US3513586A - Vermin-proof building foundation - Google Patents

Description

nu YJ. F ,/H, Mfr W M W Mmm um /RG N m, 5 w M m K 6 JAMES VERMIN-PROOF BUILDING FOUNDATION w J M a m w/ May 26, 1970 United States Patent 3,513,586 VERMIN-PROOF BUILDING FOUNDATION George P. Meyer, 225 Hawthorne Ave., Haddonfield,

NJ. 08033, and James Gushue, Memosa Lakes, Medford, NJ. 08055 Filed Oct. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 764,264 Int. Cl. E04b 1/72; E04b 9/16 U.S. Cl. 43--124 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A foundation including an upper coarse of open blocks, laterally spaced elongate support members on said blocks, a plate extending along and superposed on said support members, and a distribution conduit extending along and within the space between said support members, blocks and plate for distributing an insecticide to the interior of the foundation.

Background of the invention While it has been proposed in the past to incorporate in a building foundation a fluid distribution system for insecticide and the like, prior proposed constructions have required considerable departure from conventional building methods so as to greatly increase building costs, or have been incapable of thoroughly distributing the fluid interiorly of the foundation.

Summary of the invention ing personnel Without special training in extermination techniques.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vermin-proof building foundation of the type described which is capable of simple and effective operation by a home owner or other personnel without special training or skill.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a vermin-proof building foundation constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, partly broken away for clarity of understanding.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1, and illustrating in phantom a wall structure on the foundation.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top perspective view showing a portion of the foundation of FIG. 1, and broken away to illustrate interior features of construction.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, a plan view of a building foundation is there generally designated 10, and may be the foundation of a domestic dwelling, or other building, as desired. Of course, any configuration of foundation may be employed in conjunction with the instant invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the foundation 10 is illustrated therein and may include a footing 11, say of poured concrete or other desired construction, extending about the periphery of the foundation 10. Superposed on the footing 11 may be one or more courses of building block 12. For simplicity of illustration, only a single course of building block 12 is illustrated. The building blocks 12, to define a course, are arranged in generally horizontal end-to-end relationship, as seen in FIG. 12. Of course suitable mortar may be employed to secure the building block 12 in position and seal the confronting ends thereof. In practice, the building block 12 may be conventional cinder block, which is advantageously formed with a plurality of vertically extending through holes 13. That is, the holes 13 open downwardly to a next lower course or to a footing 11 and open upwardly, through the upper surface 14 of each block.

Extending longitudinally along the upper course of building blocks 12, adjacent to the outer sides 15 of each building block and resting on the upper surface 14 thereof is an elongate, outer support member 17. The outer support member 17 may advantageously be fabricated of wood, say being a generally horizontally disposed wooden 2 in. x 4 in. piece. A number of such pieces may be disposed in end-to-end abutting relation with each other and fixedly secured in position resting on the upper block faces 14, as by masonry nails 18.

Preferably, the width or lateral extent of the outer support member -17 is less than one-half the width or lateral extent of the course of building blocks 12, so as to terminate short of the center line of the course.

In addition, an elongate inner support member 19 is superposed on the upper block surfaces 14 extending along the inner block sides 20. The support member 19 may be composed of one or more elongate members of rectangular cross-section, say essentially similar to the outer support member 17, as of wooden 2 in. x 4 in. pieces in end-to-end relation. The inner support member 19 may be fixed in its seated relation on the upper block surfaces 14 by suitable fastening means, such as masonry nails 21. The Width of the inner support member 19 is also less than one-half the width of the course of blocks 12, so as to leave a space 22 between the inner sides of the outer and inner support members 17 and 19, extending generally longitudinally along the the center line of the course of building blocks 12.

In the space 22, in spaced relation between the outer and inner support members -17 and 19, there is located a conduit 25. The conduit 25 may be of any suitable construction, say of plastic tubular structure, in the nature of a hose, and is advantageously provided with a multitude of through openings 26 located along the entire extent of the conduit and at various circumferential locations thereabout. Thus, the conduit openings 26 face in a multitude of directions radially of the conduits. As will appear more fully hereinafter, the conduit 25 eifects distribution of a fiuid insecticide or vermin killer throughout the interior of the foundation 10.

Extending longitudinally along the foundation .10, superposed on the upper surfaces of outer and inner support members 17 and 19, and extending in bridging relation across the intersupport member space 22 is a plate 30. The plate 30 may be of elongate configuration, generally rectangular in cross-section and having a width approximately equal to that of the building block 12. For example, the plate member 30 may be a wooden 2 in. x 10 in. piece or pieces arranged in end-toend relation disposed horizontally on and longitudinally co-extensive with the support members 17 and 19, and remainder of the foundation 10. The upper plate member 30 may be suitably fixed in its superposed bridging relation, as by fasteners or nails 31 extending through the plate member and into adjacent nether support members 17 and 19.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the thickness or vertical dimension of each support member 17 and 19 is appreciably greater than the vertical dimension or diameter of the distribution conduit 25, so that the conduit, resting on the upper surfaces 14 of the blocks 12 is spaced below the under surface of the plate member 30. Further, the lateral spacing between the outer and inner support members 17 and 19 is appreciably greater than the lateral dimension or diameter of the distribution conduit 25, so that the conduit is located in spaced relation between the facing surfaces of the support members 17 and 19. This spaced interposition of the conduit between the support members 17 and 19 and plate member insures effective distribution of vermin killing fluid to the entire interior surfaces of the support and plate members.

At one or more locations along the distribution conduit 25, there may be connected in fluid communication therewith, an inlet conduit 33, say in the nature of a pipe, being connected to the distribution conduit by any suitable means, such as a T connector 34. The inlet conduit 33 preferably extends laterally from the distribution conduit 25 through the inner support member 19 beyond the inner side of the foundation 10. If desired, a valve 35 may be connected to the inlet conduit 33, and provided with a connection nipple 36. As shown in FIG. 3, the inner support member 19 may be interrupted for passage therethrough of the inlet conduit 33; or if desired, the inlet conduit may extend through a closely fitting hole formed in the inner support member.

As a permanent system in a building construction, there may be connected a tank or reservoir 37, see FIG. 1, for containing a supply of vermin killing fluid, and a pump 38 may be connected between the reservoir 37 and valve 35 for transmitting the insecticide or vermin killing fluid under pressure to the valve 35 and throughout the distribution conduit 25 for thorough disbursal throughout the interior of the foundation 10.

Of course, periodic operation as described above is suflicient to insure freedom from vermin.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the Spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A vermin-proof building foundation comprising a plurality of foundation blocks arranged in horizontally disposed end-to-end relation with their upper surfaces generally coplanar, said blocks each having vertically extending through holes, an outer elongate wood support member resting on the upper surfaces of said blocks extending along the outer edge thereof, an inner elongate wood support member resting on the upper surfaces of said block extending along the inner edge thereof spaced from said outer support member, an elongate wood plate member extending longitudinally along and resting on the upper surfaces of said support members bridging the space therebetween, a distribution conduit extending longitudinally within the space between said support members over said blocks and beneath said plate member, said distribution conduit having a plurality of outlets therealong opening toward said blocks and members, and an inlet conduit extending from and in communication with said distribution conduit latierally beyond one of said support members for connection to a supply of vermin killing fluid, whereby the vermin killing fluid is distributed along a building foundation to all internal surfaces thereof.

2. A vermin-proof building foundation according to claim 1, said inlet conduit extending inwardly for termination interiorly of the building foundation.

3. A vermin-proof building foundation according to claim 1, said blocks comprising cinder blocks.

4. A vermin-proof building foundation according to claim 1, said blocks and members extending peripherally about a building foundation, and said distribution conduit being continuous and co-extensive with said blocks and members for extension peripherally about a building foundation.

5. A vermin-proof building foundation according to claim 1, said support members being of a height greater than the diameter of said distribution conduit, and said distribution conduit resting on said blocks in spaced relation beneath said plate member.

6. A vermin-proof building foundation according to claim 5, said support members being spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of said distribution conduit, whereby said conduit is spaced from said support and plate members for effective distribution of vermin killing fluid to said members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,911,818 11/1959 Smith 52220 2,915,848 12/1959 Griffin 43-124 2,981,025 4/1961 Woodson 43-124 3,209,485 10/1965 Griflin 43124 3,330,062 7/1967 Carter 43124 HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 52--101

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