Wall block with weight bearing pads and method of producing wall blocks
View Patent ↗A wall block having at least one weight bearing pad on an upper or lower surface of the block and a compression head and methods of making the block and making walls with the block.
1. A wall block comprising a block body having a front portion with opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and opposed and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, the block body having first and second legs extending from the front portion in a direction opposite the front face, each leg having a rear surface, the first leg being spaced a first distance from the first side surface and the second leg being spaced a second distance from the second side surface of the front portion, the first distance being different from the second distance such that the first and second legs are positioned asymmetrically on the block body, a first weight bearing pad extending from one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body and extending substantially from the front face of the front portion to the rear surface of the first leg and a second weight bearing pad extending from one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body and extending substantially from the front face of the front portion to the rear surface of the second leg.
2. The wall block of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads extends from the lower surface.
3. The wall block of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads is a rectangular prism.
4. The wall block of claim 3 , wherein the dimensions of at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads are from 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm) wide, 7 to 11 inches (17.8 to 27.9 cm) long, and ⅛ to ⅜ inch (0.3 to 1.0 cm) deep.
5. The wall block of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads has a height of from ⅛ to ½ inch (0.3 to 1.3 cm).
6. The wall block of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads has a height of from ⅛ to ⅜ inch (0.3 to 1.0 cm).
7. The wall block of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads is level.
8. The wall block of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads has a slope.
9. The wall block of claim 1 , further comprising at least one pin hole opening onto the opposed upper and lower surfaces and at least one pin receiving cavity opening onto at least one of the opposed upper and lower surfaces.
10. The wall block of claim 1 , wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.
11. A retaining wall comprising a plurality of courses of retaining wall blocks including a first upper course and a second lower course,
each retaining wall block having a front portion with opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and opposed and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, the block having first and second legs extending from the front portion in a direction opposite the front face, each leg having a rear surface, the first leg being spaced a first distance from the first side surface and the second leg being spaced a second distance from the second side surface of the front portion, the first distance being different from the second distance such that the first and second legs are positioned asymmetrically on the block body, a first weight bearing pad extending from one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block and extending substantially from the front face of the front portion to the rear surface of the first leg and a second weight bearing pad extending from one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block and extending substantially from the front face of the front portion to the rear surface of the second leg.
12. The retaining wall of claim 11 , wherein the weight bearing pads in the first upper course and the second lower course are vertically aligned.
13. The retaining wall of claim 11 , wherein the first and second weight bearing pads both extend from the lower surface.
14. The retaining wall of claim 11 , wherein the first and second weight bearing pads both extend from the upper surface.
15. The retaining wall of claim 11 , further comprising at least one pin hole opening onto the opposed upper and lower surfaces and at least one pin receiving cavity opening onto at least one of the opposed upper and lower surfaces.
16. The retaining wall of claim 11 , wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.
17. A method of leveling a wall block comprising:
providing a wall block comprising a block body having a front portion with opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and opposed and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, the block body having first and second legs extending from the front portion in a direction opposite the front face, each leg having a rear surface, the first leg being spaced a first distance from the first side surface and the second leg being spaced a second distance from the second side surface of the front portion, the first distance being different from the second distance such that the first and second legs are positioned asymmetrically on the block body, a first weight bearing pad extending from one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body and extending substantially from the front face of the front portion to the rear surface of the first leg and a second weight bearing pad extending from one of the upper and lower surfaces of the block body and extending substantially from the front face of the front portion to the rear surface of the second leg; and
removing a portion of at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads to make the height of the wall block equal to an adjacent block in a course of a retaining wall.
18. The wall block of claim 1 , wherein the first and second weight bearing pads both extend from the upper surface or both extend from the lower surface.
19. The method of leveling a wall block of claim 17 , wherein the first and second weight bearing pads both extend from the upper surface or both extend from the lower surface of the wall block.
20. The method of leveling a wall block of claim 17 , further comprising at least one pin hole opening onto the opposed upper and lower surfaces and at least one pin receiving cavity opening onto at least one of the opposed upper and lower surfaces.