Apparatus and system for constructing a vertical wall from interlocking blocks

Abstract

An apparatus and system for constructing a vertical wall provides an overlapping arrangement secured by internally disposed rods.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:  
     
         1 . An interlocking block for constructing a vertical wall, the interlocking block having a top surface and a bottom surface, a front face and a rear face, and a first end and a second end, 
 said first end having a first tongue extending away from one of the bottom surface and the top surface, said first tongue having a first medial surface and a first means for interlocking in operative association with the first medial surface and the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and    said second end having a second tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said second tongue having a second medial surface and second means for interlocking in operative association with the second medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface,    whereby, the first medial surface of a first interlocking block can be joined in a face to face relationship with the second medial surface of another interlocking block, and the first means for interlocking can be operatively associated with the second means for interlocking, to form at least a portion of a tier of the vertical wall.    
     
     
         2 . The interlocking block of  claim 1 , wherein the first means for interlocking comprises a first passageway extending from the first medial surface to the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and the second means for interlocking comprises a second passageway extending from the second medial surface to the one of the bottom surface and the top surface.  
     
     
         3 . The interlocking block of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first passageway and the second passageway is adapted for use in receiving a rod.  
     
     
         4 . The interlocking block of  claim 2 , wherein the first passageway and the second passageway are collinear.  
     
     
         5 . The interlocking block of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface and the bottom surface lie in parallel planes.  
     
     
         6 . The interlocking block of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the first medial surface and the second medial surface lie in parallel planes.  
     
     
         7 . The interlocking block of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface and the bottom surface lie in horizontal planes.  
     
     
         8 . The interlocking block of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the first medial surface and the second medial surface lie in horizontal planes.  
     
     
         9 . The interlocking block of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front face and the rear face have a textured appearance resembling one of a plurality of stacked horizontally disposed stones, timbers, boards, logs, and bricks.  
     
     
         10 . The interlocking block of  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking block is made of one of a molded plastic, including blow molded, roto molded and injection molded.  
     
     
         11 . A system to build a vertical wall from a plurality of interlocking blocks, the system comprising: 
 i. a plurality of interlocking blocks, each having a top surface and a bottom surface, a front face and a rear face, and a first end and a second end, the first end having a first tongue extending away from one of the bottom surface and the top surface, said first tongue having a first medial surface and a first means for interlocking in operative association with the first medial surface and the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and the second end having a second tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said second tongue having a second medial surface and second means for interlocking in operative association with the second medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface,    ii. means for securing the first medial surface of a first interlocking block in a face to face relationship with the second medial surface of another interlocking block, to form at least a portion of a tier of the vertical wall.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of the at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall can be stacked to form at least a portion of a multi-tiered vertical wall.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall has a first unjoined end and a second unjoined end, 
 the first unjoined end having a first tongue extending away from one of the bottom surface and the top surface, said first tongue having a first medial surface and a first means for interlocking in operative association with the first medial surface and the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and    the second unjoined end having a second tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said second tongue having a second medial surface and second means for interlocking in operative association with the second medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface,    whereby, the first medial surface of a first at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall can be joined in a face to face relationship with the second medial surface of another at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall, and the first means for interlocking can be operatively associated with the second means for interlocking, to form at least an extended portion of a tier of the vertical wall.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein a plurality of the at least an extended portion of the tier of the vertical wall can be stacked to form at least an extended portion of a multi-tiered vertical wall.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first means for interlocking comprises a first passageway extending from the first medial surface to the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and the second means for interlocking comprises a second passageway extending from the second medial surface to the other of the bottom surface and the top surface.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first passageway and the second passageway is adapted for use in receiving a rod.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first passageway and the second passageway are collinear.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the means for securing comprises at least one rod, each of the at least one rod being arranged in one of a series of the first passageway and the second passageway that are collinearly disposed.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least an extended portion of a multi-tiered vertical wall has an unjoined end edge with at least one gap that is adjacent to each of the first medial surface of a first at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall that is unjoined in a face to face relationship with the second medial surface of another at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall, and 
 further comprising at least one filler section, each at least one filler section adapted for use in filling one of the at least one gap, each at least one filler section having a third passageway,    each said at least one filler section being disposed in one of the at least one gap, with the third passageway thereof being disposed in a collinear relationship with the first passageway and the second passageway, and    wherein each said at least one filler section that is disposed in one of the at least one gap, with the third passageway thereof being disposed in a collinear relationship with the first passageway and the second passageway, is secured in said one of the at least one gap with the at least one rod disposed therein.    
     
     
         20 . An interlocking block for constructing a vertical wall, the interlocking block having a top surface and a bottom surface, a front face and a rear face, and a first end and a second end, 
 said first end having a first tongue extending away from one of the bottom surface and the top surface, said first tongue having a first medial surface and a first means for interlocking in operative association with the first medial surface and the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and    said first end having a primary tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said primary tongue having a primary medial surface and a first means for interlocking in operative association with the primary medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface,    said second end having a second tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said second tongue having a second medial surface and second means for interlocking in operative association with the second medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, and    said second end having a secondary tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said secondary tongue having a secondary medial surface and second means for interlocking in operative association with the secondary medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface,    whereby, the first medial surface of a first interlocking block can be joined in a face to face relationship with the second medial surface of another interlocking block, and the first means for interlocking can be operatively associated with the second means for interlocking, to form at least a portion of a tier of the vertical wall.    
     
     
         21 . The interlocking block of  claim 20 , wherein the first means for interlocking comprises a first passageway extending from the first medial surface to the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and the second means for interlocking comprises a second passageway extending from the second medial surface to the one of the bottom surface and the top surface.  
     
     
         22 . The interlocking block of  claim 21 , wherein each of the first passageway and the second passageway is adapted for use in receiving a rod.  
     
     
         23 . The interlocking block of  claim 21 , wherein the first passageway and the second passageway are collinear.  
     
     
         24 . The interlocking block of  claim 20 , wherein the top surface and the bottom surface lie in parallel planes.  
     
     
         25 . The interlocking block of  claim 20 , wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the first medial surface and the second medial surface lie in parallel planes.  
     
     
         26 . The interlocking block of  claim 20 , wherein the top surface and the bottom surface lie in horizontal planes.  
     
     
         27 . The interlocking block of  claim 20 , wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the first medial surface and the second medial surface lie in horizontal planes.  
     
     
         28 . The interlocking block of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the front face and the rear face have a textured appearance resembling one of a plurality of stacked horizontally disposed stones, timbers, boards, logs, and bricks.  
     
     
         29 . The interlocking block of  claim 20 , wherein the interlocking block is made of one of a molded plastic, including blow molded, roto molded and injection molded.  
     
     
         30 . A system to build a vertical wall from a plurality of interlocking blocks, the system comprising: 
 a. a plurality of interlocking blocks, each having a top surface and a bottom surface, a front face and a rear face, and a first end and a second end, 
 said first end having a first tongue extending away from one of the bottom surface and the top surface, said first tongue having a first medial surface and a first means for interlocking in operative association with the first medial surface and the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and  
 said first end having a primary tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said primary tongue having a primary medial surface and a first means for interlocking in operative association with the primary medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface,  
 said second end having a second tongue extending away from one of the bottom surface and the top surface, said second tongue having a second medial surface and second means for interlocking in operative association with the second medial surface and the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and  
 said second end having a secondary tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said secondary tongue having a secondary medial surface and second means for interlocking in operative association with the secondary medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface,  
   b. means for connecting the first end of a first interlocking block to the second end of another interlocking block, to form at least a portion of a tier of the vertical wall.    
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein 
 a. the first means for interlocking comprises one of a first passageway extending from the first medial surface to the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and a primary passageway extending from the primary medial surface to the other of the bottom surface and the top surface;    b. the second means for interlocking comprises one of a second passageway extending from the second medial surface to the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and the secondary medial surface to the other of the bottom surface and the top surface; and    c. the means for connecting comprises at least one rod and at least one connecting block, said connecting block being elongated and having two parallel holes extending transversely from an upper surface to a lower surface and adapted to receive the rod, 
 whereby, a first end of the connecting block can be disposed between the first tongue and the primary tongue and one of its two parallel holes can be aligned with the first passageway and the primary passageway to receive one of the at least one rod, and the other end of the connecting block can be disposed between the second tongue and the secondary tongue and the other of its two parallel holes can be aligned with the second passageway and the secondary passageway to receive another of the at least one rod.  
   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein a plurality of the at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall can be stacked to form at least a portion of a multi-tiered vertical wall.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein each of the at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall has a first unjoined end and a second unjoined end, 
 the first unjoined end having a first tongue extending away from one of the bottom surface and the top surface, said first tongue having a first medial surface and a first means for interlocking in operative association with the first medial surface and the one of the bottom surface and the top surface, and    the first unjoined end having a primary tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said primary tongue having a primary medial surface and a first means for interlocking in operative association with the primary medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface,    the second unjoined end having a second tongue extending away from one of the bottom surface and the top surface, said second tongue having a second medial surface and second means for interlocking in operative association with the second medial surface and the one of the bottom surface and the top surface,    the second unjoined end having a secondary tongue extending away from the other of the bottom surface and the top surface, said secondary tongue having a secondary medial surface and second means for interlocking in operative association with the second medial surface and the other of the bottom surface and the top surface,    whereby, the first unjoined end of a first at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall can be connected with the means for connecting to the second unjoined end of another at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall, and the first means for interlocking can be operatively associated with the second means for interlocking, to form at least an extended portion of a tier of the vertical wall.    
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein a plurality of the at least an extended portion of the tier of the vertical wall can be stacked to form at least an extended portion of a multi-tiered vertical wall which can be secured by the means for connecting.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein each of the first passageway and the second passageway is adapted for use in receiving a rod.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the first passageway and the second passageway are collinear.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the means for connecting comprises at least one rod, each of the at least one rod being arranged in one of a collinear series of the first passageway and the second passageway.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the at least an extended portion of a multi-tiered vertical wall has an unjoined end edge with at least one gap that is adjacent to each of the first medial surface of a first at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall that is unjoined in a face to face relationship with the second medial surface of another at least a portion of the tier of the vertical wall, and 
 further comprising at least one filler section, each at least one filler section adapted for use in filling one of the at least one gap, each at least one filler section having a third passageway,    each said at least one filler section being disposed in one of the at least one gap, with the third passageway thereof being disposed in a collinear relationship with the first passageway and the second passageway, and    wherein each said at least one filler section that is disposed in one of the at least one gap, with the third passageway thereof being disposed in a collinear relationship with the first passageway and the second passageway, is secured in said one of the at least one gap with the at least one rod disposed therein.