The invention relates to a set of plastic building elements and to a method of erecting structures using the set of plastic building elements .

Plastic building elements and buildings made therefrom are known .

The published Hungarian invention description P0700573 discloses a brick body masonry element made of a foamed thermoplastic polymer, having panels separated by an air gap and connected by ribs , at least one of which has air ducts . A wall made of such masonry units is not strong enough on its own and must therefore be reinforced with iron and filled with concrete . This masonry unit therefore acts ef fectively as a f o rmwo r k .

The published Hungarian patent description P0700016 identi fies a plastic cassette masonry element with concrete infill for strength and plastic foam for thermal insulation . A part of the cassettes forms a mounting duct for installation wiring . The plastic frame of this solution can also be seen as a residual formwork of concrete and plastic foam .

According to the German patent description DE 3419109 C2 , a hollow wall element is made of rigid plastic foam as a residual formwork .

The problem to be solved by the invention is the provision of a set of plastic building elements , the elements of which can be used to build structures with load-bearing and thermally insulating wall constructions without the need for additional load-bearing infill . The invention is based on the realisation that a rectangular base element with four side walls and a mounting channel can be designed as a plastic load-bearing masonry element in its own right , with a lower weight than the masonry elements commonly used today, and with an excellent heat trans fer coef ficient , if provided with an internal grid to ensure adequate bracing . It is also recognised that , i f this masonry element is combined with a plastic base element , a formwork element allowing the construction of vertical structural members such as reinforced concrete columns , and connecting elements allowing their connection to each other, a set of elements is obtained which can be used to construct a wide variety of structures quickly and easily .

In view of these recognitions , the obj ective of Claim 1 has been solved with a set of plastic building elements for masonry construction, comprising a set of masonry elements with mounting channel masonry elements with internal ribs , which is characterised by that it has masonry elements with a formwork element for a column of post-solidi fied material and formwork elements for a collar beam of post-solidi f ed material .

The preferred embodiments of the set of building element are shown in the sub-claims .

The invention also relates to a method of construction using the set of building element , wherein a masonry structure is formed by arranging masonry elements in a row and fastening them together, such that

- on a flat surface , the base elements are placed and fixed in rows along the line of the wall structure to be built ;

- the wall is assembled by means of pins-and-nests connections to the base elements and by fixing them to each other using masonry elements , including formwork masonry elements containing template spaces intended for the construction of columns of post-solidi f ed material in predetermined locations ;

- when the planned height of the wall is reached, the formwork elements forming the remaining formwork for the collar of post-solidi fied material are placed in a row at the top of the wall and fixed to the topmost masonry element of the wall ;

- the formwork of the collar and the template spaces provided for the columns are filled with post-solidi fied material , in particular concrete , where appropriate after the installation of ironwork .

The invention is described in detail below by means of the attached drawings , which show the elements of the set of plastic elements and the way in which they are assembled into a wall structure . The drawings show

Figure 1 is an embodiment of the masonry element shown in a perspective view from above ;

Figure 2 is a top view of the masonry element shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a masonry element with a mounting channel ;

Figure 4 is a top view of the masonry element shown in Figure 3 ;

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a masonry element with two mounting channels ;

Figure 6 is a top view of the masonry element in Figure 5 ;

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a masonry element with a mounting channel and formwork element ; Figure 8 is a top view of the masonry element in Figure 7 ;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the formwork element of a collar beam from the set of plastic building elements ;

Figure 10 is a top view of the formwork element in Figure 9 ;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a base element used as a starter for masonry;

Figure 12 is a top view of the base element in Figure 11 ;

Figure 13 shows a perspective view of a connecting element for connecting adj acent base elements ;

Figure 14 is a top view of the connecting element in Figure 13 ;

Figure 15 is a perspective view of a corner masonry element ;

Figure 16 is a top view of a corner masonry element as shown in Figure 15 ;

Figure 17 is a bottom view of the masonry element in Figure 15 ;

Figures 18-22 show the stages of construction of a building using a set of plastic building element of the invention .

The rectangular masonry element in top view shown in Figures 1 and 2 , as a whole , marked with reference number 1 , has longitudinal side walls 2 and 3 and shorter side walls 4 and 5 attached to their ends . Side walls 2 - 5 define an open boxlike element at the top and bottom, closed at the sides and internally braced by grid 6 .

The grid 6 are formed by ribs of the same m height as the side walls 2-5 , namely the longitudinal ribs 7 running hal f the width s of masonry element 1, in the longitudinal vertical geometric x-centre plane of masonry element 1 (Figure 2) , and the cross-ribs 8,8' starting from this and joining the longitudinal 2,3 side walls. Figure 2 clearly shows that two- two oblique cross-ribs 8' each start from a point on the longitudinal side walls 2,3 and longitudinal rib 7 and form an angle a with them. Note that the cross-ribs 8' are tied into the corners, so that they are also connected to the shorter 4 , 5 side walls .

Grid 6 contains air cells 6' open at the bottom and top, bounded by a longitudinal rib 7 and cross-ribs 8,8', which, as will be seen, form laterally closed air ducts after the masonry elements 1 are assembled into a masonry structure.

The superimposed masonry elements 1 are connected by pins (not shown here) which fit into corner nests 9 formed in the top and bottom faces of side walls 2-5, in short-side nests 10 and in long-side nests Ila, 11b, which are spaced apart from each other by a small, for example 6-15 mm interval ti (Figure 2) on either side of the transverse median plane y of masonry element 1, while nests 10 are located with interval t2 on either side of the masonry element 1 median plane x-

In this example embodiment, nests 9-lla are circular cylindrical in shape and their diameter and depth are chosen according to the dimensions of the pin - preferably a steel pin - that connects them. The pin should be sized according to the static requirements of the particular structure.

Note that in this example embodiment, the thicknesses are for both the side walls 2-5 and the longitudinal ribs 7 and cross-ribs 8 is a.

For example, the length h of masonry element 1 in Figures 1 and 2 may be 300 mm, the width s may be 150 mm and the height m may also be 150 mm. For side walls 2 to 5 and for the longitudinal ribs 7 and cross-ribs 8 of grid 6 , the thickness a can be chosen to be 10 mm . Nests 9- l lb may have a diameter of 4 mm and a depth of e . g . 3 to 70 mm, depending on the static requirements .

In Figures 3 and 4 , a masonry element 12 with mounting channels is shown with element member la and mounting channel 13 . The latter is located on the opposite side of the space bounded by the outer element la, i . e . the masonry space bounded by such masonry elements 12 . The element member la is essentially identical in structure to building element 1 of Figures 1 and 2 , the only di f ference being that the width s is smaller, namely with the width b of the 13 mounting channels . It follows that the total width S of the masonry elements 12 is equal to the width s , the height m and the length h of the masonry element 1 . A further di f ference is that the element member la of the masonry element 12 does not contain shortsided nests 10 and that the sides 4a, 5a of element member la are shorter than the sides 4 and 5 of element member 1 .

It is noted that the cross walls 12 of the mounting channel 13 together with the front wall 14 not only provide channel members 16 , 17 but also perform a bracing function, so that together with the element member la they have suf ficient strength and load bearing capacity .

In Figures 3 and 4 , the parts of the element member la are indicated by the reference numbers already used in Figures 1 and 2 .

The function of the mounting channel 13 is to provide the location and routing of a wide variety of installation ducts in the masonry elements 12 . The mounting channel 13 has a front wall 14 parallel to the side wall 2 of the element member la and spaced apart from them with interval b, connected to the side wall 2 by ribs 15 perpendicular to these walls and extending over the full height m of the masonry element 12 ; the length h of the front wall 14 is the same as the length h of the masonry elementl2 . The outer ribs 15 are spaced inwards at an interval c from the ends of the masonry element 12 , forming open channels 16 at these points , and two smaller closed channel 17a extend inwards , while a wider channel 17b is located in the middle . At the ends of the front wall 14 , in the upper face of which are formed nests 9a, and in the middle , in line with the nests I la, 11b of the element member la, nests 11c, l id are also formed at the bottom and top, the shape and si ze of which are identical to the shape and si ze of such nests of the masonry element 1 . The lower and upper nests I la, 11b are in line with each other . Note that the thickness a of the front wall 14 and cross-ribs 15 of the mounting channel 13 is the same as the thickness of the side walls 2-5 , longitudinal rib 7 and cross-ribs 8 of the element member la .

In Figures 5 and 6 , a masonry element 18 according to the invention is shown which also includes a mounting channel 13a on the inner side of the element member lb, the structural design and dimensions of which are substantially identical to those of the mounting channel 13 ( see Figs . 3 , 4 ) , but the width d of element member lb is smaller than that of element member la in Figure 3 , 4 , and accordingly the shorter side walls of length d are designated by reference numbers 4b, 5b . The masonry elements 1 , 12 and 18 of the set of plastic element according to the invention described above are suitable on their own for the construction of wall structures in buildings whose function does not require additional reinforcement . In Figures 7 and 8 , however, we have shown a masonry element 19 with a mounting channel and element member 1c, which also contains formwork elements 35 for the construction of , for example , a ( reinforced) concrete column . The side walls 2a, 2b of element member 1c are shorter than the longitudinal side walls 2 and 3 of masonry elements 1 , 12 and 18 , and the length of side walls 4a and 5a is the same as the length of side walls 4a, 5a in Figure 4 .

The formwork member 35 , which complement the element member 1c to form the masonry elements 19 with length h and width s , and which function as a formwork element for the reinforced concrete column to be installed, have longitudinal side walls 36 , 37 , and transverse end walls 38 which, together with the side wall 4a of the element member 1c and the end wall 15a of the mounting channel 13b in continuation of this side wall 4a, form a template , delimiting the template space 38 , into which, for example , an iron fitting for a reinforced concrete column can be placed, which can then be filled with concrete . The reference numbers and symbols of the structural parts described earlier have been used as appropriate in Figures 7 and 8 ; it should be noted in this connection that , since the installation channel is shorter here than in the case of masonry elements 12 and 18 , it is designated by reference 13b, the front wall by reference 18a and an internal channel by reference 16a, since it is of a di f ferent width from those .

In Figures 9 and 10 , we have shown a formwork element 20 for creating a closing monolithic reinforced concrete collar beam, with parallel side walls 21 , 22 spaced interval s ' apart , j oined at the bottom by a bottom wall 23 at the front and back and at the top to form an open rigid element . The length h, width s and height m of the formwork element 20 are the same as those of the masonry element 1 . The upper and lower faces of the side walls 21 , 22 have corner nests 23a and intermediate nests 20b, 20c incorporated therein, the positions of which correspond to the positions of the nests I la, 11b of the masonry element 1 . The lower and upper nests 23a and nests 20b, 20c are aligned as appropriate . At the junction of the bottom wall 23 and side walls 21, 22, there arerounded ribs 23a running along the bottom wall.

Figures 11 and 12 show a base element 24 which can be used preferably to start wall construction, with a length h and width s corresponding to these dimensions of masonry element 1, but a height mi of only about 1/12 to 1/7 of the height m of masonry element 1, for example. The base element 24 has along the flange, upwardly extending longitudinal base ribs 25, 26 and shorter lateral base ribs 27, 28 transverse to these, which are joined together below by bottom plates 41 to form a rigid element. The longitudinal base ribs 25,26 have lateral nests 25a, 26a, open outwards and upwards, with circular segmental shapes in top view, and spaced at intervals f on either side of the geometric y centre planes. The same lateral nests 27a, 28a are formed in the shorter base ribs 27, 28, the centres of which lie in the geometric median X plane. Note that the lateral nests 27a, 28a in the shorter ribs 27, 28 are intended for the longitudinal alignment of the base elements 24, while the lateral nests (25a, 26a) in the longitudinal ribs 25, 26 are intended for the transverse alignment of the base elements 24, for example to start the construction of internal walls.

Nests 30, 31a and 31b of the same shape and size as the nests 9-llb of the masonry element 1 (Figures 1 and 2) are recessed into the upper surface of the base ribs 25-28, and holes 32 are formed in the bottom plate 41 for the passage of anchoring elements. Along the junction of the base ribs 25-28 and the bottom plate 41 there are contiguous rounded ribs 41a, 41b.

In Figures 13 and 14, a connecting element 33 is shown which is intended to laterally fasten the adjacent base elements shown in Figures 11 and 12 to each other. The element

33 comprise two element members 33a, 33b having substantially the same shape and dimensions as the nests 25a-28a of the base elements 24 of Figures 11 and 12 . The element members 33a, 33b extend outwards from the geometric z-centres .

The corner masonry element 41 shown in Figures 15- 17 comprises two vertical , matching, perpendicular side walls 45a, 45b, hori zontal base ribs 42a, 42b and head ribs 43a, 43b, which ribs implement the side walls 45a, 45b in top view to a right- angled rectangle shape , and vertical side corner ribs 44 connecting them . The upper and lower surfaces of the four corners of the masonry element 41 have circular nests 46 of the same si ze , diameter and depth . The upper and lower nests 46 are aligned .

Referring also to Figures 18 to 22 , the following describes a method of constructing a multi-wall structure using the set of plastic building elements described in detail above , in which the foundation of a structure , such as a house , is constructed in a manner known per se . A solid receiving level with a flat surface is prepared, e . g . a reinforced concrete base plate , on which the plan of the wall structure of the building is marked out , on which the base elements 24 shown in Figures 11 and 12 are placed in a row as shown in Figure 18 and anchored to the underlay by means of anchoring elements (not shown) passed through holes 32 . The adj acent base elements 24 are connected to each other by means of connecting elements 33 insterted in their nests 25a-26b as shown in Figures 12 and 13 .

The masonry element 1 , 12 and 18 selected from the masonry elements 1 , 12 and 18 and the corner masonry elements 41 are connected to the masonry element base 24a by pin-to-nest connections . In the present case , the walls are constructed from the single mounting channel masonry element 12 as shown in Figure 19 by placing pins (not shown) in the nests 30 , 31a and 31b of the base elements 24 and by passing over these pins the nests 9 , l la- l ld and 39 recessed in the underside of the masonry elements 12 and the nests 46 of the masonry element 41 . The masonry elements 12 above each other are j oined together in the same way as the brick bonding rule used in building construction, i . e . the 12 masonry elements are positioned in each row hal f a length apart from the masonry elements 12 below and above them .

Note that , in principle , the connection can also be made by fixing the pins , e . g . by gluing them in the nests 9 , l la- l ld, 39 and 46 and inserting them in the nests 30 , 31a, 31b of the base elements 24 .

It is also noted that it is not necessary to start building the walls with masonry elements 12 , 20 , 41 only after all base elements 24 have been placed, this work can be started after a section of a row of base elements 24 has been completed .

In the phase shown in Figure 20 , most of the perpendicular walls 50 , 51 and a transverse wall 52 perpendicular to the latter have been completed, including part of the remaining formwork 41a required by the corner masonry elements 41 to form a reinforced concrete column in the corner area of walls 50 , 51 .

In the phases shown in Figures 21 and 22 , the walls 50-52 are completed to the planned lower collar beam level , and the formwork masonry elements 20 can begin to be placed and fixed in sequence on the top row of masonry elements 12 using the pin-and-nest connection described above ; thus the formwork masonry elements 20 together function as the remaining f o rmwo r k .

In the next step, the corner column and collars to be made in the formwork are filled with post- solidi fied material - concrete - which, once solidi fied, completes the masonry structure .

It should be noted that in walls 50-52 , intermediate columns can be installed in the appropriate places , in accordance with the static requirements , by inserting masonry elements 19 .

I f , for example , fibrous thermal and/or acoustic insulation material , such as rock wool and/or polyurethane foam or fire-resistant pur foam, is used in the masonry, this is placed before the formwork masonry 20 elements are placed, as appropriate .

The advantages of the invention can be summarised as follows : the masonry elements of the set of plastic building elements can be produced easily and quickly by a sel f-known plastic inj ection moulding process , using environmentally friendly material recycling technology . Their weight is relatively low, making them easy to move and less accident- prone than conventional building elements . As a result of the light weight of the elements , the overall wall structure is also lighter than usual , which results in lower foundation costs . Their strength and resistance to compression and tension are excellent , their material is intrinsically water and air impermeable , and their fire resistance can be ensured by the use of suitable auxiliary materials such as high- density polyethylene (WF-HDPE ) or ammonium polyphosphate .

The invention is , of course , not limited to the embodiments of the set of elements described in detail above or to the described method of implementation of the procedure , but can be implemented in a variety of ways within the scope of protection defined by the claims .