U.S. patent application number 12/585583 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-03 for retaining wall block and system.
This patent application is currently assigned to SCI Materials. Invention is credited to Steven C. Counts, Harold Rodebaugh.
Application Number | 20100132298 12/585583 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42221539 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100132298 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rodebaugh; Harold ; et
al. |
June 3, 2010 |
Retaining wall block and system
Abstract
A retaining wall block for an engineered block retaining wall
system having an integrally formed head, neck and body, in which
one generally planar front face of the body forms a visible part of
the wall, the body having two pin holes, two clean out holes, each
of which terminates within the body of the block, and two pin
receiving openings, the pin receiving openings being configured to
receive a free end of a lock pin provided in a pin hole of a block
placed there under so as to interlock the blocks with a
predetermined setback. The pin holes and pin receiving openings
being positioned such that a plane extending perpendicular to the
generally planar front face passes through one, and only one, of
said pin holes or said pin receiving openings.
Inventors: |
Rodebaugh; Harold; (Ocala,
FL) ; Counts; Steven C.; (Ocala, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIDSON BERQUIST JACKSON & GOWDEY LLP
4300 WILSON BLVD., 7TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22203
US
|
Assignee: |
SCI Materials
Ocala
FL
|
Family ID: |
42221539 |
Appl. No.: |
12/585583 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11905680 |
Oct 3, 2007 |
|
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12585583 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/603 ; 405/284;
52/604 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D 29/025
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/603 ; 52/604;
405/284 |
International
Class: |
E04B 2/18 20060101
E04B002/18; E04B 2/20 20060101 E04B002/20 |
Claims
1. A retaining wall block having a top surface and a bottom surface
and a generally planar front face designed to form a portion of a
front wall of a modular retaining wall system comprising: a body
portion having said generally planar front face; a neck portion; a
head portion; said body, neck and head portions being integrally
formed and each having a defined width, said width of said body
portion being greater than said width of said head portion, and
said width of said head portion being greater than said width of
said neck portion, said neck portion formed to have an opening
extending from said top surface to said bottom surface, said
opening dividing said neck portion to define two legs which connect
said head portion to said body portion; first and second openings
in said body portion extending between said top and said bottom
surfaces defining first and second lock pin receiving openings; and
first and second pin holes in said body portion and opening on said
top surface, said pin holes being designed to accept a lock pin,
said pin holes terminating within said body; and first and second
clean out holes provided in the body portion below the first and
second pin holes, said clean out holes being designed to avoid
blockage of said pin holes by accumulation of debris said first and
second clean out holes terminating within said body at least a half
of an inch above said block bottom surface; wherein said first and
second openings in said body portion are each configured to receive
a free end of a lock pin provided in a pin hole of a block placed
thereunder so as to interlock the blocks with a predetermined
setback, and wherein a plane extending perpendicular to said
generally planar front face passes through one of said pin holes or
said pin receiving openings.
2. The retaining wall block of claim 1 in which said body, neck and
head are formed of poured concrete.
3. The retaining wall block of claim 1 in which said opening in
said neck forms two legs which connect said head to said body
portion, wherein said pin holes and said pin receiving openings are
configured such when said block is interlocked with one or more
blocks thereunder, said legs of said block do not align with a leg
of said block thereunder.
4. The retaining block of claim 1 wherein said body further
includes side walls which taper from said generally planar front
face and said head include first and second ears which can be
removed to facilitate formation of a convex shaped wall.
5. The retaining wall block of claim 1 in which the first and
second clean out holes terminate within said body an inch above
said block bottom surface.
6. The retaining wall block of claim 1 in which the first and
second openings are kidney shaped.
7. The retaining wall block of claim 1 in which said body portion
includes a side surface formed to create an inner angle between a
surface plane created by said side surface and said generally
planar front face not greater than 80 degrees, and said head
portion is limited in length so as to not extend beyond said plane
created by said side surface.
8. A retaining wall block having a top surface and a bottom surface
and a generally planar front face designed to form a portion of a
front wall of a modular retaining wall system comprising: a body
portion having said generally planar front face; a neck portion; a
head portion; said body, neck and head portions being integrally
formed and each having a defined width, said width of said body
portion being greater than said width of said head portion, and
said width of said head portion being greater than said width of
said neck portion, said neck portion formed to have an opening
extending from said top surface to said bottom surface, said
opening dividing said neck portion to define two legs which connect
said head portion to said body portion; said wall block having an
axis of symmetry extending perpendicular to said generally planar
front face and dividing said wall block into two roughly equal
sides and wherein each of said neck portion legs are angled away
from said axis of symmetry such that said opening formed in said
neck portion is in the form of an inverted trapezoid; each of said
neck portion legs including an outer surface, each of said outer
surfaces define a plane; first and second lock pin receiving
openings in said body portion extending between said top and said
bottom surfaces; and first and second pin holes in said body
portion and opening on said top surface, said pin holes being
designed to accept a lock pin, said pin hole terminating within
said body; and first and second clean out holes provided in the
body portion below the first and second pin holes, said clean out
holes being designed to avoid blockage of said pin holes by
accumulation of debris said first and second clean out holes
terminating within said body at least a half of an inch above said
block bottom surface; wherein said first and second openings in
said body portion are each configured to receive a free end of a
lock pin provided in a pin hole of a block placed there under so as
to interlock the blocks with a predetermined setback, and wherein
each of said planes defined by said outer surface of said neck
portion legs extends from said head portion to said body portion of
said wall block at an acute angle to said axis of symmetry and each
of said planes extend through said body portion of said wall block
at a location spaced away from said first and second lock pin
receiving openings and said first and second pin holes.
9. The retaining wall block of claim 8 in which said body, neck and
head are formed of poured concrete.
10. The retaining wall block of claim 8 in which said first and
second pin holes and said first and second clean out holes are
square shaped and designed to receive a square shaped lock pin.
11. The retaining wall block of claim 8 in which said body width is
greater than said head width.
12. The retaining wall block of claim 8 in which said first and
second pin holes and said lock pin receiving openings are
positioned within said body portion of said block between said
planes defined by said outer surfaces of said neck portion legs.
Description
[0001] This is a continuation in part of application Ser. No.
11/905,680, filed Oct. 3, 2007, the contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This relates to the field of retaining walls and the blocks
used to construct retaining walls.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Retaining walls have been traditionally constructed using
natural stone, landscape timbers, masonry block, poured concrete or
railroad ties. More recently, engineered concrete block retaining
systems have been introduced to the market. Those systems,
exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 7,011,474 to MacDonald, do not use
mortar to lock the individual blocks into position but rely instead
on methods of locking blocks into position, including specially
formed pins. These lock pins include a relatively small diameter
body portion that fits into holes formed in the blocks that form a
lower course of a retaining wall and a relatively large diameter
head portion that sits on top of the block. The next course of
block is laid such that the larger diameter head of the lock pin
fits into grooves formed in the bottom of the blocks that form the
next course of block. Thus, the lock pin secures the two courses
together. Other engineered concrete block retaining systems are
shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 34,314, and 4,914,876 (both to
Forsberg); U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,216 (to Sievert); and U.S. Pat. No.
7,168,892 (to MacDonald).
[0004] These products have become popular because they are easy to
install, very durable, and can be used to create structurally sound
retaining walls at great cost savings. We now describe a retaining
wall block that eliminates the need for locking pins having a large
diameter head and small diameter body and reduces the weight of the
engineered retaining wall block while maintaining the structural
integrity of the block and the retaining walls formed of such
blocks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the top surface of a retaining wall
block;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bottom surface of the retaining
wall block illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a retaining wall block;
[0008] FIG. 4 is a top view of three interlocked retaining wall
blocks;
[0009] FIG. 5 is a partial front perspective view of a retaining
wall built of retaining wall blocks;
[0010] FIGS. 6A and 6B are top views of alternate ways of laying a
first course of five retaining wall blocks;
[0011] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a retaining
wall block; and
[0012] FIG. 8 is a plan view of a third embodiment of a retaining
wall block.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EXEMPLARY
EMBODIMENTS
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an engineered retaining wall
block 1 is shown.
[0014] Block 1 is preferably made of pre-cast concrete, although
other suitable materials may be substituted for the concrete. Block
1 has three integrally formed parts, a body 2, a neck 3 and a head
4. The neck 3 connects the body 2 to the head 4. The body 2, neck
3, and head 4 all extend between top surface 5 and a bottom surface
6. The top and bottom surfaces 5 and 6 form planes that are
essentially parallel to one another. Once block 1 is installed as
part of a retaining wall, the forward face 7 of body 2 remains
visible as part of the wall.
[0015] The neck 3 and head 4 are formed to reduce the weight of
block 1, while maintaining structural integrity and support. Body 2
forms the greatest part of block 1, with a width of approximately
one and 1/2 feet, a depth of just over 4 inches, and a height of 8
inches. Neck 3 is long and narrow by comparison. Neck 3 is narrowed
about 4 inches on each side of body 2 so as to remain centered on
body 2 and to create shoulder portions 8 and 9 on each side of body
2. The cross-section of neck 3 is thus reduced to approximately
half the cross-section of body 2. Neck 3 extends approximately five
and 3/4 inches in depth. The weight of neck 3 is further reduced by
forming a rectangular-shaped opening 10 that extends through the
neck 3 from the top surface 5 to the bottom surface 6 of block 1.
Opening 10 is molded to be approximately 5 inches wide and 6 inches
deep, and centered within neck 3. The forward-most wall 11 of
opening 10 is approximately co-planar with shoulders 8 and 9.
[0016] First and second receiving openings 12 and 13 are formed in
the body 2 and extend from the top surface 5 to the bottom surface
6. In the preferred embodiment, each of these openings is
approximately one and 1/8 inches thick and 23/4 inches wide. The
receiving openings 12 and 13 are wide and long enough to ease
installation and to account for variations encountered on-site when
laying a wall. The extension of receiving openings 12 and 13
through block 1 from the top surface 5 to the bottom surface 6
saves material costs and effectively reduces block weight so as to
further ease placement and installation.
[0017] First and second pin holes 14 and 15 are formed in the body
2. These pin holes are approximately 9/16 inches in diameter and
extend approximately 21/2 inches into body 2. These pin holes are
designed to accept insertion of pins which are used to interlock
block 1 in position with one or more blocks placed above. Pin holes
14 and 15 are also formed to include clean out holes 31 and 32,
respectively, which are of smaller diameter than the pin holes 14
and 15. In one embodiment, the clean out holes 31 and 32, shown in
FIGS. 1-3, are round, 7/16 inch in diameter, 21/2 in depth, and are
designed to avoid debris accumulation in pin holes 14 and 15. In
another preferred embodiment, the pin holes 14 and 15 are 5/8 inch
round and extend 41/2 inches deep and the clean out holes 31 ands
32 are 3/8 inch round and 23/4 inches deep. During installation,
pins 16 and 17 are placed into pin holes 14 and 15. FIG. 3 shows
the pins 16 and 17 inserted into block 1. Without clean out holes
14 and 15, debris can accumulate in the pin holes 14 and 15 and
interfere with the proper seating of pins 16 and 17 within the pin
holes.
[0018] The pins 16 and 17 are preferably constructed of fiberglass
dowel of 9/16 inches diameter and 5 inch height. Those of skill in
the art understand that other sizes and constructions would also be
suitable, for example rebar steel or other suitable materials can
be substituted for fiberglass. The pin holes 14 and 15 are placed
relative to the placement of the receiving openings 12 and 13 so
the block 1, when installed, functions together with its neighbors
to provide a structurally sound, engineered retaining wall
system.
[0019] In the preferred embodiment, the rearmost inner walls 18 and
19 of openings 12 and 13, respectfully, are spaced 11/4 inches
forwardly of the forward most wall 11 of opening 10. By contrast,
the pin holes 14 and 15 are positioned 1 inch forward of that same
wall. Through this relative placement, each block 1 is secured in
place on top of the blocks that form the lower course, leaving a
1/4 of an inch setback for each successive course of blocks. The
setback can be strategically greater or less depending on the
appearance of the wall desired. This setback is shown in FIG.
4.
[0020] FIG. 4 also shows how the placement of the pin holes 14 and
15 relative to receiving openings 12 and 13 enhances the structural
integrity by offsetting the pin holes 14 and 15 from the receiving
openings 12 and 13. As best shown in FIG. 4, pin holes 14 and 15
are positioned such that no plane perpendicular to the front face 7
of block 1 ever runs through both pin hole 14 and receiving opening
12 or pin hole 15 and receiving opening 13. Such a plane could run
through one or the other, but not both. As also shown in FIG. 4,
the relative placement of the pin holes and the receiving openings
in body 2 causes the legs 18 and 19 of neck 3 of each successive
course of block 1 to be offset. Thus, just as the front face 7 of
block 1 will not align with the face of the block above or below
that block, neither leg 18 nor leg 19 of block 1 will not align
with leg 20 of block 100 or leg 21 of block 200. This offset
construction provides structural integrity without interfering with
water drainage through opening 10.
[0021] The assembly of blocks to form a retaining wall is best
described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The lower course of a
wall is formed by blocks 100 and 200. Those blocks are constructed
the same way as block 1, described in connections with FIGS. 1-3,
above. Locking pins 16 and 17 are shown in pin holes 14 and 15 of
block 100 and block 200, respectively. Block 1 is shown on top of
blocks 100 and 200 such that pin 16 in block 100 is engaged with
the rearmost wall 18 of receiving opening 12 and pin 17 in block
200 is engaged with the rearmost wall 19 of receiving opening 13.
FIG. 4 illustrates how block 1 is secured in place so as to create
a minimum setback of approximately 1/4 of an inch while ensuring
leg 18 of block 1 does not align with leg 20 of block 100 below.
This construction provides a 1-2% setback for each successibe
course of wall blocks.
[0022] FIG. 5 shows a retaining wall 30 created by installing block
1 as described in connection with FIG. 4. As those of skill in the
art will appreciate from this drawing, block 1 can be broken in
half to finish wall 30.
[0023] FIG. 1 also shows ear portions 22 and 23 of head 4 and
angled wall portions 24 and 25 of body 2. Ear portions 22 and 23
are formed during the manufacturing process to allow the blocks to
be pushed off conveyor belts during the packing process without
causing the blocks to roll over while being pushed. That is, the
ear portions provide a layer surface to push on when the blocks are
shoved off of conveyor belts during a packing operation.
[0024] During installation, ear portions 22 and 23 can be reduced
in size or knocked off entirely to facilitate placement of a row of
blocks 1 in a convex shaped retaining wall as shown in FIG. 6A. The
ability of block 1 to be formed in a convex wall shape is also
facilitated by the provision of angled side walls 24 and 25 on body
2. As an alternative, block 1 can be placed as shown in FIG. 6B to
create a concave shaped retaining wall. In the case of a convex
shaped retaining wall, the retention of ear portions 22 and 23 is
immaterial. The size, shape and placement of receiving openings 12
and 13 relative to pin holes 14 and 15 facilitates the placement of
block 1 in a concave or convex shaped pattern, while still
providing for setback for each successive block course.
[0025] FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of the invention. In this
embodiment, the pin receiving cavities 42 and 43 are formed by
arcuate walls 44 and 47 in a kidney shape. The block of FIG. 7 also
differs from the block of FIGS. 1-5 in other respects. To
facilitate the creation of a convex wall like that shown in FIG.
6A, the block of FIG. 7 is formed such that side walls 48 and 49 of
the body portion of the block are angled inward to facilitate the
placement of an adjoining block at the angel necessary to create a
convex wall. That inward angle of side wall 48 creates a plane
P.sub.1 which, if extended to the head portion of the block,
defines the outmost extension of ear 50. This reduced length of ear
50 further facilitates the creation of a convex wall shown in FIG.
6A and reduces the need to break off the ear portion 50.
[0026] FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of the invention. In this
embodiment, the block 50 is approximately 8 inches in height from a
top surface 58 to a bottom surface (not shown), 12 inches in depth
and 18 inches in length. Pin holes 52 and 54 are 5/8 inch square,
and clean out holes 53 and 57 are 3/8 inch square. Pin holes 52 and
54 terminate within block 50 approximately 4 inches from the top
surface 58, and the clean out holes terminate within the block
approximately 7 inches from top surface 58. Pin receiving cavities
63 and 64 are depicted as having a generally rectangular shape, but
may be formed in the kidney shape of pin receiving cavities 42 and
43 of FIG. 7 or other suitable shape, such as an inverted triangle.
The legs 55 and 56 of block 50 are angled so as to form an opening
51 having an inverted trapezoidal shape.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 8, the outermost wall 59 of leg 56 extends
between head portion 62 of block 50 and a body portion 61 of that
block such that the plane P.sub.2 created by that wall on one side
of a centerline C.sub.L does not extend through either the pin hole
52 or the pin receiving cavity 63. Similarly, a plane P.sub.3
created by wall 60 on an opposite side of said centerline C.sub.L
does not extent through either the pin hole 54 of the pin receiving
cavity 64. Further, the pin holes 52, 54 and pin receiving cavities
63, 64, are placed so as to be position in the body portion of the
block between the P2 and P.sub.3 planes. In this embodiment, the
wedge shape crated by legs 55 and 56 enables the use of a head
portion 62 that is shorter in overall length than body portion 61
without sacrificing the strength or stability of block 50. This
construction also minimizes the need to trim away any ears formed
on wall block 50 in order to form a convex wall as shown by FIG.
6A.
[0028] Irrespective of the size or shape of the wall constructed by
serial placement of blocks 1 or 50, the depth and resultant
stability of the wall is increased by including both neck 3 and
head 4. In application, openings 10, 41, 51 and the spacing between
legs 18 and 19, 45 and 46, and 55 and 56 of adjacent blocks in the
same row can be filled with gravel to further anchor the wall to
the hillside while facilitating the drainage of water there through
without harm to the integrity of the resulting retaining wall
structure.
[0029] Various aspects of the different embodiments can be combined
in different combinations to create new embodiments. While the
invention has been described in connection with what is presently
considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is
to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the
disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover
various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within
the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *