Channel and Foam Block Wall Construction

This invention pertains to, and is useful for, building and housing construction. More specifically, this invention pertains to improvements in a type of construction wherein wall structures are constructed using foam plastic blocks and concrete is poured into openings in blocks. The concrete forms the rigid structural support for the wall section after it hardens. The blocks serve initially as forms for confining the fluid concrete, and thereafter as highly effective thermal insulation. External coverings, such as wall board or drywall sheets, are thereafter connected to the foam plastic blocks to finish the wall section.

Building with foam plastic blocks and poured concrete is well known, and use of the technique has resulted in moderate success. However, there are certain limitations and disadvantages inherent in all known prior building techniques of this type.

One notable limitation in prior foam block and poured concrete construction is a difficulty in attaching other structural and external members, such as floor and ceiling joists and wall finishing materials, to the exterior surfaces of the foam blocks. Typically, the prior foam blocks are intended to be stacked and interconnected with one another and on top of one another for the full height and width of the wall structure. The interfitting relationship of the adjacent blocks is critical for confining the concrete during pouring and hardening. The concrete may be poured in layers as each horizontal segment of the blocks is layed up. The resulting complete wall structure lacks readily convenient means for attaching exterior materials thereto because the exterior of the wall segment is all foam plastic. Although some relatively lightweight wall covering material, such as wallboard, can be glued directly onto the exterior surface of the foam blocks, substantial structural elements, such as floor joists, can not. To connect floor joists in the past, it has been necessary to attempt to attach hangers to the interior concrete reinforcement, either prior to pouring or after the concrete has set. In either event, it is necessary to cut away a segment of the foam block to gain access to the concrete confining opening in the block. Cutting away the foam block requires extra effort and skill and results in increased building costs and time. Frequently, the openings cut in the foam blocks are improper in shape and configuration and thereby allow the poured concrete to leak out. Some means, usually extra bracing or support, is thereby required to confine the poured concrete within the foam block and prevent it from leaking. Attaching hangers to the solidified concrete within the block is inconvenient and requires extra time for construction and results in extra expense. Special adjustments in the width and height of prior foam blocks are required to form a horizontal shelf ledge or support for supporting brick layed up along the exterior surface of the foam blocks. To construct the ledge or attach the support, substantial modifications to the foam blocks must be made in the manner in which they interconnect with one another and to allow the concrete to form the support ledge or means for attaching the shelf support. Such special modifications entail substantial effort and expenditure of time and result in an increase in building costs. To form a stucco or similar covering on the prior foam blocks requires the wiring of lath or wire mesh through the foam blocks to means on the opposite side of the block or to the concrete within the interior openings.

Another disadvantage of prior foam block and poured concrete construction is that the foam blocks are intended to interconnect with one another, both vertically and horizontally. Various interfitting means, such as tongues and grooves, are provided. When it is necessary to cut or trim the blocks during construction, the normal interfitting relationship is disturbed. Special modifications are thereafter required to reestablish the interfitting relationship. Furthermore, the interfitting relationship is normally critical to confining the concrete to the interior openings. Typically, the interfitting means are of less thickness than the remaining portions of the foam block and therefore are subject to easy breakage. The weight of the poured concrete also tends to force these limited thickness areas outward and disturb what would otherwise be a normally smooth planar exterior wall surface of the foam blocks. Protrusions and bulges make attaching wallboard and drywall covering materials very difficult. The poured concrete frequently leaks from the interfitting areas either because of damage thereto or because of a lack of strength to confine the foam blocks together and the concrete therein.

Another important limitation in foam block and poured concrete construction is that certain types of prior foam blocks are actually two separate halves which are joined together. The two halves may be joined together by relatively thin metallic pieces which extend between the halves, or the interfitting relationship is supposed to maintain the halves together with only a minimum amount of exterior bracing. Frequently, the thin metallic connectors pull away from one of the walls under the weight of the concrete poured in the interior openings. Experience has shown that considerably more exterior bracing is required than had been originally anticipated in such prior building techniques.

Other limitations and disadvantages of prior foam block and poured concrete construction arrangements are known.

Certain improvements of the present invention pertain to providing a plastic block and poured concrete method and apparatus wherein there is provided an efficient means for attaching various types of materials and coverings to the exterior of the wall, while maintaining a consistent, uninterrupted, and efficient technique in constructing the wall. In one broad aspect, the present invention employs a generally U-shaped channel member placed during construction of the wall structure on the top of each horizontal layer of plastic blocks. The U-shaped channel member extends adjacent to the exterior surface of the blocks and allows various fasteners to be attached directly to the channel member. After the poured concrete hardens, the channel member is held permanently and rigidly in position in the wall structure. The various materials and coverings can be directly attached to the channel member. In situations where a shelf support or ledge is required, the U-shaped channel member is extended outward past the exterior wall of the block and is filled with concrete during pouring to inherently provide a ledge or shelf support.

Openings are formed in a lower horizontal wall of the channel member. These openings are aligned with vertically extending concrete confining openings formed in the plastic blocks. Preferably, the blocks are of unitary, single-piece construction and abut against adjacent blocks of the same construction. The vertically extending concrete confining openings are located interiorly with respect to the exterior surfaces of the block and play no part in interconnecting with other blocks. The integral strength of each block is available to restrain the weight of the concrete poured within its interior concrete confining openings. Side walls extend upward from the bottom wall of the channel member. The side walls serve to funnel the concrete poured into the channel member into the openings in the bottom wall and into the concrete confining openings of the blocks. The concrete is more quickly and conveniently directed into the openings. When the concrete confining openings of the blocks are filled, the upward opening U-shaped channel defined by the side and bottom walls is also filled with concrete. A horizontal beam is produced which separates each horizontal layer of the wall segment from the next horizontal layer. After one horizontal layer is complete, the next horizontal layer is formed by laying up the next vertically spaced horizontal layer of blocks and the next channel member. No interfitting of the blocks is required. The concrete confining openings in the blocks are of high strength since they are formed integrally in the block and do not depend on any connection with any other foam blocks for their integrity. Any bracing required during the building is simply and quickly attached to the side walls of the channel member by nailing or the like. Cutting openings in the block is not required because the channel members provide a quick convenient means for connecting exterior materials to the wall segment. Many other significantly improved features and advantages are available from the invention, and are described in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment and in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a channel member and a foam plastic block of the present invention shown in exploded relation.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a segment of a wall structure formed by the assembly on a footing or similar support of a plurality of channel members and foam plastic blocks shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view viewed along the longitudinal dimension of the wall segment of FIG. 2, additionally illustrating concrete filling the concrete confining openings of the plastic block and the U-shaped channel of the channel member.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a wall structure, with a portion broken away to illustrate internal elements thereof.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section view through a top portion of a wall structure, illustrating a top plate member attached to the uppermost channel member of the wall structure.

FIG. 6 is a partial horizontal section view viewed along the vertical or height dimension of a wall structure wherein two wall structures are joined together at an angle.

FIG. 7 is a vertical section view taken substantially in the plane of line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a partial vertical section view viewed in a longitudinal dimension of a wall structure, illustrating one exemplary connection of exterior materials to the channel members.

FIG. 9 is a vertical section view of a beam channel member in a wall structure viewed along the longitudinal dimension of the wall structure and illustrating the connection of a substantial support element to the channel member.

FIG. 10 is a partial vertical section view viewed along the longitudinal dimension of a wall segment, illustrating the construction of a supporting shelf or ledge by use of the channel members of the present invention.

Preferred embodiments of a channel member 10 and a foam plastic block 12 are illustrated in FIG. 1. The channel member 10 is defined by a lower bottom wall member 14 and upstanding side wall members 16 are connected on opposite transverse sides of the bottom wall. The side walls 16 and bottom wall 14 define an upward opening U-shaped channel 18. Circular holes or channel openings 20 are formed completely through the bottom wall 14 in the U-shaped channel 18 between the side walls 16 and at predetermined intervals along the length of the channel member 10. The bottom wall is preferably formed of pressure-treated plywood, and the side walls are preferably formed of pressure-treated lumber, although other types of materials can be utilized. For example, the side walls 16 could be formed by or with any type of relatively strong material or means to which fasteners, such as nails and screws, could be attached or connected.

The plastic block 12 is preferably of right rectangular configuration. Described in relation to its orientation during use, as shown generally in FIG. 1, the block 12 includes two parallel, planar, vertically-extending, opposite, exterior surfaces 22; two parallel, planar, vertically-extending, opposite end surfaces 24; and a planar top surface 26 which is opposite of and extends parallel to a planar bottom surface 28. The length of the block 12 along a longitudinal dimension is defined by the distance between the surfaces 24. The thickness of the block 12 along a width dimension is defined by the distance between surfaces 22. The height of the block along a height dimension is defined by the distance between surfaces 26 and 28. Cylindrical-like block openings 30 are formed in the block 12 and extend completely through the block 12 between the top wall 26 and bottom wall 28. The block openings 30 extend parallel in both of the planes defined by the exterior walls 22 and end walls 24. The interval or spacing between the centers of each block opening 30 is predetermined and is the same as the predetermined interval or spacing between the channel openings 20 in the channel member 10. The diameter of the block openings 30 is preferably the same as the diameter of the circular channel openings 20. The blocks 12 are preferably formed of expanded bead polystyrene plastic, although other types of plastic can be used. It is desirable that the plastic of the blocks 12 have a high insulating capacity since, it will be seen, the block 12 is utilized in a completed wall structure essentially as a thermal insulating material, and not as a load-bearing element.

Wall structures are formed by assembling the channel members 10 and blocks 12 in horizontal layers. A bottommost one 48' is shown in FIG. 2. The blocks 12 are assembled with the end surfaces 24 of next-horizontally adjacent blocks abutting one another. The external surfaces 22 are aligned in a common plane. A length of channel member 10 is placed on the top surfaces 26 of each of the blocks, with the flat bottom wall 14 abutting and mating with the flat top surface 26. The channel openings 20 in the bottom wall 14 of the channel member are aligned with the block openings 30 in each of the blocks. Since the intervals between each of the openings 20 correspond with the intervals between the block openings 30, alignment is readily accomplished. A predetermined number of lengths of channel member 10 are employed to extend along the full length of the wall structure being formed. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the width of the channel member 10 is equal to the width of the blocks 12. Thus, the exterior surfaces of the side walls 16 also fall within the common planes defined by the surfaces 22. The channel members 10 can be fastened to the top walls 26 of the blocks 12 by extending sharp, narrow fasteners, such as nails (not shown), through the bottom wall 14 into the material of the block 12.

A bottommost horizontal layer 48' of the wall structure is initiated by positioning the first horizontal layer of blocks 12 on a footing 32, as is illustrated in FIG. 2. The footing 32 is of conventional poured concrete design, which preferably includes a plurality of steel reinforcing members or bars or rods 34 extending along the length of the footing 32. In addition, vertically-extending reinforcing members or bars or rods 36 are positioned in alignment in the concrete footing 32 at intervals equal to the intervals between the openings 30. The reinforcing rods 36 extend into the block openings 30 upwardly past the bottom wall 28 of each block 12. Preferably, reinforcing rods 36 extend into all of the block openings 30 in the lowermost layer 48'. To help align the blocks 12 on the footing 32, a board 38 or other similar elongated, straight member can be temporarily connected to the concrete footing, and the blocks 12 are positioned against the board 38 and retained in that position by friction. Once the bottommost layer has been completed, the board 38 can be removed.

To provide additional rigid support for the concrete which will ultimately occupy the block openings 30 in the blocks 12 and in the U-shaped channel 18 in the channel member 10, vertical reinforcing members or bars or rods 40 are positioned into at least some or all of the block openings 30, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In those horizontal layers 48' (FIG. 4) which are below grade, or the surface of the earth, it is desirable to fill each longitudinally-spaced block opening 30 with at least one reinforcing rod 40 and concrete. In those horizontal layers above grade, e.g. 48" and 48"', it is generally sufficient if every third longitudinally-spaced opening 30 is filled with a reinforcing rod 40 and concrete. The interval between openings 30, and the member of these openings 30 which are filled with concrete and reinforcing rods, are engineering matters determined in accordance with the desired strength to be achieved in the wall structure. In addition, horizontal reinforcing members or bars or rods 42 are placed in the channels 18 of all of the channel members 10 in each horizontal layer. The reinforcing rods 40 in the openings 30 of the lowermost layer 48' can be suitably connected to those rods 36 extending from the footing 32, or at least a suitable overlap is provided, as is known in the art. The horizontal reinforcing rods 42 can similarly be connected to one or more of the vertically-extending reinforcing rods 40 within the U-shaped channel 18.

Fluid concrete 44 is poured into the U-shaped channel 18 of each channel member 10 after the reinforcing rods 40 and 42 have been inserted and properly connected. The U-shaped channel 18 serves to confine and hold the concrete 44 and funnel it into the openings 20 and 30. The block openings 30 confine the concrete until it hardens.

Once all of the openings 30 in the blocks 12 of the lowermost layer 48' have been completely filled with concrete, the U-shaped channel 18 of the channel member 10 of the layer 48' is likewise filled with concrete until the upper surface of the concrete reaches the upper edge of the side walls 16. A horizontally-extending, generally smooth upper surface 46 is formed by the concrete 44, and reinforcing rods 40 at predetermined locations are allowed to extend above the surface 46. The fluid concrete 44 in the lowermost layer 48' thereafter begins setting up or hardening.

After the concrete in the lowermost layer 48' has hardened sufficiently, the next vertical horizontal layer 48" is built up by placing the blocks 12 on top of the concrete surface 46 of the lowermost layer 48' and by placing the channel member 10 on the top surface 26 of the blocks 12 of the layer 48". In the second layer 48", and in the layers 48"', etc., thereabove, only selected openings 30 are filled with concrete 44 and reinforcing rods 40. Openings 20 (FIG. 1) are formed into the channel members 10 at locations which align with those openings 30 which are to be filled with concrete. No openings 20 in the bottom wall 14 (FIG. 1) of each channel member are formed in alignment with those openings 30 which remain open and unfilled with concrete. The vertical reinforcing rods 40 extend upward from the concrete surface 46 in the channel member 10 of the layer 48' only at the predetermined locations in the layers 48" and 48"', etc., where continuing vertical support columns are to be located. As a result of being able to selectively determine which openings are to be filled with concrete, a substantial savings in the amount of concrete results as compared to prior certain plastic block and poured concrete techniques where the openings and interfitting relationship of the plastic blocks require all the interior openings to be filled with concrete.

After the concrete in the second layer 48" has hardened, the third layer 48"' is built up and poured with concrete in the same manner as described. In those horizontal layers above the second layer 48", the concrete is poured only into those openings 30 vertically aligned with those openings 30 in the next lower level. In this manner, the resulting vertical support columns rest on top of one another to maintain the strength of the poured-concrete and rod-reinforced structure.

A plurality of vertically-extending, generally cylindrical load-bearing or support columns are formed by the hardened concrete in the block openings 30, as shown in FIG. 4. Similarly, a plurality of generally horizontally-extending structural support beams are provided by the hardened concrete in the U-shaped channel 18. Thus, a rigid horizontal and vertical support structure is achieved in the wall structure without undue complication common in prior art plastic blocks which attempt to achieve both vertical and horizontal concrete support structures from the internal openings in the block itself. Instead, the present invention utilizes only the hardened concrete and reinforcing rods in the block openings 30 in the block 12, which are relatively easily formed and convenient to fill from above with concrete, to achieve vertical load-bearing support, and utilizes the hardened concrete and the reinforcing rods in the channel member 10, with its attendant improvements in wall structure assembly and concrete pouring and exterior material connection, among others, to achieve horizontal load-bearing support.

Multiple layers of channel members 10 and blocks 12 typically complete the wall structure. The horizontal layers, each designated 48 in FIG. 4, are set up and poured one at a time in the manner described. However, no reinforcing rods 40 are allowed to extend above the upper smooth surface 46 of the concrete 44 in the uppermost channel member 10, shown in FIG. 5. Instead, a top plate member 50 is anchored to the concrete 44 in the uppermost U-shaped channel 18 by extending nails or other types of attachment means 52 from the top plate 50 down into the concrete in the channel 18. Thereafter, rafters or other ceiling support members can be conveniently attached to the top plate member 50 in one of the known techniques. Of course, the top plate 50 will typically be a wooden board.

If lateral support for the wall structure shown in FIG. 4 is desired during construction, the support members can be conveniently attached or nailed to the side walls 16 of the channel members 10 and extended downward and outward to the ground or other support in a triangular-like manner. In many cases, however, segments of the wall structure will intersect one another and the intersection itself will provide the needed degree of lateral support for both segments of the wall structure.

An exemplary method of joining wall structures at angles is illustrated in FIGS, 6 and 7. Wall structure 54 joins the wall structure 56 at a right angle as shown in FIG. 6. To open the U-shaped channels of the channel members 10 of the wall structures 54 and 56 to one another, a segment of the adjoining side wall 16 of the channel member 10 in the wall structure 54 is omitted. The horizontal reinforcing rods 42 from within the U-shaped channel of the channel member 10 of the wall structure 56 are bent at right angles to intersect and preferably connect with the reinforcing rods 42 in the U-shaped channel of the channel member 10 of the wall structure 54. Consequently, when the concrete is poured in the channels of the channel members 10 of the wall structures 54 and 56, it solidifies into an integral T-shaped horizontal beam at the intersection. In addition, other linking reinforcing members or rods 58 may be employed at the junction of the wall structures 54 and 56 as shown in FIG. 7. The linking reinforcing rods 58 are driven or pushed through the exterior walls 22 of the block 12 of the wall structure 54, and into the end wall 24 of the block 12 of the wall structure 56. The linking rods 58 extend between at least one block opening 30 in each block of the wall structures 54 and 56 at a height position above and/or below the channel member 10. Thus, when the concrete in the block openings 30 solidifies, a rigid linkage through the linking rods 58 extends between the wall structures 54 and 56 substantially along the full vertical height of the layer.

The convenience of attaching exterior members to the completed wall structure is illustrated in FIG. 8. A member 60, such as wallboard or drywall, can be conveniently nailed into the side wall 16 of the channel member 10. Thus, the side wall 16 serves as means for attaching fasteners to the completed wall structure. In a similar manner, other types of hangers and similar devices can be attached to the channel members 10. If necessary or desired, the member can be glued to the exterior surface 22 of the blocks 12 at predetermined intervals.

In the case, however, where a relatively heavy element, such as a floor joist 64, is to be attached to the wall structure, as shown in FIG. 9, or in other desireable situations, a beam channel member 62 is utilized in constructing the wall structure. The beam channel member 62 is preferably formed of wood, such as pressure-treated plywood and lumber, which allows the ready connection thereto of substantial connecting members, such as joist hangers 66. The beam member 62 is formed by a pair of parallel, vertically-extending exterior side walls 68 and a top and a bottom horizontally-extending wall 70 and 72, respectively. Cylindrical channel openings 74 are formed in the top wall 70 and bottom wall 72 at intervals to align with the openings 30 in the blocks 12 above and below the beam channel member 62 which are to be filled with concrete. The vertical reinforcing rods 40 extend through the openings 74. When poured concrete 44 has solidified, the hollow interior 76 of the beam member 62 is completely filled with concrete to define a substantial horizontally-extending beam. The joist hangers 66 are thereafter nailed or otherwise fastened to one of the exterior surfaces of one of the side walls 68. The joists 64 are supported and connected to the joist hangers 66 in the conventional manner. It should be noted that the beam channel member 62 need not be formed with the top wall 70 connected to the side walls 68 prior to filling its hollow interior 76 with concrete 44. Instead, the beam channel member 62 can be filled completely with concrete 44 before the top wall 70 is attached to the side walls 68. If additional load bearing support is desirable, spikes 78 can be driven through one side wall 68 into the opposite side wall, prior to filling the interior 76 with concrete 44. The spikes 78 act as members which connect the side walls together and support the side walls from the hardened concrete in the interior 76. In certain circumstances, it may be possible to avoid connecting the top wall 70 to the beam channel member 62, in which case the beam channel member 62, without the top wall 70, functions as a vertically-extended version of the U-shaped channel member 10. In other circumstances, it may be desirable to connect a top wall to the U-shaped channel member 10, in which case each of the channel members 10 assumes the appearance of reduced-height version of a beam channel member 62.

The manner by which the U-shaped channel members are employed as a shelf or horizontal support for an exterior brick wall or the like is illustrated in FIG. 10. An extended width shelf support channel member 80 is inserted in the wall segment at the vertical height or level where it is desired to commence the upward extension of the wall of bricks 82 or the like. The shelf support channel member 80 is formed by a bottom wall 84 having a width substantially greater than the width of the blocks 12 and by side walls 86 which extend upward from the outer longitudinal edges of the bottom wall 84. The width to which the shelf support channel member 80 extends outward from an exterior surface 22 of the blocks 12 is sufficient to accommodate the bricks or other items to be attached. Channel openings 20 are formed in the bottom wall 84 to align with the openings 30 in the vertically adjacent blocks 12. Additional horizontal reinforcing rods 42 extend outward into the extended width U-shaped channel 18 provided by the shelf support channel member 80. Additional reinforcing members, such as rods 88, extend into the extended U-shapod channel 18. In this manner, interior load-bearing structural supports are provided around which the concrete 44 can solidify in the extended width channel 18. Once the concrete 44 has hardened, the bricks 82 can be layed up from the resulting concrete shelf extending outward from the surface 22 of the plastic blocks 12.

The use of the channel members 10, 62 and 80 makes it possible to conveniently employ the well known normal types of construction in conjunction with plastic block and poured concrete method of wall structure construction. Various wall cover materials can be quickly, conveniently and accurately placed over the exterior surfaces 22 of the formed wall segments. Internal structural elements, such as floor and ceiling joists, are readily attached. Exterior facing elements, such as a brick wall, are conveniently constructed. The single-piece integral plastic blocks provide good strength to prevent bulges and leaks as the concrete is poured into the block openings. The fluid concrete is quickly and conveniently funneled into the block openings by the U-shaped channel members, and is confined to the block openings and channel members without dependence on an interfitting relationship of the foam plastic blocks. Since the end surfaces of the plastic blocks abut one another without necessity for any specific type of interlocking or interfitting relationship, due to the interval spacing of the block openings 30, no difficulty is encountered in assembling the blocks in order to pour the concrete. Adjustments in the length of the blocks and the channel members are conveniently made by cutting both elements. Many other advantages are apparent from a full comprehension of the present invention.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with a certain degree of particularity. It should be understood, however, that changes in details may be made without departing from the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.