Wall block system

Abstract

A wall block comprising first and second opposing, parallel side walls extending lengthwise and first and second opposing, parallel end walls extending between respective ends of the side walls is disclosed. The first and second side walls are longer than the first and second end walls. At least first and second trapezoidal shaped projections extend outwardly from the first side wall, where the first and second projections are configured to be received in slots of adjacent blocks in a wall. A block assembly comprising a trunk block and a face block is also disclosed, where at least one trapezoidal shaped slot is configured to receive a trapezoidal shaped projection of the trunk block. A wall comprising at least a first course comprising a plurality of face blocks and a plurality of trunk blocks is further disclosed.

1 . A wall block comprising:
 first and second opposing, parallel side walls extending lengthwise of the block;   first and second opposing, parallel end walls extending between respective ends of the side walls, wherein the first and second side walls are longer than the first and second end walls; and   at least first and second trapezoidal shaped projections extending outwardly from the first side wall, wherein the first and second projections are configured to be received in slots of adjacent blocks in a wall.   
     
     
         2 . The wall block of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second end walls are formed with a trapezoidal shaped slot having a shape complementary to the shape of the projections and configured to receive a projection of an adjacent block in a wall. 
     
     
         3 . The wall block of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second projections are spaced equidistant from a traverse centerline of the block extending from the first side wall to the second side wall and bisecting the block. 
     
     
         4 . The wall block of  claim 3 , wherein the second side wall has at least third and fourth trapezoidal shaped projections extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the third and fourth projections are configured to be received in slots of adjacent blocks in a wall. 
     
     
         5 . The wall block of  claim 4 , wherein the first projection and the third projection are spaced equidistant from one of the end walls and the second projection and the fourth projection are spaced equidistant from the other end wall. 
     
     
         6 . The wall block of  claim 1 , further comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, and a vertical slot extending from the lower surface to the upper surface, wherein the vertical slot extends lengthwise of the block along a longitudinal centerline of the block. 
     
     
         7 . The wall block of  claim 6 , wherein the upper surface of the block is formed with a recess surrounding an upper end of the vertical slot. 
     
     
         8 . A wall block comprising:
 a front surface and an opposing rear surface extending lengthwise of the block;   first and second opposing, parallel side surfaces extending between respective ends of the front and rear surfaces, wherein the front and rear surfaces are longer than the first and second side surfaces; and   wherein the rear surface is formed with three trapezoidal shaped slots configured to receive projections of adjacent blocks in a wall.   
     
     
         9 . The wall block of  claim 8 , wherein the three trapezoidal shaped slots comprises a center slot centered on a centerline of the block extending from the front surface to the rear surface and bisecting the block. 
     
     
         10 . The wall block of  claim 9 , wherein the three trapezoidal shaped slots comprises two outer slots on opposite sides of and spaced equidistant from the centerline. 
     
     
         11 . The wall block of  claim 8 , wherein the rear surface is planar. 
     
     
         12 . The wall block of  claim 11 , wherein the front surface is parallel to the rear surface. 
     
     
         13 . A wall comprising:
 at least a first course, the first course comprising:   a plurality of face blocks arranged in side-by-side relationship with each other and forming a first row of the first course; and   a plurality of trunk blocks arranged in side-by-side relationship with each other and forming a second row of the first course, wherein the second row is arranged behind the first row, and wherein a selected trunk block in the second row interconnects two adjacent face blocks in the first row.   
     
     
         14 . The wall of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of face blocks comprises face blocks of different lengths. 
     
     
         15 . The wall of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of face blocks comprises face blocks of the same length. 
     
     
         16 . The wall of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a second course disposed immediately above the first course, wherein the second course comprises a first row of face blocks and a second row of trunk blocks; and   at least one block-connecting element comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion extends into a slot of the selected trunk block of the first course and the upper portion extends into a slot of a selected trunk block of the second course.   
     
     
         17 . The wall of  claim 13 , wherein the first course further comprises a plurality of face blocks arranged in side-by-side relationship with each other and forming a third row of the first course, wherein the second row is arranged between the first and third rows, and wherein the selected trunk block in the second row interconnects two adjacent face blocks in the third row. 
     
     
         18 . The wall of  claim 13 , wherein the first course further comprises a plurality of trunk blocks forming a third row of the first course, wherein the second row is arranged between the first and third rows, and wherein each of the trunk blocks in the third row is connected to a respective trunk block of the second row and extends perpendicularly therefrom. 
     
     
         19 . The wall of  claim 18 , wherein the trunk blocks of the second row and the trunk blocks of the third row have the same size and shape. 
     
     
         20 . The wall of  claim 13 , wherein the selected trunk block has first and second projections, wherein the first projection is positioned in a slot in one of the two adjacent face blocks and the second projection is positioned in a slot in the other of the two adjacent face blocks 
     
     
         21 . A block assembly comprising:
 a trunk block comprising:
 first and second opposing, parallel side walls extending lengthwise of the trunk block and first and second opposing, parallel end walls extending between respective ends of the side walls of the trunk block, wherein the first and second side walls of the trunk block are longer than the first and second end walls of the trunk block; and 
 at least one trapezoidal shaped projection extending outwardly from the first side wall of the trunk block and at least one trapezoidal shaped slot formed in the first end wall of the trunk block; and 
   a face block comprising:
 front and rear surfaces extending lengthwise of the face block and first and second side surfaces extending between respective ends of the front and rear surfaces of the face block, wherein the front and rear surfaces of the face block are longer than the first and second side surfaces of the face block, and wherein the rear surface of the face block is formed with at least one trapezoidal shaped slot configured to receive a projection of the trunk block. 
   
     
     
         22 . The block assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one trapezoidal shaped slot comprises three trapezoidal shaped slots, including a center trapezoidal shaped slot and two outer trapezoidal shaped slots. 
     
     
         23 . The block assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one trapezoidal shaped slot comprises two trapezoidal shaped slots spaced equidistant from a centerline extending from the rear surface to the front surface and bisecting the face block. 
     
     
         24 . The block assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one trapezoidal shaped slot comprises a trapezoidal shaped slot centered on a centerline extending from the rear surface to the front surface and bisecting the face block.