Abstract: A building component has first and second parallel and spaced apart edges, a first panel portion and first and second members. The first and second members are located on the same side of the first panel portion. The members extend along the first and second edges. A second panel portion is demountably connected to the first panel portion in a face to face relationship. This creates a plurality of cavities within the building component. A plurality of holes is formed in the component to enable passage of services such as electricity, gas and water through the component.

Abstract: A wall block comprises an upper surface and an opposed lower surface. A front face and an opposed back face, and a first side face and an opposed second side face, are disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface. The first side face and the second side face generally extend from the front face to the back face. The block includes one or more features that define a horizontal alignment direction. The front face extends from the first side face to the second side face generally along a direction that is slanted with respect to the horizontal alignment direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wall block. The wall block (1) comprises a first wall (11), a second wall (12), a third wall (13) and a rib (14), wherein the first wall (11) is in parallel with the second wall (12), the third wall (13) is securely connected between the two walls, at the two respective ends of the two walls; the rib (14) is connected fixedly between the first wall (11) and the second wall (12), and forms a hollow portion (17) with the third wall (13). With the technical solution, as the wall block has a hollow structure, a load-bearing structure (such as a bearing pillar) may be arranged directly in the hollow structure of the wall block, unlike the traditional wall blocks which need to be piled up around the load-bearing structure (such as a bearing pillar) at a large amount. Therefore, the wall block of the present invention can save time for piling up the same and improve construction efficiency.

Abstract: A method of making a structural component (and such a structural component) comprising mixing together wood pulp, water, bentonite clay, and calcium chloride and forming the mixture into the structural component.

Abstract: The invention relates to a brick (1) made from a material comprising vegetable fibres agglomerated using a binder (such as hemp concrete), said brick being provided with a groove (9, 11) and a tongue (5, 7) allowing the dry-joint connection of bricks. The invention also relates to a method for constructing a building using such bricks.

Abstract: A modular block apparatus including a block having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a generally cylindrical core passage extending between the top and bottom surfaces, and a locking assembly received in the core passage including a core having a through-bore extending therethrough defining alternating core grooves and lands, a locking rod having an array of alternating rod grooves and lands complementary to the core grooves and lands, and a rod key positioned between the locking rod and the core for retaining the locking rod in engagement with the core.

Abstract: A wall block comprises an upper surface and an opposed lower surface. A front face and an opposed back face, and a first side face and an opposed second side face, are disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface. The first side face and the second side face generally extend from the front face to the back face. The block includes one or more features that define a horizontal alignment direction. The front face extends from the first side face to the second side face generally along a direction that is slanted with respect to the horizontal alignment direction.

Abstract: A modular block apparatus includes first and second blocks, each block having a generally upwardly protruding locking member and an internal recess sized to receive the locking member of the other block, such that the blocks can be assembled with one block above the other. The blocks are secured together in a vertical direction by relative lateral movement of the locking member and the internal recess. A locking device is provided to prevent relative lateral movement of the locking member and the internal recess so as to retain the blocks in a connected condition. The locking member may be an integral hook, a separate hook, or a cylindrical locking rod. If a hook is used, its orientation relative to the block may be varied. A variety of structures may be built up from the modular blocks.

Abstract: A block has a front face with a first surface of non-planar roughness including at least 10% and not more than 90% of the area of the front face. The front face includes a second surface that is even and generally planar, with at least 10% and not more than 90% of the area of the front face. In one example, the first surface is a split face, and the second surface is a burnished split face. In another example, the first surface is a molded face, and the second surface is burnished. Methods of making a block include molding, curing, in some implementations splitting, and then burnishing. Walls can be constructed from these blocks.

Abstract: Floor covering, including hard floor panels which, at least at the edges of two opposite sides, are provided with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove, wherein the coupling parts are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements which prevent the drifting apart of two coupled floor panels in a direction (R) perpendicular to the related edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels, and provide a snap-action coupling.

Abstract: Wall blocks and methods of constructing walls from the wall blocks which have a side connection system interlocking adjacent blocks whereby a side of the block is provided with a channel or slot that is configured to engage a corresponding projection on the adjacent block. The side connection system may alternatively have a connection receiving cavity formed by channels or slots on the sides of the blocks which are configured to align with a channel or slot from adjacent blocks where a connector may be received to interlock the blocks.

Abstract: A kit for forming a hollow block assembly to be used to construct a wall, the kit consisting of two face panels and a plurality of fasteners, each face panel comprising a plurality of spaced apart flanges extending perpendicularly from and attached to each panel so that a hollow block structure is assembled when the flanges of the face panels are connected together, directly or indirectly, by the fasteners.

Abstract: A garden edging system is made up of (a) one or more straight edger units, (b) one or more curved edger units and (c) one or more corner units. Each unit has a connecting face at each of its ends for connecting and holding adjacent units in end-to-end alignment with one another. The connecting faces facilitate the layout of a myriad of garden edging designs. The curved units have both their convex side and their concave side formed on the same arc of curvature so that a plurality of the units may be nested together with the concave side of each unit engaged flush against the convex side of the next adjacent unit. This facilitates packing and shipping of the units and mitigates against damage to the units. The units are dimensioned and sized to be stronger, more damage resistant, more versatile and more user-friendly than conventional edger bricks or tiles. A process of making the edger units is also disclosed.

Abstract: A concrete block is provided having half dovetail sections at opposite ends of the block arranged so that when placed together the dovetailed sections on adjoining blocks form a full dovetailed section which is just large enough to be received within a dovetail groove in the central portion of an adjacent identical block. The concrete blocks are provided with upper and lower longitudinal grooves for longitudinal members having the same exterior shape. In one form of the invention one side of the block may be made into a plant receptacle by providing a hollowed out section oriented upwardly. Insulating concrete blocks may also be combined with blocks formed of structural concrete to provide an interlocked wall having a portion of the wall made from insulated concrete material and another portion of the wall made from structural concrete material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a building structure of a number of construction elements each comprising two plate-like side parts (2) which are mutually connected at a distance parallel to each other by at least one connecting part (3) which protrudes partially outside the periphery of these side parts (2) and fitting between side parts of an adjoining construction element (1). The connecting part (3) extends between the side parts over a distance in the order of magnitude of half the width of the side parts and over a substantially equal distance outside the side parts. The connecting parts (3) of adjoining construction elements (1) preferably leave spaces between each other so that the building structure substantially has one continuous interspace. The interspace can be filled with curing material.

Abstract: An interlocking lock system for mortarless wall or other structure assembly in which a plurality of blocks are laid up in courses in a staggered relationship. Only two different block configurations are required, the first, or long, blocks having a length at least twice the block height and the second, or short, blocks having a length up to half the length of the first blocks. Each of the blocks has a pair of upright sidewalls having flat top and bottom surfaces and generally parallel outermost side surfaces and has at least two spaced transverse walls. Protrusions on the inner surfaces of the sidewalls extend from a base generally coplanar with the block bottom surface to a tip extending above the block top surface and configured so that the tips and bases interlock when the blocks are laid up in staggered courses. Further interlock arrangements are provided so that the long blocks will interlock when positioned either parallel along walls or perpendicular at corners.

Abstract: A structural panel, including a plurality of contiguous elongated filler members mutually contiguous ones of the filler members having opposed surfaces pressed against one another in vapor tight face-to-face contact with each other and having opposite side surfaces extending from the opposed surfaces, a three-dimensional supporting matrix, including a plurality of lattice structures, each being interposed between and pressed into adjacent surfaces of the members, each of the lattice structures having opposite side portions projecting slightly beyond the opposite side surfaces of the members, and a mesh of wire, in the form of lateral and longitudinal wires attached together at their right angle intersections extending across the filler members, the members being fixed to the projecting opposite side portions of the lattice structures by C-clips to thereby hold the lattice structures and filler members pressed together in a unitary panel configuration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a structural element for realizing continuous surfaces, for example a screen, a partition wall, a hoarding or the like, essentially for screening-off from noise, view, etc., each corner (5, 6, 7, 8) of a substantially quadrilateral, hollow profile (1-8) being reversed and directed in towards the center of the profile (1-8), and at least one side (1) of the profile (1-8) indented because of corner reversal, being provided, at each edge, with an outwardly directed flange (9, 10), the flanges (9, 10) being parallel with one another and fitting over the sides, indented because of corner reversal, of another substantially identical profile (1-8).

Abstract: A masonry wall structure comprising hollow concrete block units laid in courses, wherein each of the block units comprises front and rear panel members and a pair of side panel assemblies which form a gap between adjacent two of the block units. The side panel assemblies are connected to the front and rear panel members by means of reinforcing bars projecting rearwardly and forwardly from the front and rear panel members, respectively, into the gaps on both sides of each block unit, connecting bars projecting forwardly and rearwardly from the side panel assemblies into the gaps, steel wires binding overlapping end portions of the reinforcing and connecting bars together, and a body of cementitious material such as mortar filling the gaps and having completely buried therein those end portions of the bars which are bound together by the steel wires.

Abstract: A building block to be used in the construction of houses, buildings, gargages, sheds and the like, which is constructed of expanded, polystyrene beads. The building block is to be arranged with other similar building blocks in a vertically orientated, horizontally staggered relationship. Each building block is constructed of two parts which are adhesively secured together in a facing relationship. Each building block includes a pair of vertically aligned openings. When the building block is in the assembled, stacked relationship with other similar building blocks, there are a series of horizontally aligned openings to permit the conducting of rigid reinforcing rods between the blocks. Each building block includes within its upper surface and lower surface interlocking structure which is to interlock with other similar blocks when located in the stacked relationship.

Abstract: A building structure is constructed from a plurality of sheathed, foam cored structural panels which are adapted to receive solar energy conversion or heat storage devices and are adapted to be connected in an air flow loop to provide integral heating and/or cooling systems for the building structure.

Abstract: Each module includes a block body and an outer wear surface joined by one or more separator webs. The block body either is massive as constructed, or receives a massive filling, such as concrete, at the job site. Provision is also made for providing a filling of thermal insulation such as foamed synthetic plastic for the module. Modules are stacked and coursed to make walls. Mortar may be used between adjacent modules, and/or the module walls may be facially coated with a substance which securely interconnects the modules. Such walls have a high interior mass, insulated on the exterior and protected exteriorly of the insulation by the wear surface. The high mass tends to assume room temperature and perform as a thermal energy flywheel. Some measures for partial prefabrication of module parts are disclosed.