TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to modular concrete building blocks with decorative faces that can be used in many different ways, including, for example, to build walls, such as landscaping walls or freestanding walls, or to build columns and at-grade or above-grade edging strips. This disclosure also relates to methods for making the blocks and methods for using them.

BACKGROUND

Modular concrete building blocks can be used to build walls, including free-standing walls, retaining walls, and landscaping walls. These blocks can be used either by contractors or by individuals in the “do it yourself” market.

Improvements in building blocks, including the ease of assembling the blocks into various structures, and with a visually attractive result, are desirable.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a first block is provided comprising first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth planar faces, wherein; the first and second faces are generally parallel, and the distance between the first and second faces define a thickness of the first block; the third and fourth faces are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the first and second faces; the fifth face is perpendicular to the first, second, third, and fourth faces; the sixth face extends perpendicular to the third face, extends toward the fourth face and ends at a non-planar remainder section, is parallel to the fifth face, and is contained in a plane that intersects a plane containing the third face; a distance from the intersection to the remainder section being at least as long as the thickness of the first block; and the remainder section extends between the sixth face and the fourth face and has a shape such that when a second block of the same construction as the first block has its remainder section engaged against the remainder section of first block, the remainder sections of the first and second blocks mate.

In examples, the length from the third face to the remainder section is equal to the thickness of the first block.

In examples, the remainder section includes a plurality of planar faces angled relative to each other at non-straight and non-zero angles.

In examples, the plurality of planar faces of the remainder section includes at least three planar faces.

In some examples, the plurality of planar faces of the remainder section includes at least five planar faces.

The remainder section includes a curved surface, in some examples.

In some examples, the curved surface includes at least one convexly curved surface and at least one concavely curved surface.

Some examples include at least the first face having false joint lines thereon.

In some embodiments, the third and fourth faces have false joint lines thereon.

In another aspect, a free-standing wall comprising a plurality of the first blocks as variously characterized above is provided. The wall comprises a first wall section including a base layer of the first blocks arranged side by side such that the first faces of the blocks are generally co-planar, the fifth face is against a base surface, and the sixth face and remainder section are facing up; and a first layer of second blocks, having the same construction as the first blocks, stacked on the base layer so that the sixth face of most of the second blocks is engaged against the sixth face of the first blocks in the base layer, and the remainder section of most of the second blocks is in mating engagement with the remainder section of the first blocks in the base layer.

The wall can further include a second wall section perpendicular to the first wall section; the second wall section having a base layer of the first blocks arranged side by side such that the first faces of the blocks in the second wall section are generally co-planar with each other and perpendicular to a plane containing the first faces of the first wall section; the second wall section having a first layer of the second blocks stacked on the second wall section base layer so that the sixth face of most of the second blocks in the second wall section is engaged against the sixth face of the first blocks in the base layer of the second wall section, and the remainder section of most of the second blocks in the second wall section is in mating engagement with the remainder section of the first blocks in the base layer in the second wall section; and wherein the sixth face one of the second blocks at a first end of the second wall section first layer is engaged against the sixth face of one of the first blocks at a first end of the first wall section base layer.

The wall can further include a third wall section perpendicular to the first wall section; the third wall section having a base layer of the blocks arranged side by side such that the first faces of the blocks in the third wall section are generally co-planar with each other and perpendicular to a plane containing the first faces of the first wall section; the third wall section having a first layer of the blocks stacked on the third wall section base layer so that the sixth face of each of the blocks in the third wall section first layer is engaged against the sixth face of the blocks in the third wall section base layer, and the remainder section of the third wall section first layer of blocks is in mating engagement with the remainder section of the third wall section base layer of blocks; and wherein the sixth face of one of the first blocks at a first end of the third wall section base layer is engaged against the sixth face of one of the second blocks at a second end of the first wall section first layer.

In another aspect, a first body piece is provided including planar first and second faces that are parallel, the distance between those faces defining the thickness of the first body piece; third and fourth planar side faces that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the first and second faces; opposite fifth and sixth surfaces, with the first and second faces and third and fourth faces extending between the fifth and sixth surfaces; each of the fifth and sixth surfaces having an identical profile shape including: a planar section and a non-planar remainder section; the planar section extending from one of the third and fourth side faces and extending perpendicular to that side face toward the other side face ending at the remainder section; the planar section having a length as least as long as the thickness of the first body piece; the remainder section extending between the planar section and the other side face; the remainder section being formed such that when a second body piece of the same construction has its remainder section engaged against the remainder section of the first body piece, the remainder sections of the first and second body pieces mate.

In some examples, the planar section having a length equal to the thickness of the first body piece.

In some examples, the remainder section includes a plurality of planar faces angled relative to each other at non-straight and non-zero angles.

Some embodiments have the plurality of planar faces of the remainder section including at least three planar faces.

In some examples, there are at least the first and second faces with false joint lines thereon.

In another aspect, a free-standing wall is provided comprising: a first wall section including a base layer of first blocks as variously characterized herein, arranged side by side such that the first faces of the first blocks are generally co-planar; a first layer of body pieces as variously characterized herein stacked on the base layer so that the planar section of the sixth surface of each of the body pieces in the first layer is engaged against the sixth face of the first blocks in the base layer, and wherein the remainder section of the sixth surface of the first layer of body pieces is in mating engagement with the remainder section of the sixth face of the base layer of first blocks; and a second layer of body pieces stacked on the first layer so that the planar section of the fifth surface of each of the body pieces in the second layer is engaged against the planar section of the fifth surface of the body pieces in the first layer, and wherein the remainder section of the fifth surface of the second layer of body pieces is in mating engagement with the remainder section of the fifth surface of the first layer of body pieces.

Example embodiments further include a third layer of the first blocks of claim1stacked on the second layer of body pieces so that the sixth face of each of the first blocks in the third layer is engaged against the planar section of the sixth surface of the body pieces in the second layer, and wherein the remainder section of the third layer of first blocks is in mating engagement with the remainder section of the sixth surface of the second layer of body pieces.

In another aspect, a method of constructing a free-standing wall comprising a plurality of the first blocks as variously characterized herein; the method comprising: laying a base course of the first blocks arranged side by side such that the first faces of the blocks are generally co-planar, and the fifth face is against a base surface, and the sixth face and remainder section are facing up to create a first wall section; and laying a first layer of second blocks, having the same construction as the first blocks, stacked on the base course so that the sixth face of most of the second blocks is engaged against the sixth face of the first blocks in the base course, and the remainder section of most of the second blocks is in mating engagement with the remainder section the first blocks in the base course.

In examples, there is further a step of constructing a second wall section perpendicular to the first wall section by laying a base course of the first blocks arranged side by side such that the first faces of the blocks in the second wall section are generally co-planar with each other and perpendicular to a plane containing the first faces of the first wall section; and laying a first layer of the second blocks on the second wall section base course so that the sixth face of most of the second blocks in the second wall section is engaged against the sixth face of the first blocks in the base course of the second wall section, and the remainder section of most of the second blocks in the second wall section is in mating engagement with the remainder section the first blocks in the base layer in the second wall section; and wherein the sixth face one of the second blocks at a first end of the second wall section first course is engaged against the sixth face of one of the first blocks at a first end of the first wall section base course.

Example methods further includes steps of constructing a third wall section perpendicular to the first wall section by laying a base course of the blocks arranged side by side such that the first faces of the blocks in the third wall section are generally co-planar with each other and perpendicular to a plane containing the first faces of the first wall section; laying a first course of the blocks on the third wall section base course so that the sixth face of each of the blocks in the third wall section first course is engaged against the sixth face of the blocks in the third wall section base course, and the remainder section of the third wall section first course of blocks is in mating engagement with the remainder section of the third wall section base course of blocks; and wherein the sixth face of one of the first blocks at a first end of the third wall section base course is engaged against the sixth face of one of the second blocks at a second end of the first wall section first course.

In another aspect, a concrete construction block is provided comprising: a first face; a second face generally parallel to the first face; the block having a uniform thickness defined by a distance between the first face and second face; a third face extending between and perpendicular to the first and second faces; a fourth face parallel to the third face; the fourth face extending between and perpendicular to the first and second faces; a fifth planar face extending between and perpendicular to the first face, second face, third face, and fourth face; a sixth planar face, parallel to the fifth face; the sixth face extending perpendicular to the first face, second face, and third face and being contained within a plane extending from a plane containing the third face a distance as least as long as said thickness; an irregular section extending from the sixth face to the fourth face and perpendicular to the first face and second face; the irregular section including at least a first cavity and a first projection; the first cavity being recessed from an imaginary plane in a direction toward the fifth face; said plane being co-planar with the sixth face; the first projection extending from said plane in a direction away from a remainder of the block; and the first cavity and the first projection have the same first perimeter shape.

In some embodiments, the irregular section further includes a second cavity and second projection; the second cavity being recessed from the imaginary plane in a direction toward the fifth face; the second projection extending from said imaginary plane in a direction away from a remainder of the block; and the second cavity and the second projection have the same second perimeter shape.

In some examples, the sixth face extends from the third face a distance equal to the thickness.

In some examples, the second projection is between the first cavity and second cavity.

In some embodiments, the first and second cavities alternate with the first and second projections along the irregular section.

In some examples, the perimeter first shape is curved.

In some examples, the perimeter first shape is polyhedral.

In some examples, the perimeter first shape is polyhedral; and the perimeter second shape is polyhedral.

Some embodiments include at least the first and second faces having false joint lines thereon.

For some examples, the third and fourth faces have false joint lines thereon.

In another aspect, a free-standing wall comprising a plurality of the blocks as variously characterized herein is provided. The wall comprises a first wall section including a base layer of the blocks arranged side by side such that the first faces of the blocks are generally co-planar, the fifth faces are facing down against a base surface, and the sixth faces and irregular sections are facing up; and a first layer of the blocks stacked on the base layer so that the sixth face of most of the blocks in the first layer is engaged against the sixth face of the blocks in the base layer, and the irregular section of most of the blocks in the first layer is in mating engagement with the irregular sections of the blocks in the base layer.

A variety of examples of desirable product features or methods are set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing various aspects of this disclosure. The aspects of the disclosure may relate to individual features as well as combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the claimed invention.

