Inventors:
Bob G. Newsom - Virgie KY
Assignee:
Advanced Building Technologies, Inc. - Olive Hill KY
International Classification:
E04H 1200
Abstract:
An earthquake and severe weather resistant, fail-safe building block and construction method for fabricating the blocks and structures therefrom. The blocks are hollow and include at least two subassemblies joined by interconnecting webs with provisions for single subassemblies to square off wall edges. Each subassembly includes upper and lower frames joined together by a plurality of structural columns perpendicular to the planes of the upper and lower frames. The upper and lower frames are dimensioned to form interfitting male and female receptacles that permit the blocks to be interconnected so that an assembly of blocks with structural integrity may be created by snapping together courses of blocks with each course staggered relative to the adjacent course. The frames incorporate "U" channels which receive the ends of the structural columns to secure each block assembly together in a manner which will not allow the columns to slip past the frames when subjected to vibration, torsion, or corrosion which breaks the bond between prior art block frames and associated vertical columns.