Composite masonry building block

Abstract

A composite masonry building block ( 1 ) that has an inner core ( 20 ) of lighter density than an outer face and includes upper most protrusions ( 4, 73 ) and matching lowermost cavities ( 5, 76 ) to have an interlocking arrangement with other like blocks. Also disclosed is an inner lighter density material which includes an expanded plastic such as polystyrene with a cement binder. The upper ( 2 ) surface of the block ( 1 ) may include a plurality of protrusions and lower ( 3 ) may have a plurality of cavities ( 5 ). The arrangement of the protrusions ( 4 ) in relation to the upper surface ( 2 ) and the arrangement of cavities ( 5 ) in relation to lower surface ( 3 ) are such that the protrusions ( 4 ) will locate within and interlock with the consistently aligned and placed cavities of the adjacent block.

1 - 39 . (canceled) 
   
   
       40 . A composite masonry building block comprising an outer facing material of wet cast cement material that substantially surrounds a core comprising expanded plastic particles and a binder, so that the core material is of lower density than the outer facing material. 
   
   
       41 . The building block as in  claim 40 , further characterised in that the wet cast cement-based material is a mixture of an extender and a binder. 
   
   
       42 . The building block as in  claim 40 , further characterised in that the wet cast cement-based material is a mixture of an extender being sand, and a binder being Portland cement. 
   
   
       43 . The building block as  claim 40 , further characterised in that the core binder is a wet cast cement-based material. 
   
   
       44 . The block as in  claim 40 , further characterised in that the core is comprised of, at least in the main by volume, expanded polystyrene foam particles and a binder selected from a material or materials which are compatible both with expanded polystyrene foam and the outer wet cast material. 
   
   
       45 . The building block as in  claim 40 , further characterised in that the block is of rectangular proportions in outer peripheral shape, where there are two opposite faces providing an outer face and an inner face, two end faces and a top and bottom face. 
   
   
       46 . The building block as in  claim 45 , further characterised in that these respective faces are all orthogonally aligned one with respect to the other so that it is a rectangular block. 
   
   
       47 . The building block as in  claim 45 , further characterised in that there are further provided one or more projections in a one of the faces of the block and one more cavities corresponding in being a matching shape, size and position relative to the matching shapes in the opposed face within a second oppositely positioned face of the block. 
   
   
       48 . The building block as in  claim 47 , further characterised in that there are a plurality of projections on an upper face that are spaced apart an equal distance such that these projections can be used by matching cavities in a further block of the same size and shape as the first block, which is either aligned by having its direction of elongation at right angles to a direction of elongation of the first block or which overlaps the first block only by a proportion of the total length of the block. 
   
   
       49 . The building block as in  claim 48 , further characterised in that each projection projects above an otherwise generally planar shape of the face, and has a shape in cross section which will allow for compatibility with an underneath cavity shape, whether that cavity shape is positioned with the respective block aligned or at right angles to the projection. 
   
   
       50 . The building block as in  claim 49 , further characterised in that the shape of each protrusion in plan at its base is of a circular cross sectional shape. 
   
   
       51 . The building block as in  claim 50 , further characterised in that the cross sectional shape in plan of each respective protrusion is circular in cross section at its base. 
   
   
       52 . The building block as in  claims 50 , further characterised in that the shape of each protrusion is frusto-conical. 
   
   
       53 . The building block as in  claim 52 , further characterised in that the sides of the protrusion and the matching shape of the cavity has inclined sides. 
   
   
       54 . The building block as in  claim 48 , further characterised in that there is a clearance between the protrusions and matching cavities of a further block so that a small degree of adjustment in relative position is allowed. 
   
   
       55 . A method of manufacture of a composite masonry building block as in  claim 40 , characterised by the steps of having one side face lower most, coating at least some parts of the mould with a wet cement and then either as a preformed core or a mixture of a density that when set will be lighter than the set density of outer face material, locating a material of lighter density to be within a core area of the block to be formed and then effecting a final coating of wet cast cement-based material over a back of the core which can then either be rough finished or fine finished either during or subsequent to a curing at least of the wet cast cement-based material. 
   
   
       56 . The method as in  claim 55 , further characterised in that there are the further steps which include a first wet cast cement-based material being inserted into the mould as a layer across a bottom of the mould, then a mixture of an expanded plastic material with a binder of sand and cement being poured into the mould to be left then to set. 
   
   
       57 . The method as in  claim 56 , further characterised in that there is a further step where wet cast cement-based material is poured on top of the mixture, with the thus resulting materials being then left to set. 
   
   
       58 . The method as in  claim 55  to a method of manufacture, further characterized in that mix ratios for the material of lighter density is substantially as follows: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
                   
               
                 a. 
                 Cement 
                 4.8 
                 kg 
               
                 b. 
                 Fine sand 
                 5.6 
                 kg 
               
                 c. 
                 3 mm polystyrene expanded beads (@20 kg = 1 m3) 
                 7.2 
                 lts 
               
                 d. 
                 Super-plastersizer 
                 120 
                 ml 
               
                 e. 
                 Accelerant 
                 40 
                 ml 
               
                 e. 
                 Water 
                 1.12 
                 lts 
               
                   
               
           
              
             
             
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
             
          
         
       
     
   
   
       59 . A masonry building block which is substantively of rectangular proportions having thereby two sides, two ends and a top and bottom where the two sides are parallel to each other and oppositely positioned one with respect to the other, the two ends are parallel to each other and oppositely positioned one with respect to the other, and the top and bottom are oppositely positioned one with respect to the other and each have a planar surface which is parallel one with respect to the other and being further characterised in that there are a plurality of spaced apart protrusions each protrusion being located approximately midway between respective alignments of planes defined by the respective sides of the block and extending above a generally planar surface of the top and a plurality of equally spaced apart receiving cavities extending into a generally planar surface of the bottom, each cavity corresponding in spacing apart so as to correspond in relative positions size and shape to the respective protrusions and adapted to receive a one protrusion extending into a bottom surface and where the respective protrusions and apertures are in respectively mutually corresponding positions, wherein the block has an outer facing material that substantially surrounds a core made from expanded plastic particles and a binder, so as to be of lower density than the outer facing material. 
   
   
       60 . The building block as in  claim 59 , further characterised in that the core material comprises wet cast concrete and polystyrene foam beads or particles. 
   
   
       61 . The building block as in  claim 59 , further characterised in that the protrusions are orthogonally symmetrical with respect to the block. 
   
   
       62 . The building block as in  claim 59 , further characterised in that the wet cast concrete is a concrete with particulate foamed plastics integrated there through. 
   
   
       63 . A construction in which a first building block as characterised in  claim 40  directed to a block is positioned on a second block also as characterised in  claim 40  directed to a block, and the first block having upwardly directed protrusions, these protrusions engaging within corresponding cavities within an underneath face of the second block. 
   
   
       64 . A composite masonry building block comprised of at least in the main, by weight, cement, and having an inner core of lighter material than the material of a remainder of the block, which is substantially surrounding the inner core, the core being a mixture of expanded plastics particles and a binder. 
   
   
       65 . A building block including a body with three sets of opposedly positioned sides defining thereby a generally rectangular shape, the body having a core made from expanded plastic particles and a binder, and a second denser material surrounding the core material providing thereby an at least substantially continuous outer surface of said second material, and a one side of a one of the set of opposing sides having at least one protrusion extending outwardly from a planar surface of the side and at least one cavity in the further opposed side of the same set of opposed sides in a position and of a size to receive and effect an alignment of a further block having the same shape and size of this first defined block by receiving a. or the protrusions into the cavity or cavities. 
   
   
       66 . The building block as in preceding  claim 65 , further characterised in that the second material is denser than the first material. 
   
   
       67 . The building block as in  claim 65 , further characterised in that second material is made from a mix comprising at least cement, sand and water. 
   
   
       68 . The building block as in  claim 65 , further characterised in that the first material is made from a mix including cement, sand, water and polystyrene. 
   
   
       69 . The building block as in  claim 65 , further characterised in that the protrusion is of frusto conical shape with a wider portion closer to a main body of the element. 
   
   
       70 . A building block being a body with three sets of oppositely positioned sides each being of a planar shape or a planar base shape, each planar shape or planar base shape aligned to be at right angle to each of the other shapes defining thereby a generally rectangular shape, the body having an inner core made from expanded plastic particles and a binder, and an outer portion of a second material which is of a different density to the said first material providing thereby an at least substantially continuous outer surface of said second material surrounding the said first material, a one side of a one of the set of opposing sides having at least one protrusion extending outwardly from a planar surface of the side, and at least one cavity in the opposite side of the same set of opposed sides in a position and of a size to receive and effect an alignment of a further block having the same shape and size of protrusion and cavity as this first defined block, and adapted thereby to receive a or the protrusions into the cavity or cavities. 
   
   
       71 . The building block as in  claim 70 , further characterised in that the protrusions are positioned so that they are spaced apart central axis to central axis along a longer length of the block by a distance, which is the same as the width face to face substantially of the block. 
   
   
       72 . The building block as in  claim 70 , further characterised in that each protrusion at an end of a block is a distance away from the end face of the block by a distance which to an axis of the protrusion is one half the distance of the width face to face substantially of the block. 
   
   
       73 . An assembly of two blocks each of which is characterised as in  claim 40 , where the dimensions and shape of a first of the blocks are substantially identical to the dimensions and shape of a second of the blocks, where the first of the blocks is positioned above and aligned to have a front and rear face of each define a common plane and where the first block with its bottom face is resting on, directly aligned and adhering by a thin adhesive interface extending at least substantially between the two mating faces of the respective blocks.