Dec. 4, 1951 H. W.

WALTERS 2,577,170
CHECKER-BRCK
Filed NOW. 14, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET

477 oawa Ys.

 Dec. 4, 1951 H. W. WALTERS 2,577,170
CHECKER-BRICK
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Filed Nov. 4, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2

---
 Patented Dec. 4, 1951 2,577,170

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,577,170
CHECKER-BRICK
Harry W. Walters, Erie, Pa., assignor of one-half
to R. Green Annan, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Application November 14, 1949, Serial No. 127,116
Claims. (C. 263-51)
1. 2
This invention relates to refractory checker also below the group of four; Fig. 6 is a plan
bricks, and more particularly to interlocking view of two courses of checkerbricks with the
checkerbricks. lower course shown in broken lines and with only
It is among the objects of this invention to Some of the bricks in the upper course illus
provide a symmetrical checkerbrick which can 5 trated; and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are plan views of
be laid either side up in courses, which has four three modifications of this invention.
Sides of equal size and shape, which has con Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a
siderable heat transfer area, and which inter checkerbrick, made of suitable refractory mate
locks four like checkerbricks grouped in a square rial, is square in the sense that it would fit in
when it rests on their adjoining corner portions. 0 a Square box or other enclosure. It also is sym
In accordance With this invention the checker metrical so that it can be used either side up
brick is of generally square shape, that is, al and With any of its four sides facing in a given
though its side surfaces are irregular it will fit direction. The center of the brick is provided
in a Square. The brick has a central vertical With a Square flue passage extending vertically
flue passage through it, and each corner portion 5 through it with its side walls parallel to adjacent
of the brick has a vertical corner wall substan sides of the brick. Each side of the brick is
tially the same shape and width as one-quarter provided with a central recess 2 having two
of the side wall of the central passage. Each side parallel Sides 3 that meet an inner vertical side
of the brick is provided with a central recess hav 4 at right angles. The parallel sides are half
ing a vertical side wall substantially the same 20 as wide as any side of flue passage and are
shape and width as one-half of the side wall of the the Same distance apart as opposite sides of that
Central passage. Thus, when four of such bricks paSSage. The inner Side 4 of the recess there
are grouped side by side in a square, their register fore is the same width as any side of the central
ing side recesses will form four vertical passages paSSage. This resultS in each side recess 2 in
and their adjoining four corner portions will form 25 the brick being one-half as large as the central
One vertical passage. All of these passages will flue paSSage, So it Will be seen that if other like
be of Substantially the same size and shape as bricks are grouped around the first brick with
the central passages through the bricks. Each their side recesses registering, vertical flue pas
of the upper and lower surfaces of the brick is 30 Sages Will be formed at all four sides of the first
provided with a central recess having four side brick. Those passages will have the same size
walls arranged in a square, but separated from and shape as the central passages in the bricks.
One another at the corners of the Square, be A Square group of these checkerbricks is shown
cause each side wall extends diagonally across in Fig. 3, where it will be seen that four fiue
a corner portion of the brick from one of the 35 passages are formed between the sides of the
side recesses to another. Each of these side walls bricks.
is located at least slightly closer to the adiacent In order to form similar vertical fue passages
vertical corner wall than to the central fue at the corners of the brick, at each of which
paSSage. Consequently, the recess in the lower it meets three other bricks, each corner portion
Surface of the brick is capable of receiving the 40 of the brick is provided with a recess 6 that will
upper ends of all of the adjoining four corner form one-quarter of a passage the size of the
portions of the underlying group of four bricks central passage f. Each of these recesses has
two vertical sides 7 meeting at a right angle.
to lock them together. Likewise, the lower ends
of the adjoining four corner portions of another Each of these sides is Substantially as Wide as
group of four bricks above the locking brick will 45
One-half of a side of the central paSSage, and
project down into the recess in its upper surface it lies in the same vertical plane as the inner
and thereby be locked together. side 4 of an adjacent side recess 2 in the brick.
The invention is illustrated in the accompany Consequently, each corner of the brick appears
ing drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of to have two projections 8 disposed at right angles
One of my checkerbricks; Fig. 2 is a bottom per 50
to each other, and each projection has the same
spective view of the brick; Fig. 3 is a perspective thickness as the portion of the brick between
view of four of the bricks laid side by side in a the central passage and any one of its side
square; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but with recesses. When four of these bricks are laid
a fifth brick locking the underlying bricks to side by side in a square, as shown in Fig. 3,
gether; Fig. 5 is a reduced vertical section taken their adjoining recessed corner portions form a
55 vertical flue passage at the center of the Square
on the line V-V of Fig. 4 with a locking brick
 2,577,170
3 4.
having the same size and shape as the central
paSSage in each brick. The result is that all
of the vertical passages, whether extending
through the bricks or between their sides or
past their corners, are of substantially the same
Size and shape and are spaced uniform distances
apart. This is also shown in Fig. 6. Conse
quently, the bricks in each course can be stag
gered relative to those in the courses immediately
above and below, and yet all of the flues in each
Course Will register with all of those above and
below them. - is provided with a locking recess 9 which has
It is a feature of this invention that each
brick is so shaped that it can lock four under
lying bricks tooether, as well as four overlying
bricks. Accordingly, the upper surface of each
brick is provided with a central locking recess
lf having four side walls 2 arranged in a square.
but separated from one another. This is be
cause the four side walls of the locking recess
extend dia.oronally across the different corner
portions of the brick from one side recess 2 to
another. Preferably, these side walls are
straight, and each is only sliohtly closer to the
a diacent corner recess 6 of the brick than to
the central flue passage , so that a proiecting
lower corner portion of an overlying brick can
fit down into the locking recess without the fit
being too loose. As shown in Fig. 2, the bottom
of each brick is nrovided with a locking recess
3 having side walls f4, like the one in its upper
Surface. It will be seen in Fig. 3 that the up
wardly proiecting corner portions of the four
bricks, where they come together at the center
of the groun, form a raised, octaoon. This
Octagon will fit un into the bottom locking recess
f3 in a brick resting on the inner corners of
the grouped bricks, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.
while the corner portions of the upper brick will
fit down into the upper locking recesses in
the underlying bricks. The central flue passage
through the upper brick will register with the
vertical passage formed by the corner portions
of the bricks projecting up into the bottom
-receSS-3 in the upper brick. Likewise, the ver.
tical passages formed between the adioining
corner portions of bricks in each course will
register with the central passages through the
bricks in the adjoining courses above and below.
In addition to holding the bricks in each course take is shown in Fig. 9, where the brick is
together, the interlocking arrangement of this 50
invention has the further advantage of pre
venting the bricks from rotating on vertical axes
relative to one another. This is important when
the bricks are used in tall Structures, such as
blast furnace stoves, because it prevents twisting
or Spiralling which otherwise will occur and
gradually move the flues in the different courses
out of alignment with those above and below
them. It will be seen that interlocking is ac
complished without the use of small projections
of thin section which would be likely to be broken
off the bricks in handling or in shipping them.
The principles of this invention can be in
corporated in checkerbrick of other Shapes, as
long as the bricks are of generally square shape
With each corner portion of a brick having a
vertical corner wall Substantially the same shape
and Width as one-quarter of the side wall of
the central passage through the brick, and with
each side recess having a vertical side wall sub
stantially the same shape and width as One-half
of the side wall of the central paSSage. For
example, the brick shown in Fig. 7 has a cylin
drical central passage 6, arcuate corner recesses
whose side Walls are the same width as one
quarter of the wall of the central passage, and
semicylindrical side recesses 8 equal in size to
one-half of the central passage. When at least
four of these bricks are laid side by side in a
Square, their side recesses will register to form
cylindrical passages between the bricks, and
their corner recesses will register to form a cylin
drical passage between the four adjoining corners
O of the bricks. As in the first embodiment of
the invention, the top and bottom of each brick
four side walls 2 arranged in a Square but With
their ends spaced apart. Each of these side Walls
5 extends diagonally across a corner portion of the
brick from one side recess 8 to another. They
are located at least slightly closer to the adjacent
corner recesses than to the central paSSage SO
that the different courses of bricks can be
20 staggered in order to interlock them in the man
ner described in connection with the first en
bodiment.
In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the
square central flue passage is turned 90 degrees
25 from the one shown in Fig. 1. Here again, the
side recesses 2 are each equal in size to about
one-half of the central passage, but each recess
has only two sides 22 meeting at a right angle.
There are no corner recesses, but each vertical
30 corner wall 23 is the same shape arid Width as
one-quarter of the side wall of the centrali
passage. In other words, the corner wall is
fiat and the same width as one side of the central
passage. When a group of these bricks are
35 laid in a square, each pair of registering side
recesses 2 will form a square vertical paSSage
between two bricks, and the adjoining corries'
portions of four bricks also will form a Square
vertical flue. The top and bottom of the brick
are each provided with a locking recess 24 having
side walls 25 arranged in a square. Each side
wall extends diagonally across a corner portion
of the brick from one side recess 2 to another
and is at least slightly closer to the flat corner
45 Wall 23 than to the central passage. different
courses of bricks are locked together in the same
manner as shown and described in connectioni
with the first embodiment of this invention.
A still further form that the invention may
formed, in effect, from four cylindrical units
integrally connected in a square. The brick
has a central vertical flue passage 28 provided
with convex sides, and side recesses 2 each of
55 which corresponds in size and shape to one
half of the central passage. The corner por
tions of the brick are not provided with recesses,
but the corner walls 28 are arcuate and as wide
as one side of the central passage. When a
60 group of these bricks are laid in a Square, ver
tical flue passages will be formed between their
sides, and a vertical passage of the same shage
will be formed by each group of four bricks
between their adjoining corners. The upper
65 and lower surfaces of the brick are each pro
vided with a locking recess 29 having four side
Walls 30 arranged in a square. The Side Walls
extend diagonally across the corner portions of
the brick from one side recess 2: to another.
70 These bricks interlock in the same way as those
described above. -
According to the provisions of the patent
statutes, I have explained the principle of my
invention and have illustrated and described
what I now consider to represent its best em.
 2,577,170
5 6
bodiment. However, I desire to have it under
stood that, within the scope of the appended
claims, the invention may be practiced other
wise than as specifically illustrated and de
Scribed.
I claim:
1. A checkerbrick of generally square shape
having a central vertical flue passage through it,
reach corner portion of the brick having a vertical
corner wall substantially the same shape and
width as one-quarter of the side wall of said
passage, each side of the brick being provided
with a central recess having a vertical side wall
substantially the same shape and width as one
half of the side wall of said passage, whereby
when four of such bricks are grouped side by side
in a square each of the four vertical passages
formed by their registering side recesses and the
one vertical passage formed by the adjoining four
corner portions of the bricks will be substantially
the same size and shape as said flue passage, and
each of the upper and lower Surfaces of said
checkerbrick being provided with a central re
cess having four side walls arranged in a square
but separated from one another, each of said four
side walls extending diagonally across a different
corner portion of the brick from one of Said side
recesses to another and being located at least
slightly closer to the adjacent, said vertical corner
Wall than to Said flue passage, whereby the recess
in the lower Surface of such a brick is formed to
receive the upper ends of all of said adjoining
four corner portions of said grouped bricks to lock
them together.
2. A checkerbrick of generally, square shape
having a central vertical flue passage through it,
each. corner portion of the brick being provided
With a recess having a vertical side Wall substan
tially the Same shape and width as one-quarter
of the side wall of said passage, each side of the
brick being provided with a central recess having
a vertical side Wall Substantially the same shape
and width as one-half of the side wall of said
passage, whereby when four of such bricks are
grouped side by side in a square each of the four
vertical passages formed by their registering side
recesses and the one vertical passage formed by
the registering corner recesses in the adjoining
four corner portions of the brick will be substan
tially the Sane size and shape as said flue passage,
and each of the upper and lower surfaces of said
checkerbrick being provided with a central recess
having four side walls arranged in a square but
Separated from one another, each of said four
side Walls extending diagonally across a different 5 55 sage disposed diagonally of the brick, each cor
Corner portion of the brick from one of said side
receSSes to another and being located at least
slightly closer to the adjacent said corner recess
than to Said flue passage, whereby the recess in
the lower Surface of such a brick is formed to
receive the upper ends of all of said adjoining
four corner portions of said grouped bricks to lock
them together.
3. A checkerbrick of generally square shape hav
ing a central vertical flue passage through it that
is polygonal in horizontal section, each corner por
tion of the brick being provided with a recess
having a vertical side wall substantially the same
shape and width as the nearest one-quarter of the
side Wall of Said passage, each side of the brick
being provided with a central recess having a
vertical side wall substantially the same shape
and width as the nearest one-half of the side wall
of said paSSage, whereby when four of such bricks
are grouped. Side by side in a square each of the
four vertical passages formed by their registering
side recesses and the one vertical passage formed
by the registering corner recesses in the adjoining
four corner portions of the brick will be substan
5 tially the same size and shape as said flue passage,
and each of the upper and lower surfaces of said
checkerbrick being provided With a central recess
having four side walls arranged in a square but
separated from one another, each of said four side
O wall extending diagonally across a different cor
ner portion of the brick from one of said side
recesses to another and being located at least
slightly closer to the adjacent said corner recess
than to Said flue passage, whereby the recess in
5 the lower surface of such a brick is formed to
receive the upper ends of all of Said adjoining four
corner portions of said grouped bricks to lock
them together.
4. A checkerbrick of generally square shape
20 having a square flue passage extending vertically
through its center with the sides of the passage
parallel to the adjacent sides of the brick, each
corner portion of the brick being provided with a
recess having two vertical sides meeting at a right
25 angle and each side being substantially as wide
as one-half of a side of said passage, each side of
the brick being provided with a central recess
having three vertical sides meeting at right angles
and two of them each being substantially as wide
30 as one-half of a side of said passage and with the
intermediate side of the recess substantially the
same width as said passage side, whereby when
four of such bricks are grouped side by side in a
square each of the four vertical passages formed
35 by their registering side recesses and the one
vertical passage formed by the registering corner
recesses in the adjoining four corner portions of
the brick will be substantially the same size and
shaps as said flue passage, and each of the upper
and lower surfaces of said checkerbrick being
provided with a central recess having four side
Walls arranged in a square but separated from
one another, each of said four side walls extend
ing diagonally across a different corner portion
of the brick from One of said side recesses to
another and being located at least slightly closer
to the adjacent Said corner recess than to Said
flue passage, whereby the recess in the lower sur
face of such a brick is formed to receive the upper
ends of all of said adjoining four corner portions
of said grouped bricks to lock them together.
5. A checkerbrick of generally Square shape
having a square flue passage extending verti
cally through its center with the sides of the pas
ner portion of the brick having a flat diagonal
corner wall Substantially the same width as one
side of said passage, each side of the brick being
provided with a central recess having two fiat
60 vertical sides meeting at a right angle with each
side Substantially as wide as said side of the
passage, whereby when four of such bricks are
grouped side by side in a square each of the four
vertical passages formed by their registering side
65 recesses and the one vertical passage formed by
the diagonal corner walls of the adjoining four
corner portions of the brick will be substantially
the same size and shape as said flue passage, and
each of the upper and lower Surfaces of said
checkerbrick being provided with a central re
ceSS having four side walls arranged in a square
but separated from One another, each of said four
Side Walls extending diagonally across a differ
ent corner portion of the brick from One of said
side recesses to another and being located at least
 2,577,170
7 8
slightly closer to the adjacent said diagonal cor
ner wall than to said flue passage, whereby the
recess in the lower surface of such a brick is
formed to receive the upper ends of all of Said
adjoining four corner portions of said grouped
bricks to lock them together.
6. A checkerbrick of generally square shape
having a central vertical flue passage through it
that is cylindrical, each corner portion of the
brick being provided with a recess having a verti
cal side wall that forms an arc equivalent to
about one-quarter of the side wall of said pas
sage, each side of the brick being provided with
a central recess having a vertical side Wall that
forms an arc equivalent to about half of Said
passage wall, whereby when four of Such bricks
are grouped side by side in a square each of the
four vertical passages formed by their register
ing side recesses and the one vertical passage
formed by the registering corner recesses in the
adjoining four corner portions of the brick will
be substantially the same size and shape as Said
flue passage, and each of the upper and lower
surfaces of said checkerbrick being provided
With a central recess having four side walls ar 25 four corner portions of said grouped bricks to
ranged in a square but separated from One an
other, each of said four side walls extending di
agonally across a different corner portion of the
brick from one of said side recesses to another
and being located at least slightly closer to the
adjacent said corner recess than to said flue pas
sage, whereby the recess in the lower Surface of
such a brick is formed to receive the upper ends
of all of said adjoining four corner portions of
said grouped bricks to lock them together.
7. A checkerbrick of generally Square shape
having a central vertical flue passage through
it, each corner portion of the brick having a ver
tical corner wall substantially the same shape
and width as one-quarter of the side wall of Said
passage, each side of the brick being provided
with a central recess having a vertical side wall
substantially the same shape and width as one
half of the side wall of said passage, whereby
When four of such bricks are grouped side by
side in a square each of the four vertical pas
sages formed by their registering side receSSes
10 and the one vertical passage formed by the ad
joining four corner portions of the bricks will be
substantially the same size and shape as Said fue
passage, and each of the upper and lower Sur
faces of said checkerbrick being provided with a
5 central recess having four Substantially straight
side walls arranged in a Square but Separated
equidistantly from one another, each of Said four
side walls extending diagonally across a differ
ent corner portion of the brick from one of Said
20 side recesses to another and being located only
slightly closer to the adjacent said vertical cor
ner wall as to said flue passage, whereby the re
cess in the lower surface of such a brick is formed
to receive the upper ends of all of Said adjoining
lock them together.
HARRY W. WALTERS.
REFERENCES CITED
30 The following references are of record in the
file of this patent:
UNITED STATES PATENTS
Number Name Date
35 1,880,011 Boynton ---------- Sept. 27, 1932
1927,834 Hughes ----------- Sept. 26, 1933
1976,575 MacDonald ---------- Oct. 9, 1934