U.S. patent number 3,667,186 [Application Number 05/064,263] was granted by the patent office on 1972-06-06 for concrete blocks.
Invention is credited to Shoji Kato.
United States Patent |
3,667,186 |
Kato |
June 6, 1972 |
CONCRETE BLOCKS
Abstract
An outwardly bent engaging projection and an engaging depression
are formed at each end of a substantially flat-shaped concrete
block. The engaging depression receives an engaging projection of
another concrete block, while the engaging projection of the first
concrete block is received by an engaging depression of still
another concrete block. Thus engaged with one another so as to be
horizontally inseparable, a plurality of such concrete blocks form
a honeycomblike framework which, supplemented with appropriately
shaped other concrete blocks of the invention, is rendered into a
desired substructure.
Inventors: |
Kato; Shoji (Uji,
JA) |
Family
ID: |
13271662 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/064,263 |
Filed: |
August 17, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Aug 16, 1969 [JA] |
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44/64910 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/592.2; 52/429;
52/570; 405/29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02B
3/06 (20130101); E04H 7/28 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E02B
3/06 (20060101); E04H 7/28 (20060101); E04H
7/00 (20060101); E04b 002/18 (); E04b 002/26 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/591,594,570,571,DIG.2,429 ;61/4,59,60,61,37 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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537,950 |
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May 1955 |
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BE |
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508,987 |
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Jul 1939 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Perham; Alfred C.
Claims
I claim:
1. A concrete block structure comprising angularly disposed first,
second and third concrete blocks each comprising a body part and at
least one end part for rigid engaging connection with the end parts
of the two other blocks; the end parts of the three blocks being
identical in configuration; each end part of the blocks including
an engaging projection extending outwardly from the body part, a
second projection extending from the body part in a substantially
divergent relationship to said engaging projection, and an engaging
depression formed between said engaging projection and said second
projection and being of a configuration complementary to said
engaging projection; the engaging projection of said first block
engaging the engaging depression of said third block; the engaging
depression of said first block receiving the engaging projection of
said second block; the second projection of said first block
cooperating with the engaging projection of said third block to
tightly grip the engaging projection of the second block
therebetween.
2. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body parts of
the three blocks are disposed to form an angle of 120.degree.
between adjacent blocks.
3. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body parts of
two blocks are disposed at an angle of 180.degree. and the body
part of the remaining block is disposed at right angle to said body
parts of said two blocks.
4. The structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein said two blocks are
each formed with a reinforcing protuberance on the rear surfaces
thereof.
5. The structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein said two blocks
have curved front surfaces.
6. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein side faces of the
body parts of the blocks and surfaces defining said second
projections of the blocks are provided with corresponding
concavities which, when the blocks are engaged with each other, are
registered with each other to form holes adapted to be filled with
solidifiable material so as to prevent disengagement of the
blocks.
7. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of
the body parts of the blocks are hollow providing for the passage
of reinforcing rods.
8. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein upper and lower
surfaces of at least some of the body parts of the blocks are
recessed for the passage of reinforcing rods.
9. The structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of the
body parts of the blocks has an aperture extending transversely
therethrough.
10. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engaging
projection of each block is bent at its intermediate part in a
direction away from the second projection of the same block.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to concrete blocks for use as
structural units, and more particularly to novel concrete blocks
whose ends are formed into definite shape so as to be engageable
with one another in a horizontally inseparable manner for
construction especially of substructures.
Heretofore, the construction of roadbeds, embankments, building
foundations and other substructures involving the compacting
operation of stone, gravel, sand or earth, has generally required
huge quantities of such materials in addition to prodigious labor
and time. In some instances, where the inadequate nature of
existing soil forbids the immediate construction of such
substructures, complete soil replacement has been a
prerequisite.
Moreover, adequately inclined side faces or protective slopes have
been needed for the substructures constructed higher or lower than
the ground surface, reducing the effective area of each
substructure even to one half of the ground space actually occupied
thereby. Such slopes not only hamper the economical use of ground
spaces available, but they require an additional step of slope
protection. Furthermore, no matter how carefully protected they may
be, the slopes are not completely immune from rainwash and other
weathering effects and tend to start crumbling down from their tops
or from their so-called "shoulder" portions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide novel
concrete blocks which can be readily engaged with one another and,
once engaged, are never horizontally separable.
Another object of the invention is to provide novel concrete blocks
which make possible the rapid construction of roadbeds,
embankments, building foundations and other substructures.
Still another object of the invention is to provide novel concrete
blocks which can be assembled together with various reinforcing
materials so that structures built thereby will be highly durable
and unyielding.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide novel concrete
blocks which, when employed especially for the construction of
elevated roads, make possible the maximum possible use of ground
spaces available.
All these and the various ancillary objects are accomplished by the
present invention, which is described in detail hereinbelow
according to several preferred embodiments thereof illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prototypal concrete block of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top view of three such concrete blocks
engaged with one another;
FIGS. 3 to 9, inclusive, are perspective views of some of the
possible modifications of the prototypal concrete block of FIG.
1;
FIGS. 10 and 11 are top views of other modifications;
FIGS. 12 and 13 are fragmentary top views of still other
modifications engaged with one another;
FIG 14 is a fragmentary perspective view of the concrete blocks of
FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 engaged with one another, together with
reinforcing steel bars;
FIG. 15 is a fragmentary top view of the concrete blocks of FIGS.
4, 5 and 6 engaged with one another and filled with concrete;
FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional view taken along the plane of line
XVI--XVI in FIG. 15; and
FIGS. 17 (a), (b) and (c) illustrate the cross sections of elevated
roads by way of comparison, FIG. 17(a) showing a conventional
mounded road and FIGS. 17(b) and (c) showing roads constructed with
use of the concrete blocks of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a prototypal concrete block A1 of the present
invention, in which engaging projections 2, 2, bent 120.degree. in
the horizontal direction, are formed at diagonally opposite
positions at both ends B1, B1 of a body part 1. Formed inside these
engaging projections 2, 2 are engaging depressions 3, 3 to be
engaged with engaging projections 2, 2 of adjacent concrete
blocks.
The engaging projection 2 is bounded by faces a, b, c and d. The
above mentioned angle of 120.degree. is formed by the faces a and
b, an angle of 90.degree. by the faces b and c, and a certain
definite angle by the faces c and d.
The engaging depression 3 is formed between the aforesaid engaging
projection 2 and another projection 4 that is formed by faces e, f,
g, h and i. When engaged with another similar block, this concrete
block A1 has its face e in contact with a face c, its face f in
contact with a face d, and its face g in contact with a side face
1a of a body part 1.
Referring now to FIG. 2, in which three such concrete blocks A1,
A1' and A1" are engaged with one another, the face a is in contact
with the face b, the face c in contact with the face e, the face d
in contact with the face f, and the face g in contact with the side
face 1a of the body part 1. As illustrated, the three concrete
blocks branch off in the horizontal directions at angles of
120.degree.. The faces g and 1a are provided with concavities 5 and
5', respectively, which, when such concrete blocks are engaged as
in FIG. 2, unite into holes to be filled with cement mortar and the
like in order to prevent the disengagement of the blocks in the
vertical direction.
In contrast to the bar-shaped block A1 of FIG. 1, FIGS. 3 to 8,
inclusive, illustrate six different plate-shaped concrete blocks
A2, A3, A4, A5, A6 and A7, which are described hereinbelow.
In the concrete block A2 of FIG. 3, a slot hole 7 runs vertically
through a flat-shaped body part 6 for insertion therethrough of
reinforcing steel bars. Both ends B2, B2 of the body part 6 as
viewed from the top are shaped the same as the ends B1, B1 of the
above described concrete block A1.
The concrete block A3, of FIG. 4, has the upper and lower portions
of its body part 8 cut away into recesses 9 and 9' across which
reinforcing bars are to be disposed. Both ends B3, B3 of the body
part 8 are shaped the same as the ends B2, B2 of the above
described concrete block A2.
The concrete block A4 shown in FIG. 5, which is a modification of
the foregoing block A2, is different therefrom in that a transverse
window 11 is formed in a body part 10, to be filled, upon
completion of a substructure with a number of such blocks A4, with
sand, gravel, broken stone, cement mortar and the like to add to
the solidity of that substructure.
The concrete block A5 shown in FIG. 6 is shaped particularly to
form the side walls and the like of structures built by the other
blocks of the invention. A front face 12a of a body part 12 is
formed with a recess 13 for pleasing appearance, while a rear face
12b thereof is provided with a reinforcing protuberance 14
extending vertically in the middle of the body part. The shape of
the ends B5, B5 of this block A5 is arranged slightly different
from that of the ends of the above described four blocks A1, A2, A3
and A4. That is, while the fundamental shapes of the engaging
projection 2 and the engaging depression 3 remain unaltered, the
ends B5, B5 are arranged so as to be engaged only with the
neighboring two blocks (one-to-one engagement).
The concrete block A6 shown in FIG. 7 is a combination of the
foregoing concrete block A5 of FIG. 6 and concrete block A3 of FIG.
4, the latter being united to the former at its rear face
protuberance so as to be at right angles therewith. The ends B6F,
B6F of this block A6 are each shaped for engagement with a
corresponding end of only one other similar block (one-to-one
engagement), while the end B6R is shaped for engagement with the
ends of two other blocks (one-to-two engagement).
The concrete block A7 shown in FIG. 8, which is a modification of
the above block A6 of FIG. 7, has its body part 17 curved either
vertically, horizontally, or in both vertical and horizontal
directions, for use in giving curved or spherical appearance to
substructures formed by the concrete blocks of the invention. The
ends B7F, B7F of this concrete block A7 are each shaped for
one-to-one engagement, while the end B7R is shaped for one-to-two
engagement.
FIG. 9 illustrates a concrete block A8 which has only one engaging
projection and one engaging depression at its end B8, for use as a
"filler" when two concrete blocks, having their ends shaped for
one-to-two engagement, are engaged with each other at an angle of
120.degree. .
FIG. 10 illustrates a particular example, i.e., a concrete block A9
preformed in a shape obtainable by engaging three blocks selected
from among those illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Body parts 18
branch off in 120.degree. different directions, with three
similarly shaped ends B9 for one-to-two engagement. This block A9
greatly reduces the time and labor needed for the engagement of
individual blocks in construction of substructures.
FIG. 11 illustrates a similarly particular concrete block A10,
preformed in a shape obtainable by engaging three blocks selected
from among those of FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 one after the other. This also
saves the time and labor needed for the engagement of individual
blocks. Ends B.sub.10 O, B.sub.10 O of the block A10 are each
shaped for one-to-two engagement, while ends B1OI, B10I are each
shaped for one-to-one engagement.
FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a further type of concrete blocks All of
the invention engaged with one another, together with a "filler"
block in FIG. 13. While the engaging projections and depressions of
these blocks A11 are simplified in shape, they do not basically
differ form those of the preceding blocks and should be understood
to fall within the scope of the present invention.
How the above described various concrete blocks of the invention
are assembled for the construction of substructures will now be
described with reference to FIGS. 14, 15 and 16.
First of all, depending upon the substructure to be constructed,
ground excavation over a desired area will be necessary until a bed
of base rock is reached, or the ground must be readjusted into
sufficient solidity. At the site thus prepared, those selected from
among the concrete blocks A1 through A11 are assembled, with their
ends B in either one-to-one or one-to-two engagement according to
their shape.
In FIG. 14, the blocks A5, used to form the side wall, are joined
together with the blocks A3 in one-to-two engagement (the blocks A5
here are slightly modified from the block A5 illustrated in FIG.
6). In this instance, the engaging projections 2 and engaging
depressions 3 of the blocks A5 are designed in such shape and size
that the front faces 12a thereof are aligned in the same vertical
plane and that the blocks A3 are engaged with the blocks A5 at
right angles therewith. Further inside, the blocks A3, the blocks
A2 and A3 in appropriate arrangement are joined together in
one-to-two engagement. Hence, a first stage of honeycomb-like
framework is obtained. Second, third and further stages of blocks
are successively superposed thereupon in the same way.
Vertical reinforcing bars 21 are inserted into vertically
penetrating spaces 20 formed by the mutually engaged and superposed
blocks. Horizontal reinforcing bars 22 are arranged across the
recesses of the blocks A3. According to the arrangement of these
blocks A3, the horizontal reinforcing bars 22 can be disposed not
only in orthogonally crossing directions but also obliquely in
order to add to the strength, rigidity, and durability of the
overall structure.
Into the hollow spaces 20 of the framework thus built to a desired
height, fillers 23 such as sand, gravel, broken stone and mortar
are dumped, as indicated in FIGS. 15 and 16, thus turning the
honeycomblike framework into a rigid roadbed, embankment, building
foundation or the like.
In particular, the concrete blocks of the invention makes possible
the construction of an elevated road having vertical side faces 24,
24 as shown in FIG. 17(b). It is also possible to form downwardly
tapering side faces 25, 25 as in FIG. 17(c) by use of the above
described blocks A7, thus making the effective road width s1
greater than the width s2 of the ground space actually occupied by
the road. In either case, the effective area possessed by a
conventional mounded road given in FIG. 17(a) with its side slopes
26, 26, is increased twice or more by the roads constructed with
use of the concrete blocks of the present invention.
Although the novel concrete blocks of the invention have been shown
and described with reference to several preferred examples, it will
be obvious that the invention is not to be limited thereby but is
considered to include obvious and reasonable equivalents. For
example, while the concrete blocks of the invention have been
described above without specific mention of reinforcement
therewithin, it will be apparent that these concrete blocks can be
fabricated with reinforcing steel structures such as deformed steel
bars or prestressed steel wires or bars imbedded therewithin.
* * * * *