Method and apparatus for making foam blocks and for building structures therewith

Abstract

Foam blocks may be manufactured using a two part urethane foaming agent or the like at the construction site using a mold that may be disassembled into a plurality of component pieces for ease of transportation and to facilitate removal of a block. Preferably, the blocks are formed in the mold in which a facing is placed such that the facing is bonded to the foam of the block. A wall constructed from successive courses of blocks will have intersecting horizontal and vertical channels which may be filled with concrete and reinforcing rod to produce a wall with high horizontal and vertical load capacity as well as superior insulating properties.

1 - 15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . A method of making a foam construction block having a cementitious facing using a mold comprising a baseplate, two opposed end plates, two opposed side plates and a top plate forming a generally rectangular mold cavity therebetween and containing a void forming members for forming at least one horizontally extending void extending between said base plates and at least one vertically extending void extending between said base plate and said top plate comprising the steps of: 
 coating the interior surface of the mold cavity with a mold release compound;    positioning a cementitious facing in said mold adjacent to one of said side plates, said cementitious facing being spaced away from said side plate such that at least the center portion of said cementitious facing is restrained from bearing on said end plate;    introducing a foam generating agent into it said mold cavity in sufficient quantity to generate a quantity of foam sufficient to fill the mold cavity;    removing said top plate, end plates and side plates; and    removing said block and facing from said mold.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said foam generating agent is a urethane foam generating agent.  
   
   
       18 . A foam construction block comprising a block of foam of generally rectangular horizontal and vertical cross section, said block having first and second ends, first and second faces and upper and lower top faces and having voids formed along the upper and lower surfaces extending between said end faces, and having voids formed along the end faces extending between said top and bottom faces, and having at least one tapered void formed in the block body and extending between said voids formed along the upper and lower surfaces.  
   
   
       19 . The block of  claim 18  wherein said block is a urethane foam block.  
   
   
       20 . A method of making a wall comprising the steps of: 
 laying a footing for said wall;    transporting a mold for making foam construction blocks and a foam generating agent to a location proximate to the construction site, said mold being configured to form block as having intersecting horizontal and vertical voids therein;    forming blocks in said making a plurality of foam construction blocks using said mold and said foam generating material;    stacking a plurality of said blocks in abutting end to end relation above said foundation to forming a first course of blocks such that the horizontal voids in said blocks are aligned to forming a horizontal channel;    stacking a plurality of said blocks in abutting end to end relation above said first course of blocks to forming a second course of blocks such that the vertical voids in the blocks in the first course are aligned with the vertical voids in the blocks in the second course to form vertical channels;    adhering said foam construction blocks to one another using a construction adhesive;    extending reinforcing rods horizontally through said horizontal channels and vertically through said vertical channels;    filling said horizontal and vertical channels with a cementitious material.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the steps of attaching siding material retaining members to said reinforcing rods prior to the step of filling said horizontal and vertical channels with a cementitious material.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said deciding material retaining members comprise wire mesh material and wherein said wire mesh material is attached to said reinforcing rods by means of wire ties.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the step of covering said wire mesh material with stucco.