Lava and Cement Building Block System

Abstract

A novel way of building walls using lightweight lava blocks without mortar in a three step procedure, fabricating the light weight lava block, setting the block and then filling the block with a lava and cement mixture or slurry; further described is a process for fabricating the lava block from a composition of lava rock, aggregate, Portland Cement, hardening catalyst, fiber, and water.

1 . A method for a Lava and Cement Building Block System, said method comprising of the steps of:
 mixing a slurry comprising of water, a cement binder, sand, a hardening catalyst, and lava rock aggregate; and   forming said slurry in molds forming blocks comprising a flat bottom surface, a top surface, a front wall, a rear wall, two end walls, the front and rear walls are joined by at least one web to form void or hollow areas, the webs extend upwards from the bottom surface towards the top surface with a height less than that of the front wall and the rear wall forming a shallow groove on the top surface transitioned with a beveled edge running parallel to both front and rear wall; and   said blocks are conveyed from said molds and placed by dry stacking, or repeatedly placing a plurality of blocks end to end and by placing the bottom surface of one block above and in direct contact with the top surface of the block below to form a multitude of tiers; and   mixing a less viscous slurry than used in forming said lava blocks comprising of water, a cement binder, sand, and a lava rock aggregate; and   placing said less viscous slurry into the voids created by the dry stacking of the plurality of lava blocks.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 ; wherein said slurry mixture further comprises:
 from 1045.5 to 1414.5 lbs of lava rock and   from 157.25 to 212.75 lbs aggregate; and   from 440 to 825 lbs of Portland Cement; and   up to 10 lbs hardening catalyst; and   up to 20 lbs of fiber; and   from 115.2 to 216 lbs of water.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said slurry mixture comprises:
 approximately 1,230 lbs lava rock aggregate and   approximately 185 lbs of aggregate; and   approximately 550 lbs of Portland Cement; and   approximately 2 lbs hardening catalyst; and   approximately 1 lb of fiber; and   approximately 144 lbs of water.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said lava rock aggregate is ⅜″ minus. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said Portland Cement is #2. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said hardening catalyst is fly ash. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said fiber is selected from a group comprising nylon fibers, and straw. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said molds further comprises:
 a front wall, a back wall and a first end wall, and a second end wall;   the front wall, the back wall, the first end wall, the second end wall being arranged to form a box without a top or bottom; and   a plurality of block voids, the block voids internally configured to form a block-type structure.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the distance from said front wall to said back wall is approximately 11¾″; and
 wherein the distance from the first end wall to the second end wall is approximately 23¾″.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the number of block voids is three. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the dimension of the block void is approximately 4 inches by 6 inches. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the blocks are heated while conveyed. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the temperature applied to the blocks is approximately 150 F. 
   
   
       14 . A product of constructing a cured and hardened lava block by the process comprising the steps of:
 combining a lava mixture, wherein the mixture further comprises the compounds of:
 approximately ⅜ inch minus lava material, and 
 approximately ¾ inch aggregate Portland #2 cement, and a fly ash (or a similar hardening catalyst); 
   dry mixing the mixture for at least five minutes,   adding clean water to the mixture to create a slurry,   mixing the slurry for an additional five minutes,   pouring the slurry into a mold,   vibrating the slurry in the mold,   curing the slurry in the mold until the slurry is cured and hardened into a lava block,   ejecting the lava block from the mold to produce a cured and hardened lava block.   
   
   
       15 . The product of constructing a hardened and cured lava block by the process according to the steps of  claim 14  further comprising the steps of:
 curing the slurry by exposure to the sun.   
   
   
       16 . The product of constructing a hardened and cured lava block by the process according to the steps of  claim 14  further comprising the steps of:
 curing the slurry by exposure to 150 F.   
   
   
       17 . The product of constructing a hardened and cured lava block by the process according to the steps of  claim 14  further comprising the steps of:
 curing the slurry by exposure to 150 F.   
   
   
       18 . The product of constructing a hardened and cured lava block by the process according to the steps of  claim 1  wherein said mold further comprises:
 a front wall, a back wall and a first end wall, and a second end wall;   the front wall, the back wall, the first end wall, the second end wall being arranged to form a box without a top or bottom; and   a plurality of block voids, the block voids internally configured to form a block-type structure.   
   
   
       19 . A process for building a lava structure, the process comprising the steps of:
 selecting a plurality of lava rock building blocks   dry stacking the lava rock building blocks to form the walls of the structure into a plurality of wall formations.   
   
   
       20 . The process of building a lava structure according to  claim 19 , the process further comprising the steps of:
 installing reinforcment metal rods or rebar within the wall formations.