Prefabricated panel with door opening

Claim 2

A prefabricated masonry wall panel of mortared building blocks which may be lifted and transported to a job site for installation and which includes a door opening comprising a lowermost, continuous course of aligned blocks mortared together with head joints, which course extends the entire length of the panel, said lowermost course including a weakened mortared head joint aligned with each margin of the door opening, a second, continuous course of aligned blocks mortared together with head joints, which course extends the entire length of the panel, said second course including a weakened mortared head joint aligned with each margin of the door opening, said second course overlying said lowermost course and being connected thereto by a mortared bed joint, said mortared bed joint having embedded therein at least one, elongated, tension resisting member which extends between the marginal edges of the door opening and to a point beyond each of the marginal edges thereof to anchor said tension resisting member in the bed joint mortar outside of the marginal edges of the door opening, and subsequent sequential courses of blocks which are mortared together in the desired configuration for said wall panel with the door opening laid upon said second course, whereby said panel may be lifted and transported to a job site for installation whereupon said lowermost course and said second course intermediate the margins of the door opening may be broken away to complete the door opening.

Claim 3

Method of making a prefabricated masonry wall panel of mortared building blocks which may be lifted and transported to a job site for installation and which includes a door opening comprising laying a lowermost, continuous course of aligned blocks, mortaring said blocks together with head joints, the course extending the entire length of the panel, disposing a head joint in said lowermost course in alignment with each margin of the door opening, laying a second, continuous course of aligned blocks, mortaring said blocks together with head joints, the course extendinG the entire length of the panel, disposing a head joint in said second course in alignment with each margin of the door opening, the blocks in said second course being placed in overlying relationship said lowermost course connecting the blocks in said lowermost and second courses with a mortared bed joint, said mortared bed joint having embedded therein at lease one, elongated, tension resisting member which extends between the marginal edges of the door opening and to a point beyond each of the marginal edges thereof to anchor said tension resisting member in the bed joint mortar outside the marginal edges of the door opening, laying subsequent sequential courses of blocks which are mortared together in the desired configuration for said wall panel with the door opening upon the previously laid courses, weakening the head joint mortar in said lowermost and second courses of the head joints aligned with the marginal edges of said door, permitting the mortar in said panel to set, erecting said panel at the job site, and removing the blocks and said tension resisting means intermediate the margins of the door opening.

Claim 4

Method of making a prefabricated masonry wall panel of mortared building blocks which may be lifted and transported to a job site for installation and which includes a door opening comprising laying a lowermost, continuous course of aligned blocks, mortaring said blocks together with head joints, the course extending the entire length of the panel, disposing a head joint in said lowermost course in alignment with each margin of the door opening, laying a second, continuous course of aligned blocks, mortaring said blocks together with head joints, the course extendinG the entire length of the panel, disposing a head joint in said second course in alignment with each margin of the door opening, the blocks in said second course being placed in overlying relationship said lowermost course connecting the blocks in said lowermost and second courses with a mortared bed joint, said mortared bed joint having embedded therein at lease one, elongated, tension resisting member which extends between the marginal edges of the door opening and to a point beyond each of the marginal edges thereof to anchor said tension resisting member in the bed joint mortar outside the marginal edges of the door opening, laying subsequent sequential courses of blocks which are mortared together in the desired configuration for said wall panel with the door opening upon the previously laid courses, weakening the head joint mortar in said lowermost and second courses of the head joints aligned with the marginal edges of said door, permitting the mortar in said panel to set, erecting said panel at the job site, and removing the blocks and said tension resisting means intermediate the margins of the door opening.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2 wherein the head joint mortar in said lowermost and second courses of the head joints aligned with the marginal edges of said door is weakened by removing the head joint mortar in said head joints to a substantial depth on each side of the head joints before said mortar has set to provide indentations in said head joint mortar.

Claim 6

The method of claim 2 wherein the head joint mortar in said lowermost and second courses of the head joints aligned with the marginal edges of said door is weakened by coating the ends of the blocks in said courses which lie in the plane of the marginal edges of said door with a release agent.