Hydraulic and earth engineering – Earth treatment or control – Rock or earth bolt or anchor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-18
2001-09-11
Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Earth treatment or control
Rock or earth bolt or anchor
C405S284000, C405S286000, C052S603000, C052S604000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287054
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plantable wall block assembly comprising a plurality of modular wall blocks with connectors therefor, and retaining walls constructed therewith including geogrid reinforcing sheet material, where necessary.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modular wall block assemblies for construction of retaining walls are frequently used for architectural and site development applications. Since the wall facing must sometimes withstand very high pressures exerted by backfill soils, reinforcement and stabilization of the soil backfill is commonly provided by grid-like sheet materials, known as geogrids, that are placed in layers in the soil fill behind the wall face to interlock with the fill and create a stable reinforced soil mass. Connection of the reinforcing materials to the elements forming the wall holds the wall and elements in place and resists soil backfill pressures.
Superimposed courses of wall blocks are staggered laterally to facilitate interlocking superior wall blocks with those they overly. Many modular wall block assemblies are provided with means to adjust the stepped-back relationship of superior courses to enable the walls to be constructed with the front faces of the wall blocks vertically aligned or set back to angle the relationship of the wall to the foundation.
Often times, it is desired to provide plant-receiving cavities in the forward portions of modular wall blocks for aesthetic purposes and/or to minimize erosion of the soil fill material. One example of a plantable wall block is seen in Dawson U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,384 wherein the design of the block enables limited selectivity in set-back with the principal plant-receiving cavities being provided by the laterally staggered nature of the blocks in superimposed courses.
An earlier version of a retaining wall formed from a plantable wall block is seen in Giardini U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,706 wherein the blocks are stepped-back by the selective engagement of a depending flange on the front wall of superior blocks in one of a plurality of spaced notches in the side walls of inferior blocks. Blocks of this nature are difficult to store because the flanges are easily broken, limiting the usefulness of such a system.
The plantable wall block assembly seen in Jansson U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,865 relies on an elongated tensioning member passing through blocks in the various courses to tie the wall together, an obvious tedious and difficult construction. While Jansson does provide for means to secure a geogrid to the retaining wall, the connection relies solely on the weight of superimposed wall blocks, a construction particularly subject to damage during a seismic event, such as an earthquake, or the like. Miller et al U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,564,525 and 5,595,460 show comb-like connectors adapted to mechanically interlock geogrid or the like to selected modular wall block to preclude such problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this instant invention to provide a plantable wall block assembly and retaining walls constructed therefrom which do not rely principally on the blocks themselves for interlocking engagement between portions of blocks in superimposed staggered courses, nor does it rely principally on the blocks themselves to provide means for securing geogrid or other tie-back sheets to the retaining wall in a positive manner.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a plantable wall block assembly which comprises both cementitious wall blocks and discrete connector elements to selectively secure wall blocks to each other in a plantable retaining wall with the angle of the retaining wall relative to the foundation adjustable to meet specific requirements.
Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a plantable wall block assembly wherein plant-receiving cavities are incorporated in the forward portions of the blocks so that, when a retaining wall is formed therefrom, plants may be used to decorate and strengthen the retaining wall against erosion.
The foregoing and other such advantages are provided with the plantable wall blocks of this invention which have generally open top and bottom surfaces with a hollow void between them, suitable for the construction of reinforced and unreinforced retaining walls while allowing for the growth of plants carried by the blocks. Various complementary connectors and connector-receiving means are provided to allow for the selectable relative positioning of superimposed blocks, interconnected by the connectors in a variety of staggered positions to permit the retaining wall to have various set-back angles using the same block design.
The preferred modular wall block of this invention is formed by a front wall, two side walls and a rear wall, major portions of the front and the rear walls being generally parallel and portions of the side walls also being generally parallel to each other and to the block central axial vertical plane. All walls are upright include top and bottom surfaces which are generally parallel, even though certain portions of these surfaces may advantageously lay on different planes.
It has been found advantageous to place connectors on portions of the side walls of the blocks which are parallel to each other and to the axial vertical center plane of the block so that the blocks of different courses may be positioned at varying staggering positions without having to use blocks having different designs for each different set-back angle. Thus, each lateral or side wall of the block has parallel intermediate portions which preferably extend for substantially the same length, or, at least, have the same or substantially the same working length.
In one embodiment of this invention, these portions of the side walls include transverse, horizontally-extending recesses adapted to receive portions of connecting devices which may be used to secure geogrid to the blocks and which also provide a basic point for selectively locating a pair of staggered superimposed blocks at a given set-back angle. It is to be understood, however, that it is within the scope of this invention for the devices connecting the grid to the block and the devices connecting the blocks to each other to be different.
Another form of connecting means is more like a saddle and interengages with one of two or more pairs of vertically-extending slots or grooves formed on the inside and outside of the parallel portions of the wall block side walls to enable the blocks in succeeding courses to be selectively stepped-back from blocks which they overly.
From the description of the block of this invention it will be readily appreciated that the unique features which characterize this block allow for the construction of a wide variety of plantable walls using one block structure and that the block described herein is optimised by way of its weight, placement in use and construction features.
Further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the accompanying drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
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Bazzocchi Augusto
Egan Philip D.
Taylor Philip M.
Atlantech International Inc.
Bagnell David
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
Lagman Frederick L.
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