US20050091940A1 - Interlocking masonry wall block - Google Patents
Interlocking masonry wall block Download PDFInfo
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- US20050091940A1 US20050091940A1 US10/945,846 US94584604A US2005091940A1 US 20050091940 A1 US20050091940 A1 US 20050091940A1 US 94584604 A US94584604 A US 94584604A US 2005091940 A1 US2005091940 A1 US 2005091940A1
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- wall
- block
- blocks
- setback
- recess
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- 230000002787 reinforcement Effects 0.000 claims description 6
- WYTGDNHDOZPMIW-RCBQFDQVSA-N alstonine Natural products C1=CC2=C3C=CC=CC3=NC2=C2N1C[C@H]1[C@H](C)OC=C(C(=O)OC)[C@H]1C2 WYTGDNHDOZPMIW-RCBQFDQVSA-N 0.000 abstract description 25
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 13
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Images
Classifications
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D29/00—Independent underground or underwater structures; Retaining walls
- E02D29/02—Retaining or protecting walls
- E02D29/025—Retaining or protecting walls made up of similar modular elements stacked without mortar
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C1/00—Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings
- E04C1/39—Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings characterised by special adaptations, e.g. serving for locating conduits, for forming soffits, cornices, or shelves, for fixing wall-plates or door-frames, for claustra
- E04C1/395—Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings characterised by special adaptations, e.g. serving for locating conduits, for forming soffits, cornices, or shelves, for fixing wall-plates or door-frames, for claustra for claustra, fences, planting walls, e.g. sound-absorbing
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B2/00—Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls
- E04B2/02—Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls built-up from layers of building elements
- E04B2002/0202—Details of connections
- E04B2002/0204—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections
- E04B2002/0215—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections with separate protrusions
- E04B2002/0223—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections with separate protrusions of cylindrical shape
Abstract
The present invention relates to an interlocking masonry wall block having two spaced lugs or projections and a cooperating recess or channel that enable like-shaped blocks to be stacked in a staggered relation to form straight and serpentine walls that are particularly suited for landscaping applications. In one embodiment, the lugs are located proximal the sides of the block and extend from an upper surface of the block. The channel is formed in a lower surface of the block. In another embodiment, the lugs are located at the rear corners of the block and extend below the lower surface of the block. The recess is formed in the rear end of the block between the lugs. Like-shaped blocks are stacked in a staggered relation so that each block is stacked atop two immediately lower blocks. In each embodiment, the lugs and their cooperating channel or recess define a setback dimension.
Description
- This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/940,562, filed Aug. 28, 2001, entitled “Interlocking Masonry Wall Block” which claims the benefit of provisional U.S. Application Ser. No. 60,228,517, filed Aug. 28, 2000, and which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/928,125, filed Aug. 10, 2001, entitled “Interlocking Masonry Wall Block,” now abandoned, which claims the benefit of provisional U.S. Application No. 60/224,471, filed Aug. 10, 2000.
- This invention relates to a masonry block for stacking on other like-shaped blocks in a staggered, interlocking and offset manner to form a gravity-type retaining wall that is particularly suited for integrating into a variety of landscape settings.
- A variety of masonry block designs have been developed for building gravity-type retaining walls that depend on the weight of the blocks for their stability. Versatile block designs should take several factors into consideration. For walls three feet in height or less, the blocks should form a wall structure that can withstand the pressure of the earth behind the wall. The footprint of the block should be large enough to accommodate soils with relatively low bearing pressures so that the wall will not tilt or sink during use. The setback and height of the block should be such that the combined pressure of the earth and the weight of the wall fall within the footprint of the lowest course of blocks. The block design should also take into account the shape of the blocks, as well as the strength, density and durability of the material forming the block.
- Retaining wall block designs require a mechanism for securing the blocks together to produce a stable wall structure. While the friction between the relatively rough surfaces of stacked blocks can help keep the wall together, this friction is not sufficient in many retaining wall applications. To increase stability, some blocks are designed to be mortared or otherwise adhered together to produce a rigid wall structure. Unfortunately, such retaining walls are prone to cracking due to settling, frost, water buildup behind the wall and earthquakes, as well as the normal use of the wall by people and animals that walk, stand, lean or sit on the wall.
- Other retaining wall block designs incorporate fasteners such as rods, pins or keys to hold and clamp the blocks together. Examples of such block designs are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,876 to Forsberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,502 to Carroll, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,010 to Gravier, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. A significant problem with these block designs is the expense of the extra components and increased installation costs. These designs can also suffer from unsightly cracks that tend to form in these types of walls.
- Interlocking wall block designs have been developed to overcome the problems associated with the blocks that form rigid retaining wall structures. Interlocking block designs typically have one or more integral projections extending from the upper or lower surface of the block. When stacked, the projection of one block abuts against a surface of another block to help hold the blocks together. The projections also provide a mechanism for offsetting stacked blocks. This offset or setback helps produce a more stable retaining wall that leans into the earth or hill behind the wall to resist the pressure exerted by the earth or hill on the wall. Individual blocks do not need to be rigidly secured by mortar, adhesive, rods, pins or keys, so that the wall is free to flex and accommodate movements in the wall caused by settling, frost, water buildup, earthquakes and normal use. Blocks for retaining walls of this type are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,015 to Woolford, U.S. Pat. No. 2,313,363 to Schmitt, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,043 to Mazzarese, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
- One problem with conventional interlocking masonry wall blocks is that the thickness of the integral projection is directly related to the amount of setback desired for each course of blocks. A retaining wall application requiring a half-inch setback per course requires blocks with half-inch thick projections. Yet, thin projections are structurally weak and prone to chipping and cracking. While the height of the block can be increased to increase the thickness of its setback, this results in a heavier block that is more difficult to handle. In addition, tall blocks also do not lend themselves to landscaping gradually sloping terrain. Large portions of the block stick out above ground level before a step down at the end of a row or course of blocks can occur. This produces an unsightly wall and results in a waste of material.
- Another problem with conventional interlocking masonry wall blocks is that the integral projection is located along the rear or front edge of the block. As noted above, the setback projection is frequently only a half-inch thick when the blocks are sized for easy handling. Yet, these relatively thin and weak projections are located where they are easily damaged if dropped, improperly stacked or otherwise mishandled. In addition, rear projections are in direct contact with the wetness and acidity of the earth during use, which can cause the projection to deteriorate, weaken and fail over time. Front projections extend upwardly and can collect water between them and the upper course of blocks, which can freeze and crack the projection.
- A further problem with conventional interlocking masonry wall blocks is that the integral projections are relatively short in height to reduce the possibility of chipping and cracking. Although the short projections may be less likely to crack, they do not provide a sufficiently tall abutment to easily and consistently align the block over a lower course of blocks. During construction of a wall, workers have a tendency to leave a gap between the projection and the lower course of blocks or allow the projection to ride-up onto the upper surface of the lower block. These misalignments are not easily detected given the thinness of the projection and its relatively small height. This is especially so for blocks with rear projections that extend down from the lower surface of the block, because the workers are not able to easily see that the blocks are properly aligned. Misalignments can be even more difficult to notice in construction settings where dirt, gravel and other debris are present, and may compact against the setback projection or get on the upper or lower surfaces of the blocks.
- A still further problem with conventional interlocking masonry wall blocks is that they have limited ability to produce serpentine walls with straight, concave and convex portions. The integral projections are sized and shaped to fit into grooves of lower blocks so that the stacked blocks must be oriented a particular way. If a curve is possible, the radius of the curve is constant, so that a true serpentine wall with curves that gradually increase or decrease in radius are not possible. These limitations of conventional block designs prevent the wall from being integrated into the natural contours of the landscape and thus impede the aesthetic value of the wall.
- A still further problem with conventional interlocking masonry wall blocks is that the integral projections do not ensure an even amount of setback for straight and curved portions of the wall. For example, a block with a flange along its front or rear edge produces a wall with discontinuities in the amount of setback between adjacent block as shown in
FIG. 14 . In addition, the pitch of the wall is also greater in both the concave and convex curved portions of the wall than in the straight portions as shown inFIGS. 14 and 16 . This increasing setback and pitch occurs even though a retaining wall may need to be stronger and require more setback in straight portions of the wall than in curved portions. - A still further problem with conventional interlocking masonry wall blocks is that the blocks require a fixed amount of lateral offset to the right or left of the lower blocks on which they rest. Yet, obstructions at the location where the wall is to be built or the addition of drain pipes in the wall do not always permit each block to be offset a constant amount throughout the entire wall. A block in one course may need to be laterally offset two or three inches to the right or left from the blocks beneath it, and another block in the same or a different course may need to be laterally offset four or five inches from the blocks beneath it. Yet, many interlocking block designs do not allow sufficient flexibility to offset the blocks as needed to accommodate various obstacles or drain pipes. This inflexibility can complicate construction or renders the block unusable for some retaining wall applications.
- A still further problem with conventional interlocking masonry wall blocks is that the integral projection does not provide sufficient resistance to lateral side-to-side movement of the block. Side-to-side movement is only resisted by adjacent blocks in the same course or tier. The side walls of these adjacent blocks abut each other to prevent, side-to-side movement. However, should one block in a given course shift or move out of abutting alignment with one of its adjacent blocks, then each of the blocks in that row would be susceptible to shifting as well. Moreover, the blocks that form an end of the wall are not restrained from lateral movement away from its sole adjacent block and could be knocked off the wall altogether.
- A still further problem with conventional interlocking masonry wall blocks is that several different block shapes must be combined to form the straight and curved sections of a serpentine wall. The need for multiple block designs result in increased manufacturing, inventory, shipping and construction costs. The multiple block designs also result in more complicated serpentine wall designs that are not easily integrated to the shape of a specific and unique landscape setting.
- A still further problem with conventional interlocking masonry wall blocks is that they are heavy and difficult to handle. The blocks are typically solid throughout. The openings tend to be small and do not significantly reduce the weight of the block. The excessive weight is compounded by the fact that the block must be tall enough to provide a setback projection or flange that is sufficiently thick to withstand cracking and chipping during transport, construction and use.
- The present invention is intended to solve these and other problems.
- The present invention relates to an interlocking masonry wall block having two spaced lugs or projections and a cooperating recess or channel that enable like-shaped blocks to be stacked in a staggered relation to form straight and serpentine walls that are particularly suited for landscaping applications. In one embodiment, the lugs are located proximal the sides of the block and extend from an upper surface of the block. The channel is formed in a lower surface of the block. In another embodiment, the lugs are located at the rear corners of the block and extend below the lower surface of the block. The recess is formed in the rear end of the block between the lugs. Like-shaped blocks are stacked in a staggered relation so that each block is stacked atop two immediately lower blocks. In each embodiment, the lugs and their cooperating channel or recess define a setback dimension.
- One advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is that the thickness of the integral projections is not related to the desired amount of setback for each course of blocks. A retaining wall application requiring a half-inch setback per course can have projections that are one or two inches thick. These thicker projections are more structurally sound and not prone to chipping and cracking. The block can be relatively short in height to produce a block that is light weight and easy to handle.
- Another advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is that the block can be kept relatively short so that it can be more easily integrated into gradually sloping terrain. The smaller height allows more frequent steps to be incorporated into a particular wall design so the blocks do not rise up above ground level a great deal. This produces a more aesthetically pleasing wall that fits and blends into the natural terrain. The blocks also make more efficient use of material.
- A further advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is that the integral projections are robustly designed or located away from the front and rear edges of the block. The rear lugs are robustly and smoothly designed to withstand normal abuse during shipping and construction of a wall. The projections located intermediate the front and rear ends of the block are less likely to be damaged if the block is dropped or bumped during transport. These intermediate projections are also protected by the lower blocks during use so that they are not exposed to the earth and air. This keeps the projections dry and away from the acidity of the earth, which improves the life expectancy of the block and retaining wall formed by the blocks.
- A still further advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is that the integral projections are relatively thick and relatively tall. As stated above, the projections can be relatively thick or long because they are not dependent on the desired setback. This increased thickness enables the projections to have an increased height without compromising their structural strength. The projections provide a sufficiently tall abutment to easily and consistently align the block over the lower course of blocks. This reduces the amount of misaligned blocks, and improves the strength and aesthetic uniformity of the retaining wall.
- A still further advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is that they produce serpentine walls with varying convex and concave shaped portions. The size and shape of the open cores allow the smaller, spaced projections to fit into the open cores of the blocks of the lower course. Adjacent blocks can be oriented to form a continuous wall with curves and straight portions that gradually increase or decrease in radius.
- A still further advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is that the integral projections produce a relatively uniform amount of setback for straight and curved portions of the wall. Even though the setback increases slightly in concave curved portions of the wall and decreases slightly in convex portions of the wall, this change in setback occurs evenly and gradually as the radius of the curve increases. Discontinuities between adjacent blocks are avoided. In addition, the pitch of the wall is relatively constant for straight and curved portions of the wall. The wall leans back a slightly increased amount in concave portion and less in convex portions so that a relatively constant pitch is achieved throughout the entire serpentine wall. This uniform setback and relatively constant pitch enables more courses of blocks to be used in many serpentine walls, and helps produce a more stable serpentine wall where the combined weight of the wall and earth pressure remain within the footprint of the block.
- A still further advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is that the integral projections allow the blocks forming one course to have a varying amount of lateral offset with relation to the course of blocks upon which they are stacked. The retaining wall can more easily avoid obstructions, such as a sump pump discharge pipe. The block can also be arranged to allow drain pipes to pass through the middle of the wall. This flexibility also allows one course of blocks to be laterally offset to accommodate the ledge or sill of a building. Thus, the present block facilitates the construction process and the ability to use the block in a wide variety of locations.
- A still further advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is that the integral projections provide additional resistance to lateral side-to-side movement of the block. The blocks can easily be stacked so that the outer wall of one of the lugs engages the inside wall of one of the lugs of a block upon which it lays. Accordingly, side-to-side movement is resisted not only by the adjacent blocks in the same course or tier, but by the blocks above and below it as well. Should one block in a given course shift or move out of abutting alignment with one of its adjacent blocks, then the remaining blocks in that row would still be held in place by the blocks above or below it. The projections are particularly helpful in holding the end blocks of the wall in place where the block would otherwise be free to slide laterally and out of place, or off the wall altogether.
- A still further advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is that an entire serpentine wall can be built from a plurality of like-shaped blocks. The need for only a single block design results in reduced manufacturing, inventory, shipping and construction costs. The single block design also makes it easier to design a serpentine wall that is integrated to the shape of a specific and unique landscape setting.
- A still further advantage of the present interlocking masonry wall block is its reduced weight. The open core and hand hold designs reduce the weight of the block so that they are easier to handle during manufacture, shipping and construction. The open core and hand hold designs also reduces material costs, which can be passed on to the consumer.
- Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon making reference to the specification, claims and drawings.
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FIG. 1 is an elevated view of a house built to a unique landscape setting with a gradually sloping and contoured hill that feeds down to the level of the backyard patio of the house and a pre-existing tree. -
FIG. 2 is an elevated view showing a three foot high serpentine retaining wall constructed from a plurality of the present like-shaped, interlocking masonry wall blocks, and integrated into the natural contours of the hill and unique landscape setting of the house. -
FIG. 3 a is a cross sectional view ofFIG. 2 taken along line 3 a-3 a showing a straight wall section having a pitch of about Ps=5°. -
FIG. 3 b is a cross sectional view ofFIG. 2 taken alongline 3 b-3 b showing a high radius, convex curved portion of the wall having a pitch of about Phr=2°. -
FIG. 3 c is a cross sectional view ofFIG. 2 taken alongline 3 c-3 c showing a high radius, concave curved portion of the wall having a pitch of about Phr=9°, -
FIG. 4 is an elevated, front perspective view of the first embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the trapezoidal shape of the upper surface and open core of the block. -
FIG. 5 is a lowered, front perspective view of the first embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the trapezoidal shape of the lower surface, the open core of the block, and its rectangular shaped integral projections. -
FIG. 6 is a front view of the first embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block. -
FIG. 7 is a top view of the first embodiment of interlocking masonry wall block. -
FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the first embodiment interlocking masonry wall block showing the orientation of the offset projections relative to the inside surface of the front wall of the block. -
FIG. 9 is a side view of the first embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block. -
FIG. 10 is a top view of two courses of the first embodiment of the present like-shaped interlocking blocks arranged in a straight configuration with the blocks in the upper course having an offset alignment to create an opening for a drain pipe, the block on the right being in about a full right alignment and the blocks on the left being in about a full left alignment. -
FIG. 11 is a top view of two courses of the first embodiment of the present like-shaped interlocking blocks arranged in a concave curve configuration that gradually increases from a low radius curve, through a medium radius curve, to a high radius curve. -
FIG. 12 is a top view of two courses of the first embodiment of the present like-shaped interlocking blocks arranged in a convex curve configuration that gradually increases from a low radius curve, through a medium radius curve, to a high radius curve. -
FIG. 13 is a top view of a convex shaped retaining wall formed by the first embodiment of the present like-shaped, interlocking masonry wall blocks, with a pitch of Ps=1 in the straight section, and about Pmr=0.7 in the medium radius section, and about Phr=0.4 in the high radius section. -
FIG. 14 is a top view of a convex shaped retaining wall formed by a conventional rear flange, interlocking masonry wall blocks, with a pitch of Ps=1 in the straight section, and about Pmr=1.2 in the medium radius section, and about Phr=1.3 in the high radius section. -
FIG. 15 is a top view of a concave shaped retaining wall formed by the first embodiment of the present interlocking masonry wall blocks with a pitch of Ps=1 in the straight section, and about Pmr=1.4 in the medium radius section, and about Phr=1.8 in the high radius section. -
FIG. 16 is a top view of a concave shaped retaining wall formed by a conventional, rear flange, interlocking masonry wall blocks with a pitch of Ps=1 in the straight section, and about Pmr=1.4 in the medium radius section, and about Phr=2.0 in high radius section. -
FIG. 17 is an elevated, front perspective view of the second embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the trapezoidal shape of the upper surface and the circular shape of the lugs. -
FIG. 18 is a lowered, front perspective view of the second embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the trapezoidal shape of the lower surface, the channel extending parallel to the front wall, and the splitting groove. -
FIG. 19 is a top view of the second embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the locking lugs in offset relation to the channel. -
FIG. 20 is a bottom view of the second embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the channel in offset relation to the lugs. -
FIG. 21 is a front view of the second embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block, -
FIG. 22 is an end view of the second embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the lug and channel in offset relation. -
FIG. 23 is a rear view of the second embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block. -
FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing a serpentine wall formed from the second embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall blocks. -
FIG. 25 is a sectional view ofFIG. 24 taken along line 25-25 showing the setback relation of the second embodiment of interlocking masonry wall blocks. -
FIG. 26 is a top view of a wall formed from the second embodiment of interlocking masonry wall blocks. -
FIG. 27 is a raised, front perspective view of the third embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block. -
FIG. 28 is a lowered, front perspective view of the third embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing its feet. -
FIG. 29 is a bottom view of the third embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block. -
FIG. 30 is an elevated, front perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block. -
FIG. 31 is a lowered, front perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing its feet. -
FIG. 32 is a bottom view of the fourth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing its feet and recess. -
FIG. 33 is a raised, front perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the trapezoidal shape of the upper surface. -
FIG. 34 is a lowered, front perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the lugs. -
FIG. 35 is a top view of the fifth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the trapezoidal shape of the upper surface. -
FIG. 36 is a front view of the fifth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the multi-faceted front surface, and showing the lugs in spaced relation with each other. -
FIG. 37 is a bottom view of the fifth embodiment of masonry wall block showing its generally trapezoidal shape and the ends of the lugs. -
FIG. 38 is a rear view of the fifth embodiment of masonry wall block showing the well wall and lug's arcuate shaped side walls. -
FIG. 39 is an end view of the fifth embodiment of masonry wall block showing the hollow core parallel with the front end. -
FIG. 40 is a top view of the fifth embodiment of masonry wall block showing the setback of blocks in various rows of a serpentine structure. -
FIG. 41 is a sectional view of Figure. 40 taken along line 41-41 showing the hollow core and setback of each block relative to the row below. -
FIG. 42 is a top view of a wall constructed from the fifth embodiment of masonry wall block. -
FIG. 43 is an elevated, front perspective view of the sixth embodiment of interlocking masonry wall block showing the generally trapezoidal shape of the upper surface. -
FIG. 44 is a lowered, rear perspective view of the sixth embodiment of interlocking masonry wall block showing the generally trapezoidal shape of the lower surface, and the rear having a well comprising a well wall and lug walls. -
FIG. 45 is a top view of the sixth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the groove dividing the block into symmetrical pieces. -
FIG. 46 is a bottom view of the sixth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the trapezoidal shape of the lower surface and the lugs separated by the length of the well. -
FIG. 47 is a front view of the sixth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall blocks. -
FIG. 48 is an end view of the sixth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing a lug with an arcuate wall. -
FIG. 49 is a rear view of the sixth embodiment of the interlocking masonry wall block showing the lugs and the splitting groove. - While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, the drawings show and the specification describes in detail several preferred embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that the drawings and specification are to be considered an exemplification of the principles of these inventions. They are not intended to limit the broad aspects of the inventive block designs to the embodiments illustrated.
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FIG. 1 shows ahouse 10 with a walkout basement leading to apatio 12 constructed in the backyard of the house. Thehouse 10 has aconcrete foundation 14 which transitions tobrick 16 along asill 18 at the top of the foundation. The house is constructed into ahill 20 that levels off to aparticular ground level 22 in the backyard of the house. Thehill 20 and itsterrain 30 andnatural plant life 24 form a unique landscape setting 32 around thehouse 10. -
FIGS. 2-16 pertain to a first interlocking masonry block design that is generally referred to byreference number 40. As with each of the block designs discussed below, theblock 40 can be used for constructing serpentine retaining walls with straight and curved portions, such as thelandscape retaining wall 140 shown inFIG. 2 . Theserpentine wall 140 is easily integrated into a variety oflandscape settings 32. The like-shapedblocks 40 have a setback, as discussed below. A degree of setback is maintained throughout the entireserpentine wall 140. As discussed below, the setback impacts the degree the wall is pitched or leans into thehill 20. As shown inFIG. 3 a, 3 b and 3 c, the amount of pitch (P) in thewall 140 is somewhat less in convex curved portions of the wall and somewhat greater in concave portions of the wall relative to the pitch in straight portions of the wall. - An
individual block 40 in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 4-9 . Theblock 40 has amain body 42 with upper 44 and lower 45 surfaces. The upper 44 and lower 45 surfaces are generally parallel to each other. When laid in place on a horizontal supporting surface, the upper 44 and lower 45 surfaces are horizontal as well. Themain body 42 includes afront wall 51, arear wall 52, and opposedside walls continuous surfaces outer surface 62 of thefront wall 51 is roughened to give it a natural cut or chipped stone finish. A conventional masonry material for landscape retaining wall blocks is used to form theblock 40. Asingle block 40 weighs about twelve pounds. - The
block 40 has a generally trapezoidal shape as best shown inFIGS. 7 and 8 . The inside 61 and outside 62 surfaces of the front 51 and rear 52 walls are parallel, and perpendicular to the upper 44 and lower 45 surfaces. The inside 61 and outside 62 surfaces of theside walls block 40 has a height of about four (4) inches and a depth of about eight (8) inches. The width of the block at itsfront wall 51 is roughly twelve (12) inches from theouter surface 62 of eachside wall rear wall 52 is roughly ten (10) inches from the outer surface of eachside wall side wall back wall 52. Theoutside surface 62 of thefront wall 51 has beveled ends 65. The surface of theseends 65 angle back toward the rear of the block. Theoutside surface 62 of the angled ends 65 meet the outside surface of theside walls outside surface 62 of therear wall 52 meets the outside surface of theside walls - The
block 40 has an open core or interior 80 that extends completely through the block from itsupper surface 44 to itslower surface 45. Theopen core 80 is defined by the inside surfaces 61 of the front, rear and side walls 51-54. Theopen core 80 has a generally trapezoidal shape that is smaller in size and similar to the trapezoidal shape formed by theouter surface 62 or perimeter of theblock 40. Theopen core 80 has a width at its front of about seven and a half (7½) inches, and a width at its rear of about six and a half (6½) inches. Theopen core 80 is about four (4) inches deep taken along a line perpendicular to the inside surfaces 61 of the front andrear walls corners 82 of theopen core 80 are rounded to a radius of roughly three-quarters (¾) of an inch. One of ordinary skill in the art should readily appreciate that the volume of the core can vary, but is preferably maximized to decrease the weight and material cost of the block without impairing the strength, integrity and manufacturability of the block. Similarly, the actual shape and dimensions of the core 80 can vary, provided the core maintains its ability to receive the lug-shaped projections of anotherblock 40, as discussed below. Theopen core 80 should not contain any obstruction that would interfere with the desired ability to receive these lugs. - Two integral lug-shaped
projections lower surface 45 of theblock 40. Theprojections front 111, rear 112 andopposed side lower surface 45 of the block and parallel to the inside and outside surfaces 61 and 62 of the walls 51-54, respectively. Eachlug bottom surface 115 that is generally parallel to thelower surface 45 of theblock 40. Eachlug side 113 toside 114, and a length or thickness of about one and a half (1½) inches fromfront 111 to rear 112. Eachlug vertical edges 117 are rounded to a radius of about seven-sixteenths ({fraction (7/16)}) of an inch. One of ordinary skill in the art should readily appreciate that the size and shape of thelugs - Each
projection respective side wall projection portion 118 positioned forward or in front of theinside surface 62 of thefront wall 51. Thisportion 118 provides an amount ofsetback 120 for theblock 40. The perpendicular distance between thefront surface 111 of eachprojection inside surface 62 offront wall 51 is thesetback dimension 120. In this embodiment, thesetback dimension 120 is shown to be about one-quarter (¼) of an inch. Thesetback 120 is the same for bothprojections setback dimension 120 could be larger or smaller without departing from the broad aspect of this present wall block invention. Eachprojection centerline 119. Thiscenterline 119 is shown perpendicular to the inside and outside surfaces 61 and 62 of thefront wall 51, but could be parallel to the inside and outside surfaces of itsrespective side wall - The like-shaped
blocks 40 are structured to be laterally aligned in an abutting side-by-side engagement, and vertically aligned in a staggered, stacked manner so that one block rests atop two other blocks. When arranged in this manner, theblocks 40 form amulti-tiered wall 140, such as the wall shown inFIG. 2 . Thewall 140 is typically constructed one course at a time. Once alower course 141 is set in place, anupper course 142 is placed on top of it. Theblocks 40 can be arranged to formwalls 140 havingstraight wall portions 150 as inFIG. 10 , concavecurved wall portions 160 as inFIG. 11 , and convexcurved wall portions 170 as inFIG. 12 . Theconcave portions 160 have a degree of curvature that ranges from alow radius curve 161, to amedium radius curve 162, to ahigh radius curve 163. Similarly, theconvex portions 170 range from low 171, tomedium 172, to high 173 radius curves. Theblocks 40 can be arranged to gradually or rapidly increase or decrease the radius of the curvature of the concave orconvex curves wall 140 to conform to the unique landscape setting 30. - When erecting a
wall 140, a gravel orsand bed 179 is preferably formed to level theterrain 32 where thefirst course 141 ofblocks 40 is to be laid. In eachcourse adjacent blocks 40 are aligned. The front edges 67 are aligned in abutting engagement instraight wall portions 150 as shown inFIGS. 2 and 13 , low radiusconcave wall portions 161 as shown inFIGS. 11 and 15 , and all convex wall portions 170-173 as shown inFIGS. 12 and 13 . The front andrear edges side walls adjacent blocks 40 are flushly aligned in abutting engagement for a medium radiusconcave wall portions 162 as shown inFIG. 11 . High radiusconcave wall portions 163 are formed by aligning therear edges 68 ofadjacent blocks 40 as shown inFIG. 11 . Thelower surface 45 of eachblock 40 in the first orlowest course 141 is placed at the same horizontal level, which is deemed theground level 22. In thefirst course 141, theprojections sand bed 179. The upper surfaces 44 of theblocks 40 forming thelower course 141 form a generally horizontal platform upon which theupper course 142 can be stacked. Thelower surface 45 of eachblock 40 in each stacked,upper course 142 is placed on and rests on theupper surfaces 44 of the blocks in thelower course 141 upon which it is placed. - An interlocking fit is achieved between the like-shaped
blocks 40 in adjacent upper 142 and lower 141 courses. Eachblock 40 in theupper course 142 is laid in a staggered manner relative to thelower course 141 SO that the upper block is placed atop two lower blocks. Eachblock 40 in theupper course 142 is placed so that one of its lug-shapedprojections 100 ort (or?) 101 extends into and is received by theopen core 80 of one of the lower blocks. Theother projection open core 80 of an adjacent lower block. Thefront surface 111 of eachlug upper block 40 abuts theinside surface 61 of thefront wall 51 of its respective lower block. This abutting engagement between the upper andlower blocks 40 inadjacent courses upper course 142 from moving forward. This interlock enables theblocks 40 in theupper courses 142 to resist the pressure of the earth andhill 20 behind thewall 140. - A further aspect of the interlocking fit is achieved by aligning the
block 40 in theupper course 142 so that one of itsprojections rounded corner 82 or insidesurface 61 of theside wall lower course 141. When in a full right 181 or frill left 182 alignment as shown inFIG. 10 , theblocks 40 in theupper course 142 are prevented from sliding sideways or laterally relative to the blocks in thelower course 141. Theblock 40 in thelower course 141 experiences a similar resistance to movement in the opposite lateral direction. A block in a middle course may experience a resistance to both right and left movement. -
Adjacent blocks 40 in aparticular course alignment 185. Oneblock 40 can be positioned in a fullright alignment 181 and its adjacent block can be position in a fullleft alignment 182 to form a gap oropening 187 between the two blocks shown as inFIGS. 2 and 10 . The maximum amount of offset of the preferred embodiment of theblock 40 is about six (6) inches. The ability to laterally offsetadjacent blocks 40 to createopenings 187 in the otherwisesolid wall 140 enables the wall to accommodate drainage pipes, gutter down spouts, sump pump piping or other obstacles, and helps prevent excessive water building up behind the retaining wall. - As discussed above, the
projections setback 120 between the upper and lower courses ofblocks wall 140 is properly constructed, theblocks 40 in theupper course 142 are set back apredetermined amount 120 from the blocks on which they are placed. In the preferred embodiment, theouter surface 62 of thefront wall 51 of theupper block 40 is set back about one quarter (¼) inch from the outer surface of the lower blocks on which it is placed. Thesetback dimension 120 directly affects the amount or degree of pitch P in thewall 140. Thesetback 120 of eachblock 40 in theupper course 172 is substantially the same when measured along thecenterline 119 of eachprojection blocks 40 form astraight wall segment 150, the height of theblocks 40 and thesetback amount 120 determine the pitch of the wall. The amount of pitch can vary slightly in an actual construction setting due to the present of dirt or other debris, which can come between thelugs inside surface 61 of thefront wall 51 of the lower block. When theblocks 40 form acurved wall segment FIG. 13 , awall 140 having a pitch in straight wall section of Ps=1.0, should have a reduced pitch in a medium radiusconvex section 172 of about Pmr=0.7 times Ps, and a high radiusconvex section 173 of about Phr=0.4 times Ps. As shown inFIG. 15 , thewall 140 should have an increased pitch in a medium radiusconcave section 162 of about Pmr=1.4 times Ps, and a high radiusconcave section 163 of about Phr=1.8 times Ps. A more consistent pitch is believed to occur with thiswall 140 than in other conventional walls, such as the wall shown inFIGS. 14 and 16 , because the lug-shapedprojections block 40, and are located toward thefront wall 51 and inwardly from the outside surfaces 62 of theside walls - The top course of
blocks 40 in thelandscape retaining wall 140 is preferably capped bycap stones 195 to cover theopen cores 80 of theblocks 40 that form the top course or portion of a course. Thesecap stones 195 provide a finished look to the wall. Thesecap stones 195 can be glued or otherwise adhered to theupper surface 44 of theblocks 40. -
FIGS. 17-26 show a second interlocking masonry wall block design that is generally indicated byreference number 200. In the preferred embodiment, theblock 200 has amain body 205 with a generally trapezoidal shape when viewed from above. Themain body 205 with a height dimension of about six (6) inches, a depth dimension of about eight (8) inches and a width dimension of about twelve (12) inches at its widest point. However, it should be understood that these dimensions can vary without departing from the broad aspects of this inventive block design. Similarly, it should be understood that the broad aspects of the design are not limited to a block with a trapezoidal shape, but would apply to other block shapes such as a square or rectangular shaped block. While the preferred block material is a masonry product, it should be understood that other weather resistant materials such as hardened plastic could be substituted without departing from the broad aspects of the invention. - As shown in
FIGS. 17 and 19 , themain body 205 of theblock 200 has afront end 206, arear end 207 andsides front end 206 has a multi-facetedfront wall 215. Thefront wall 215 has acentral wall 220 and twoouter walls wall center wall 220 has a top 221, twoopposed sides center wall 220 is about eight (8) inches wide. The bottom half inch of thecenter wall 220 has achamfer 225. Thechamfer 225 has an angle of about 45 degree from the surface of the central wall. Eachouter wall inner side outer side inner side 232 ofouter wall 230 joins thefirst side 222 of thecenter wall 220 to form a first facet. Theinner side 242 ofouter wall 240 joins thesecond side 223 of thecentral wall 220 to form a second facet. Theouter walls rear end 207 of theblock 200. Theouter walls outer walls front end 206 of theblock 200 between the outer ends 233 and 243 of thefront wall 215 is about twelve (12) inches. Similar to thecentral wall 220, the bottom half inch of eachouter wall chamfer chamfers - The
rear end 207 of theblock 200 is shown inFIG. 23 . Therear end 207 is formed by arear wall 250 that is substantially parallel to thecenter wall portion 220 of thefront wall 215. Therear wall 250 has atop end 252,bottom end 253, and opposed sides ends 254 and 255. Therear wall 250 has a width dimension of about nine (9) inches. A V-shapedgroove 256 is formed into therear wall 250. Thisgroove 256 extends form the top 252 to thebottom 253 of thewall 250. The groove helps split the block into two symmetrical halves. Thevertical groove 256 is parallel to side ends 254 and 255 and is perpendicular to top and bottom ends 252 and 253. Therear wall 250 is symmetrical about both sides of thegroove 256. - The
first side end 208 of theblock 200 has afirst side wall 260 as shown inFIG. 18 . Theside wall 260 has afront end 262, arear end 263, and top and bottom ends 264 and 265 that form the perimeter of the side wall. Thefront end 262 joins with theouter end 233 ofouter wall 230 of thefront wall 215 to form afirst pivot joint 267. Therear end 263 joins with theside end 254 ofrear wall 250 to form a first rear corner. This first rear corner is rounded to form a three-quarter (¾) inch radius curve. - The
second side end 209 of theblock 200 has asecond side wall 270 as shown inFIG. 17 and 22. Thisside wall 270 has afront end 272, arear end 273, and top and bottom ends 274 and 275 that form the perimeter of the side wall. Thefront end 272 joins with theouter side 243 of theouter wall 240 offront wall 215 to form asecond pivot joint 277. The rear 273 joins with theside end 255 ofrear wall 250 to form a second rear corner. This second rear corner is also rounded to form a three-quarter (¾) inch radius curve. - In the preferred embodiment, the
side walls front end 206 towards therear end 207 of theblock 200. As noted above, theside walls outer walls front wall 215, respectively. Theside walls rear wall 250 of theblock 200, respectively. However, it should be understood that the broad aspects of the invention are not limited to a block with convergingside walls - The
block 200 has anupper surface 280 shown inFIGS. 17, 19 and 24. Theupper surface 280 has a generally trapezoidal shape. Theupper surface 280 is perpendicular to thefront wall 215,rear wall 250, andside walls upper surface 280 has afront end 282,rear end 283, first and second side ends 284 and 285. The front 282 joins the top ends 221, 231 and 241 of the multi-facetedfront wall 215. Therear end 283 joins the top 252 of therear wall 250. Thefirst side end 284 joins thetop end 264 of thefirst side wall 260. Thesecond side 285 joins thetop end 274 of thesecond side wall 270. - The
block 200 has abottom surface 290 shown inFIGS. 18 and 20 . Thebottom surface 290 is substantially parallel to the upper surface 281, and is perpendicular to thefront wall 215,rear wall 250, andside walls lower surface 290 has afront end 292,rear end 293, and first and second side ends 294 and 295. Thefront end 292 joins thechamfers multi-faceted wall 215. Therear end 293 joins thebottom end 253 of therear wall 250. Thefirst side end 294 joins with thebottom end 265 of thefirst side wall 260. Thesecond side end 295 joins with thesecond side wall 270. A V-shapedgroove 296 is formed in thelower surface 290 of theblock 200. Thegroove 296 is similar to groove 256, and combines with this groove to help split the block into two symmetrical halves. - Two lugs or
protrusions upper surface 280 of theblock 200. Thelugs upper surface 280. Although theprotrusions lug main body 205 of theblock 200. Eachlug lug wall 303 that is circular in shape with arearmost point 304 and a frontmost point 305. The distance between the rearmost and frontmost points lug lug lug walls 303 are preferably inwardly drafted or angled about 1 degree to facilitate manufacture. Eachlug rearward setback portion 306 with a corresponding rearward facingsetback wall 307, and aforward reinforcement portion 308 with a corresponding forward facingreinforcement wall 309. Eachlug top surface 310 that extends about a half (½) inch from theupper surface 280 of theblock 200. Eachlug corresponding side wall rear wall 250 as shown inFIG. 19 . Although thelugs respective side walls rear wall 250, it should be understood that the lugs could be located farther from or closer to therear wall 250 orside walls lug setback line 315 that is substantially parallel to thecenter wall 220 of thefront wall 215 and therear end 250 of theblock 200. - The bottom or
lower surface 290 of theblock 200 has an abutment forming mechanism such aschannel 320 shown inFIGS. 18 and 20 . Thechannel 320 extends the width of theblock 200 or from oneside 260 of the block to the other 270. Thechannel 320 has forward 321 and rearward 322 channel walls. Theforward wall 321 faces rearwardly toward therear end 207 of the block. Therearward wall 322 faces forwardly toward thefront end 206 of the block. Thechannel 320 and itswalls lower surface 290 and substantially parallel to thesetback line 315 and thecentral wall 220 of the block. Eachwall channel walls walls channel 320. The channel width is preferably about 1½ inches, or just slightly larger than the thickness or diameter Lth of thelugs channel 320 has abase surface 323 that is spaced from thelower surface 290 of theblock 200 to define the depth dimension of thechannel 320, which is preferably about a half (½) inch. Thechannel 320 has a depth dimension that is sufficiently large to allow the channel to completely receive thelugs channel 320 is defined by itsends end respective side wall abutment forming mechanism 320 is discussed and shown as a channel, it should be understood that the recess could take a variety of forms, such as a wedge shaped groove or recess, or the like that forms a forward-facing abutment mechanism and can completely receive the projections such as thelugs - The
rearward wall 322 of thechannel 320 is located about 3¼ inch from the back of theblock 200. Thesetback line 315 and therearmost points 304 of thelugs 300 and 301 are spaced about ⅝ inch from the forward facingrearward wall 322 of thechannel 320 to define a setback dimension Sb of theblock 200. In other words thesetback line 315 is located about ⅝ inch further from thecentral portion 220 of the front wall 210 than therearward wall 322 of thechannel 320. In the preferred embodiment, the centerline or axis of eachlug rearward wall 322. Because the distance between therearmost point 304 of thelugs rearward wall 322 of thechannel 320 controls the setback, the overall thickness or diameter dimension Lth of thelugs rearward wall 322 of thechannel 320 relative to thesetback line 315 formed by thelugs - Like-shaped
blocks 200 are used to form a straight orserpentine wall 350 as shown inFIGS. 24-26 . Thewall 350 has a number of tiers or courses ofblocks 200. Theblocks 200 in each course are placed in horizontal alignment. An end block in each course has only one horizontally adjacent block. The middle blocks in each course have two horizontally adjacent blocks. The left pivot joint 267 of eachmiddle block 200 abutingly engage theright pivot joint 277 of its left adjacent block. Theright pivot joint 277 of eachmiddle block 200 abuttingly engages the left pivot joint 267 of its right adjacent block. - An
upper course 351 ofblocks 200 is placed on top of its immediatelylower course 352. Thelugs blocks 200 in thelower course 352 are received by thechannel 320 of blocks in the immediately upper course 35 1. Thelugs channels 320 so that thelower surface 290 of theblocks 200 in theupper course 351 lay flushly against and in parallel alignment with theupper surface 280 of the blocks in thelower course 352. As best shown inFIG. 25 , eachblock 200 in theupper course 351 is rearwardly offset ⅝ inch in relative to theblocks 200 upon which it lays in the immediatelylower course 352. Thechannel 320 has a constant cross-sectional size and shape from oneside 280 of the block to the other 270 so that it can receive thelugs 300 and 301 anywhere within its tract. - The
blocks 200 forming theupper course 351 are preferably horizontally staggered relative to the blocks forming the immediatelower course 352. Eachblock 200 in theupper course 351 is preferably laterally staggered about half the width of the block relative to the two blocks upon which it lays in thelower course 352. When placed in this staggered relationship, thechannel 320 of the upper block in theupper course 351 receives the right lug of a first lower block in thelower course 352 and the left lug of a second lower block in the lower course. The forward facingrearmost wall 322 of thechannel 320 abuttingly engages therearmost point 304 of each of thelugs block 200 in theupper course 351 is rearwardly set back from its two lower blocks a distance substantially equal to the setback dimension Sb of the block. This distance is equal to the setback dimension Sb for straight wall sections as shown inFIG. 25 . This process of laying or arranging the blocks in this staggered relationship is repeated for eachblock 200 in eachupper course 351 until the desired wall height is achieved. Once construction is complete, a cap stone (not shown) can be placed on the uppermost course 351, or thelugs - When building a serpentine wall, one of the
lugs block 200 can be removed to avoid discontinuities in the wall pattern and create a smoothserpentine wall 350. The ability to periodically remove one of the lugs can be particularly advantageous when building a wall with a tight radius curve. The structural integrity of thewall 350 should not be significantly affected by occasionally removing one of thelugs block 200 is used to construct a variety of retaining wall layouts or patterns. Theend block 200 of a course can be split alonggrooves lower course 352. The second half of thesplit block 200 is placed on the opposite end of the row to complete a staggeredupper course 351. - Although the
block 200 has been shown and described to have a preferred geometric shape, it should be understood that certain aspects of this geometry can change without departing from the broad aspects of this embodiment. For example, in warmer climates where freezing and thawing are not a significant concern, thechannel 320 can be located on thetop surface 280 and thelugs bottom surface 290. In this configuration, thesetback portion 306 of each lugs 301 and 302 would be forward of the rearward facing frontmost wall 322 of thechannel 320. In addition, the angles of theouter walls front wall 215 can vary, or the facets can be eliminated so that thefront wall 215 has a single planar surface from oneouter end 233 to the other 243. Additionally, several grooves can be formed in theblock 200 to allow smaller or larger portions of the block to be split off to form the end blocks of eachcourse -
FIGS. 27-29 show a third interlocking masonry wall block design that is generally indicated byreference number 400. Theblock 400 has amain body 405 with a trapezoidal shape. Theblock 400 has afront end 406, arear end 407 andsides front end 406 has a roughened, multi-facetedfront wall 410. Therear end 407 has a V-shaped configuration with an angled rear wall orsurface 420. Thisangled wall 420 forms arecess 421. Theblock 400 has upper andlower surfaces sides rear end 407 has two opposed columns orshelves block 400. Eachcolumn lug lower surface 440 of themain body 405. Eachlug respective column - The
front wall 410 has acentral face 411 and twoouter faces central face 411 is generally planar. The outer faces 412 and 413 angle away from the plane formed by thecentral face 411, and extend toward therear end 407 of theblock 400. The faces 411, 412, and 413 of thefront wall 410 are solid, have a roughened texture, and extend the height of theblock 400. The outer faces 412 and 413 of thefront wall 410 are shorter in width than thecentral face 411. The outer faces 412 and 413 are located on opposite ends of the central face and join with theside walls side walls front walls front end 406 of theblock 400 and angle back toward therear end 407. Theside walls front end 406 to therear end 407 so that themain body 405 of theblock 400 decreases in width toward therear end 407. - The
columns block 400. Thecolumns respective side wall block 400. Eachcolumn columns 470 and 471 extend beyond thelower surface 440 of themain body 405. Thelugs angled wall 420. Thelugs front surface 510, arear surface 511, anouter side surface 512, aninner side surface 513, and abottom surface 514. Thelugs outer side surface 512 is longer than theinner side surface 513. The front andrear surfaces front surface 510 of each of thelugs central wall 411 correspond to the angle of the opposite side of the V-shapedwall 420 relative to the central wall. Thus, when theblock 400 is stacked in a staggered relationship atop two lower like-shapedblocks 400 to construct a straight wall, thefront surface 510 of eachlug rear wall 420 of one of the lower blocks. -
FIGS. 30-32 show a fourth interlocking masonry wall block design that is generally designated byreference number 600. Theblock 600 has amain body 605 with a similar trapezoidal shape asblock 400. Theblock 600 has afront end 606, arear end 607 andsides front end 606 has a roughened, multi-facetedfront wall 610. Thefront wall 610 is formed by acentral wall 611 and two angledouter walls rear end 607 has arecess 621 formed by arecess wall 622 that is flat and substantially parallel to thecentral wall 611. Theblock 600 has two indentations or hand holds 631 and 641 formed in the respective side surfaces 630 and 640 of theblock 600. - The
blocks 600 have two spaced apart lugs 701 and 702 at therear end 607 of theblock 400. Thelugs main body 605 and are located in the rear corners of theblock 600. Thelugs lug front wall 705,back wall 706, and first andsecond side walls inside walls 708 oflugs recess 621. - Like-shaped
blocks 600 can be stacked in a staggered relationship where an upper block resting on two lower blocks. When stacked in this manner, thefront wall 705 oflugs recess wall 622 of the lower block. Thefront wall 610 of the upper block is set back relative to the front wall of the lower block. The setback dimension between twoblocks 600 is the distance between thefront wall 705 of thelugs recess wall 622 of therear end 607 of thesame block 600. -
FIGS. 33-42 show a fifth interlocking masonry wall block design that is generally designated byreference number 800. In its preferred embodiment, theblock 800 has amain body 805 with a generally trapezoidal shape when viewed from above. Themain body 805 has a height dimension of about four (4) inches, a depth dimension of about nine (9) inches and a width dimension of about twelve (12) inches. However, it should be understood that these dimensions can vary without departing from the broad aspects of this inventive block design. Similarly, it should be understood that the broad aspects of the block are not limited to a block with a trapezoidal shape, but would apply to other block shapes such as a square or rectangular shaped block. - The
block 800 has afront end 806, arear end 807 andsides FIGS. 33-35 . Thefront end 806 is substantially the same as thefront end 206 ofblock 200. Thefront end 806 has a multi-facetedfront wall 815. Thefront wall 815 has acentral wall 820 and twoouter walls wall center wall 820 has a top 821, twoopposed sides center wall 820 is about eight (8) inches wide. The bottom half inch of thecenter wall 820 has achamfer 825. Thechamfer 825 has an angle of about 45 degree from the surface of the central wall. Eachouter wall inner side outer side inner side 832 ofouter wall 830 joins thefirst side 822 of thecenter wall 820 to form a first facet. Theinner side 842 ofouter wall 840 joins thesecond side 823 of thecentral wall 820 to form a second facet. Theouter walls rear end 807 of theblock 800. Theouter walls outer walls front end 806 of theblock 800 between the outer ends 833 and 843 of thefront wall 815 is about twelve (12) inches. Similar to thecentral wall 820, the bottom half inch of eachouter wall chamfer chamfers - The
rear end 807 of theblock 800 is shown inFIG. 38 . Therear end 807 is about nine (9) inches wide and has arecess 853. Therecess 853 is centrally located on therear end 807 and is six (6) inches wide. Therecess 853 is formed by arecess wall 854 that is generally parallel to thecentral wall 820 of thefront end 806. Therecess wall 854 hastop end 855 and bottom ends 856, and opposed side ends 857 and 858. Similar to block 200, a V-shapedgroove 859 divides therecess 853 and therear end 807 into two symmetrical halves. - The
first side end 808 of theblock 800 has afirst side wall 860 as shown inFIG. 34 and 39. Theside wall 860 has afront end 862, arear end 863, and top and bottom ends 864 and 865 that form the perimeter of the side wall. Thefront end 862 of theside wall 860 joins with theouter end 833 ofouter wall 830 to form afirst pivot joint 867. Therear end 863 ofside wall 860 joins with theside end 851 of therear end 807 of theblock 800. - The
second side end 809 of theblock 800 has asecond side wall 870 as shown inFIG. 33 . Thisside wall 870 has afront end 872, arear end 873, and top and bottom ends 874 and 875 that form the perimeter of the side wall. Thefront end 872 of theside wall 870 joins with theouter side 843 ofouter wall 840 of thefront wall 815 to form asecond pivot joint 877. The rear 873 of theside wall 870 joins with theside end 852 of therear end 807 of theblock 800. - In the preferred embodiment, the
side walls front end 806 towards therear end 807 of theblock 800. As noted above, theside walls outer walls front wall 815 to form the pivot joints 867 and 877. Theside walls rear end 807 of theblock 800, respectively. However, it should be understood that the broad aspects of the invention are not limited to a block with convergingside walls - The
block 800 has a triangular shapedcore 879 spanning horizontally through thebody 805 of the block. Thecore 879 extends from oneside 860 of theblock 800 to the other 870, and forms triangular shaped openings in the side walls. Thecore 879 reduces the weight of theblock 800 and forms handholds in thesides core 879 is formed by a bottom wall and two angled side walls. The length of thecore 879 and its respective walls are substantially parallel to thecentral wall 820 of thefront end 806 of theblock 800. - The
block 800 has anupper surface 880 shown inFIGS. 35 . Theupper surface 880 has a generally trapezoidal shape. Theupper surface 880 is perpendicular to thefront wall 815,recess wall 854, and first andsecond side walls upper surface 880 has afront end 882,rear end 883, first and second side ends 884 and 885. Thefront end 882 joins the top ends 821, 831 and 841 of the multi-facetedfront wall 815. Therear end 883 joins the top 855 of therecess wall 854. Thefirst side end 884 joins thetop end 864 of thefirst side wall 860. Thesecond side 885 joins thetop end 874 of thesecond side wall 870. - The
block 800 has a lower orbottom surface 890 shown inFIG. 37 . Thelower surface 890 is substantially parallel to the upper surface 881, and is perpendicular to thefront wall 815,recess wall 854, first andsecond side walls lower surface 890 has afront end 892,rear end 893, and first and second side ends 894 and 895. Thefront end 892 joins thechamfers multi-faceted wall 815. Therear end 893 joins thebottom end 856 of therecess wall 854. Thefirst side end 894 joins with thebottom end 865 of the first side all 860. Thesecond side end 895 joins with thesecond side wall 870. A V-shapedgroove 896 is formed in thelower surface 890 of theblock 800. Thegroove 896 is similar to groove 859, and combines with this groove to help split the block into two symmetrical halves. - Two
lugs rear end 807 of theblock 800. Thelugs corner rear end 807 of theblock 800. A portion of thelugs lower surface 890 of theblock 800. Thelugs lower surfaces abutment mechanisms lugs rear corners block 800, it should be understood that the lugs could be located away from the rear corners without departing from the broad aspects of the invention. - The
lugs recess 853. Eachlug lug wall 903 that has a circular shape with arearmost point 904 and a frontmost point 905. The distance between the rearmost and frontmost points lug lug recess wall 854. Although the lug walls are shown as having a circular shape, it should be understood that they could have an other arcuate shape or a square, triangular or rectangular shape in which the front most andrearmost points lug forward setback portion 906 with a corresponding forward facingsetback wall 907, and arearward reinforcement portion 908 with a corresponding rearward facingreinforcement wall 909. Thesetback portion 906 is the portion of eachlug recess wall 854. Thereinforcement portion 908 is the portion of eachlug recess wall 854. Eachlug bottom surface 910 that is parallel to and is spaced about a half (½) inch below thelower surface 880 of theblock 800. Thewall 903 of eachlug outside wall portion 912 that faces away from therecess 853, and aninside wall portion 913 that faces toward and helps form the recess. Theouter walls 912 of eachlug wall 903 flushly joins theback end respective side wall inside portion 913 or thelug wall 903 joins with itsrespective end recess wall 854. These recess joints are rounded to form a ⅜ inch radius curve. The frontmost points 905 of the twolugs setback line 915 that is substantially parallel to thecenter wall 820 at thefront end 806 and therecess wall 854 at therear end 807 of the block. Theforward-most point 904 is about ¾ inch in front of therecess wall 854. - Like-shaped
blocks 200 are used to form a straight orserpentine wall 950 as shown inFIGS. 4042 . Thewalls 950 using like-shapedblocks 800 are formed in a manner similar towalls 350 using like-shapedblocks 200. Thewall 950 has a number of tiers or courses ofblocks 200. Theblocks 200 in each course are placed in horizontal alignment. The end blocks in each course have one horizontally adjacent block. The middle blocks in each course have two horizontally adjacent blocks. The left pivot joint 867 of eachmiddle block 800 abuttingly engage theright pivot joint 877 of its left adjacent block. Theright pivot joint 877 of eachmiddle block 800 abuttingly engages the left pivot joint 867 of its right adjacent block. - An
upper course 951 ofblocks 800 is placed on top of its immediatelylower course 952. Thelugs blocks 800 in theupper course 951 are received by therecesses 853 of blocks in the immediatelylower course 952. Thelugs recess wall 854. Thelower surface 890 of theblocks 800 in theupper course 951 lay flushly against and in parallel alignment with theupper surface 880 of the blocks in thelower course 952. As best shown inFIG. 41 , eachblock 800 in theupper course 951 is rearwardly offset ⅝ inch in relative to theblocks 800 upon which it lays in the immediatelylower course 952. - The
blocks 800 forming theupper course 951 are preferably horizontally staggered relative to the blocks forming its immediatelower course 952. Eachblock 800 in theupper course 951 is preferably laterally staggered about half the width of the block relative to the two blocks upon which it lays in thelower course 952. When placed in this staggered relationship, therecess 853 of a firstlower block 800 in thelower course 952 receives theright lug 902 of an upper block in theupper course 951 and theleft lug 901 of a second upper block in the upper course. The frontmost point 904 of the lugs of the upper blocks in theupper course 951 abuttingly engages therecess wall 854 of the first and second adjacent blocks in thelower course 852 upon which the upper block lays or rests. Theblock 800 in theupper course 951 is rearwardly set back from its two lower blocks a distance substantially equal to the setback dimension Sb of the block. This distance is equal to the setback dimension Sb for straight wall sections as shown inFIG. 41 . This process is repeated for eachblock 800 in eachupper course 951 until the desired wall height is achieved. - When building a serpentine wall, one of the
lugs block 800 can be removed to avoid discontinuities in the wall pattern and create a smoothserpentine wall 950. The ability to periodically remove one of the lugs can be particularly advantageous when building a wall with a tight radius curve. The structural integrity of thewall 950 should not be significantly affected by occasionally removing one of thelugs block 800 is used to construct a variety of retaining wall layouts or patterns. Theend block 800 of a course can be split alonggrooves lower course 952. The second half of thesplit block 800 is placed on the opposite end of the row to complete a staggeredupper course 951. - As noted above, the distance between the
foremost point 904 of thelugs recess wall 854 defines the setback dimension Sb. In this regard, the distance between the forwardmost point 904 and therearmost point 905 of thelug - The
recess wall 854 has a continuous linear shape from oneside 880 of the block to the other 870, particularly along itstop end 855. The continuous linear shape of therecess wall 854 allows the block to receive one of thelugs upper block 800 at any point along the recess wall between itsends recess wall 854 creates a degree of flexibility in lug alignment. This flexibility in lug alignment allows adjacent blocks of one course to pivot about their abutting pivot joints while allowing each of those blocks to abuttingly receive the lugs of two upper blocks to form a free flowing serpentine wall that fits into a natural landscape setting. - The effective thickness Lth of a circular shaped
lugs lug wall 903 other than the frontmost point 904 abuttingly engages therecess wall 854 of the lower block, the full diameter or thickness Lth of the lug is available to absorb the load placed on the lug. - Although the
block 800 has been shown and described to have a preferred geometric shape, it should be understood that certain aspects of this geometry can change without departing from the broad aspects of this embodiment. For example, the angles of theouter walls front wall 815 can vary, or the facets can be eliminated so that thefront wall 815 has a single planar surface from oneouter end 833 to the other 843. Additionally, several grooves can be formed in theblock 800 to allow smaller or larger portions of the block to be split off to form the end blocks of eachcourse -
FIGS. 43-49 show a variation of the fifth interlockingmasonry wall block 800, which is generally referred to byreference number 1000. Theblock 1000 is similar in shape, size and structure to block 800, except thatblock 1000 does not have acore 879 spanning from oneside wall 860 to the other 870. Therecess wall 854 ofblock 1000 has a beveledportion 1050 and each of theside walls portion bevel 1050 in therecess wall 854 spans most of therecess 853, and is about six (6) inches wide. Therear bevel 1050 forms a wedge shaped void that starts about halfway down therecess wall 854 and tapers into theblock 1000 to a depth of about a half (½) inch at its bottom end where it joins with thelower surface 890 of the block. Thebevel 1050 hasends Bevels Bevels side bevel side block 1000 to a depth of about a half (½) inch at its bottom end where it joins with thelower surface 890 of the block. - While the invention has been described with reference to several preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the broader aspects of the inventive block designs.
Claims (11)
1. An interlocking masonry wall block for use with other like-shaped blocks to form a multi-tiered wall having at least one lower tier with first and second lower blocks, said interlocking masonry wall block comprising:
a block having upper and lower surfaces, front and rear ends and first and second sides, said upper and lower surfaces being substantially parallel, and said front end having a front wall;
first and second spaced apart projections extending from said upper surface of said block, said first projection being formed integrally with said block and proximal to said first side, said second projection being formed integrally with said block and proximal to said second side, each of said projections having a rearward facing setback wall, and each of said setback walls being spaced a predetermined distance from said front wall;
a recess formed in said lower surface of said block, said recess forming a forward facing recess wall, said recess wall being substantially parallel to said front wall, said recess wall being forward of and spaced apart from said setback walls of said projection a predetermined setback dimension; and
wherein said block is adapted to stack atop the first and second lower blocks in a staggered relation, said recess of said block being adapted to receive the first projection of the first lower block and the second projection of the second lower block, the setback walls of the lower blocks abuttingly engaging said recess wall of said block, said front wall of said block being set back from the front wall of each of the lower blocks a distance substantially equal to said setback dimension.
2. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 1 ,
wherein said projections are lugs and said recess is a channel, and said channel is formed by said forward facing recess wall and a rearward facing wall.
3. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 2 ,
wherein each of said lugs has a setback portion and a reinforcement portion, each of said setback portions forming said rearward facing setback wall, and said rearward facing setback walls defining a setback line substantially parallel to said recess wall.
4. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 2 ,
wherein each of said lugs has a forward facing wall, each of said forward facing walls being spaced apart from its said rearward facing wall a predetermined lug thickness dimension, and said rearward facing recess wall being spaced apart from said forward facing recess wall a predetermined channel width dimension, said predetermined lug thickness dimension being substantially equal to said predetermined channel width dimension, and wherein said channel is adapted to completely receive the lugs of the lower blocks upon which said block is stacked.
5. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 4 ,
wherein each of said setback wall and forward wall of each lug has an arcuate shape, and said setback wall has a rearward point located most rearward said recess wall, and said setback dimension is a distance between said rearward point and said recess wall.
6. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 5 ,
wherein said rearward points of said lugs define said setback line.
7. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 6 ,
wherein said setback wall and forward wall of each lug combine to form a lug wall having a circular shape.
8. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 1 ,
wherein said channel extends from said first side to said second side of said block.
9. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 1 ,
wherein said front wall is a faceted front wall formed by a central wall and first and second outer walls, said central wall having opposed ends and each of said outer walls having inner and outer ends, each of said inner ends joining with one of said opposed ends to form a separate facet in said front wall, each of said outer walls being angling toward said rear end, and said recess wall being substantially parallel to said central wall.
10. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 9 ,
wherein said first side has a first side wall and said second side has a second side wall, each of said side walls having forward and rearward ends, said forward end of said first side wall joining with said outer end of said front wall to form a first pivot joint, and said forward end of said second side wall joining with said outer end of said front wall to form a second pivot joint, said pivot joints forming a line that is substantially parallel to said front and recess walls, and wherein horizontally adjacent blocks in the wall abuttingly engage at said pivot joints.
11. The interlocking masonry wall block of claim 1 ,
wherein said front wall, side walls, lug walls and recess wall are substantially perpendicular to said upper and lower surfaces.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10/945,846 US20050091940A1 (en) | 2000-08-10 | 2004-09-21 | Interlocking masonry wall block |
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
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US22447100P | 2000-08-10 | 2000-08-10 | |
US22851700P | 2000-08-28 | 2000-08-28 | |
US09/928,125 US20020028114A1 (en) | 2000-08-10 | 2001-08-10 | Interlocking masonry wall block |
US09/940,562 US6871468B2 (en) | 2000-08-28 | 2001-08-28 | Interlocking masonry wall block |
US10/945,846 US20050091940A1 (en) | 2000-08-10 | 2004-09-21 | Interlocking masonry wall block |
Related Parent Applications (2)
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US09/928,125 Continuation-In-Part US20020028114A1 (en) | 2000-08-10 | 2001-08-10 | Interlocking masonry wall block |
US09/940,562 Division US6871468B2 (en) | 2000-08-10 | 2001-08-28 | Interlocking masonry wall block |
Publications (1)
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US20050091940A1 true US20050091940A1 (en) | 2005-05-05 |
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US10/945,846 Abandoned US20050091940A1 (en) | 2000-08-10 | 2004-09-21 | Interlocking masonry wall block |
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US09/940,562 Expired - Fee Related US6871468B2 (en) | 2000-08-10 | 2001-08-28 | Interlocking masonry wall block |
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US10443206B2 (en) | 2011-01-10 | 2019-10-15 | Stable Concrete Structures, Inc. | Block reinforcement cage having stem reinforcement portions with open apertures formed therein, for use in reinforcing a molded concrete U-wall construction block |
US10053832B2 (en) | 2011-01-10 | 2018-08-21 | Stable Concrete Structures, Inc. | Molded concrete U-wall construction block employing a metal reinforcement cage having stem reinforcement portions with open apertures formed therein for multiple purposes |
US9644334B2 (en) | 2013-08-19 | 2017-05-09 | Stable Concrete Structures, Inc. | Methods of and systems for controlling water flow, breaking water waves and reducing surface erosion along rivers, streams, waterways and coastal regions |
US10676890B2 (en) | 2016-03-30 | 2020-06-09 | Robert Gordon McIntosh | Retaining wall system, method of supporting same, and kit for use in constructing same |
USD895153S1 (en) | 2018-10-05 | 2020-09-01 | Pacific Prebenched Ltd. | Block for a retaining wall |
US10982436B1 (en) * | 2020-01-03 | 2021-04-20 | John P. Ross | Log wall construction |
US11505910B2 (en) | 2020-09-29 | 2022-11-22 | Kcj Block, Llc | Segmental retaining wall unit |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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US20020023403A1 (en) | 2002-02-28 |
US6871468B2 (en) | 2005-03-29 |
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Owner name: BEND INDUSTRIES, INC., WISCONSIN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:WHITSON, ROBERT L.;REEL/FRAME:016156/0842 Effective date: 20050112 |
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