Building block and structures formed therefrom

Claim 2

A lightweight building block having a generally rectangular exterior configuration and comprising:- a pair of opposed side walls; a pair of opposed end walls; an interior wall extending between the side walls approximately parallel to the end walls, thereby forming vertical passages through the block of approximately equal rectangular cross section; projections located on the upper surfaces of the block and formed into identical patterns respectively associated with each of said passages; and the lower surfaces of the block being shaped so as to form recesses corresponding to, and positioned directly below the projections, so as to permit the interlocking of the block with another.

Claim 3

A lightweight building block having a generally rectangular exterior configuration and comprising:- a pair of opposed side walls; a pair of opposed end walls having heights equal to that of the side walls; an interior wall having a height equal to that of the side walls and extending between the side walls approximately parallel to the end walls, the interior wall forming two vertical passages through the block of approximately equal,.rectangular cross sections; projections on the upper surfaces of the end, side and interior walls, the projections being formed into two identical patterns respectively associated with said two passages; and the lower surfaces of the side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form recesses identical to the projections in size and shape, and directly.below the projections in position.

Claim 4

A lightweight building block having a generally rectangular exterior configuration and comprising:- a pair of opposed side walls; a pair of opposed end walls having heights equal to that of the side walls; an interior wall having a height equal to that of the side walls and extending between the side walls approximately parallel to the end walls, the interior wall forming two vertical passages through the block of approximately equal,.rectangular cross sections; projections on the upper surfaces of the end, side and interior walls, the projections being formed into two identical patterns respectively associated with said two passages; and the lower surfaces of the side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form recesses identical to the projections in size and shape, and directly.below the projections in position.

Claim 5

The building block of claim 2 wherein the projections are essentially rectangular in cross section, and wherein each of said patterns comprises a rectangular projection surrounding the upper edge of its respective passage such that the inwardly facing sides of said rectangular projection are coplanar with the interior surfaces of the walls forming such passage.

Claim 6

The building block of claim 3 further comprising a lateral projection extending outwardly from the exterior surface of one of the end walls, said lateral projection being of essentially rectangular cross section, extending the full height of said end wall, and being positioned intermediate the adjacent side walls, the other end wall being shaped so as to form a lateral recess of corresponding size, shape and position extending inwardly therefrom.

Claim 7

A lightweight building block, comprising:- a pair of opposed side walls; a pair of opposed end walls having heights equal to that of the side walls; a pair of interior walls having heights equal to that of the side walls, one interior wall extending between the side walls approximately parallel to the end walls, the other interior wall extending between the end walls approximately parallel to the side walls, said interior walls forming four vertical passages through the block of approximately equal, rectangular cross sections; projections on the upper surfaces of the end, side and interior walls, the projections being essentially rectangular in cross section and being formed into four identical patterns respectively associated with said four passages; and the lower surfaces of the side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form recesses identical to the projections in size and shape, and directly below the projections in position.

Claim 8

A lightweight building block, comprising:- a pair of opposed side walls; a pair of opposed end walls having heights equal to that of the side walls; a pair of interior walls having heights equal to that of the side walls, one interior wall extending between the side walls approximately parallel to the end walls, the other interior wall extending between the end walls approximately parallel to the side walls, said interior walls forming four vertical passages through the block of approximately equal, rectangular cross sections; projections on the upper surfaces of the end, side and interior walls, the projections being essentially rectangular in cross section and being formed into four identical patterns respectively associated with said four passages; and the lower surfaces of the side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form recesses identical to the projections in size and shape, and directly below the projections in position.

Claim 9

A lightweight building block having a generally rectangular external configuration and comprising:- a pair of opposed side walls; a pair of opposed end walls having heights appreciably less than that of the side walls; an interior wall having a height approximately equal to that of the end walls and extending between the side walls approximately parallel to the end walls, said interior wall forming two vertical passages through the block of approximately equal, rectangular cross section; projections on the upper surface of each side wall, the projections being formed into two identical patterns respectively associated with said two passages; and the lower surfaces of the side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form recesses, a portion of such recesses being identical to the projections in size and shape and directly below the projections in position.

Claim 10

A lightweight building block having a generally rectangular external configuration and comprising:- a pair of opposed side walls; a pair of opposed end walls having heights appreciably less than that of the side walls; an interior wall having a height approximately equal to that of the end walls and extending between the side walls approximately parallel to the end walls, said interior wall forming two vertical passages through the block of approximately equal, rectangular cross section; projections on the upper surface of each side wall, the projections being formed into two identical patterns respectively associated with said two passages; and the lower surfaces of the side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form recesses, a portion of such recesses being identical to the projections in size and shape and directly below the projections in position.

Claim 11

The building block of claim 6 wherein the projections are essentially rectangular in cross section, and wherein each pattern comprises two linear projections mounted on opposite side walls, the inwardly facing side of each linear projection being continuous with the interior surface of the side wall on which the projection is mounted.

Claim 12

A wall structure comprising a plurality of lightweight blocks, each block having a generally rectangular exterior configuration and comprising a pair of opposed side walls; a pair of opposed end walls having heights appreciably less than that of the side walls; an interior wall having a height equal to that of the end walls and extending between' the side walls approximately parallel to the end walls, the interior wall forming two vertical passages through the block 6f approximately equal, rectangular cross section; projections on the upper surface of each side wall, said projections being of essentially rectangular cross section and being formed into two identical patterns respectively associated with said two passages; and the lower surfaces of the side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form recesses, a portion of such recesses being identical to the projections in size and shape and directly below the projections in position; said blocks being positioned in vertically stacked horizontal rows with the projections of each block being received within the recesses of the blocks stacked immediately above it.

Claim 13

A wall structure comprising a plurality of lightweight blocks, each block having a generally rectangular exterior configuration and comprising a pair of opposed side walls; a pair of opposed end walls having heights appreciably less than that of the side walls; an interior wall having a height equal to that of the end walls and extending between' the side walls approximately parallel to the end walls, the interior wall forming two vertical passages through the block 6f approximately equal, rectangular cross section; projections on the upper surface of each side wall, said projections being of essentially rectangular cross section and being formed into two identical patterns respectively associated with said two passages; and the lower surfaces of the side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form recesses, a portion of such recesses being identical to the projections in size and shape and directly below the projections in position; said blocks being positioned in vertically stacked horizontal rows with the projections of each block being received within the recesses of the blocks stacked immediately above it.

Claim 14

A wall structure comprising:- a plurality of lightweight first blocks, each first block having a generally rectangular exterior configuration and comprising a pair of opposed first side walls; a pair of opposed first end walls having heights equal to that of the first side walls; a first interior wall having a height equal to that of the first side walls and extending between the first side walls approximately parallel to the first end walls, the first interior wall forming two first vertical passages through the first blocks of approximately equal, rectangular cross sections; first projections on the upper surfaces of the first end, side and interior walls, the first projections being formed into two identical first patterns respectively associated with said two first passages; and the lower surfaces of the first side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form first recesses identical to the first projections in size and shape, and directly below the first projections in position; a plurality of lightweight second blocks, each second block having an exterior size and configuration similar to the first blocks and comprising a pair of opposed second side walls; a pair of opposed second end walls having heights appreciably lesc than that of the second side walls; a second interior wall having a height equal to that of the second end walls and extending between the second side walls approximately parallel to the second end walls, the second interior wall forming two second vertical passages through the second block of approximately equal, rectangular cross sections; second projections on the upper surface of each second side wall, the second projections being formed into two identical second patterns respectively associated with the two second passages; and the lower surfaces of the second side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form second recesses, a portion of such second recesses being identical to the second projections in size and shape and directly below the second projections in position; the first blocks being positioned side by side to form first horizontal rows, the secor, blocks being positioned side by side to form second nerizontal rows, and said first and second rows being positioned one on top of another such that the projections of the blocks in each row are received within the recesses of the blocks in the row above.

Claim 15

A wall structure comprising:- a plurality of lightweight first blocks, each first block having a generally rectangular exterior configuration and comprising a pair of opposed first side walls; a pair of opposed first end walls having heights equal to that of the first side walls; a first interior wall having a height equal to that of the first side walls and extending between the first side walls approximately parallel to the first end walls, the first interior wall forming two first vertical passages through the first blocks of approximately equal, rectangular cross sections; first projections on the upper surfaces of the first end, side and interior walls, the first projections being formed into two identical first patterns respectively associated with said two first passages; and the lower surfaces of the first side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form first recesses identical to the first projections in size and shape, and directly below the first projections in position; a plurality of lightweight second blocks, each second block having an exterior size and configuration similar to the first blocks and comprising a pair of opposed second side walls; a pair of opposed second end walls having heights appreciably lesc than that of the second side walls; a second interior wall having a height equal to that of the second end walls and extending between the second side walls approximately parallel to the second end walls, the second interior wall forming two second vertical passages through the second block of approximately equal, rectangular cross sections; second projections on the upper surface of each second side wall, the second projections being formed into two identical second patterns respectively associated with the two second passages; and the lower surfaces of the second side, end and interior walls being shaped so as to form second recesses, a portion of such second recesses being identical to the second projections in size and shape and directly below the second projections in position; the first blocks being positioned side by side to form first horizontal rows, the secor, blocks being positioned side by side to form second nerizontal rows, and said first and second rows being positioned one on top of another such that the projections of the blocks in each row are received within the recesses of the blocks in the row above.

Claim 16

The wall structure of claim 9 further comprising a horizontal reinforcing structure extending along the second rows through said second blocks between said second side walls and above said second end and interior walls.

Claim 17

The wall structure of claim 10 wherein each of said first and second rows is offset by half the length of a block from the row immediately beneath,it in such a way that the passages of the blocks in successive rows are aligned to form vertical openings extending through more than one row, and wherein the wall structure further comprises a vertical reinforcing structure extending through one of said vertical openings.

Claim 18

The wall structure of claim 11 wherein the horizontal and vertical reinforcing structures comprise metal reinforced concrete.