Self-leveling block

A mortar and block wall comprising:

• a plurality of identical modular building blocks,
• the blocks laid in end-to-end relation in longitudinally extending rows,
• each successive row stacked vertically upon a preceding row,
• the blocks of each row in abutment with blocks of adjacent upper and lower rows,
• the blocks of each row in longitudinally overlapping relation with blocks in adjacent upper and lower rows,
• first cement mortar between each block and its adjacent neighboring blocks to bond the blocks together,
• each modular block comprising:
• (a) a body portion with top and bottom support surfaces,
• (b) a first of said top and bottom surface comprising abutment surface means located in a first plane,
• (c) spacer means coupled to the other, second of said top and bottom surfaces and extending therefrom to a second plane parallel to said first plane,
• (d) first mortar contacting areas on said first support surface extending along the entire length thereof, and
• (e) second mortar contacting areas on said second support surface extending along the entire length thereof,
• said abutment surface means and spacer means being complementarily located on said first and second support surfaces, respectively of each block, whereby in said wall, abutment surface means of each block of each row abut with spacer means of blocks of an adjacent upper or lower row to locate blocks in each row level with respect to blocks of adjacent rows,
• said first and second mortar contacting areas being complementarily located on said first asnd second support surfaces, respectively of each block, whereby in said wall, the first mortar contacting areas of each block of each row are substantially uniformly vertically spaced throughout their areas a preselected distance from the second mortar contacting areas of blocks of an adjacent upper or lower row and form a mortar joint space therebetween,
• said spacer means on each block being located on the second surface aligned in a longitudinal, end-to-end direction of the block substantially centrally between lateral side surface of the block and being relatively small in side-to-side direction of the block to permit on laying of each block marginal side-to-side pivoting of a block relative to blocks it abuts about spacer means therebetween so that in said wall the blocks are orientated with side surfaces of each block disposed accurately vertical,
• said first cement mortar filling said mortar joint space so as to provide a joint of cured, first cement mortar between blocks,
• said preselected distance comprising an acceptable vertical distance for a conventional cement mortar joint of said cured, first cement mortar,
• the spacer means having a compresive strength less than or substantially equal to that of said cured first cement mortar,
• said body portion consisting of cured cement concrete, the body portion having a compressive strength greater than that of said cured first cement mortar,
• said body portion comprising lateral internal and external wall portions with three ribs extending therebetween comprising a central rib located centrally between end surfaces of the body portion and two end ribs proximate the end surfaces of the body portion,
• the spacer means consisting of a single spacer member located on said central rib centrally thereon between the wall portions,
• the abutment surface means located on each end rib centrally thereon between the wall portions.

A modular building block comprising:

• a body portion with top and bottom support surfaces, interior and exterior lateral side surfaces and end sufaces,
• a first of said top and bottom surfaces comprising abutment surface means located in a first plane,
• spacer means coupled tothe other, second of said top and bottom surfaces and extending therefrom to a second plane parallel to the first plane,
• the abutment surface means located on the first surface spaced inwardly from lateral side edges of the first surface,
• first mortar contacting areas on the first surface along the entire length of each lateral side of the first support surface laterally outwardly of the abutment surface means between the abutment surface means and each lateral side edge of the first surface,
• the spacer means located on the second surface spaced inwardly from lateral side edges of the second surfaces,
• second mortar contacting areas on the second support surface along the entire length of each lateral side of the second support surface laterally outward of the spacer means between the spacer means and each lateral side edge of the second surface,
• said spacer means, abutment surface means, first mortar contacting areas and second mortar contacting areas being complementarily located on each block so that when identical said blocks are laid in rows in end-to-end relation with each successive row of said blocks stacked vertically on top of a preceding row of said blocks in designed overlapping manner, the spacer means of each block of one row abut with abutment surface means of blocks in an adjacent upper or lower row to locate each block in said one row level with respect to the blocks of said adjacent row:
• (a) with the body portions of each block in said one row spaced vertically from body portions of each block in said adjacent row, and
• (b) with the seocnd mortar contacting areas of each block in said one row and the first mortar contacting areas of each block in said adjacent row spaced vertically by a substantially uniform vertical distance and forming therebetween a mortar joint space of an acceptable vertical height for a conventional cement mortar joint,
• the spacer means on each block being located on the second surface aligned in a longitudinal, end-to-end direction of the block substantially centrally between the lateral side edges of the second surface and being relatively small in side-to-side dimension of the block thereby permitting marginal side-to-side pivoting of a block, relative to blocks it abuts in the immediately proceeding row therebelow, about spacer means therebetween to facilitate orientation of the side surfaces of the block to be disposed accurately vertical,
• said body portion comprising lateral internal and external wall portions with three ribs extending therebetween comprising a central rib located centrally between end surfaces of the body portion and two end ribs proximate the end surfaces of the body portion,
• the spacer means consisting of a single spacer member located on said central rib centrally thereon between the wall portions,
• the abutment surface means located on each end rib centrally thereon between the wall portions.