Retaining block wall, retaining blocks and manufacturing method
A retaining block wall, retaining blocks, and a retaining block manufacturing method result in a structural wall with two mechanical interlocks and water management systems.
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There is a significant need for structurally sound and aesthetically attractive retaining walls made from manufactured blocks. In the past, natural stone boulders, cinder blocks, and other inferior blocks have been used with limited success.
SUMMARYA retaining block wall, retaining blocks and a related manufacturing method have been invented.
The retaining wall block itself may include a combination of one or more of the following features:
- (a) a hollow core to facilitate water migration within the interior of a wall made of the blocks, from top to bottom, via gravity flow;, and which makes the block lighter and uses less concrete to manufacture than a solid block,
- (b) a water trough at the bottom of the blocks so that any wall constructed using the blocks has incorporated within it a water trough to move water away from the retaining wall, thus mitigating the effects of hydraulic pressure and erosion, allowing water to go into a drainage device if desires, such as a gravel field, perforated pipe, etc.,
- (c) an integral top nub and bottom receptacle on the blocks so that blocks, once stacked into a retaining wall, are mechanically interlocked by the block material itself and without the need for separate connecting mechanisms such as rebar, etc.,
- (d) location of the nub on the top of each block and the receptacle on the bottom of each block so that no special blocks are needed for construction of the bottom of a retaining wall,
- (e) the receptacle (for an interconnecting nub) being formed on the blocks as a lateral groove across the block so that workers can assemble the blocks with any desired offset,
- (f) the nub and receptacle being formed with a predetermined batter, such as 5 degrees (about 9 percent) to facilitate the blocks being used to form a high wall with ample structural integrity,
- (g) an integral core on a wall formed by the blocks, the wall having sloped walls, the walls sloping from narrow to wide from top to bottom so that gravel will completely fill the block cores if gravel is used, thereby creating a mechanical interlock by way of gravel interference between vertically adjacent blocks,
- (h) angular side walls on the blocks so that they can readily be used for constructing retaining walls with non-planar shapes, and
- (i) an outer wall aesthetic pattern in order to present an attractive view in a finished retaining wall.
A retaining block wall made using the blocks will have these and other features that distinguish them from the prior art.
Referring to
Referring to
As desired, the front face of the blocks may include an aesthetic design 101g and 102g to create an attractive retaining wall when construction is complete.
The retaining wall blocks are stackable to create a structurally sound retaining wall. Location of the nub and receptacle features for a predetermined batter, such as 5 degrees, facilitate the blocks being used to form a high wall with structural integrity. The blocks may have an internal core that has sloped walls if desired, the walls sloping from narrow to wide from top to bottom so that the vertical columns created by those voids will fill completely with gravel or other fill material, thereby creating a second mechanical interlock mechanism by way of gravel or fill interference between vertically adjacent blocks. The blocks may be manufactured with angled sides so that they can readily be used to build retaining walls with non-planar shapes.
An example of dimensions of the blocks is 2′×4′×3′ (height×length×depth). This has been found to provide excellent structural integrity. Use of a ration of block depth to height, where the block depth is at least 125% of block height, or at least about 150% of block height, contributes to stability, as do the mechanical interlock of the nub and receptacle as well as the second mechanical interlock of the fill material such as gravel.
Use of blocks with hollow cores permits installation of fencing directly on top of a wall made from the blocks. With prior art devices, fences were often offset from the retaining wall, resulting in loss of usable real estate, difficulties with lawn mowing and upkeep, and aesthetic impairment.
Referring to
As depicted, the mold may be used to form a block in face-down fashion. This facilitates formation of an aesthetic pattern with deep relief on the block and allows air bubbles to rise away from the block face.
The mold may be made from any desired material, such as metal, wood, plastic, composites or other materials. The mold geometry can be adjusted to create the desired tapers, channels, nubs and receptacles on the finished retaining wall blocks.
When in use, the mound forms a block by a particular method which can be altered per the user's requirements. Example steps in the method include obtaining a suitable mold, placing the mold core into the mold, placing concrete into the mold, allowing the concrete to cure into a retaining wall block, removing the mold core from the mold, pivoting the mold sides away from the block, and removing the block from the mold. The mold core may be moved into place in the mold interior with a pivot and pivot frame, with a track and rollers and bearings, or by use of both. The mold core may be tightened into place and may be forced out of place, as needed.
While the present invention has been described and illustrated in conjunction with a specific embodiment, those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the principles of the invention as herein illustrated, described, and claimed. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment is to be considered in all respects as only illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
Claims
1. A retaining wall comprising:
- a plurality of retaining wall blocks,
- said retaining wall blocks being arranged in a series of at least two rows,
- each of said rows of blocks including retaining wall blocks laterally adjacent to each other,
- at least some of said retaining wall blocks having a hollow core within it, said hollow core being generally vertically oriented within each block, with hollow cores from vertically adjacent blocks from different rows being arranged generally above and below each other respectively, so that from top to bottom on said retaining wall a hollow column in formed by the hollow cores of retaining wall blocks,
- said hollow column being capable of permitting water which may have migrated from soil retained by the wall to run from the top of said retaining wall to the bottom of said retaining wall,
- at least some of said retaining wall blocks having a channel at their bottoms, said channels from laterally adjacent blocks together forming a water trough that can permit the movement of water away from the retaining wall,
- an integral top nub on at least a plurality of said retaining wall blocks,
- a bottom receptacle on at least a plurality of said retaining wall blocks, and
- said receptacles being configured to permit placoncrete of said nub therein so that once stacked into a retaining wall, the blocks create a first mechanical interlock between them from the material of the block as a result of said nub and receptacle formation.
2. A retaining wall as recited in claim 1 wherein said hollow columns are capable of permitting water to run into said trough so that it may proceed away from said retaining wall thus mitigating the effects of hydraulic pressure and erosion.
3. A retaining wall as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a plurality of said receptacles are formed on said blocks as a lateral groove across the bottoms of said blocks.
4. A retaining wall as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said nubs and receptacles are formed with a predetermined batter facilitate the blocks being used to form a high wall with ample structural integrity.
5. A retaining wall as recited in claim 1 wherein said hollow cores of said retaining wall blocks have interior walls, said walls being sloped narrow to wide from top to bottom to facilitate filling with a filler material.
6. A retaining wall as recited in claim 5 wherein said filter material creates a second mechanical interlock between vertically adjacent blocks so that when said hollow columns contain a filler material by virtue of mechanical interference between the filler material and said blocks,
7. A retaining wall as recited in claim 6 wherein said filler material includes gravel.
8. A retaining wall as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said blocks have angular exterior side walls so that they can be used for constructing retaining walls with non-planar shapes.
9. A retaining wall as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a plurality of said blocks include an outer wall aesthetic pattern in order to present an attractive appearance in a finished retaining wall.
10. A retaining wall comprising:
- a plurality of retaining wall blocks,
- said retaining wall blocks being arranged in a series of at least two rows,
- each of said rows of blocks including retaining wall blocks laterally adjacent to each other,
- at least some of said retaining wall blocks having a hollow core within it, said hollow core being generally vertically oriented within each block, with hollow cores from vertically adjacent blocks from different rows being arranged generally above and below,
- low each other respectively, so that from top to bottom on said retaining wall a hollow column in formed by the hollow cores of retaining wall blocks,
- said hollow column being capable of permitting water to run from the top of said retaining wall to the bottom of said retaining wall, a
- t least some of said retaining wall blocks having a channel at their bottoms, said channels from laterally adjacent blocks together forming a water trough that can permit the movement of water away from the retaining wall,
- an integral top nub on at least a plurality of said retaining wall blocks,
- a bottom receptacle on at least a plurality of said retaining wall blocks,
- said receptacles being configured to permit concrete of said nub therein so that once stacked into a retaining wall, the blocks create a first mechanical interlock between them from the material of the block as a result of said nub and receptacle formation;
- wherein said hollow columns are capable of permitting water to run into said trough so that it may proceed away from said retaining wall thus mitigating the effects of hydraulic pressure and erosion;
- wherein at least a plurality of said receptacles are formed on said blocks as a lateral groove across the bottoms of said blocks;
- wherein a plurality of said nubs and receptacles are formed with a predetermined batter facilitate the blocks being used to form a high wall with ample structural integrity;
- wherein said hollow cores of said retaining wall blocks have interior walls, said walls being sloped narrow to wide from top to bottom to facilitate filling with a filler material;
- wherein said filter material creates a second mechanical interlock between vertically adjacent blocks so that when said hollow columns contain a filler material by virtue of mechanical interference between the filler material and said blocks;
- wherein said filler material includes gravel;
- wherein a plurality of said blocks have angular exterior side walls so that they can be used for constructing retaining walls with non-planar shapes; and
- wherein at least a plurality of said blocks include an outer wall aesthetic pattern in order to present an attractive appearance in a finished retaining wall.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 15, 2013
Publication Date: Oct 1, 2015
Applicant: Verti-Crete, LLC (Sandy, UT)
Inventor: Michael Sharp (Highland, UT)
Application Number: 13/815,900