Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face... – With joining means of dissimilar material and separate from...
Reissue Patent
1993-06-11
2001-07-17
Safavi, Michael (Department: 3504)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face...
With joining means of dissimilar material and separate from...
C052S604000, C052S607000, C052S608000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037278
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention is directed to the field of wall blocks and block wall construction. The blocks are of the type used to make inclined retaining walls to secure terraces and embankments.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Conventional retaining walls are used to secure earth embankments against sliding and slumping. Retaining walls are made of various types of concrete, solid masonry, wood ties, bricks, and blocks of stone and concrete. The blocks are placed in rows and superimposed on top of each other to form a wall. Examples of blocks used in the construction of retaining walls are shown by Heinzmann in U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,123 and Scheiwiller in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,551. These patents disclose a plurality of block elements stacked on each other and located in rows to form retaining walls. The block elements have tongue and groove structures which allow adjacent rows of blocks to interengage each other to form generally upright walls. The block elements also have hollow interiors with open tops and bottoms for accommodating soil and plants. Solid walls use considerable amounts of material. They are also expensive and require considerable time and labor to construct. Block walls are satisfactory where the pressure behind the wall is not too great or the slope not to steep as the blocks are not connected together. The disadvantages of the prior retaining walls are overcome with the wall blocks of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The invention relates to a retaining wall block for constructing a wall structure with a plurality of wall blocks interconnected together. The wall blocks are placed side-by-side and stacked on top of each other to form the wall structure. The wall structure can have a variety of shapes, such as linear, concave and convex curved, serpentine and circular to conform to the landscape utilization. The wall block can be made in miniature form and used as a construction toy. The wall structure is made of blocks formed from high density concrete. Each block has an attractive and decorative exterior face. A wall structure can be made with a plurality of interlocking wall blocks without the use of special tools with a minimum of time and labor. The wall block when used to construct a retaining wall is self-anchoring and provides an effective structure to retain the earth, including steep slopes, in a desired location.
The retaining wall block has a body that has a convex curved front face which is the exterior surface of the block. The external face of the block can be smooth, serrated, horizontally grooved, vertically grooved, diagonally grooved, checkerboard or have an aggregate appearance. The block can be made of high density concrete that may be of any desired color including gray or earth tones and the like. The body has generally flat top and bottom surfaces so that the rows of blocks can be stacked or superimposed on top of each other. The adjacent rows of blocks are connected together with pins. Each block has holes to accommodate the pins. Rows of blocks overlap each other so that each block is pinned to a pair of adjacent blocks.
In one embodiment of the retaining wall block, the body of the block has a pair of pockets located adjacent the opposite side walls thereof. The side walls extend rearwardly and taper inwardly from opposite ends of the front face. Holes located adjacent the pockets are used to accommodate pins that interconnect the adjacent courses of blocks set together. The side walls of the body are joined to a neck that terminates in the head. The head has oppositely directed anchoring ears. In addition to the anchoring ears, the body and neck are provided with upright openings to accommodate fill to facilitate the retention of the wall blocks in an earth embankment. The wall blocks of adjacent courses of the wall structure overlap each other. Pins extended through the holes in the body project into the pockets of the adjacent blocks to interlock the wall blocks together. The objects and advantages of the wall block and wall structure of the invention and additional advantages thereof are embodied in the drawings and following detailed description thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 126547 (1872-05-01), Hickcox
patent: 228052 (1880-05-01), Frost
patent: D. 237704 (1975-11-01), Lane
patent: 566924 (1896-09-01), Morrin
patent: 810748 (1906-01-01), Haller et al.
patent: 1092621 (1914-04-01), Worner
patent: 1414444 (1922-05-01), Straight
patent: 1456498 (1923-05-01), Binns
patent: 1727363 (1929-09-01), Bone
patent: 2011531 (1935-08-01), Tranchell
patent: 2235646 (1941-03-01), Schaffer
patent: 2882689 (1959-04-01), Huch et al.
patent: 2963828 (1960-12-01), Belliveau
patent: 3036407 (1962-05-01), Dixon
patent: 3252287 (1966-05-01), Suzuki
patent: 3274742 (1966-09-01), Paul et al.
patent: 3390502 (1968-07-01), Carroll
patent: 3430404 (1969-03-01), Muse
patent: 3557505 (1971-01-01), Kaul
patent: 3936987 (1976-02-01), Calvin
patent: 3995434 (1976-12-01), Kato et al.
patent: 4016693 (1977-04-01), Warren
patent: 4110949 (1978-09-01), Cambiuzzi et al.
patent: 4207718 (1980-06-01), Schaaf et al.
patent: 4208850 (1980-06-01), Collier
patent: 4228628 (1980-10-01), Schlomann
patent: 4229123 (1980-10-01), Heinzmann
patent: 4312606 (1982-01-01), Sarikelle
patent: 4324508 (1982-04-01), Hilfiker et al.
patent: 4335549 (1982-06-01), Dean, Jr.
patent: 4454699 (1984-06-01), Strobl
patent: 4496266 (1985-01-01), Ruchstuhl
patent: 4524551 (1985-06-01), Schweiwiller
patent: 4572699 (1986-02-01), Rinninger
patent: 4658541 (1987-04-01), Halle
patent: 205452 (1939-12-01), None
patent: 2414202 (1975-10-01), None
patent: 3401629 (1984-07-01), None
patent: 170113 (1986-02-01), None
patent: 392474 (1908-11-01), None
patent: 1360872 (1964-04-01), None
patent: 2216823 (1974-08-01), None
patent: 336-2 (1871-12-01), None
patent: 1385207 (1974-12-01), None
patent: 2127872A (1984-12-01), None
patent: 84735 (1920-06-01), None
Standard Load Bearing Wall Tile; p. 11; The Hollow Building Tile Assoc. Jan. 1924.*
Concrete Masonry Pictorial, vol. 33, No. 3C; 1977; p. 35.*
Standard Load Bearing Wall Tile; 1924, The Hollow Building Tile Assoc.*
Paving Stone New Look with Old World Charm; Besser Co. Bulletin—Feb. 1985.*
“How Big Is A Block” from May-Jun. 1972 issue of Building Standards.
Keystone Retaining Wall Systems
Safavi Michael
LandOfFree
Retaining wall block does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Retaining wall block, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Retaining wall block will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2446173