Patent ID: RE39922

Claim:
A wall block for use in a segmental retaining wall system, said wall block comprising: an interior block face for forming an interior surface of a segmental retaining wall; an exterior block face for forming an exterior surface of the segmental retaining wall; first and second block sides that extend from said exterior block face to said interior block face; a block top surface and having a lock channel formed therein, the lock channel being defined by a channel front wall, a channel rear wall, and a channel bottom surface, the lock channel extending transversely across the block top surface from the first block side to the second block side, wherein the channel front wall forms a first shoulder that extends towards the interior block face so as to overhang a portion of the channel front wall, wherein the channel rear wall forms a second shoulder that extends towards the exterior block face so as to overhang a portion of the channel rear wall, and wherein the shoulders are spaced apart and run generally parallel to each other along the lock channel; a block bottom surface; and a channel defined by a front wall, a rear wall, and a channel bottom surface and extending across one of said faces and surfaces, said rear wall including an inwardly extending shoulder. a lock flange on the bottom surface of the block, the lock flange being defined by a flange front surface extending from the block bottom surface, a flange rear surface extending from the block bottom surface, and a flange bottom surface extending between the flange front and rear surfaces, the lock flange extending transversely across the block bottom surface in substantially the same direction as the lock channel, the lock flange being sized, shaped, and positioned so that the flange will fit into the lock channel of a similarly configured wall block in an adjacent lower course when the lock flange is passed downwardly through the space between the first and second shoulders of the similarly configured wall block and into the lock channel of that wall block from above, and wherein the flange front surface includes a portion that is sized and shaped so as to engage the first shoulder of the lock channel of the similarly configured block either directly, or indirectly if a portion of a soil reinforcement member is interposed between the flange front and the first shoulder, such that when the wall block is stacked atop the similarly configured block the wall block is properly aligned thereon.