Drywall construction method and apparatus

Abstract

Means for and a method of erecting block drywall wherein the blocks, or bricks, are, for the most part, rectangular in appearance and each provided, on their undersides, with a longitudinal and centrally oriented cavity extending the full length of each block and leaving longitudinal, horizontal, contact areas on each side of the cavity for seating on an underlying block in a wall construction, the upper sides of each block being provided with a horizontal and centrally located protuberance extending the full length of the block, there being longitudinal seating areas along the top side of each block situated to cooperate with the underside seating areas on each side of a similar block seated thereon, the cavities and protuberances of the blocks constituting symmetrically opposed mating surfaces facilitating the staking of blocks, one upon another and slideable longitudinally with respect to each other in a vertical drywall construction, the blocks of each row may be provided with centrally located and horizontally and longitudinally spaced holes extending vertically and completely through each block, the longitudinal spacing of the holes being such that when blocks are stacked in standard staggered offset layer relationship in an erected wall the holes are coincident from row to row accommodating the insertion of locating pins fixing the longitudinal displacement of blocks of one row to each of vertically adjacent rows in a completed wall construction, in order to provide greater wall stability space may be provided between the protuberances and the undersides of cavities of blocks seated thereon to accommodate a belt, running lengthwise of a row of blocks, the belt being provided with holes coinciding with the coincident holes of stacked horizontal rows to allow the insertion of locating pins extending vertically from centrally of one block to a position centrally of a vertically adjacent block mated therewith, the pins each being of a length approximating the height of a block.

1 . Means for use in constructing a mortarless block wall utilizing blocks laid in rows stacked vertically wherein the blocks are each provided with substantially elongated-rectangular configurations, each block being provided with, on its underside, a laterally central cavity extending for the full length of the block and leaving flat longitudinal side areas for accommodating the seating of one block on another, each block being further provided with an upper side protuberance, extending for the full length of the block, symmetrically opposed to the lower cavity of the block to mate with the cavity of a similar block seated thereon, there being flat seating areas provided on each longitudinal side of the protuberance of each block to cooperate with the flat longitudinal underside areas of a similar block seated thereon. 
   
   
       2 . Means for use in constructing a motarless block wall, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each block is provided with holes, passing vertically therethrough, located centrally of the block and spaced to coincide with holes in a block seated thereon and offset longitudinally in staggered block wall construction and pins, adapted to be insertable into the holes and of a length approximating the height of one block. 
   
   
       3 . Means for constructing a motarless block wall, as claimed in  claim 2  wherein an elongated belt is provided with holes spaced longitudinally of the belt and spaced to coincide with the vertical holes provided in the blocks, when the blocks are laid in the staggered layer format, for securing the belt and block layers against horizontal displacement with respect to each other, there being a space provided between each protuberance and mating cavity to accommodate the insertion of the belt running longitudinally of a row of blocks. 
   
   
       4 . Means for use in constructing a mortarless block wall utilizing blocks laid in a rows stacked vertically wherein the blocks are each provided with substantially elongated-rectangular configurations, each block being provided with, on its underside, a laterally central cavity extending for the full length of the block and leaving flat longitudinal side areas for accommodating the seating of one block on another, each block being further provided with an upper side protuberance, extending for the full length of the block, symmetrically opposed to the lower cavity of the block to mate with the cavity of a similar block when seated thereon, there being flat seating areas provided on each longitudinal side of the protuberance of each block to cooperate with the flat longitudinal underside areas of a similar block seated thereon. 
   
   
       5 . The means claimed in  claim 4  wherein a clearance space is provided between the upper side of a protuberance and the lower side of a cavity, seated thereover, to accommodate the insertion of a elongated belt between layers of mated blocks. 
   
   
       6 . Means for constructing a mortarless block wall, as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the belt is provided with holes longitudinally spaced to coincide with vertical holes provided through each block when the blocks are laid in abutting relationship in an elongated row and pins adapted to be insertable into the coincident holes to limit the longitudinal and lateral movement of the belt with respect to blocks in a row in a constructed wall. 
   
   
       7 . Means for constructing a mortarless block wall as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the length of the pins is approximately equal to the height of a block. 
   
   
       8 . Block for drywall construction wherein the blocks are, for the most part, rectangular boxlike in appearance and each provided, on their underside, with a longitudinal and centrally oriented cavity extending the full length of each block and leaving longitudinal, horizontal, contact areas on each side of the cavity for seating on an underlying block in a wall construction, the upper sides of each block being provided with a horizontal and centrally located protuberance extending the full length of the block there being longitudinal seating areas along the top side of each block situated to cooperate with the underside seating areas on each side of a similar block seated thereon, the cavities and protuberances of the blocks constituting symmetrically opposed mating surfaces facilitating the staking of blocks, one upon another and slideable longitudinally with respect to each other in a vertical drywall construction.