Masonry wall system

Abstract

The masonry block wall system comprises masonry blocks fastened together with interconnecting threaded steel fasteners. Four fasteners on each block connect with a pair of identical blocks immediately above and a pair of identical blocks immediately below the block. The resulting masonry wall is structurally sound and allows large vertical chases or conduits for electrical, plumbing and the like. Unlike conventional masonry, the construction of the present masonry wall does not require specialized knowledge and skill of a mason and is relatively easy to build. As well, the masonry wall system is not dependent upon weather during construction and can be de-constructed without demolition.

1 . A masonry block for use with threaded masonry fasteners, the block comprising: 
 a rectangular body which is elongate in a longitudinal direction extending between ends of the body, the body having a pair of opposing, upright side walls spanning in the longitudinal direction between the ends; and    fastener apertures formed through the rectangular body to extend from a top side to a bottom side of the block for receiving the threaded masonry fasteners therethrough;    at least some of the fastener apertures being spaced from one another in a lateral direction extending between the opposing, upright side walls of the body.    
   
   
       2 . The block according to  claim 1  wherein at least some of the fasteners are spaced in the longitudinal direction relative to one another.  
   
   
       3 . The block according to  claim 1  wherein the fastener apertures are located adjacent the side walls.  
   
   
       4 . The block according to  claim 1  wherein the fastener apertures are spaced from each end of the body by approximately ¼ of a total length of the body in the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       5 . The block according to  claim 1  wherein a pair of the fastener apertures spaced from one another in the lateral direction are spaced from each end of the body by approximately ¼ of a total length of the body in the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       6 . The block according to  claim 1  in combination with a plurality of threaded masonry fasteners, each fastener comprising: 
 an elongate body substantially corresponding in length to a height between the top and bottom sides of the block;    an externally threaded portion near a bottom end of the elongate body;    a nut portion formed near a top end of the elongate body; and    an internally threaded bore formed in the nut portion at the top end of the elongate body which is suitably sized to operatively receive the externally threaded portion of an additional masonry fastener of identical configuration;    wherein the fastener apertures each include a counter bore of increased diameter formed at the bottom side of the body, the counter bores and the nut portions being near one another in diameter for receiving the nut portion of one of the fasteners in each counter bore.    
   
   
       7 . The block according to  claim 1  wherein each fastener aperture includes a counter bore formed at the bottom side of the body, the counter bore increasing in diameter towards the bottom side of the body.  
   
   
       8 . The block according to  claim 1  in combination with a shear plate spanning at least partway across one of the top or bottom sides of the body, the shear plate including a pair of apertures formed therein which are aligned with a pair of the fastener apertures in the body which are spaced from one another in the lateral direction.  
   
   
       9 . A masonry block for use with threaded masonry fasteners, the block comprising: 
 a rectangular body which is elongate in a longitudinal direction between ends of the body, the body having a pair of opposing, upright side walls spanning in the longitudinal direction between the ends and a pair of web portions spanning in a lateral direction between the opposing, upright side walls;    a central conduit extending through the body from a top side to a bottom side of the body between the web portions;    a pair of partial conduits extending through the body from the top side to the bottom side of the body at the ends of the body, each partial conduit being located between a respective one of the web portions and a respective one of the ends of the body and substantially comprising half of a cross-sectional area of the central conduit; and    fastener apertures formed through the rectangular body to extend from the top side to the bottom side of the block for receiving the threaded masonry fasteners therethrough.    
   
   
       10 . The block according to  claim 9  wherein the fastener apertures are located in each web portion of the body.  
   
   
       11 . The block according to  claim 9  wherein at least some of the fastener apertures being spaced from one another in a lateral direction extending between the opposing, upright side walls of the body.  
   
   
       12 . The block according to  claim 9  in combination with a plurality of threaded masonry fasteners, each fastener comprising: 
 an elongate body substantially corresponding in length to a height between the top and bottom sides of the block;    an externally threaded portion near a bottom end of the elongate body;    a nut portion formed near a top end of the elongate body; and    an internally threaded bore formed in the nut portion at the top end of the elongate body which is suitably sized to operatively receive the externally threaded portion of an additional masonry fastener of identical configuration;    wherein the fastener apertures each include a counter bore of increased diameter formed at the bottom side of the body, the counter bores and the nut portions being near one another in diameter for receiving the nut portion of one of the fasteners in each counter bore.    
   
   
       13 . The block according to  claim 9  wherein each fastener aperture includes a counter bore formed at the bottom side of the body, the counter bore increasing in diameter towards the bottom side of the body.  
   
   
       14 . A masonry block in combination with threaded masonry fasteners: 
 the masonry block comprising a rectangular body and fastener apertures formed in the rectangular body to extend from a top side to a bottom side of the block; and    each masonry fastener comprising:    an elongate body substantially corresponding in length to a height between the top and bottom sides of the block;    an externally threaded portion near a bottom end of the elongate body;    a nut portion formed near a top end of the elongate body; and    an internally threaded bore formed in the nut portion at the top end of the elongate body which is suitably sized to operatively receive the externally threaded portion of an additional masonry fastener of identical configuration.    
   
   
       15 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein the fastener apertures each include a counter bore of increased diameter formed at the bottom side of the body for receiving the nut portion of one of the fasteners in each counter bore.  
   
   
       16 . The combination according to  claim 15  wherein the counter bores and the nut portions are near one another in diameter.  
   
   
       17 . The combination according to  claim 15  wherein each counter bore increases in diameter towards the bottom side of the body.  
   
   
       18 . A masonry wall system comprising rows of masonry blocks supported one above the other to form a wall structure in which each masonry block is connected to at least one masonry block immediately therebelow by at least one respective masonry fastener; 
 each masonry block comprising a rectangular body and at least one fastener aperture formed in the rectangular body to extend from a top side to a bottom side of the block and receiving said at least one respective masonry fastener therethrough; and    each masonry fastener comprising:    an elongate body;    a nut portion adjacent a top end of the elongate body which engages a top side the respective masonry block;    an internally threaded bore formed in the nut portion at the top end of the elongate body; and    an externally threaded portion near a bottom end of the elongate body in mating engagement with the internally threaded bore of the respective masonry fastener received through said at least one masonry block immediately therebelow.    
   
   
       19 . The system according to  claim 18  wherein each fastener aperture includes a counter bore formed at the bottom side of the block, the counter bore snugly receiving the nut portion of a respective fastener therein.  
   
   
       20 . The system according to  claim 18  wherein each block is elongate in a longitudinal direction and includes opposing, upright side walls spanning in the longitudinal direction of the block, at least some of the fastener apertures being spaced from one another in a lateral direction extending between the side walls of the block.  
   
   
       21 . The system according to  claim 20  wherein there is provided a shear plate spanning at least partway across one of the top and bottom sides of the block, the shear plate including a pair of apertures formed therein which are aligned with a pair of the fastener apertures in the body which are spaced from one another in the lateral direction.  
   
   
       22 . The system according to  claim 18  wherein each block is elongate in a longitudinal direction and wherein there is provided a channel extending in the longitudinal direction along one of the top and bottom sides of the block for receiving an elongate reinforcement bar therein.  
   
   
       23 . The system according to  claim 18  wherein there is provided a corner block comprising: 
 a body having a first rectangular portion and a second rectangular portion which are formed integrally with one another;    the first rectangular portion having upright side walls which are elongate in a longitudinal direction between ends of the first rectangular portion and dimensions between top and bottom sides and between the upright side walls which are substantially identical to the masonry blocks;    the second rectangular portion having upright side walls extending outward from the first rectangular portion in a lateral direction oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the first rectangular portion and having dimensions between top and bottom sides and between the upright side walls which are substantially identical to the first rectangular portion;    one of the side walls of the second rectangular portion being flush with one end of the first rectangular portion; and    a difference between dimension of the corner block in the longitudinal direction thereof and dimension of the corner block in the lateral direction thereof corresponding to approximately half a total length of the masonry blocks in the longitudinal direction thereof.