ASSEMBLY CONSISTING OF A CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT AND A MASONRY TOOL

Abstract

A set comprising a construction element and a masonry tool, said construction element comprising a first face and a second face substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the length l and width d and separated from each other by a height h, said first face comprising at least two ribs oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the length l and separated in each case from each other in the axis of the width d by a first so hollow, and a third face and a fourth face, substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the width d and height h, and separated by a length l, said first hollow is open at least on said third face, said masonry tool comprises at least two sections sized so as to be able to be placed straddling in each case on one of the ribs and each arranged so as to be is able to slide on said rib on which it is placed.

Description

The present invention relates to an assembly consisting of a construction element and a masonry tool, said construction element having a length l, a width d and a height h, said construction element comprising :

a) a first face and a second face substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the length l and the width d, separated from each other by a height h, said first face comprising at least two ribs oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the length l and separated from each other in the axis of the width d by a first hollow; and

b) a third face and a fourth face, substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the width d and of the height h, and separated by a length l.

Such a construction element forming part of such an assembly is known from the British patent GB 1 402 991. The known construction elements comprise longitudinal ribs on their top face. In this document, the ribs serve as a support for other similar construction elements when these are superimposed, in order to balance the construction elements in relation to each other, and to avoid the settling of the joins between the construction elements while the mortar is still fluid. For the known elements the ribs of a construction element come directly into contact with the construction element superimposed thereon, and it therefore becomes impossible for the mason to correctly adjust the alignment for height and perpendicularity of the construction elements in a row. In doing this alignment account must in fact be taken of the dimensional manufacturing tolerances of the construction elements.

Conventionally, construction elements, in general in the form of bricks, blocks or breeze blocks, are superimposed in order to form a wall. Between two superimposed construction elements a layer of mortar is applied to bind the construction elements to one another and thus form the wall. The mortar used is generally composed of cement, sand and water. The mortar joint participates in the obtaining of an aesthetic appearance of the wall that has become conventional.

One drawback of this method is that the layer of mortar laid between two superimposed elements is relatively fluid when it is placed, which impairs the stability of the wall being constructed. It is only when the mortar becomes hard and cohesive that it fully fulfils the function of binding the construction elements to one another. However, the mortar can take a particularly long time to harden between construction elements that are very little water-absorbent, such as those based on compressed concrete, owing to their high density of material greater than 2000 kg/m³. The time that the mortar takes to harden and the high weight of the construction elements slows down the rate at which a mason can construct a wall. In addition, during the construction of the wall, the mortar situated between the lower rows of the construction elements will bear the weight of the upper rows. If the mason stacks the construction elements too quickly in height, the weight of the upper rows becomes too high and will apply too great a pressure on the mortar in the lower rows which, not yet having hardened sufficiently, will be driven from the space between the lower rows of the construction elements already laid. The wall will therefore settle and even risk buckling. The lack of stability of the wall being constructed will thus force the mason to have to interrupt his work in order to enable the mortar to harden first.

The object of the present invention is to produce an assembly consisting of a construction element and a masonry tool that enable to mason to build up more rapidly in height by improving the stability of the wall being constructed, while allowing him suitable adjustment of the construction element for alignment and perpendicularity.

To this end an assembly according to the invention is characterized in that said first hollow is open at least on said third face and in that said masonry tool comprises at least two sections sized so as to be able to be placed on each occasion straddling one of the ribs and each arranged so as to be able to slide on said rib on which it is placed. Through the use of the sections that are placed straddling on the ribs, it is possible to properly apportion the mortar in the first hollow. This is because the volume delimited by the sections and the hollow make it possible to apportion the mortar correctly. The mortar thus apportioned, after removal of the sections, it will be possible to place one construction element on another and the mortar will be driven between the rib and the superimposed construction element and will form therein a fine layer of mortar. A fine layer of mortar dries more quickly and thus makes it possible to build up more rapidly in height.

It should be noted that the British patent GB 507,594 proposes a construction element with peripheral areas raised by around 9 mm (⅜ of an inch) on the top and bottom faces of the construction element, as well as a construction method in which each block does not directly come into contact with the top block but remains separated at these peripheral areas by a fine layer of mortar. This therefore allows the adjustment of the thickness of the join and therefore the alignment of the construction elements. However, this construction element has a shape that is too small to allow easy manufacture. In particular, to produce it by molding it would be necessary to use a complex and therefore expensive mold, and the operation of removal from the mold would be slow and complicated.

Patent application WO 2004/007860 proposes construction elements with ribs on their bottom face and grooves on their top face, the ribs being intended to fit in the grooves in another construction element. Obviously such a configuration limits the adjustment of the lateral alignment of the construction elements since the width of the grooves restricts the movement in the axis of the width d of the ribs that are fitted therein.

A first preferential embodiment of an assembly according the invention is characterized in that said sections have a height h_p and the ribs have a height h_ni, the height h_ni of said ribs being less than the height of the sections. This difference in height allows an entirely appropriate apportioning of the mortar.

A second preferential embodiment of an assembly according to the invention is characterized in that said sections are provided with flaps extending towards the outside of the construction element when they are placed on the ribs and arranged as to receive surplus mortar when the mortar is leveled. This prevents the surplus of leveled mortar forming on at least a visible face of the wall under construction.

Preferably each of said two sections is provided with at least one lug for moving said two sections in the axis of the length l of the construction element, in particular by means of a trowel. This makes it possible to easily move said two sections without substantially deforming the is freshly leveled mass of mortar.

Preferably in the construction element according to the invention each rib has a height h_n; of between 5 and 17 mm, preferably between 6 and 8 mm, measured with respect to the bottom of said first hollow, and said first hollow is open at least on said third face. This height h_ni of the ribs is chosen so that it is always less than the thickness of the join, so that, in a wall, a thin layer of mortar can remain between each rib and the construction element superimposed on it, allowing the adjustment of each construction element for alignment and perpendicularity. The fact that said first hollow is open on at least said third face makes it possible to mold said construction element in a simple mold and to extract it in a movement along a substantially longitudinal axis towards the fourth face.

Preferably said second face comprises at least two protuberances separated by a second hollow, each of which is disposed so as to be opposite in a direction parallel to the axis of the height h on each occasion to one of the two ribs. This configuration has the advantage that said second hollow can receive part of the mortar of the join during the construction of the wall, which will mean that the mortar will oppose a resistance to shearing, rather than only of adhesion, to the lateral forces exerted on the wall.

Preferably, said second hollow has a width d_c of between 25 and 300 mm and/or a maximum depth h_c of between 3 and 15 mm, these dimensions being particularly advantageous for incrementing the resistance to lateral forces of a wall constructed with such construction elements.

Alternatively, said second face comprises a substantially continuous surface opposite in the axis of the height h and straddling the two ribs. Such a construction element can be produced more simply than a construction element comprising said second hollow. In particular when this construction element is produced by molding, it will be able to be produced with a simpler and therefore less expensive mold.

Preferably, said construction element also comprises a fifth base and a sixth base, substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the height h and length l, and separated from each other by a width d, at least one of the ribs being offset with respect to the fifth or sixth face by a distance d_j, preferably of between 10 and 15 mm, in the axis of the width d. This has the advantage of forming a horizontal false join visible on at least one visible face of the wall, which can be filled after the construction of the wall with a pointing mortar selected for example for its aesthetic appearance.

Advantageously, a drainage surface oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the length l extends between said at least one of said ribs and said fifth or sixth face, this drainage surface preferably forming an angle a of between 5° and 15° with the axis of the width d. This drainage surface receives the surplus mortar overflowing from said rib and prevents its falling onto at least one visible face of the wall.

Preferably, said third face comprises at least a third hollow, which lightens the construction element. Said at least one third hollow may possibly pass through as far as the fourth face.

The invention also relates to a method of constructing a wall comprising a plurality of construction elements forming part of an assembly according to the invention, according to which one of said construction s elements and another one of said construction elements are superimposed to as to at least partially oppose the second face of one construction element and the first face of the other construction element after having applied a mass of mortar between the first hollow in said other construction element and the second face of said one construction element, in order to obtain a mortar join between said first hollow of the other construction element and said second face of one construction element, characterized in that, prior to the application of the mortar, one of said sections is on each occasion placed on each of the ribs, said mortar mass is apportioned by filling a space between the sections with the mortar and leveling this mortar with a trowel bearing on said sections.

Preferably, a handle is used to take at least one construction element before placing it on the other construction element, said handle comprising a first part that is at least partially introduced into the third hollow in one construction element in order to support it. This makes it possible to handle heavy construction elements easily.

The invention also relates to a wall constructed according to this construction method.

Details concerning the invention are described below in a purely illustrative and non-limitative manner, referring to the drawings.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a construction element according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a construction element according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of a construction element according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 4 depicts a transverse section of two construction elements and a mortar mass in a method of constructing a wall;

FIGS. 5a to 5c show the method of producing a construction element;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a row of construction elements, a leveled mortar mass and two sections in a method of constructing a wall;

FIG. 7 shows a handle for the gripping, carrying, depositing and adjustment of construction elements, and FIGS. 8a and b show another embodiment of an element according to the invention.

In the drawings the same reference has been allocated to the same element or to a similar element.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a construction element forming part of an assembly according to the invention. This construction element 101 is preferably manufactured from concrete. However, the invention is not limited to this type of material and the construction element 101 can be manufactured in any other material generally used for construction, such as for example terracotta, wood, etc. This construction element 101 has a roughly parallelepipedal shape with a length l, a width d and a height h having substantially perpendicular axes. The construction element 101 comprises a first face 111 and a second face 112 substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the length l and width d and separated by a height h. In the example illustrated, the first face 111 is a top face and the second face 112 is a bottom face, but they may also be reversed. In addition, the construction element 101 also comprises a third face 113 and a fourth face 114, substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the width d and height h and separated by a length l, and a fifth face 115 and sixth face 116 substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the height h and the length l and separated by a width d.

On its first face 111, the construction element 101 comprises two ribs 121, 122 oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the length l and separated in the axis of the width d by a first hollow 123. In the example illustrated, each rib 121 or 122 has a height h_ni of between 6 and 8 mm relative to the bottom of said first hollow 123, although in other embodiments this height h_n; could be between 5 and 17 mm. Each of the ribs 121, 122 also has a width d_n, preferably between 10 and 20 mm, the widths d_n of the two ribs 121, 122 preferably being substantially equal. This width controls the settling of the mortar in the fluid state by opposing a resistance to the flow dependent on the length of the channel formed between each rib and the opposite construction element.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8a+b the construction element comprises three ribs 121, 122 and 150. In general the construction element according to the invention therefore comprises at least two ribs.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the purpose of these ribs in a method of constructing a wall according to the invention is as follows :

When a wall is constructed by means of such construction elements 101, 101′ provided with ribs, the mason will apply a mortar mass 401 to the first face 111 of a construction element 101′, where the ribs 121, 122 (and 150) are situated. Applying the mortar mass 401 to this first face 111 is advantageous since the presence of these ribs makes it possible to position the mortar better. The ribs will thus be on each side of the mortar mass 401, which forms a mortar join between the construction elements 101, 101′. This join has, in this particular example with ribs with a height h_ni of 6 to 8 mm, a final thickness of more than 7 mm. More generally the final thickness will have to be at least 6 mm. After having applied the mortar to the construction element 101′, the mason will position the construction element 101 above the construction element 101′ and the ribs will then be at least partially embedded in the mortar after the construction element 101 is positioned, as illustrated by FIG. 4. However, the thickness h_j of the join between the second face 112 of the construction element 101 and the bottom of the hollow 123 in the first face 111 of the construction element 101′ is greater than the height h_ni; of the ribs, therefore leaving a fine layer of mortar with a thickness h_m=h_j−h_ni; between the ribs of the construction element 101′ and the second face 112 of the construction element 101. This thickness h_m will be variable according to the manufacturing tolerances. In any event the height of the join will always be greater than the height of the rib+the dimensional tolerances of manufacture of the construction element. Preferably this thickness h_m is situated in a range between 1 and 4 mm and will generally remain less than the height h_ni; of the ribs 121, 122. This allows an adjustment of the alignment and perpendicularity of the construction elements 101, 101′ in the wall. The height h_ni; of the ribs 121, 122 will therefore depend on the thickness h_j of the join desired and always less than this. As illustrated in FIG. 4, after the top element is placed, the mortar is driven towards the top part of the ribs of said other construction element and towards the bottom part of the protuberances on said one construction element in order to form a fine layer thereon.

The space between the ribs of the construction element 101′ and the second face 112 of the construction element 101 opposite is completely or partially filled with mortar. When fitted by the mason, the weight of the construction element 101 will ensure that this element will squash the mortar. The ribs, which through their dimensions and more rigid structures than those of the mortar in the viscous state, cooperate mainly, with respect to the mortar in the viscous state, to the transfer of the load from one construction element 101 to the other construction element 101′. These ribs will at least partially be embedded in the mortar, allowing only a slight thickness h_m of mortar between the second face 112 of one construction element 101 and the ribs of the other construction element 101′. When the mason taps with his trowel, or with the handle as described below, on the construction element after having placed it, in order to adjust its alignment and perpendicularity, the mortar will be driven into the space situated between the construction element 101, 101′.

Since the thickness h_m of the layer of mortar between the second face 112 of the construction element 101 and the ribs 121, 122 (and 150) of the other construction element 101′ is small, this thickness h_m of mortar will harden more quickly, thus enabling the wall being constructed to stabilize more rapidly and therefore enabling the mason to quickly build up in height during the construction of the wall. Limiting the thickness of the mortar is not detrimental to the possibilities of adjustment, since this thickness h_m is chosen so that it makes it possible to take up the manufacturing tolerance on the construction elements 101, 101′.

It should also be noted that the stability of a wall that has just been constructed depends on the thickness of the layer of mortar between the rows of construction elements 101, 101′, the fluidity of the mortar, the weight of the construction elements 101, 101′ and their laying surface. Since the ribs mainly cooperate with the transfer of the load with respect to the mortar in the viscous state, and since h_m<h_j reduces the possibility of expulsion of the mortar towards the outside of the wall, these two features help together to improve the stability of the wall being constructed. In addition, as the ribs are manufactured from the material of the construction element 101, 101′, it has a more rigid structure than that of the mortar in the viscous state, which promotes the rigidity of the wall being constructed.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the second face 112 of the construction element 101 comprises a second hollow 126 having the form of a groove with a width d_c of between 25 and 300 mm and a maximum depth h_e of between 3 and 15 mm. It should be noted that the ribs 121, 122 are not intended to enter the second hollow 126 since the latter is offset with respect to the ribs 121, 122. When one construction element 101 is placed on the mortar mass 401 and the other construction element 101′ this second hollow 126 will also be completely or partially filled with mortar. In this way, when the mortar has hardened, it will exhibit a shear strength against the lateral forces to which the wall will be subjected.

It is however possible to dispense with this second hollow 126, as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, simplifying the production of the construction element 201. In this alternative embodiment, the mortar will however oppose only an adhesion strength against the lateral forces between the construction elements 201.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, each rib 122, 121 is offset respectively from the fifth face 115 and the sixth face 116, preferably by a distance d_j of between 10 and 15 mm in the axis of the width d, a drainage surface 128 oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the length l joining each of the said ribs 122, 121 and respectively the said fifth or sixth face 115, 116. This drainage surface 128 preferably forming an angle a of between 5° and 15° with the axis of the width d. This angle a serves in particular to direct any water that falls along the stretcher of the construction element 101 towards a bottom of the false join 402 between two construction elements 101, 101′ and thus prevents this water taking away any fresh mortar that would then be spread on at least one visible face of the wall being constructed.

The height h_ne of each of the ribs 121, 122 with respect to the ridges formed by the drainage surfaces 128 and respectively the sixth and fifth faces 116, 115, together with the thickness of the mortar h_m, will define the apparent thickness of the false join 402. In this example, each of the ribs 121, 122 has a height h_ne preferably situated between 6 and 8 mm with respect to the ridges, although in other embodiments this minimum height h_ne could be between 0 and 17 mm. The height h_ne of each of the ribs 121, 122 with respect to the external ridge may be different from the height h_ni; of the same rib 121, 122 with respect to the bottom of the first hollow 123 if, for example for aesthetic reasons, it is wished to give the false join 402 an apparent thickness different from the thickness of the join h_j. The distances d_j and heights h_ne of each of the ribs 121, 122 are not necessarily identical to each other.

This height h_ne added to the small thickness h_m of the mortar form horizontal false joins 402 on at least one visible face of the wall allowing a traditional pointing height and therefore enables the wall to keep its traditionally aesthetic appearance, by applying a pointing mortar selected in particular for its aesthetic appearance in the false join 402.

These false horizontal joins 402 can be complemented by vertical false joins formed by recesses 130 on at least one of the vertical edges (that is to say substantially parallel to the axis of the height h) of each construction element 101, each having a surface 131 oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the height h in an angle y with the axis of the length l preferably between 75° and 85° and forming a vertical ridge with one of the fifth or sixth faces 115, 116, with a depths I_r in the axis of the length l between said third face 113 and said vertical ridge of between 5 and 17 mm, and a width d_r of between 10 and 15 mm.

However, if it is not wished to create horizontal false joins 402 on one or both faces of a wall, the ribs 122 and/or 121 can be not offset from the fifth and/or sixth faces 115, 116, as in the construction element 301 of the embodiment illustration in FIG. 3.

Returning to FIG. 1, in order to lighten the construction element 101, the latter can comprise at least a third hollow 129 open at least on the third face 113 and occupying a substantial part of the volume of the construction element 101. The said third hollow 129 is separated from the fifth face 115 by a first load-bearing wall 141 and from the sixth face by a second load-bearing wall 142. The said first and second load-bearing walls 141, 142 are intended to transfer the loads between the first and second faces 111, 112 of the construction element 101. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the widths d_s of each of the protuberances 124, 125 on the second face 112 opposite to the ribs 121, 122 of the first face are at least substantially equal to the thicknesses d_p of each of the load-bearing walls 142, 141, which are in their turn substantially greater than the widths d_n of the ribs 121, 122 in order to have a fully continuous transfer of the loads between the ribs 121, 122 and the opposite protuberances 124, 125. For this same reason, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the ribs 121, 122 have a trapezoidal cross section, with two flanks 127, each of which forms an angle β of between 10° and 20° with the axis of the height h. On the other hand, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, it may be preferable to have ribs 121, 122 with a vertical external flank, so as to obtain substantially flat surfaces in line with the sixth and fifth faces 116, 115.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8a+b, the construction element forming part of the assembly according to the invention comprises three protuberances 124, 125 and 151. The number of protuberances preferably being equal to that of the ribs. In addition, and still according to this embodiment, the hollow 129 does not necessarily need to extend over the entire length of the construction element and may be formed by a blind hole. Naturally such a blind hole may also be applied in an embodiment with two or more ribs.

FIGS. 5a-5c illustrate a method of producing a construction element 101 by molding. The material, preferably concrete, intended to form the construction element 101 is first brought through openings 502 into a mould 501 closed at its base 504 by a base plate 505, as illustrated in FIG. 5a. It is then compressed by a rammer 503, as illustrated in FIG. 5b. Finally, the mold 501 and the base plate 505 separate so that the construction element 101 can be extracted from the mold 501. This extraction can be aided by a relative movement between the mold 501 and the rammer 503 along approximately an extraction axis 506.

Owing to the tolerances in the apportioning of the material, the dimensional tolerances of the construction element 101 along the extraction axis 506 are fairly wide. On the other hand, perpendicular to this extraction axis 506 the construction element 101 will very precisely follow the shapes of the mold 501 and therefore have much smaller dimensional tolerances. Traditionally, this extraction axis 506 corresponded to the axis of the height h of the construction elements conventionally produced by molding, resulting in fairly high manufacturing tolerances in the axis of the height h.

While a precise height h of the construction element 101 is crucial for ensuring easy alignment of the rows of construction elements 101 and the precision of the width d is also important for ensuring that the visible faces of the wall are quite regular, the precision in the length l is must less crucial for the construction of the wall. It is therefore much more preferable to use a mold 501 the extraction axis 506 of which is substantially aligned with the axis of the length l of the construction element. In order to be able to extract the construction element 101 from the mold 501 without having to use additional retractable elements in the mold or on the base plate 505, it will be necessary for all the hollows in the construction element 101 to be open at least on the face of the construction element 101 opposite to the base plate 505 when the construction element 101 is still in the mold 501, in this case the third face 113 of the construction element 101.

The apportioning of the mortar mass 401 necessary for assembling the construction element 101 can be done manually by a skilled mason. However, for less talented masons or for the comfort of a skilled mason, the use of a masonry tool comprising at least two sections 601 sized so as to be placed straddling the ribs 121, 122 (and 150), as illustrated in FIG. 6, will make it possible to perfectly and easily apportion the quantity of mortar to be deposited on the construction elements 101 before assembling these. The section is placed removably on each rib when the wall is constructed so as to be able to withdraw it. The height h_p of these sections will depend on the height h_j of the joins required between two superimposed construction elements 101, 101′. The ribs serve as retaining and sliding guides for the sections 601. The sections 601 have a height h_p and the ribs have a height h_ni, the height h_ni of the ribs being less than the height of the sections. The height of the sections is always greater than the height of the mortar join.

To obtain this apportioning, it suffices to fill the space situated between the two sections 601 until mortar flows out and to level off this mortar mass 401 with a trowel, the latter bearing on the two sections 601 during the leveling.

Each section 601 is preferably provided with a flap 602 preventing the surplus mortar from falling during the leveling onto the fifth or sixth faces 115, 116 of the construction element 101 and therefore soiling them.

Each section 601 is preferably also provided with at least one lug 603 for moving the section 601 by means of the trowel which, applied laterally to the lug 603, will make it possible to slide the sections 601 in the longitudinal direction of the wall, guided by the ribs 121, 122.

By virtue of a reduced manufacturing dimensional tolerance of the construction elements and the use of sections allowing a precise apportioning of the mortar and making it possible to produce a flat bed of mortar, a mason, skilled or otherwise, is enabled to construct a wall easily, quickly and cleanly without wasting mortar.

The longitudinal orientation of the third hollow 129 also has advantages at the time of construction of a wall with construction elements according to this invention. By virtue of this form, it becomes possible to use a tool such as the handle 203 illustrated in FIG. 7. Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen how, for easy gripping of a construction element 201, a first part 701 of the handle 203 enters the third hollow 129 in order to support the construction element 201 while a second part 702 serves to protect the hand of the mason and prevents tilting of the construction element 201 during its transportation. The handle/mallet 203 can therefore be used for taking the construction element 201, carrying it, depositing it and adjusting it for horizontal and vertical alignment, reducing the number of movements necessary for constructing a wall. This adjustment can for example be carried out by striking on the construction element 201 by means of the handle/mallet 203.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and changes can be made to these examples without departing from the general scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Consequently the description and drawings must be considered in an illustrative rather than descriptive sense.

REFERENCES TO THE FIGURES

101 Construction element

101′ Construction element

111 First face

112 Second face

113 Third face

114 Fourth face

115 Fifth face

116 Sixth face

121 Rib

122 Rib

123 First hollow

124 Opposite surface

125 Opposite surface

126 Second hollow

127 Oblique surface

128 Drainage surface

129 Third hollow

130 Recess

131 Oblique surface

150 Rib

151 Protuberance

201 Construction element

202 Opposite surface

203 Handle/mallet

301 Construction element

401 Mortar mass

402 False join

501 Mold

502 Openings

503 Rammer

504 Extraction opening

505 Base plate

506 Extraction axis

601 Section

602 Flap

603 Lug

701 First part of handle/mallet

702 Second part of handle/mallet

Claims

1. A set comprising a construction element and a masonry tool, said construction element (101, 101′, 201, 301) having a length l, a width d and height h, said construction element (101, 101′, 201, 301) comprising:

a) a first face (111) and a second face (112) substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the length l and width d and separated from each other by a height h, said first face (111) comprising at least two ribs (121, 122) oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the length l, and separated in each case from each other in the axis of the width d by a first hollow (123); and

b) a third face (113) and a fourth face (114), substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the width d and the height h and separated by a length l;

characterized in that said first hollow is open at least on said third face and in that said masonry tool comprises at least two sections sized so as to be able to be placed straddling in each case one of the ribs and each arranged so as to be able to slide on said rib on which it is placed.

2. A set according to claim 1, characterized in that said sections (601) have a height hp and the ribs have a height hni, the height hni of the said ribs (121, 122) being less than the height of the sections.

3. A set according to claim 1, characterized in that said sections are provided with flaps (602) extending towards the outside of the construction element (101′) when they are placed on the ribs, and arranged to receive surplus mortar when the mortar is leveled off.

4. A set according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said two sections (601) is provided with at least one lug (603) for moving said two sections in the axis of the length l of the construction element, in particular by means of a trowel.

5. A set according to claim 1, characterized in that said sections are arranged to confine the mortar.

6. A set according to claim 1, characterized in that said second face (112) comprises at least two protuberances (124, 125) separated by a second hollow (126), each of these protuberances being disposed so as to be opposite in a direction parallel to the axis of the height h in each case to one of the ribs (121, 122).

7. A set according to claim 6, characterized in that the said second hollow (126) has a width dc of between 25 and 300 mm and/or a maximum depth hc of between 3 and 15 mm.

8. A set according to claim 1, characterized in that said second face (112) has a substantially continuous surface (202) opposite in the axis of the height h and straddling the two ribs (121, 122).

9. A set according to claim 1, characterized in that it also has a fifth face (115) and a sixth face (116), substantially oriented in planes parallel to the axes of the height h and length l and separated from each other by a width d, at least one of said ribs (122, 121) being offset with respect to the fifth or sixth face (115, 116) by a distance dj, preferably of between 10 and 15 mm, in the axis of the width d.

10. A set according to claim 1, characterized in that a drainage surface (128) oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the length l extends between at least one of said ribs (122, 121) and said fifth or sixth face (115, 116), this drainage surface (128) preferably forming an angle a of between 5° and 15° with the axis of the width d.

11. A set according to claim 10, characterized in that the height hni of each rib (121, 122) is situated between 5 and 15 mm, preferably between 6 and 8 mm, measured with respect to the bottom of said first hollow (123), and in that at least one of said ribs (121, 122) has a minimum height hne of between 0 and 17 mm, preferably between 6 and 8 mm, relative to the drainage surface (128).

12. A set according to claim 1, characterized in that said third face (113) comprises at least a third hollow (129).

13. A method of constructing a wall comprising a plurality of construction elements (101, 101′, 201, 301) forming part of a set according to claim 1, according to which one of said construction elements (101) and another one of said construction elements (101′) are superimposed so as to at least partially oppose the second face (112) of one construction element (101) to the first face (111) of the other construction element (101′) after having applied a mortar mass (401) between the first hollow (123) in said other construction element (101′) and the second face (112) of said one construction element (101), in order to obtain a mortar join between said first hollow (123) in the other construction element (101′) and said second face (112) of the one construction element (101), characterized in that, prior to the application of the mortar, one of said sections is in each case placed on each of the ribs, said mortar mass (401) is apportioned by filling a space between the sections (601) with the mortar and leveling off this mortar with a trowel bearing on said sections (601).

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the thickness hj of said mortar join is greater than the height hni, of the ribs (121, 122) on said other construction element (101′), the mortar mass (401) overflowing from said first hollow (123) in the other construction element (101′) in order to form a fine layer of mortar between the second face (112) of one construction element (101) and said ribs (121, 122) on the other construction element (101′) and so as to allow adjustment of the alignment and perpendicularity of the construction elements (101, 101′) while the mortar remains fluid while balancing the construction elements and preventing settling of the join.

15. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that a handle/mallet (203) is used to take at least the one construction element (101) before positioning it above the other construction element (101′), said handle/mallet (203) having a first part (701) that is at least partially introduced into the third hollow (129) in the one construction element (101) in order to support it.

16. A wall constructed according to the method according to claim 13.