A BUILDING BLOCK

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a building block. The present invention has particular but not exclusive application for use in building walls and other structures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Concrete masonry blocks such as BESSER blocks have been used to build walls and other structures. These blocks have flat sides allowing them to abut each other and be cemented together. These concrete masonry blocks usually have apertures for the positioning of metal reinforcement rods and these apertures are shaped to allow positioning of the metal reinforcement rods through the alternately staggered rows of blocks. The apertures are shaped so that alternate rows of blocks are staggered while allowing the positioning of metal reinforcement through all rows. Both the staggering of blocks in alternate rows and use of metal reinforcement rods strengthens the resultant wall. The positioning and cementing of the blocks is a skillful and laborious task to build a stable wall.

Australian patent No. 692868 describes a block which has openings at each opposed end to receive a shaped plug and hold abutting blocks in an end to end attitude. The use of the shaped plugs serves to correctly align the blocks and avoid the need to use cement to join abutting blocks. Consequently persons with less skill are required to build wall with these blocks. These blocks and shaped plugs form a building system where both components are required.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternate building block and system that overcomes at least in part one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect the present invention broadly resides in a building block having a protrusion extending from a first side and a complementary recess formed within a second side wherein a plurality of said blocks are connectable by the engagement of the protrusion of one of said blocks within the recess of another of said blocks. The first and second sides are preferably opposed sides.

The block is preferably elongate. More preferably the block is substantially rectangular.

The protrusion preferably has a shape where the outermost portion is wider than an inner portion thereby preventing disconnection of adjacent blocks. The protrusion preferably has a substantially truncated triangular shape where the wide base of the truncated triangular protrusion is outermost.

The block preferably has an aperture that passes between an upper side and a lower side where the upper and lower sides are substantially perpendicular to the first and second sides. The aperture is preferably shaped to allow the positioning of a reinforcement member.

The block preferably has two apertures spaced part between the first and second sides. More preferably the block has two apertures that are equally spaced part between the first and second sides.

The block preferably has locating means to enable one block to be stacked on another block. The locating means preferably includes one or more projections and grooves on the upper and lower sides. More preferably one or more grooves extend along the upper side while the one or more projections extend along the lower side. Preferably the grooves extend between the first side and the second side. The projections preferably extend between the first side and the second side.

In another aspect the invention broadly resides in a system for building a structure including a plurality of building blocks, each of said blocks has a protrusion extending from a first side, a complementary recess formed within a second side and at least one aperture that passes between an upper side and a lower side where the upper and lower sides are substantially perpendicular to the first and second sides wherein the plurality of said blocks are connectable by the engagement of the protrusion of one of said blocks within the recess of another of said blocks; a plurality of reinforcement members for passage within the at least one aperture; and mortar to bind the plurality of blocks wherein the plurality of blocks are connected to form a row of blocks and rows are positioned on each other to build the structure. The structure is preferably a wall.

The rows of blocks can be alternately staggered to strengthen the wall.

Preferably, the block has locating means as described above.

The reinforcement member is preferably a plastic pipe. The reinforcement member preferably can be positioned to ensure alignment between the blocks of different rows. The reinforcement member preferably braces the block structure and

maintains the block structure before and while the apertures are core filled. The reinforcement member is preferably wide to effect bracing and facilitate core filling of the block structure. Preferably the reinforcement member is able to occupy the majority of space within the aperture. The reinforcement member is preferably a plastic pipe with a 90mmm diameter. Alternately a conventional 'reo' metal bar may be used to provide alignment of blocks and strength to the core-filled apertures. In another aspect the invention broadly resides in a method of building a structure including positioning a plurality of blocks to form rows of blocks, each of said blocks has a protrusion extending from a first side, a complementary recess formed within a second side and at least one aperture that passes between an upper side and a lower side where the upper and lower sides are substantially perpendicular to the first and second sides wherein the plurality of said blocks are connectable by the engagement of the protrusion of one of said blocks within the recess of another of said blocks; the apertures of the blocks in one row align with the apertures of the blocks in an adjacent row to allow the positioning of a reinforcement member; positioning a reinforcement member in the aligned apertures at predetermined positions along the rows of blocks; and pouring mortar within the apertures and allowing the mortar to set and bind the blocks to build the structure.

Each block in one row may be stacked on a block of an adjacent row. Alternatively, each block in one row may be offset relative to a block of an adjacent row to form staggered rows of blocks. Preferably, each block is offset by half the dimension between the first and second sides.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a building block according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the building block of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a side view of the building block Figure 1 ; and Figure 4 is an end view of the building block of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown a building block 10 having a protrusion 12 extending from one end 14 and a complementary recess 16 formed within another end 18. A plurality of blocks 10 can be connected by positioning the protrusion 12 within the recess 16 of an adjacent block.

The building block 10 is rectangular. The protrusion 12 extends from the end 14 while the opposite end 18 has the recess 16. In other block embodiments, the side with the protrusion maybe adjacent a side with the recess.

The protrusion 12 and the recess 16 have a shape that substantially resembles an inverted truncated triangle. This enables adjacent blocks to interlock with one another and serves to secure blocks positioned horizontally in an end to end relationship when the blocks are arranged to form a row of blocks.

The block 10 has two apertures 20, 21 and each aperture passes between an upper side 22 and a lower side 23. The upper side 22 and lower side 23 are

perpendicular to the ends 14,18. The two apertures 20, 21 are equally spaced apart between the opposed ends 14 and 18.

The size of each aperture 20, 21 is made to accommodate a 90mm plastic pipe that is used to stabilize the structure having successive rows of blocks stacked on top of each other. The 90 mm plastic pipe serves to align the blocks of different rows and facilitate core filling of the apertures. Positioning the 90 mm plastic pipe within the apertures of the blocks provides temporary support and bracing while the structure is being built and the apertures are core filled. .

The block 10 has grooves 24and projections 26 that serve as locating means to enable one block to be readily located on another block. The grooves 24 are disposed on the upper side 22 and the projections 26 are disposed on the lower side 23. The grooves 24 and the projections 26 extend between the end 14 and the opposite end 18.

In the construction of a wall, blocks 10 are connected by engaging a protrusion 12 of one block with a recessi 6 of an adjacent block to form a row of blocks. Successive rows of blocks are stacked one on top of another so that the apertures of the blocks 10 in one row align with the apertures of the blocks 10 in an adjacent row. Each block 10 in one row may be offset relative to another block 10 of an adjacent row so as to form staggered rows of blocks. When the rows of blocks are staggered relative to one another, each block 10 in one row is off set by half the length between the ends 16 and 18. The apertures of the blocks in one row are therefore aligned with the apertures of an adjacent row. The 90mm plastic pipe is then positioned within the aligned apertures to support the vertical block rows. The plastic pipes or bars are positioned along the rows of blocks to form a stable wall structure. Mortar is poured into the apertures to bind the entire structure together.

The grooves 24 and the projections 26 of the blocks do not have mortar so that the blocks can be dry stacked on top of each other.

ADVANTAGES The preferred embodiment of the present invention has the advantage that adjacent blocks can be connected without the need for cement or a separate connecting component. The integrally formed protrusion of one block can be located in the recess of another block to connect adjacent blocks. The interlocking relationship of the blocks of the preferred embodiment in combination with the locating grooves and projections allows the blocks to be arranged into a stable structure.

VARIATIONS

It will be realized that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.