US-12624547-B2 - Building block, system and methods

US12624547B2US 12624547 B2US12624547 B2US 12624547B2US-12624547-B2

Abstract

Building blocks include a tongue and groove on each block that allow the blocks to be placed in a way that interlocks the tongue and groove of one block with the corresponding groove and tongue, respectively, of another block facing the opposite direction. In a first embodiment, the same building block that has a decorative front face is used for both sides of the wall, resulting in a wall with opposed finished surfaces. In a second embodiment, a first plurality of blocks that have a decorative front face are used for one side of the wall, while a second plurality of blocks that have a thicker and non-decorative face are used for the other side of the wall, with the first and second plurality of blocks interlocking back-to-back via their respective tongues and grooves. Both types of blocks can be made using the same concrete form.

Inventors

John J. Gran
Daniel J. Thiele

Assignees

STONE STRONG LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240322

Claims (16)

1 . A building block comprising: a front having a top and a bottom; first and second sides extending from the front, each of the first and second sides comprising a top that is substantially coplanar with the top of the front and a bottom, wherein each of the first and second sides comprises a groove that extends downwardly from the top to a point greater than half the distance between the top and the bottom; a back coupled to the first and second sides, the back comprising a tongue extending adjacent the groove; and wherein the tongue and groove have a configuration that allows a second building block having a second tongue corresponding to the groove and a second groove corresponding to the tongue to be properly oriented with respect to the building block such that the tongue engages the second groove and the second tongue engages the groove to interlock the building block and the second block back-to-back, wherein when the tongue of the first block engages the second groove of the second block and the second tongue of the second block engages the groove of the first block, the bottom of the first side of the first block and the bottom of the second side of the first block are coplanar with the top of the first side of the second block and the top of the second side of the second block.
2 . The building block of claim 1 wherein the building block and the second building block are substantially identical, and the second building block is properly oriented with respect to the building block when placed inverted with respect to the first building block.
3 . The building block of claim 1 wherein the front has a finished front face that provides a decorative look.
4 . The building block of claim 3 wherein a second front of the second building block has an unfinished front.
5 . The building block of claim 1 wherein the building block comprises concrete that comprises a mixture of sand, gravel, water, and cement in a mix rated at a minimum of 4,000 pounds per square inch (28 MPa).
6 . The building block of claim 1 further comprising at least one lift and alignment ring extending from a top of at least one of the first and second sides.
7 . The building block of claim 6 further comprising a recess on a lower portion of the first and second sides positioned to align with the at least one lift and alignment ring of a previously-placed building block.
8 . The building block of claim 1 further comprising an angled surface between the groove and the tongue.
9 . A wall system comprising: (A) a first building block comprising: a first front having a top and a bottom; first and second sides extending from the first front, each of the first and second sides comprising a first top that is substantially coplanar with the top of the first front and a first bottom that is substantially coplanar with the bottom of the first front, wherein each of the first and second sides comprises a first groove that extends downwardly from the first top; a first back coupled to the first and second sides, the first back comprising a first tongue that extends upwardly from the first bottom; (B) a second building block comprising: a second front having a top and a bottom; third and fourth sides extending from the second front, each of the third and fourth sides comprising a second top that is substantially coplanar with the top of the second front and a second bottom that is substantially coplanar with the bottom of the second front, wherein each of the third and fourth sides comprises a second groove that extends downwardly from the second top to a point greater than half the distance between the second top and the second bottom; a second back coupled to the third and fourth sides, the second back comprising a second tongue that extends upwardly from the second bottom to a point greater than half the distance between the second bottom and the second top; (C) wherein the second block is oriented and placed such that the first tongue engages the second groove and the second tongue engages the first groove, thereby interlocking the blocks back-to-back to provide a wall with the first front on a first side of the wall and the second front on a second opposing side of the wall.
10 . The wall system of claim 9 wherein the first groove extends downwardly from the first top to a point greater than half the distance between the first top and the first bottom.
11 . The wall system of claim 9 wherein the first tongue extends upwardly from the first bottom to a point greater than half the distance between the first bottom and the first top.
12 . The wall system of claim 9 wherein when the first tongue of the first block engages the second groove of the second block and the second tongue of the second block engages the first groove of the first block, the bottom of the first side of the first block and the bottom of the second side of the first block are coplanar with the top of the first side of the second block and the top of the second side of the second block.
13 . The wall system of claim 9 wherein when the first tongue of the first block engages the second groove of the second block and the second tongue of the second block engages the first groove of the first block, the top of the first side of the first block and the top of the second side of the first block are coplanar with the bottom of the first side of the second block and the bottom of the second side of the second block.
14 . The building block of claim 1 wherein the bottom of each of the first and second sides is substantially coplanar with the bottom of the front.
15 . A building block comprising: a front having a top and a bottom; first and second sides extending from the front, each of the first and second sides comprising a top that is substantially coplanar with the top of the front and a bottom, wherein each of the first and second sides comprises a groove; a back coupled to the first and second sides, the back comprising a tongue extending adjacent the groove; and wherein the tongue and groove have a configuration that allows a second building block having a second tongue corresponding to the groove and a second groove corresponding to the tongue to be properly oriented with respect to the building block such that the tongue engages the second groove and the second tongue engages the groove to interlock the building block and the second block back-to-back, wherein when the tongue of the first block engages the second groove of the second block and the second tongue of the second block engages the groove of the first block, the bottom of the first side of the first block and the bottom of the second side of the first block are coplanar with the top of the first side of the second block and the top of the second side of the second block.
16 . A building block comprising: a front having a top and a bottom; first and second sides extending from the front, each of the first and second sides comprising a top that is substantially coplanar with the top of the front and a bottom, wherein each of the first and second sides comprises a groove; a back coupled to the first and second sides, the back comprising a tongue extending adjacent the groove; and wherein the tongue and groove have a configuration that allows a second building block having a second tongue corresponding to the groove and a second groove corresponding to the tongue to be properly oriented with respect to the building block such that the tongue engages the second groove and the second tongue engages the groove to interlock the building block and the second block back-to-back, wherein when the tongue of the first block engages the second groove of the second block and the second tongue of the second block engages the groove of the first block, the top of the first side of the first block and the top of the second side of the first block are coplanar with the bottom of the first side of the second block and the bottom of the second side of the second block.

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field This invention generally relates to construction materials and techniques, and more specifically relates to a building block wall system, methods of manufacturing blocks, and method that may be used to construct a wall. 2. Background Art Building blocks have been used for centuries to construct homes, office buildings, churches, and many other structures. Early building blocks were hewn from stone into appropriate shapes that were assembled together, typically using mortar, to form a wall. In modern times, various types of concrete blocks have been developed, which are typically formed by pouring a cement-based concrete mixture into a form and allowing the concrete to cure. This type of concrete block is strong and makes for a sturdy wall, but installing a traditional concrete block requires a skilled mason that must manually lift each block, and set each block using mortar to secure the blocks in place. This process is very labor-intensive. One application for concrete blocks is the construction of retaining walls. Retaining walls are required when there is a body of earth that needs to be held in place. While several different block designs have been used in the art, most of these are relatively small blocks that a construction worker must manually lift and put in place. Most require mortar and a considerable amount of labor to install. U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,098, which issued on Sep. 28, 2004, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,304, which issued on Jul. 11, 2006, disclose building blocks and a building block system that greatly simplifies construction of a wall using the blocks. These two patents were assigned to Stone Strong LLC of Lincoln, Nebraska, and are incorporated herein by reference. The blocks have a relatively large, finished surface. The blocks include one or more lift and alignment devices in the block that allow the block to be lifted using a suitable lifting apparatus, such as a crane, forklift, backhoe, etc. The blocks include one or more recessed portions in the bottom surface of the block positioned to receive the protruding lift and alignment device of a previously-laid block underneath, thereby helping to align the block with the previously-laid block. Some embodiments of the blocks include one or more voids that extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the block, and that align with each other when the blocks are stacked into a wall, thereby allowing fill material to be placed in the voids to strengthen the wall. BRIEF SUMMARY According to the preferred embodiments, a system of blocks has a finished surface that provides an attractive appearance. The blocks are relatively large in size, allowing the quick construction of a wall, such as a retaining wall, using the blocks. The blocks may include one or more lift and alignment rings in the block that allow the block to be lifted using a suitable lifting apparatus, such as a crane, forklift, backhoe, etc. The blocks include one or more recessed portions in the bottom surface of the block positioned to receive the protruding lift and alignment device of a previously-laid block underneath, thereby helping to align the block with the previously-laid block. The building blocks, system and methods disclosed herein provide improvements to the building blocks, system and methods disclosed in the two patents referenced in the Background Art second above. The front of the building block includes a finished front face that provides a decorative look, and the building block includes a tongue and a groove. In a first embodiment, one row of the blocks is placed adjacent to each other with the tongues and grooves facing up to form a first row with a finished front face that provides a decorative look. A second row of blocks identical to the first block can be placed inverted and opposite the first row of blocks so the tongues and grooves on the second row of blocks interlock with the tongues and grooves on the first row of blocks. The result is a wall that has two opposing finished faces with the blocks interlocked back-to-back. In a second embodiment, two types of blocks are provided, the first type having a finished front face and a second type having a thicker and heavier unfinished front face. In the second embodiment, one row of the blocks with the finished front face is placed adjacent to each other to form a first row with a finished front face. A second row of blocks with the unfinished front face are then positioned facing away from the first row of blocks so the tongues and grooves on each of each of the second blocks interlock with the grooves and tongues, respectively, on each of the first blocks. The result is a wall that has one finished face and an opposing unfinished face with the blocks interlocked back-to-back. The blocks can be made so a recess on the bottom of each block is offset from the lift and alignment rings on the top of the block so the blocks can be used to build a setback or battered wall, whe