Patent ID: 7503730

Claim:
A concrete block that can be used to construct a retaining wall or a free-standing wall, the block comprising: a front surface and opposing rear surface, a top surface and opposing bottom surface, and opposing first and second side surfaces, wherein the first and second side surfaces taper inwardly from the front surface to the rear surface, such that the front surface is wider than the rear surface; a projection extending outwardly from the block top surface or bottom surface; a recess on the opposite block top surface or bottom surface from where the projection is located, the recess extending transversely across the block between the opposing first and second side surfaces, wherein the projection is arranged and configured to be received in the recess of a block in an adjacent course of blocks; and a plurality of cores extending through the block from the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the projection has opposing first and second side surfaces, and wherein an inner surface of the first core is coplanar with the first side surface of the projection and an inner surface of the second core is coplanar with the second side surface of the projection.