Retaining wall block and methods for making and installing same
OwnerJon Calleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retaining wall block includes a through hole for receiving a post that extends through the block and into a pocket formed by the sidewalls of a pair of blocks in a lower row of blocks. A fixture is installed in the pocket for receiving a lowermost end of the post. The posts form a personnel barrier. A mold for forming the blocks includes an optional, removeable divider plate for forming individual blocks or, if the divider plate is omitted, for forming a pair of opposing blocks to enable split faces. A vehicle and corresponding method transporting and assembling retaining wall block includes a crane.
Claims14
A retaining wall formed of man-made retaining wall blocks, the retaining wall comprising:
- plural courses of retaining wall blocks including at least an upper course and a lower course, the retaining wall blocks of the upper course being laterally offset from the retaining wall blocks of the lower course;
- each one of the retaining wall blocks having:
- a body, a front face, a rear face, a top face, and a bottom face that is opposite the top face;
- each body forming one or more pockets therein;
- and
- an aperture formed in the retaining block body and extending through the top face and the bottom face;
- plural posts, the posts extending through the apertures of the upper course of retaining wall blocks and extending into the pockets of the lower course of retaining wall blocks on which the upper course is installed;
- and
- plural post fixtures, the fixtures located in the pockets such that the fixtures receive the posts;
- the fixtures being configured to support lower portions of the posts;
- whereby the plural posts form a personnel barrier at the retaining wall.
A method of forming a personnel barrier at a retaining wall during construction of the retaining wall, comprising the steps of:
- laying plural courses of retaining wall blocks including laying an upper course of retaining wall blocks on a lower course of retaining wall blocks, the upper course being laterally offset from the lower course;
- each one of the retaining wall blocks having a body and pockets formed by the body, the body having an aperture formed from an upper surface of the body to the lower surface of the body, and
- inserting posts through the apertures of the retaining wall blocks of the upper course;
- the posts extending upwardly relative to the upper course and extending downwardly into fixtures located in the pockets of the lower course such that the fixtures support a lower portion of the posts;
- whereby the plural posts form a personnel barrier at the retaining wall.
A retaining wall block for forming a mortarless retaining wall, the retaining wall block comprising:
- a body, a front face, a rear face, a top face, and a bottom face that is opposite the top face;
- the body forming one or more pockets therein, the body defining a pair of wings on which the rear face is formed;
- and
- a locking protrusion located on one of the top face and the bottom face and a locking recess located on an other one of the top face and the bottom face;
- the locking protrusion and the locking recess being located and configured such that the locking protrusion of a first block engages the locking recess of a second block when the retaining wall blocks are installed in courses;
- wherein:
- each one of the pair of wings has a split line formed therein, the split line providing a weakening in the corresponding wing enabling a distal portion of the wing to be broken away at the split line, thereby shortening the lateral dimension of the rear face of retaining wall block;
- the body has a through-hole formed therein through the top face and the bottom face;
- and
- the body is configured such that the through-hole of an upper course retaining wall block is in-line with the pocket of a lower course retaining wall block when the locking protrusion is engaged with the locking recess, thereby enabling a post to be inserted through the through-hole of the upper course retaining wall block and into the pocket of the lower course retaining wall block.
-23. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.