US4590729A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular construction system for the erection of buildings
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1984-05-02
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Granted: 1986-05-27
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Expires: 2004-05-02
Abstract
Abstract Hollow-core construction blocks are superposed without intervening mortar. The hollow-core construction blocks are provided with vertical, longitudinally spaced cylindrical apertures. Vertical slots having the same spaced relationship are interposed between the vertical apertures. Both the vertical apertures and the vertical slots open at one side of the block in a longitudinal channel having an at least approximately semi-circular cross-section. These building components permit forming arbitrarily high walls by the "dry", i.e. without mortar, superposition of the construction blocks and pouring concrete into the cylindrical vertical apertures of an upper row of blocks. The concrete flows downward, perhaps with the aid of a vibrator, and spreads out in lateral direction through the longitudinal channels. The vertical slots provide a means of escape for the displaced air.
Inventors
- 👤 Wafaa H. Hegazi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 09:09
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04B; E04B2/00; E04B2/02; E04B2/14; E04B2/16; E04B2/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
A modular construction system for the erection of buildings, comprising: at least one hollow-core construction block structured to be mutually superposed with other such blocks without intervening mortar; said at least one block being substantially quadrangular rectangular and including at least two substantially round, vertical through apertures arranged in predetermined spaced relationship in a direction extending longitudinally of the block; said at least one block being provided with substantially vertical slots arranged in predetermined spaced relationship in a direction extending longitudinally of the block; said vertical apertures being arranged in adjacent relationship to said substantially vertical slots; said substantially vertical apertures and said vertical slots opening at a common set of ends thereof in said block into a longitudinal channel fashioned in said block to have an at least approximately semi-circular cross-section; a predetermined number of said hollow-core construction blocks, when assembled to form a predetermined wall structure, conjointly forming a flow-communicating system by means of said vertical apertures, said vertical slots and said longitudinal channels; and said flow-communicating system essentially extending in two mutually perpendicular directions through substantially the entire wall structure assembled from said hollow-core construction blocks and at least receiving a pourable, curable building material forming in its cured state a high-strength network vertically and horizontally extending through and thereby interconnecting said predetermined number of hollow-core construction blocks assembled to form said predetermined wall structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
A modular construction system for the erection of buildings, comprising: at least one hollow-core construction block structured to be mutually superposed with other such blocks without intervening mortar; said at least one block being substantially quadrangular rectangular and including at least two substantially round, vertical through apertures arranged in predetermined spaced relationship in a direction extending longitudinally of the block; said at least one block being provided with substantially vertical slots arranged in predetermined spaced relationship in a direction extending longitudinally of the block; said vertical apertures being arranged in adjacent relationship to said substantially vertical slots; said substantially vertical apertures and said vertical slots opening at a common set of ends thereof in said block into a longitudinal channel fashioned in said block to have an at least approximately semi-circular cross-section; a predetermined number of said hollow-core construction blocks, when assembled to form a predetermined wall structure, conjointly forming a flow-communicating system by means of said vertical apertures, said vertical slots and said longitudinal channels; and said flow-communicating system essentially extending in two mutually perpendicular directions through substantially the entire wall structure assembled from said hollow-core construction blocks and at least receiving a pourable, curable building material forming in its cured state a high-strength network vertically and horizontally extending through and thereby interconnecting said predetermined number of hollow-core construction blocks assembled to form said predetermined wall structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 1, wherein: said longitudinal channels are fashioned in an upper side of said at least one block.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 1, wherein: said longitudinal channels are fashioned in a lower side of said at least one block.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 1, wherein: said vertical slots are structured to have vertical bores at their ends for accommodating positioning means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
109 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 1, wherein: each said block includes four of said substantially vertical apertures; each of said four substantially vertical apertures being arranged in adjacent relationship to one of said vertical slots at each of its sides relative to the longitudinal direction of the block; and at least one of said vertical slots being disposed at a lateral end of the block and structured as a partial slot open on one of its sides at said lateral end of the block for cooperating with a corresponding such partial slot on an adjacent such block to form therewith a fully surrounded substantially vertical slot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 1, further including: at least one cellular structural floor member supported by a bearing lintel member incorporated into walls formed of said blocks.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 1, further including: at least one cellular structural floor member having a predetermined width and a predetermined free span length which is supported at its narrow end by walls formed of said construction blocks in an erected building; and panel elements for covering said narrow ends of said cellular structural floor members supported in said walls.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 1, wherein: at least the construction blocks and the cellular structural floor members are substantially uniformly made of a light weight construction material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The modular construction system as described in claim 1, wherein: said at least one construction block and said at least one cellular structural floor member are substantially uniformly made of light weight concrete.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The modular construction system as described in claim 1, wherein: said at least one construction block and said at least one cellular structural floor member are substantially uniformly made of wood wool concrete.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 1, further including: at least one cellular structural floor member having a predetermined width and a predetermined free span length and which is supported at its narrow end by walls formed of said construction blocks in an erected building.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 11, wherein: said at least one cellular structural floor member has a substantially channel-shaped cross section and a longitudinal section comprising channel-shaped cells and is provided with reinforcing means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 11, wherein: said at least one cellular structural floor member is provided with at least one reservation at least at one of its outer edges for cooperating with a corresponding such reservation in an adjacent such cellular structural floor member to form a channel capable of being filled with fluid concrete.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
The modular construction system as defined in claim 11, wherein: said at least one cellular structural floor member has a substantially channel-shaped cross section and a longitudinal section comprising channel-shaped cells and is provided with reinforcing means; and at least one of said channel-shaped cells of said cellular structural floor member is covered by at least one floor panel member.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
249 words
A method of erecting buildings and comprising the steps of: superposing a predetermined number of hollow-core construction blocks, which contain substantially vertical apertures, substantially vertical slots and a substantially horizontal longitudinal channel interconnecting said substantially vertical apertures and said substantially vertical slots on one side of each one of said predetermined number of hollow-core construction blocks, without intervening mortar between said hollow-core construction blocks; said step of superposing said predetermined number of said hollow-core construction blocks entails the steps of assembling a predetermined wall structure from said superposed hollow-core construction blocks and forming by said substantially vertical apertures, said substantially vertical slots and said substantially horizontal longitudinal channels of said superposed hollow-core construction blocks a flow-communicating system essentially extending in two mutually perpendicular directions through said assembled predetermined wall structure; pouring a pourable and curable building material into said substantially vertical apertures of said hollow-core construction blocks at the top of said assembled predetermined wall structure; filling said substantially vertical apertures of said flow-communicating system from the top with said curable building material; during said step of filling said flow-communicating system, exhausting air which is present in the flow-communicating system, through said substantially vertical slots and filling said substantially vertical slots and said substantially horizontal longitudinal channels with said curable building material; and curing said pourable and curable building material filling said flow-communicating system and thereby forming a high-strength network extending through and interconnecting said predetermined number of superposed hollow-core construction blocks assembled to form said predetermined wall structure.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
249 words
A method of erecting buildings and comprising the steps of: superposing a predetermined number of hollow-core construction blocks, which contain substantially vertical apertures, substantially vertical slots and a substantially horizontal longitudinal channel interconnecting said substantially vertical apertures and said substantially vertical slots on one side of each one of said predetermined number of hollow-core construction blocks, without intervening mortar between said hollow-core construction blocks; said step of superposing said predetermined number of said hollow-core construction blocks entails the steps of assembling a predetermined wall structure from said superposed hollow-core construction blocks and forming by said substantially vertical apertures, said substantially vertical slots and said substantially horizontal longitudinal channels of said superposed hollow-core construction blocks a flow-communicating system essentially extending in two mutually perpendicular directions through said assembled predetermined wall structure; pouring a pourable and curable building material into said substantially vertical apertures of said hollow-core construction blocks at the top of said assembled predetermined wall structure; filling said substantially vertical apertures of said flow-communicating system from the top with said curable building material; during said step of filling said flow-communicating system, exhausting air which is present in the flow-communicating system, through said substantially vertical slots and filling said substantially vertical slots and said substantially horizontal longitudinal channels with said curable building material; and curing said pourable and curable building material filling said flow-communicating system and thereby forming a high-strength network extending through and interconnecting said predetermined number of superposed hollow-core construction blocks assembled to form said predetermined wall structure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method as defined in claim 15, further including the steps of: preparing a substantially uniform, cellular structural floor member having a predetermined width and a predetermined free span length; during said step of superposing said predetermined number of hollow-core construction blocks to form said assembled predetermined wall structure, incorporating a bearing lintel member into the assembled predetermined wall structure; and supporting said substantially uniform, cellular structural floor member at said lintel member incorporated in said assembled predetermined wall structure.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method as defined in claim 16, further including the steps of: providing substantially vertical bores at the ends of said substantially vertical slots in said hollow-core construction blocks; and during said step of superposing said predetermined number of hollow-core construction blocks, inserting positioning means into a preselected number of said vertical bores in said superposed hollow-core construction blocks.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as defined in claim 16, further including the step of: pre-fabricating said hollow-core construction blocks and providing complementary partial configurations of said substantially vertical slots at each lateral end of said hollow-core construction blocks.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as defined in claim 18, wherein: said step of pre-fabricating said hollow-core construction blocks entails selecting said pourable and curable light-weight construction material from the group essentially consisting of light-weight concrete and wood wool concrete and pre-fabricating said hollow-core construction blocks such as to be substantially uniformly made of said selected light-weight construction material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-26 | 1989-11-25 | 1990-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-26 | 1993-11-25 | 1994-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-26 | 1997-11-25 | 1998-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |