Abstract:
An arrangement for supporting a building wall, such as a foundation wall, against inward movement caused by shifting of adjacent soil or by hydrostatic forces or other forces acting on the exterior surface of the wall to push it inwardly. The support arrangement includes upper and lower jacking members that each engage respective upper and lower sections of a support beam that is placed vertically against the surface of the wall to be supported. Each jacking member includes a respective jackscrew that is rotatable for applying a wall holding or a wall restoring force to either or both of the upper and lower sections of the wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a supporting arrangement for supporting a building wall, such as a foundation wall, against externally-caused forces tending to move the wall, or a part of the wall, inwardly toward the interior of the structure of which the wall is a part. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wall support that includes upper and lower jacking members for acting against upper and lower portions of a beam that is positioned against the interior surface of the wall to be supported, for transferring supporting forces from the jacking members to the interior surface of the wall, either to support the wall or to push the wall outwardly from an inwardly-deflected position. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Building walls, such as foundation walls that are below ground level, are subjected to external forces that act against the wall outer surface. For foundation walls, such forces result from the pressure of the surrounding earth that abuts the outer surface of the wall. Additionally, hydrostatic forces caused by water in the ground adjacent to the wall, either from rainfall or other sources, can add significantly to the inwardly-directed forces that act on the outer surfaces of foundation walls. Further, the roots of foundation plants and trees, that enlarge and spread over time, can also exert pressures against foundation walls by slowly expanding toward the wall outer surface, acting against the wall outer surface by direct contact, or indirectly by expanding and pushing the earth surrounding the roots against the wall surface. 
   As a result of forces applied to their exterior surfaces, foundation walls can bow, deflect, or shift inwardly, or they can crack or progressively fracture over time, causing water leaks and adversely affecting the structural integrity of the building or structure of which the wall is a part. Accordingly, some means of interiorly-positioned support is desirable to control or limit inward wall deflection to avoid collapse of the wall. 
   A number of different wall supporting arrangements have been devised to overcome inward movement or inward deflection of foundation walls. Some of the previously-devised support arrangements involve externally-positioned, in-ground anchors placed in the ground adjacent to the outer surface of the wall. Those arrangements generally include a rod that is suitably anchored in the earth at an outer end and is connected to or extends through the wall to serve as a stop to limit inward movement of the wall. Other support arrangements that are intended to be positioned adjacent the interior surface of the wall are of a large and complex nature and protrude into the interior space to such an extent as to significantly limit the useable area of that interior space. It is therefore desirable to provide a wall support arrangement that is effective to limit inward movement of a building wall, that is readily adjustable to respond to changed wall loading conditions and deflection, and that does not excessively intrude into the adjoining interior space. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a support arrangement is provided for supporting a foundation wall. The support includes an upper jacking member that is rigidly connected with at least one ceiling joist and that is positioned adjacent the wall to be supported. A lower jacking member is positioned below and spaced from the upper jacking member, wherein the lower jacking member is rigidly connected with a flow at a position adjacent the wall. A support beam extends between and is in contact with the upper and lower jacking members and with a surface of the wall. An adjustment system is provided at each of the upper and lower jacking members for applying a supporting force against the beam, for pressing the beam against the wall surface and for supporting the wall against external forces acting to move the wall in a direction opposite to the supporting force. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The structure, operation, and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective elevational view of a portion of a building foundation showing an embodiment of a wall support arrangement for supporting a wall that is perpendicular to a ceiling joist direction; 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the wall support arrangement shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a support beam in the form of an I-beam; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a support beam in the form of a box beam; 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of an upper support beam jacking member; 
       FIG. 6  is a front exploded view of the upper support beam jacking member of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the upper support beam jacking member of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of the upper support beam jacking member of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of a support beam bearing member; 
       FIG. 10  is a front view of the support beam bearing member of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a lower support beam jacking member; 
       FIG. 12  is a top view of the lower support beam jacking member shown in  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a side view of the lower support beam jacking member shown in  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the upper support beam jacking member installed to support a wall that is parallel to the ceiling joist direction; and 
       FIG. 15  shows another embodiment of an upper support beam jacking member for supporting a wall that is parallel to the ceiling joist direction. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to the drawings, and particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 2  thereof, there is shown a portion of a foundation wall  10  that encloses a below-ground basement area of a building. Wall  10  as shown is a block wall that is formed from a plurality of rows of horizontally-aligned, vertically staggered or offset blocks  12  that can be produced from concrete, cinders, or the like, and that are interconnected by mortar-filled joints. Alternatively, wall  10  can be a poured concrete wall, or a modular concrete wall formed from connected precast concrete modules. 
   The basement area includes a concrete floor  14  that is substantially perpendicular to wall  10 . A ceiling  16  is provided by a subfloor of an upper floor or an upper living level. Ceiling  16  is supported by a plurality of spaced, parallel ceiling joists  18  that are generally wood beams of rectangular cross section. The spacing between adjacent ceiling joists is generally 16 inches center-to-center. As shown, ceiling joists  18  have one longitudinal end that is positioned above the upper surface  20  of wall  10  and that generally rests on a wood sill plate (not shown) that lies on wall upper surface  20 . The opposite ends of ceiling joists  18  either rest on a cross beam (not shown) that is spaced from and parallel to wall  10 , or they are rigidly connected with respective ends of other, similarly-sized, parallel ceiling joists (not shown) that have their ends supported by an opposite wall (not shown). 
   Positioned vertically between floor  14  and ceiling  16  and in surface-to-surface contact with wall  10  is a wall support beam  22  that serves as the wall support or wall bracing for wall  10 . Wall support beam  22  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is an I-beam, having the cross section illustrated in  FIG. 3  and including a central web  24  and end flanges  26 ,  28  that each include respective parallel, flat outer surfaces  30 ,  32 , one of which outer surfaces is positioned against the inner surface of wall  10 . Although shown and described as an I-beam, wall support beam  22  can be of another form, such as the box beam  22   a  illustrated in cross section in  FIG. 4 , having a pair of opposite, parallel side surfaces  30   a ,  32   a , or it can have a different cross-sectional form that includes at least one flat surface that is adapted to face and to contact the inner surface of wall  10 . 
   Wall support beam  22  is held against the surface of wall  10  by a pair of vertically spaced, adjustable jacking members. An upper jacking member  34  is connected to and is supported by a pair of adjacent ceiling joists  18 , and it engages the surface of support beam  22  at an upper section of the beam adjacent to ceiling  16 . A lower jacking member  36  is connected to and is supported on or below the surface of floor  14  and engages the same surface of support beam  22  at a lower section of the beam at a point adjacent to floor  14 . By suitably adjusting upper and lower jacking members  34 ,  36 , outwardly-directed pressure can be applied to the inner surface of wall  10  through wall support beam  22  to maintain wall  10  in a particular position, or to press against wall  10  to return it from an inwardly-bowed or deflected position to or near an original upright and substantially flat position. If either of support beam surfaces  30  or  30   a , depending upon which form of support beam is utilized, faces wall  10 , then the corresponding opposite support beam surface  32  or  32   a  is contacted by respective upper and lower jacking members  34 ,  36 , as will be further described. 
     FIGS. 5 through 8  show several view of one embodiment of upper jacking member  34 . A cross member  38  extends substantially perpendicularly to the opposed sides of each of a pair of adjacent, spaced ceiling joists  18 . Cross member  38  has an L-shaped cross section and can be a single-piece angle or two plates that are welded together to form an L in cross section. The longitudinal ends of cross member  38  are rigidly attached to respective side members  40 , such as by welding, to provide a rigid support structure. Side members  40  can also have an L-shaped cross section, including a flat side panel  42  and a flat bottom panel  44  that are perpendicular to each other. As was the case with cross member  38 , side members  40  can be a single piece angle or two plates welded together to form an L-shape in cross section. Side members  40  are each secured to respective adjacent ceiling joists  18 , such as by a pair of connecting bolts  46 , or the like, to attach the side panels to respective opposed sides of adjacent joists  18 . Bottom panels  44  lie against the bottom edges of the respective joists. Cross member  38  includes a back panel  48  that is substantially parallel to the inner surface of wall  10 , and a bottom panel  50  that is substantially perpendicular to back panel  48 . 
   Upper jacking member  34  includes an upper jackscrew  52  that is threadedly received in a correspondingly threaded aperture  54  positioned at substantially the center of back panel  48  of cross member  38  between adjacent joists  18 . Threaded aperture  54  can be provided by cutting a thread in back panel  48 , or it can be provided in the form of a threaded nut  56  that is affixed to back panel  48 , such as by welding as shown in  FIG. 7 , so that it is coaxial with a similarly-sized, unthreaded opening in back panel  48  to allow jackscrew  52  to pass therethrough. 
   A drive head  58 , such as a hex head, or the like, is fixedly secured to the outermost end of jackscrew  52 . Drive head  58  enables the jackscrew to be rotated by a suitable tool so that the innermost end of jackscrew  52  can be moved toward and away from support beam  22 . Drive head  58  can be in the form of a hexagon, a square, or the like, having a pair of opposed flat surfaces for engagement by a suitable turning tool, such as an open end wrench. Drive head  58  can also be in the form of a disk or a plate (not shown) that has a drive opening that extends substantially radially relative the longitudinal axis of jackscrew  52 . The drive opening is adapted to receive the end of a suitable turning tool, such as a lever or a bar having a cross section that corresponds with the shape of the drive opening. 
   The innermost end of upper jackscrew  52  adjacent to support beam  22  is adapted to transmit an axial restoring force against a bearing member  60  that bears against the surface of the support beam. Bearing member  60  is positioned between jackscrew  52  and face  32  of support beam  22 . 
   Bearing member  60  can be merely a flat plate that serves to distribute the axial force of jackscrew  52  over a larger area of face  32  of support beam  22  than the end area of the jackscrew. Alternatively, bearing member  60  can have the configuration shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . As shown in those figures, bearing member  60  includes a U-shaped channel section that has a height sufficient to accommodate an opening  62  to allow passage therethrough of jackscrew  52 . Bearing member  60  also includes spaced, parallel sidewalls  64 ,  66  that are interconnected by front wall  68 . An intermediate, generally rectangular, bearing wall  70  extends between and interconnects sidewalls  64 ,  66 , and is spaced from and is parallel to front wall  68 . The spacing between the inner surfaces of sidewalls  64 , 66  is sufficient to allow the sidewalls to lie adjacent to the longitudinal edges of face  32  of support beam  22 , so that the outwardly-facing face of bearing wall  70  is in substantial surface-to-surface contact across substantially the entire width of face  32  of support beam  22 . As can be seen in  FIG. 9 , bearing wall  70  is welded at its respective outer ends by welds  71  to the opposed inner surfaces of each of sidewalls  64 ,  66 . If desired, a lock nut or jam nut (not shown) can be rotatably carried on jackscrew  52  to enable locking contact with either threaded nut  56  or with the back face of front wall  68  of bearing member  60  for securely locking jackscrew  52  in a predetermined, non-rotatable position relative to wall support beam  22 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 11 through 13 , there is shown one form of a lower jacking member  36 . An angle member  72  includes a first leg  74  that is secured to floor  14  adjacent to wall  10  by a pair of studs  76  that are suitably anchored in floor  14 . Angle member  72  is oriented so that second leg  78  extends substantially perpendicular to floor  14  and is substantially parallel to the surface of wall  10 . Second leg  78  includes a threaded aperture  80  in the form of a hex nut that is welded to the outer face of second leg  78  and that is substantially centrally positioned between studs  76 . Second leg  78  rotatably receives lower jackscrew  82 , at the outermost end of which is rigidly secured a drive head  84  to enable lower jackscrew  82  to be rotated so that the innermost end of the jackscrew can be moved toward and away from surface  32  of support beam  22 . As was the case with upper drive head  58 , lower drive head  84  can be in the form of a hexagon, a square, or the like, having opposed flat surfaces for engagement by a suitable turning tool, such as an open end wrench. Drive head  84  can also be in the form of a disk or a plate (not shown) that has a drive opening that extends substantially radially relative the longitudinal axis of lower jackscrew  82 . The drive opening is adapted to receive the end of a suitable turning tool, such as a lever having a cross section that corresponds with the shape of the drive opening. 
   Lower jacking member  36  includes a bearing member  60  that can have the structure shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . The innermost end of lower jackscrew  82  adjacent to support beam  22  is adapted to transmit an axial restoring force against bearing member  60  that bears against the surface of the support beam. Bearing member  60  is positioned between jackscrew  82  and face  32  of support beam  22 . A face of bearing member  60  is positioned so that it is in face-to-face contact with outer surface  32  of support beam  22 , which is the surface that faces away from wall  10 . If desired, a lock nut (not shown) can be rotatably carried on jackscrew  82  for engagement with either threaded nut  80  or the back face of second leg  78  for securely locking jackscrew  82  in a predetermined, non-rotatable position relative to wall support beam  22 . 
   In the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , upper jacking member  34  is shown disposed between a pair of joists  18  that extend perpendicularly to the wall that is to be supported or adjusted. A similar arrangement of upper jacking member  34  can be utilized to support a wall that is parallel to the joist direction. Referring to  FIG. 14 , joists  18  extend parallel to wall  10 . In order to provide structural members to which side plates  40  can be connected, a pair of parallel, intermediate bracing members  86  can be provided to extend perpendicularly to the joists and to extend between and connect with either a pair of adjacent joists  18  or an interior joist  18  and a rim joist  18 . If desired, additional bracing members  86  can be attached to and between additional interior joists  18  in order to distribute the wall resistance or the wall inward pressure load over additional joists. 
     FIG. 15  shows another embodiment of an upper support beam jacking member for supporting a wall that is parallel to the ceiling joist direction. Instead of the attachment of upper jacking member  34  directly to a pair of parallel internal bracing members  86  as shown in  FIG. 14 , it is secured to a flat support panel  90  that extends between and is attached to a pair of adjacent joists  18 . Support panel  90  can be a section of 2×10 lumber, or it can be a metallic plate, that is bolted to each of successive joists  18  adjacent to wall  10  by at least two bolts  92 . The angle member that threadedly receives upper jack screw  52  is inverted relative to its orientation as shown in  FIG. 14 , with bottom panel  50  uppermost and positioned against support panel  90  and secured thereto by a pair of bolts  94 . The positions of back panel  48  and bearing member  60  relative to wall support beam  22  are unchanged from  FIG. 14 . As was shown in  FIG. 14 , the  FIG. 15  embodiment also includes additional pairs of parallel bracing members  86  attached to and extending between the next succeeding three joists  18  to distribute the wall resistance of the wall inward pressure load over additional joists. 
   Although not shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the wall support arrangements there shown also include a lower jacking member having the structure and function of lower jacking member  36  shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  11  through  13 . 
   As will be apparent, the pressure that is applied to the interiorly-facing surface of wall  10  by wall support beam  22  can be adjusted by turning either or both of upper and lower jackscrews  52 ,  82  in an appropriate direction. By turning either jackscrew inwardly, beam  22  presses more firmly against the interior surface of wall  10 , and by turning either jackscrew outwardly, beam  22  presses less firmly against the interior surface of wall  10 . With the support structure in accordance with the present invention, the pressure applied against upper and lower portions of wall  10  can be adjusted as needed to respond to and to counteract as needed the inwardly-directed forces acting on either or both of the upper and lower portions of the surface of wall  10 . 
   Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended to encompass within the appended claims all such changes and modifications that fall with the scope of the present invention.