Variable wall structure

Claim 2

A block wall formed by a plurality of building blocks arranged in parallel courses, the building blocks in each course being spaced from one another to form apertures, the building blocks in successive courses being staggered so that each building block partially overlies two other building blocks, each of the said building blocks having a central opening therethrough partially defined by a pair of sides, a plurality of alignment channels defined in said building block, all of said alignment channels being parallel to one another, with ones of said alignment channels being defined in each end of the said building block and ones of said alignment channels opening into each of said sides of the said central opening, all of the said alignment channels being the same distance from the front face of the building block, each of said building blocks being of such length that one of said alignment channels in an end of one building block is disposed in junction to be continuous with one of the said alignment channels opening into one of the sides of said central opening of a contiguous block, and a plurality of filler blocks each received within one of the said apertures, said filler blocks including a top surface having a notch therein, and a retainer clip within the said notch, said retainer clip having a first portion resiliently biased against said filler block and a second portion resiliently biased away from said first member and into retaining contact with a surface of an adjacent one of said building blocks, said filler blocks further having a decorative face protruding from one side of the said block wall.

Claim 3

A block wall formed by a plurality of building blocks arranged in parallel courses, the building blocks in each course being spaced from one another to form apertures, the building blocks in successive courses being staggered so that each building block partially overlies two other building blocks, each of the said building blocks having a central opening therethrough partially defined by a pair of sides, a plurality of alignment channels defined in each of said building blocks, all of said alignment channels being parallel to one another, one of said alignment channels being defined in each end of the said building block and ones of said alignment channels opening into each of said sides of the said central opening, all of the said alignment channels being the same distance from the front face of the building block, each of said building blocks being of such length that one of said alignment channels in an end of one building block is disposed in junction to be continuous with one of the said alignment channels opening into one of the sides of said central opening of a contiguous block, a plurality of filler blocks each received within one of the said apertures, and wedge members received within the junctions of alignment channels, said wedge members each including a pair of outwardly biased leg members which are normally spaced apart farther than the width of said alignment channels and stop means disposed to limit the inward movement of said leg members to an extent which prevents the spacing of said leg members from becoming substantially less than the width of said alignment channel.

Claim 4

A block wall formed by a plurality of building blocks arranged in parallel courses, the building blocks in each course being spaced from one another to form apertures, the building blocks in successive courses being staggered so that each building block partially overlies two other building blocks, each of the said building blocks having a central opening therethrough partially defined by a pair of sides, a plurality of alignment channels defined in each of said building blocks, all of said alignment channels being parallel to one another, one of said alignment channels being defined in each end of the said building block and ones of said alignment channels opening into each of said sides of the said central opening, all of the said alignment channels being the same distance from the front face of the building block, each of said building blocks being of such length that one of said alignment channels in an end of one building block is disposed in junction to be continuous with one of the said alignment channels opening into one of the sides of said central opening of a contiguous block, a plurality of filler blocks each received within one of the said apertures, and wedge members received within the junctions of alignment channels, said wedge members each including a pair of outwardly biased leg members which are normally spaced apart farther than the width of said alignment channels and stop means disposed to limit the inward movement of said leg members to an extent which prevents the spacing of said leg members from becoming substantially less than the width of said alignment channel.

Claim 5

A wall structure comprising a plurality of substantially identical rectangular building blocks each having generally planar end wall and top and bottom wall surfaces and substantially impervious planar side wall surfaces, with the length of each block being approximately four times its width, said blocks each defining a substantially vertical generally circular opening extending therethrough from its top wall to its bottom wall surfaces centrally in each end one-fourth portion thereof, said blocks being arranged in a series of horizontal courses of blocks with each block in each course of blocks being spaced from the next adjacent blocks in its course and having its top wall and bottom wall surfaces overlying and in abutment with the next adjacent blocks in the courses of blocks next above and next below by approximately one-fourth of its length at each of its ends and with the circular openings in each end one-fourth portion thereof being in alignment with the circular openings of its overlying blocks, resilient radially expandable tubular sleeves each defining a slot from end-to-end and expandable from a size smaller than the circular openings in the end one-fourth portions of each block to a size larger than the circular openings in the end one-fourth portions of each block positioned internally of said wall structure in at least some of said circular openings and extending between adjacent courses of blocks and radially expanded outwardly into frictional engagement with the surfaces of said openings, columns of solidified cementitious substance at least partially filling some of said tubular inserts and locking said tubular inserts in outwardly expanded positions against the surfaces of the circular openings of said blocks, the openings in the wall structure between the blocks in each course of blocks being substantially equal in size and shape and substantially equally spaced along the length of each course of blocks, and wall opening filler blocks positioned in at least some of said wall openings defined between the blocks in each course of blocks, said wall opening filler blocks being sized and shaped to substantially fill said wall openings, each of said building blocks defining a central opening therein extending from its top wall to its bottom wall, an alignment channel defined in each end wall and a pair of alignment channels defined internally of the building block and communicating with said central opening, all of said alignment channels being parallel to one another and equally spaced from the side wall surfaces of the building block and positioned in alignment with the alignment channels of overlying building blocks in the wall structure, and wedge members inserted into aligned ones of the alignment channels of abuttiNg overlying blocks.

Claim 6

A wall structure comprising a plurality of substantially identical rectangular building blocks each having generally planar end wall and top and bottom wall surfaces and substantially impervious planar side wall surfaces, with the length of each block being approximately four times its width, said blocks each defining a substantially vertical generally circular opening extending therethrough from its top wall to its bottom wall surfaces centrally in each end one-fourth portion thereof, said blocks being arranged in a series of horizontal courses of blocks with each block in each course of blocks being spaced from the next adjacent blocks in its course and having its top wall and bottom wall surfaces overlying and in abutment with the next adjacent blocks in the courses of blocks next above and next below by approximately one-fourth of its length at each of its ends and with the circular openings in each end one-fourth portion thereof being in alignment with the circular openings of its overlying blocks, resilient radially expandable tubular sleeves each defining a slot from end-to-end and expandable from a size smaller than the circular openings in the end one-fourth portions of each block to a size larger than the circular openings in the end one-fourth portions of each block positioned internally of said wall structure in at least some of said circular openings and extending between adjacent courses of blocks and radially expanded outwardly into frictional engagement with the surfaces of said openings, columns of solidified cementitious substance at least partially filling some of said tubular inserts and locking said tubular inserts in outwardly expanded positions against the surfaces of the circular openings of said blocks, the openings in the wall structure between the blocks in each course of blocks being substantially equal in size and shape and substantially equally spaced along the length of each course of blocks, and wall opening filler blocks positioned in at least some of said wall openings defined between the blocks in each course of blocks, said wall opening filler blocks being sized and shaped to substantially fill said wall openings, each of said building blocks defining a central opening therein extending from its top wall to its bottom wall, an alignment channel defined in each end wall and a pair of alignment channels defined internally of the building block and communicating with said central opening, all of said alignment channels being parallel to one another and equally spaced from the side wall surfaces of the building block and positioned in alignment with the alignment channels of overlying building blocks in the wall structure, and wedge members inserted into aligned ones of the alignment channels of abuttiNg overlying blocks.