GB2268949A - Apertured bricks; assembly using horizontal and vertical tie-members - Google Patents

Abstract

A brick has a longitudinally extending aperture 17 for receiving a horizontal member 20 for tying together adjacent such bricks in a row, and a vertically extending aperture 26 for receiving an upright member 27 for tying together adjacent rows of such bricks. A dry-mounted wall may be constructed from such bricks, preferably with the horizontal members being threaded rods bolted to the upright members. The sides of the bricks may comprise two rectangular parts offset as shown. <IMAGE>

Description

A Building System This invention relates to a building system and to bricks for use in the building system.

Walls are conventionally constructed from bricks bonded together with mortar. The construction of such walls is time consuming and difficult for inexperienced persons to perform.

Also, if subsequently the wall is to be removed, it is a major exercise to demolish it and the bricks then have to be discarded.

I have now devised bricks for use in a building system which alleviates the above-noted problems.

In accordance with this invention as seen from one aspect, there is provided a brick or other building element which comprises a longitudinally extending aperture for receiving a horizontal member for tying together adjacent such building elements in a row and a vertically extending aperture for receiving an upright member for tying together adjacent rows of such building elements.

Thus, by using upright and horizontal tying members, a dry-mounted wall can be constructed using bricks or other building elements as defined above.

The horizontal members preferably comprise elongate threaded bars.

The upright members preferably comprise elongate bars having apertures formed along their length.

The horizontal threaded bars can be bolted to the upright members so as to add rigity to the wall.

Preferably the building elements comprise opposite side and end walls which are joined to form a box section, wherein the longitudinally extending aperture comprises holes through the opposite end walls, and wherein the vertically extending aperture comprises a cavity formed between said opposite side and end walls.

The building element is preferably arranged to interlock end-to-end with adjacent such elements in a row. The building element is preferably arranged so that a row of such elements will interlock with adjacent rows of such elements.

These building elements may be used to construct straight walls. However, I have also devised a corner brick which can be used to construct externally or internally cornered walls.

In accordance with this invention as seen from a second aspect, there is provided a corner brick which comprises first and second elements joined end-to-end by an arrangement which permits the angular relationship between the two elements to be adjusted.

Preferably a cylindrical projection extends from an end of each of the first and second elements, the two cylindrical projections engaging with each other in overlapping manner and permitting the angle between the two elements to be adjusted by angular rotation of one element relative to the other about a common axis of the two cylindrical projections. Preferably the two cylindrical projections are interlocked together.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of building brick, in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a partiallyconstructed wall which uses the bricks of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the interconnection of two bricks with an upright member; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a corner brick in accordance with this invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a brick 10 comprising end walls 11, 12, inner side walls 13, 14 and outer side walls 15, 16, although the brick will be onepiece construction. The outer and inner side walls 13, 15 and 14, 16 are disposed face-to-face, but the inner side walls 13, 14 are horizontally and vertically offset from the outer side walls 15, 16. The inner side walls 13, 14 are slightly taller and longer than the outer side walls 15, 16 for reasons which will be explained below. The end walls 11, 12 interconnect the opposite pairs of inner side walls 13 and 14. The end walls 11, 12 are spaced inwardly of the end edges of the inner side walls 13, 14 and the top and bottom edges of the end walls 11, 12 are level with the top and bottom edges respective of the outer side walls 15, 16.Each end wall has a hole through it and a tubular element 17 projecting outwardly from it, the passage through the tubular element being registered with the hole in the end wall.

In use, referring to figures 2 and 3, a plurality of the bricks 10 can be mounted end-to-end to form rows. The horizontally-projecting portions of the inner side walls 13, 14 interlock at one end of each brick, with the horizontally projecting portions of the outer side walls 15, 16 at the corresponding opposite end of the adjacent bricks in the row.

Likewise, the bricks are stacked on top of each other so that the upwardly projecting portions of the inner side walls 13, 14 of the bricks in one row interlock with the downwardly projecting portions of the outer side walls 15, 16 of the bricks in the row above.

Some of the bricks (e.g. brick 25) may be of shorter length, and some e.g. bricks 25 and 24 may have end walls which are flat or flush.

Bricks in adjacent rows are preferably overlapped and elongate threaded tie rods 20 may be used to secure and support some of the rows in the wall. The tie rods 20 pass through the tubular elements 17 on the end walls e.g. 12 of the bricks.

The tie rods may be fixed to upright members 21 which extend through the vertical cavities e.g. 26 in the wall of bricks.

The upright members comprise an elongate metal bar 21, which is C-shaped in section in the example shown. A plurality of apertures e.g. 27 are spaced lengthwise along the bar 21 for receiving the threaded rods 20. Nuts e.g. 28 may be screwed onto the threaded rods 20 on one or both sides of the upright members 21 so that the rods 20 are rigidly secured to the uprights 21. The lower ends of the uprights 21 may be set in concrete, but this is not essential. The bottom row of bricks (not shown) is preferably tied together using a rod 20 to give a rigid and stable base on which to build the wall. It may not be necessary to use a tie rod 20 until rows nearer the top of the wall.

Owing to the inner side walls 13, 14 being larger than the outer side walls 15, 16, gaps 23 are formed on the outside of the wall,- to give the appearance that the wall is of conventional bricks and mortar construction. The inner and outer side walls13, 14, 15, 16 may be of different colours and the outer faces of the outer side walls 15, 16 may be textured to give the appearance of traditional bricks.

Adjacent bricks in a row may be bolted together if necessary, and may also be bolted to the upright member 21 as shown in Figure 3.

The vertical cavities 26 in the wall may be filled with concrete if the wall is intended to be permanent.

Figure 4 shows a corner brick for use in forming corners or angles in a wall. The corner brick comprises two one-piece elements 40, 41 essentially corresponding to opposite end portions of the brick 10 of Figure 1, but the two elements 40, 41 being joined together end-to-end by means of projections 42, 43 formed on their respective inner end walls and engaged together.

The first element 40 has an inner end wall 46 which is concave over an upper portion and has a cylindrical projection 42 from its lower portion. The projection 42 has a bottom face which is level with the respective face of the outer side wall 13. The second element 41 has an inner end wall 47 which is concave over its lower position and has a cylindrical projection 43 from its upper portion. The projection 43 has an upper face which is level with the respective face of the outer side wall 13. Each projection 42, 43 has an annular recess 44 formed on its upper face an annular projection 45 formed on its lower face.

The first and second elements 41, 42 are positioned with their respective projections 42, 43 overlapping. The cylindrical projection 42, 43 interlock owing to the annular projection 45 of one engaging with the recess 44 of the other.

It will also be noted that the concave end wall surface of each element 40, 41 fits closely against the outer surface of the cylindrical projection 42, 43 of the other element.

The angle between the first and second elements 40, 41 of the corner brick can be varied through 180 so that internal or external corners of any desired angle may be formed using the corner brick.

It will be appreciated that the bricks which have ben described may be used to construct permanent walls e.g. in the garden or temporary walls-e.g. for use in exhibitions etc.

Claims (13)

Claims

1) A brick or other building element which comprises a longitudinally extending aperture for receiving a horizontal member for tying together adjacent such building elements in a row and a vertically extending aperture for receiving an upright member for tying together adjacent rows of such building elements.

2) A building element as claimed in claim 1, which comprises opposite side and end walls which are joined to form a box section, wherein the longitudinally extending aperture comprises holes through the opposite end walls, and wherein the vertically extending aperture comprises a cavity formed between said opposite side and end walls.

3) A building element as claimed in claim 1 or 2, arranged to interlock end-to-end with adjacent such elements in a row.

4) A building element as claimed in any preceding claim, arranged such that a row of such elements interlocks with adjacent rows of such elements.

5) A building element substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

6) A wall which comprises a plurality of rows of building elements, each building element being as claimed in any preceding claim, horizontal members tying together adjacent building elements in at least some said rows, and upright members tying together adjacent said rows.

7) A wall as claimed in claim 6, in which the horizontal members comprise elongate threaded bars.

8) A wall as claimed in claim 6 or 7, in which the upright members comprise elongate bars having apertures along their lengths to receive the horizontal members.

9) A wall constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10) A corner brick or other building element which comprises first and second elements joined end-to-end by an arrangement which permits the angular relationship between the two elements to be adjusted.

11) A corner building element as claimed in claim 10, in which a cylindrical projection extends from an end of each of said first and second elements, the two cylindrical projections engaging with each other in overlapping manner and permitting the angle between the two elements to be adjusted by angular rotation of one element relative to the other about a common axis of the two cylindrical projections.

12) A corner building element as claimed in claim 11, in which the two cylindrical projections are interlocked together.

13) A corner building element substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.