Patent ID: 7543421
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: E04B,E04D,E04G

Abstract:
1. A method of reinforcing the attachment of an existing concrete roof to resist strong winds and seismic activity where the existing concrete roof is made of a plurality of rectangular concrete slabs resting on substantially horizontal metal beams, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining a length and a width of the plurality of rectangular concrete slabs; (b) identifying a corner joint where four rectangular concrete slabs meet; (c) providing a metal plate having dimensions substantially smaller than the length and width of the plurality of rectangular concrete slabs, wherein the metal plate is rectangular and has a hole drilled proximate each corner of the metal plate; (d) positioning the metal plate over the corner joint so that each of the four holes in the metal plate is positioned over a different one of the four rectangular concrete slabs forming the corner joint; (e) drilling a hole through each of the four rectangular concrete slabs forming the corner joint so that the holes through the four rectangular concrete slabs are each aligned with one of the holes in the metal plate; (f) drilling four pilot holes through one of the horizontal metal beams wherein each of the four pilot holes are aligned with one of the holes in the metal plate; (g) passing four screws, each through a respective one of the holes in the metal plate and one of the holes in the four rectangular slabs to engage one of the four pilot holes; (h) based upon the position of the corner joint and the length and width of the plurality of rectangular concrete slabs, determining a position of another corner joint where four rectangular concrete slabs meet; and (i) repeating steps (c) through (g) until all corner joints have been secured.