Cementitious building block with interconnecting features

Abstract

A block is disclosed that includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a pair of sidewalls, and a pair of endwalls. The block also includes a projection that protrudes beyond the top surface along a first axis and is symmetrical along a second axis and a third axis. The block also includes a recess that extends into the bottom surface along the first axis and is symmetrical along the second axis and the third axis. The block also includes a pair of trenches including a first trench and a second trench that are respectively defined by a recess extending into an endwall of the pair of endwalls. The pair of trenches both run along the first axis from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess, and a first width of the first trench overlaps with a second width of the second trench along the third axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A block for use in mortarless wall construction, comprising:
 a top surface and a bottom surface that are parallel to one another;   a projection that protrudes beyond the top surface along a first axis and is symmetrical along a second axis and a third axis;   a recess that extends into the bottom surface along the first axis and also is symmetrical along the second axis and the third axis;   a pair of sidewalls including a first sidewall and a second sidewall that are parallel to one another, wherein the pair of sidewalls are connected by the top surface and bottom surface, wherein the pair of sidewalls have end edges generally perpendicular to the top surface and the bottom surface, and wherein the pair of sidewalls respectively have a first length;   a pair of endwalls including a first endwall and a second endwall that are parallel to one another, wherein the pair of endwalls are connected by the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein the pair of endwalls are transverse and joined to the pair of sidewalls, and wherein the pair of endwalls respectively have a second length that is substantially half the first length;   a first trench that is defined by a second recess extending into the first endwall, wherein the first trench runs along the first axis from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess, and wherein a first width of the first trench is defined by a start point and an end point along the third axis;   a second trench that is defined by a second recess extending into the second endwall, wherein the second trench runs from a surface of the projection to the surface of the recess, and wherein a second width of the second trench is defined by a start point and end point along the third axis, wherein the start point of the second width exists between the start point and the end point of the first width along the third axis; and   a void that is defined in part by a passage through the block that runs from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess along the first axis, wherein the void exists between the first trench and the second trench along the second axis, wherein a third width of the void is defined by a start point and an end point along the third axis, and wherein the start point of the third width exists between respective endpoints of the first width and the second width so that the third width overlaps with both the first width and the second width along the third axis.   
     
     
         2 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein the block is a first upper block, wherein the first upper block is placed over a lower block of a same type, wherein respective sidewalls of the lower block and the first upper block are substantially coplanar, wherein an endwall of the first upper block is at a midpoint of the lower block along the second axis, and wherein a portion of the projection of the lower block interconnects with a portion of the recess of the first upper block. 
     
     
         3 . The block of  claim 2 , wherein an endwall of a second upper block of the same type is adjacent to the endwall of the first upper block, wherein respective trenches of adjacent endwalls of the first upper block and the second upper block align to form a second void, and wherein the second void is aligned with a void of the lower block to form a continuous passage along the first axis extending from at least the top surface of the second upper block to at least a bottom surface of the lower block. 
     
     
         4 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein the projection corresponds to two cross-shaped projections that are interconnected at a projection interconnection location between the first trench and the second trench along the second axis, and wherein the recess corresponds to two cross-shaped recesses that are interconnected at a recess interconnection location between the first trench and the second trench along the second axis. 
     
     
         5 . The block of  claim 4 , wherein the passage of the void runs along the first axis from a surface of the projection interconnection location to a surface of the recess interconnection location. 
     
     
         6 . The block of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second void that is defined in part by a second passage through the block that runs from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess along the first axis, wherein the second void exists between the void and the first trench along the second axis; and   a third void that is defined in part by a third passage through the block that runs from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess along the first axis, wherein the third void exists between the void and the second trench along the second axis.   
     
     
         7 . The block of  claim 6 , wherein the passage of the void and the passage of the second void are respectively cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The block of  claim 6 , wherein the block is an upper block, wherein the upper block is interconnected with a lower block of a same type, wherein sidewalls of the upper block and the lower block are substantially coplanar, wherein an endwall of the upper block is at a midpoint of the lower block along the second axis, and wherein the second void of the upper block is aligned with a third void of the lower block to form a continuous passage extending from the top surface of the upper block to a bottom surface of the lower block along the first axis. 
     
     
         9 . The block of  claim 6 , wherein the block is an upper block, wherein the upper block is interconnected with a lower block of a same type, wherein respective sidewalls of the lower block and the upper block are transverse to each other, wherein an endwall of the upper block is coplanar to a sidewall of the lower block, and wherein the second void of the block is aligned with a third void of the lower block to form a continuous passage extending from the top surface of the upper block to a bottom surface of the lower block along the first axis. 
     
     
         10 . The block of  claim 1 , wherein the projection is configured to interconnect with a recess of a second block of a same type when the block and the second block are interconnected in either a linearly stacked assembly or a transversely stacked assembly, the interconnection based at least in part on the projection and the recess, respectively, being symmetrical along the second axis and the third axis. 
     
     
         11 . The block of  claim 1 , comprising a cementitious material. 
     
     
         12 . A block, comprising:
 a top surface and a bottom surface that are parallel to one another;   a projection that protrudes beyond the top surface along a first axis;   a recess that extends into the bottom surface along the first axis;   a pair of sidewalls including a first sidewall and a second sidewall that are parallel to one another, wherein the pair of sidewalls are connected by the top surface and bottom surface, and wherein the pair of sidewalls have end edges generally perpendicular to the top surface and the bottom surface;   a pair of endwalls including a first endwall and a second endwall that are parallel to one another, wherein the pair of endwalls are connected by the top surface and the bottom surface, and wherein the pair of endwalls are transverse and joined to the pair of sidewalls;   a first trench that is defined by a second recess extending into the first endwall, wherein the first trench runs along the first axis from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess, and wherein a first width of the first trench is defined by a start point and an end point along a second axis;   a second trench that is defined by a second recess extending into the second endwall, wherein the second trench runs from a surface of the projection to the surface of the recess, and wherein a second width of the second trench is defined by a start point and end point along the second axis, wherein the start point of the second width exists between the start point and the end point of the first width along the second axis; and   a void that is defined in part by a passage through the block that runs from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess along the first axis, wherein the void exists between the first trench and the second trench along a third axis, wherein a third width of the void is defined by a start point and an end point along the second axis, and wherein the start point of the third width exists between respective endpoints of the first width and the second width so that the third width overlaps with both the first width and the second width along the second axis.   
     
     
         13 . The block of  claim 12 , wherein the projection is symmetrical along a second axis and the recess is also symmetrical along the second axis and the third axis. 
     
     
         14 . The block of  claim 12 , wherein the pair of sidewalls respectively have a first length, and wherein the pair of endwalls respectively have a second length that is substantially half the first length. 
     
     
         15 . The block of  claim 12 , wherein the block is included in a stacked assembly of blocks of a same type, and wherein the first trench of the block forms a portion of a continuous passage that extends along the first axis from an upper surface to a lower surface of the stacked assembly of blocks. 
     
     
         16 . The block of  claim 12 , wherein the block is configured to interconnect with another block of a different type, the different type having a length that is substantially half a length of a type of the block. 
     
     
         17 . A block, comprising:
 a top surface and a bottom surface that are parallel to one another;   a projection that protrudes beyond the top surface along a first axis and is symmetrical along a second axis and a third axis;   a recess that extends into the bottom surface along the first axis and also is symmetrical along the second axis and the third axis;   a pair of sidewalls including a first sidewall and a second sidewall that are parallel to one another, wherein the pair of sidewalls are connected by the top surface and bottom surface, wherein the pair of sidewalls have end edges generally perpendicular to the top surface and the bottom surface, and wherein the pair of sidewalls respectively have a first length;   a pair of endwalls including a first endwall and a second endwall that are parallel to one another, wherein the pair of endwalls are connected by the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein the pair of endwalls are transverse and joined to the pair of sidewalls, and wherein the pair of endwalls respectively have a second length that is substantially half the first length;   a pair of trenches including a first trench and a second trench that are respectively defined by a recess extending into an endwall of the pair of endwalls, wherein the pair of trenches both run along the first axis from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess, and wherein a first width of the first trench overlaps with a second width of the second trench along the third axis.   
     
     
         18 . The block of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a void that is defined in part by a passage through the block that runs from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess along the first axis, wherein the void exists between the first trench and the second trench along the second axis, wherein a third width of the void is defined by a start point and an end point along the third axis, and wherein the start point of the third width exists between respective endpoints of the first width and the second width so that the third width overlaps with both the first width and the second width along the third axis.   
     
     
         19 . The block of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a second void that is defined in part by a second passage through the block that runs from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess along the first axis, wherein the second void exists between the void and the first trench along the second axis; and   a third void that is defined in part by a third passage through the block that runs from a surface of the projection to a surface of the recess along the first axis, wherein the third void exists between the void and the second trench along the second axis.   
     
     
         20 . The block of  claim 17 , wherein the block is a lower block that is interconnected with an upper block of a different type, the different type defined at least in part by (1) having a recess that is configured to interconnect with the projection of the lower block, and (2) having either a substantially flat-top surface or a U-shaped contour.