US 4,229,123 AGranted

Inclined retaining wall and element therefor

OwnerErich Heinzmanninventor

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Abstract

An inclined retaining wall for retaining and securing the slope of an inclined piece of terrain comprises a plurality of horizontal rows of prism-shaped elements, which rows of elements are superimposed one upon the other in a relationship staggered rearwardly in upward direction. The elements of each row are spaced relative to one another leaving gaps therebetween, and a base at the foot of said inclined piece of terrain supports a lowermost row of the elements. Each element of a superimposed one of the said rows bridges a corresponding gap in the next adjacent row therebeneath and is aligned in an inclined series with an element in any second row therebeneath or thereabove. Some or all elements have a hollow soil-fillable interior open at the top end and at the bottom end of such element, whereby plants planted in the soil at the open top end of one of these elements can extend their roots through the open bottom end of that element into the soil therebeneath. These elements are usable in upright position in the retaining wall, each element comprising a casing having a hollow soil-fillable interior open at the top end and the bottom end of the element, a front wall of the casing being destined to face away from the slope, side walls and a rear wall, and rampart means on the face of the rim of the open top end being positioned centrally on the said front wall of the element.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An inclined retaining wall secured to the soil of a slope of an inclined piece of terrain for covering, retaining and securing said slope, said wall being adapted for having plants planted therein and permitting the roots of said plants to grow downward into the soil of said slope, said wall comprising a plurality of horizontal rows of prism-shaped elements, said rows of elements being superimposed one upon the other in a relationship staggered rearwardly in upward direction, said elements of each row being spaced relative to one another leaving gaps therebetween, a concrete or stone base at the foot of said slope on which base a lowermost row of said elements is supported, each element of superimposed one of said rows bridging a corresponding gap in the next adjacent row therebeneath and being aligned in an inclined series with an element in any second row therebeneath or thereabove;

each of said prism-shaped elements comprising:
(a) a casing having a hollow soil-fillable interior open at the top end and the bottom end of said elememt, a front wall zone of said casing being destined to face away from said slope, and said casing further comprising side wall zones adjacent said front wall zone, and a rear wall zone, and
(b) rampart means at least on the face of the rim of said open top end, protruding upwardly above said rim face and being positioned centrally on said front wall zone, said rampart means extending rearwardly from said central position on said rim face on the rims of said side wall zones;
the two ends of said rampart means on said rim face about said open top end of the casing forming steps with the remaining part of the said rim face which steps comprise abutment faces perpendicular to the last-mentioned rim face and destined to face toward the slope, all the remaining portion of said rim face on the top open end of said casing to the rear of said perpendicular abutment faces extending in a single horizontal plane, and the rim face about the open bottom end of said element being in a single horizontal plane.

1 more element

An inclined retaining wall secured to the soil of a slope of an inclined piece of terrain for covering, retaining and securing said slope, said wall being adapted for having plants planted therein and permitting the roots of said plants to grow downward into the soil of said slope, said wall comprising a plurality of horizontal rows of prism-shaped elements, said rows of elements being superimposed one upon the other in a relationship staggered rearwardly in upward direction, said elements of each row being spaced relative to one another leaving gaps therebetween, a concrete or stone base at the foot of said slope on which base a lowermost row of said elements is supported, each element of a superimposed one of said rows bridging a corresponding gap in the next adjacent row therebeneath and being aligned in an inclined series with an element in any second row therebeneath or thereabove;

each of said prism-shaped elements comprising:
(a) a casing having a hollow soil-fillable interior open at the top end and the bottom end of said element, a front wall zone of said casing being destined to face away from said slope, and said casing further comprising side wall zones adjacent said front wall zone, and a rear wall zone, and
(b) rampart means at least on the face of the rim of said open top end, protruding upwardly above said rim face and being positioned centrally on said front wall zone, said rampart means extending rearwardly from said central position on said rim face on the rims of said side wall zones;
the two ends of said rampart means on said rim face about said open top end of the casing forming steps with the remaining part of the said rim face which steps comprise abutment faces perpendicular to the last-mentioned rim face and destined to face toward the slope, all the remaining portion of said rim face on the top open end of said casing to the rear of said perpendicular abutment faces extending in a single horizontal plane, and the rim face about the open bottom end of said element being in a single horizontal plane, whereby each element of a superimposed row can bridge a gap between a first and a second supporting element in a row therebelow by resting with its bottom rim face in the top one of said side wall zones, the rearward portion of the rim face on said first supporting element and with its bottom rim face in its other side wall zone on the rearward portion of the top rim face of the second supporting element, while abutting with its front wall zone near its bottom end against perpendicular abutment faces on the top end rim faces of said first and of said second supporting elements adjacent the gap between the latter two elements, and while the open bottom end of said superimposed element is in free communication with the soil surface of said slope.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.