Patent ID: 7621095

Claim:
A retaining wall, comprising: a plurality of stacked blocks, wherein each block includes a front face; a rear wall spaced from the front face; an upper block surface; a lower block surface; and a core extending through the block between the upper block surface and the lower block surface, wherein the area of the block disposed between the core and the rear wall of the block defines a rear web and the area between the core and the front face defines a front web; wherein the wall is formed of a plurality of courses of the blocks, with a joint being formed between the blocks in adjacent upper and lower courses by the lower and upper block surfaces, respectively, of the blocks forming the upper and lower courses, wherein each of the courses comprises a plurality of the blocks placed in a side-by-side relationship; a plurality of engagement members interposed between the blocks in adjacent courses for preventing relative forward movement between the blocks in adjacent courses, wherein each engagement member is mountable to the rear web of a lower block in a lower course, and wherein the engagement member includes an upstanding projecting portion configured to engage the rear web of an upper block placed in an adjacent upper course for preventing forward movement of blocks in the upper course relative to blocks in the lower course; wherein the upstanding projecting portion of the clip member is configured to engage the rear web of the upper block so that the front face of the upper block is located rearwardly of the front web of the lower block to expose an upwardly open forward portion of the core of the lower block; wherein the engagement member comprises a clip member mountable to the rear web of the lower block, wherein the clip member includes a substantially horizontal portion for placement adjacent the surface of the block forming the joint, and wherein the upstanding projecting portion extends upwardly from the horizontal portion; and wherein the clip member is configured to be selectively engaged with the rear web of the lower block in a first orientation in which the upstanding projecting portion is located rearwardly of the rear wall of the lower block, and in a second orientation in which the upstanding projecting portion is located forwardly of the rear wall of the lower block within the core, and wherein the upstanding projecting portion engages the rear web of the upper block when the clip member is in the first orientation, and wherein the clip member includes a second upwardly projecting portion that is configured to engage the rear web of the upper block when the clip member is in the second orientation, wherein the second upwardly projecting portion is configured to position the upper block forwardly so that the core of the lower block is not exposed when the upper block is placed on the lower block.