Interlocking masonry wall block

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interlocking masonry wall block having two spaced lugs or projections and a cooperating recess or channel that enable like-shaped blocks to be stacked in a staggered relation to form straight and serpentine walls that are particularly suited for landscaping applications. In one embodiment, the lugs are located proximal the sides of the block and extend from an upper surface of the block. The channel is formed in a lower surface of the block. In another embodiment, the lugs are located at the rear corners of the block and extend below the lower surface of the block. The recess is formed in the rear end of the block between the lugs. Like-shaped blocks are stacked in a staggered relation so that each block is stacked atop two immediately lower blocks. In each embodiment, the lugs and their cooperating channel or recess define a setback dimension.

1 . An interlocking masonry wall block for use with other like-shaped blocks to form a multi-tiered wall having at least one lower tier with first and second lower blocks, said interlocking masonry wall block comprising: 
 a block having upper and lower surfaces, front and rear ends and first and second sides, said upper and lower surfaces being substantially parallel, and said front end having a front wall;    first and second spaced apart projections extending from said upper surface of said block, said first projection being formed integrally with said block and proximal to said first side, said second projection being formed integrally with said block and proximal to said second side, each of said projections having a rearward facing setback wall, and each of said setback walls being spaced a predetermined distance from said front wall;    a recess formed in said lower surface of said block, said recess forming a forward facing recess wall, said recess wall being substantially parallel to said front wall, said recess wall being forward of and spaced apart from said setback walls of said projection a predetermined setback dimension; and    wherein said block is adapted to stack atop the first and second lower blocks in a staggered relation, said recess of said block being adapted to receive the first projection of the first lower block and the second projection of the second lower block, the setback walls of the lower blocks abuttingly engaging said recess wall of said block, said front wall of said block being set back from the front wall of each of the lower blocks a distance substantially equal to said setback dimension.    
   
   
       2 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said projections are lugs and said recess is a channel, and said channel is formed by said forward facing recess wall and a rearward facing wall.    
   
   
       3 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 2 , 
 wherein each of said lugs has a setback portion and a reinforcement portion, each of said setback portions forming said rearward facing setback wall, and said rearward facing setback walls defining a setback line substantially parallel to said recess wall.    
   
   
       4 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 2 , 
 wherein each of said lugs has a forward facing wall, each of said forward facing walls being spaced apart from its said rearward facing wall a predetermined lug thickness dimension, and said rearward facing recess wall being spaced apart from said forward facing recess wall a predetermined channel width dimension, said predetermined lug thickness dimension being substantially equal to said predetermined channel width dimension, and wherein said channel is adapted to completely receive the lugs of the lower blocks upon which said block is stacked.    
   
   
       5 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 4 , 
 wherein each of said setback wall and forward wall of each lug has an arcuate shape, and said setback wall has a rearward point located most rearward said recess wall, and said setback dimension is a distance between said rearward point and said recess wall.    
   
   
       6 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 5 , 
 wherein said rearward points of said lugs define said setback line.    
   
   
       7 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 6 , 
 wherein said setback wall and forward wall of each lug combine to form a lug wall having a circular shape.    
   
   
       8 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said channel extends from said first side to said second side of said block.    
   
   
       9 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said front wall is a faceted front wall formed by a central wall and first and second outer walls, said central wall having opposed ends and each of said outer walls having inner and outer ends, each of said inner ends joining with one of said opposed ends to form a separate facet in said front wall, each of said outer walls being angling toward said rear end, and said recess wall being substantially parallel to said central wall.    
   
   
       10 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 9 , 
 wherein said first side has a first side wall and said second side has a second side wall, each of said side walls having forward and rearward ends, said forward end of said first side wall joining with said outer end of said front wall to form a first pivot joint, and said forward end of said second side wall joining with said outer end of said front wall to form a second pivot joint, said pivot joints forming a line that is substantially parallel to said front and recess walls, and wherein horizontally adjacent blocks in the wall abuttingly engage at said pivot joints.    
   
   
       11 . The interlocking masonry wall block of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said front wall, side walls, lug walls and recess wall are substantially perpendicular to said upper and lower surfaces.