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US 6,641,334 B2Granted
Composite masonry block
AssigneeAnchor Wall Systems, Inc.
InventorMichael E. Woolford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention is a composite masonry block having a front surface and a back surface which are adjoined by first and second side surfaces, as well as a top surface and a bottom surface. Each of the side surfaces has an inset extending from the block top surface to the block bottom surface. The block top surface has one or more protrusions positioned adjacent the first and second insets on the block top surface. The block also has a protrusion which has an angled side wall, the angle being at least about 20° from vertical. The protrusion is positioned on the block so that it will mate with any opening of an adjacently positioned course. In use, the blocks may be stacked to provide an interlocking structure wherein the protrusions of one block interfit or mate within the insets of another block.
Claims31
A retaining wall block suitable for production on automated masonry manufacturing equipment employing a concrete mixture comprising water in a concentration range of between about 1% and about 6% by weight, said block comprising:
- a block body having a front, a back, a top, a bottom, and first and second sides, wherein the block body front comprises a front surface that has a roughened texture, said block body top and said block body bottom being configured so that when a plurality of like blocks are stacked in ascending courses to form a wall, at least a portion of the bottom of the blocks in an upper course rest upon at least a portion of the top of the adjacent blocks in the next lower course so that the tops of the blocks in said upper course are generally horizontal;
- a first inset in said first side extending from said block top to said block bottom,
- a second inset in said second side extending from said block top to said block bottom,
- one or more locator protrusions formed integrally with the block body and located on said block body top or on said block body bottom,
- wherein at least a portion of each locator protrusion is adapted to fit within an inset on a block in an adjacent course of blocks when a plurality of the blocks are stacked in ascending courses to form a wall, each locator protrusion having a smaller front-to-back dimension than the front-to-back dimension of its corresponding inset so that when a plurality of the blocks are stacked in ascending courses, portions of the insets and locator protrusions of adjacent blocks in adjacent courses contact each other in a shear-resisting position in which interference between the locator protrusions and insets resist the tendency of a block in the upper course to slide forwardly in response to the anticipated forces that will be exerted on the block by retained earth, and in which there is not interference between the locator protrusions and insets that will resist at least some rearward shifting of the upper course block;
- and wherein the locator protrusions and insets are sized and shaped to permit relative rotation of the insets and protrusions to thereby facilitate the construction of serpentine walls while maintaining said shear-resisting position.
3 more elements
A retaining wall block comprising:
- a front surface having a rough texture, a back surface, a top surface having at least a contact portion thereof that is generally horizontal and generally planar, a bottom surface having at least a contact portion thereof that is generally horizontal and generally planar and that is configured and adapted to rest upon the contact portion of the top surface of a like block when a plurality of like blocks are stacked in ascending courses, and first and second sides,
- a first inset in said first side, and a second inset in said second side, each said inset being delimited by a front wall and a back wall that each extend inwardly towards the opposite side, and a wall interconnecting said front and back walls, said front, back and interconnecting walls each having a height that is substantially equal to the distance between said generally horizontal and generally planar contact portions of said top surface and said bottom surface, and
- one or more locator protrusions integrally formed on said top or bottom surface,
- wherein each locator protrusion is adapted to fit within an inset on a block in an adjacent course of blocks when a plurality of like blocks are stacked in ascending courses to form a retaining wall so that the insets and locator protrusions of adjacent blocks in adjacent courses contact each other in a shear-resisting position in which interference between the locator protrusions and insets resist the tendency of a block in the upper course to slide forwardly in response to the anticipated forces that will be exerted on the block by retained earth, and in which there is not interference between the locator protrusions and insets that will resist at least some rearward shifting of the upper course block;
- and wherein the locator protrusions and insets are sized and shaped to permit relative rotation of the insets and protrusions to thereby facilitate the construction of serpentine walls while maintaining said shear-resisting position.
2 more elements
A retaining wall block comprising:
- a front surface having a rough texture, a back surface, a top surface having at least a contact portion thereof that is generally horizontal and generally planar, a bottom surface having at least a contact portion thereof that is generally horizontal and generally planar and that is configured and adapted to rest upon the contact portion of the top surface of a like block when a plurality of like blocks are stacked in ascending courses, and first and second sides,
- a first inset in said first side, and a second inset in said second side, each said inset being delimited by a front wall and a back wall that extend inwardly towards the opposite side, and a curved wall interconnecting said front and back walls, said front, back and curved walls each having a height that is substantially equal to the distance between said generally horizontal and generally planar contact portions of said top surface and said bottom surface, and
- a locator protrusion integrally formed on said top or bottom surface, wherein said locator protrusion comprises first and second curved end sections between which is positioned a joining section,
- wherein said locator protrusion is adapted to fit within an inset on a block in an adjacent course of blocks when a plurality of the blocks are stacked in courses to form a retaining wall, and wherein said locator protrusion has a smaller front-to-back dimension than the front-to-back dimension of its corresponding inset so that when a plurality of the blocks are stacked in ascending courses, the insets and locator protrusions of adjacent blocks in adjacent courses contact each other in a shear-resisting position in which interference between the locator protrusions and insets resist the tendency of a block in the upper course to slide forwardly in response to the anticipated forces that will be exerted on the block by retained earth, and in which there is not interference between the locator protrusions and insets that will resist at least some rearward shifting of the upper course block;
- and wherein the locator protrusions and insets are sized and shaped to permit relative rotation of the insets and protrusions to thereby facilitate the construction of serpentine walls while maintaining said shear-resisting position.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.