Patent Application
20050091940
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
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.
a is a cross sectional view of
b is a cross sectional view of
c is a cross sectional view of
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.
An individual block 40 in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in
The block 40 has a generally trapezoidal shape as best shown in
The block 40 has an open core or interior 80 that extends completely through the block from its upper surface 44 to its lower surface 45. The open core 80 is defined by the inside surfaces 61 of the front, rear and side walls 51-54. The open core 80 has a generally trapezoidal shape that is smaller in size and similar to the trapezoidal shape formed by the outer surface 62 or perimeter of the block 40. The open 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. The open core 80 is about four (4) inches deep taken along a line perpendicular to the inside surfaces 61 of the front and rear walls 51 and 52. The corners 82 of the open 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 another block 40, as discussed below. The open core 80 should not contain any obstruction that would interfere with the desired ability to receive these lugs.
Two integral lug-shaped projections 100 and 101 extend from the lower surface 45 of the block 40. The projections 100 and 101 have front 111, rear 112 and opposed side 113 and 114 surfaces. These surfaces are generally flat and perpendicular to the lower surface 45 of the block and parallel to the inside and outside surfaces 61 and 62 of the walls 51-54, respectively. Each lug 100 and 101 has a bottom surface 115 that is generally parallel to the lower surface 45 of the block 40. Each lug 100 and 101 has a width of about one (1) inch from side 113 to side 114, and a length or thickness of about one and a half (1½) inches from front 111 to rear 112. Each lug 100 and 101 has a height of about five-eighths (⅝) of an inch, and its corners and 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 the lugs 100 and 101 can vary provided they maintain their strength, integrity and manufacturability.
Each projection 100 and 101 is generally centered between the inside 61 and outside 62 surfaces of its respective side wall 53 or 54. Each projection 100 and 101 has a portion 118 positioned forward or in front of the inside surface 62 of the front wall 51. This portion 118 provides an amount of setback 120 for the block 40. The perpendicular distance between the front surface 111 of each projection 100 and 101 and the inside surface 62 of front wall 51 is the setback dimension 120. In this embodiment, the setback dimension 120 is shown to be about one-quarter (¼) of an inch. The setback 120 is the same for both projections 100 and 101. However, it should be understood that the setback dimension 120 could be larger or smaller without departing from the broad aspect of this present wall block invention. Each projection 100 and 101 has a centerline 119. This centerline 119 is shown perpendicular to the inside and outside surfaces 61 and 62 of the front wall 51, but could be parallel to the inside and outside surfaces of its respective side wall 53 or 54.
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, the blocks 40 form a multi-tiered wall 140, such as the wall shown in
When erecting a wall 140, a gravel or sand bed 179 is preferably formed to level the terrain 32 where the first course 141 of blocks 40 is to be laid. In each course 141 or 142, the front and rear side edges 67 and 68 of laterally adjacent blocks 40 are aligned. The front edges 67 are aligned in abutting engagement in straight wall portions 150 as shown in
An interlocking fit is achieved between the like-shaped blocks 40 in adjacent upper 142 and lower 141 courses. Each block 40 in the upper course 142 is laid in a staggered manner relative to the lower course 141 SO that the upper block is placed atop two lower blocks. Each block 40 in the upper course 142 is placed so that one of its lug-shaped projections 100 ort (or?) 101 extends into and is received by the open core 80 of one of the lower blocks. The other projection 100 or 101 extends into and is received by the open core 80 of an adjacent lower block. The front surface 111 of each lug 100 and 101 of the upper block 40 abuts the inside surface 61 of the front wall 51 of its respective lower block. This abutting engagement between the upper and lower blocks 40 in adjacent courses 141 and 142 forms the interlock that prevents the block in the upper course 142 from moving forward. This interlock enables the blocks 40 in the upper courses 142 to resist the pressure of the earth and hill 20 behind the wall 140.
A further aspect of the interlocking fit is achieved by aligning the block 40 in the upper course 142 so that one of its projections 100 or 101 abuts the rounded corner 82 or inside surface 61 of the side wall 53 or 54 of the block in the lower course 141. When in a full right 181 or frill left 182 alignment as shown in
Adjacent blocks 40 in a particular course 141 or 142 can also be arranged in an offset alignment 185. One block 40 can be positioned in a full right alignment 181 and its adjacent block can be position in a full left alignment 182 to form a gap or opening 187 between the two blocks shown as in
As discussed above, the projections 100 and 101 produce an amount of setback 120 between the upper and lower courses of blocks 141 and 142. When the wall 140 is properly constructed, the blocks 40 in the upper course 142 are set back a predetermined amount 120 from the blocks on which they are placed. In the preferred embodiment, the outer surface 62 of the front wall 51 of the upper block 40 is set back about one quarter (¼) inch from the outer surface of the lower blocks on which it is placed. The setback dimension 120 directly affects the amount or degree of pitch P in the wall 140. The setback 120 of each block 40 in the upper course 172 is substantially the same when measured along the centerline 119 of each projection 100 or 101. When the blocks 40 form a straight wall segment 150, the height of the blocks 40 and the setback 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 the lugs 100 and 101 of the upper block and the inside surface 61 of the front wall 51 of the lower block. When the blocks 40 form a curved wall segment 160 or 170, the pitch of the wall varies. For example, as shown in
The top course of blocks 40 in the landscape retaining wall 140 is preferably capped by cap stones 195 to cover the open cores 80 of the blocks 40 that form the top course or portion of a course. These cap stones 195 provide a finished look to the wall. These cap stones 195 can be glued or otherwise adhered to the upper surface 44 of the blocks 40.
As shown in
The rear end 207 of the block 200 is shown in
The first side end 208 of the block 200 has a first side wall 260 as shown in
The second side end 209 of the block 200 has a second side wall 270 as shown in
In the preferred embodiment, the side walls 260 and 270 converge as they extend from the front end 206 towards the rear end 207 of the block 200. As noted above, the side walls 260 and 270 are spaced twelve (12) inches apart where they joint with the first and second outer walls 230 and 240 of the front wall 215, respectively. The side walls 260 and 270 are spaced nine (9) inches apart where they join with the side ends 254 and 255 of the rear wall 250 of the block 200, respectively. However, it should be understood that the broad aspects of the invention are not limited to a block with converging side walls 260 and 270. The broad aspect of the inventive block design are also applicable to a block with parallel side walls.
The block 200 has an upper surface 280 shown in
The block 200 has a bottom surface 290 shown in
Two lugs or protrusions 301 and 302 extend from the upper surface 280 of the block 200. The lugs 301 and 302 are spaced apart and generally extend perpendicularly from the upper surface 280. Although the protrusions 301 and 302 are discussed and shown as lugs, it should be understood that these protrusions could take on a variety of shapes, such as a foot, nub, fin, tab, or stump. Each lug 301 and 302 is integrally formed with the main body 205 of the block 200. Each lug 301 and 302 has a lug wall 303 that is circular in shape with a rearmost point 304 and a front most point 305. The distance between the rearmost and front most points 304 and 305 of each lug 301 or 302 define a thickness or diameter dimension Lth of that lug, which is preferably 1⅜inches. Each lug 901 and 902 has a center point or axis. Although the lug walls are shown as having a circular shape, it should be understood that they could had an other arcuate shape or a square, triangular or rectangular shape in which the front most and rearmost points are formed by a flat surface. The lug walls 303 are preferably inwardly drafted or angled about 1 degree to facilitate manufacture. Each lug 301 or 302 has a rearward setback portion 306 with a corresponding rearward facing setback wall 307, and a forward reinforcement portion 308 with a corresponding forward facing reinforcement wall 309. Each lug 301 and 302 has a top surface 310 that extends about a half (½) inch from the upper surface 280 of the block 200. Each lug 301 and 302 is about ⅝ inch from its corresponding side wall 260 or 270, and 1⅞ inches from the rear wall 250 as shown in
The bottom or lower surface 290 of the block 200 has an abutment forming mechanism such as channel 320 shown in
The rearward wall 322 of the channel 320 is located about 3¼ inch from the back of the block 200. The setback line 315 and the rearmost points 304 of the lugs 300 and 301 are spaced about ⅝ inch from the forward facing rearward wall 322 of the channel 320 to define a setback dimension Sb of the block 200. In other words the setback line 315 is located about ⅝ inch further from the central portion 220 of the front wall 210 than the rearward wall 322 of the channel 320. In the preferred embodiment, the centerline or axis of each lug 301 and 302 lies in the same plane as the rearward wall 322. Because the distance between the rearmost point 304 of the lugs 301 and 302 and the rearward wall 322 of the channel 320 controls the setback, the overall thickness or diameter dimension Lth of the lugs 301 and 302 does not necessarily affect the setback dimension Sb. Instead, the setback dimension Sb is determined by the location of the rearward wall 322 of the channel 320 relative to the setback line 315 formed by the lugs 301 and 302.
Like-shaped blocks 200 are used to form a straight or serpentine wall 350 as shown in
An upper course 351 of blocks 200 is placed on top of its immediately lower course 352. The lugs 301 and 302 of the blocks 200 in the lower course 352 are received by the channel 320 of blocks in the immediately upper course 351. The lugs 301 and 302 are completely received by the channels 320 so that the lower surface 290 of the blocks 200 in the upper course 351 lay flushly against and in parallel alignment with the upper surface 280 of the blocks in the lower course 352. As best shown in
The blocks 200 forming the upper course 351 are preferably horizontally staggered relative to the blocks forming the immediate lower course 352. Each block 200 in the upper course 351 is preferably laterally staggered about half the width of the block relative to the two blocks upon which it lays in the lower course 352. When placed in this staggered relationship, the channel 320 of the upper block in the upper course 351 receives the right lug of a first lower block in the lower course 352 and the left lug of a second lower block in the lower course. The forward facing rearmost wall 322 of the channel 320 abuttingly engages the rearmost point 304 of each of the lugs 301 and 302 it receives from its first and second lower blocks. The block 200 in the upper 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 in
When building a serpentine wall, one of the lugs 301 or 302 of some of the block 200 can be removed to avoid discontinuities in the wall pattern and create a smooth serpentine 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 the wall 350 should not be significantly affected by occasionally removing one of the lugs 301 or 302. As should be evident, this single type of like-shaped block 200 is used to construct a variety of retaining wall layouts or patterns. The end block 200 of a course can be split along grooves 256 and 296. One half of the block is positioned at an end of the lower course 352. The second half of the split block 200 is placed on the opposite end of the row to complete a staggered upper 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, the channel 320 can be located on the top surface 280 and the lugs 301 and 302 can be located on the bottom surface 290. In this configuration, the setback portion 306 of each lugs 301 and 302 would be forward of the rearward facing front most wall 322 of the channel 320. In addition, the angles of the outer walls 230 and 240 of the multi-faceted front wall 215 can vary, or the facets can be eliminated so that the front wall 215 has a single planar surface from one outer end 233 to the other 243. Additionally, several grooves can be formed in the block 200 to allow smaller or larger portions of the block to be split off to form the end blocks of each course 351 and 352 to accommodate different amounts of stagger.
The front wall 410 has a central face 411 and two outer faces 412 and 413. The central face 411 is generally planar. The outer faces 412 and 413 angle away from the plane formed by the central face 411, and extend toward the rear end 407 of the block 400. The faces 411, 412, and 413 of the front wall 410 are solid, have a roughened texture, and extend the height of the block 400. The outer faces 412 and 413 of the front wall 410 are shorter in width than the central face 411. The outer faces 412 and 413 are located on opposite ends of the central face and join with the side walls 450 and 460. The side walls 450 and 460 join the outer front walls 412 and 413 at the front end 406 of the block 400 and angle back toward the rear end 407. The side walls 450 and 460 converge as they extend from the front end 406 to the rear end 407 so that the main body 405 of the block 400 decreases in width toward the rear end 407.
The columns 471 and 472 are spaced apart and located at the rear corners of the block 400. The columns 471 and 472 extend from their respective side wall 450 or 460 towards the middle of the block 400. Each column 471 and 472 has a width dimension of about one and a half (1½) inches. The ends or lugs 501 and 502 of the columns 470 and 471 extend beyond the lower surface 440 of the main body 405. The lugs 501 and 502 are offset from the angled wall 420. The lugs 501 and 502 have a front surface 510, a rear surface 511, an outer side surface 512, an inner side surface 513, and a bottom surface 514. The lugs 501 and 502 are mirror images of each other and are substantially equal in corresponding dimensions. The outer side surface 512 is longer than the inner side surface 513. The front and rear surfaces 510 and 511 are angled. The angle of the front surface 510 of each of the lugs 501 and 502 relative to the central wall 411 correspond to the angle of the opposite side of the V-shaped wall 420 relative to the central wall. Thus, when the block 400 is stacked in a staggered relationship atop two lower like-shaped blocks 400 to construct a straight wall, the front surface 510 of each lug 501 or 502 of the upper block flushly engages the V-shaped rear wall 420 of one of the lower blocks.
The blocks 600 have two spaced apart lugs 701 and 702 at the rear end 607 of the block 400. The lugs 701 and 702 span the height of the main body 605 and are located in the rear corners of the block 600. The lugs 701 and 702 have a square shape when viewed from above. Each lug 701 and 702 has a front wall 705, back wall 706, and first and second side walls 707 and 708. The inside walls 708 of lugs 701 and 702 form the side walls of the 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, the front wall 705 of lugs 701 and 702 of the upper block abuttingly engages the recess wall 622 of the lower block. The front wall 610 of the upper block is set back relative to the front wall of the lower block. The setback dimension between two blocks 600 is the distance between the front wall 705 of the lugs 701 and 702 and the recess wall 622 of the rear end 607 of the same block 600.
The block 800 has a front end 806, a rear end 807 and sides 808 and 809, as shown in
The rear end 807 of the block 800 is shown in
The first side end 808 of the block 800 has a first side wall 860 as shown in
The second side end 809 of the block 800 has a second side wall 870 as shown in
In the preferred embodiment, the side walls 860 and 870 converge as they extend from the front end 806 towards the rear end 807 of the block 800. As noted above, the side walls 860 and 870 are spaced twelve (12) inches apart where they joint with the first and second outer walls 830 and 840 of the front wall 815 to form the pivot joints 867 and 877. The side walls 860 and 870 are spaced nine (9) inches apart where they join with the side ends 851 and 852 of the rear end 807 of the block 800, respectively. However, it should be understood that the broad aspects of the invention are not limited to a block with converging side walls 860 and 870. The broad aspect of the inventive block design are also applicable to a block with parallel side walls.
The block 800 has a triangular shaped core 879 spanning horizontally through the body 805 of the block. The core 879 extends from one side 860 of the block 800 to the other 870, and forms triangular shaped openings in the side walls. The core 879 reduces the weight of the block 800 and forms handholds in the sides 860 and 870 of the block. The core 879 is formed by a bottom wall and two angled side walls. The length of the core 879 and its respective walls are substantially parallel to the central wall 820 of the front end 806 of the block 800.
The block 800 has an upper surface 880 shown in
The block 800 has a lower or bottom surface 890 shown in
Two lugs 901 and 902 are integrally formed at the rear end 807 of the block 800. The lugs 901 and 902 are spaced apart so that each lug is located at one of the ends or corner 851 and 852 of the rear end 807 of the block 800. A portion of the lugs 901 and 902 extend down from the lower surface 890 of the block 800. The lugs 901 and 902 are generally parallel to each other, and perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces 880 and 890. Although these lugs or abutment mechanisms 901 and 902 are shown and described as lugs, it should be understood that they can take on a number of shapes or structures such as a column, shaft or post. Although the lugs 901 and 902 are shown at the rear corners 851 and 852 of the 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 901 and 902 are separated by or straddle the recess 853. Each lug 901 and 902 has a lug wall 903 that has a circular shape with a rearmost point 904 and a front most point 905. The distance between the rearmost and front most points 904 and 905 of the lug 901 or 902 define a thickness or diameter dimension Lth of each lug, which is preferably about 1½ inches. In the preferred embodiment, each lug 901 and 902 has a center point or axis that lies in the same plane as the 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 and rearmost points 905 and 904 are formed by a flat surface. Each lug 901 or 902 has a forward setback portion 906 with a corresponding forward facing setback wall 907, and a rearward reinforcement portion 908 with a corresponding rearward facing reinforcement wall 909. The setback portion 906 is the portion of each lug 901 or 902 forward of the recess wall 854. The reinforcement portion 908 is the portion of each lug 901 or 902 rearward of the recess wall 854. Each lug 901 and 902 has a bottom surface 910 that is parallel to and is spaced about a half (½) inch below the lower surface 880 of the block 800. The wall 903 of each lug 901 and 902 includes an outside wall portion 912 that faces away from the recess 853, and an inside wall portion 913 that faces toward and helps form the recess. The outer walls 912 of each lug wall 903 flushly joins the back end 863 and 873 of its respective side wall 860 and 870. The inside portion 913 or the lug wall 903 joins with its respective end 857 and 858 of the recess wall 854. These recess joints are rounded to form a ⅜ inch radius curve. The front most points 905 of the two lugs 901 and 902 define a setback line 915 that is substantially parallel to the center wall 820 at the front end 806 and the recess wall 854 at the rear end 807 of the block. The forward-most point 904 is about ¾ inch in front of the recess wall 854.
Like-shaped blocks 200 are used to form a straight or serpentine wall 950 as shown in
An upper course 951 of blocks 800 is placed on top of its immediately lower course 952. The lugs 901 and 902 of the blocks 800 in the upper course 951 are received by the recesses 853 of blocks in the immediately lower course 952. The lugs 901 and 902 are placed in abutting engagement with the recess wall 854. The lower surface 890 of the blocks 800 in the upper course 951 lay flushly against and in parallel alignment with the upper surface 880 of the blocks in the lower course 952. As best shown in
The blocks 800 forming the upper course 951 are preferably horizontally staggered relative to the blocks forming its immediate lower course 952. Each block 800 in the upper course 951 is preferably laterally staggered about half the width of the block relative to the two blocks upon which it lays in the lower course 952. When placed in this staggered relationship, the recess 853 of a first lower block 800 in the lower course 952 receives the right lug 902 of an upper block in the upper course 951 and the left lug 901 of a second upper block in the upper course. The front most point 904 of the lugs of the upper blocks in the upper course 951 abuttingly engages the recess wall 854 of the first and second adjacent blocks in the lower course 852 upon which the upper block lays or rests. The block 800 in the upper 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 in
When building a serpentine wall, one of the lugs 901 or 902 of some of the block 800 can be removed to avoid discontinuities in the wall pattern and create a smooth serpentine 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 the wall 950 should not be significantly affected by occasionally removing one of the lugs 901 or 902. As should be evident, this single type of like-shaped block 800 is used to construct a variety of retaining wall layouts or patterns. The end block 800 of a course can be split along grooves 856 and 896. One half of the block is positioned at an end of the lower course 952. The second half of the split block 800 is placed on the opposite end of the row to complete a staggered upper course 951.
As noted above, the distance between the foremost point 904 of the lugs 901 and 902 and the recess wall 854 defines the setback dimension Sb. In this regard, the distance between the forward most point 904 and the rearmost point 905 of the lug 901 and 902 does not control the setback.
The recess wall 854 has a continuous linear shape from one side 880 of the block to the other 870, particularly along its top end 855. The continuous linear shape of the recess wall 854 allows the block to receive one of the lugs 901 or 902 of a mating upper block 800 at any point along the recess wall between its ends 857 and 858. This linear shape of the 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 901 and 902 remains constant even when the blocks are angularly aligned to form a curved wall. Although a point of the lug wall 903 other than the front most point 904 abuttingly engages the recess 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 the outer walls 830 and 840 of the multi-faceted front wall 815 can vary, or the facets can be eliminated so that the front wall 815 has a single planar surface from one outer end 833 to the other 843. Additionally, several grooves can be formed in the block 800 to allow smaller or larger portions of the block to be split off to form the end blocks of each course 951 and 952 to accommodate different amounts of stagger.
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.
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.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60228517 | Aug 2000 | US | |
| 60224471 | Aug 2000 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 09940562 | Aug 2001 | US |
| Child | 10945846 | Sep 2004 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 09928125 | Aug 2001 | US |
| Child | 10945846 | Sep 2004 | US |
