Interlocking refractory bricks and refractory layer structures formed therewith

A refractory layer structure, comprising:

• a plurality of refractory layers stacked on each other, each of the refractory layers comprising refractory bricks, each of the refractory bricks being formed as a cuboid having a pair of oppositely positioned first diverging sides and a pair of oppositely positioned second diverging sides, the first diverging sides diverging away from each other from a top to a bottom of the refractory bricks, the second diverging sides diverging away from each other from the bottom to the top of the refractory bricks, the first diverging sides and the second diverging sides being connected to each other, each of the first diverging sides having a first diverging side protrusion projecting from a top surface thereof, each of the second diverging sides having a second diverging side protrusion projecting from a top surface thereof, each of the first diverging sides and the second diverging sides having a notch formed in a bottom surface thereof, the first diverging sides and the second diverging sides together defining a vertically oriented passageway extending through the refractory bricks of each of the stacked refractory layers,
• wherein any contact made between the refractory bricks within one of the refractory layers is made between one of the first diverging sides of one of the refractory bricks and one of the second diverging sides of another one of the refractory bricks, and
• wherein the first diverging side protrusions and the second diverging side protrusions of the refractory bricks of the one of the refractory layers are respectively fitted into the side notches of the refractory bricks of another one of the refractory layers stacked on the one of the refractory layers.