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 wall block comprising:
 a block body with opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and an uppermost surface opposed to a lowermost surface, the block body having a front portion adjacent the front face and a rear portion adjacent the rear face, each wall block having at least first and second weight bearing pads extending from one of the uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the block body, the at least first and second weight bearing pads being positioned between the rear face and the front face of the block body, the first weight bearing pad being inset from the first side surface a first distance and the second weight bearing pad being inset from the second side surface a second distance, the first distance being different than the second distance, the at least first and second weight bearing pads having a height,   wherein at least a portion of the first weight bearing pad is positioned on the front portion of the block body and at least a portion of the second weight bearing pad is positioned on the rear portion of the block body.   
     
     
         2 . The wall block of  claim 1 , wherein the block body has at least one pin hole opening onto the opposed uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the block body, and at least one pin receiving cavity opening onto at least one of the opposed uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the block body. 
     
     
         3 . The wall block of  claim 2 , wherein the rear face of the block body has a first surface and a second surface. 
     
     
         4 . The wall block of  claim 3 , wherein the first surface of the rear face is inset a first distance from the first side surface of the block body and the second surface of the rear face is inset a second distance from the second side surface of the block body, the first distance being different from the second distance. 
     
     
         5 . The wall block of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one pin receiving cavity opens onto at least a portion of at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads. 
     
     
         6 . A wall block system comprising:
 at least one wall block having a block body with opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, and an uppermost surface opposed to a lowermost surface, the block body having a front portion adjacent the front face and a rear portion adjacent the rear face, the at least one wall block having at least first and second weight bearing pads extending from one of the uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the block body, the at least first and second weight bearing pads being positioned between the rear face and the front face of the block body, the first weight bearing pad being inset from the first side surface a first distance and the second weight bearing pad being inset from the second side surface a second distance, the first distance being different than the second distance, the at least first and second weight bearing pads having a height,   wherein at least a portion of the first weight bearing pad is positioned on the front portion of the block body and at least a portion of the second weight bearing pad is positioned on the rear portion of the block body.   
     
     
         7 . The wall block system of  claim 6 , wherein the block body of the at least one wall block has at least one pin hole opening onto the opposed uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the block body, and at least one pin receiving cavity opening onto at least one of the opposed uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the block body. 
     
     
         8 . The wall block system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 at least one pin being shaped to be received in the at least one pin hole of the at least one wall block.   
     
     
         9 . The wall block system of  claim 8 , wherein the rear face of the block body has a first surface and a second surface. 
     
     
         10 . The wall block system of  claim 9 , wherein the first surface of the rear face is inset a first distance from the first side surface of the block body and the second surface of the rear face is inset a second distance from the second side surface of the block body, the first distance being different from the second distance. 
     
     
         11 . The wall block system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one pin receiving cavity opens onto at least a portion of at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads. 
     
     
         12 . A wall comprising a plurality of courses of wall blocks including a first upper course and an adjacent second lower course,
 a plurality of wall blocks having a block body with opposed front and rear faces, opposed first and second side surfaces, an uppermost surface opposed to a lowermost surface, the plurality of wall blocks having at least first and second weight bearing pads extending from one of the uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the block body, the at least first and second weight bearing pads being positioned between the rear face and the front face of the block body, the first weight bearing pad being inset from the first side surface a first distance and the second weight bearing pad being inset from the second side surface a second distance, the first distance being different than the second distance, the at least first and second weight bearing pads having a height,   wherein the at least first and second weight bearing pads are positioned on the block body such that the lowermost surface of the block body of at least some of the wall blocks of the first upper course are spaced the height of the weight bearing pads from the uppermost surface of the block body of at least some of the wall blocks of the adjacent second lower course.   
     
     
         13 . The wall of  claim 12 , wherein the block body of the wall blocks has a front portion adjacent the front face of the block and a rear portion adjacent the rear face of the block wherein at least a portion of the first weight bearing pad is positioned on the front portion of the block body and at least a portion of the second weight bearing pad is positioned on the rear portion of the block body. 
     
     
         14 . The wall of  claim 13 , wherein the block body of the wall blocks has at least one pin hole opening onto the opposed uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the block body, and at least one pin receiving cavity opening onto at least one of the opposed uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the block body. 
     
     
         15 . The wall of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a plurality of pins shaped to be received in the pin holes of the wall blocks.   
     
     
         16 . The wall of  claim 15 , wherein the rear face of the block body of the wall blocks has a first surface and a second surface. 
     
     
         17 . The wall of  claim 16 , wherein the first surface of the rear face is inset a first distance from the first side surface of the block body and the second surface of the rear face is inset a second distance from the second side surface of the block body, the first distance being different from the second distance. 
     
     
         18 . The wall of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one pin receiving cavity of the wall blocks opens onto at least a portion of at least one of the first and second weight bearing pads.