Plastic cribbing block

Abstract

The plastic cribbing blocks are useful in their stacked configuration for supporting a structure during a leveling procedure on an uneven ground surface. The tops and bottoms of the cribbing blocks include interlocking mechanisms or texturing to prevent lateral movement between adjacent blocks when they are in their stacked configuration. A plurality of the plastic cribbing blocks can be placed in their nesting configuration, such that the tops of lower blocks are nested within the bottoms of upper blocks. This configuration may be used for transporting or storing the blocks. The blocks are generally rectangular with a top central horizontal panel, a bottom perimeter horizontal panel and four sides extending between the top central horizontal panel and the bottom perimeter horizontal panel. The block includes interior and exterior ribs or structures.

1 . A plastic cribbing block, comprising:
 a top central horizontal panel;   a bottom perimeter horizontal panel;   four sides extending between the top central horizontal panel and the bottom perimeter horizontal panel; and   means for releasably securing the plastic cribbing block to another one of the plastic cribbing blocks.   
     
     
         2 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said means for releasably securing the plastic cribbing block to the other one of the plastic cribbing blocks comprises:
 a plurality of top interlocking detent pins mounted on the top central horizontal panel;   a plurality of top holes formed through the top central horizontal panel corresponding to the plurality of top interlocking detent pins;   a plurality of bottom interlocking detent pins mounted on the bottom perimeter horizontal panel; and   a plurality of bottom holes formed through the bottom perimeter horizontal panel corresponding to the plurality of bottom interlocking detent pins.   
     
     
         3 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said means for releasably securing the plastic cribbing block to the other one of the plastic cribbing blocks comprises:
 at least one first region of texturing formed on a top surface of the top central horizontal panel; and   at least one second region of texturing formed on a bottom surface of the bottom perimeter horizontal panel.   
     
     
         4 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bottom perimeter horizontal panel is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         5 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the bottom perimeter horizontal panel comprises an upwardly extending peripheral flange. 
     
     
         6 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the four sides has at least one rib formed thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the at least one rib has a frusto-pyramidal shape decreasing in width from a bottom thereof to a top thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the top central horizontal panel has a plurality of recessed drainage ports formed therein. 
     
     
         9 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 1 , wherein an internal reinforcement structure comprises:
 a central reinforcement tower; and   at least one side reinforcement tower.   
     
     
         10 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the at least one side reinforcement tower is frustoconical with a radius thereof decreasing from a bottom surface of the top central horizontal panel toward the bottom perimeter horizontal panel. 
     
     
         11 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of radially extending ribs extending from the at least one side reinforcement tower and being secured to the bottom surface of the top central horizontal panel. 
     
     
         12 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the central reinforcement tower has at least one reinforcement rib formed thereon. 
     
     
         13 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the at least one reinforcement rib has a frusto-pyramidal shape decreasing in width from a bottom surface of the top central horizontal panel toward the bottom perimeter horizontal panel. 
     
     
         14 . The plastic cribbing block as recited in  claim 9 , wherein each of the central reinforcement tower and the at least one side reinforcement tower has a central drainage port formed therein.