Building block and structure made therewith

Claim 2

A construction element comprising a modular unit of parallelogram configuration, said unit including a top surface having a relatively wide projection at one end of the unit, a narrow projection at the opposite end of said unit with a narrow recess extending between said projections, the bottom surface of said unit having a pair of narrow projections at both ends of the unit with a relatively wide recessed area therebetween, the end walls of said unit adapted to extend on a true vertical line when said unit is placed in an overlapping relationship on a next lower similar unit in the formation of a wall structure with one of the narrow projections on the undersurface of said unit engaging with said narrow recess formed in the upper surface of the next adjacent unit placed thereover and said wide recess on the bottom surface engaging with the wide projection on the upper surface of the next lower unit, the inclination of said units invoking gravitational forces only to retain the units in their assembled relationship with one another.

Claim 3

The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said units are each provided with tongue-and-groove members to interlock with one another in the formation of said wall structure.

Claim 4

The structure recited in claim 1 wherein a stepped base is employed to support the lowermost set of units employed in the formation of said wall structure.

Claim 5

A structure comprising cornerposts extending vertically from a supporting base, grooves formed in the walls of said posts, a stepped base extending between said cornerposts, said base supported on a horizontally extending foundation structure, modular units comprising parallelogram-shaped blocks, said blocks including a top surface having a relatively wide projection at one end thereof and a narrow projection at the opposite end with a narrow recess extending between said projections, the bottom surface of said block having a pair of narrow projections at both ends thereof with a relatively wide recessed area therebetween, the end walls of said blocks adapted to extend on a true vertical line when said block is placed in an overlapping relationship on a next lower similar block in the formation of a wall structure with one of the narrow projections on the undersurface of said block engaging with said narrow recess formed in the upper surface of the next adjacent block placed thereover and said wide recess on the bottom surface engaging with the wide projection on the upper surface of the next lower unit, the blocks next adjacent said posts having tongues formed therein for engagement with said grooves in said posts, the inclination of said units invoking gravitational forces only to retain the units in their assembled relationship with one another.

Claim 6

A structure comprising cornerposts extending vertically from a supporting base, grooves formed in the walls of said posts, a stepped base extending between said cornerposts, said base supported on a horizontally extending foundation structure, modular units comprising parallelogram-shaped blocks, said blocks including a top surface having a relatively wide projection at one end thereof and a narrow projection at the opposite end with a narrow recess extending between said projections, the bottom surface of said block having a pair of narrow projections at both ends thereof with a relatively wide recessed area therebetween, the end walls of said blocks adapted to extend on a true vertical line when said block is placed in an overlapping relationship on a next lower similar block in the formation of a wall structure with one of the narrow projections on the undersurface of said block engaging with said narrow recess formed in the upper surface of the next adjacent block placed thereover and said wide recess on the bottom surface engaging with the wide projection on the upper surface of the next lower unit, the blocks next adjacent said posts having tongues formed therein for engagement with said grooves in said posts, the inclination of said units invoking gravitational forces only to retain the units in their assembled relationship with one another.

Claim 7

The structure recited in claim 4 wherein a roof structure overlies the uppermost course of units forming the said wall structure, said roof structure adding weight to said courses of units to assist in their retention in assembled relationship with one another.