Patent ID: 6641334
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: B28B,E02D,E04B,E04C

Abstract:
A retaining wall block suitable for production on automated masonry manufacturing equipment employing a concrete mixture comprising water in a concentration range of between about 1% and about 6% by weight, said block comprising:a block body having a front, a back, a top, a bottom, and first and second sides, wherein the block body front comprises a front surface that has a roughened texture, said block body top and said block body bottom being configured so that when a plurality of like blocks are stacked in ascending courses to form a wall, at least a portion of the bottom of the blocks in an upper course rest upon at least a portion of the top of the adjacent blocks in the next lower course so that the tops of the blocks in said upper course are generally horizontal; a first inset in said first side extending from said block top to said block bottom, a second inset in said second side extending from said block top to said block bottom, one or more locator protrusions formed integrally with the block body and located on said block body top or on said block body bottom, wherein at least a portion of each locator protrusion is adapted to fit within an inset on a block in an adjacent course of blocks when a plurality of the blocks are stacked in ascending courses to form a wall, each locator protrusion having a smaller front-to-back dimension than the front-to-back dimension of its corresponding inset so that when a plurality of the blocks are stacked in ascending courses, portions of the insets and locator protrusions of adjacent blocks in adjacent courses contact each other in a shear-resisting position in which interference between the locator protrusions and insets resist the tendency of a block in the upper course to slide forwardly in response to the anticipated forces that will be exerted on the block by retained earth, and in which there is not interference between the locator protrusions and insets that will resist at least some rearward shifting of the upper course block; and wherein the locator protrusions and insets are sized and shaped to permit relative rotation of the insets and protrusions to thereby facilitate the construction of serpentine walls while maintaining said shear-resisting position.