U.S. patent application number 11/484036 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-19 for wall system.
Invention is credited to Raymond R. Price.
Application Number | 20070163203 11/484036 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46325716 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070163203 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Price; Raymond R. |
July 19, 2007 |
Wall system
Abstract
The present invention relates to decorative and structural
blocks designed to be installed as skirting structures for
buildings, elevated structures and structural elements such as
posts. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system
that uses specifically designed and manufactured masonry blocks
that are used in conjunction with specifically designed support
beams and/or brackets to provide durable, attractive, easy to
assemble surfaces or skirting structures. The blocks are shaped to
be stacked in vertically independent, self-supporting columns,
strengthened and linked together by specially shaped, lightweight,
lateral support beams positioned between adjacent columns, and
which may be attached directly or indirectly to a
sub-structure.
Inventors: |
Price; Raymond R.;
(Rochester, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MOORE & HANSEN, PLLP
225 SOUTH SIXTH ST
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402
US
|
Family ID: |
46325716 |
Appl. No.: |
11/484036 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10395608 |
Mar 24, 2003 |
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11484036 |
Jul 10, 2006 |
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10015052 |
Dec 11, 2001 |
6691471 |
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10395608 |
Mar 24, 2003 |
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09547206 |
Apr 12, 2000 |
6374552 |
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10015052 |
Dec 11, 2001 |
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10363999 |
Feb 28, 2003 |
7207147 |
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11484036 |
Jul 10, 2006 |
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10257992 |
Oct 15, 2002 |
7073301 |
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10363999 |
Feb 28, 2003 |
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09547206 |
Apr 12, 2000 |
6374552 |
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10257992 |
Oct 15, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/834 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 13/0821 20130101;
E04B 1/34342 20130101; E04B 1/6141 20130101; E04B 2/06 20130101;
E02D 27/01 20130101; E02D 29/0283 20130101; E04F 13/0803 20130101;
E04B 2/8652 20130101; E04B 1/6133 20130101; E04F 13/0825 20130101;
E04B 2/7453 20130101; E04B 1/6154 20130101; E04B 2002/0247
20130101; E04F 13/0733 20130101; E04F 13/0826 20130101; E02D 29/025
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/721.4 |
International
Class: |
E04C 3/34 20060101
E04C003/34 |
Claims
1. An elevated platform skirting wall system, the system
comprising: a plurality of support beams, with each beam
comprising: an elongate web; and, a first pair of elongate ribs
integrally formed with and extending away from said elongate web in
generally opposite directions; a plurality of blocks arranged in
columns, each of said blocks comprising: a front face; a rear face
spaced from said front face by a distance defining the depth of
said block; a top surface; a bottom surface spaced from said top
surface by a distance defining the height of said block, said
bottom surface supported by the top surface of a lower block in the
same column as said block, such that a relatively coplanar,
vertical relationship results between said block and the lower
block; side surfaces spaced from each other by a distance defining
the width of said block, with each side surface having a recess
configured to receive a portion of an elongate rib of a support
beam; wherein pluralities of said blocks are arranged into a
plurality of vertically adjacent columns to form said skirting wall
such that said side surfaces of said vertically adjacent columns
oppose each other; and, wherein said support beams are positioned
between said vertically adjacent columns such that portions of said
elongate ribs reside in said recesses, thereby providing support to
said vertically adjacent columns in directions not coplanar with
said skirting wall.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein each said support beam further
comprises a second pair of elongate ribs extending away from said
elongate web in generally opposite directions, with said first pair
of elongate ribs spaced from said second pair of elongate ribs by a
distance defining the span of said elongate ribs.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein said span of said elongate ribs is
at least as great as a distance measured between said recesses of
said side surfaces, and said rear face of each of said plurality of
blocks.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein said span of said elongate ribs is
less than a distance measured between said recesses of said side
surfaces, and said rear face of each of said plurality of blocks,
and wherein at least one of said pairs of elongate ribs is
resiliently deformable such that when support beams are positioned
between said vertically adjacent columns, at least one elongate rib
of said pair of resiliently deformable elongate ribs deforms,
thereby increasing said span to at least as great as said distance
between said recesses and said rear face of each of said plurality
of blocks.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein each elongate rib of said first
pair of elongate ribs further comprises an angled flange for
guiding said elongate ribs into said recesses.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one said support beam
further comprises an odd number of elongate ribs extending from
said web.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein each said support beam further
comprises a third elongated rib which is offset from and generally
parallel to said first pair of elongate ribs.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein each said block front face
further comprises a split face.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein each said block front face
further comprises at least one splitting recess.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein said blocks comprise composite
masonry material.
11. An elevated platform skirting wall system, the system
comprising: a plurality of support beams, with each beam
comprising: an elongate web; and, a first pair of elongate ribs
integrally formed with and extending away from said elongate web in
generally opposite directions; a plurality of blocks arranged in
columns, each of said blocks comprising: a front face; a rear face
spaced from said front face by a distance defining the depth of
said block; a top surface; a bottom surface spaced from said top
surface by a distance defining the height of said block, said
bottom surface supported by the top surface of a lower block in the
same column as said block, such that a relatively coplanar,
vertical relationship results between said block and the lower
block; side surfaces spaced from each other by a distance defining
the width of said block, with each side surface having a recess
configured to receive a portion of an elongate rib of a support
beam; and, a bracket comprising: an attachment portion; and, a
contact portion extending from said attachment portion; wherein
pluralities of said blocks are arranged into a plurality of
vertically adjacent columns to form said skirting wall having said
side surfaces of said vertically adjacent columns oppose each
other; wherein said support beams are positioned between said
vertically adjacent columns such that portions of said elongate
ribs reside in said recesses, thereby providing support to said
vertically adjacent columns in directions not coplanar with said
skirting wall; and, wherein said attachment portion of said bracket
is positioned and secured to said platform such that the contact
portion is able to engage a portion of block a skirting wall and
prevent the skirting wall from moving therepast.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein said contact portion of said
bracket engages a portion of the rear surface of a block in a
skirting wall.
13. The system of claim 1 1, wherein said contact portion of said
bracket engages the front surface of a block in a skirting
wall.
14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a second bracket,
with said second bracket comprising: an attachment portion; and, a
contact portion extending from said attachment portion, wherein
said attachment portion of said second bracket is positioned and
secured to said platform such that the second contact portion is
spaced from and generally parallel to the first contact portion of
the first bracket, and the first and second contact portions of the
respective first and second brackets are able to engage a skirting
wall and prevent it from tipping over.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein said blocks comprise composite
masonry material.
16. An elevated platform skirting wall system, the system
comprising: a plurality of blocks arranged in columns, each of said
blocks comprising: a front face; a rear face spaced from said front
face by a distance defining the depth of said block; a top surface;
a bottom surface spaced from said top surface by a distance
defining the height of said block, said bottom surface supported by
the top surface of a lower block in the same column as said block,
such that a relatively coplanar, vertical relationship results
between said block and the lower block; side surfaces spaced from
each other by a distance defining the width of said block; and,
adhesive material; wherein pluralities of said blocks are arranged
into a plurality of vertically adjacent columns to form said
skirting wall having said side surfaces of said vertically adjacent
columns oppose each other; and, wherein said adhesive material is
positioned between the side surfaces of said vertically adjacent
columns, said adhesive material operatively connecting said
vertically adjacent columns to each other to form the skirting wall
structure.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein said vertically adjacent
columns are angled with respect to each other.
18. The system of claim 16, further comprising: a bracket
comprising: an attachment portion; and, a contact portion extending
from said attachment portion; wherein said attachment portion of
said bracket is positioned and secured to said platform such that
the contact portion is able to engage a portion of block at least
one of the vertically adjacent columns and prevent the at least one
vertically adjacent column from moving therepast.
19. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the side surfaces of
said blocks comprises a recess configured to receive a portion of
an elongate rib of a support beam.
20. The system of claim 16, wherein the elevated platform comprises
a deck.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
10/395,608, filed on Mar. 24, 2003, entitled "Mortarless Wall
Structure," and published as US Publication No. 2003/0188497 on
Oct. 9, 2003 which is a continuation in part of application Ser.
No. 10/015,052, filed Dec. 11, 2001, entitled "Mortarless Wall
Structure," and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,471 on Feb. 17, 2004,
which is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 09/547,206,
filed Apr. 12, 2000, entitled "Skirting Wall System," and issued as
U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,552 on Apr. 23, 2002. This application is also
a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 10/363,999, filed
Apr. 12, 2001, entitled "Mortarless Wall Structure," and published
as US Publication No. 2004/0006945 on Jan. 15, 2004, which is a
continuation in part of application Ser. No. 09/547,206, filed Apr.
12, 2000, entitled "Skirting Wall System," and issued as U.S. Pat.
No. 6,374,552 on Apr. 23, 2002. This application also claims
priority to PCT application Serial No. PCT/US01/11957 filed on Apr.
12, 2001, entitled "Wall Structure," and PCT application Serial No.
PCT/US00/25791 filed on Sep. 20, 2000, entitled "Wall Structure,"
and all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to decorative and structural
blocks designed to be installed as exterior and interior walls for
buildings. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
system that uses specifically designed and manufactured masonry
blocks that are used in conjunction with specifically designed
support beams and/or brackets to provide durable, attractive, easy
to assemble surfaces to a wide variety of buildings, structures,
and structural elements.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Transportable structures such as mobile homes, trailer
homes, modular homes and recreational vehicles, by their very
nature, are usually not intended to be built upon a conventional
foundation. Rather, they are brought or driven to a location where
they may remain for indeterminate periods of time. Often, over an
extended period at a particular site, such structures may start to
settle differentially onto or in the ground due to factors such as
deflating tires or local variations in soil bearing capacities.
Additionally, factors such as erosion and freeze-thaw cycles may
also cause such structures to shift and/or tilt. In order to
prevent such unwanted movement and ensure that a structure is level
regardless of the ground's topography, the structures are often
placed on stilts that extend from the structure or upon piles that
extend from the ground, or even on isolated footings that
distribute the weight of a structure over a relatively large
surface area. While this solves the aforementioned problem of
shifting/or sinking it often results in an unsightly visible gap in
the area between the ground and the bottom of the structure.
[0004] Various attempts to cover the unsightly gap have included
the use of plants, natural material such as rocks and wood and
manmade products such as cement, masonry and plastics. These
attempts have proven to be either prohibitively expensive,
difficult to install and/or disassemble, or unattractive and unable
to withstand sustained exposure to nature's elements. Attempts that
tend to be prohibitively expensive or difficult to install include,
for example, wall structures constructed of large, custom-made,
cement slabs having decorative faces, and standard masonry blocks
held together with mortar. Attempts that fall into the latter
category include such relatively fragile and easily breakable
products as wooden or plastic lattices, and synthetic panels
designed to simulate stones or bricks.
[0005] Consequently, there is a need for an easy to assemble and/or
dissemble, lightweight and sturdy, inexpensive wall structure for
covering the gap between the ground and an elevated structure such
as a mobile home.
[0006] In other applications, where brick, stone, or concrete is
used as veneer or fascia, for fencing, and as load-bearing and non
load-bearing walls, etc., these structures are constructed with an
eye towards permanence. That is, the structures are not meant to be
easily dismantled. This means that the component parts are often
able to interconnect with each other and/or with a support
framework in some fashion. This usually entails the use of robust
connections such as mechanical fasteners, adhesives, cement, or the
like. For example, many types of veneers are typically coated with
adhesive or cementitious material to enable them to be securely and
directly bonded to a structure. Or, as another example, walls may
be constructed in a conventional manner with blocks and mortar.
[0007] Alternatively, wall structures may comprise heavy,
interlocking blocks that rely on size and weight to achieve some
measure of permanence. As one may well imagine, each of the
aforementioned structures would be difficult and time consuming to
reconfigure, remove, or repair should the need arise. And while the
construction of some of these structures typically requires
specialized knowledge, skills, and tools to achieve, it will be
appreciated that disassembly may require other, additional
specialized knowledge, skills, and tools to achieve. In light of
these shortcomings, there is an additional need for a wall
structure that may be easily assembled, disassembled and rebuilt or
reconfigured by an unskilled user without damage to the constituent
parts of the wall structure and which may be used as a veneer,
fascia, cladding, fence, or as a load-bearing or non load-bearing
wall.
[0008] The present invention provides a solution to these needs and
other problems, and offers other advantages over the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Generally, the present invention provides a system by which
structures may be provided with durable, easy to assemble
externally facing surfaces, which are generally vertical and which
may be used in a wide variety of applications. The system utilizes
a series of particularly configured blocks that may be operatively
connected to the structures by beams and/or brackets. One
embodiment of the present invention provides a block wall system
for use in skirting elevated structures. The blocks are shaped to
be stacked in vertically independent, self-supporting columns,
strengthened and linked together by specially shaped, lightweight,
lateral support beams positioned between adjacent columns, and
which may be stabilized by one or more inverted u-shaped brackets
which are attached at or near the bottom of an elevated structure.
In an alternative embodiment, a u-shaped bracket is provided with
an arm that is rotatably attached thereto and which is movable into
a position that facilitates attachment to a generally vertical
surface. In another embodiment, the blocks are configured so that
lateral support beams may be positioned not only between adjacent
columns but also at intermediate positions along the block as well.
In another embodiment, the lateral support beam is configured so
that it can be movably coupled to a bracket, which may be attached
to an existing structure.
[0010] One embodiment of the block comprises a front face, a rear
face, top and bottom surfaces, and side surfaces, and each side
surface includes an outwardly opening, vertically oriented groove
for receiving a portion of a support beam. The top and bottom
surfaces are configured to facilitate a stacking relationship
between adjacent courses of blocks such that they are generally
coplanar. This relationship is most easily achieved by making the
top and bottom surfaces substantially collateral, planar and
relatively perpendicular to rear and/or front faces. Another
embodiment of the block includes the provision of externally formed
channels that are configured and arranged to prevent moisture from
forming and collecting at the rear face of the block. Another
embodiment of the block includes at least one through hole or
aperture that is substantially aligned with outwardly opening,
vertically oriented grooves in the side surfaces of a block. As
will be explained later, the through holes or apertures facilitate
use with support beams in a variety of applications. Another
embodiment of the block has viewable surfaces or facings that are
angled with respect to each other and which facilitate the
formation of closed structures.
[0011] One purpose of the beams is to keep vertically stacked,
self-supporting columns of blocks from buckling when subjected to a
force normal to the plane of the column. This strengthening is
accomplished providing the beams with lateral extensions or ribs
that are configured to be received in aligned grooves at the sides
of the vertically stacked blocks. Another purpose of the beams is
to link adjacent columns of blocks together in a colonnade-like
arrangement to form a wall structure. This is also achieved with
the aforementioned lateral extensions and grooves. As may be
expected, the beams provide very little, if any, support in a
vertical direction. The columns so constructed are considered
independent because, unlike conventionally constructed masonry or
stone walls, the joints between adjacent blocks are in alignment
with each other rather than being offset as in a running bond. This
enables the columns of blocks to move up and down relative to each
other, without appreciably altering the inherent continuity of a
wall structure. As will be appreciated, the rigidity of the blocks
provides enough support to prevent a column from failing in the
vertical direction. When a more robust wall structure is desired,
blocks that have appropriately configured apertures and rearwardly
facing slots may be stacked in a running bond arrangement and
strengthened and linked together by support beams. Although the
beams can be fabricated form a variety of materials such as metals
and plastics, extruded aluminum, nylon, and polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) are preferred.
[0012] It will be appreciated that the use of the lateral support
beams also eliminates and/or substantially reduces the need for
mortar to stabilize and unify the blocks. This wall structure
system is advantageous over traditional brick and mortar walls for
obvious reasons. First, fewer materials are required to build a
wall. Second, the materials are easier to handle and manipulate,
and no special tools or skills are required. Third, a wall can be
constructed under conditions that would not be possible using
traditional brick and mortar construction and a person need not be
concerned about time constraints imposed by drying mortar. Fourth,
the joints formed between adjacent blocks allow the wall to appear
monolithic or seamless at a surprisingly close distance. Moreover,
by providing blocks that have had their marginal areas modified, it
is also possible to create walls that have the appearance of
conventional block and mortar construction. Fifth, the block wall
system can be constructed on a variety of surfaces, including sand,
gravel, dirt, or building elements such as H-beams, flooring, base
blocks, etc. It is not necessary to pour a foundation.
[0013] The lateral support beams also allow the blocks to be
substantially thinner than conventional masonry blocks. These thin,
lightweight blocks are not only easier to handle and ship, but
require less material and time to fabricate. The blocks are
generally about 1 to 4 inches (2.5-10 cm.) thick, about 6 to 12
inches (15-30 cm.) in height and about 6 to 24 inches (15-60 cm.)
in width, and preferably have a thickness on the order of around 2
1/2 inches (6.0 cm.). As one may appreciate, the combination of the
thin blocks and the support beams facilitates construction of
masonry wall structures in locations and configurations that were
heretofore not possible using thin blocks alone. The resulting wall
structure of this system is surprisingly strong and it may even be
used to provide support to an elevated structure. When a wall
structure is installed about an elevated structure, such as a
portable home, the elevated structure may be lowered onto the
blocks of the wall. Alternatively, the block wall system may serve
as a skirt, which improves the aesthetics of the structure and
keeps animals, litter, snow, etc. from intruding or being otherwise
introduced beneath the structure. Or, the block wall system may be
used with existing structures such as elevated decks and retaining
walls. With these embodiments, it is not necessary that the blocks
make actual contact with the structure.
[0014] The block wall system also allows the wall to be easily
disassembled and reassembled. This not only gives flexibility
during initial construction, but also allows later renovations to
be made quickly and inexpensively. For instance, it may be
desirable or required to vent elevated structures having skirting
walls, to prevent the buildup of moisture or condensation between
the ground and the elevated structure. Such vents can be easily
installed into an existing wall, especially if they are of similar
dimensions and configurations as the blocks. The blocks of a given
column are simply removed and reinstalled, replacing one of the
blocks with the vent. Other auxiliary items, such as an access door
or lights, could be installed in a similar manner.
[0015] The wall block system of the present invention is not
confined to linear structures. As will be appreciated, the system
also allows walls to intersect to form angled or closed structures.
In one embodiment, two intersecting walls are simply aligned to
form a butt joint and fasteners such as pegs, or screws, and
plastic inserts are used to fasten one wall to the other.
Alternatively, construction mastic, or a similar type of adhesive,
may be applied instead of or in combination with the abovementioned
fasteners. In another embodiment, blocks are preformed as angled
intersecting wall units that have been provided with outwardly
opening, vertically oriented side grooves configured to receive
portions of support beams, which may be further linked to other
wall blocks as described above. As will be appreciated, such blocks
may be combined together to form hollow columnar structures, or may
be used to clad an existing structure such as a support post.
Again, ease of installation is greatly improved by the block wall
system of the present invention.
[0016] Another embodiment of the wall structure uses a differently
configured bracket than the aforementioned u-shaped bracket. It,
too, is used to operatively connect the wall structure to a
support. The bracket of this embodiment, however, attaches in a
slightly different manner than the u-shaped bracket. Instead of
straddling the upper portion of a top-most block as with the
u-shaped bracket of the aforementioned embodiment, this bracket has
one end that is configured to be positioned within space defined by
opposing vertical grooves of adjacent blocks. That is, the bracket
is designed to be installed at or near the sides of a column. The
other end of the bracket is configured to be attached at or near
the bottom of a structure. An advantage with this bracket it that
it is able to provide support for the wall structure in two
directions, while allowing movement of wall components relative
thereto in a third direction. As will be appreciated, this bracket
may be easily installed and removed without the need for special
training or tools. Preferably, the bracket of this embodiment is
L-shaped, although it is envisioned that other shapes are possible.
For example, the bracket may be linear, or it may be linear and
have an axial twist in it. Or, the structure-engaging portion may
be provided with a u-shape or even its own integral fastener.
[0017] An assembly of blocks may be operatively connected to a
support using yet another embodiment of the wall skirting system.
With this embodiment, the support beam is configured to be movably
coupled to one or more brackets that, in turn, may be attached to
the support. This allows the beam to move relative to the
bracket(s) without sacrificing the strength of the assembled
blocks, and also allows the beams to be connected to the structure
at different locations along its length. For example, at the top,
at the bottom, or anywhere in between. As will be understood, in
order for the support beam and bracket to operate in such a
constrained manner the bracket(s) need to be configured so that
they are able to slidingly retain the beam. Thus, differently
configured beams may require specially configured brackets.
[0018] In another embodiment of the block wall system, blocks are
operatively connected to a structure with one or more brackets,
which are configured to be able to engage the side grooves of
adjacent blocks, and which may be directly attached to the
structure. As will be appreciated, the brackets of this embodiment
will permit the blocks to move relative thereto, but not to the
degree that is available with the aforementioned support beam and
bracket combination. As with the aforementioned support beams, the
brackets can be fabricated form a variety of materials such as
metals and plastics. However, steel, extruded aluminum, nylon, and
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are preferred.
[0019] It will be appreciated that wall structures other than
linear structures are possible. For example, support beams and
blocks may be used to construct circular, or sinuous structures by
providing curved blocks or blocks with one curved viewable surface
(when viewed cross-sectionally from a point above the top surface
of the block) that are operatively connected to support beams that
are similarly arranged. Alternatively, a wall structure may be
constructed in a zigzag or erose form with the support beams
collaterally arranged relative to each other in a zigzag manner. To
reduce vertical gaps between forwardly facing viewable surfaces of
adjacent blocks in such a wall structure, it would be a matter of
providing support beams with ribs that are angled with respect to
the web and mitering or beveling the opposing sides of the blocks,
or using a combination of both angling and mitering the ribs and
sides, respectively. A similarly configured wall may also be
constructed using support beams arranged in a coplanar or staggered
fashion relative to each other and blocks having a predetermined,
angular viewable surface (when viewed cross-sectionally from a
point above the top surface of the blocks). For example, a "V",
"L", or a "W". Such blocks may have parallel front and rear faces,
if desired. With such a construction, neither the support beams nor
the opposing fingers need to be modified. In a related
construction, it is envisioned that blocks be constructed having
angles of ninety degrees so that they may be used as inner or outer
corners. With such blocks, the opposing sides and their fingers
would be perpendicular to each other.
[0020] In one method of constructing a freestanding, low wall
structure of the present invention, a person would prepare or
otherwise select an appropriate location in which to construct a
wall. The construction would begin by placing a first block having
opposing side grooves in a desired position and orientation. Then,
a second, similar block would be placed directly on top of the
first block so that the opposing side grooves of the first and
second blocks are in vertical alignment with each other and the
first and second blocks form a column. Next, the first and second
blocks would be operatively connected to each other along their
respective sides by inserting at least one rib of first and second
support beams into the aligned grooves of the respective sides of
the first and second blocks and seating them securely. A second
column comprising similarly configured third and a fourth blocks
may now be constructed. The operation is much the same, except now
the third block is positioned so that one of its sides is adjacent
to one of the sides of the first block and its groove engages at
least one other rib of one of the already positioned support beams.
The fourth block is then positioned on top of the third block in a
similar manner. That is, the fourth block is positioned so that one
of its sides is adjacent to one of the sides of the second block
and its groove engages at least one other rib of one of the already
positioned support beam. After the second column is erected, the
third and fourth blocks would be operatively connected to each
other along their respective free side by inserting at least one
rib of a third support beam into their aligned vertical groove of
the respective sides of the first and second blocks and seating
them securely. And so on.
[0021] Another, alternative method of constructing a wall structure
of the present invention according to the present invention would
be as follows. A person would prepare or otherwise select an
appropriate substructure on which to construct a wall structure.
The construction would begin by operatively connecting a first
elongated support beam to the substructure. Then using the first
support beam as a reference, a series of additional support beams
would be operatively connected to the substructure, with all of the
support beams in vertical and collateral alignment, and with the
distance between adjacent support beams sufficient to enable the
ribs of adjacent beams to engage opposing side grooves of a block.
Once the dimensions of the wall structure have been established,
the blocks with opposing side grooves may be positioned by sliding
the blocks along the length of and between adjacent support beams.
This may be done course by course, column by column, or in a
mixture of both columns and courses, as desired.
[0022] In a variation of the aforementioned methods of
construction, a person would begin by operatively connecting a
first elongated support beam to the substructure in a vertical
orientation. Then a first block having opposing side grooves would
be placed in a desired position and orientation against the first
elongate support beam so that at least one of the ribs of the first
beam is seated within one of the side grooves of the block. Then, a
second, similar block would be placed directly on top of the first
block so that the at least one rib of the first beam is also seated
within one of the side grooves of the second block so that the
opposing side grooves of the first and second blocks are in
vertical alignment with each other and the first and second blocks
form a column. Next, the first and second blocks are operatively
connected to each other along their other respective sides by
aligning the grooves of the respective sides of the first and
second blocks, and inserting at least one rib of a second support
beam into the aligned grooves and seating it securely therein.
After the second support beam is seated, it is attached to the
substructure. A second column comprising similarly configured third
and a fourth blocks may now be constructed. The operation is the
same, with the third block positioned so that one of its sides is
adjacent to one of the sides of the first block and its groove
engages another rib of the already positioned second support beam.
The fourth block is then positioned on top of the third block in a
similar manner. That is, the fourth block is positioned so that one
of its sides is adjacent to one of the sides of the second block
and its groove engages another rib of the already positioned second
support beam. After the second column is erected, the third and
fourth blocks would be operatively connected to each other along
their respective free side by aligning the grooves of the
respective sides of the third and fourth blocks, and inserting at
least one rib of a third support beam into the aligned grooves and
seating it securely therein. After the third support beam is
seated, it is attached to the substructure. And so on.
[0023] Additional advantages and features of the invention will be
set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part,
will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination
of the following or may be learned by practice of the
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 is a partial, perspective view of two embodiments of
the block wall system, with one preferred embodiment of blocks
arranged below an elevated first (upper level) deck structure and
another embodiment of blocks arranged about the perimeter of an
adjacent, elevated second (lower level) deck structure;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a partial, exploded, perspective view of the block
arrangement below the elevated first (upper level) deck structure
of FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 2a is a top plan view of the block arrangement of FIG.
1, taken generally along lines 2a-2a;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a side elevational, cross-sectional view of the
block arrangement about the perimeter of the elevated second (lower
level) deck structure of FIG. 1 taken generally along lines
3-3;
[0028] FIG. 3a is a partial, side elevational, cross-sectional view
of an alternative support for the block arrangement of FIG. 3;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an elevated structure
skirted with an embodiment of the blocks of the present invention
arranged in a wall structure;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view the wall structure of FIG.
4 taken generally along lines 5-5;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a partial, perspective view of an embodiment of
blocks arranged to provide a facia wall for a retaining wall;
[0032] FIG. 6a is a partial, side elevational, cross-sectional view
of the block arrangement of FIG. 6 taken generally along lines
6a-6a;
[0033] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
block of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 7a is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
block of the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 7b is a bottom plan view of the block of FIG. 7a;
[0036] FIG. 8 is a partial, cross-sectional, plan view of an
embodiment of a corner construction of a wall structure of the
present invention;
[0037] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
block of the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the block of FIG. 9;
[0039] FIG. 11 is a partial, perspective view of an embodiment of a
support beam of the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 11a is a partial, perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a support beam of the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 12 is a partial, perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a support beam;
[0042] FIG. 13 is a partial, perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of a support beam;
[0043] FIG. 14 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of a
block engagement portion of a vertical support beam similar to that
of FIG. 11a, with the remainder of the support beam shown in
phantom;
[0044] FIG. 15 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of a
block engagement portion of a support beam similar to that of FIG.
11a, with the remainder of the support beam shown in phantom;
[0045] FIG. 16 is a partial, perspective view of an embodiment of a
support beam of the present invention;
[0046] FIG. 17 is a partial, perspective view of another embodiment
of a support beam in conjunction with a bracket, with the bracket
configured to be attached to a sub structure;
[0047] FIG. 18 is a partial, perspective view of another embodiment
of a support beam in conjunction with another embodiment of a
bracket, with the bracket configured to be attached to a sub
structure;
[0048] FIG. 19 is a partial, perspective view of another embodiment
of a support beam in conjunction with another embodiment of a
bracket with the bracket configured to be attached to a
substructure;
[0049] FIG. 20 is a partial, perspective view of an embodiment of a
support beam having an integrally formed aperture and an integrally
formed bracket, with the support beam able to be used with the
support beam of FIG. 19 to construct/form a double sided wall
structure;
[0050] FIG. 21 a partial, perspective view of another embodiment of
a support beam;
[0051] FIG. 22 is a partial, top plan view, taken generally along
lines 22-22 of FIG. 4, of showing adjacent blocks of the present
invention in conjunction with a support beam;
[0052] FIG. 23 is a partial, top plan view of the two blocks
abutted with a support beam of FIG. 22, but with the support beam
arranged in an alternative configuration;
[0053] FIG. 23a is a partial, top plan view of the blocks of FIG.
23 as they may be assembled into a wall structure, or as a wall
structure is disassembled;
[0054] FIG. 24 is a partial, top plan view of two blocks, a support
beam, and a support bracket that have been assembled into a wall
structure;
[0055] FIG. 24a is a partial, top plan view of a portion of the
blocks, support beam, and bracket of FIG. 24, as they may be
assembled into a wall structure, or as a wall structure is
disassembled;
[0056] FIG. 25 is a partial, top plan view of two blocks of the
present invention in conjunction with an alternative embodiment of
a support beam;
[0057] FIG. 26 is a partial, top plan view of two blocks of the
present invention in conjunction with another alternative
embodiment of a support beam;
[0058] FIG. 27 is a partial, top plan view of the support beams
shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 in conjunction with blocks of the present
invention;
[0059] FIG. 28 is a partial, top plan view of two blocks of FIG. 7a
that are operatively connected to the support beam of FIG. 11
a;
[0060] FIG. 29 is a partial, top plan view of the support beam of
FIG. 16 as it may be used to operatively connect blocks of the
present invention to a substructure;
[0061] FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a wall structure
construction using another preferred embodiment of support beams
and blocks of the present invention;
[0062] FIG. 31 is a partial, top plan view of the support beam and
bracket of FIG. 17 as they may be used to operatively connect
blocks to a substructure;
[0063] FIG. 32 is a partial, top plan view of the support beam and
bracket of FIG. 18 as they may be used to operatively connect
blocks to a substructure;
[0064] FIG. 33 is a partial, top plan view of the support beam and
bracket of FIG. 19 as they may be used to operatively connect
blocks to a substructure;
[0065] FIG. 34 is a partial, top plan view of an alternative
embodiment of the support beam of FIG. 21 as it may be used to
operatively connect blocks to a substructure;
[0066] FIG. 35 is a partial, top plan view of the support beam of
FIG. 21 as it may be used to operatively connect blocks to a
substructure;
[0067] FIG. 36 is a partial, top plan view of the support beam of
FIG. 20 and the support beam of FIG. 19 as they may be used to
operatively connect differently sized blocks together in a
dual-sided wall structure;
[0068] FIG. 37 is a partial, top plan view of the blocks of FIG. 7
in conjunction with another embodiment of a support beam, with the
support beam operatively connecting the blocks to an existing
structure;
[0069] FIG. 37a is a partial, top plan view of the blocks of FIG. 7
in conjunction with another alternative embodiment of a support
beam with the support beam operatively connecting the blocks to an
existing structure;
[0070] FIG. 37b is a partial, top plan view of blocks of FIG. 7 in
conjunction with another alternative embodiment of a support beam
with the support beam operatively connecting the blocks to an
existing structure;
[0071] FIG. 38 is a partial, top plan view of a free standing dual
wall structure wherein the respective walls of the wall structure
are connected to each other in a spaced relation by an alternative
embodiment of a support beam;
[0072] FIG. 39 is a partial, top plan view of blocks of FIG. 7 in
conjunction with an alternative embodiment of the support beam of
FIG. 20, wherein the aperture is configured to received a post;
[0073] FIG. 40 is a partial, perspective view of an embodiment of a
wall structure of the present invention and a preferred attachment
bracket;
[0074] FIG. 41 is a perspective view of the attachment bracket of
FIG. 40;
[0075] FIG. 42 is a side elevational view of the bracket of FIG. 41
attached to a lower surface of a structure, and as it may be
attached to an upper surface of the structure (shown in
phantom);
[0076] FIG. 43 is a perspective view if the attachment bracket of
FIG. 41 as it may be used in conjunction with the support beam of
FIG. 11;
[0077] FIG. 44 is an exploded, perspective view of an attachment
bracket and the support beam of FIG. 11a;
[0078] FIG. 45 is a rear perspective view of the attachment bracket
and support beam of FIG. 44 after they have been operatively
connected to each other;
[0079] FIG. 46 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of an attachment bracket suitable for use with a support beam as
depicted in FIG. 11a;
[0080] FIG. 47 is a plan view of the attachment bracket of FIG. 46
as it may be operatively connected to a support beam as depicted in
FIG. 11a;
[0081] FIG. 48 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of an attachment bracket having an arm that is rotatably connected
thereto, and which is in a first position;
[0082] FIG. 49 is a perspective view of the attachment bracket of
FIG. 48 in which the arm has been rotated to a second position;
[0083] FIG. 50 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an
attachment bracket;
[0084] FIG. 51 is a partial, perspective view of a wall structure
in which blocks of the present invention are operatively connected
to a substructure by the vertically oriented support beams and
brackets of FIGS. 2 and 2a;
[0085] FIG. 52 is another partial perspective view of a wall
structure in which blocks of the present invention are operatively
connected to a substructure by horizontally oriented support beams
and brackets of FIGS. 2 and 2a;
[0086] FIG. 53 is a side elevation view of a block wall structure
that is operatively connected to a structure;
[0087] FIG. 54 is an edge view of a sealing element that is used in
the construction of the wall structure of FIG. 53;
[0088] FIG. 55 is a perspective view of the sealing element of FIG.
54;
[0089] FIG. 56 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 53, which
depicts the sealing element of FIGS. 54 and 55 as it resides
between structural elements;
[0090] FIG. 57 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of an attachment bracket for use in conjunction with blocks of the
present invention;
[0091] FIG. 58 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of an attachment bracket for use in conjunction with blocks of the
present invention;
[0092] FIG. 59 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of an attachment bracket for use in conjunction with blocks of the
present invention; and,
[0093] FIG. 60 is a plan view of the brackets of FIGS. 57 and 59
operatively connecting blocks of the present invention to a
substructure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0094] FIG. 1 illustrates several embodiments of the wall block
system of present invention, as practiced with an elevated first
(upper level) deck d1 and an adjacent, elevated second (lower
level) deck structure d2. The first embodiment is an elevated upper
level deck structure d1, which is supported by a plurality of
vertical posts that have been provided with an external sheathing
of blocks that are operatively connected to the posts by support
beams and brackets.
[0095] As depicted, the blocks used to sheath the post are angled
blocks, such as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 2a. The blocks, which are
provided with grooves at their side edges, are configured to be
operatively connected to a post by one or more support beams 716,
which will be discussed later in greater detail. As depicted, the
support beams may be directly attached to the post. Alternatively,
the blocks may also be operatively connected to the post by a
support beam and a bracket 354 (see, for example, FIG. 2a, which
will be discussed later in greater detail), or by brackets alone
(see FIGS. 57, 58, 59 and 60). While it will be understood that a
post sheathing will be relatively robust, it may be desirable to
create a more permanent structure. This can be achieved, for
example, by providing the horizontal and/or vertical edge surfaces
of the blocks With a suitable adhesive 58 (vertical edge surfaces
shown in phantom). Alternatively, the blocks may be secured by one
or more circumferential bands of material (not shown).
[0096] Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2 and 2a, it will be apparent
that gaps may exist between the blocks and the post, and that
moisture and debris may infiltrate the gaps from above, and/or
between the joints between adjacent blocks. As will be understood,
such infiltration may be substantially reduced by providing the
sheathed post with cap stones, flashing gaskets or other
construction elements that serve to effectively close the gaps from
above. Infiltration reduction may also be achieved by providing the
horizontal and vertical edge surfaces with caulking material.
[0097] The second embodiment of the block wall system of FIG. 1
depicts another application of the present invention, where blocks
are used to skirt an elevated, lower level, second deck structure
d2. In this application, the wall structure comprises several block
embodiments. Starting from the left corner, the upper and lowermost
courses comprise blocks that are similar to the corner blocks of
FIGS. 2 and 2a. The middle course, while it could comprise a block
of FIGS. 2 and 2a, is constructed using two linear blocks that are
connected to each other by fastening element such as pins and/or
adhesive material (see, for example, FIG. 8). Continuing towards
the right, the next block embodiments, which will be discussed
later in greater detail, are generally linear and as will be
discussed later, configured to be operatively connected to the deck
frame. Continuing on to the right corner, the arrangement of the
blocks is similar to the arrangement of the blocks depicted at the
left corner. The right corner differs, however, in that the corners
formed by the blocks are not ninety degrees. Instead, the corner
formed by the intersection of two walls is obtuse.
[0098] As will be discussed later in greater detail, the skirting
structure blocks may be operatively connected to the deck frame in
a manner similar to the previously discussed post sheathing. That
is, through the use of support beams, support beams and bracket, or
brackets. The wall structure depicted in FIG. 5 uses a support beam
that is attached directly to the deck frame. As will be discussed
later, the support beam serves to maintain and align a plurality of
blocks. As depicted, the blocks of FIG. 5 are supported by a
longitudinal L-shaped support bar that is also attached to the deck
frame. With this operative connection, the blocks are not subject
to external forces such as frost heave, and are generally
static.
[0099] In the partial depiction wall structure of FIG. 5a, the
support beam is indirectly connected to the deck frame by one or
more brackets. In this instance, the beam and bracket combination
is similar to the beam and bracket combination of FIG. 2a. This
combination allows the beam (and blocks), which rest on a footing,
to move in response to external forces such as frost heave. In this
regard, the operative connection can be considered dynamic.
[0100] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an elevated structure "S"
skirted with a wall system 10 of the present invention. Generally,
the wall structure 10 comprises of a plurality of blocks 12 forming
columns 14 (see also, FIG. 4) partially spaced apart and held in
place by vertically oriented, lateral support beams (see, for
example, FIGS. 5, 11, 22, and 23). Downward opening brackets 18
(see FIGS. 5 and 22) that are attached to the bottom of the
structure "S" being skirted, are configured to engaged the top
block 12 of selected columns 14 to help prevent the wall structure
10 from tipping rearwardly or forwardly. As used herein, the term
"forward" means away from the center of the elevated structure "S"
and the term "rearward" means toward the center of the elevated
structure "S".
[0101] FIGS. 4 and 7 show an arrangement of blocks 12 that form a
plurality of columns 14. Referring particularly to FIG. 7, each
block 12 is generally panel-shaped and includes a front face 20, a
rear face 22, a top surface 24, a bottom surface 26 and pairs of
side surfaces 28a, 29a and 28b, 29b, respectively. The side surface
pairs 28a, 29a and 28b, 29b, respectively, are preferably somewhat
perpendicular to the rear face 22 and/or the front face 20. Side
surface 28a is spaced from side surface 28b by a distance (taken
along a "x" direction in a three-dimensional coordinate system
relative to the blocks 12) to define a width 33 of the block 12.
Additionally, each pair of side surfaces 28a and 29a, 28b and 29b,
include a substantially vertical groove 34 therebetween, which is
configured to receive a portion of a lateral support beam 16 (See,
for example, FIG. 11).
[0102] Note that while the top and bottom surfaces 24, 26 of
adjacent blocks 12 are configured to contact each other without
thick layers of mortar or binding material therebetween, it is
envisioned that the use of thin layers of intermediate materials,
which may serve to strengthen and/or provide resistance to moisture
may be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. Moreover, it will be apparent that thin or no
intermediate layers will minimize the spacing between blocks and
allow the marginal areas 23c, 23d of adjacent blocks 12 to combine
and simulate horizontally oriented splitting recesses.
[0103] As will be understood, the brackets 18 (see FIGS. 4 and 22)
prevent rearward or forward movement of the column 14 and also work
in conjunction with the beam 16 to prevent columns 14 not in direct
contact with the bracket 18 from tipping over rearwardly or
forwardly. It is envisioned that the beams 16 may be directly
attached to the wall structure 10 (similar to FIG. 29) or
alternatively, the bracket 18 may be solely responsible for
preventing the wall structure 10 from tipping over. While it will
be understood that the bracket 18 can be of any suitable material,
synthetic, more preferably poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) or other
durable plastic is preferred.
[0104] The bracket 18 comprises a front wall 44, a rear wall 46
spaced apart from front wall 44 and a top wall 48 joining the front
wall 44 to the rear wall 46 in a generally inverted "U"-shape. The
front wall 44 and the rear wall 46 define an opening 50, which is
configured and arranged to receive an uppermost portion of the top
block 12 of a column 14. In practice, the bracket 18 is attached at
or near the underside of a structure "S" to be skirted so that the
opening 50 can receive the upper portion of the top block 12 of a
column 14. Preferably, the bracket 18 is positioned such that it
may straddle the central region of an uppermost block 12. It may be
desired to make rear wall 46 of a greater vertical dimension than
the front wall 44 to provide additional support. It may also be
desired to provide a bracket 18 with a rear wall 46, width that
extends in a lateral direction further than the front wall 44
width. Furthermore, it is envisioned that the bracket 18 can be
formed into a variety of lengths. For instance, the bracket 18 can
be as short as one inch or as long as the entire skirted structure
"S".
[0105] While the top wall 48 of the bracket 18 is depicted in FIG.
4 as being in contact with the top surface 24 of the uppermost
block 12 of the column 14, it should be understood that this need
not always be the case. In situations where the wall structure 10
is not a load bearing wall, or where the terrain shifts or changes
due to climate, settling, animals, roots, etc., it may be desirable
to provide a gap between the top wall 48 and the top surface of the
wall structure 10. Thus, individual columns 14 will be able to move
vertically in small increments without destroying the integrity of
the wall structure 10 or the skirted structure (not shown). In that
regard, it should be appreciated that the beams 16 slidingly grip
portions of the blocks 12. That is to say, the beams 16 do not grip
the blocks 12 with so much force as to preclude relative movement
of the blocks 12 therealong in a longitudinal direction.
[0106] FIGS. 6 and 6a show an embodiment of another application of
the present invention, where blocks are used to provide a facia
wall in front of an existing retaining wall. The facia wall is
formed using support beams and brackets similar to the beams and
brackets depicted in FIGS. 2 and 2a. That is, the support beam 716,
as shown, comprises an elongated spine or web 718 and plurality of
ribs 720 and 722, 724 and 726, which are arranged in a
substantially coplanar and collateral relation so that the first
pair of ribs 720, 722, which are substantially coplanar and extend
away from each other. The first pair of ribs 720, 722 are designed
to engage the grooves of one or more blocks of a structure (see,
for example, FIG. 6a).
[0107] In addition, the web 718 also includes a second pair of ribs
724, 726, which are also substantially coplanar and which extend
away from each other. Note that the pairs of ribs 724 and 726 are
in substantially collateral or parallel relation with respect to
each other and are spaced apart from each other by a distance
defined by the web 718. As better shown in FIGS. 51 and 52, he
support beam 716 also includes a pair of pair of leg structures 730
having leg portions 732a, 732b that they extend rearwardly away
from ribs 724, 726 and which form a generally U-shaped channel
therewith. One of the leg portions 732b includes a foot 734 that
extends laterally away from the leg portion 732b and is generally
parallel with ribs 724, 726. As with the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and
2a, the foot may be connected directly or indirectly to a support
structure. However, as depicted, the beams of FIGS. 6 and 6a are
operatively connected to a structure by a plurality of brackets
354, which are attached to blocks of the retaining wall. With such
an arrangement the beams, which are slidingly constrained by the
brackets, permit blocks to move without destroying the integrity of
the structure.
[0108] The brackets 354 used to operatively connect the beams 718
to the retaining wall blocks generally comprise a structure
engaging portion, a web, and a support beam engaging portion. As
shown in FIG. 50, the structure engaging portion 356 of bracket 354
comprises a single or first member 357 that is provided with an
aperture 360, which is used to facilitate attachment to the
retaining wall with fastening elements such as nails, threaded
fasteners, or anchor bolts. It will be appreciated, however, that
an aperture or apertures need not be present in order to attach the
bracket to a structure. The fastening element(s) may be driven
through the first member, if desired. Additionally, it will also be
appreciated that attachment may also be achieved with suitable
adhesives, in lieu of, or in addition to, fastening elements. The
support beam engaging portion 358 comprises a web 362 and a pair of
legs 364, 366, which are angled with respect to the web to form a
generally "L"-shape. The web 362 includes an aperture 368 that is
accessible through a slot 370 defined by edges 372 and 374 of legs
366 and 364, respectively. The aperture 368 and slot 370 are
configured to slidingly receive a leg portion 732b and foot 734 of
a support beam (see also, FIGS. 50, 51 and 52).
[0109] Attention is now directed to the individual components of a
wall structure 10. FIG. 7 depicts a preferred embodiment of a block
12. It can be seen that the block 12 is generally panel-shaped and
includes a front face 20, a rear face 22, a top surface 24, a
bottom surface 26 and pairs of side surfaces 28a, 29a and 28b, 29b,
respectively. The block 12 is preferably made of a composite
masonry material in a dry-cast molding operation. Though the
general shape of the blocks 12 is more important than the material
used in order to practice the present invention, composite masonry
material provides the most desirable combination of strength,
appearance, economy, and ease of manufacturing. It is envisioned,
however, that other materials can be used, such as concrete,
fiberglass, ceramics, hard plastics, dense foam, or even wood.
[0110] The front face 20 is spaced from the rear face 22 by a
predetermined distance herein defining the thickness or depth 30
(generally about 1 to 4 inches (2.5 to 10.0 cm)) of the block 12.
As shown in FIG. 7, the front face 20 is formed to have a roughened
or rustic surface. Such surfaces commonly result during block
fabrication, where a mold is cast and the casting is later split or
fractured into two blocks along a predetermined plane, with the
plane of separation between the two blocks defining a pair of
opposing front faces. Splitting is not necessary to carry out the
spirit of the invention, however, and the block 12 may be formed by
other known methods. Moreover, the front face 20 can be dressed,
modified, or otherwise worked in any desired manner.
[0111] A vertically oriented splitting recess 21 may be provided on
the front face 20 of the block 12 to enable the block 12 to be
fashioned into predetermined shapes. In FIG. 7, the splitting
recess 21 is depicted as bisecting the block 12. However, it is
understood that the splitting recess can be located and oriented
elsewhere on the block. That is, the splitting recess can be
off-center, horizontal, diagonal, etc. Moreover, it is also
understood that the block can be provided with more than one
splitting recess, if desired.
[0112] The front face 20 includes marginal areas 23a, 23b, 23c, and
23d. As may be expected, the number of marginal areas corresponds
to the number of edges of the front face 20. These marginal areas
may be worked or modified, if desired, to produce different visual
effects. Here, the desired effect is for the marginal areas 23a,
23b, 23c, and 23d to simulate splitting recesses 21. Thus, the
marginal areas 23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d are formed so that when
blocks 12 are positioned in contact with each other in a wall
structure 10, the cross-sectional profiles of their marginal areas
23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d, when combined, simulate splitting recesses
21. As depicted the splitting recesses 21 have a cross-sectional
profile that is somewhat circular, and the marginal areas 23a, 23b,
23c, and 23d have cross-sectional areas that are fluted or arced.
As can be appreciated, the splitting recesses 21 and marginal areas
23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d may be configured with other cross-sectional
profiles, if desired. For example, a "V"-shaped cross-sectional
profile.
[0113] As mentioned above, tight or thin joints 31 (See FIG. 3)
between adjacent blocks 12 enables a wall structure to appear
monolithic or seamless. This feature may be used in combination
with splitting recesses 21 and marginal areas 23a-d of the blocks
12 to create different visual effects. For example, it is
envisioned that a wall structure may simulate running bonds by
having the blocks of each column alternate between a block with no
splitting recess and worked marginal areas and a block having a
splitting recess and worked horizontal marginal areas (see, for
example, FIG. 40). Or, it is envisioned that the splitting recesses
and marginal areas be selected to enable the wall structure to
simulate an ashlar block wall (not shown).
[0114] Referring again to FIG. 7, the top surface 24 is spaced from
the bottom surface 26 by a distance (taken along a "y" direction in
a three-dimensional coordinate system relative to the block 12) to
define the height 32 (about 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm)) of the
block 12. When blocks 12 are arranged vertically to form a column
14 (see FIG. 4), the bottom surface 26 of any block 12 other than
the bottom block of a column 14 (not shown) rests on the top
surface 24 of the block therebelow. It is therefore preferred that
the top surface 24 and the bottom surface 26 be configured to
facilitate a stacking relationship between two blocks 12. A
stacking relationship is most easily achieved by making the top and
bottom surfaces 24, 26 substantially collateral, planar, and
relatively perpendicular to the rear face 22 and/or the front face
20, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Alternatively, it is envisioned
that top and bottom surfaces 24, 26 may be complementarily shaped,
and not perpendicular to the rear face and/or the front face, but
which permit upper and lower blocks to be stacked in a vertical
relationship (not shown). For example, the surfaces could be
non-planar and/or irregular. Alternatively, the surfaces can have
compound curves or even interlocking segments (not shown).
[0115] The side surface pairs 28a, 29a and 28b, 29b, respectively,
are preferably somewhat perpendicular to the rear face 22 and/or
the front face 20. Side surface 28a is spaced from side surface 28b
by a distance (taken along a "x" direction in a three-dimensional
coordinate system relative to a block 12) to define the width 33 (6
to 24 inches (15 to 60 cm)) of block 12. Additionally, each pair of
side surfaces 28a and 29a, 28b and 29b, include a substantially
vertical groove 34 therebetween that is configured to receive a
portion of a lateral support beam 16 (see, for example, FIG. 11).
While a pair of side grooves for each block is preferred, it is
envisioned that one side surface be provided with a groove and the
other side surface have a tongue configured to mate with the
groove, thereby obviating the need for beams 16. However, in order
to maintain the vertically independent characteristics of columns
14, the use of beams 16 is preferred.
[0116] Referring now to FIGS. 7a and 7b, another embodiment of the
block of the present invention is depicted. The block 112 is
generally panel-shaped and includes a front face 120, a rear face
122, a top surface 124, a bottom surface 126 and pairs of side
surfaces 128a, 129a, and 128b, 129b, respectively.
[0117] The front face 120 is spaced from the rear face 122 by a
predetermined distance defining the thickness or depth 130
(generally about 1 to 4 inches (2.5 to 10.0 cm)) of the block 112.
As shown in FIG. 7a, the front face 120 is formed to having a
roughened or weathered surface. However, it is understood that the
front face 120 could, be dressed, modified, or otherwise worked in
any desired manner.
[0118] Vertically oriented splitting recesses may be provided on
the front face of the block to enable the block to be fashioned
into predetermined shapes. Here, the splitting recesses 121 are
depicted as quartering the block 112 and forming front face
segments 125a, 125b, 125c, and 125d. However, it is understood that
the splitting recesses 121 may be located and oriented elsewhere on
the block 112. That is, the splitting recesses 121 could be off
center, horizontal, diagonal, etc. Moreover, it is also understood
that a block splitting recesses 121 may be omitted, if desired.
[0119] The front face 120 includes marginal areas 123a, 123b, 123c,
and 123d. As may be expected, the number of marginal areas
corresponds to the number of edges of the front face 120. The
marginal areas 123a-d may be worked or modified, if desired, to
produce different visual effects. In FIG. 7a, the desired visual
effect is for the marginal areas to simulate splitting recesses.
Thus, the marginal areas 123a-d are formed so that when blocks 112
are positioned in contact with each other in a wall structure 10
(See FIG. 3, for example), the cross-sectional profiles of their
marginal areas 123a-d, when combined, simulate splitting recesses
at the joints formed by the block. As depicted, the splitting
recesses 121 have a cross-sectional profile that is somewhat
circular, and the marginal areas 123a-d have cross-sectional areas
that are fluted or arced. As can be appreciated, the splitting
recesses and marginal areas 123a-d may be configured with other
cross-sectional profiles, if desired. For example, a "V"-shaped
cross-sectional profile.
[0120] Referring again to FIG. 7a, the top surface 124 is spaced
from the bottom surface 126 by a distance (taken along a "y"
direction in a three-dimensional coordinate system relative to the
block 112) to define the height 132 (about 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30
cm)) of the block 112. When the blocks 112 are arranged vertically
to form a column 14 (see, for example, FIGS. 4 and 5), the bottom
surface 126 (not shown) of any block 112 other than the bottom
block of a column 14 (See FIG. 5) rests on the top surface 124 of
the block 112 therebelow. It is therefore preferred that the top
surface 124 and the bottom surface 126 be configured to facilitate
a stacking relationship between two blocks 112. A stacking
relationship is most easily achieved by making the top and bottom
surfaces 124, 126 substantially collateral, planar and relatively
perpendicular to the rear face 122 and/or the front face 120, as
shown in FIGS.4 and 5. Alternatively, it is envisioned that the top
surface 124 and the bottom surface 126 (see FIG. 7b) may be
complementarily shaped, and not perpendicular to the rear face 122
and/or the front face 120, as long as the upper and lower blocks
112 can be stacked in a vertical relationship. For example, the
surfaces 124,126 (not shown) can be non-planar and/or irregular.
Or, the surfaces 124, 126 (not shown) can have compound curves or
interlocking segments (not shown).
[0121] Referring to FIG. 7b, the side surface pairs 128a, 129a and
128b, 129b, respectively, are preferably somewhat perpendicular to
the rear face 122 and/or the front face 120. The side surface 128a
is spaced from the side surface 128b by a distance (taken along the
"x" direction in a three-dimensional coordinate system relative to
the block 112) to define the width 133 (6 to 24 inches (15 to 60
cm)) of the block 112. Additionally, each pair of side surfaces
128a, 129a, 128b and 129b, include a substantially vertical groove
134 located therebetween that is configured to receive a portion of
a lateral support beam (see, for example, the lateral support beam
depicted in FIGS. 11, and 23-36).
[0122] The block 112 is that it is additionally provided with one
or more substantially vertical apertures or through holes 150a,
150b, and 150c. As can be seen, apertures 150a, 150b, and 150c,
which are in substantial alignment with the grooves 134 located on
either side of the block 112. This enables for use with support
beams 270 such as those shown in (See FIG. 12), to be used, if
desired. The vertical apertures 150a-c also allow a plurality of
blocks 112 to be positioned in a running bond (again using support
beams 270 such as those shown in FIG. 12, for example). The
aperture 150b may be provided with a slot 152, which that provides
an opening to the rear face 122. In addition, the block 112 may now
be split into smaller predetermined sizes, with each smaller block
(not shown) having a set of side grooves 134. Although not
depicted, it will be understood that apertures 150a and 150c may
also be provided with slots (as with aperture 150b), if
desired.
[0123] Another feature of block 112 is the provision of recesses
127a and 127b on the rear surface 122 adjacent the side surfaces
129a and 129b. The recesses come into play during, and aid in, the
manufacturing of the block. After a large block (not shown) is
molded and split into two smaller blocks and the smaller blocks are
removed from the conveyor on which they rest by a pusher bar (not
shown) that impacts the rear surfaces of the blocks and moves them
in a desired direction. This works if the blocks are substantially
parallel to the pusher bar. However, if the blocks are not
substantially parallel to the pusher bar, the bar has a tendency to
chip and break the side segments. The recesses provide clearance so
that if the block is somewhat askew relative to the pusher bar, the
bar will not contact the side segments and thereby reducing
chipping and breakage.
[0124] FIG. 8 shows a preferred corner configuration using the
blocks 12 of the present invention. The design of the block 12
lends itself to the formation of corners without the need for
mortar, corner braces, or other supports. Two blocks 12a and 12b
are simply aligned to form a corner butt joint 51. Preferably,
block 12b is broken along its splitting recess to form a new split
face, which roughly matches split front face of block 12a. Holes 54
are drilled through the blocks 12a and 12b so that a fastener 56
may be inserted therein. Generally, the fastener may be any
suitable fastener, and preferably, an appropriately sized pin, peg,
or screw, and the like. Alternatively, glue, preferably
construction mastic, may be applied instead of or, more preferably,
in combination with fasteners to secure the blocks to each
other.
[0125] Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, another embodiment of a
block 156 of the present invention is depicted. The block 156 is
generally angularly-shaped and includes a front face 158, a rear
face 160, a top surface 164, a bottom surface 166 and pairs of side
surfaces 168a, 169a, and 168b, 169b, respectively. As with the
previously described blocks 112, the side surfaces 168a, 169a, and
168b, 169b are provided with grooves 170a and 170b that are
configured to receive portions of lateral support beams, and will
not be discussed here in detail. An alternate embodiment of the
block 156' is illustrated in FIGS. 1-2a. As shown in FIGS. 9-10,
front face 158 is formed with a roughened or weathered surface or
facing segments 159a-b and is provided with marginal areas 163a-d.
These features are not necessary to carry out the spirit of the
invention, however. The front face 158 may be dressed, modified, or
otherwise worked in any desired manner. The block 156 may also be
provided with recesses 167a and 167b, located on the rear face
segments 161a and 161b, adjacent the side surfaces 169a and 169b.
As discussed previously, the recesses 167a-b prevent and/or reduce
chipping during the manufacturing process.
[0126] As depicted, the block 156 is configured so that the front
face segments 159a and 159b, and the rear face segments 161a and
161b are oriented so that they intersect each other at a
predetermined angle 172. The angle of intersection 172 can vary
from about 15 degrees to about 165 degrees. Preferably, though, the
angle of intersection is about 90 degrees so that the block may be
used to construct rectilinear structures. In that regard, it will
be appreciated that the blocks 156 may be used with or without
linearly shaped blocks to form columnar structures of varying
shapes and sizes (see, for example FIG. 1). Moreover, it is
envisioned that the blocks may be formed with more than two front
and rear face segments 159a-b, 161a-b, and/or that the block could
be formed in a generally arcuate shape.
[0127] Referring now to FIG. 11, an embodiment of a beam of the
present invention generally comprises an elongated spine or web and
at least one rib, which is substantially coextensive therewith.
More specifically, a preferred embodiment of beam 16, as shown,
includes a plurality of ribs that are arranged in a substantially
coplanar and collateral relation. That is, there is a first pair of
ribs 38a, which are substantially coplanar and extend away from
each other. And, there is a second pair of ribs 38b, which are also
substantially coplanar and extend away from each other. Note that
the pairs of ribs 38a and 38b are in substantial collateral
relation with each other and are spaced apart from each other by a
distance defined by the web 36. This configuration of two pairs of
ribs 38a and 38b attached to each other by web 36 forms somewhat of
an I-beam configuration. It is preferred that at least one set of
ribs 38a be resiliently deformable and, even more preferred, that
they converge slightly towards and then diverge slightly away from
the other ribs 38b in a somewhat "V"-shaped configuration towards
the ends of the ribs 38. A "V"-shaped configuration is preferred
because it allows a segment 35 of a block 12 to be gripped between
the ribs 38a-b (see, for example, FIGS. 23 and 24). As will be
appreciated, in order for the desired amount of gripping force to
occur, the distance or span 42 between a rib 38b and the apex of
the "V" of an unflexed rib 38a should be slightly less than the
thickness of segment 35 (see FIG. 24). It will also be appreciated
that the distance or span 43 between the leading edge of flange 40
of the unflexed rib 38a and the rib 38b should be slightly greater
than the thickness of segment 35 (See, again FIG. 24). Thus, when a
beam 16 is attached to a block 12 the rib 38a is deflected from its
unstressed state to a stressed state and a segment 35 of a block
may be gripped between ribs 38a and 38b. As depicted in FIG. 23 the
ribs 38a and 38b are preferred because they prevent unwanted
movement and misalignment between blocks 12 of a given column 14
and they are able to compensate for variations in dimensions that
sometimes occur during manufacture of the blocks.
[0128] Beam 16 may be attached at its upper ends to a structure
being skirted (see, for example, FIG. 1) if desired, preferably at
or near the lowermost edge or bottom of the structure, and using
conventional fastening techniques and technologies. Such
attachments may be used in conjunction with or without a bracket 18
to provide support and stability to the independent columns 14 (see
FIG. 5) by preventing them from leaning or falling forwardly or
rearwardly. The beams aligns the blocks 12 of a given column), by
preventing lateral movement therebetween (that is, movement along
the "x" direction in a three-dimensional coordinate system relative
to the blocks 12).
[0129] Another embodiment of a lateral support beam 116 is depicted
in FIG. 11a. Here, the beam 116 generally comprises a body having
block-engaging portion and a bracket-engaging portion. More
specifically, the beam 116 comprises a first web 180 and a second
web 181 that are generally aligned with each other. Projecting from
the webs 180, 181 are pairs of ribs 182a, 182b, and 182c. The first
pair of ribs 182a, which form the block-engaging portion, extend
away from each other in a generally coplanar relation. The second
pair of ribs 182b is generally collaterally aligned with the first
pair of ribs 182a and is separated therefrom by a predetermined
span 188. The third pair of ribs 182c is generally collaterally
aligned with the second pair of ribs 182b and is separated
therefrom by a predetermined span 190. The outer ends of ribs 182a
are provided with resilient flanges 184 that are configured and
arranged such that the ribs 182a are able to be received by the
vertical grooves on the blocks. With this beam embodiment, segments
of the sides of a block are not gripped between adjacent pairs of
ribs. Rather, engagement with blocks is achieved through the first
set of ribs 182a that substantially span the depth of the vertical
grooves of the blocks, where depth is taken along the "z" axis in
the three dimensional coordinate system (see, for example, FIG.
7a). It will be appreciated that the block engaging portion, i.e.,
the first pair of ribs 182a, need not be restricted to a flange
configuration. A frictional engagement, for example, can be
achieved with other configurations.
[0130] Alternative embodiments of support beams 270, 287 and blocks
312 are illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13 and 27. With regard to the
support beam 270 depicted in FIG. 12, support beam 270 comprises a
pair of webs 272, 274, which are generally parallel to each other
and that terminate in opposing ribs. A third web 276 extends from
the surface formed by opposing ribs in general alignment with webs
272, 274 and terminates in opposing ribs 278c. The ends of opposing
ribs 278a and 278b may be provided with flanges and coupling
elements 280, 282, respectively. As will be appreciated, two webs
272, 274 (versus a single web) increases the overall strength of
the beam 270 so that the beam resists bending and warping more than
beams that have only single webs that connect their opposing
ribs.
[0131] The support beam 287 of FIG. 13 is similar to the support
beam 270 of FIG. 12. Instead of having opposed ribs that engage a
block, however, the block engagement section 288 of the beam is
configured so that it is able to substantially span the depths of
the grooves of two opposing blocks, or the depth of the aperture
350 in the interior section of a block 312 (see FIG. 27) (where
depth is taken along the "z" axis in the three dimensional
coordinate system as shown in FIG. 7a). As depicted, the engagement
section 288 of the support beam 287 is generally "T"-shaped and
substantially spans the depth of the aperture 350 (i.e. see FIG.
27) where depth is taken along the "z" axis in the three
dimensional coordinate system as shown in FIG. 7a (see FIG. 45, for
example), and generally spans the width of the slot 352 of a block
(see, FIG. 27). As shown, the engagement section 288 is hollow,
however, it is understood that the engagement section 288 may be
solid, if desired. The base of the "T"-shaped engagement section
288 is provided with a web 276 and a pair of opposing ribs 278c to
enable the support beam 287 to be connected to a bracket such as
those depicted in FIGS. 44-45. With regard to FIG. 27, it will be
appreciated that the depiction of the support beams 270 and 287
relative to the blocks 312 are for illustrative purposes only, and
that they may be interchanged if desired.
[0132] A frictional engagement may be desired and this could be
achieved with other configurations. For example, in FIG. 14 the
block-engaging section 288 may take the form of generally planar
opposing planar sections 192 each having resilient spurs 194
projecting therefrom. Or, as seen in FIG. 15, the block-engaging
section 288 may take the form of a preformed resilient body 196
having an aperture 198. Note that in FIGS. 14 and 15, the
bracket-engaging portions 290 are shown in phantom.
[0133] With reference to FIG. 16, the support beam 116 is similar
to the support beam of prior embodiments in that it includes a web
510 from which a plurality of ribs 503, 504, 505 and 506 extend. In
a departure from previous embodiments, the support beam 116 of this
embodiment includes an extension 508 that terminates with an
attachment member 512. Preferably, the extension 508 is aligned
with, and extends from the web 510 so as to position the attachment
member 512 a predetermined distance from the plurality of ribs 503,
504, 505 and 506. This arrangement serves several purposes. As
explained above, not only does the extension 508 create spaces
between a wall structure and a substructure that may be used as
plenums, conduits, or for retaining insulative, fire-retardant or
other building materials, but it also facilitates attachment of the
support beam 116 to a substructure. Preferably, the attachment
member 512 comprises feet 516 and 518 that extend laterally in
opposite directions from the extension 508 to provide a point or
points of connection which may be used with adhesive or fastening
elements, such as nails or screws, in attaching a support beam to a
substructure (see also, FIG. 29).
[0134] Referring now to FIG. 17, the support beam 116, again, has
an extension 508, which terminates in an attachment member 512
having feet 516, 518. However, in this embodiment, the extension
508 and the feet 516, 518 are foreshortened. Note that the support
beam 116 is not directly connected to a substructure but is
operatively connected to a bracket 534 that is, in turn,
operatively connected to a substructure. The bracket 534 includes a
substructure engaging portion 536, a span 538 and an attachment
member with a support beam engaging portion 542. The support beam
engaging portion 542 is sized to be snuggly received and
frictionally retained within a channel 530 or 532 formed by a rib
and a foot 505, 516; 506, 518, respectively, of the beam 116. Note
that the support beam 116 need not extend along the length of the
bracket 534, and more particularly, the support beam 116 need not
be coextensive with the side of a block 112 (see FIG. 7a) to which
it may be operatively connected. The reason for this is that a
block need not be retained along its entire length of its grooves
to be adequately retained as part of a wall structure. Instead, it
is only necessary for a block to retained at several points. Thus,
the support beams 116 may take the form of clips that attach to the
bracket 534, and a block 112 can be retained at a plurality of
predetermined locations (i.e. such as upper and lower ends). It
will be appreciated that such support beam clips may be used to
operatively connect a pair of blocks to a support bracket by
positioning the clips so that they span the interface between two
adjacent blocks. It will also be appreciated that the support beam
clip may be longer than a side of a block to which it is
operatively connected so that it may operatively connect more than
two blocks to a bracket.
[0135] The span 538 of the bracket 534 serves to position the
support beam 116 a predetermined distance from a substructure while
the substructure engaging portion 536 serves to attach the bracket
534 to a substructure. As with the aforementioned embodiment, the
bracket 534 may be operatively connected to a substructure using a
variety of fastening elements. It will be appreciated that both
channels 530, 532 of the support beam 116 of this embodiment may be
used with oppositely facing brackets, if desired, to form a more
robust connection between the wall structure and a
substructure.
[0136] Referring now to FIG. 18, the support beam 116 terminates at
an attachment member 512 that includes two spaced apart resilient
walls 550, 552 having confronting arms 554, 556, which define a
slot 558 and channel 560, which are sized to admit and retain a
second attachment member.
[0137] With this embodiment, the support beam 116 is not directly
connected to a substructure but is operatively connected to a
bracket 562 that is, in turn, operatively connected to a
substructure (see, for example, FIG. 32). The bracket 562 includes
substructure engaging portions 564, 566, a span 538 and a first
attachment member 570. Preferably, the first attachment member 570
is a dart-shaped head 572 having shoulders 574, 576 that are
configured to engage arms 554, 556 of the support beam 116 in a
constrained relation. That is, the attachment member 512 of the
support beam is sized to slidingly receive the head 572 within a
slot 558 and a channel 560 formed by the resilient walls 550, 552
and their confronting arms 554, 556. Thus, the support beam 116 may
be connected to a bracket 562 in a constrained manner. It will be
appreciated that the support beam 116 can be operatively connected
to the bracket 562 in several ways. For example, by positioning the
bottom of the channel 560 and the slot 558 over the top of the dart
shaped head 572 and the span 568 of bracket 562 and then sliding
the support beam 116 down along the bracket 562 and interconnecting
with an already positioned block, or sliding the support beam down
along the bracket 562 and later interconnecting with a block, which
is slid into position in a similar manner. Alternatively, a support
beam 116 may be operatively connected to a bracket 562 by aligning
the slot 558 of the attachment member 512 opposite the apex of the
dart shaped head 572 and then pushing the support beam 116 towards
the dart shaped head 572 until the arms 554, 556 of the attachment
member 512 engage the shoulders 574, 576 of the dart shaped head
572.
[0138] As will be appreciated, the support beam 116 of FIG. 18 need
not extend along the length of the bracket 562 and, more
particularly, the support beam need not be co-extensive with the
side of a block to which it is operatively connected. The span 538
of bracket 562 serves to position the support beam 116 a
predetermined distance from a substructure and the substructure
engaging portion 564, 566 serves to attach the bracket 562 onto a
substructure. Bracket 562 may be operatively connected to a
substructure using a variety of fastening elements 578 (see also,
FIG. 32).
[0139] Referring now to FIG. 19, the operative connection is
reversed from that shown in FIG. 18. That is, support beam 116
includes an extension that terminates in a first attachment member
570 having a head 594 with shoulders 596, 598. The bracket 580 now
includes two spaced-apart resilient walls 582, 584 having
confronting arms 586, 588, which define a slot 590 and a channel
592, which are sized to admit and retain the attachment member 594
in a constrained relation, as discussed above. As with the
aforementioned embodiments, the support beam 116 need not extend
along the length of the bracket 580. The bracket may be operatively
connected to a substructure using a variety of fastening
elements.
[0140] Referring now to FIG. 20, another preferred embodiment
depicts a post 600 which has been provided with a plurality of
connectors to enable the post 600 to support a plurality of wall
structures. In this embodiment, the post 600 includes front and
rear surfaces 602, 604 and opposing sides, with a web 606 that
extends from the front surface 602, and an attachment bracket 612
that extends from the rear surface 604. A pair of ribs 608, 610
extend laterally in opposite directions from the web 606 in the
same manner as the ribs 38 of support beam 16 in FIG. 11, while the
attachment bracket 612 includes a slot 614 and channel structure
616 similar to the slot 558, 590 and channel 560, 592 structures
described and shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, respectively. Thus, with
this embodiment, blocks may be directly connected to the post 600
at side 602 or connected indirectly at side 604 via an
appropriately configured support beam (such as beam 116 of FIG.
19).
[0141] Although not shown, other combinations of operative
connections may also be used. For example, the post 600 may be
provided with two direct connectors (webs with laterally extending
ribs) or the post may be provided with two indirect connectors
(attachment members, such as channels). As will be appreciated, the
post 600 may be operatively connected to a substructure such as a
footing or foundation, or be set into the ground using known
techniques and technologies. While the post 600 is depicted as
having a hollow cross-section, it is understood that the post may
also be a solid in cross section or may have a reinforcing
structure such as a pipe or a rod received therein.
[0142] With reference to FIG. 21, the support beam 116 is similar
to the support beam of prior embodiments, in that it includes a web
510 from which a plurality of ribs 503, 504, 505 and 506 extend.
The support beam 116 includes an extension 508 that terminates with
an attachment member 512. Preferably, the extension 508 is aligned
with, and extends from the web 510 so as to position the attachment
member 512 a predetermined distance from the plurality of ribs 503,
504, 505 and 506. In FIG. 21, the attachment member 512 is depicted
as feet 516 and 518, however it is understood that the attachment
member may take other forms. Note that ribs 503, 504, 505 and 506
are reversed relative to each other so that the pair of opposing
ribs 505 and 506 are now forward, relative to the opposing pair of
ribs 503 and 504 (similar to the rib arrangement as depicted in
FIGS. 23 and 24). Note also, that the pair of forwardly facing
opposing ribs 505 and 506 are somewhat thicker than the pair of
opposing ribs 503 and 504. This feature allows the support beam 116
to have a viewable surface 507, which may form part of an observed
wall structure (see FIG. 35).
[0143] Referring now to FIG. 22, a partial horizontal section of
the wall structure 10 of FIG. 4 is depicted. As shown, a beam 16
operatively connects two adjacent blocks 12 of adjacent columns 14
to each other. Here, the "V"-shaped ribs 38a are positioned within
grooves 34 of adjacent blocks 12 and ribs 38b are positioned
against the rear faces 22 of adjacent blocks 12. In this
configuration, the beam 16 remains hidden from view and provides
support along several axes (taken along the "z" and "x" directions
in a three-dimensional coordinate system relative to a block 12).
With the beam 16 of this embodiment, the grooves 34 may be
considerably larger than the thickness of the ribs 38a, without
affecting the gripping ability of the beam 16. Thus, there may be
quite a large space in front of the ribs 38a. Note that the
distance between side surfaces 29a and 29b of block 12 is less than
the distance between side surfaces 28a and 28b of block 12 to allow
the side surfaces 28a, 28b of adjacent blocks 12 to be brought into
intimate contact with each other while providing enough space to
accommodate the web 36 of the beam 16 (see FIGS. 24 and 24a). Note
that a bracket 18 is shown (in dashed lines) as it would be
positioned relative to an uppermost block 12 of a column 14.
[0144] FIGS. 23 and 24 show a preferred beam arrangement in which
the beam 16 shown in FIGS. 11 and 22 is reversed with respect to
blocks 12 to which the beam is connected. That is, the ribs 38b are
positioned within opposing grooves 34 and ribs 38a are positioned
against the rear faces 22 of blocks 12. This arrangement does not
significantly change the function and gripping ability of the beam
16 as discussed above.
[0145] As with to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 22, the distance
between side surfaces 29a and 29b of the blocks is less than the
distance between side surfaces 28a and 28b to allow side surfaces
28a, 28b of adjacent blocks 12 to be brought into intimate contact
with each other while providing enough space to accommodate the web
36 of the beam 16. Note that when two adjacent blocks 12 are
brought into contact with each other, their corresponding margins
23a and 23b combine to form a profile that is substantially the
same as the profile of a splitting recess 21 (as shown in FIGS. 22
and 24). It will be appreciated that the splitting recess 21 and
may have other profiles, such as a "V"-shape and that the
corresponding margins would be more beveled or chamfered.
[0146] Referring now to FIGS. 23, 23a, 24 and 24a, operatively
connecting blocks together to form a wall structure 10 begins with
connecting a block 12 to a beam 16. As depicted in FIGS. 23a and
24a, the leading edge of flange 40 allows the rib 38a to be
displaced as it encounters the block segment 35. As the beam 16 is
connected to the block 12, block segment 35 is gripped by ribs 38a
and 38b.
[0147] In a preferred method to operatively connect a wall to a
structure using the aforementioned bracket, a person would prepare
or otherwise select an appropriate location in which to construct a
wall. The construction would begin by placing a first block having
opposing side grooves in a desired position and orientation. Then,
a second, similar block would be placed directly on top of the
first block so that the opposing side grooves of the first and
second blocks are in vertical alignment with each other and the
first and second blocks form a column. Next, the first and second
blocks would be operatively connected to each other along one of
their respective sides by inserting a rib of first support beam
into the aligned grooves and seating it securely.
[0148] Next, a bracket is positioned so that its wall engaging
portion is collaterally aligned and in contact with the support
beam such that it extends therewith along the groove in the block.
The structure engaging portion of the bracket is then brought into
position for attachment to a structure by sliding or otherwise
manipulating the bracket in a direction towards the point of
attachment on the structure (this is generally above and co-planar
with the wall). The bracket is than attached to the structure using
conventional techniques and technologies. The rib of a second
support beam is then inserted into the aligned grooves of the
opposite sides of the blocks, and a second bracket is used to
operatively connect this portion of the wall to a structure using
the aforementioned steps.
[0149] A second column comprising similarly configured third and a
fourth blocks may now be constructed. The operation is much the
same, except now the third block is positioned so that one of its
sides is adjacent to one of the sides of the first block and its
groove engages at least one other rib of one of the already
positioned support beams. The fourth block is then positioned on
top of the third block in a similar manner. That is, the fourth
block is positioned so that one of its sides is adjacent to one of
the sides of the second block and its groove engages at least one
other rib of one of the already positioned support beam and the
wall engaging portion of the already installed bracket.
[0150] After the second column is erected, the third and fourth
blocks would be operatively connected to each other along their
respective free side by inserting at least one rib of a third
support beam into their aligned vertical groove of the respective
sides of the first and second blocks and seating them securely, and
that support beam would be operatively connected to a support by
yet another bracket. And so on. It will be appreciated that other
methods of constructing a wall structure using the aforementioned
components are possible.
[0151] FIG. 25 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a beam 16
having two ribs 38a, 38b but only one resiliently deformable rib
38a. FIG. 26 shows yet another embodiment of a beam 16 comprising
one pair of opposed ribs 38b such that the support beam 16 is
essentially an elongate spline. It should be understood that for
purposes of clarity, the ribs 38b as depicted in FIGS. 25 and 26
are substantially thinner than the grooves 34 in which they are
positioned, and that in actuality ribs 38a-b and grooves 34 would
be configured to effectively maintain blocks 12 in a coplanar
relation with little or no play.
[0152] Alternative embodiments of support beams and blocks are
shown in FIG. 27. As depicted in FIG. 27, a support beam 270 may be
operatively connected to one or more blocks 312, at grooves 334a
and 334b. Note that the blocks 312 include a front face 320, a rear
face 322, a top surface 324, a bottom surface (not shown), and side
surfaces 328a and 329a, and 328b and 329b. The blocks 312 also
include marginal areas 323 and notches 327, which will not be
discussed here in detail. As can be seen, the side surfaces 329a
and 329b are foreshortened to accommodate the increased width of
the support beam 270. The support beam 270 may be operatively
connected to a block 312 when the ribs 278a and 278b grip side
segments 335a, 335b. The support beam 287 can be operatively
connected to a block 312 by sliding a block engagement section 288
into the aperture 350.
[0153] Another embodiment of a lateral support beam is depicted in
FIG. 28. Here, the beam 116 generally comprises a body having
block-engaging portion and a bracket-engaging portion. More
specifically, the beam 116 comprises a first web 180 and a second
web 181 that are generally aligned with each other. Projecting from
the webs 180, 181 are pairs of ribs 182a, 182b, and 182c. The first
pair of ribs 182a form block-engaging portions, which extend away
from each other in a generally coplanar relation. The second pair
of ribs 182b is generally collaterally aligned with the first pair
of ribs 182a and is separated therefrom by a predetermined span
188. The third pair of ribs 182c is generally collaterally aligned
with the second pair of ribs 182b and is separated therefrom by a
predetermined span 190. The outer ends of ribs 182a are provided
with resilient flanges 184 that are configured and arranged such
that the ribs 182a are able to be received by the vertical grooves
on the blocks of the present invention. With this embodiment,
segments of the sides of a blocks re not gripped between adjacent
pairs of ribs.
[0154] Now referring to FIG. 29, a support beam 116, similar to the
support beam of prior embodiments, includes a web 500 from which a
plurality of ribs 503, 504, 505 and 506 extend. The support beam
116 of this embodiment includes an extension 508 that terminates
with an attachment member 512. Preferably, the extension 508 is
aligned with, and extends from the web 500 so as to position the
attachment member 512 a predetermined distance from the plurality
of ribs 503, 504, 505, and 506. The extension 508 not only creates
spaces between a wall structure and a substructure that may be used
as plenums, conduits, or for retaining insulative, fire-retardant
or other building materials, and also facilitates attachment of the
support beam 116 to a substructure "S" (partially shown).
Preferably, the attachment member 512 comprises feet 516, 518 that
extend laterally in opposite directions from the extension 508 to
provide a point or points of connection which may be used with
adhesive or mechanical fastening elements, such as nails or screws
522, in attaching a support beam to a substructure "S".
[0155] FIG. 30 illustrates a partially assembled wall structure 410
comprising a plurality of blocks 412 retained in place by a
plurality of vertically oriented, elongated support beams 416 that
are operatively connected to a substructure "S" (shown in dashed
lines). The support beams 416 allow the blocks 412 of adjacent
horizontal courses to be substantially superposed one above the
other and not laterally offset from each other in a bond pattern,
as one may expect of such a wall structure. Thus, the wall
structure 410 is comprised of a plurality of adjacent columns
414a-d that may be operatively connected to each other in a serial
fashion. Each block 412 of the wall structure 410 includes a front
face 420, a rear face 422, a top surface 424, a bottom surface 426
and opposing sides 427a, 427b. Each opposing side 427a, 427b
includes opposing grooves 434, 436 defined by plurality of
outwardly extending fingers 428a, 428c and 428b, 428d, with
outwardly facing surfaces 430a, 430c and 430b, 430d.
[0156] Preferably, the blocks 412 are symmetrically formed, so that
either the front or rear face 420, 422, respectively, may face
forwardly. This feature allows a block which has been damaged or
had its surface otherwise altered to be easily removed and
reinstalled by merely turning the block around (or over) so that
other good or undamaged sides now being the viewable surface of the
block. In other words, the blocks are reversible. The front and
rear faces need not have the same surface treatment. That is, a
block 412 may have a smooth front face and a roughened rear face
422. Or, a block 412 may have roughened front face and a decorated
or non-planar rear face. For example, in FIG. 30, the lower most
blocks 412 of column 414c and column 414d, respectively, have
forwardly facing rear faces 422 while the remaining blocks in the
partially assembled wall structure 410 have forwardly facing front
faces. As depicted, the viewable front faces 420 of the blocks 412
of the wall structure 410 are smooth and the viewable rear faces
422 of the blocks of the wall structure 410 are roughened or
otherwise decorated. Note that the leftmost beam 416 may be used to
form the base and a cap of a horizontally oriented wall
structure.
[0157] Referring now to FIG. 31, a support beam 116, has an
extension 508, which terminates in an attachment member 512-with
feet 516, 518. However, in this embodiment the extension 508 and
the feet 516, 518 are foreshortened. Note that the support beam 116
is not directly connected to a substructure "S" but is operatively
connected to a bracket 534 that is, in turn, operatively connected
to a substructure "S" (shown in dashed lines). The bracket 534
includes a substructure engaging portion 536, a span 538 and an
attachment member with a support beam engaging portion 542. The
support beam engagement portion 542 is sized to be snuggly received
and frictionally retained within a channel 530 or 532 formed by a
rib and a foot (505, 516; 506, 518, respectively) of the beam 116.
Note that the support beam 116 need not extend along the length of
the bracket 534, and more particularly the support beam need not be
coextensive with the side of a block to which it is operatively
connected. The reason for this is that a block 112 need not be
retained along its entire length of its grooves to be adequately
retained as part of a wall structure. Instead, it is only necessary
for a block to retained at several points. Thus, the support beams
116 may take the form of clips that attach to the bracket 534, and
a block 112 may be retained at a plurality of predetermined
locations such as its upper and lower ends. It will be appreciated
that such support beam clips may be used to operatively connect a
pair of blocks to a support bracket 534 by positioning the clips so
that they span the interface between two adjacent blocks. It will
also be appreciated that the support beam clip may be longer than a
side of a block to which it is operatively connected so that it may
operatively connect more than two blocks to a bracket.
[0158] The span 538 of the bracket 534 serves to position the
support beam 116 a predetermined distance from a substructure "S"
while the substructure engaging portion 536 serves to attach the
bracket 534 onto a substructure "S". As with the aforementioned
embodiment, the bracket 534 may be operatively connected to a
substructure "S" using a variety of fastening elements. It will be
appreciated that the support beam 116 of this embodiment may be
used with oppositely facing brackets, if desired, to form a more
robust connection between the wall structure and a substructure
"S".
[0159] Referring now to FIGS. 32 and 18, the support beam 116 does
not have an extension. Rather, as best shown in FIG. 18, the beam
116 terminates at a first attachment member 512 that includes two
spaced apart resilient walls 550, 552 having confronting arms 554,
556, which define a slot 558 and channel 560 that are sized to
admit and retain a second attachment member 570.
[0160] With this embodiment, the support beam 116 is not directly
connected to a substructure "S" but is operatively connected to a
bracket 562 that is, in turn, operatively connected to a
substructure "S" (shown in dashed lines). The bracket 562 includes
substructure engaging portions 564, 566, a span 538 and an
attachment member 570. As best shown in FIG. 18, the attachment
member 570 is dart-shaped head 572 having shoulders 574, 576, which
are configured to engage confronting arms 554, 556 in a constrained
relation. That is, the attachment member 570 of the support beam is
sized to slidingly receive the dart shaped head 572 within a slot
558 and channel 560 formed by the resilient walls 550, 552 and
their confronting arms 554, 556. Thus, the support beam 116 may be
connected to the bracket 562 in a constrained manner. It will be
appreciated that the support beam 116 may be operatively connected
to a bracket 562 in several ways. For example, by positioning the
bottom of the channel 560 and the slot 558 over the dart shaped
head 572 of the bracket 562, the support beam 116 may be slid down
along the bracket 562 to interconnect with an already positioned
block 112. Alternatively, the beam 116 may be slid down along the
bracket 562 and later interconnecting with a block 112, which is
slid into position in a similar manner. Alternatively, a support
beam 116 may be operatively connected to a bracket 562 by aligning
the slot 558 of the attachment member 512 opposite the apex of the
dart shaped head 572 and then pushing the support beam 116 towards
the dart shaped head 572 until the confronting arms 554, 556 of the
attachment member 512 engage the shoulders 574, 576 of the dart
shaped head 572.
[0161] The support beam 116 need not extend along the length of the
bracket 562, and, more particularly, the support beam need not be
co-extensive with the side of a block to which it is operatively
connected. The reasons for this have been discussed in conjunction
with the description of FIG. 31, and for purposes of brevity will
not be repeated. The span 538 of the bracket 562 serves to position
the support beam 116 a predetermined distance from a substructure
"S" and the substructure engaging portion 564, 566 serves to attach
the bracket 562 to a substructure "S".
[0162] Referring now to FIGS. 33 and 19, the operative connection
is reversed from FIG. 32. That is, the support beam 116 includes an
extension 508 that terminates in an attachment member 570 having a
dart-shaped head 594 with shoulders 596, 598. The bracket 580
includes two spaced-apart resilient walls 582, 584 having
confronting arms 586, 588, which define a slot 590 and channel 592
that are sized to admit and retain the dart-shaped attachment
member 594 in a constrained relation, as discussed above. As with
the aforementioned embodiments, the support beam 116 need not
extend along the length of the bracket 562, and the bracket 562 may
be operatively connected to a substructure "S" using a variety of
fastening elements.
[0163] With reference to FIGS. 34 and 35, support beam 116 depicted
is similar to the support beam of prior embodiments in that it
includes a web 510 from which a plurality of ribs 503, 504, 505 and
506 extend. In a departure from this previous embodiment, the
support beam 116 includes an extension 500 that terminates with an
attachment member 512. Preferably, the extension 500 is aligned
with, and extends from the web 510 so as to position the attachment
member 512 is a predetermined distance from the plurality of ribs.
Note that the ribs 503, 504, 505 and 506 are reversed relative to
each other so that the pair of opposing ribs 505 and 506 are now
forward relative to the opposing pair of ribs 503 and 504. In FIG.
34, the attachment member 512 is depicted as having feet 516 and
518, however it is understood that the attachment member may take
other forms such as those depicted in FIGS. 18-20. Note also, that
the pair of forwardly facing opposing ribs 505, 506 are somewhat
thicker than the pair of opposing ribs 503, 504. This feature
allows the support beam 116 to have a viewable surface 507, which
may form part of an observed wall. As depicted in FIGS. 34 and 35,
ribs 505 and 506 may be coplanar or collateral relative to the
viewable faces 320, 322 of blocks in a wall structure.
[0164] Referring again to FIGS. 34 and 35, the blocks 312 that are
used with the aforementioned beam 116 are similar to the blocks 112
depicted in the wall construction 110 of FIG. 30. That is, each
block 312 has a front face 320, a rear face 322, a top surface, a
bottom surface and opposing sides.
[0165] Each block 312 differs from the block 112 depicted in FIG.
30 in several respects. First, block 312 has only one pair of
opposing fingers 328a', 328b' instead of the pair of opposing
fingers depicted in FIG. 33. Thus, each block 312 does not have a
groove that obscures a support beam rib. Instead of a groove, each
block 312 has opposing ledges 334, 336 defined by pairs of side
surfaces 330a, 330b, 330c, 330d and fingers 328a', 328b',
respectively. Preferably, the thickness of the ledges 336, 338 will
be substantially the same as the thickness of opposing ribs 505,
506 to enable the viewable surface of a wall structure to be
substantially contiguous. However, it is understood that the
thicknesses of the ledges 336, 338 and/or opposing ribs 505, 506
need not be substantially the same. For example, the thickness of
the ribs 505, 506 may be greater than the thickness of the ledges
336, 338 of the blocks so that the viewable surface 507 of a
support beam projects outwardly with respect to the viewable
surface of the blocks of the wall structure (as in FIG. 35), or the
thickness of the ribs 505, 506 may be less than the thickness of
the ledges 336, 338 of the blocks so that the viewable surface 507
of the support beam is recessed with respect to the viewable
surface.
[0166] Another difference between block 312 and block 112 is that
the opposing laterally extending, aligned fingers 328a', 328b' are
offset from the center plane of the block 312. As seen in FIGS. 34
and 35 this allows blocks to be operatively connected to a support
beam in several configurations. In FIG. 34, for example, blocks 312
are operatively connected to a support beam so that front face 320
(left side) and rear face 322 (right side) are substantially flush
with the viewable surface 507 of the support beam 116. As with the
aforementioned blocks of FIG. 30, the front and rear faces may have
the same surface or different surfaces. Here, the front face 320 on
the left side of FIG. 34 is depicted as being smooth, while the
rear face 322 on the left side of FIG. 34 is depicted as being
roughened. The viewable surfaces on the right side of FIG. 34 are
reversed. In FIG. 35, the blocks 312 have been rotated so that when
they are operatively connected to the support beam 116 they are set
back from the viewable surface 507. It will be appreciated that the
blocks 312 need not be all coplanar or set back with respect to the
viewable surface 507 of the support beam 116. Combinations of
setback blocks and coplanar blocks are possible to create a myriad
of wall surfaces. It is contemplated that such combinations may be
arranged into identifiable forms or patterns and may also be
arranged to display alphanumeric characters and the like. Note that
the viewable surface 507 may be provided with a textured or
otherwise decorated surface, which matches the surfaces of adjacent
blocks. Alternatively, as depicted in FIG. 34, the forward facing
surface of the support beam can be provided with a cap or strip 145
of material with a viewable surface 147, which may be textured or
otherwise decorated as desired and which may be affixed or attached
to the viewable surface 147 in a conventional manner.
[0167] Referring now to FIG. 36, another preferred embodiment
depicts a post 600, which has been provided with a plurality of
connectors to enable the post to support a plurality of wall
structures. In this embodiment, the post 600 includes opposing
sides 602, 604 from which extend a web 606 and a bracket 612,
respectively. A pair of ribs 608, 610 extend laterally in opposite
directions from the web 606, while the bracket 612 includes the
slot 614 and channel structure 616 similar to the slot and channel
structures described and shown in FIG. 18, respectively. Thus, with
this embodiment, blocks may be directly connected to the post 600
at side 602 or connected indirectly at side 604 via an
appropriately configured support beam.
[0168] Other combinations of operative connections may also be
used. For example, the post 600 may be provided with two direct
connectors (webs with laterally extending ribs) or the post may be
provided with two indirect connectors (attachment members, such as
channels). As will be appreciated, the post 600 may be operatively
connected to a substructure such as a footing or foundation, or be
set into the ground using known techniques and technologies. While
the post 600 is depicted as having a hollow cross-section, it is
understood that the post may also be a solid in cross-section or
may have a reinforcing structure such as a pipe or a rod received
therein (see, for example, FIG. 39).
[0169] FIGS. 37-37b illustrate additional embodiments of the
present invention. FIG. 37 shows a support beam 16 having a pair of
leg structures 654 that are constructed and arranged to secure a
wall comprising columns 14 of blocks 12 to an existing support
structure 658. The support structure 658 may be a building or any
other type of structure that may support a wall structure 10
according to the present invention. Legs or leg portions 656 of the
leg structures 654 extend rearwardly from the support beam 16 and
are preferably secured to ribs 38b thereof. The leg structures 654
may also be formed as part of the web 36 of the support beam 16.
The leg portions 656 have a foot 660, which extends laterally
therefrom to provide a point of connection for the support beam 16
to the existing support structure 658. Nails, screws, or other
appropriate fasteners 662 may be driven through the feet 660 of the
support beam 16 and into the sheathing 664 of the typical wall of
the wall of the existing structure 658. The sheathing 664 is
typically supported by a plurality of horizontal girts 666. Once
the support beam 16 has been secured to the existing structure 658,
blocks 12 are stacked between respective support beams 16 as
illustrated in FIG. 37 such that ribs 38a of the support beam 16
reside in grooves 34 in the sides of the blocks 12.
[0170] In order to prevent the inflow of water into the wall
structure 10, it may be desirable to apply a bead of a waterproof
material 670, such as mastic or caulk, along the horizontal
surfaces of the blocks 12. The bead of waterproof material 670
forms a seal between the upper surface 24 of the lower block 12
upon which the waterproof material 670 has been applied and the
lower surface 26 of the block 12 immediately above the lower block
12. It will be appreciated that mastic or caulk may also be applied
to the vertical side surfaces of the blocks (not shown).
[0171] Legs or leg portions 656 of support beam 16 preferably
extend rearwardly from the ribs 38b in a perpendicular relationship
thereto. Similarly, it is preferred that the feet 660 of the
support beam 16 extend laterally perpendicular to the leg portions
656. The perpendicular relationship of the feet and legs to the
remainder of the support beam 16 is the preferred embodiment
thereof since the purpose of the leg portions 656 and the feet 660
to provide an offset for the wall structure from the existing
structure 658. This offset allows a wall structure 10 to be secured
over uneven surfaces such as corrugated steel siding 668, as
illustrated in FIG. 37. As can be seen, legs or leg portions 656 of
support beam 16 are sufficiently long such that the support beam 16
clears ridge 673 of the steel siding 668. As can be appreciated,
steel siding 668 typically presents a plurality of vertically flat
attachment surfaces. Where a wall structure 10 is to be applied to
a wall of an existing structure 658 that is not vertically smooth,
furring strips or blocking may be fastened to the wall of exterior
of the existing structure 658 as needed. As support beams 16
provide no vertical support for the blocks 12, the blocks must be
provided with some sort of foundation. Examples of suitable
foundation include, but are not limited to, a concrete pad or
footing that is sunk into the ground, and a cantilever ledge or
bracket which is securely affixed to the wall of the existing
structure.
[0172] FIG. 37a illustrates a support beam 16 having two pairs of
ribs 38a and 38b separated by a web 36 and only a single leg
structure 654 comprising a leg portion 656 and a foot 660. The
embodiment of FIG. 37a is particularly useful when an obstruction,
such as ridge 673 of steel siding 668 would prevent one of the leg
structures 654 illustrated in FIG. 37 from securely contacting the
wall of the structure 658. Fasteners 662 are sufficient to provide
the requisite lateral support for the wall structure 10. The
support beam 16 having only a single leg structure 654 may be
rotated end-for-end depending on the offset location of an
obstruction such as ridge 673.
[0173] Preferably, the support beams of the present invention will
be extruded or molded from a material such as a plastic, a fiber
reinforced resin, or a metal such as aluminum. In addition to
forming embodiments of support beams 16 having the respective
profiles of the support beams illustrated in FIG. 37a, it is
possible that one leg structure 654 could be removed from a support
beam 16 such as the support beam 16 of FIG. 37 having two leg
structures 654, thereby resulting in the support beam 16 embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 37a. However, where a single leg structure 654
would be sufficient to provide the needed lateral support for a
wall structure 10, it would be more economical to manufacture
support 16 having only a single leg structure 654. As used herein,
the term "forward" means away from the center of the elevated
structure (and along the "z" direction in a three-dimensional
coordinate system relative to a block) and the term "rearward"
means toward the center of the elevated structure (also along the
"z" direction in a three-dimensional coordinate system relative to
a block).
[0174] FIG. 37b illustrates a support beam 16 that is constructed
and arranged to provide lateral support to a wall structure 10 as
described in conjunction with FIGS. 37 and 37a. The main difference
here being that the support beam 16 of FIG. 37b has a pair of ribs
38a and only a single rib 38b extending from the web 36. A leg
structure 654 extends rearwardly from the rib 38b preferably in a
perpendicular relation thereto. While it is preferred that the leg
or leg portion 656 and foot 660 be arranged at right angles to each
other and to the ribs 38b of the support beam 16, these structures
may be arranged at any angle to one another provided, of course,
that there is a sufficient offset from the wall of the existing
structure 658 to allow installation of the blocks 12 of the wall
structure 10 and that the foot 660 of leg structure 654 may be
securely fastened to an supporting structure 658.
[0175] FIG. 38 illustrates a double-ended support beam 80b, which
is useful for constructing a dual wall structure 10 having a front
face 74 and a rear face 76. The space between the front and rear
faces 74, 76 of the wall structure 10 may remain hollow or may be
filled. Each end of the double-ended support beam 80b comprises a
support beam or block engagement structure having a cross-sectional
profile similar to the support beam illustrated in FIG. 11 arranged
back-to-back in a spaced apart relation and connected by a spacer
web 82b. Spacer web 82b is connected to the base pair of ribs 38b
of each of the support beam portions in a perpendicular fashion. In
this manner, support beam 80b couples dual walls of the wall
structure 10 to provide mutual lateral support. Further support can
be had by backfilling the space between the front and rear sides of
the dual wall structure 10 with gravel, earth, sand, concrete or
insulative material 79. Preferably, it will be appreciated that a
cap 81, such may be placed over the top of the dual wall structure
10 to prevent the ingress of water, debris, or nuisance animals. It
will also be appreciated that such a cap 81 may be secured to the
dual wall structure by known technologies and techniques, if
desired. See, for example, the use of adhesive material depicted in
FIG. 37.
[0176] FIG. 39 illustrates a single-sided wall structure 10
comprising columns 14 of blocks 12 supported by a post-like support
beam 84. Support beam 84 comprises a post 85 having extending
therefrom a web 36. A pair of ribs 38a extend laterally from the
web 36 in the same manner as the ribs 38a of support beams 16
described in conjunction with FIG. 11. As installed, post 85 is
preferably rigidly seated in a footing or foundation set into the
ground below the wall structure 10. As can be appreciated, blocks
12 are stacked between respective post support beams 84 as
described above. The post 85 preferably has a hollow cross-section.
However, post 85 may also be solid in cross-section or be provided
with a reinforcing structure such as a pipe or a rod received
therein. An alternate embodiment for the post or support beam 84
involves securely seating a plurality of rods or members in
footings or a foundation beneath the wall structure 10 and sliding
the post or beam 84 of the type illustrated in FIG. 39 thereover.
Blocks 12 would then disposed between respective pairs of post
support beams 84 as described above.
[0177] Now turning to FIG. 40, a wall structure 10 is depicted as
it may be used in conjunction with an elevated structure "S." As
with the wall structure generally depicted in FIGS. 4 and 22, this
wall structure 10 is comprised of a plurality of blocks 12 arranged
in columns 14, having the columns 14 held in place by vertically
oriented, lateral support beams 16, and with each beam 16 operably
connecting adjacent columns 14 together. The brackets 19 used in
this embodiment, however, differ from the "U"-shaped brackets 18 of
the previously described embodiment in several respects. First, the
brackets 19 are shaped differently than the bracket 18 of FIGS. 4
and 22. Instead of having an inverted "U"-shaped configuration as
with bracket 18, the bracket 19 of this embodiment has a single,
downwardly extending portion. Another difference is that rather
than positioning a portion of a block 12 within an opening 50
defined by a pair of walls 44, 46, the bracket 19 of the embodiment
has a wall engaging portion 62 that extends downwardly into
vertical grooves 34 at the sides of blocks 12. Another difference
between brackets 18 and 19 is that bracket 18 connects to a column
14 in a generally central location, whereas the brackets 19 of this
embodiment connect at the sides of column 14. As with the
previously described brackets 18, brackets 19 help to stabilize and
prevent the wall structure 10 from tipping rearwardly or forwardly.
The brackets 19 also prevent the structure from shifting from side
to side.
[0178] For purposes of illustration, the size of the wall structure
10 of this embodiment has been limited three columns 14 and four
courses, with the two uppermost blocks of the left column 14
removed to reveal the juxtaposition between the brackets 19, beams
16 and blocks 12. Note that the wall structure 10 depicted in this
embodiment also includes a plurality of footings or support pads
80a that are positioned beneath the columns 14 at the junction
where they connect to the beams 16. Preferably, each footing or
support pad 80a may be provided with a setting channel 82a that is
configured and arranged to receive the bottom edges of one or more
columns of blocks in a constrained relation. Note that the footing
or support pad 80a for the middle and right columns 14 has been
removed and replaced with an "L"-shaped support base or angle iron
(see, for example, the support base in FIGS. 3 and 53) that spans
the bottom of the middle and right columns 14. This construction
can be used when the use of individual, regularly spaced footings
80a is not possible or desirable. Also note that the wall structure
10 is depicted as having a running bond on its three lowermost
courses. As can be seen, the bottom and third courses of blocks do
not have splitting recesses. They do, however, have their perimeter
marginal areas 23a-d worked. The second course of blocks, on the
other hand, have splitting recesses 21 and have only their
horizontal marginal areas worked. Thus, each column 14 will have
blocks with alternating front faces. When the columns of blocks are
positioned adjacent each other in the normal assembly procedure
some of the blocks 12 will form tight joints 31 and some of the
blocks will form joints that appear substantially thicker. Thus,
from a distance, the wall structure 10 will give the impression
that it was constructed of blocks and mortar in a conventional
manner. It will be appreciated that the externally viewable surface
of the wall structure depicted in FIG. 40 is merely one example of
an externally viewable surface, and that many other externally
viewable surfaces are possible.
[0179] Turning now to FIGS. 41-43, a preferred embodiment of
bracket 19 depicted in FIG. 40 will now be discussed. As can be
seen in FIGS. 41 and 42, the bracket 19 comprises a structure
engaging portion 60 and a wall engaging portion 62. The wall
engaging portion 62 of the bracket 19 includes opposing surfaces
64, 66, which are arranged and configured to contact a portion of a
beam 16 and a portion of a block, respectively. If desired, the
wall engaging portion 62 may be provided with strengthening creases
67. As will be appreciated, the wall engaging portion 62 of the
bracket 19 has a width 77 and a length 78 whose dimensions
correspond to the particular blocks that are being used to
construct a wall, and will be discussed only in general terms.
Thus, the width 77 may range from a distance roughly equivalent to
the depth of a single groove 34 in one block, to a distance roughly
equivalent to the depth of two grooves 34 of opposing blocks. The
width may also be roughly equivalent to the width of the web 36 of
the beam 16 so that the wall engaging portion of the bracket may be
oriented transversely to the wall structure. The length 78 may also
vary depending upon the requirements of the wall structure (not
shown). A typical width and length for a wall engaging portion 62
may be on the order of about two inches by about four inches, and a
typical width and length for a structure engaging portion 60 may be
on the order of about two inches by about one-and-a-half inches. It
will be appreciated that the bracket 19 may be formed from material
that may be modified or otherwise altered to fit a particular
application. Thus, for example, the width and/or length of the wall
engaging portion may be cut-to-length length or otherwise tailored
at a jobsite without appreciably delaying or hindering
construction.
[0180] The structure engaging portion 60 of the bracket 19 also
includes opposing surfaces 68, 70. However, in this embodiment,
only opposing surface 68 is configured to contact a portion of a
structure (See, FIGS. 40 and 42). As depicted, the structure
engaging portion 60 is attached to a lower surface of a structure
"S" by an upwardly extending fastener or fastening element 73. It
is understood, however, that the attachment surface of the
structure can be an upper surface, in which case the opposing
surface 70 would contact the surface of the structure "S" and the
fastener would extend downwardly from surface 68 (shown in dashed
lines). As shown in FIG. 42, the structure engaging portion 60 and
the wall engaging portion 62 are planar and substantially
orthogonal with respect to each other. It is understood, however,
that the wall engaging portion 62 and the structure engaging
portion 60 need not be orthogonal to each other. They may be
linearly aligned, for example. It is also envisioned that the wall
and structure engaging portions may be formed in other
configurations. For instance, either portion 60, 62 may be formed
with U-shaped profiles that enable the portions 60, 62 to straddle
sections of the structure and/or wall. That is the structure
engaging portion may be formed so that it may straddle the bottom
and side edges of a structure and the wall engaging portion may be
formed to engage a wall structure at its front and/or rear
surfaces. The structure engaging portion 60 is provided with an
aperture 72 that may be used with a conventional fastener 73. For
purposes of this application, the term "fastening element" or
"fastener" may include mechanical fasteners such as screws, nails,
bolts, rivets, or their equivalents, and/or adhesives, weldments,
or the like. Alternatively, the structure engaging portion 60 may
be provided with an integral fastening element so that the portion
60 may be driven into or otherwise attached to a support.
[0181] Another embodiment of a bracket is depicted in FIGS. 44 and
45. As can be seen, the bracket 200 generally comprises a structure
engaging portion 202 and a support beam engaging portion 203. More
specifically, the structure engaging portion 202 comprises a first
member 204 and a second member 206, which are angled with respect
to each other to form a generally "L"-shaped form. The first and
second members may be provided with apertures 208 that permit
attachment to a structure with fastening elements such as nail and
threaded fasteners. It will be appreciated, though, that attachment
may also be achieved with suitable adhesives used in lieu of or in
addition to fastening elements. The support beam engaging portion
203 comprises a web 210 and a pair of legs 212, 214, which are
angled with respect to the web 210 to form a generally "L"-shaped
form. The web 210 includes an aperture 220 that is accessible
through a slot 222 defined by edges 216 and 218 of legs 212 and
214, respectively. The aperture 220 and slot 222 are configured to
slidingly receive a pair of ribs and a portion of a web of a
support beam. As depicted in FIGS. 44, and 45, when a support beam
is attached to the bracket, the support beam is able to move in a
constrained manner relative thereto. This feature allows, the
bracket to be attached at different points along a structure as
well as different points along a beam. Moreover, it allows a wall
construction to be self-adjusting. An application of bracket 200, a
support beam 116, and a plurality of brackets 112 as can be seen in
FIG. 53.
[0182] Another embodiment of a bracket is depicted in FIGS. 46 and
47. The bracket 230 of this embodiment comprises a structure
engaging portion 232, a connecting web 234, and a support beam
engaging portion 235 that comprises a rib 236 and a coupling
element 238. The bracket 230 is configured and arranged to
operatively connect a support beam (such as the support beams
depicted in FIGS. 11a, 28, 44, and 45) to a support. As with the
previously described bracket embodiment (200), the structure
engaging portion 232 may be provided with apertures 240 that permit
the bracket to be attached to a structure with conventional
fastening elements. Alternatively, the bracket may be attached to a
support using other known technologies and techniques. When the
bracket 230 is used to operatively connect a beam to a support, the
coupling element 238 of the beam engaging portion 235 is slidingly
retained between one of the coupling elements 186 and one of the
pairs of ribs 182a. Thus configured, a support beam is able to move
in a constrained or sliding manner relative thereto. This feature
allows the bracket to be attached at different points along a
structure as well as along different points along a beam. The
bracket also permits a wall structure to be self-adjusting.
[0183] Referring now to FIGS. 48 and 49, an alternative embodiment
of an attachment bracket 90 is depicted. Here, the bracket 90 is
similar to earlier discussed bracket 18 (see FIGS. 4 and 22) in
that it has opposing walls 92, 94 that are connected to each other
by a top wall or span 96, and which retain a portion of a block in
a constrained relation. However, in this embodiment, the shorter of
the two walls 94 is provided with an arm 98 that is movably
attached thereto by a connector 100, such as a rivet. As depicted
in FIG. 48, the arm 98 is in a first position where it extends
towards a block (not shown). In this position, the bracket 90
resembles bracket 18 (see FIG. 4) and may be attached at or near
the underside of a structure in the usual manner, via the span
96.
[0184] In situations where it is not possible to easily attach the
bracket 90 to the underside of a structure, a user of the bracket
90 need only rotate the arm 98 to a second position so that it
extends away from a block (not shown) as depicted in FIG. 49. In
this position, the bracket may be attached to a vertical surface
via the arm by a conventional fastener, such as a nail or screw,
which extends through an aperture 102. Alternatively, the bracket
may be secured to a vertical surface by a suitable adhesive. As
will be appreciated, the bracket 90 may be oriented so that either
one of the walls 92, 94 may be in confronting relation with the
front or rear face of a block.
[0185] FIGS. 50-52 illustrate brackets and beams as shown in FIGS.
2 and 2a as they may be used in conjunction with blocks to form
alternative structures. Starting with FIG. 50, bracket 354 is
depicted. The bracket 354 is similar to previously described
bracket 200 shown in FIGS. 44 and 45 in that it generally comprises
a structure engaging portion and a support beam engaging portion.
However, there are differences. Instead of having a structure
engaging portion that comprises a first member and a second member,
structure engaging portion 356 of bracket 354 comprises a single or
first member 357. As depicted, the first member 357 is provided
with an aperture 360 that facilitates attachment to a structure
with fastening elements such as nails, threaded fasteners, or
rivets. It will be appreciated, however, that an aperture or
apertures need not be present in order to attach the bracket to a
structure. The fastening element(s) may be driven through the first
member, if desired. Additionally, it will also be appreciated that
attachment may also be achieved with suitable adhesives, in lieu
of, or in addition to, fastening elements. Continuing on, the
support beam engaging portion 358 comprises a web 362 and a pair of
legs 364, 366, which are angled with respect to the web to form a
generally "L"-shaped form. The web 362 includes an aperture 368
that is accessible through a slot 370 defined by edges 372 and 374
of legs 366 and 364, respectively. The aperture 368 and slot 370
are configured to slidingly receive a leg portion 732b and foot 734
of a support beam 716 of FIGS. 51 and 52.
[0186] Generally, the bracket of FIG. 50 may be used with beams and
blocks as shown in FIGS. 51 and 52 to form wall structures similar
to wall structures previously discussed. More specifically, support
beam 716, as shown, comprises an elongated spine or web 718 and
plurality of ribs 720 and 722, 724 and 726, which are arranged in a
substantially coplanar and collateral relation so that the first
pair of ribs 720, 722, which are substantially coplanar, extend
away from each other in a manner similar to other embodiments
already described. As shown, a first pair of ribs 720, 722 are
designed to engage the grooves 728 of one or more blocks of a
structure. As shown in FIG. 51, the support beams 716 may be
oriented in a generally vertical direction, or as in FIG. 52, a
generally horizontal direction. Note that in either orientation,
the blocks would essentially be self-supporting.
[0187] In addition, the web also includes a second pair of ribs
724, 726 which are also substantially coplanar and which extend
away from each other. Note that the pairs of ribs 720, 722 and 724,
726 are in substantially collateral or parallel relation with
respect to each other and are spaced apart from each other by a
distance defined by the web 718. The support beam 716 also includes
a pair of pair of leg structures 730 having leg portions 732a-b
that are similar to the leg structures of FIG. 37 in that they
extend rearwardly away from ribs 724, 726 and which form a
generally U-shaped channel therewith. The support beam differs,
however, in that only one of the leg portions 732b includes a foot
734. As depicted, the foot 734 extends laterally away from the leg
portion 732b and is generally parallel with ribs 720, 722. As with
the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 2a, the foot may be connected
directly or indirectly to a support structure. However, as
depicted, the beams of FIGS. 51 and 52 are operatively connected to
a structure by a plurality of brackets 354, which are attached to
suitable structural members. With such an arrangement the beams,
which are slidingly constrained by the brackets, permit blocks to
move without destroying the integrity of the structure.
[0188] As shown in FIG. 53, a bracket 200 is used as part of a wall
system to operatively connect a support beam 116 to a structure
"S". Note that the lowermost course of blocks is supported by a
horizontally oriented, elongated base, preferably in the form of an
angle iron 83, which can be used with one or more support pads or
footings 80a, if desired. The angle iron 83 includes an upper
surface 86, that is configured to receive one or more blocks
thereon and a sidewall 88 that prevents the block(s) from being
shifted backwards. Optionally, the upper surface and/or the
sidewall of the angle iron 83 may be provided with adhesive
material to enable the block(s) to be secured thereto, which
increases the strength and stability of the wall structure. Often,
a completed wall structure will terminate in an upper course of
blocks that is offset from the structure "S". In these situations,
one or more capstones or sills 113 may be used to provide a
finished look, with the sills being positioned upon the upper
course of blocks. As will be understood, the sills may be attached
to the upper course of blocks using known technologies and
techniques, such as adhesives. Sometimes, there is a gap between a
capstone or sill 113 and the structure "S", through which moisture,
debris, insects, etc. may pass. This gap can be effectively closed
using a sealing element 250 as depicted in FIGS. 54 and 55.
[0189] The sealing element 250 of the present invention generally
comprises a body having a plurality of flexible, resilient strips
that provide an effective seal between the sills or finish moldings
and the structure. More specifically the sealing element 250
comprises a sealing panel 251 that is formed by first and second
strips 252 and 254 and an attachment portion 255 that is formed by
third and fourth strips 256 and 258. The attachment portion 255 is
operatively connected to the panel 251 such that the third and
fourth strips extend therefrom in a generally radial relation. As
can be seen in FIGS. 54 and 55, the sealing element is in an
unflexed state and the third and fourth strips 256 and 258 define
an angle 262, which can range from about 15 degrees to about 165
degrees. The preferred range of the angle however is in the range
of about 45 degrees to about 75 degrees. The third and fourth
strips 256 and 258 may include beads or wales 260 that enable the
sealing element to anchor itself into position. In use, the third
and fourth strips 256 and 258 of the attachment portion 255 are
pinched together and inserted into the gap between the wall and a
structure, as shown in FIGS. 53 and 56. As the attachment portion
255 is seated, the first and second strips 252, 254 of the panel
251 contact the surfaces of the sill 113 and the structure "S" and
exert normal forces there against. Thus, effectively seals the gap.
As will be appreciated, the sealing element is maintained in
position by the beads 260 that, due to the resilient nature of the
strips, tend to catch against irregularities in the surfaces of the
sill and the structure "S" and resist movement. As will be
appreciated, the sealing element 250 may be oriented so that the
first and third strips 252, 256 contact the sill 113 and the second
and fourth strips 254, 258 contact the structure "S", if
desired.
[0190] There may be times when it is not possible, practical, or
desirable to use beams or the combination of beams and brackets, as
previously described to operatively connect blocks to a structure.
In such cases, blocks may be attached to a structure using only
brackets. Generally, as shown in FIGS. 57-59, each bracket
comprises a structure engagement portion and a block engagement
portion that are spaced from each other by a web. In one preferred
embodiment, shown in FIG. 57, the bracket 754 comprises a structure
engagement portion 756 that is similar to previously described
structure engagement portions in that it is configured and arranged
to act as a point of attachment to a structure, and comprises a
member 766 having an aperture 768, with the aperture configured to
be used in conjunction with a fastening element such as a nail,
screw or rivet. The bracket also comprises a web 762 and a panel
760, which collectively serve to connect the structure engagement
portion 756 to a block engagement portion 758, and which serve to
position a block a predetermined distance from a structure to which
it may be attached. While the structure engagement portion 756 and
the web 762 form a generally 90 degree angle therebetween, it will
be understood that the angle may be modified depending upon the
configuration of the structure to which it is attached. Thus, for
example, the angle could be acute or obtuse. The block engagement
portion 758, which is connected to the web, comprises a plurality
of generally planar sections 759a, 759b, 759c, 759d, and which are
configured to cooperatively engage portions of one or more blocks
such that forward and rearward movement of the blocks relative to
the structure, is limited. This is achieved by forming some
sections so that they are substantially coplanar with each other
and forming some sections so that they are substantially parallel
to each other (when viewing the bracket on edge). Note that those
sections that are coplanar with each other extend away from the web
in opposite directions, while those sections that are parallel to
each other and spaced from each other by a panel, need not be so
restricted. Note also, that the sections are configured and
arranged so that when viewed from front, the sections do not
overlap or superimpose upon each other. As will be appreciated,
this permits to bracket to be manufactured from material such as
metal and formed into the desired configuration with a series of
cuts and bends. It will be understood, however, that the bracket
may be manufactured from different materials (eg. plastics) and
formed using different techniques (eg. molding) without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention. In use, as shown in
FIG. 60 (right side), the bracket 754 operatively connects two
blocks to a structure "S".
[0191] Alternative embodiments of bracket 754 are depicted in FIGS.
58 and 59. As with the previously described bracket, these brackets
754' and 754'', respectively, comprise a structure engagement
portion, a web, and a block engagement portion. The structure
engagement portions are similar to the structure engagement portion
of FIG. 57 in that they are configured and arranged to act as a
point of attachment to a structure, and comprises a member 766',
766'' having an aperture 768', 768'' respectively, with the
aperture configured to be used in conjunction with a fastening
element such as a nail, screw or rivet. Likewise, the brackets also
comprise a web 762', 762'' which serve to connect the structure
engagement portion 756', 756'' to a block engagement portion 758',
758'', respectively, and which serve to position a block a
predetermined distance from a structure to which it may be
attached. In a departure from the web structure of FIG. 57, the
webs of FIGS. 58 and 59 include an additional aperture 764', 764''
that is configured and arranged to act as a point of attachment to
a structure (see, for example, the left side of FIG. 60). As with
the previously describe embodiment of FIG. 57, the angle formed by
the structure engagement portion and the web (shown generally as 90
degrees) may be modified depending upon the configuration of the
structure to which it is attached. The block engagement portions
758', 758'', which are connected to respective webs, each comprise
a plurality of sections 759a' and 759b', 759a'' and 759b'', which
are configured to cooperatively engage portions of one or more
blocks such that forward and rearward movement of the blocks
relative to the structure, is limited. This is achieved by forming
the sections so that they are generally coplanar to each other
(when viewing the bracket on edge) and able to engage opposing
surfaces in one or more blocks. A feature common to each of the
sections 758a' and 758b', 758a'' and 758b'' is that they have a
thickness 776', 776'' that effectively spans the distance between
the opposing surfaces into which they are positioned, such that
forward and rearward movement of the blocks relative to the
structure, is limited. In particular, the effective thickness of
each section 776', 776'' of bracket 754', 754'' is achieved by
forming creases 772 in each section to form darts 770, whose ends
define the extent of the effective thickness 776'. A strengthening
rib 774 may be provided for each section, if desired. The effective
thickness 776' of the sections 770 of bracket 754' is achieved by
forming the sections so that they have high and low block
contacting areas, preferably by curving the sections and more
preferably by forming the sections into the shape of arcs. FIG. 60
is a plan view of the brackets of FIGS. 57 and 59 operatively
connecting blocks of the present invention to a substructure.
[0192] It is to be understood that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of various embodiments of the
present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description,
together with details of the structure and function of various
embodiments of the invention, this disclosure is illustrative only,
and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of
structure and arrangement of parts within the principles of the
present invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general
meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
* * * * *