Block with multifaceted bottom surface

#This invention relates generally to the construction of retaining walls used in landscaping applications. Such walls are used to provide lateral support between differing ground levels where the change in one elevation to the other occurs over a relatively short distance, thereby reducing the possibility of erosion and landslides. Retaining walls can be both functional and decorative and range from small gardening applications to large-scale construction. They are constructed of a variety of materials and shapes. Some have been constructed of wood timbers, others of rock in a natural form (such as limestone). Still others have been constructed of manufactured aggregate or concrete blocks. The present invention relates to a manufactured block.

#Constructing a fit and true retaining wall can be an arduous endeavor. In addition to laying a level first course on ground which is usually located at the foot or in the side of a steep embankment, the builder must ensure that each subsequent course is level. An error made in a lower course usually gets exaggerated as higher courses are stacked above it. As a wall made of blocks necessarily develops somewhat of a grid-like appearance, interruptions or undulations in the lines of the wall become readily apparent to the human eye.

#One particular problem the prior art has failed to overcome is developing a retaining wall block shaped to avoid these undulations and interruptions which are caused by blocks being stacked on dirt or debris found on the upper surface of the lower course of blocks. Dirt presents itself as a result of the fill material used to fill the gap between the rear of the wall and the earth it is being built to retain. This fill material usually consists of small, coarse rocks. They serve as a barrier between the earth and the wall and prevent wet earth from seeping through the bricks of the wall during inclement weather. Present wall building methods include laying a course of blocks, filling the space behind the course with fill material, packing the fill material, and carefully sweeping the dirt off of each completed course prior to the addition of the next course. This final, sweeping step is time consuming but necessary to ensure the next course of blocks lies flat on the lower course.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a block of the present invention, looking up at the bottom to reveal the details of the bottom surface;

#FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the block of the present invention taken along lines 2—2 of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the block of the present invention taken along lines 3—3 of FIG. 1 and shown with other blocks in phantom, stacked, as in a retaining wall;

#Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structures. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined only by the claims.

#Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a retaining wall block 10 having a front surface 12, side surfaces 14a and 14b extending rearwardly from front surface 12 and integral with rear surface 16. Top surface 18 is generally planar and continuous across its extents. Top surface 18 extends from side surface 14a to side surface 14b, and from front surface 12 to rear surface 16. Preferably, top surface 18 is generally perpendicular to side surfaces 14a and 14b, and also to front surface 12 and rear surface 16.

#In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9, front surface 12 comprises three parts, 12a, 12b, and 12c. Part 12c is generally parallel to rear surface 16 and lies between parts 12a and 12b. Parts 12a and 12b are angled such that the extend from part 12c and diverge rearwardly to meet side surfaces 14a and 14b, respectively. Parts 12a, 12b, and 12c are shown as split faces as opposed to formed faces. Creating a face with a rock splitter results in an irregular, more natural appearing surface. Also shown in the Figures is a rear surface 16 which has a smaller width than front surface 12 such that side surface 14a and 14b must converge rearwardly in order to be integral with rear surface 16. This shape allows the construction of straight, concave, convex, or serpentine walls without interrupting the relatively uniform appearance created by the front surfaces 12 of a plurality of blocks 10 forming a wall.