Abstract:
A fastener comprised a plurality of elongate, threaded studs which are connected to a common anchor portion for securing a frame member to a foundation. Attached to the anchor portion is a receiving element adapted to receive a positioner. The studs, anchor and receiving element comprise of a one-piece integral assembly constructed of steel or high tensile strength steel. In addition, the fastener is adapted to receive a template and positioner for stability during the pouring and curing of the foundation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention generally relates to structural reinforcement devices, and in particular to fasteners used to secure a frame member to a foundation.  
         [0002]     Buildings and other structures are exposed to natural occurrences such as earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes and high winds which can cause damage when design loads are exceeded. Typically, damage results from either shear forces, which pull or tear apart a portion of a building, or uplifting forces, which cause separation of a structural frame of the building from its foundation. In an effort to prevent damage from shear forces, the structural frame is commonly braced or reinforced. Several approaches are explained in Hardy U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,148,583, 6,067,769 and 5,729,950.  
         [0003]     In an effort to prevent damage from uplifting forces, the structural frame is commonly secured to the foundation using a plurality of fasteners. Building codes typically specify the required fastener length and diameter as well as their placement within the foundation. Typically, these fasteners are vertically oriented, metallic anchor bolts which extend through the structural frame and into a foundation material. An anchor bolt consists of two ends; a stud and an anchor portion. The stud, which has a threaded end, protrudes above the concrete for use in fastening a building frame to the foundation using a standard threaded nut and washer assembly. The anchor portion is commonly configured in a “J” or “L” located within the foundation to secure the bolt in the foundation. In addition, eye bolts, “U” bolts, headed bolts or headed bolts with washers are sometimes used.  
         [0004]     The effectiveness of the anchor bolt in preventing damage is dependent on its own strength, the type of foundation material in which the anchor portion is set and the connection between the foundation material and anchor portion. The connection between the foundation material and anchor portion is established by the configuration of the anchor portion. The configurations of conventional anchors vary substantially and are dependent on whether the anchor was designed to be installed prior to or after the laying of the foundation material. Anchor portions designed to be installed after the foundation material is laid are typically bonded into holes which are pre-drilled into an existing foundation. Anchor bolts designed to be set into position prior to pouring the foundation material are usually placed into position by affixing each bolt to a metal or wooden support using bailing wire. These anchor portions are embedded in the foundation. As a result, anchor bolts with anchor portions embedded in the foundation have a substantially greater tensile capacity compared to those installed after the foundation is laid.  
         [0005]     Unfortunately, the capability of an embedded anchor bolt to provide tensile strength to a frame member is degraded if the anchor bolt is not positioned properly, becomes misaligned during the pouring of the foundation or does not adequately penetrate the foundation. Moreover, the stud may protrude through the foundation at the wrong position making it difficult to secure the structural frame to the foundation and compromising its effectiveness. Further, the tasks of positioning and securing each anchor bolt to the support are time consuming, labor intensive and correspondingly costly.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Accordingly, among the several objects of the present invention is the provision of a fastener capable of effectively fastening a frame member of a building or other structure to a foundation; the provision of such a fastener which can be accurately and securely positioned in the foundation; the provision of such a fastener which is easily positioned in the foundation; and the provision of such a fastener capable of reducing installation costs.  
         [0007]     A fastener constructed according to the present invention is for use in securing the frame member to the foundation. Generally, the fastener comprises a plurality of elongate studs disposed in spaced-apart relation to one another for connection to the frame member. At least a portion of the studs are disposed generally in a stud plane. Each stud has a first and second free ends. An anchor portion is connected to the studs away from the first ends and extending outwardly from the stud plane. The anchor portion is adapted to secure the fastener in the foundation.  
         [0008]     In another aspect, the fastener comprises the plurality of elongate studs that are disposed in spaced-apart relation to one another for connection to the frame member and have a central longitudinal axes. Each stud has the first and second free ends. An anchor portion is connected to the studs away from the first ends and extending outwardly from the central longitudinal axes of the studs. A receiving element of the fastener is adapted to receive a positioner for positioning the fastener within the foundation.  
         [0009]     In yet another aspect, a one-piece fastener comprises two elongate studs disposed in spaced-apart relation to one another for connection to the frame member with at least a portion of the studs being disposed generally in a stud plane. Each stud has a first free end with threads thereon and a second end. An anchor portion connected to the second ends of the studs interconnects the studs and extends outwardly at an angle of at least about 20° from the stud plane. The anchor portion includes an opening adapted to receive the positioner for positioning the fastener within the foundation.  
         [0010]     Other objects and features of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a fragmentary perspective illustrating an anchor bolt of the present invention embedded in a concrete foundation and securing a frame structure, with parts broken away to show details;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective of the anchor bolt of  FIG. 1  stabilized using a positioner and a template;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective illustrating the anchor bolt of  FIG. 1  stabilized using an alternative employment of the positioner and template;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a left side elevation of the anchor bolt of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation of the anchor bolt of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view illustrating the anchor bolt of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a right side elevation illustrating an anchor bolt having a  45  degree bend. 
     
    
       [0018]     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]     Referring now to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 1 , a fastener according to the present invention embedded in a foundation F is indicated generally. Also shown are several fragments of other studs. The fastener positively secured framing members, such as framing member  3 , of buildings or other engineered structures to resist shear and uplifting forces. Only a small fragment of the framing member  3  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Another suitable framing member is the commercially available Hardy Frame System manufactured by Hardy Frames, Inc. of Ventura, Calif. The fastener  1  is embedded in a foundation F of a suitable material such as concrete. The framing member  3  is secured to ends of the fastener  1  which protrude above the foundation F, using a standard washer  7  and nut  9 .  
         [0020]     The fastener  1  is a generally U-shaped, cylindrical rod further modified by bending the base of the U outwardly. In one embodiment the cylindrical rod has a diameter of ⅞-inches. Two linear arms of the U are the studs  11 ,  13  in the illustrated embodiment. The base of the U which extends outwardly defines an anchor portion  15  in the illustrated embodiment. Welded to the anchor portion is a receiving element or ring  17 , the purpose for which is further described below. The studs  11 ,  13 , anchor portion  15  and ring  17  comprise a one-piece assembly. The fastener  1  is constructed of a suitable material such as a rod of either steel or high tensile capacity steel.  
         [0021]     The two studs  11 ,  13  are located substantially in a common plane P (see  FIGS. 4-6 ) with the distance D between each stud varying depending on intended use. However, the studs  11 ,  13  could be other than coplaner without departing from the scope of the present invention. In the preferred embodiments, the studs  11 ,  13  are set at either 8½-inches, 14½-inches or 20½-inches apart. Each stud  11 ,  13  comprises a threaded end  19  and a shank  21 . The threaded end, which is opposite from the anchor portion  15 , is used to secure the framing member  3  to the foundation F using the washer  7  and nut  9  ( FIG. 1 ). In one embodiment, the threaded end  19  has a nominal length of 5 inches. However, the threaded end  19  can be set to any length suitable for a particular application. Beneath the threaded end  19  is the shank  21 , a straight, cylindrical segment. In one embodiment, the shank  21  has a nominal length of 16 inches which provides the spacing necessary for the threaded end  19  to adequately protrude above the foundation F and the anchor portion  15  to adequately embed in the foundation. It is to be understood that the length of the shank  21  may be other than  16  inches without departing from the scope of this invention.  
         [0022]     Immediately below the shank  21  is a bend  23  followed by the anchor portion  15 . The bend  23  can be set to various angles with the two illustrated embodiments being either 45 degrees ( FIG. 7 ) and 90 degrees ( FIG. 4 ) from the plane P of the studs  11 ,  13 . The anchor portion  15  of the fastener  1  has a nominal length of 1½ inches. As a result of the plane change at the bend  23 , the anchor portion  15  has horizontal projection orthoganal to the plane P of the studs  11 ,  13 . Thus, the anchor portion  15  is able to laterally penetrate into the foundation F. The anchor portion  15  is arcuate, and a radius of curvature R of the arcuate member can be changed based on its intended use. In certain embodiments of the arcuate member, radii are approximately 4 inches, 6½ inches and 9½ inches.  
         [0023]     The ring  17  is welded in a horizontal position near the center of the anchor portion  15  between the studs  11 ,  13 . The ring  17  is sized to permit a cylindrical positioning rod  29  to pass through. In one embodiment, the ring  17  is a ⅞ inch washer. The positioning rod  29 , which is made of a suitable material such as steel, is used to stabilize the fastener  1  during the pouring of the foundation F. The positioner  29  passes through the receiving element  17  and is fixed firmly in foundation F. After the foundation is poured but before it cures, the positioner  29  can be removed.  
         [0024]     A template  31 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , is secured to a form board  33  using nails  34  to stabilize the fastener  1  during the pouring and curing of the foundation F. The template.  31  includes holes for receiving each of the threaded ends  19  and the positioner  29  ( FIG. 2 ). The positioner  29  is passed through the center template hole  35 , the ring  17  and fixed firmly in a foundation base  37  of a suitable material such as gravel or soil. In addition, the threaded ends  19  are fastened to the template  31  using a standard washer  7  and nut  9  combination. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the template  31  can be used to stabilize the fastener  1  by passing the positioner  29  only through the ring  17  and not center template hole  35 . As before, the threaded ends  19  of the fastener  1  are attached to the template  31  using a washer  7  and nut  9  combination. After the foundation F is poured but before it cures, the positioner  29  can be removed. In still another configuration (not shown), the template  31  can be used to stabilize the fastener  1  without the positioner  29  by fastening the thread ends  19  to the template using a washer  7  and nut  9  combination. Since the template  31  does not come into contact with the foundation F, it can be removed after the foundation has cured.  
         [0025]     In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained.  
         [0026]     When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.  
         [0027]     As various changes could be made in the above without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.