Reinforced building wall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9874009-B2
Application number	US-201414891449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2014
Priority date	May 23, 2013
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

Reinforced building wall comprises a foundation; an anchor rod extending from the foundation; first stud wall disposed on the foundation and second stud wall disposed above the first stud wall; first tie rod including first and second threaded end portions, the first threaded end portion is operably connected to the anchor rod; second tie rod including third and fourth threaded end portions, the third threaded end portion is operably connected to the second threaded end portion of the first tie rod; the fourth threaded end portion operably attached to the second stud wall; an intermediate portion of the first tie rod is unthreaded, the intermediate portion extending through a first top plate of the first stud wall and a second bottom plate of the second stud wall and the second threaded end portion is not disposed within the first top plate and the second bottom plate.

First claim

I claim:

1. A reinforced building wall, comprising:
a) a foundation;
b) an anchor rod extending from said foundation;
c) a first stud wall disposed above said foundation, said first stud wall including a first bottom plate and a first top plate, said first top plate is disposed at an upper end portion of said first stud wall;
d) a second stud wall disposed above said first stud wall, said second stud wall including a second bottom plate and a second top plate, said second top plate is disposed at an upper end of said second stud wall;
e) a first tie rod including first and second threaded end portions, said first threaded end portion is operably connected to said anchor rod;
f) a second tie rod including third and fourth threaded end portions, said third threaded end portion is operably connected to said second threaded end portion of said first tie rod;
g) said fourth threaded end portion is operably attached to said second stud wall; and
h) an intermediate portion of said first tie rod is unthreaded, said intermediate portion and said second threaded end portion extending through said first top plate and said second bottom plate, said second threaded end portion is not disposed within said first top plate and said second bottom plate.

2. A reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , and further comprising:
a) a first coupling connecting said first tie rod to said anchor rod; and
b) a second coupling connecting said second tie rod to said first tie rod.

3. A reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , and further comprising:
a) a first bearing plate disposed on said second bottom plate, said first bearing plate including an opening through which said first tie rod extends; and
b) a first nut screwed to said first tie rod to secure said first tie rod and said bearing plate to said second bottom plate.

4. A reinforced building wall as in claim 3 , wherein:
a) said second tie rod extends through said second top plate;
b) a second bearing plate disposed on said second top plate, said second bearing plate including an opening through which said second tie rod extends; and
c) a second nut screwed to said second tie rod to secure second tie rod and said second bearing plate to said second top plate.

5. A reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein said intermediate portion of said second tie rod extends through said second top plate, said fourth threaded end portion is not disposed within said second top plate.

6. A reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , and further comprising:
a) first reinforcement blocking disposed in said first stud wall;
b) said intermediate portion of said first tie rod extends through said first reinforcement blocking;
c) a second reinforcement blocking disposed in said second stud wall; and
d) said unthreaded intermediate portion of said second tie rod extends through said second reinforcement blocking.

7. A reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein:
a) said intermediate portion of said first tie rod comprises about 75% of the length of said first tie rod; and
b) said intermediate portion of said second tie rod comprises about 75% of the length of said second tie rod.

8. A reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein:
a) a diameter of said first and second threaded end portions is greater than a diameter of said unthreaded intermediate portion of said first tie rod; and
b) a diameter of said third and fourth threaded end portions is greater than a diameter of said unthreaded intermediate portion of said second tie rod.

9. A reinforced building wall as in claim 4 , and further comprising:
a) a first spring disposed between said first bearing plate and said first nut; and
b) a second spring disposed between said second bearing plate and said second nut.

10. A reinforced building wall as in claim 9 , and further comprising:
a) a first inner cylindrical body disposed within a first outer cylindrical body;
b) said first spring urging said first inner cylindrical body upwardly against said first nut and urging first outer cylinder body downwardly against said first bearing plate;
c) said first inner cylindrical body is movable upwardly with respect to said first outer cylindrical body and lockable downwardly relative to said first outer cylindrical body;
d) a second inner cylindrical body disposed within a second outer cylindrical body;
e) said second spring urging said second inner cylindrical body upwardly against said second nut and urging said second outer cylinder body downwardly against said second bearing plate; and
f) said second inner cylindrical body is movable upwardly with respect to said second outer cylindrical body and lockable downwardly relative to said second outer cylindrical body.

11. A reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , and further comprising:
a) a cross member attached to said second stud wall;
b) said second tie rod extending through said cross member;
c) a first bearing plate disposed on said cross member; and
d) a first nut screwed to said second tie rod to secure said second tie rod and said first bearing plate to said cross member.

12. A reinforced building wall as in claim 11 , and further comprising a first spring disposed between said first bearing plate and said first nut.

13. A reinforced building wall as in claim 12 , and further comprising:
a) a first inner cylindrical body disposed within a first outer cylindrical body;
b) said first spring urging said first inner cylindrical body upwardly against said first nut and urging first outer cylinder body downwardly against said first bearing plate; and
c) said first inner cylindrical body is movable upwardly with respect to said first outer cylindrical body and lockable downwardly relative to said first outer cylindrical body.

14. A reinforced building wall, comprising:
a) a foundation;
b) an anchor rod extending from said foundation;
c) a first stud wall disposed on said foundation, said first stud wall including a first bottom plate and a first top plate;
d) a second stud wall disposed above said first stud wall, said second stud wall including a second bottom plate and a second top plate;
e) a first tie rod including first and second end portions with respective first and second threaded bores, said first threaded bore is operably connected to said anchor rod, said first tie rod including an unthreaded exterior surface extending from said first end portion to said second end portion;
f) a second tie rod including third and fourth threaded end portions, said third threaded end portion is operably connected to said second threaded bore of said first tie rod;
g) said fourth threaded end portion operably attached to said second stud wall; and
h) said first and second threaded bores together constitute about 25% of the length of said first tie rod.

15. A reinforced building wall as in claim 14 , wherein said first tie rod is circular in cross-section.

16. A reinforced building wall as in claim 14 , wherein said first tie rod is square in cross-section.

17. A reinforced building wall as in claim 14 , wherein said first tie rod is hexagonal in cross-section.

18. A reinforced building wall, comprising:
a) a foundation;
b) an anchor rod extending from said foundation;
c) a first stud wall disposed above said foundation, said first stud wall including a first bottom plate and a first top plate, said first top plate is disposed at an upper end of said first stud wall;
d) a topmost stud wall disposed above said first stud wall, said topmost stud wall including a second bottom p

Assignees

• Espinosa Thomas M
• Cetres Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Espinosa Thomas M

Classifications

• E04B2/56

  {Load-bearing} walls of framework or pillarwork; Walls incorporating load-bearing elongated members (E04B2/74, E04B2/88 take precedence; pillars E04C3/30) · CPC title

• E04B2001/3583

  using permanent tensioning means, e.g. cables or rods, to assemble or rigidify structures (not pre- or poststressing concrete), e.g. by tying them around the structure · CPC title

• E04B1/26 Primary

  the supporting parts consisting of wood · CPC title

• E04B2001/2688

  self adjusting, e.g. for compensation of shrinkage · CPC title

• E04B2001/2684

  with metal connectors · CPC title