Composite masonry block

• US 6,312,197 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anchor Wall Systems (CRH PLC)
• Original Assignee: Anchor Wall Systems (CRH PLC)
• Inventors: Woolford, Michael E., Sievert, Dick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAGMAN, FREDERICK LYNDON
• Application Number:
  US09/665,231
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 405/286, 405/284, 405/262, 526/11, 526/08
• US Class Current: 405/286
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 17/0027 Accessories for obtaining rubblestones
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/0097 Press moulds; Press-mould and press-ram assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/162 for building blocks or similar block-shaped articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3421 Cooking pop-corn
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3494 Microwave susceptor B65D2581/3487 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/026 Splittable building elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 1/395 for claustra, fences, planting walls, e.g. sound-absorbing pots for vertical horticulture A01G9/022

Abstract

The present invention includes block molds and manufacturing processes as well as a composite masonry block comprising a block body having an irregular trapezoidal shape and comprising a front surface and back surface, an upper surface and a lower surface, and first and second sidewalls. Both the first and second sidewalls have a first and second part, the sidewall first part extends from the block front surface towards the block back surface at an angle of no greater than ninety degrees in relationship to the block front surface, and sidewall second part surfaces adjoins and lies between the sidewall first parts and the block back surface. The block also has a flange extending from the block back surface past the height of the block. Also disclosed are landscaping structures such as a retaining wall comprising a plurality of the composite masonry blocks of the present invention.

Claims

1. A retaining wall block suitable for use in forming a pinless, mortarless retaining wall, said block comprising:

(a) a pair of substantially parallel and planar upper and lower faces;

(b) a front face joining the upper and lower faces, and which is substantially perpendicular to the upper face at the intersection of the front face and the upper face;

(c) a rear face which is substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower faces;

(d) a pair of side faces joining the front and rear faces, the side faces being substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower faces and including rearwardly converging portions, wherein a line drawn on the upper face through the point where the rearwardly converging portions begin is substantially parallel to a line drawn through the points where the side faces join the rear face;

(e) a flange extending below the lower face of the block, said flange having a rear face which is substantiallly an extension of the rear face of the block, said flange further including a front locking surface which intersects the lower face of the block; and

(f) wherein the upper face is substantially solid and continuous throughout its extent.

2. The retaining wall block of claim 1, wherein the front face is substantially perpendicular to the lower face at the intersection of the front face and the lower face.

3. A retaining wall block suitable for use in forming a pinless, mortarless retaining wall, said block comprising:

a) a pair of substantially parallel and planar upper and lower faces, wherein the upper face is substantially solid and continuous throughout its extent;

b) a front face joining the upper and lower faces, and which is substantially perpendicular to the upper face at the intersection of the front face and the upper face;

c) a rear face which is substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower faces;

d) a pair of side faces joining the front and rear faces, the side faces being substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower faces and including rearwardly converging portions; and

e) a flange extending below the lower face of the block, said flange being formed adjacent to the rear face of the block, said flange further including a front locking surface which intersects the lower face of the block.

4. A block suitable for forming a serpentine wall by dry stacking multiple blocks in successive, overlying, set back courses, said block comprising:

a) a block body including opposed top and bottom faces, opposed front and back faces, and opposed left and right side walls, said block body being free of cores extending through the body from top to bottom, from front to back, or from side wall to side wall;

said front face being generally vertical;

said top face being generally horizontal;

said top and bottom faces intersecting the front face, and being configured to facilitate substantially parallel alignment between the top face of a block and the top face of blocks in adjacent courses; and

each of said side walls comprising a first part and a second part, said first parts including portions that diverge as they extend rearwardly, said second parts lying between their respective associated first parts and the back face, and including portions that converge as they extend rearwardly; and

b) a flange formed on the block body adjacent to the back face of the block body, and extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the block body, said flange including a forward facing locking surface located forward of the back face of the block body, said locking surface being adapted to engage the back face of an adjacent block in the next lower course, thereby establishing the desired course-to-course set back.

5. The block of claim 4 in which the flange extends from the left side wall to the right side wall.

6. The structure formed by dry stacking a plurality of the blocks of claim 4 in at least two courses.

7. A molded retaining wall block suitable for use in forming a mortarless retaining wall when stacked in multiple courses with other identical retaining wall blocks, said block comprising:

(a) a generally horizontal, planar upper surface which is free of cores and recesses;

(c) a lower surface suitable for engaging the planar upper surface of an adjacent block to maintain a parallel relationship between successive courses of blocks when the blocks are stacked together to form a wall;

(c) a front face that is generally vertical and generally planar over a substantial portion of the front face and which is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface at the intersection of the front face and the upper surface;

(d) a rear face;

(e) a pair of generally vertical side faces joining the front and rear faces, said side faces each having rearwardly converging side portions;

(f) a flange extending below the lower face of the block to provide a surface suitable for engaging the block with the rear face of a different block in the course below the said block to thereby provide a set-back to a retaining wall constructed from such block; and

(g) wherein the block is free of cores extending through the block from side face to side face.

8. A molded retaining wall block suitable for use in forming a mortarless retaining wall when stacked in multiple courses with other identical retaining wall blocks, said block comprising:

(a) a generally horizontal, plane upper surface which is free of cores and recesses;

(b) a lower surface suitable for engaging the planar upper surface of an adjacent block to maintain a parallel relationship between successive courses of blocks when the blocks are stacked together to form a wall;

(c) a front face that is generally vertical over a substantial portion of the front face and which is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the intersection of the front face and the upper surface;

(d) a rear face;

(e) a pair of generally vertical side faces joining the front and rear faces, said side faces each having rearwardly converging side portions;

(f) a flange extending below the lower face of the block to provide a surface suitable for engaging the block with the rear face of a different block in the course below the said block to thereby provide a set-back to a retaining wall constructed from such block; and

(g) wherein the block is free of cores extending through the block from side face to side face.