Retaining wall systems

Abstract

A mortar-less retaining wall apparatus is built from of a plurality of masonry blocks, each masonry block having four side walls and two end walls, two or more masonry blocks being abutted on respective side walls, one of the end walls of each masonry block having a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion. One or more of the masonry blocks each has a side wall that tapers from one end wall to the other end wall, thus allowing either straight or curved walls to be built by changing the relative orientation of the tapers of adjoining blocks.

1 . A mortar-less retaining wall apparatus, comprised of a plurality of masonry blocks, each masonry block having four side walls and two end walls, two or more masonry blocks being abutted on respective side walls, one of the end walls of each masonry block having a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.  
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of the end walls has a first area, and further comprises a raised portion having a second area, the second area being less than the first area, thereby creating the mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the end wall and the raised portion are generally quadrilateral in shape.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the end wall and the raised portion abut along a common edge.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the masonry blocks each has a side wall that tapers from one end wall to the other end wall.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having opposed tapers, thereby forming a straight wall.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having matched tapers, thereby forming a curved wall.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising masonry blocks of four different types.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein three of the four types each has a first height and the fourth type has a second height twice that of the first height.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a panel of two rows of blocks, each of the two rows having blocks of the first height and an end block of the second height.  
   
   
       11 . A mortar-less retaining wall apparatus, comprised of a plurality of masonry blocks, each masonry block having four side walls and two end walls, two or more masonry blocks being abutted on respective side walls, wherein one or more of the masonry blocks each has a side wall that tapers from one end wall to the other end wall.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having opposed tapers, thereby forming a straight wall.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having matched tapers, thereby forming a curved wall.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein one of the end walls of each masonry block has a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein one of the end walls has a first area, and further comprises a raised portion having a second area, the second area being less than the first area, thereby creating the mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the end wall and the raised portion are generally quadrilateral in shape.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the end wall and the raised portion abut along a common edge.  
   
   
       18 . A mortar-less retaining wall apparatus, comprised of a plurality of masonry blocks, each masonry block having four side walls and two end walls, two or more masonry blocks being abutted on respective side walls, one of the end walls of each masonry block having a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion, and wherein one or more of the masonry blocks each has a side wall that tapers from one end wall to the other end wall.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein one of the end walls has a first area, and further comprises a raised portion having a second area, the second area being less than the first area, thereby creating the mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the end wall and the raised portion are generally quadrilateral in shape.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the end wall and the raised portion abut along a common edge.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having opposed tapers, thereby forming a straight wall.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having matched tapers, thereby forming a curved wall.