Dry-stackable masonry unit and methods of manufacture and use

• US 5,802,797 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Viewest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Jannock Limited (Nucor Corporation)
• Inventors: Storer-Folt, John
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US08/578,185
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 52/603, 52/604, 52/605, 52/606, 52/607, 52/564, 52/589.1, 52/592.5, 52/592.6
• US Class Current: 52/604
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/44 using elements having specially-designed means for stabilising the position; Spacers for cavity walls masonry wall ties E04B1/4178
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/52 the walls being characterised by fillings in some of the cavities forming load-bearing pillars or beams
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/0206 of rectangular shape

Abstract

A masonry system in which specially shaped brick are dry-stacked and subsequently bonded by pouring mortar or grout into apertures in the brick to flow through the stacked structure to surround the individual brick leaving the front and rear faces exposed. The brick have alignment projections extending from the bottom bed faces which register with alignment grooves in the top bed faces of the lower brick to align the upper brick prior to bonding. The projections and grooves define a recess to admit mortar between adjacent brick faces. The brick also have recesses in the header faces to admit mortar between adjacent header faces. The front faces of the brick are contoured to create the appearance of mortar joints when the brick are stacked. The brick may be manufactured by extrusion, wire cutting and final shaping using suitable blades to achieve the desired finished shape. If desired, certain apertures through the brick may be covered over using a suitably shaped blade operating under appropriate conditions.

Claims

1. A brick being secured to another similar brick or bricks by means of mortar or grout, said brick comprising:

a front face,

a rear face,

a pair of header faces,

a top bed face,

a bottom bed face,

a recess extending lengthwise into said top bed face along a center portion of said top bed face;

a projection extending lengthwise from said bottom bed face along a center portion of said bottom bed face;

said projection contoured to register at least along an edge with the recess of an underlying brick to align said brick and to define a space with mortar or grout;

a recess extending into at least one of said header faces to partially define an aperture which in conjunction with an adjacent header face of an adjacent brick defines an aperture having mortar or grout between said adjacent header faces into said aperture;

said front face having contouring thereon at least partially resembling a contour of a mortar joint whereby said contouring of said front faces of adjacently stacked brick combined resemble the appearance of mortar joints between said brick;

a groove extending around the perimeter of said brick parallel to and inwardly from said front face to at least partially define a mortar stop adjacent to said front faces;

whereby any mortar or grout in excess of a volume defined by said apertures and said recess of said brick flows into said groove.

2. A brick as claimed in claim 1, further including at least one aperture extending between said bottom bed face and said top bed face, and wherein at least a portion of said aperture extends into said lengthwise recess.

3. A brick as claimed in claim 1 further having at least one aperture extending substantially between said top bed face and a bottom bed face.

4. A brick as claimed in claim 1 having a groove extending around said brick perimeter parallel to but inwardly from said rear face to at least partially define a further mortar stop adjacent said rear face.

5. A brick as claimed in claim 1 for use in corners wherein said recess in said top face runs from a first of said header faces substantially but not all of the way to an opposite of said header faces and said projection runs from said first of said header faces to a distance generally corresponding to a point of a width of a brick from said opposite of said header faces.

6. A brick as claimed in claim 1 further having a recess extending into one of said header faces, and a projection extending from the other header face;

and

wherein dimensions of said recess and said projection in said header faces being selected so that the projection will register with the recess in the header face of an adjacent brick to align said brick and to define a space that receives mortar or grout between said adjacent header faces.

7. A brick as claimed in claim 1 further having a recess extending into one of said header faces, and a projection extending from the other header face;

and

wherein dimensions of said recess and said projection in said header faces being selected so that the projection will register with the recess in the header face of an adjacent brick to align said brick and to define a space that receives mortar or grout between said adjacent header faces.

8. A brick as claimed in claim 4 further having a recess extending into one of said header faces, and a projection extending from the other header face;

and

wherein dimensions of said recess and said projection in said header faces being selected so that the projection will register with the recess in the header face of an adjacent brick to align said brick and to define a space that receives mortar or grout between said adjacent header faces.

12. A method of erecting a brick structure comprising the steps of:

i) stacking a plurality of courses of brick according to claim 2 in running bond with said projections and recesses registering to align said brick and to define a fluid conduit admitting mortar or grout between adjacent faces of said brick; and

ii) pouring mortar or grout into at least some of said apertures to flow through said fluid conduit and form a continuous joint around said brick between said adjacent faces leaving said front face and said rear face exposed.

13. A method of erecting a brick structure comprising the steps of:

i) stacking a row of brick according to claim 1 adjacent one another with said header faces abutting;

ii) placing mortar or grout into said recess in said top bed faces;

iii) placing a course of said brick above said top bed faces with said projections and recesses registering to align said brick; and

iv) repeating steps ii and iii above until said brick structure attains a desired height.

9. A brick being secured to another similar brick or bricks by means of mortar comprising:

a top bed face,

a bottom bed face,

a pair of header faces,

a front face

a rear face,

a partial aperture extending into each said header face, said partial aperture running between said top bed face and said bottom bed face;

at least one aperture extending between said top bed face and said bottom bed face;

a recess extending lengthwise into said top bed face running between said at least one aperture and said partial apertures along a center portion of said to bed face;

a projection extending lengthwise from said bottom bed face along a center portion of said bottom bed face and configured to register with at least a portion of said recess of an underlying brick to align said brick one above the other and to provide a space between said projection and said recess;

wherein at least the edge of said front face adjacent said top bed face and an edge of one of said header faces are contoured to resemble at least a portion of a mortar joint;

a groove extending around the perimeter of said brick parallel to and inwardly from said front face to at least partially define a mortar stop adjacent to said front face;

whereby any mortar or grout in excess of a volume defined by said aperture and said recess of said brick flows into said groove.

10. A brick as claimed in claim 9 wherein said apertures and said partial apertures are spaced apart to register with said apertures and said partial apertures of an overlying brick and an underlying brick when said brick is stacked in running bond, thereby forming columns for receiving reinforcing members extending into said brick stacked in running bond.

11. A brick as claimed in claim 9, further having a recess extending into one of said header faces, and a projection extending from the other header face;

and

wherein dimensions of said recess and said projection in said header faces being selected so that the projection will register with the recess in the header face of an adjacent brick to align said brick and to define a space that receives mortar or grout between said adjacent header faces.

14. A brick being secured to another similar brick or bricks by means of mortar or grout, said brick comprising:

a top bed face,

a bottom bed face,

a pair of header faces,

a front face

a rear face,

whereby any mortar or grout in excess of a volume defined by said apertures and said recess of said brick flows into said first groove and said further groove.