Patent ID: 8240106
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: E04B,E04C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A substantially rigid frame for an opening of a building, comprising: a first structural border member; a second structural border member oriented substantially parallel to the first border member and spaced apart from the first border member so that the first and second border members define boundaries of an opening configured to receive a door or a window that extends substantially to each of the first and second border members; a third structural border member oriented substantially perpendicular to the first and second border members, the third border member having a first portion engaged with a first end portion of the first border member and a second portion engaged with a first end portion of the second border member, wherein the first, second, and third border members collectively comprise a substantially rigid frame, the third border member defining a boundary of the opening; at least a portion of a first holdown assembly secured to the first border member; at least a portion of a second holdown assembly secured to the second border member; and a plurality of compression plates interposed between the third border member and a distal end of one of the first and second border members, each compression plate having a first surface that is substantially flush with said distal end of one of the first and second border members and a second surface that faces a direction opposite to the first surface and is substantially flush with the third border member, such that an area of contact between the compression plate and the third border member is larger than an area of contact between that compression plate and said one of the first and second border members, such that the compression plate spreads out loads transmitted from said one of the first and second border members into the third border member; wherein the frame is adapted to be installed within a portion of a single wall, floor, ceiling, or roof of a building so that the first, second, and third border members are oriented substantially parallel to the wall, floor, ceiling or roof, and so that when installed, loads oriented parallel to and within the third border member may be transmitted through the first and second border members to a structural element of the building; wherein the opening defined by the frame is sized so that the frame can cooperate with similarly sized frames to frame doors and/or windows within substantially vertical walls on multiple floors of a multistory building, and also to frame multiple doors and/or windows within a planar substantially vertical wall portion on a single floor of the multistory building; wherein the frame is not installed in a building.