Patent ID: 7328537
Filing Date: 2008-02-12
Classification: E02D,E04B,E04C

Abstract:
1. A block for constructing walls, comprising: an upper surface spaced apart from a lower surface, thereby defining a block height; opposed first and second faces, wherein the first face has a surface area greater than that of the second face; opposed side surfaces extending between respective ends of the first and second faces, the block defining a width extending from one side surface to the other side surface; first, second, third, and fourth rows of at least two spaced apart rectangular pin holes formed in the upper surface, each row of pin holes extending in the direction of the block width, wherein the first and second rows of pin holes are on opposing sides of a longitudinal axis bisecting the upper surface and spaced a first distance from the longitudinal axis, and the third and fourth rows of pin holes are on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis and spaced a second distance from the longitudinal axis, the second distance being less than the first distance, each pin hole having a width extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis bisecting the upper surface and being spaced inwardly and away from the side surfaces of the block; a first longitudinally extending pin-receiving channel formed in the lower surface; and a second longitudinally extending pin-receiving channel formed in the lower surface and extending parallel to the first pin-receiving channel, the first and second pin-receiving channels being on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis bisecting the lower surface, each channel having first and second opposing side surfaces extending parallel to the longitudinal axis bisecting the lower surface and a width extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis bisecting the lower surface; wherein the pin holes of the first row of pin holes are positioned between respective vertical planes defined by the opposing side surfaces of the first channel and the pin holes of the second row of pin holes are positioned between respective vertical planes defined by the opposing side surfaces of the second channel; wherein the pin holes of the third row of pin holes are positioned on the same side of the longitudinal axis bisecting the upper surface as the pin holes of the first row and are spaced inwardly from the first channel; and wherein the pin holes of the fourth row of pin holes face the pin holes of the third row of pin holes, the pin holes of the fourth row being positioned on the same side of the longitudinal axis bisecting the upper surface as the pin holes of the second row and being spaced inwardly from the second channel; wherein the pin holes of the first row of pin holes are positioned between the vertical planes defined by the opposing side surfaces of the first channel such that a side surface of each pin hole of the first row is vertically aligned with the first side surface of the first channel, the width of the first channel being greater than the width of the pin holes of the first row; and the pin holes of the second row of pin holes are positioned between the vertical planes defined by the opposing side surfaces of the second channel such that a side surface of each pin hole of the second row is vertically aligned with the first side surface of the second channel, the width of the second channel being greater than the width of the pin holes of the second row.