Patent ID: 7752824
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: F16B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of holding down a building construction, comprising: providing a generally vertical rod generally parallel to a first generally vertical stud of a building structure; securing a lower portion of the rod to a stable building element configured to have a substantially constant vertical position during downward settling of elements of the building structure; providing a stud-connector having an opening configured to receive the rod; engaging the stud-connector with the rod so that the rod is received within the opening of the stud-connector; securing the stud-connector with respect to the first stud; providing a gripper support element that is separate and unsecured with respect to the stud-connector, the gripper support element having an opening configured to receive the rod; engaging the gripper support element with the rod so that the rod is received within the opening of the gripper support element; engaging a rod-gripping member onto the rod closely above the opening of the gripper support element, the rod-gripping member comprising a plurality of gripping portions generally surrounding the rod, each of the gripping portions having a rod-engagement surface with teeth configured to engage circumferential teeth of a circumferential portion of the rod, the gripping portions being sized so that when they are compressed radially inward into toothed engagement with the rod the rod-gripping member and rod have a horizontal cross section that is too large to pass downward through the opening of the gripper support element; configuring an assembly of the rod, stud-connector, stud, gripper support element, and rod-gripping member so that the assembly reacts to an upward movement of the stud, stud-connector, and gripper support element with respect to the rod and rod-gripping member by compressing the gripping portions radially inward into toothed engagement with the rod closely above the opening of the gripper support element, so that the rod-gripping member substantially impedes the upward movement of the stud, stud-connector, and gripper support element relative to the rod; and configuring the assembly to react to a downward movement of the stud, stud-connector, and gripper support element with respect to the rod and rod-gripping member by moving the rod-gripping member downward along the rod, wherein moving the rod-gripping member downward along the rod comprises pushing the rod-gripping member downward with a gripper-positioning element that is secured to the stud at a position above the gripper support element so that the gripper support element is between the gripper-positioning element and the stud-connector, the gripper-positioning element configured to move downward relative to the rod during said downward settling of elements of the building structure; wherein the gripper-positioning element comprises: