Retaining wall containing wall blocks with weight bearing pads

Abstract

A retaining wall having a plurality of courses of retaining wall blocks including a first upper course and a second lower course. Each retaining wall block has opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and opposed and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, and at least one weight bearing pad extends from one of the upper and lower surfaces. The at least one weight bearing pad extends substantially from the rear face to the front face of the block. The weight bearing pads are the only areas of contact between the blocks in the first upper course and the blocks in the second lower course.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . 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 opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and opposed and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, and at least one weight bearing pad extending from one of the upper and lower surfaces, the at least one weight bearing pad extending substantially from the rear face to the front face of the block, and   the weight bearing pads being the only areas of contact between the blocks in the first upper course and the blocks in the second lower course.   
     
     
         2 . The retaining wall of  claim 1 , wherein the weight bearing pads in the first upper course and the second lower course are vertically aligned. 
     
     
         3 . The retaining wall of  claim 1 , wherein the weight bearing pads extend from the lower surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The retaining wall of  claim 3 , wherein each retaining wall block comprises two weight bearing pads. 
     
     
         5 . The retaining wall of  claim 3 , wherein each retaining wall block comprises just two weight bearing pads. 
     
     
         6 . The retaining wall of  claim 1 , wherein each weight bearing pad is a rectangular prism. 
     
     
         7 . The retaining wall of  claim 1 , wherein each weight bearing pad has a height of from ⅛ to ½ inch (0.3 to 1.3 cm). 
     
     
         8 . The retaining wall of  claim 1 , wherein each weight bearing pad has a height of from ⅛ to ⅜ inch (0.3 to 1.0 cm). 
     
     
         9 . The retaining wall of  claim 6 , wherein the dimensions of each weight bearing pad 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. 
     
     
         10 . The retaining wall of  claim 1 , wherein each weight bearing pad is level. 
     
     
         11 . The retaining wall of  claim 1 , wherein each weight bearing pad has a slope. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making a retaining wall comprising:
 providing a plurality of retaining wall blocks, each retaining wall block having opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and opposed and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, and at least one weight bearing pad extending from one of the upper and lower surfaces, the at least one weight bearing pad extending substantially from the rear face to the front face of the block, and   placing the retaining wall blocks into a plurality of courses including a first upper course and a second lower course, the weight bearing pads being the only areas of contact between the blocks in the first upper course and the blocks in the second lower course.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the weight bearing pads in the first upper course and the second lower course are vertically aligned. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the weight bearing pads extend from the lower surfaces. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each retaining wall block comprises two weight bearing pads. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each retaining wall block comprises just two weight bearing pads. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each weight bearing pad is a rectangular prism. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each weight bearing pad has a height of from ⅛ to ½ inch (0.3 to 1.3 cm). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each weight bearing pad has a height of from ⅛ to ⅜ inch (0.3 to 1.0 cm). 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the dimensions of each weight bearing pad 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. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each weight bearing pad is level. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each weight bearing pad has a slope.