Retaining wall containing wall blocks with weight bearing pads
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wall block comprising:
- a block body with a front face opposed to a compound shaped rear face, opposed first and second side surfaces, and an upper surface opposed to a lower surface, the compound shape of the rear face of the block body having at least first and second rearmost surfaces, the first rearmost surface being spaced a first distance from the first side surface and the second rearmost surface being spaced a second distance from the second side surface, the first distance being different from the second distance, the compound shape of the rear face of the block body having at least two recessed surfaces, the at least two recessed surfaces being opposed from the front face; and
at least first and second weight bearing surfaces extending a height from at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body, the at least first and second weight bearing surfaces having a planar surface, the planar surface of each weight bearing surface being one of an uppermost or lowermost surface of the block,wherein the block body has a front portion extending from the front face to the at least two recessed surfaces of the compound shaped rear face and a rear portion extending from the at least two recessed surfaces to the at least first and second rearmost surfaces of the compound shaped rear surface and wherein the at least first and second weight bearing surfaces extend along at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body from the front portion of the block body to the rear portion of the block body beyond the at least two recessed surfaces of the compound shaped rear face.
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Abstract
A retaining wall having a plurality of courses of retaining wall blocks including a first upper course and a second lower course. Each retaining wall block has opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and opposed and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, and at least one weight bearing pad extends from one of the upper and lower surfaces. The at least one weight bearing pad extends substantially from the rear face to the front face of the block. The weight bearing pads are the only areas of contact between the blocks in the first upper course and the blocks in the second lower course.
61 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A wall block comprising:
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a block body with a front face opposed to a compound shaped rear face, opposed first and second side surfaces, and an upper surface opposed to a lower surface, the compound shape of the rear face of the block body having at least first and second rearmost surfaces, the first rearmost surface being spaced a first distance from the first side surface and the second rearmost surface being spaced a second distance from the second side surface, the first distance being different from the second distance, the compound shape of the rear face of the block body having at least two recessed surfaces, the at least two recessed surfaces being opposed from the front face; and at least first and second weight bearing surfaces extending a height from at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body, the at least first and second weight bearing surfaces having a planar surface, the planar surface of each weight bearing surface being one of an uppermost or lowermost surface of the block, wherein the block body has a front portion extending from the front face to the at least two recessed surfaces of the compound shaped rear face and a rear portion extending from the at least two recessed surfaces to the at least first and second rearmost surfaces of the compound shaped rear surface and wherein the at least first and second weight bearing surfaces extend along at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body from the front portion of the block body to the rear portion of the block body beyond the at least two recessed surfaces of the compound shaped rear face. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A wall block system comprising:
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at least one wall block having a block body with a front face opposed to a compound shaped rear face, opposed first and second side surfaces, and an upper surface opposed to a lower surface, the compound shape of the rear face of the block body having at least first and second rearmost surfaces, the first rearmost surface being spaced a first distance from the first side surface and the second rearmost surface being spaced a second distance from the second side surface, the first distance being different from the second distance, the compound shape of the rear face of the block body having at least two recessed surfaces, the at least two recessed surfaces being opposed from the front face, and at least first and second weight bearing surfaces extending a height from at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body, the at least first and second weight bearing surfaces having a planar surface, the planar surface of each weight bearing surface being one of an uppermost or lowermost surface of the block, wherein the block body has a front portion extending from the front face to the at least two recessed surfaces of the compound shaped rear face, and a rear portion extending from the at least two recessed surfaces to the at least first and second rearmost surfaces of the compound shaped rear surface and wherein the at least first and second weight bearing surfaces extend along at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body from the front portion of the block body to the rear portion of the block body beyond the at least two recessed surfaces of the compound shaped rear face; and a connector for coupling a first block to a second block. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A wall comprising a plurality of courses of wall blocks including a first upper course and an adjacent second lower course, a plurality of the wall blocks having a block body with a front face opposed to a compound shaped rear face, opposed first and second side surfaces, and an upper surface opposed to a lower surface, the compound shape of the rear face of the block body having at least first and second rearmost surfaces, the first rearmost surface being spaced a first distance from the first side surface and the second rearmost surface being spaced a second distance from the second side surface, the first distance being different from the second distance, the compound shape of the rear face of the block body having at least two recessed surfaces, the at least two recessed surfaces being opposed from the front face, and at least first and second weight bearing surfaces extending a height from at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body, the at least first and second weight bearing surfaces having a planar surface, the planar surface of each weight bearing surface being one of an uppermost or lowermost surface of the block,
wherein the block body of the plurality of wall blocks has a front portion extending from the front face to the at least two recessed surfaces of the compound shaped rear face and a rear portion extending from the at least two recessed surfaces to the at least first and second rearmost surfaces of the compound shaped rear surface and wherein the at least first and second weight bearing surfaces extend along at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body from the front portion of the block body to the rear portion of the block body beyond the at least two recessed surfaces of the compound shaped rear face and wherein the at least first and second weight bearing surfaces of the plurality of wall blocks are positioned on the block body such that the lower surface of the block body of at least some of the wall blocks of the first upper course are spaced the height of the weight bearing surfaces from the upper surface of the block body of at least some of the wall blocks of the adjacent second lower course.
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14. A wall block comprising a block body having opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and opposed and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, the rear face having at least first and second rearmost surfaces, the block body having at least two recessed surfaces opposing the front face and being inset towards the front face from the at least first and second rearmost surfaces of the rear face, the block body having a front portion extending from the front face to the at least two recessed surfaces and a rear portion extending from the at least two recessed surfaces to the at least first and second rearmost surfaces;
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at least one weight bearing surface extending a height from one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body and extending a length along one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body from the front portion of the block body beyond the at least two recessed surfaces to the rear portion of the block body. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification