Abstract: A plurality of plastic panels or planks (12) are connected to each other in side by side relation by interfitting male and female connectors (28, 30) to form a planar structure such as a cover (10). The male connector (28) has opposed outer planar surfaces (32, 34) in contact relation to opposed inner planar surfaces (46, 48) on a female connector (30) to minimize any relative pivoting or articulating movement between adjacent panels (12). Adjacent panel sections (15A, 17B) are hinged to each other about hinges (35E) to permit the panel sections (15A, 17B) to be folded against each other for stacking. Alternatively panels 14C, 14D may be linked together for stacking. A side support (16) is secured to the sides of the cover (10) to cover and to support a side of a panel where such side is not connected to another panel.

Abstract: A sealing device for sealing a joint disposed between two concreting sections, having an impermeable profile preferably fabricated from a synthetic material and cosntructed in a hood form to be open in cross section. The profile is mounted with the free longitudinal edges of its side portions adjacent to a concrete surface, so that a flow channel is formed therein for receiving a sealing medium between the profile and the concrete surface, where the sealing medium can emerge from between the free longitudinal edges of the profile and the concrete surface. A further sealing device is a body fabricated from a foam material or a foam material band, having a rectangular cross section provided with passage pores, the body being mounted to rest on the concrete surface, so that the flow channel for receiving the sealing medium is formed by the body itself, where the sealing medium emerges from the passage pores into the joint area.

Abstract: A masonry wall system is constructed of concrete blocks, with interconnected insulation inserts. To provide for increased structural reinforcement, a steel butterfly-shaped plate is locked on an elongated rod passing through periodic courses of stacked blocks. The plate is locked perpendicular onto the rod, to rest on the top of the uppermost block in the course to which the stress or locking is applied. A recess is formed in the top of the block to accommodate the plate, which is bowed upwardly. A nut or threaded insert is used to press the plate downwardly; and when the plate lies flat, the desired amount of pressure or stress is applied to the blocks. Additional courses may be applied on top of the one to which the plate supplies the stress, with additional locking rods and plates being threaded onto the ends of previous rods to accomplish this purpose in additional courses of blocks forming the wall system.

Abstract: This invention relates to building blocks, and more particularly to building blocks having greater strength in the individual blocks, and which are capable of embodying greater strength between side edges of the blocks. The inside vertical edges of the blocks are slotted with rounded end portions to receive on the inside portions of the wall to provide the contoured side ends of the cross members to provide a strong rigid support, and firm connection between the side members and the connection between the cross pieces. In this way the outer edges of the wall members can be formed smooth with no interruptions except for the side edges of the blocks.

Abstract: A construction unit includes weep openings through a front wall, side walls, and a center web, and at least one slot extending parallel to a rear wall to receive a flashing member, the slot being defined at least partially by the rear wall. An insert member having an insect screen is positioned in each of the weep openings of the front wall.

Abstract: A sealing device for sealing a joint disposed between two concreting sections, having an impermeable profile preferably fabricated from a synthetic material and cosntructed in a hood form to be open in cross section. The profile is mounted with the free longitudinal edges of its side portions adjacent to a concrete surface, so that a flow channel is formed therein for receiving a sealing medium between the profile and the concrete surface, where the sealing medium can emerge from between the free longitudinal edges of the profile and the concrete surface. A further sealing device is a body fabricated from a foam material or a foam material band, having a rectangular cross section provided with passage pores, the body being mounted to rest on the concrete surface, so that the flow channel for receiving the sealing medium is formed by the body itself, where the sealing medium emerges from the passage pores into the joint area.

Abstract: The invention relates to building materials made from paper sludge, repulped waste paper, or virgin paper pulp, mixed with clay and portland cement, or animal protein adhesives, or manufactured resins or polymers. Specifically the invention relates to a building system using this material in the form of building blocks that are glued together during assembly and are intended to be used for above grade exterior and interior walls. A block design which increases the R-value and other building products made of this material are covered in this invention. The material of this invention has unusual compression strength properties such that; when an imposed load limit is reached which begins to compress the material, the material does not break apart, but rather compresses slightly and allows considerably more load to be imposed without failure of the material to hold the superimposed load.

Abstract: A conduit support apparatus for concrete installation which, in the preferred embodiment, includes a collar portion supported above a concrete form by at least one support member, the concrete support apparatus fastened to the concrete form with fasteners which pass through holes in horizontal bottom sections of the support member and into the concrete form, the dimensions of a preferred embodiment of the conduit support apparatus being uniquely balanced to impose a bend on a supported flexible conduit with a curvature within an optimum range of curvatures which is defined between two undesirable limits described by a first small curvature which results in the upper section of the conduit bending back into the form space and a second large curvature which results in the flexible conduit collapsing into itself to reduce the amount of work space within the flexible conduit below an acceptable level.

Abstract: A sash plate used for inserting a cable into a room from out of doors. The plate comprises a single thin plate having an upper and lower part with both sides formed as part of a sash's construction and a cable inserting plate of the same width as that of the plate member and having on the upper and lower parts a groove for inserting and firmly fixing the plate member. The plate further has on the approximately central portion a hole for inserting a cable and having on the side portion a notch. The plate member is formed such that the plate member is shorter than the actual length of the sash by an integer of the actual length of the cable inserting plate. An optional desired portion of the plate member is being cut off, and inserted into and firmly fixed onto the groove in order to form a plate of a certain length.

Abstract: This invention relates to the water tight performance of exterior panel wall systems erected in the horizontal mode. A water tight exterior wall system is accomplished by providing a pressure equalized chamber and a water drainage groove in front of the primary sealant lines without using an internal drainage system.

Abstract: A light-transmissive solar insulating block assembly comprising: light-transmissive insulating block means defining at least one internal cavity for insulating the interior of a structure to be heated; a housing having a light-transmissive cover providing an exterior surface and a plurality of support walls extending between and separating said cover and said block means, said housing cooperating with said block means to define a circulation chamber therebetween, said support walls defining a plurality of passageways for ingress and egress of air into and out of said chamber; and control means operatively pivotally connected to said housing for reflecting radiant heat back into the interior of the structure being heated controlling the amount of light passing through said chamber, and structures constructed from an array of said block assemblies.

Abstract: A building block has an inner and an outer wall defining a cavity therebetween, the two walls being interconnected by two or more webs positioned intermediate the top and bottom of the block to provide upper and lower horizontal channels. The walls at the top each have a longitudinal projection extending along an inner portion which in a building locates the blocks by being positioned in the lower horizontal channel. The block has two end portions which are either both a female recess or a male protrusion so that the block can be reversed if necessary. A building is formed by using a plurality of double-male and double-female blocks and interlocking them together, load being transmitted to below through the outer portions of the inner and outer walls.

Abstract: To enable the benefits to be obtained simultaneously of using cast iron as a major constituent and of using helical prestressing, the cylindrical wall structure of a pressure vessel (which may be for a nuclear reactor) is made of truncated wedge shaped cast-iron slabs (the wedge faces of the slabs lying in radial planes of the wall structure and mutually adjacent slabs abutting one another in those planes, with a plurality of such slabs forming an annular assembly and a plurality of such assemblies stacked coaxially to form the cylindrical wall structure), the slabs having cast-in through passages, disposed obiquely, both right and left-handed in alternate layers at progressively increasing radial distance with respect to the cylindrical wall structrue, and the passages of one slab in alignment with the ends of passages of adjacent slabs in the same annular assembly and in the annular assemblies stacked adjacent thereto to provide in the assembled cylindrical wall structure a system of right- and left-handed

Abstract: A sheathing panel is adapted for mounting to the outside of a structure wall framework. Each panel has an inside surface including top and bottom portions positionable against horizontal frame members of the framework, and two side portions positionable against framework vertical frame members. Grooves in the inside surface extend downwardly from the panel top edge below the top edge portion to allow passage of air between said portion and its associated horizontal frame member. A horizontal channel in the inside surface allows passage of air between the surface and any abutting vertical frame member. A horizontal manifold at the panel bottom edge substantially spans the panel width. A plurality of slots in the inside surface extend downwardly from above the bottom edge portion toward the manifold, stopping short thereof to form a partition between each groove and manifold. The side edges of the panels are shiplapped to facilitate mounting of a plurality of panels in a horizontal row.

Abstract: A building construction modular system utilizing interlocking building blocks made of aggregate material and having opposite side faces vertically and horizontally offset from the main body portion of the block. A structure, such as a wall, is erected by laying superimposed horizontal courses of vertically interlocked blocks, the blocks of a course being interlockingly supported by the blocks of the subjacent course. Each block element is provided with a vertically disposed passage or aperture and with a vertically directed recess at each lateral end of the block where it interlocks with an adjoining block element and the integrally formed transverse walls joining the side faces of each block are appropriately apertured such that, after the wall has been erected, cement is poured into the block structure from the tops of the blocks on the upper course, so as to flow vertically and horizontally through the passages and apertures within the blocks.