Concrete elevation assembly, hollow concrete block, and method of making

• US 20010022054A1
• Filed: 01/04/2001
• Published: 09/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Step-By-Step Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Step-By-Step Systems LLC
• Inventors: Conley, Greg C., Crant, Bruce H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,374,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/182
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/022 characterised by the supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/116 of stone, concrete or like material or with an upper layer of stone or stone like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete; of glass or with an upper layer of glass

Abstract

A concrete step assembly includes risers with each having a longitudinal projection on its upper end for disposition in a longitudinal receptacle in a bottom surface of a tread resting on the riser. Each riser has a pair of slots in its bottom surface to receive a portion of a projection on a concrete block of each of two supports formed of concrete blocks. Each tread has a pair of transverse receptacles in its bottom surface to receive a portion of a projection on a concrete block of each of the two supports. The transverse receptacles communicate with the longitudinal receptacle in the bottom surface of the tread to enable the portions of the projections on the concrete blocks therein to abut the longitudinal projection on the riser in the longitudinal receptacle. When the concrete block has another of the concrete blocks thereabove, the projection on the lower of the two concrete blocks fits in a groove in the bottom surface of the upper concrete block. A reinforced concrete ramp assembly is formed of concrete slabs or planks. Each slab, which has its upper surface inclined and a middle portion of its bottom surface parallel thereto, has flat portions of its bottom surface formed to receive a projection extending upwardly from the concrete block of each of the two supports on which the slab is supported. A hollow concrete block, which has a horizontal through passage, has a projection on its top wall and a channel in its bottom wall. The projection on one block is received in a channel in a block stacked thereabove with the top of the projection being spaced from the base of channel to form a recess to receive an adhesive to join the blocks to each other.

Claims

1. A concrete elevation assembly for enabling a person to move from one elevation to another including:

a plurality of first support means of reinforced concrete having an upper surface for supporting a person to enable movement from one elevation to another;

second support means for supporting each of said first support means at at least two portions thereof;

each of said first support means having a lower surface, at least a portion of said lower surface being substantially horizontal;

each of said second support means including at least one substantially upper horizontal surface;

said lower surface of at least one of said first support means having at least substantially horizontal portions for engaging said substantially horizontal upper surface of each of said second support means to support said first support means on each of said second support means;

said substantially horizontal upper surface of each of said second support means including at least one upstanding projection extending upwardly therefrom;

said substantially horizontal portions of said lower surface of each of said first support means including a plurality of receiving means for receiving said upstanding projections extending upwardly from each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said second support means on which said first support means is supported;

and an adhesive adhering each of said upstanding projections in one of said receiving means of each of said first support means, said adhesive containing no mortar and no cement.

2. The assembly according to

claim 1

in which:

each of said first support means includes a tread of reinforced concrete;

said second support means includes;

a pair of supports;

and a plurality of risers of reinforced concrete equal in number to said treads;

each of said treads has a substantially rectangular shape including upper and lower surfaces;

said lower surface of each of said treads has a longitudinal receptacle therein, said receiving means in said lower surface of each of said first support means includes said longitudinal receptacle;

each of said risers has a flat bottom surface and a flat upper surface;

said flat upper surface of said riser has a longitudinal projection extending upwardly therefrom for disposition in said longitudinal receptacle in said lower surface of said tread resting on said flat upper surface of said riser, said flat upper surface of said riser on which said lower surface of said tread rests has a greater horizontal surface area than said longitudinal projection extending upwardly from said flat upper surface and integral therewith to form one piece;

said adhesive adheres each of said longitudinal projections on said flat upper surface of said riser in said longitudinal receptacle in said lower surface of one of said treads in which said longitudinal projection is disposed;

each of said supports has a plurality of substantially horizontal upper surfaces equal in number to the number of said treads;

each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of one of said supports is disposed in a different horizontal plane for supporting one of said treads;

each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of the other of said supports is disposed in a different horizontal plane for supporting one of said treads but in the same horizontal plane as one of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of said one support;

each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports, except the lowermost of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces, supports one of said risers;

and each of said supports includes holding means for holding said longitudinal projection extending upwardly from said flat upper surface of each of said risers against a wall of said longitudinal receptacle in said lower surface of one of said treads, except the lowermost of said treads, to aid in preventing movement of each of said risers except the lowermost of said risers.

3. The assembly according to

claim 2

including:

each of said treads having a pair of transverse receptacles in said lower surface substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal receptacle in said tread and communicating therewith, said receiving means in said lower surface of each of said first support means including said transverse receptacles;

each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports having a projection extending upwardly therefrom for disposition in one of said transverse receptacles in said lower surface of one of said treads and constituting said holding means;

and said adhesive adhering each of said projections on each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports in one of said transverse receptacles in said lower surface of said tread in which said projection is disposed.

4. The assembly according to

claim 3

in which each of said supports includes a plurality of concrete blocks arranged in staggered relation to form said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports supporting said treads, each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports being in a different horizontal plane, and each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of one of said supports being in the same horizontal plane as one of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of the other of said supports.

5. The assembly according to

claim 4

in which each of said supports includes:

each of said concrete blocks having a projection on its upper surface and a groove in its lower surface;

said groove in each of said concrete blocks receiving said projection on said concrete block therebeneath when said concrete block is on top of another of said concrete blocks;

said adhesive adhering said projection on each of said concrete blocks disposed in said groove of said concrete block thereabove;

said projection on the uppermost of said concrete blocks of each of said supports for one of said treads being disposed in one of said transverse receptacles in said lower surface of said tread and constituting said projection extending upwardly from said substantially horizontal upper surface;

and said adhesive adhering each of said projections on the uppermost of said concrete blocks of each of said supports for one of said treads in said transverse receptacle in said lower surface of said tread in which said projection is disposed.

6. The assembly according to

claim 5

including:

each of said treads having its upper and lower surfaces substantially parallel to each other;

and each of said upper and lower surfaces being substantially planar.

7. The assembly according to

claim 4

including:

each of said treads having its upper and lower surfaces substantially parallel to each other;

and each of said upper and lower surfaces being substantially planar.

8. The assembly according to

claim 2

in which each of said supports includes a plurality of concrete blocks arranged in staggered relation to form said substantially horizontal upper surfaces in different horizontal planes for supporting said treads, each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of one of said supports being in the same horizontal plane as one of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of the other of said supports.

9. The assembly according to

claim 2

in which said tread does not extend forwardly beyond said riser.

10. The assembly according to

claim 1

in which:

said second support means includes at least two supports;

each of said supports includes a plurality of concrete blocks arranged to form at least one substantially horizontal upper surface;

each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of one of said supports being in the same horizontal plane as one of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of the other of said supports;

each of said concrete blocks has a projection on its upper surface;

said first support means are a plurality of reinforced concrete slabs forming a first set of said slabs supported by said concrete blocks forming said at least one substantially horizontal upper surface of each of said supports;

each of said slabs has an inclined upper surface with the same angle of inclination and a substantially flat bottom surface resting on said at least one substantially horizontal upper surface of each of said supports;

said substantially flat bottom surface of each of said slabs has a pair of receiving means for receiving said projection on each of said concrete blocks on which said slab is supported;

and each of said slabs has a different thickness between said inclined upper surface and said substantially flat bottom surface to enable said inclined upper surface of each of said slabs to be aligned with each other in an inclined plane while said substantially flat bottom surface of each of said slabs rests on said at least one substantially horizontal upper surface of each of said supports.

11. The assembly according to

claim 10

including:

each of said supports including a plurality of concrete blocks arranged to provide a plurality of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces in different horizontal planes with one of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports being in the same horizontal plane;

each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces supporting a set of said slabs, said first set of said slabs being supported on the lowermost of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports;

and each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces other than the lowermost of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports being disposed to receive another set of said slabs in which said slabs of each of said another sets are the same as said first set so that said inclined upper surfaces of said slabs of each of said another sets are in the same inclined plane as said inclined upper surfaces of said slabs of said first set.

12. The assembly according to

claim 11

including each of said concrete blocks having a groove in its lower surface to receive said projection on said upper surface of said concrete block therebeneath.

13. The assembly according to

claim 1

in which:

said second support means includes at least two supports;

and each of said supports includes a plurality of concrete blocks arranged In staggered relation to form said substantially horizontal upper surfaces in different horizontal planes for supporting said first support means, each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of one of said second support means being in the same horizontal plane as one of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of the other of said first support means.

14. The assembly according to

claim 13

including each of said concrete blocks having a groove in its lower surface to receive said projection on said upper surface of said concrete block therebeneath, said projection extending for a lesser distance from said upper surface of said concrete block than the depth of said groove in said lower surface to provide a recess of a controlled maximum size between the end of said projection and the base of said groove in which it is disposed to receive said adhesive for joining two of said concrete blocks to each other.

15. A concrete ramp assembly for enabling a person to move from one elevation to another including:

a plurality of planks of reinforced concrete;

support means for supporting each of said planks at at least two portions thereof;

each of said planks having an upper surface for supporting a person to enable movement from one elevation to another;

said support means including at least two supports;

each of said supports including a plurality of concrete blocks arranged to form at least one substantially horizontal upper surface;

each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of one of said supports being in the same horizontal plane as one of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of the other of said supports;

each of said concrete blocks having at least one projection on its upper surface;

an intermediate support element supported on said at least one substantially horizontal upper surface of each of said supports;

each of said intermediate support elements having a substantially horizontal lower surface and an inclined upper surface;

said substantially horizontal lower surface of each of said intermediate support elements having receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on at least one of said concrete blocks on which said intermediate support element is supported;

each of said intermediate support elements having at least one projection extending upwardly from said inclined upper surface;

each of said planks having substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces;

and said lower surface of each of said planks having means for receiving said at least one projection on each of said intermediate support elements on which said plank is supported.

16. A concrete ramp assembly for enabling a person to move from one elevation to another including:

a plurality of planks of concrete;

each of said planks having substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces;

support means for supporting each of said planks at at least two portions thereof;

said upper surface of each of said planks supporting a person to enable movement from one elevation to another;

said support means including at least two supports;

each of said supports including a plurality of concrete blocks arranged to have at least one substantially horizontal upper surface;

each of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of one of said supports being in the same horizontal plane as one of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of the other of said supports;

a plurality of intermediate support elements supported on said substantially horizontal upper surface of each of said supports;

each of said intermediate support elements having a substantially horizontal lower surface and an inclined upper surface;

said inclined upper surface of each of said intermediate support elements having the same inclined angle;

each of said concrete blocks having first retaining means on its upper surface;

said substantially horizontal lower surface of each of said intermediate support elements having first retaining means for cooperating with said first retaining means of at least one of said concrete blocks of each of said supports on which said intermediate support element is supported to retain said intermediate support element on at least one of said concrete blocks of each of said supports;

said inclined upper surface of each of said intermediate support elements having second retaining means;

and said lower surface of each of said planks having cooperating means for cooperating with said second retaining means on each of said intermediate support elements on which said plank is supported to retain said plank on each of said intermediate support elements.

17. The ramp assembly according to

claim 16

in which:

each of said supports has a plurality of said concrete blocks arranged to provide at least two substantially horizontal upper surfaces in different planes;

each of said concrete blocks has second retaining means on its lower surface for cooperating with said first retaining means on the upper surface of said concrete block therebeneath when said concrete blocks are stacked on top of each other;

each of said intermediate support elements has the same length;

said intermediate support elements include;

a first intermediate support element having one end of said inclined upper surface spaced a first predetermined distance from said substantially horizontal lower surface and having the other end of said inclined upper surface spaced a second predetermined distance, greater than the first predetermined distance, from said substantially horizontal lower surface;

and a second intermediate support element having one end of said inclined upper surface spaced the second predetermined distance from said substantially horizontal lower surface and having the other end of said inclined upper surface spaced a third predetermined distance, greater than the second predetermined distance, from said substantially horizontal lower surface;

one of said first intermediate support elements and one of said second intermediate support elements are supported by a first of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports, each of said first intermediate support elements having its other end abutting the one end of one of said second intermediate support elements;

and one of said first intermediate support elements and one of said second intermediate support elements are supported by a second of said substantially horizontal upper surfaces of each of said supports, each of said second intermediate support elements supported on one of said first substantially horizontal upper surfaces having its other end abutting the one end of one of said first intermediate support elements supported on one of said second substantially horizontal upper surfaces, and each of said first intermediate support elements supported on one of said second substantially horizontal upper surfaces having its other end abutting the one end of one of said second intermediate support elements supported on one of said second substantially horizontal upper surfaces.

18. The ramp assembly according to

claim 17

in which each of said concrete blocks of each of said supports is a hollow concrete block having a horizontal through passage.

19. The ramp assembly according to

claim 18

in which:

said first retaining means on said upper surface of each of said hollow concrete blocks is at least one projection extending upwardly from said upper surface;

said second retaining means on said lower surface of each of said hollow concrete blocks is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on said hollow concrete block therebeneath;

said first retaining means of each of said intermediate support elements is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on each of said hollow concrete blocks on which said intermediate support element is supported;

said second retaining means of each of said intermediate support elements is at least one projection extending upwardly from said inclined upper surface of each of said intermediate support elements;

and said cooperating means on said lower surface of each of said planks is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on each of said intermediate support elements on which said plank is supported.

20. The ramp assembly according to

claim 17

in which:

said first retaining means on said upper surface of each of said concrete blocks is at least one projection extending upwardly from said upper surface;

said second retaining means on said lower surface of each of said concrete blocks is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on said concrete block therebeneath;

said first retaining means of each of said intermediate support elements is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on each of said concrete blocks on which said intermediate support element is supported;

said second retaining means of each of said intermediate support elements is at least one projection extending upwardly from said inclined upper surface of each of said intermediate support elements;

and said cooperating means on said lower surface of each of said planks is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on each of said intermediate support elements on which said plank is supported.

21. The ramp assembly according to

claim 16

in which each of said concrete blocks of each of said supports is a hollow concrete block having a horizontal through passage.

22. The ramp assembly according to

claim 21

in which:

said first retaining means on said upper surface of each of said hollow concrete blocks is at least one projection extending upwardly from said upper surface;

said first retaining means of each of said intermediate support elements is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on each of said hollow concrete blocks on which said intermediate support element is supported;

said second retaining means of each of said intermediate support elements is at least one projection extending upwardly from said inclined upper surface of each of said intermediate support elements;

and said cooperating means on said lower surface of each of said planks is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on each of said intermediate support elements on which said plank is supported.

23. The ramp assembly according to

claim 16

in which:

said first retaining means on said upper surface of each of said concrete blocks is at least one projection extending upwardly from said upper surface;

said first retaining means of each of said intermediate support elements is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on each of said concrete blocks on which said intermediate support element is supported;

said second retaining means of each of said intermediate support elements is at least one projection extending upwardly from said inclined upper surface of each of said intermediate support elements;

and said cooperating means on said lower surface of each of said planks is receiving means for receiving said at least one projection on each of said intermediate support elements on which said plank is supported.

24. The ramp assembly according to

claim 16

in which:

each of said intermediate support elements has the same length;

said intermediate support elements includes;

a first intermediate support element having one end of said inclined upper surface spaced a first predetermined distance from said lower surface and having the other end of said inclined upper surface spaced a second predetermined distance, greater than the first predetermined distance, from said lower surface;

and a second intermediate support element having one end of said inclined upper surface spaced the second predetermined distance from said lower surface and having the other end of said inclined upper surface spaced a third predetermined distance, greater than the second predetermined distance, from said lower surface;

and one of said first intermediate support elements and one of said second intermediate support elements are supported by said substantially horizontal upper surface of each of said supports, said first intermediate support element having its other end abutting the one end of said second intermediate support element.

25. A method of forming a hollow concrete block with at least one passage extending therethrough between two substantially parallel walls and having its longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to each of the two substantially parallel walls including:

forming a hollow concrete block with at least one passage extending vertically therethrough between the two substantially parallel walls of the formed hollow concrete block;

and controlling the tolerances of at least one of the other walls of the formed hollow concrete block substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage for use as a horizontal support wall with the longitudinal axis of the passage in the formed hollow concrete block disposed horizontally in use.

26. The method according to

claim 25

including:

using a mold to form the hollow concrete block;

disposing at least one core vertically within the mold to form the at least one passage extending vertically therethrough between the two substantially parallel walls of the formed hollow concrete block;

adding concrete to the mold;

and controlling the tolerances of two substantially parallel walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage for use as horizontal support walls with the longitudinal axis of the passage in the hollow concrete block disposed horizontally in use.

27. The method according to

claim 26

in which one of the two substantially parallel walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage having their tolerances controlled has two relatively wide projections extending therefrom while the other of the two substantially parallel walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage having their tolerances controlled has two relatively wide grooves formed therein to receive the two relatively wide projections of another of the hollow concrete blocks when two of the hollow concrete blocks are stacked on top of each other in use with the passage in the hollow concrete block horizontal.

28. The method according to

claim 27

in which each of the two relatively wide projections extends from one of the two substantially parallel walls for a lesser distance than the depth of each of the two relatively wide grooves in the other of the two substantially parallel walls to form a recess with a controlled size between the end of each of the two relatively wide projections and the base of the relatively wide groove in which each of the projections is disposed when two of the formed hollow concrete blocks are stacked on top of each other in use.

29. The method according to

claim 25

in which each of two substantially parallel walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage has its tolerances controlled.

30. The method according to

claim 29

in which one of the two substantially parallel walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage having their tolerances controlled has two relatively wide projections extending therefrom while the other of the two substantially parallel walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage having their tolerances controlled has two relatively wide grooves formed therein to receive the two relatively wide projections of another of the formed hollow concrete blocks when two of the formed hollow concrete blocks are stacked on top of each other in use with the longitudinal axis of the passage in the formed hollow concrete block horizontal.

31. The method according to

claim 30

in which each of the two relatively wide projections extends from one of the two substantially parallel walls for a lesser distance than the depth of each of the two relatively wide grooves in the other of the two substantially parallel walls to form a recess with a controlled size between the end of each of the two relatively wide projections and the base of the relatively wide groove in which each of the projections is disposed when two of the formed hollow concrete blocks are stacked on top of each other in use.

32. The method according to

claim 25

including:

using a mold to form the hollow concrete block;

disposing a core vertically within the mold to form the passage extending vertically therethrough between the two substantially parallel walls of the hollow concrete block;

adding concrete to the mold;

and controlling the tolerances of at least one of the walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage for use as a horizontal support wall with the longitudinal axis of the passage in the formed hollow concrete block disposed horizontally in use.

33. A hollow concrete block having:

at least one passage extending therethrough;

two substantially parallel walls parallel to the longitudinal axis of said at least one passage, one of said two substantially parallel walls being a support wall for said hollow concrete block when said hollow concrete block is disposed with the longitudinal axis of said at least one passage is horizontal;

one of said two substantially parallel walls having at least one projection extending therefrom;

the other of said two substantially parallel walls having at least one channel formed therein to receive said at least one projection on another of said hollow concrete blocks when two of said hollow concrete blocks are stacked on top of each other, the number of said projections and said channels being the same;

and said at least one projection extending for a lesser distance from said one substantially parallel wall than the depth of said channel in said other substantially parallel wall to provide a recess of a controlled maximum size between the end of said at least one projection and the base of said channel in which it is disposed to receive an adhesive for joining two of said hollow concrete blocks to each other.

34. The hollow concrete block according to

claim 33

in which:

each of said hollow concrete blocks includes two relatively wide projections extending from said one substantially parallel wall and two relatively wide channels formed in said other substantially parallel wall;

and each of said two relatively wide projections extending for a lesser distance from said one substantially parallel wall than the depth of each of said channels in said other substantially parallel wall to provide a recess of a controlled maximum size between the end of each of said relatively wide projections and the base of each of said channels in which it is disposed to receive an adhesive for joining two of said hollow concrete blocks to each other.

35. A wall including:

hollow concrete blocks formed in courses so that said hollow concrete blocks are stacked on each other;

and each of said hollow concrete blocks including;

at least one passage extending therethrough, each of said passages having its longitudinal axis horizontal;

two substantially parallel walls parallel to the longitudinal axis of said passage;

one of said two substantially parallel walls having at least one projection extending therefrom;

the other of said two substantially parallel walls having at least one channel formed therein to receive said at least one projection on another of said hollow concrete blocks when two of said hollow concrete blocks are stacked on top of each other, the number of said projections and said channels being the same;

said at least one projection extending for a lesser distance from said one substantially parallel wall than the depth of said channel in said other substantially parallel wall to provide a recess of a controlled size between the end of said at least one projection and the base of said channel in which it is disposed;

and an adhesive in said recess for joining two of said hollow concrete blocks to each other.

36. The wall according to

claim 35

in which:

each of said hollow concrete blocks includes two relatively wide projections extending from said one substantially parallel wall and two relatively wide channels formed in said other substantially parallel wall;

each of said two relatively wide projections extending for a lesser distance from said one substantially parallel wall than the depth of each of said channels in said other substantially parallel wall to provide a recess between the end of each of said relatively wide projections and the base of each of said channels in which it is disposed;

and an adhesive in each of said recesses for joining two of said hollow concrete blocks to each other.