Retaining wall block

Abstract

A retaining wall block including a body having a front face, a rear face, opposing side faces, a top face, and a bottom face, and an elongated channel located in a surface of the bottom face preferably extending substantially between the opposing side faces. At least one pin aperture is located in a surface of the top face. A retaining pin is located in the pin aperture, extending vertically a predetermined distance above the surface of the top face. The block includes a cut-out portion defining a hollow extending from the top face through the body to the bottom face. The cut-out is located in the top face between the pin aperture and the front face and in the bottom face between the channel and the front face. A hand grip is provided within the forward upper portion of the cut-out.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retaining wall block comprising: a body, said body having a front face, a rear face, opposing side faces, a top face, and a bottom face; a channel located in a surface of said bottom face extending substantially between said opposing side faces; and, at least one pin aperture located in a surface of said top face. 
     
     
         2 . A block as in  claim 1  including a cut-out portion, said cut-out portion defining a hollow extending from said top face through said body to said bottom face, said cut-out portion being located in said top face between said pin aperture and said front face and said opposing side faces, and said cut-out portion being located in said bottom face between said channel and said front face and said opposing side faces. 
     
     
         3 . A block as in  claim 2  in which a volume for said cut-out portion comprises approximately 25% to 35% of the volume of said block, defined by said front, rear, side, top and bottom faces. 
     
     
         4 . A block as in  claim 1  including a retaining pin located in said pin aperture, and extending vertically therefrom. 
     
     
         5 . A block as in  claim 4  in which said retaining pin has a sidewall and an upper end and a lower end, and includes an enlarged diameter portion in said sidewall between said upper and lower ends maintaining said pin at a predetermined height above said top face. 
     
     
         6 . A block as in  claim 1  in which said channel has a center line and said aperture has an axis, and said axis of said aperture intersects said center line of said channel. 
     
     
         7 . A block as in  claim 1  in which said channel has a center line and said aperture has an axis, and said axis of said aperture is located between said center line of said channel and said rear face. 
     
     
         8 . A block as in  claim 1  in which said front face includes a pair of opposing front edge facets extending rearwardly at an angle to meet a respective said side face. 
     
     
         9 . A block as in  claim 1  which said front face is arcuate. 
     
     
         10 . A block as in  claim 2  further including a hand grip located in forward edge of said cut-out portion, said hand grip including a shelf below said top face adapted for gripping. 
     
     
         11 . A retaining wall block comprising:
 a. a body, said body having a front face, a rear face, opposing side faces, a top face, and a bottom face, a channel located in a surface of said bottom face extending substantially between said opposing side faces, and at least one pin aperture located in a surface of said top face;   b. a retaining pin, said pin being located in said pin aperture, and extending vertically a predetermined distance above a surface of said top face;   c. a cut-out portion, said cut-out portion defining a hollow extending from said top face through said body to said bottom face, said cut-out being located in said top face between said pin aperture and said front face and said opposing side faces, and said cut-out being located in said bottom face between said channel and said front face and said opposing side faces.   
     
     
         12 . A block as in  claim 11  in which a volume of said cut-out portion comprises approximately 25% to 35% of the volume of said block, defined by said front, rear, side, top and bottom faces. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as in  claim 11  further including a hand grip located in forward edge of said cut-out portion, said hand grip including a shelf below said top face adapted for gripping. 
     
     
         14 . A block as in  claim 11  in which said front face includes a pair of opposing front edge facets extending rearwardly at an angle to meet a respective said side face. 
     
     
         15 . A block as in  claim 11  which said front face is arcuate. 
     
     
         16 . A retaining wall comprising:
 a. first and second base course blocks, each of said base course blocks comprising: a body, said body having a front face, a rear face, opposing side faces, a top face, and a bottom face, and at least one pin aperture located in a surface of said top face; a retaining pin, said pin being located in said pin aperture, and extending vertically a predetermined distance above a surface of said top face; a cut-out portion, said cut-out portion defining a hollow extending from said top face through said body to said bottom face, said cut-out being located in said top face between said pin aperture and said front face and said opposing side faces, and said cut-out being located in said bottom face between said rear face and said front face and said opposing side faces; said base course blocks being elongated, having a longitudinal axis extending from said side face to said side face, and being arranged in side to side relation with respect to each other so that said pins of said blocks are relatively close to the side face of the adjacent block;   b. a first course block, said first course block comprising: a body, said body having a front face, a rear face, opposing side faces, a top face, and a bottom face, a channel located in a surface of said bottom face extending substantially between said opposing side faces; a cut-out portion, said cut-out portion defining a hollow extending from said top face through said body to said bottom face, said cut-out being located in said top face between said rear face and said front face and said opposing side faces, and said cut-out being located in said bottom face between said channel and said front face and said opposing side faces; said first course block being located on and straddling said first and second base course blocks, said bottom face of said first course block resting in contingent relation over a respective portion of said top faces of said first and second base course blocks, with a respective said retaining pin of each of said first and second base course blocks being located within said channel of said first course block.   
     
     
         17 . A retaining wall as in  claim 16  in which a volume of said cut-out portions of said first and second base course blocks and said first course block comprises approximately 25% to 35% of the volume of said blocks, defined by said front, rear, side, top and bottom faces. 
     
     
         18 . A retaining wall as in  claim 16  further including a hand grip located in forward edge of said cut-out portions of each of said first and second base course blocks and said first course block, said hand grip including a shelf below said top face adapted for gripping. 
     
     
         19 . A retaining wall as in  claim 16  in which said front face of each of said first and second base course blocks and said first course block includes a pair of opposing front edge facets extending rearwardly at an angle to meet a respective said side face. 
     
     
         20 . A retaining wall as in  claim 16  which said front face of each of said first and second base course blocks and said first course block is arcuate.