Building block, wall constructions made from building blocks, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10858828-B2
Application number	US-201916440243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2019
Priority date	Mar 21, 2017
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A concrete building block includes indicators along each end to assist in aligning a pin placed in the block with a channel in a like block in a course below as a wall is being constructed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A building block comprising:
(a) a body having opposite front and rear faces, opposite first and second bearing faces extending between the front and rear faces, and opposite first and second ends extending between the front and rear faces;
(i) the first and second bearing faces each including two pin receiving apertures extending through the body;
(ii) the first bearing face being an upper face and having one or more channels to receive one end of pins extending through the pin receiving apertures of another building block stacked on the first bearing face;

(b) the first end including a first recess extending from the first bearing face to the second bearing face and having a first recess edge;
(i) a first of the pin receiving apertures located adjacent to the first recess edge;
(ii) a first indicator in the first recess adjacent the first pin receiving aperture, the first indicator being visible from the first end to assist in aligning a pin placed in the first pin receiving aperture with a channel in a block in a course below; and

(c) the second end including a second recess extending from the first bearing face to the second bearing face and having a second recess edge;
(i) a second of the pin receiving apertures located adjacent to the second recess edge;
(ii) a second indicator in the second recess adjacent the second pin receiving aperture, the second indicator being visible from the second end to assist in aligning a pin placed in the second pin receiving aperture with a channel in a block in the course below; and

wherein the one or more channels includes a first plurality of channels adjacent the first recess edge and a second plurality of channels adjacent the second recess edge; the first plurality of channels extending from the first recess edge partially along the first bearing face, and the second plurality of channels extending from the second recess edge partially along the first bearing face.

2. The building block of claim 1 wherein the rear face is shorter in length than the front face.

3. The building block of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of channels includes no more than three channels adjacent the first recess edge and the second plurality of channels includes no more than three channels adjacent the second recess edge.

4. The building block of claim 1 wherein the first and second bearing faces have planar contact surfaces.

5. The building block of claim 1 wherein:
(a) the first pin receiving aperture is open into at least a portion of the first recess through the recess edge and the first indicator comprises the portion along the first recess edge in which the first pin receiving aperture is open; and
(b) the second pin receiving aperture is open into at least a portion of the second recess through the recess edge and the second indicator comprises the portion along the second recess edge in which the second pin receiving aperture is open.

6. The building block of claim 5 wherein:
(a) the first pin receiving aperture is open into the first recess along an entire length of the first pin receiving aperture; and
(b) the second pin receiving aperture is open into the second recess along an entire length of the second pin receiving aperture;
wherein as a pin is inserted through the first and second pin receiving apertures, the pin is visible from the corresponding end of the block and into a channel in another building block in the course below as a wall is being constructed.

7. The building block of claim 1 wherein:
(a) the first end includes a first end wall adjacent the front face; a second end wall adjacent the rear face; and wherein the first recess edge extends between the first end wall and second end wall; and
(b) the second end includes a first end wall adjacent the front face, a second end wall adjacent the rear face, and wherein the second recess edge extends between the first end wall of the second end and the second end wall of the second end.

8. The building block of claim 7 wherein the first end wall of the first end extends at an angle toward the second end as the first end wall extends from the front face, and the second end wall of the first end extends at an angle away from the second end as the second end wall extends from the rear face.

9. The building block of claim 8 wherein the first end wall of the second end extends at an angle toward the first end as the first end wall extends from the front face, and the second end wall of the second end extends at an angle away from the first end as the second end wall extends from the rear face.

10. The building block of claim 7 wherein the first end further includes:
(a) a first recess wall extending between the first end wall and the first recess edge;
(b) a second recess wall extending between the second end wall and the first recess edge; and
wherein the first recess edge angles in a direction toward the second end as the first recess edge extends from the first recess wall to the second recess wall.

11. The building block of claim 10 wherein the second end further includes:
(a) a first recess wall extending between the first end wall of the second end and the second recess edge;
(b) a second recess wall extending between the second end wall of the second end and the second recess edge; and
wherein the second recess edge angles in a direction toward the first end as the second recess edge extends from the first recess wall of the second end to the second recess wall of the second end.

12. The building block of claim 11 wherein:
(a) the first pin receiving aperture is located along the first recess edge 40-60% of the distance between the first recess wall and the second recess wall of the first end; and
(b) the second pin receiving aperture is located along the second recess edge 40-60% of the distance between the first recess wall and the second recess wall of the second end.

13. The building block of claim 7 wherein:
(a) the first recess edge is recessed from the first end wall of the first end a distance of 5-20% of a length of the front face; and
(b) the second recess edge is recessed from the first end wall of the second end a distance of 5-20% of a length of the front face.

14. The building block of claim 1 wherein the rear face is planar.

15. The building block of claim 1 wherein the front face is planar.

16. A wall comprising:
(a) a plurality of courses, each course comprising a plurality of building blocks, and the building blocks of each course after a base course of building blocks being positioned on the building blocks in course succession; each of the building blocks including,
a body having opposite front and rear faces, opposite first and second bearing faces extending between the front and rear faces, and opposite first and second ends extending between the front and rear faces; the first and second bearing faces each including two pin receiving apertures extending through the body; the first bearing face being an upper face and having one or more channels to receive one end of pins extending through the pin receiving apertures of a building block stacked on the first bearing face;
the first end including a first recess extending from the first bearing face to the second bearing face and having a first recess edge; a first of the pin receiving apertures located adjacent to the first recess edge; a first indicator in the first recess adjacent the first pin receiving aperture, the first indicator being visible from the first end to assist in aligning a pin placed in the first pin receiving aperture with a channel in a

Assignees

• Anchor Wall Syst

Inventors

• Burnquist Robert Brian
• Schlueter Jonathan Michael

Classifications

• E04C1/395

  for claustra, fences, planting walls, e.g. sound-absorbing (pots for vertical horticulture A01G9/022) · CPC title

• E04B2002/0265

  Building elements for making arcuate walls · CPC title

• E04B2002/0245

  Pegs or pins · CPC title

• E04B2/30 Primary

  using elements having specially designed means for stabilising the position; Spacers for cavity walls {(masonry wall ties E04B1/4178)} · CPC title

• E02D2600/20

  comprising details of connection between elements · CPC title