Masonry Wall System

Abstract

A masonry wall system includes a plurality of blocks. Each block has two external side walls and is adapted for use adjacent to further said blocks such that the side walls form at least one wall surface of a wall structure ( 40 ) constructed from the blocks. A plurality of the blocks include a tongue ( 8 ) projecting from a sidewall thereof. The blocks can be arranged such that a plurality of the tongues ( 8 ) combine to form a plurality of furring ridges ( 42 ) on the wall structure having a required spacing therebetween. In a preferred embodiment the spacing between the furring ridges ( 42 ) is greater than the length of the longest of the blocks used. A method of assembling a masonry wall is also disclosed.

1 . A masonry wall system including a plurality of masonry blocks, each block having two external side walls and being adapted for location, in use, adjacent to further said blocks such that the side walls form at least one wall surface of a wall structure constructed from the blocks, a plurality of said blocks including a tongue projecting from a sidewall thereof, wherein, in use, said blocks can be arranged such that such that a plurality of said tongues combine to form a plurality of furring ridges on the wall structure such that a distance between centres of at least one of said furring ridges and an adjacent said furring ridge is greater than a length of the longest of said blocks. 
   
   
       2 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein a distance between centres of each furring ridge and an adjacent furring ridge is greater than a length of the longest of said blocks. 
   
   
       3 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein the tongues are shaped and dimensioned such that a volume of air enclosed between the wall surface and a planar wallboard which is attached, in use, to the furring, is sufficient to cause attenuation of sound transmitted through the wall. 
   
   
       4 . The masonry wall system of  claim 3  wherein the tongues blocks and tongues are so constructed that, when the ridges are covered by the planar wallboard, the volume between the brick wall surface and the wallboard is sufficient to act as an “air-spring”. 
   
   
       5 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein each said block is moulded with no more than one said tongue on each of said external side walls. 
   
   
       6 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein the wall structure includes a plurality of rows of said blocks, and each said row of blocks is laterally offset relative to an adjacent row. 
   
   
       7 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  including a first type of masonry block having no tongues, a second type of block having a substantially vertically orientated tongue at or adjacent a first end of the block, and a third type of masonry block having a substantially vertically orientated tongue intermediate a first end and a second end of the block. 
   
   
       8 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein each said furring ridge is substantially continuous. 
   
   
       9 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein each said furring ridge is substantially linear. 
   
   
       10 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of said furring ridges are substantially vertical. 
   
   
       11 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein the distance between centres of adjacent ridges, or every second said ridge, is equal to the width of a standard size of wallboard. 
   
   
       12 . The masonry wall system of  claim 11  wherein the distance between centres of adjacent ridges is substantially 600 mm. 
   
   
       13 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein the wall structure defines an opening, and the blocks adjacent said opening provide furring ridges around an edge of said opening. 
   
   
       14 . The masonry wall system of  claim 1  wherein the wall structure intersects a second masonry wall structure to form a corner assembly including a plurality of interengaged masonry blocks, a plurality of which include a tongue projecting from a sidewall thereof, wherein a plurality of said tongues combine to form a pair of mutually orthogonal, substantially adjacent furring ridges. 
   
   
       15 . A method of assembling a masonry wall including interengaging a plurality of masonry blocks, a plurality of said blocks including a tongue projecting from a sidewall thereof, such that said blocks are arranged so that a plurality of said tongues combine to form a plurality of furring ridges on the wall, wherein a distance between centres of at least one of said furring ridges and an adjacent said furring ridge is greater than a length of the longest of said blocks. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  including using a first type of masonry block having no tongues, a second type of block having a substantially vertically orientated tongue at or adjacent a first end of the block, and a third type of masonry block having a substantially vertically orientated tongue intermediate a first end and a second end of the block. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  including arranging the blocks to define an opening such that the blocks adjacent said opening provide furring ridges around an edge of said opening. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , including arranging the blocks to form a first masonry wall intersecting a second masonry wall to form a corner assembly which has a plurality of interengaged masonry blocks, a plurality of which include a tongue projecting from a sidewall thereof, wherein a plurality of said tongues combine to form a pair of mutually orthogonal, substantially adjacent furring ridges. 
   
   
       19 . A masonry wall system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein at least some of the plurality of said blocks are configured with the tongues projecting from the opposite sides thereof. 
   
   
       20 . A masonry wall system including a plurality of masonry blocks, each block having two external side walls and being adapted for location, in use, adjacent to further said blocks such that the side walls form at least one wall surface of a wall structure constructed from the blocks, a plurality of said blocks including a tongue projecting from a sidewall thereof, wherein, in use, said blocks can be arranged such that each said tongue combines with other said tongues to form a plurality of continuous furring ridges on the wall structure such that a distance between centres of each said furring ridge and an adjacent said furring ridge is greater than a length of the longest of said blocks, and wherein each said block in the system is moulded with no more than one said tongue on each of said external sidewalls.