Mortarless wall structure
AssigneeAlliance Concrete Concepts Inc.
InventorRaymond R. Price
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wall structure comprising a plurality of columns of preformed, lightweight, stacked blocks, with the columns of blocks connected to each other by a plurality of elongated, vertically oriented, support beams. Preferably, the wall structure is operatively connected to a structure by one or more brackets. Each bracket includes a wall engaging portion and a structure engaging portion, and is configured and arranged to allow constrained movement of the wall structure in a predetermined direction. Preferably, the bracket is positioned such that the wall engaging portion is collaterally aligned with the longitudinal axis of a support beam so that one surface of the wall engaging portion is in a confronting relation therewith and an opposing surface of the wall engaging portion is in a confronting relation with a block.
Claims17
A wall system attachable to a structure, the wall system comprising:
- a vertically oriented, elongate beam comprising:
- a vertical web;
- and,
- at least one vertical rib extending outwardly from said web;
- a plurality of blocks arranged in a column, each of said blocks comprising:
- a front face;
- a rear face;
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface;
- opposing side surfaces, with each side surface having a vertically oriented groove configured to receive a portion of said at least one vertical rib;
- and,
- a bracket for operatively connecting said wall system to a structure, said bracket comprising:
- a structure engaging portion;
- and,
- a wall engaging portion;
- wherein said blocks forming said column are arranged such that the grooves of the opposing side surfaces of adjacent courses are in alignment with each other;
- wherein said rib of said support beam is positioned in said grooves, thereby providing strength to said column;
- wherein said structure engaging portion of said bracket is constructed and arranged to connect said bracket to a structure;
- and
- wherein said wall engaging portion of said bracket is constructed and arranged to extend into said groove of said column and thereby operatively connect said wall system to a structure.
A bracket in combination with a structure and a wall of the type comprising a plurality of columns operatively connected together by at least one elongated vertically oriented support beam, the bracket comprising:
- a structure engaging portion and a wall engaging portion, with the structure engaging portion attached to the structure, and with the wall engaging portion slidingly constrained by a support beam and a column;
- wherein the bracket operatively connects the wall to the structure while permitting movement relative thereto in a predetermined direction.
A bracket in combination with a structure and a wall of the type comprising a plurality of columns, with each column comprising a plurality of blocks, with each block having vertically aligned side grooves, and where the plurality of blocks are in a stacked relation and operatively connected to each other along their aligned side grooves by at least one elongated support beam,
- the bracket comprising:
- a structure engaging portion and a wall engaging portion, with the structure engaging portion attached to the structure, and with the wall engaging portion slidingly constrained by a support beam and a column;
- wherein the bracket operatively connects the wall to the structure while permitting movement relative thereto in a predetermined direction.
A wall system attachable to a structure, the wall system comprising:
- a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks comprising:
- a front face;
- a rear face;
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface;
- opposing side surfaces, with each side surface having a substantially vertically oriented groove;
- and,
- a bracket for operatively connecting said wall system to a structure, said bracket comprising:
- a structure engaging portion;
- and,
- a wall engaging portion;
- wherein said blocks are arranged such that the grooves of adjacent blocks in a course are in confronting alignment with each other;
- wherein said wall engaging portion of said bracket is constructed and arranged to extend into the grooves of adjacent blocs in a course;
- and,
- wherein said structure engaging portion of said bracket is constructed and arranged to connect said bracket to a structure and thereby operatively connect said wall system thereto.
A method of operatively connecting a wall to a structure, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing:
- a plurality of blocks, with each of said blocks having;
- a front face;
- a rear face;
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface;
- and opposing side surfaces, with each side surface having a vertically oriented groove configured to receive a portion of said at least one elongated rib;
- a beam having an elongated web having at least one elongated rib coextensive therewith and projecting outwardly therefrom;
- and,
- a bracket having a structure engaging portion and a wall engaging portion;
- b. positioning a first block in a predetermined location and orientation;
- c. placing a second block on top of the first block to form a column, wherein the opposing side grooves of the blocks are in alignment with each other;
- d. positioning a support beam along one side of the column such that the rib of the beam protrudes into the groove;
- e. positioning the wall engaging portion of the bracket so that it protrudes into the groove;
- and,
- f. attaching the structure engaging portion of the bracket to the structure to thereby operatively connect the wall to the structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.