and 1 mass % is maintained.
18. Method according to one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in
that a thermally pre-expanded glass granulate, obtained from
recycled glass with the addition of an organic auxiliary expanding
agent, is used.
19. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that that sugar
derivative is used as the expanding agent.
20. Method according to claim 17 or 18, characterised in that the
thermal pre-expansion is so carried out that the expanding agent
fraction arises as the residual content of the expanding agent.
21. Method according to one of claims 14 to 20, characterised in
that, exploiting the heat from the firing process for producing a
shell core (1), pre-heated granulate is filled into the shell core
(1) and further heating is carried out until the softening
temperature of the granulate is reached and the granulate surfaces
fuse.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a building block and to methods for
producing the same, such building blocks being able to be also used
easily, like conventional building blocks, in the building of
detached houses and multi-occupancy dwellings and in dry-stack
building, and being able to have excellent insulating
properties.
[0002] Building blocks or bricks have proved for a relatively long
time to be technically and economically valuable in the building
sector as brickwork, ceiling slabs or hollow bricks. In the course
of the years, these building elements used have been continuously
improved taking into account the raised requirements of the market.
These improvements related in particular to the insulating
properties and substantially to heat insulation. Thus the
developments led to porous lightweight bricks with filigree hole
patterns to which however limits are set in particular for strength
reasons. Thus minimum bulk densities and web thicknesses have to be
kept to in order to guarantee on the one hand sufficient strength
and security during transport and processing, and to avoid any
undesired destruction occurring before processing and nevertheless
sufficient static properties being able to be achieved.
[0003] If such filigree blocks with low web thicknesses are used,
this also impairs the sound insulation and longitudinal acoustic
insulation in an undesired manner.
[0004] Lightweight concrete blocks or aerated concrete also have
their limits since the desired heat insulation properties and the
necessary strength are contrary to one another and consequently the
corresponding advantages and disadvantages have to be balanced
against one another and must lead to a corresponding
compromise.
[0005] From the viewpoint of heat and sound insulation, admittedly
a larger wall thickness could theoretically be selected, which
however leads in each case to area losses.
[0006] To provide the necessary heat insulation, it is usual to use
organic or inorganic heat-insulating composite systems, lying on
the outside of such built walls or ceilings which however lead in
turn to an increase in thickness and to increased time and cost
outlay. Such double-shelled wall structures, which are formed from
a support layer with an insulating layer glued on and/or
mechanically secured thereto, with an additional exterior
rendering, can admittedly be easily used in the renovation of old
buildings, in which the above-mentioned disadvantages can be
accepted, but for new buildings, in which no allowance has to be
made for old building substance, this is however only a compromise
burdened with disadvantages.
[0007] Moreover an attempt has been made to produce expanded clay
or pumice hollow blocks in which an integrated insulation is
present without any additional increase in thickness. For such
integrated insulation, various organic materials were used. The
integration of such organic insulating materials, presented very
great difficulties, however, thus also attempts of the brick
industry failed in which albuminous foam was intended to be
processed with brick dust to form a brick foam, since during the
foaming process, especially in the case of larger component
thicknesses, great inherent tension was induced which caused
corresponding losses of strength.
[0008] The object of the invention, therefore, is to propose a
building block and corresponding manufacturing methods, with which
building blocks can be made available in a cost-effective manner,
which with relatively low density have high strength, good sound
insulation and thermal insulation behaviour and are easy to
process.
[0009] According to the invention, this object is accomplished with
the features of claim 1 for a building block and the features of
claims 14 to 25 for corresponding manufacturing methods.
[0010] A building block according to the invention consists
essentially of two parts, and this can be on the one hand a shell
body, which comprises a statically load-bearing material, such as
for example conventional brick or tile material, burnt clay or
loam, lightweight concrete formed from expanded clay, pumice or
similar lightweight aggregates, aerated concrete or wood-concrete.
The second essential part of such a building block is an insulating
core which is surrounded by the shell body and has been formed by
liquid phase sintering from expanded glass, pearlite, expanded clay
or mixtures thereof or by fusing pre-expanded glass granulate,
expanded clay granulate, pearlite or mixtures, having a cellular
structure.
[0011] The shell body should at least at its upper end face be
partially or completely open so that the initially mentioned
materials or the corresponding pre-foamed granulates can be filled
into the shell body, or a prefabricated insulating core can be
pressed into the shell core. The insulating core is consequently
surrounded at least partially by the shell core, at least on four
sides however.
[0012] For a secure hold of the moulded-in or pressed-in insulating
core, inside the shell core webs and/or grooves can be formed which
hold the insulating core as a form-fit.
[0013] In the configuration of the insulating core, two alternative
suitable ways can be taken; firstly it is possible so to proceed
that a pre-expanded granulate as a lightweight material, which is
selected from expanded glass, expanded clay, pearlite or mixtures
thereof, is filled, together with a residual amount of expanding
agents of at least 0.1 mass %, either directly into the shell body
or into a mould, then heating up to temperatures above the
softening temperature of the granulate is undertaken, which leads
to an additional volume expansion and to fusing of the granulate
surfaces. During this process, the insulating core is directly
formed in the shell body, or after the process of being released
from the mould it can be pressed into the open portion of the shell
body and possibly, fixed using the already mentioned, possibly
relatively short, webs which are preferably arranged at the
respective end face regions, i.e. at the top and at the bottom
inside the shell body.
[0014] In the second alternative, a mixture which consists of 60 to
95 mass % of a lightweight aggregate, selected from expanded glass,
pearlite and expanded clay, and possibly also mixtures thereof,
mixed with 40 to 45 mass % of a soda water-glass can be filled into
a shell body or a mould, and thereafter during heating, forming
soda-lime glass by liquid phase sintering, the lightweight
aggregate particles are connected in network fashion and thus the
insulating core can be formed. If the insulating core is produced
in a mould, this can, as already described previously, be pressed,
after being released from the mould, into the shell body which is
open at least at the upper end face and held there.
[0015] Before heating, the mixture can possibly be dried at
temperatures in the range between 50 and 95.degree. C. The
sintering then takes place in the temperature range between
550.degree. C. and 1000.degree. C., this taking place in a period
between 0.1 and 5 h, preferably in the range between 0.1 and 0.5
h.
[0016] Moreover, a corresponding method for producing moulded
articles from lightweight aggregates is described in detail in DE
197 12 835 A1, and extensive reference should be made to the
appropriate disclosed content.
[0017] In the case of the first mentioned alternative for producing
a building block according to the invention using pre-expanded
glass granulate, expanded clay granulate, pearlite or mixtures
thereof, with which an aerated structure can be obtained as the
insulating core, a more detailed description will now follow.
[0018] The insulating core present in a building block according to
the invention can consist exclusively of pre-expanded glass,
expanded clay or pearlite, without the usual binding or sintering
aids being also contained. It can be formed from the respective
granulate which is fused together and thus a relatively lightweight
building block can be obtained with a relatively small bulk density
but higher strength. The insulating core can have a closed-pore
structure or respectively such a structure. It can have a bulk
density which is .ltoreq.250 kg/m.sup.3 down to bulk densities in
the region of 180 kg/m.sup.3, with compressive strengths of approx.
1.6 N/mm.sup.2, bending strengths of approx. 0.9 N/mm.sup.2 and
tensile strengths of approx. 0.2 N/mm.sup.2.
[0019] The insulating core has low heat conductivity, is
non-combustible, resistant to acid and bases, dimensionally stable,
resistant to biological exploitation (rodents, beetles, mould and
the like) and can be safely recycled. It absorbs practically no
moisture and can consequently be used in the building material
sector in many cases more advantageously than is possible with
conventional building materials and structural elements.
[0020] The process in the production of the building block
according to the invention can be such that by preference
pre-expanded glass, but also pearlite or thermally pre-expanded,
clay can be used as a granulate, and in each case a residual
content of expanding agent of at least 0.1 mass % to 3 mass % can
be contained.
[0021] The granulate thus prepared is placed in a mould comprising
at least two parts or in a shell body formed from a material
usually used for building blocks or tiles and then heated in the
mould or the shell body. The heating takes place here in a
temperature range in which the respective granulate softens i.e.
reaches the corresponding softening temperature and is held. As a
result of the heating, further volume expansion of the initial
granulate occurs and the granulate surfaces fuse with one another,
such that the finished insulating core is available, possibly after
being released from the mould, or it is formed inside the shell
body.
[0022] Since the pre-expanded initial granulate experiences a
further volume increase as a result of the heating, it is
advantageous to fill the mould or the shell body with the initial
granulate only to a volume proportion of at least 80% and at
maximum 95%, preferably at least 85% by volume. Thus during the
heating, a closed-pore structure can be obtained which completely
fills the preferably at least two-part mould or the shell body and
the desired properties are obtained.
[0023] After the mould or the shell body has been filled, during
which process attention should be paid to as uniform as possible
filling of the shell core or mould cavity, the pre-expanded initial
granulate, which is at least 80% of the final volume, preferably at
least 85% of the final volume, is heated in the mould or the shell
body and further expanded.
[0024] It is advantageous to carry out the heating in two stages,
different heating rates being used in the two stages. In both
stages, however, the heating rate should be constant. Thus a
uniform heating over the entire volume can be ensured and a uniform
fine structure formed. Thus in a first heating stage a higher
heating rate, e.g. 5 K/min and in the second heating stage a lower
heating rate, e.g. 2 K/min should be used. The-heating in the first
stage should be up to temperatures of 650.degree. C. and in the
second stage up to approx. 750.degree. C., when pre-expanded glass
has been used as the initial granulate.
[0025] After the necessary softening temperature for the granulate
has been reached, the corresponding temperature is maintained over
a specific period of time, such that the granulate surface is
securely fused together.
[0026] Following the heating, before releasing the moulded article
from the mould, or with the insulating core formed in the shell
body, slow cooling should take place in order as far as possible to
avoid internal stress in the finished insulating core. The
necessary time for cooling to ambient temperature can here be up to
10 h. The initial granulate used should be used in a particle size
range between 1 and 8 mm, preferably between 2 and 4 mm, a uniform
granulation in the narrow tolerance range possibly requiring
shorter heating and holding time and ensuring a uniform structure
formation.
[0027] The proportion of expanding agent necessary in, the
production of such an insulating core should be in the range
between 0.1 and 3 mass %.
[0028] In contrast to conventionally produced moulded articles
formed from foamed glass, which is produced from the usual raw
materials quartz sand, calcium carbonate, potassium feldspar, iron
oxide and sodium carbonate, to which merely a small proportion of
old glass can be added, the moulded articles according to the
invention can be produced completely from an expanded glass
granulate obtained from old glass. Here shards of old glass can be
ground and mixed together and after the addition of an expanding
agent, e.g. sugar derivative, this powdery mixture is granulated
and thereafter thermally pre-expanded, and specifically in such a
way that the pre-expanded granulate has approx. 80 to 95% of the
volume occurring in the finished insulating core.
[0029] In this thermal pre-expansion, the procedure can be such
that the proportion of expanding agent necessary for production is
already contained in the pre-expanded glass granulate. This can be
achieved for example by a relatively rapid heat treatment which
leads to thermal expansion.
[0030] In an equivalent manner, in the use of the already mentioned
two additional initial granulates, which can also be applied in a
form which is pre-expanded as far as possible, other heating rates
and temperatures to be achieved arise, however, which correspond to
the softening temperatures of the respective granulate.
[0031] Acoustic decoupling can also be achieved between the shell
body and insulating core, which can involve various flexible
materials. Thus for example the shell body can be provided with an
appropriate inner coating before being filled, or before a
prefabricated insulating core is pressed in, or the insulating core
can be covered on the outside with an appropriate material, it
being possible for example to use corrugated cardboard which can
simultaneously be used as packing.
[0032] Moreover the number of cavities or hollow chambers even with
relatively low heat conductivity is substantially smaller than is
the case with conventional building blocks. Thus in comparison with
conventional porous lightweight bricks, the thermal resistance can
be increased by approx. 30% which in a future rise in heat
insulation levels to be achieved according to the low-energy house
standard does not lead to any further increase in thickness of a
wall and correspondingly to no reduction in the usable room
areas.
[0033] With the building blocks according to the invention, with a
relatively small block bulk density .ltoreq.600 kg/m.sup.3, the
necessary brick strength class for detached houses and two-family
houses can be easily maintained.
[0034] Independently of the initial materials used, in this heat
treatment not only is a bond achieved between the lightweight
aggregate particles or the granulate but there is also bonding of
the insulating core to the shell body forming a glass mass.
[0035] As also already indicated, there exist a number of
alternative ways of producing a building block according to the
invention. Thus for example the shell body (formed from clay for
example) can be filled even during the firing process with
pre-heated granulate (expanded glass granulate) in the cooling
phase, it being possible for the waste heat from the firing process
to be exploited for the pre-heating. After filling, heating takes
place again to the softening temperature of the granulate or
respectively the necessary temperature for the liquid phase
sintering.
[0036] For filling, a hopper formed from an austenitic steel which
has an adequate high-temperature strength can be used.
[0037] In particular the expanded glass granulates which can be
used have good flow behaviour such that the filling of the shell
bodies can take place in the very short time of a few seconds.
During filling, however, the softening temperature of the granulate
should not be exceeded.
[0038] Advantageously the heating takes place in a fast-burning
furnace, e.g. a rotary kiln, with a filling device in the cooling
region, by a plurality of brick shell bodies standing vertically
beside one another on kiln plates being able to be
heat-treated.
[0039] For smaller brick-works which have discontinuous furnaces
such as, for example, truck chamber kilns operated in a
reciprocating manner, the brick shell bodies should, after firing,
be automatically removed with a handling device from the furnace
truck and be supplied to a separate filling station. After the
hollow bodies have been filled with the lightweight aggregate or
granulate, the shell bodies on a kiln plate can be automatically
deposited again on a furnace truck and the filled furnace truck
supplied to the final heating phase (annealing).
[0040] The invention will now be explained in greater detail below
with the aid of examples.
[0041] The figures here show:
[0042] FIG. 1 an example of a shell body of a building block
according to the invention;
[0043] FIG. 2 a further example of a building block according to
the invention, comprising shell body and insulating core with
formed hollow chambers and reinforcement channel;
[0044] FIG. 3 a building block according to the invention
comprising two parts, as a so-called sliding brick in two
attainable sizes for linear alignment;
[0045] FIG. 4 a further example of a building block according to
the invention;
[0046] FIG. 5 an example of a building block according to the
invention, with a tongue-and-groove connection; and
[0047] FIG. 6 a structure of a plurality of building blocks
according to FIG. 5.
[0048] The insulating cores 2 can, as described in DE 197 12 835
A1, be produced in a separate mould or in the shell body 1 for a
building block according to the invention. To this end, the already
mentioned lightweight aggregates are coated with the sintering aid
and either placed in the shell body 1 or this mass is brought by a
correspondingly appropriate shaping method (e.g. axial pressing,
extruding, moulding) into the desired shape and thereafter dried.
This green product can be subjected to a subsequent heat treatment
in which liquid phase sintering takes place, by which means the
lightweight aggregate particles are connected at points to one
another. During the sintering, there is an ion exchange between the
liquid phase and the particles, which leads to a material bond,
such that a corresponding porous structure with a small bulk
density and relatively increased strength is obtained.
[0049] If the insulating core 2 is produced from pre-foamed
granulates, without the addition of a binding or sintering aid,
either as divisible a mould as possible or the shell body 1 is
filled with the corresponding pre-foamed granulate. The filling
takes place in a loose packing, and as uniform as possible a
filling level should be maintained e.g. by shaking.
[0050] During the heat treatment of this loose packing, a renewed
volume expansion (expanding process) occurs and the initial
material foams again so that the bulk density is further reduced.
The initial granulate is approx. 85% of the pore volume of the
finished insulating core 2. Thus similar to EPS production,
starting from a porous initial product in granular form, during
shaping a further volume increase of approx. 15% takes place.
[0051] In concrete terms, a building block according to the
invention, as also shown in the figures, can be so produced in a
preferred shape that a shell body 1 formed from burnt clay is
filled with an expanded glass granulate which is available under
the trade-name "Liaver". The expanded glass granulate has a bulk
density of 220 kg/m.sup.3 and is used with a granulation of between
2 and 4 mm. The expanded glass granulate used has an increased
residual expanding agent content which should be at least 0.1 mass
%.
[0052] By shaking, the loose packing in the shell body 1 should be
levelled out.
[0053] A building block blank thus prepared can then be heated in a
discontinuous chamber kiln or in a discontinuously operated
pushed-batt kiln at a heating rate of 5 K/min to 650.degree. C. and
thereafter at a heating rate of 2 K/min to roughly 750.degree. C.,
the softening temperature of the granulate, and kept at this
temperature over a period of approx. 30 mins, melting or fusing of
the granulate surfaces taking place and the initial material being
additionally expanded, such that an additional volume increase by
comparison with the loose packing can be achieved and the
insulating core 2 correspondingly formed inside the shell body 1
completely fills the inner volume of the shell body 1.
[0054] Following the heating and holding phase, cooling is carried
out inside the furnace chamber over a period of approx. 10 h.
[0055] If required, the building blocks can be surface-ground,
placed on pallets and made ready for despatch, the upper and lower
end face of the building blocks being also able to be machined
in-the shape of a tongue-and-groove connection.
[0056] The building blocks obtained in this manner have the
properties listed in Table 1.
[0057] In FIG. 1 is represented a shell body 1 without an
insulating core 2. The shell body 1 can for example be extruded
from clay in the shape represented and cut to the corresponding
format, the cutting width here pre-determining the height of a
corresponding building block.
[0058] The shell body 1 can be produced from clay and thereafter,
as already described, be fired in a furnace. After firing, filling
with the initial material for the insulating core 2 and the
corresponding subsequent heat treatment can be carried out.
[0059] In the example shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of webs 3 are
formed on the inner wall of the shell body 1, these extending here
parallel to the direction of extrusion and being able, in addition
to increasing the strength of the shell body 1, also to represent
secure fixing for the insulating core 2 to be formed or
received.
[0060] The webs 3 can, however, also be arranged in an inclined
manner, or be provided with contours, and these can then be
groove-like incisions or corrugations, in order to further improve
the hold of the insulating core 2.
[0061] The shell body 1 represented here can not only, as shown, be
open at its upper end face but also the lower end face can be open,
the filling of the shell body 1 being then able to take place in a
position placed on a base-plate on which the filled shell body 1
can then be heat-treated in a furnace.
[0062] Moreover, diametrically opposite semi-circular recesses 4
are represented, it being possible for shapes other than the
semi-circular form to be used also.
[0063] These recesses 4 can be the starting point for a
reinforcement channel 10, such as has been formed in the example
shown in FIG. 2. Through such reinforcement channels 10,
reinforcing members which extend over a plurality of building
blocks disposed beside one another, can be guided and increase the
hold of walls formed from a plurality of such building blocks.
[0064] Moreover in this example hollow chambers 8 are represented,
which in addition to reducing mass and increasing heat insulation
can also be used for anchoring reinforcing members.
[0065] Both the reinforcement channels 10 and the hollow chambers 8
can be configured using correspondingly shaped cores, which are
formed for example from a metal with a higher melting temperature
than the insulating core material during the heat treatment. Such
cores can here be formed on a mould which can be laid onto the
upper end face of the shell body 1, this mould part which is
plate-shaped per se, being able with an appropriately matched
amount of filling of the lightweight aggregate also to lead to a
relatively flat upper end face of a building block according to the
invention, without any additional extra processing such as
surface-grinding being necessary.
[0066] Represented in FIG. 3 is a building block according to the
invention, formed from two individual parts 1' and 1" and provided
as a sliding member for adaptation to various lengths. Present on
the two individual parts 1' and 1" are longitudinal webs 5 aligned
parallel to one another which are alternately left empty and filled
with an insulating core 2, such that through the meander-shaped
arrangement of the insulating cores 2, the two parts 1' and 1" are
pushed into one another and can be drawn apart according to the
length required.
[0067] Here the smallest length of such a building block is shown
in the upper diagram and a larger length in the lower diagram of
FIG. 3.
[0068] In the example of a building block according to the
invention shown in FIG. 4, additional grip recesses 7, for better
handling, are formed at the upper end face beside a reinforcement
channel 10, the grip recesses 7, as in the example according to
FIG. 2, also being able to be produced with appropriately formed
moulded cores.
[0069] On the shell body 1, diametrically opposite end faces in the
form of double webs 9 are shown which can also advantageously
influence the insulating behaviour and the strength. However, such
double webs 9 can also be formed on the two other sides of such a
shell body 1.
[0070] If in this example and in the other described examples a
prefabricated insulating core 2 is pressed into a shell body 1, it
can be advantageous and sufficient to form the webs 3 merely in the
region of the upper and lower end faces and not, as, in the example
of FIG. 1, continuously, so that the pressed-in insulating core 2
is interlocked after being pressed in.
[0071] In the example of a building block according to the
invention shown in FIG. 5, the upper and lower end faces are
configured as a tongue-and-groove connection 10,11, such that for
the construction of a wall only a little skill and expert knowledge
is necessary, exact positioning of a plurality of building blocks,
as shown in FIG. 6, being easily attainable with the
tongue-and-groove connection.
[0072] Moreover, in the insulating core 2, hollow chambers 8 are
again formed which can extend from the upper to the lower end face
of the building block.
[0073] The building blocks according to the invention can be
cemented together with a conventional thin-bed mortar or crunched
together. Moreover, there is also the possibility of producing
complete masonry stacks from a plurality of such building blocks
through the introduction of reinforcing members which are guided
through the reinforcement channels 10 shown but also through
continuous hollow chambers 8, and of bringing these stacks to the
building site as complete wall elements.
[0074] By means of the method according to the invention, the
hollow chambers can be easily arranged in defined positions such
that alignment of the hollow chambers in relation to hollow
chambers in building blocks disposed above and below, forms
continuous cavities inside the wall, through which also vertically
aligned reinforcing members or installations (house technical
fittings) can be guided.
[0075] The reinforcing members can be coupled to the brick
composite by means of a filling mortar and thus be protected
against corrosion to a very large extent. Since the reinforcing
members are at least completely enclosed by insulating core
material, thermal bridges can be avoided.
1TABLE 1 Property profile Property Unit Value Brick bulk density
kg/m.sup.3 <600 Compressive strength N/mm.sup.2 >2 N/mm.sup.2
Equivalent W/mK 0.09 heat conductivity of the masonry k-value of
the masonry W/m.sup.2K 0.259* *14 mm internal plaster, 20 mm
insulating plaster, 300 mm building block, mortar used = LM 21
* * * * *