Interlocking retaining walls blocks and system
AssigneeWestblock Products, Inc.
InventorJames Hammer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A retaining wall system is constructed in several distinct layers. Each layer is formed of a side-by-side arrangement of I-shaped subassemblies with backfill cheers defined between each pair of subassemblies. Each subassembly is constructed of generally planar elongated concrete blocks which interconnect to laterally secure the blocks to one another. Interconnections are provided by dovetail joints in which a tongue is vertically slid into a groove to prevent lateral separation. The dovetail elements extend only partially across the face of each block so that the block defining the groove is not excessively weakened by the groove.
Claims15
A retaining wall comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected blocks, each having a dovetail element connected to a dovetail element of another of the blocks,
- the interconnected blocks being arranged in generally horizontal layers including a second layer above a first layer wherein each block has upper and lower surfaces defined by parallel planes entirely containing the block with the upper surfaces of blocks of the first layer supporting the lower surfaces of blocks of the second layer, such that the layers are not vertically interlocked,
- each layer having a predetermined height,
- each of the blocks having a height substantially equal to the height of the later in which it resides,
- each later having at least one exposed face and extending rearwardly from the face to a predetermined depth, the depth of the first later being greater than the depth of the second layer, such that the wall is stabilized against toppling.
A retaining wall subassembly formed of a plurality of blocks interconnected at dovetail joints, the subassembly comprising:
- a face block with an exposed front face surface;
- a first tail block connected to the face block by a trunk block and spaced apart rearwardly from the face block by a first distance, the tail block having a width greater than the width of the trunk block and less than the width of the face block;
- and
- a second tail block connected to the first tail block and spaced apart rearwardly from the face block by a second distance greater than the first distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.