Patent Publication Number: US-2002001509-A1

Title: Block retaining wall structure and setback locator therefor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates in general to a block retaining wall structure having a plurality of blocks stacked each other and a setback locator therefor, and more particularly to a block retaining wall structure having a plurality of blocks stacked each other and an interlocking setback therefor, wherein an batter angle of the retaining wall can be selected in a various manner as desired.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] As well known to those skilled in the art, a block retaining wall is usually used in a wide variety of civil engineering and landscaping applications, for example to support slopes and embankments for highways, etc. The block retaining wall is constructed by a plurality of blocks staked each other.  
       [0005] Such a retaining wall block has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,783,566 and 4,802,320, etc.  
       [0006] In a conventional block retaining wall, the blocks are arranged horizontally, and then stacked sequentially thereon. In order to interlock the blocks stacked vertically, bar-shaped pins are inserted through openings formed on the blocks arranged vertically. These pins usually serve to allow the blocks to maintain vertical walls, and restrict a lateral movement between the blocks, to thereby prevent the retaining wall from being deformed or collapsed.  
       [0007] However, in the conventional blocks for the retaining wall, shapes of pins and positions of openings formed on the blocks have been predetermined, and therefore, it has been unable to select the batter angle of the retaining wall adaptively as desired. In other words, in order to produce a retaining wall inclined at an arbitrary angle, new blocks having pin-accommodating openings whose positions are set, depending upon the selected batter angle, are to be manufactured. Therefore, using the conventional retaining wall blocks, a various type of blocks as many as possible, corresponding to the desired inclination angles of the retaining wall are needed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a block retaining wall structure and a setback locator therefor, wherein the retaining walls can be constructed selectively at a variety of batter angles thereof, by means of a single type of blocks.  
       [0009] This and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished by the provision of a block retaining wall structure having a plurality of blocks stacked each other, comprising: at least one locator&#39;s pillar-accommodating hole formed on each block along a staking direction of the blocks; at least one locator&#39;s head-accommodating hole depressed along the stacking direction of the blocks, so as to correspond to the pillar-accommodating hole of adjacent blocks; and an setback locator including a pillar part taking a bar shape, being inserted into the pillar-accommodating hole of the block, and a locator head part formed at one end of the pillar part and accommodated in the head-accommodating hole so as to contact at least one inner wall face of the head-accommodating hole, and having a plurality of contact faces having different radial contact distances from an axial line of the pillar part to an inner wall face of the head-accommodating hole.  
       [0010] Here, the pillar-accommodating hole and the head-accommodating hole of each block are in communication with each other along the stacking direction.  
       [0011] Preferably, the pillar-accommodating hole, the head-accommodating hole and the pillar part of locator respectively have a polygonal sectional shape.  
       [0012] In case that the head-accommodating hole is in the shape of a groove formed horizontally relative to the block, when the blocks are alternately stacked in the horizontal direction, the displacement between the blocks  210  stacked each other can be arbitrarily selected as necessary.  
       [0013] Further, the present invention provides an interlocking setback locator for a block retaining wall structure. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
     [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a retaining wall block according to a first embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0016]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line II-II;  
     [0017]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a setback locator for interlocking the blocks according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0018]FIG. 4 is a bottom view of FIG. 3;  
     [0019]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a first coupling state in which a block is coupled with the setback locators according to the present invention;  
     [0020]FIG. 6 is a top view of FIG. 5;  
     [0021]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a block retaining wall structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, using the first coupling state of the block and the setback locator shown in FIG. 5;  
     [0022]FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 7;  
     [0023]FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a second coupling state in which a block is coupled with the setback locators according to the present invention;  
     [0024]FIG. 10 is a top view of FIG. 9;  
     [0025]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a block retaining wall structure according to another embodiment of the present invention, using the second coupling state of the block and the setback locators shown in FIG. 9;  
     [0026]FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 11;  
     [0027]FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing an installation of the retaining wall shown in FIG. 11;  
     [0028]FIG. 14 a perspective view of a retaining wall block according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0029]FIG. 15 is a sectional view of FIG. 14 taken along line XV-XV;  
     [0030]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a retaining wall block according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0031]FIG. 17 is a sectional view of FIG. 16 taken along line XVII-XVII; and  
     [0032]FIG. 18 is a top view of the block retaining wall structure having a batter angle allowing the front portion to be curved, constructed with the blocks according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0033] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     [0034]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a retaining wall block according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line II-II. As illustrated in these figures, blocks to constitute a retaining wall, being stacked each other, are in the form of hexahedron, having approximately a trapezoid planar shape. The block is comprised of a front face  11 , a rear face opposite to the front face  11 , a top face  15 , a bottom face  17  and side faces  19 . The horizontal length of the rear face  13  is shorter than that of the front face  11 , so that retaining walls having forwardly or backwardly curved shapes can be formed in a various manner. Here, the planar shape of the block  10  can be formed variously as necessary.  
     [0035] In each block are provided a plurality of the pillar-accommodating holes  21  formed downward from the top face  15 , in a stacking direction. Pillar parts  31  (see FIG. 3) of setback locators  30  to be described later are inserted into these pillar-accommodating holes  21 . The pillar-accommodating holes  21  are arranged horizontally at a predetermined interval. The pillar-accommodating hole  21  is rectangular in its section, corresponding to the sectional shape of the pillar part  31  of the setback locator  30 . Here, the pillar-accommodating hole  21  may have a variety of sectional shapes including triangle, polygons such as pentagon or circle, in accordance with the sectional shape of the pillar part  31  of the interlocking pin.  
     [0036] On the lower face  17  of the block  10  are provided a plurality of head-accommodating holes  23  depressed from the lower face  17 , corresponding to the pillar-accommodating holes  21  on a top face of an adjacent block. The head-accommodating holes  23  accommodate therein head parts  33  (see FIG. 3) of the setback locators  30  to be described later. The head-accommodating holes  23  is eccentrically placed forwardly relative to an axial line of the pillar-accommodating holes  21 . The head-accommodating hole  23  communicates with the pillar-accommodating hole  21  so as to make a rear wall faces  23  within the head-accommodating hole  23  meet a rear wall face within the pillar-accommodating holes  21 , wherein a contact face of the head part  33  of the setback locator  30  is in contact with the rear wall face  23   a  playing a role as a reference face for installing blocks stacked each other. The head-accommodating hole  23  is rectangular in its section.  
     [0037] Between the pillar-accommodating hole  21  and the head-accommodating hole  23 , and the rear face  13  of the block  10  is provided an opening  25  vertically penetrating through the block  10  from the top face  15  to the lower face  17  of the block  10 . The opening  25  serves to reduce a weight of the block  10 , and may be filled with mortar or aggregate and/or earth and sand under the state that the blocks are stacked each other.  
     [0038]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an setback locator for the blocks according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a bottom view of FIG. 3. As depicted in these figures, the setback locator  30  for the block retaining wall structure according to the present invention is comprised of the pillar part  31  taking a bar shape, which is inserted into the pillar-accommodating hole  21  of the block  10 , and the head part  33  formed at one end of the pin part  31  and accommodated in the head-accommodating hole  23  so as to allow it to contact at least one inner wall face of the head-accommodating hole  23  of the block  10 . The head part  33  includes a plurality of contact faces having different radial contact distances from the axial line of the pillar part  31  to an inner wall face of the head-accommodating hole  23 , that is, having different distances protruding in the radial direction. The setback locator  30  is made of metal, plastic or concrete molding which can be molded in an easy manner and have a sufficient shear strength.  
     [0039] The pillar part  31  is rectangular in its section, corresponding to the pillar-accommodating hole  21  of the block  10 . Here, the pillar part  31  have a variety of sectional shapes including triangle, polygons such as pentagon or circle, in accordance with the sectional shape of the pin-accommodating parts  31  of the block  10 .  
     [0040] The locator head part  33  has a sectional area larger than that of the pillar part  31 . As shown in FIG. 4, the locator head part  33  is rectangular in its section and has 4 different patterns in radially protruding distances relative to the axial line of the pin part  31 . The face denoted D of the locator head  33 , which refers to a face of meeting one side of the locator head part  33  upwardly and vertically extended from one side of the pillar part  31 , has a protruding distance equal to 0 or close to 0 (d 0 ), the other sides denoted A, B and C are structured to have successively incremental values of distances, that is, d 1 &lt;d 2 &lt;d 3 . The block retaining wall structure installed by means of blocks and setback locators according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     [0041]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a first coupling state in which a block is coupled with the setback locators according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a top view of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a block retaining wall structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, using the first coupling state of the block and the setback locators shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 7. As illustrated therein, when the setback locator  30  is inserted into the pillar-accommodating part  21  of the block  10 , a face (“D” of FIG. 4) meeting one side of the locator head part  33  vertically and upwardly extended from one side of the pillar part, which is a contact face meeting the installation reference face of the head-accommodating part  23  of the block  10 , that is, one side of the locator head part  33  having a distance equal to 0 (d 0  of FIG. 4) from the upper side extended vertically from one side of the pillar part  31 , is installed so as to be directed to the rear of the block  10 . Then, the block is stacked so as to allow the contact face of the head part  33  on the block coupled with the setback locator to contact the installation reference face  23   a  of the head-accommodating hole  23 . The pillar-accommodating parts  21  of each block  10  are disposed at a predetermined interval, so that the blocks may be alternately stacked each other, so as to allow the blocks  10  to be maintained horizontally at a regular interval. If the blocks are stacked upwardly, following the above-described method, the distance between the front or rear faces of the adjacent blocks is nearly zero, so that they can be positioned vertically. Therefore, the stacked blocks  10  form a vertical retaining wall structure. The openings  25  formed on the stacked blocks may be filled with mortar or aggregate, and/or earth and sand, so that the blocks are firmly coupled to each other, thereby producing a strong retaining wall structure capable of preventing collapse of the earth and sand. This vertical retaining wall structure may be used in a place which is relatively low in height and relatively small in resistance required against earth pressure.  
     [0042]FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a second coupling state in which a block is coupled with the setback locators according to the present invention, FIG. 10 is a top view of FIG. 9, FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a block retaining wall structure according to another embodiment of the present invention, using the second coupling state of the block and the setback locators shown in FIG. 9, FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing an installation of the retaining wall shown in FIG. 11. As depicted in these Figures, when coupling the setback locator  30  with the pillar-accommodating hole  21  of the block  10 , one side of the locator head part  33  (“C” of FIG. 4), separated by d 3  from the upper vertical extension of one side of the pillar part  31 , as a contact face contacting the installation reference face of the head-accommodating hole  23  of the block  10 , is installed so as to be directed to the rear of the block  10 . Then, the blocks  10  are stacked so as to allow the contact face of the locator head part  33  on the block coupled with the setback locator to contact the installation reference face  23   a  of the head-accommodating hole  23 . Since the pillar-accommodating parts  21  of each block  10  are maintained at regular interval, the blocks may be alternately stacked each other. If the blocks are stacked vertically, following the above-described method, the block disposed above is backwardly disposed by a distance of d 3  relative to the block disposed below, thereby forming a step. Therefore, the stacked blocks  10  form a retaining wall structure inclined vertically at a predetermined angle. As illustrated in FIG. 13, the blocks  10  are buried below the surface of the earth, and the openings  25  formed on the blocks stacked in the step structure are filled with mortar or aggregate, and/or earth and sand, so that the blocks are firmly coupled to each other, thereby producing a strong retaining wall structure capable of preventing collapse of the earth and sand. This vertical retaining wall structure may be used in a occasion which is relatively high in height and relatively great in resistance required against earth pressure.  
     [0043] Although it has not been shown in the accompanying drawings, according to another embodiment with respect to coupling of the block  10  and the setback locator  30  according to the present invention, when coupling the setback locator  30  with the pillar-accommodating hole  21  of the block  10 , one side of the head part  33  (“A” or “B” of FIG. 4), separated by d 1  or d 2  from the upper vertical extension of one side of the pillar part  31 , as a contact face contacting the installation reference face of the head-accommodating hole  23  of the block  10 , may be installed so as to be directed to the rear of the block  10 . Then, the blocks  10  are stacked so as to allow the contact face of the locator head part  33  on the block coupled with the setback locator to contact the installation reference face  23   a  of the head-accommodating hole  23 . As described above, since the pillar-accommodating parts  21  of each block  10  are maintained at regular interval, the blocks may be alternately stacked on each other, so as to allow the upwardly stacked block  10  to be displaced backwardly by d 1  or d 2  relative to the lower layer block  10 , thereby forming a step. In this manner, the stacked blocks  10  can form a retaining wall structure inclined vertically at a variety of angles.  
     [0044] On the other hand, FIG. 14 a perspective view of a retaining wall block according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 15 is a sectional view of FIG. 14 taken along line XV-XV. As shown in these Figures, a locator head-accommodating hole  123  is in the shape of a groove, being formed horizontally relative to a block  110 , differently from the above-described embodiments.  
     [0045] With this configuration, when the blocks  110  are alternately stacked in the horizontal direction, while the displacement between the blocks  110  stacked each other can be maintained in a constant manner.  
     [0046]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a retaining wall block according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 17 is a sectional view of FIG. 16 taken along line XVII-XVII. As depicted therein, a pillar-accommodating hole  221  is in the shape of a groove formed horizontally relative to a block  210 , different from the above-described embodiments. A locator head-accommodating hole  223  is also in the shape of a groove formed horizontally relative to the block  210 .  
     [0047] With this configuration, when the blocks  210  are alternately stacked in the horizontal direction, the displacement between the blocks  210  stacked each other can be arbitrarily selected as necessary.  
     [0048]FIG. 18 is a top view of the block retaining wall structure having an inclination angle allowing the front portion to be curved, constructed with the blocks according to the present invention. As shown therein, it is possible to form a curved wall curved backwardly through the blocks  110  according to the present invention, having a trapezoid shape in section, in which the length of the rear face is shorter than that of the front face. In addition, since the positions and methods of coupling the blocks  110  and the setback locators  30  can be selected by a user in a various manner, a variety of curved walls can be produced; and a variety of contacting states between the contact face of the locator head part  33  of the setback locator  30  and the installation reference face of the head-accommodating hole  123  of the block  110  can be obtained, to thereby obtain a variety of batter walls.  
     [0049] As described above, according to the present invention, there are provided the block including the pillar-accommodating hole formed along the block-stacked direction, the head-accommodating hole depressed opposite to the pillar-accommodating hole, and the setback locator including the plurality of contact faces having different radial contact distances from the axial line of the pillar part to the installation reference face of the head-accommodating hole, which is inserted into the pillar accommodating hole so as to contact the installation reference face of the head-accommodating hole; with this configuration, coupling positions of the blocks and the setback locators can be arbitrary selected when stacking the blocks each other, thereby being able to arrange the stacked blocks horizontally in an easy manner.  
     [0050] Further, since the coupling direction of blocks and the setback locators are arbitrarily selected, that is, the contact face of the head part of the setback locator contacts the installation reference face of the head-accommodating hole of the block in a various manner, the user can select the batter angle for installation of the blocks stacked each other as desired.  
     [0051] In the above-described embodiments, the head-accommodating hole of the block and the head part of the setback locator have been limited to be rectangular in its sectional shape for the sake of convenience; however, they have a variety of sectional shapes including triangle, polygon such as pentagon, circle, cross-shape and L-shape, etc.  
     [0052] In the above-described embodiments, it was also described that the installation reference face of the head-accommodating hole is identical to the rear face of the pillar-accommodating hole and the pillar-accommodating hole communicates with the head-accommodating hole; however, the installation reference face of the head-accommodating hole may not be identical to the rear face of the pillar-accommodating hole and the pillar-accommodating hole may not communicate with the head-accommodating hole.  
     [0053] Preferably, corners of the blocks in the above-described embodiments are chamfered off, to make it convenient to construct a curved wall.  
     [0054] As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a block retaining wall structure and an setback locator therefor, wherein a coupling direction of the block and the setback locator is selected by means of a single type of block and a setback locator so as to stack the blocks each other, thereby selectively constructing a retaining wall having a variety of batter angles.  
     [0055] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purpose, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.