Block wall

Abstract

A retaining wall is made from a plurality of blocks arranged in rows superimposed on each other and pinned together. Each block has a body with an exterior face and rearwardly diverging side walls joined to a neck. A head having outwardly directed ears is joined to the neck. The body has holes and pockets for pins that interlock overlapped blocks together. A finishing block having a flat top surface is used to construct the top layer of the wall. A geogrid tie-back sheet having slots is located between layers of blocks and anchored to the pins stabilizes the wall.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A wall construction comprising: a first row of blocks having a plurality of blocks arranged side-by-side, a second row of blocks having a plurality of blocks being located on top of the first row of blocks, each of said blocks having a vertical hole means, pin means extended through the hole means in the blocks of the second row of blocks, .[.and tie-back means anchored on said pin means adapted to be retained within fill located adjacent said wall construction,.]. each of said blocks having a body including a convex curved from face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls extended rearwardly from opposite ends of the front face, each body having a pair of generally elongated pockets open to at least one of said surfaces thereof and located adjacent said side walls, said pin means having ends located in said pockets of vertically adjacent blocks, said body having said hole means for said pin means, said hole means comprising a pair of holes located adjacent each of said pockets for accommodating said ends of the pin means to interlock the blocks of the first and second rows of blocks together, a recess open to the bottom surface of the body spaced inwardly from said convex curved front face thereof, a first opening extended vertically through said body spaced inwardly from said recess, a web separating said recess from said opening, said holes being located in said web, said pockets being located adjacent ends of said web, a neck joined to the side walls and extended rearwardly therefrom, a head joined to the neck, said head having ears extended laterally from opposite sides of the neck, said neck and having a second opening extended vertically therethrough, and a second web separating the first opening from the second opening. 
     
     
       2. The wall construction of claim 1 wherein: each block of the second row of blocks overlaps two blocks of the first row of blocks, said pin means extended through each block of the second row of blocks into said two blocks. .[.3. The wall construction of claim 1 wherein: said tie-back means comprised a sheet member having holes accommodating said pin 
     
     
        means..]. 4. The wall construction of claim 1 wherein: said first opening has a generally trapezoidal shape and said second opening has a 
     
     
        rectangular shape. 5. The wall construction of claim 1 wherein: said 
     
     
        pockets extend outwardly and in opposite side portions of said body. 6. The wall construction of claim 1 wherein: said pockets extend outwardly opposite portions of the front face of said body, each of said pockets having inner ends, said pair of holes comprising a first hole located adjacent the inner end of one pocket and a second hole located adjacent 
     
     
        the inner end of the other pocket. 7. The wall construction of claim 1 wherein: said head has side walls linearly aligned with the side walls of 
     
     
        the body. 8. The wall construction of claim 1 wherein: said front face has 
     
     
        a plurality of grooves. 9. The wall construction of claim 1 wherein: each block has a neck joined to the side walls and extended rearwardly therefrom, and a head joined to said neck, said head having ears projected 
     
     
        laterally from opposite sides of the neck. 10. The wall construction of claim 9 wherein: said head has side walls linearly aligned with the side 
     
     
        walls of the body. 11. A wall construction coprising: a top row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, a second row of blocks having a plurality of blocks arranged side-by-side, said top row of blocks being located on top of the second row of wall blocks, each block of said top and second row of blocks having a body including a convex curved front face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls extended rearwardly from opposite ends of the front face, said body having a pair of generally elongated pockets open to the bottom surface thereof located adjacent said side walls, said blocks of the second row of blocks having vertical hole means, and pin means extended through the hole means in the blocks of the second row into said pockets of the blocks of the top row to interlock the blocks of the second and top rows of blocks together.[., and tie-back means anchored on said pin means adapted to be retained within fill located adjacent said wall 
     
     
        construction.].. 12. The wall construction of claim 11 wherein: each body of the top row blocks has a first recess open to the bottom surface of the body spaced inwardly from said convex curved front face thereof, a second recess open to the bottom surface of the body spaced inwardly from said first recess, a web separating said first recess from said second recess, said pockets being located adjacent ends of said web, and a transverse back wall joined to the side walls. .[.13. The wall construction of claim 11 wherein: said tie-back means comprises a geogrid tie-back member having a plurality of rows of elongated slots, said member being located between the first and second rows of blocks, said pin means extended through the 
     
     
        slots in said member to anchor said member to the blocks..]. 14. A retaining wall construction comprising: a first row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, a second row of wall blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, said second row of wall blocks being located on top of the first row of wall blocks, each of said blocks having vertical hole means, and pin means extended through the hole means in the blocks of the first row into generally elongated pockets in the blocks of the second row to interlock the blocks of the first and second rows of blocks together, each of said blocks having a body including a convex curved front face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls extended between said top and bottom surfaces rearwardly from opposite ends of the front face, said side walls converging inwardly from said opposite ends of the front face to allow adjacent blocks of each row of blocks to be positioned along a curve, said body having said hole means open to the top surface thereof, said hole means including first hole means spaced away from and adjacent one of said side walls and inwardly of said front face, and a second hole means spaced from and adjacent the other of said side walls and located inwardly of said front face, said first and second hole means accommodating separate pin means to interlock adjacent blocks of the first 
     
     
        and second rows of blocks together when positioned along said curve. 15. The wall construction of claim 14 wherein: said front face has a 
     
     
        plurality of grooves. 16. The wall construction of claim 14 wherein: each wall block of the second row of blocks overlaps two wall blocks of the first row of blocks, said pin means comprising a first pin located in the first hole means of one of the two wall blocks and extended into one hole means of said wall block of the second row of wall blocks and a second pin located in the second hole means of said one of the two wall blocks and extended into another hole means of said wall block of the second row of wall blocks to interlock said wall block of the second row of blocks with 
     
     
        said two wall blocks of the first row of blocks together. 17. The wall construction of claim 14 wherein: each block has a neck joined to the side walls and extended rearwardly therefrom, and a head joined to said neck, said head having ears projected laterally from opposite sides of the neck. 
     
     
        8. The wall construction of claim 17 wherein: said ears have a generally 
     
     
        triangular shape. 19. The wall construction of claim 17 wherein: said ears 
     
     
        have notches on opposite sides thereof. 20. A retaining wall construction comprising: a first row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, a second row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, said second row of wall blocks being located on top of the first row of wall blocks, each of said blocks having vertical hole means, pin means extended through the hole means in the blocks of the first row of blocks, each of said blocks having a body including a convex curve front face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls extended between said top and bottom surfaces rearwardly from opposite ends of the front face, said side wall converging inwardly from said opposite ends of the front face, said hole means including first hole means spaced away from and adjacent one of said side walls and inwardly of said front wall, and a second hole means spaced from adjacent the other of said side walls and located inwardly of said front face, said first and second hole means accommodating separate pin means to interlock adjacent blocks of the first and second rows of blocks together, each body has a pair of generally elongated pockets open to one of the surfaces thereof, one of the pockets being located adjacent one of said side walls and the other of said pockets being located adjacent the other of said side walls, said pin means having ends located in said pockets of adjacent blocks in the second rows of blocks to interlock blocks of the first and second rows of blocks together, and said first and second hole means comprise a pair of holes accommodating the pin means one of said holes being located adjacent one of said pockets and the other of said holes being located adjacent the other of said pockets, a recess open to the bottom surface of the body spaced inwardly from said convex front face thereof, a first opening extended vertically through said body spaced inwardly from said recess, a web separating said recess from said opening, said holes being located in said web, said pockets being located in said web, a neck joined to the side walls and extended rearwardly therefrom, a head joined to the neck, said head having ears extended laterally from opposite sides of the neck, said neck and head having a second opening extended vertically therethrough, and a second web   
     
     
        separating the front opening from the second opening. 21. The wall construction of claim 20 wherein: said ears have a generally triangular 
     
     
        shape. 22. The wall construction of claim 20 wherein: said ears have 
     
     
        notches on opposite sides thereof. 23. The wall construction of claim 20 wherein: said first opening has a generally rectangular shape and said 
     
     
        second opening has a rectangular shape. 24. The wall construction of claim 20 wherein: said pockets extend outwardly and are located in opposite side 
     
     
        portions of said body. 25. The wall construction of claim 20 wherein: said pockets extend outwardly toward opposite portions of the front face of said body, each of said pockets having inner ends, said pair of holes comprising a first hole located adjacent the inner end of one pocket and a second hole located adjacent the inner end of the other pocket whereby the pin means extended into the pockets locate the front faces of the blocks of the second row of blocks offset inwardly from the front faces of the 
     
     
        first row of blocks. 26. A retaining wall construction comprising: a top row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, second row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, said top row of blocks being located on top of the second row of wall blocks, each block of said top and second row of blocks having a body including a convex curved front face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls rearwardly from opposite-ends of the front face, said body having a pair of generally elongated pockets open to the bottom surface thereof located adjacent said side walls, said body having hole means open to the top surface thereof, and pin means extended through the hole means in the blocks of the second row into said pockets of the blocks of the top row to interlock the blocks of the second 
     
     
        and top rows of blocks together. 27. The wall construction of claim 26 wherein: each body of the top row blocks has a first recess open to the bottom surface of the body spaced inwardly from said convex curved front face thereof, a second recess open to the bottom surface of the body spaced inwardly from said first recess, a web separating said first recess from said second recess, said pockets being located adjacent ends of said web, and a transverse back wall joined to the side walls. .[.28. The wall construction of claim 26 including: tie-back means anchored on said pin means adapted to be retained within fill located adjacent said wall construction..]. .[.29. The wall construction of claim 28 wherein: said tie-back means comprises a geogrid tie-back member having a plurality of rows of elongated slots, said member being located between the first and second rows of blocks, said pin means extended through the slots in said 
     
     
        member to anchor said member to the blocks..]. 30. A retaining wall construction comprising: a first row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, a second row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, said second row of wall blocks being located on top of the first row of wall blocks, each of said blocks having vertical hole means, and pin means located in the hole means in the blocks of the second row to interlock the blocks of the first and second rows of blocks together, each of said blocks having a body including a front face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, side walls extended rearwardly from said opposite ends of the front face to allow adjacent blocks of each row of blocks to be positioned along a curve, and generally elongated pockets open to at least one surface that accommodate one end of said pin means, said hole means including a first hole means in said body located adjacent one end thereof and a second hole means in said body located adjacent the other end thereof, said first and second hole means being open to the top surface of the body and accommodating said pin means 
     
     
        when positioned along said curve. 31. The wall construction of claim 30 wherein: each body has first and second pockets open to one of said surfaces thereof, said first pocket being located adjacent one of said side walls, said second pocket being located adjacent the other of said side walls, said hole means including holes transversely aligned with said first and second pockets, said pin means being located in said holes and 
     
     
        having ends positioned in said pockets of vertically adjacent blocks. 32. The wall construction of claim 30 wherein: each wall block of the second row of blocks overlaps two wall blocks of the first row of blocks, said pin means extended into aligned hole means in each wall block of the first row of wall blocks and said two wall blocks to interlock said wall block of the second row of blocks with said two wall blocks of the first 
     
     
        row of blocks together. 33. The wall construction of claim 30 wherein: 
     
     
        each of said blocks having a body with a convex curved front face. 34. The wall construction of claim 30 including: wall means connected to opposite end portions of the body of each block, said wall means extended 
     
     
        rearwardly from the body. 35. The wall construction of claim 34 wherein: said wall means comprise a first wall extended rearwardly from one end portion of the body and a second wall extended rearwardly from the other 
     
     
        end portion of the body. 36. A retaining wall construction comprising: a first row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, a second row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, said second row of wall blocks being located on top of the first row of wall blocks, each of said blocks having vertical hole means, and pin means located in the hole means in the blocks of the second row of blocks each of said blocks having a body including a front face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls extended rearwardly from said opposite ends of the front face, said hole means including a first hole means in said body located adjacent one end thereof and a second hole means in said body located adjacent the other end thereof, said first and second hole means holes being open to the top surface of the body and accommodating said pin means, each body has first and second generally elongated pockets open to one of said surfaces thereof, said first pocket being located adjacent one of said side walls, said second pocket being located adjacent the other of said side walls, said pin means having ends located in said pockets of vertically adjacent blocks to interlock blocks of the first and second row of blocks together, and said first and second hole means comprising a pair of holes accommodating the pin means extended vertically through said body, one of said holes being located adjacent one of said pockets and the other of said holes being adjacent the other of said pockets, a recess open to the bottom surface of the body spaced inwardly from said front face thereof, an opening vertically through said body spaced inwardly from said recess, a web separating said recess from said opening, said holes being located in said web, said pockets being located adjacent opposite ends of said web, a neck joined to said side walls and extended rearwardly therefrom, a head joined to the neck, said head having ears extended laterally outward from opposite sides of the neck, said neck and head having a second opening extended vertically therethrough, and a second web separating the 
     
     
        first opening from the second opening. 37. The wall construction of claim 36 wherein: said pockets extend outwardly and are located in opposite side 
     
     
        portions of said body. 38. The wall construction of claim 36 wherein: said pockets extend outwardly toward opposite portions of the front face of said body, each of said pockets having inner ends, said pair of holes comprising a first hole located adjacent the inner end of the first pocket and a second hole located adjacent the inner end of the second pocket whereby the pin means extended into the pockets locate the front faces of the blocks of the second row of blocks offset inwardly from the front 
     
     
        faces of the first row of blocks. 39. The wall construction of claim 36 wherein: said head has side walls linearly aligned with the side walls of 
     
     
        the body. 40. A retaining wall construction comprising: a first row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, a second row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, said second row of blocks being located on top of the first row of wall blocks, each of said blocks having vertical hole means, pin means located in the hole means in the blocks of the second row, each of said blocks having a body including a convex curved front face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls extended rearwardly from said opposite ends of the front face, said hole means including a first hole means in said body located adjacent one end thereof and second hole means in said body located adjacent the other end thereof, said first and second hole means being opened to the top surface of the body and accommodating said pin means, said body having a pair of generally elongated pockets open to the bottom surface thereof located adjacent said side walls, said pin means extended through the first and second hole means in the blocks of the first row into said pockets of the blocks of the second row to interlock the blocks of the first and second rows of 
     
     
        blocks together. 41. The wall construction of claim 40 wherein: each body of the top row blocks has a first recess open to the bottom surface of the body spaced inwardly from said convex curved front face thereof, a second recess open to the bottom surface of the body spaced inwardly from said first recess, a web separating said first recess from said second recess, said pockets being located adjacent ends of said web, and a transverse back wall joined to the side walls. .[.42. The wall construction of claim 40 including: tie-back means anchored on said pin means adapted to be retained within fill located adjacent said wall construction..]. .[.43. The wall construction of claim 42 including: said tie-back means comprises a geogrid tie-back member having a plurality of rows of elongated slots, said member being located between the first and second rows of blocks, said pin means extended through the slots in said member to anchor said 
     
     
        member to the blocks..]. 44. A retaining wall construction comprising a plurality of rows of blocks including: a first row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, a second row of wall blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, said second row of wall blocks being located on the top of the first row of wall blocks, each of said blocks having vertical hole means, and pin means extended through the hole means in the blocks of the first row of blocks, each of said blocks having a body including a convex curve front face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls extended between said top and bottom surfaces rearwardly from opposite ends of the front face, said side walls converging inwardly from said opposite ends of the front face, said body having said hole means open to the top surface thereof, said hole means including first hole means spaced away from an adjacent one of said surface side walls and inwardly of the front face, and a second hole means faced from and adjacent the other of said side walls and located inwardly of said front face, each body having a pair of generally elongated pockets open to one of the surfaces thereof, one of the pockets being located adjacent one of sid side walls and the other of said pockets being located adjacent of said side walls, said pin means having ends located in said pockets of adjacent blocks to interlock the blocks of the first and second rows of blocks together, said first and second hole means comprise a pair of holes accommodating the pin means, one of said holes being located adjacent one of said pockets and the other 
     
     
        of said holes being located adjacent the other of said pockets. 45. The wall construction of claim 44 wherein: the hole means and pockets are spaced from each other whereby the pin means extended into the pockets to locate the front faces of the blocks of the second row of blocks offset 
     
     
        inwardly from the front faces of the first row of blocks. 46. A retaining wall construction comprising a plurality of rows of wall blocks including: a first row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, second row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, said second row of blocks being located on top of the first row of wall blocks, each of said blocks having hole means, and pin means located in the hole means of the blocks of the second row of blocks, each of said blocks having a body including a front face having opposite ends, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls extended rearwardly from the opposite ends of the front face, said hole means including a first hole means in said body located adjacent one end thereof and a second hole means in said body located adjacent the other end thereof, said first and second hole means being opened to the top surface of the body and accommodating said pin means, each body having a pair of pockets open to one of the surfaces thereof, one of the pockets being located adjacent one of said side walls and the other of said pockets being located adjacent the other of said side walls, said pin means having ends located in said pockets of adjacent blocks to interlock the blocks of the first and second rows of blocks together, said first and second hole means comprise a pair of holes accommodating the pin means, one of said holes being located adjacent one of said pockets and the other of said holes being located adjacent the other of said .[.generally elongated.]. 
     
     
        pockets. 47. The wall construction of claim 46 wherein: the hole means and pockets are spaced from each other whereby the pin means extended into the pockets to locate the front faces of the blocks of the second row of blocks offset inwardly from the front faces of the first row of blocks. 
     
     
            A retaining wall construction comprising: a plurality of rows of wall blocks including: a first row of wall blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, and a second row of blocks having a plurality of wall blocks arranged side-by-side, said second row of wall blocks being located on top of the first row of wall blocks, pin means cooperating with said first and second rows of blocks to interlock the first and second rows of blocks together, each of said wall blocks having a body including a front face having opposite ends, a generally flat first surface, a generally flat second surface laterally spaced from and extended generally parallel to the first surface, and side walls extended between said first and second surfaces, said side walls converging inwardly toward each other from said opposite ends of the front face to allow adjacent blocks of each row of blocks to be positioned along a curve, said first surface of the body having recess means for accommodating said pin means to interlock the first and second rows of blocks together, said generally elongated recess means comprising a first generally elongated recess spaced inwardly of the front face and located adjacent one side wall, and a second generally elongated recess spaced inwardly of the front face and located adjacent other side wall, a first hole located adjacent the first recess extended into said body between said first and second surfaces, and a second hole located adjacent the second recess extended into said body between said first and second surfaces, said first and second holes accommodating said pin means, said pin means having ends projected from the body of one block and extended into a recess means of another block located on top of said one block whereby the pin means extended into recess means of adjacent wall blocks locate the front faces of the adjacent rows of wall blocks offset inwardly 
     
     
        relative to each other when positioned along said curve. 49. The wall construction of claim 48 wherein: the first and second recesses are in general transverse alignment with each other, and the first and second holes are in general transverse alignment with each other, said first and second recesses and first and second holes are laterally spaced relative 
     
     
        to each other. 50. The wall construction of claim 48 wherein: said first and second recesses are in general transverse alignment with each other. 
     
     
          . The wall construction of claim 48 wherein: the first and second holes 
     
     
        are in general transverse alignment with each other. 52. The wall construction of claim 48 wherein: said front face of each block has a 
     
     
        non-smooth face pattern. .Iadd.53.  A retaining wall construction comprising: first and second rows of blocks each having a plurality of retaining wall blocks adjacent to one another in side-by-side relationship, each of said retaining wall blocks comprising a body including a front face having opposite ends and top and bottom edges and a length defined by the distance between said opposite ends, a first surface, a second surface spaced from and extending generally parallel to said first surface, said first and second surfaces extending rearwardly from said top and bottom edges, and side walls extending between said first and second surfaces and rearwardly from said opposite ends of the front face, interlock means for interlocking adjacent retaining wall blocks with one another and for interlocking the blocks of the first row with the blocks of the second row, a neck joined to the side walls and extending rearwardly therefrom, said neck having a lateral dimension measured in a direction parallel to the length dimension of said front face smaller than the length of said front face, a head joined to the rearward end of said neck and having a lateral dimension measured in a direction parallel to the length dimension of said front face greater than the lateral dimension of said neck and less than the length of said front face. .Iaddend. .Iadd.54. The retaining wall block of claim 53 including an opening extending through at least a portion of said neck. .Iaddend. .Iadd.55. The retaining wall block of claim 54 wherein said opening 
     
     
        extends through at least a portion of said head. .Iaddend. .Iadd.56.  The retaining wall block of claim 53 wherein said interlock means includes first hole means open to said first surface and second hole means open to said second surface, said first and second hole means adapted to accommodate pin means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.57. The retaining wall block of claim 56 wherein said first and second hole means are positioned such that the first hole means of a block in the first row and the second hole means of a block in the second row are adapted to accommodate a common pin. .Iaddend. .Iadd.58. The retaining wall block of claim 53 wherein said interlock means includes means facilitating the blocks in one of the first and second rows to be offset rearwardly relative to the blocks in the other. .Iaddend.