Interlocking masonry wall block

Abstract

Single masonry units mate with like units to build straight walls, inside curves, outside curves and most any angle corners and maintains finish on all exposed surfaces. The interlocking fastening system provides simple construction and automatic wall alignment.

1 . A masonry wall block for forming a retaining wall comprising: 
 a body having a front wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls, each of the walls having inside and outside surfaces and upper and lower surfaces, the inside surfaces of the walls forming an open core having a width, the upper surfaces of the walls forming an upper surface of the body, and the lower surfaces of the walls forming a lower surface of the body, and    first and second projections extending from the lower surface of the body, the first projection extending from the lower surface of the first side wall and the second projection extending from the lower surface of the second side wall, the core having a width less than 1.25 times the width of the projection,    the first and second projections being adapted for placement within the cavity of an underlying block in the retaining wall.    
   
   
       2 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the outside surface of the front wall is of a linear configuration.    
   
   
       3 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the outside surface of the rear wall is of a linear configuration.    
   
   
       4 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 1 , 
 wherein core is of a non-tapered width.    
   
   
       5 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the core is offset between the front and rear wall outer surfaces.    
   
   
       6 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 1 , 
 wherein core is centered between the front and rear wall outer surfaces.    
   
   
       7 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the first and second projections are offset between the front and rear wall inside surfaces.    
   
   
       8 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the first and second projections are spaced equidistant between the front and rear wall inside surfaces.    
   
   
       9 . A masonry wall block for forming a retaining wall comprising: 
 a body having a front wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls,    each of the walls having inside and outside surfaces and upper and lower surfaces, the inside surfaces of the walls forming an open core, the upper surfaces of the walls forming an upper surface of the body, and the lower surfaces of the walls forming a lower surface of the body, and    first and second projections extending from the lower surface of the body,    the first projection extending from the lower surface of the first side wall and the second projection extending from the lower surface of the second side wall, the first and second projections being adapted for placement within the cavity of an underlying block in the retaining wall,    at least one of the first and second side walls including a score line between the cavity and the respective first or second projection, the score line extending from the front wall outer surface to the rear wall outer surface.    
   
   
       10 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 9 , 
 wherein the core is spaced equidistant between the front and rear wall outer surfaces.    
   
   
       11 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 9 , 
 wherein the core is offset between the front and rear wall outer surfaces.    
   
   
       12 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the first and second projections are offset between the front and rear wall inside surfaces.    
   
   
       13 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the first and second projections are spaced equidistant between the front and rear wall inside surfaces.    
   
   
       14 . A masonry wall block for forming a retaining wall comprising: 
 a body having a front wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls, each of the walls having inside and outside surfaces and upper and lower surfaces, the inside surfaces of the walls forming an open core, the upper surfaces of the walls forming an upper surface of the body, and the lower surfaces of the walls forming a lower surface of the body, and    first and second projections extending from the lower surface of the body, the first projection extending from the lower surface of the first side wall and the second projection extending from the lower surface of the second side wall,    the first and second projections being spaced equidistant between the front and rear wall inside surfaces and adapted for placement within the cavity of an underlying block in the retaining wall so as to provide essentially no setback dimension between the block and the underlying block.    
   
   
       15 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 14 , 
 wherein there is essentially no setback dimension when the first and second projections are placed within the cavity of the underlying block in an abutting relation to the front wall inside surface of the underlying block.    
   
   
       16 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 14 , 
 wherein there is essentially no setback dimension when the first and second projections are placed within the cavity of the underlying block in an abutting relation to the rear wall inside surface of the underlying block.    
   
   
       17 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 14 , 
 wherein the core is spaced equidistant between the front and rear wall outer surfaces.    
   
   
       18 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 14 , 
 wherein the core is offset between the front and rear wall outer surfaces.    
   
   
       19 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 14 , 
 wherein the first and second projections are spaced equidistant between the front and rear wall outside surfaces.    
   
   
       20 . A masonry wall block for forming a retaining wall comprising: 
 a body having a front wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls extending from the front wall to the rear wall, the front wall having a length greater than the length of the rear wall such that the first and second side walls converge toward one another as they extend from the front wall toward the rear wall, each of the walls having inside and outside surfaces and upper and lower surfaces, the inside surfaces of the walls forming an open core, the upper surfaces of the walls forming an upper surface of the body, and the lower surfaces of the walls forming a lower surface of the body, and    first and second projections extending from the lower surface of the body, the first projection extending from the lower surface of the first side wall and the second projection extending from the lower surface of the second side wall, the first and second projections being adapted for placement within the cavity of an underlying block in the retaining wall, the front wall of the block being configured to lie adjacent the rear wall of a laterally adjacent block in the retaining wall such that the cavity of the block is positioned to receive the first projection of an overlying block in the retaining wall in an abutting relation to the inside surface of the front wall of the bock and the cavity of the laterally adjacent block is positioned to receive the second projection of the same overlying block in the retaining wall in an abutting relation to the inside surface of the rear wall of the laterally adjacent block.    
   
   
       21 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 20 , 
 wherein the front wall and the rear wall are of equal width.    
   
   
       22 . A masonry wall block for forming a retaining wall comprising: 
 a body having a front wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls extending from the front wall to the rear wall, the front wall having a length greater than the length of the rear wall such that the first and second side walls converge toward one another as they extend from the front wall toward the rear wall, each of the walls having inside and outside surfaces and upper and lower surfaces, the inside surfaces of the walls forming an open core, the upper surfaces of the walls forming an upper surface of the body, and the lower surfaces of the walls forming a lower surface of the body, and    first and second projections extending from the lower surface of the body, the first projection extending from the lower surface of the first side wall and the second projection extending from the lower surface of the second side wall, the first and second projections being adapted for placement within the cavity of an underlying block in the retaining wall, the front wall of the block being configured to lie adjacent the rear wall of a laterally adjacent block in the retaining wall such that the cavity of the block is positioned to receive the first projection of an overlying block in the retaining wall in an abutting relation to the inside surface of the rear wall of the bock and the cavity of the laterally adjacent block is positioned to receive the second projection of the same overlying block in the retaining wall in an abutting relation to the inside surface of the front wall of the laterally adjacent block.    
   
   
       23 . A masonry wall block as in  claim 22 , 
 wherein the front wall and the rear wall are of equal width.    
   
   
       24 . A retaining wall comprising: 
 a lower tier of individual blocks, each block having a cavity, and    an upper tier of individual blocks, each block comprising a body having a front wall, a rear wall, and first and second side walls, each of the walls having inside and outside surfaces and upper and lower surfaces, the inside surfaces of the walls forming an open core, the upper surfaces of the walls forming an upper surface of the body, and the lower surfaces of the walls forming a lower surface of the body, and first and second projections extending from the lower surface of the body, the first projection extending from the lower surface of the first side wall and the second projection extending from the lower surface of the second side wall, the first and second projections being spaced equidistant between the front and rear wall inside surfaces and adapted for placement within a cavity of an underlying block in the retaining wall so as to provide essentially no setback dimension between the block and the underlying block.    
   
   
       25 . A retaining wall as in  claim 24 , 
 wherein the retaining wall is arranged in a linear configuration.    
   
   
       26 . A retaining wall as in  claim 24 , 
 wherein the retaining wall is arranged in a curvilinear configuration.    
   
   
       27 . A retaining wall as in  claim 24 , 
 wherein the lower tier of blocks are positioned laterally in the same direction.    
   
   
       28 . A retaining wall as in  claim 22 , 
 wherein the upper tier of blocks are positioned laterally in the same direction.    
   
   
       29 . A retaining wall as in  claim 22 , 
 wherein the lower tier of blocks are positioned laterally in an alternating direction.    
   
   
       30 . A retaining wall as in  claim 22 , 
 wherein the lower tier of blocks are positioned laterally in an alternating direction.