Abstract:
A foundation for a manufactured home having first and secondelongate support beams, each beam having a lateral flange, generally includes a ground pan for spreading out the load to a larger surface area to prevent sinking into the ground and for providing an anchor against horizontal movement, a cross brace assembly for supporting first beam and providing longitudinal bracing, and a lateral brace assembly connected between ground pan and second beam for providing lateral bracing. Cross bracing assembly includes front and back crossing braces of adjustable length, each having an upper end pivotally connected to a connector attached to first beam and each having a bottom end pivotally supported by the ground pan. A U-bolt assembly connects cross braces at their cross point, thereby preventing relative angular movement there between them.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a foundation for a manufactured home, mobile home or trailer coach, and more specifically to a foundation that provides vertical support and longitudinal and lateral stability. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Manufactured homes, mobile homes or trailer coaches include long longitudinal support beams underneath. Typically, when the home or coach is installed, a plurality of vertical piers or jacks are placed under the beams to support them. Most piers or jacks require placement on a rigid ground pad so as to not sink into the ground from the loading. 
     Conventional piers do not provide resistance to longitudinal forces or lateral forces that may be exerted on the coach such as by strong winds or earthquakes. Consequently, additional bracing systems must be attached to resist these longitudinal and lateral forces. 
     Additionally, conventional piers are relatively expensive because they need to be adjustable under load. This requires strong and well machined parts. 
     Since all of these devices have to be installed in the field, it is desirable that they be simple to install, preferably by a single person, not require complex tools and not require any alterations to the present beams, such as drilling, that could deleteriously affect the strength of the beams. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is a foundation for a manufactured home having first and second elongate support beams, each beam having a lateral flange. The foundation generally includes a ground pan for spreading out the load to a larger surface area to prevent sinking into the ground and for providing a anchor against horizontal movement, a cross brace assembly for supporting the beam and providing longitudinal bracing, and a lateral brace assembly for providing lateral bracing. 
     The ground pan is disposed under the first beam and its brace assembly. The cross brace assembly includes front and back crossing braces of adjustable length, each having an upper end pivotally connected to a connector attached to the first beam and each having a bottom end pivotally supported by the ground pan. A U-bolt connects the braces at their cross point for preventing relative angular movement between them. 
     The lateral brace assembly includes a lateral brace of adjustable length having a top end pivotally connected to a lateral connector attached to the second beam and a bottom end pivotally connected to the ground pan. 
     Other features and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description together with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partially cut away, perspective view of the foundation of the invention including a cross brace assembly and a lateral brace assembly attached to support beams of a manufactured home, supported by a ground pan. 
     FIG. 2 is a partially cut away, front elevation view of the foundation of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the front connector of FIGS. 1 and 2 attached to the first beam; the back connector being a mirror image. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2 showing the clamping assembly for the cross brace. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the lateral connector attached to the second beam. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a partially cut away, perspective view of the foundation  10  of the invention including a cross brace assembly  30  and lateral brace assembly  60  attached to support beams  90  of a manufactured home. FIG. 2 is a partially cut away, front elevation view of foundation  10  of FIG.  1 . Support beams  90  includes first beam  90 A and second beam  90 B. Beams  90 , shown, are typical I-beams made such as of steel and are elongate, horizontal and parallel. Each beam  90  includes a vertical web  91 , a lateral flange  92 , such as upper and lower lateral flanges  92 U,  92 L respectively. Each flange  92  has a top surface  93 , a bottom surface  94  and a free end  95 , or, with the I-beam  90  shown, has two free ends  95 . Beams  90  are typically twelve inches in height and are spaced apart ninety six inches between webs  91 . Although, I-beams are shown and described, it will be seen that the invention is applicable to other beams, such as C-beams, with only slight modifications. 
     A ground pan  20  is disposed under first beam  90 A. Ground pan  20  provides support for brace assemblies  30 ,  60 . Ground pan  20  includes a plate  21  having a downward facing lower surface  24  for bearing on grade  99  of ground  98 . Plate  21  is made of strong stiff material, such as of steel or galvanized iron of twelve or greater gauge. Typical dimensions are twenty or twenty four inches square. Ground pan  20  includes anchoring means  22  attached to plate  21 , such as ground insertion means  23 , inserted in the ground  98 , for preventing horizontal movement of pan  20 . Ground insertion means  23  may be any suitable means, such as spikes, but, preferably, has a large side surface for resisting lateral forces. In the preferred embodiment shown, ground insertion means  23  includes downward blades  25  about the periphery of plate  21 . Blades  25  may be part of plate  21  bent over or may be stiff angle members attached to plate  21 . 
     Cross brace assembly  30 , includes a pair of crossed braces  50 , including front brace  50 F and back brace  50 B. Cross brace assembly  30  supports first beam  90 A and resists longitudinal movement of beam  90 A. A front connector  32 F is attached to flange  92 L of first beam  90 A. A back connector  32 B is attached to flange  92 L of first beam  90 A. An elongate, rigid, front cross brace  50 F includes a bottom end  51 F pivotally supported by ground pan  20  and a top end  56 F pivotally attached to front connector  32 F. An elongate, rigid, back cross brace  50 B includes a bottom end  51 B pivotally supported by ground pan  20  and a top end  56 B pivotally attached to back connector  32 B. Cross braces  50 F,  50 B cross at crossing  59 . 
     Front cross brace  50 F and back cross brace  50 B are adjustable in length. Each brace  50 F,  50 B includes a first member, such as first elongate box tube  52  and a second member, such as second elongate box tube  53 , selectively, longitudinally, slidably engaged with the first member for adjusting the length of brace  50 F, 50 B. First tube  52  may be one and one-quarter inch square or box tube and second tube  53  may be one and one-half inch box tube that telescopically slides over the first tube  52 . 
     Locking means between first and second tubes  52 ,  53 , fixes their relative position and therefore fixes the length of each brace  50 F,  50 B. In the preferred embodiment, the locking means includes a plurality of bores  54  in each tube  52 ,  53  and a fastener, such as a pin or bolt  55  for passing through bores  54 . Alternatively, many other suitable locking means could be used, such as self-tapping screws. 
     Bottom ends  51 F,  51 B of cross braces  50 F,  50 B are pivotally supported by ground pan  20 . U-brackets  26  are attached by any suitable means such as by welding or bolt to pan  20 . A pivot or journal bolt  27  pivotally connects bracket  26  with a bottom end  51 F,  51 B of a cross brace  50 F,  50 B such that brace  50  cannot move downward or longitudinally. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the front connector  32 F of FIGS. 1 and 2 attached to first beam; the back connector  32 B being a mirror image. Front connector  32 F includes clamping means  33 , such as front clamping means  33 F and rear clamping means  33 R, for clamping front connector  32 F to each free end  95  of flange  92 L. A common bottom plate  34 , having an upper surface  35  for bearing on the bottom surface  94  of flange  92 L, may be used by both clamping means  33 F,  33 R. Each clamping means  33 F,  33 R includes a top plate  36 , having a first end  37  for disposition above flange  92 L and a second end  38  in contact with bottom plate  34 . Adjustable connecting means, such as a bolts  39 , connect top plate  36  and bottom plate  34  so as to clamp flange  92 L therebetween. A U-bracket  40  is attached to bottom plate  34  by any suitable means, such as bolts  39 . A pivot or journal bolt  41  pivotally connects bracket  40  with top end  56 F of front cross brace  50 F. 
     Back connector  32 B is mirror image of front connector  32 F and is obtained by rotating front connector  32 F 180°. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2 showing clamping assembly  46  for cross braces  50  at cross point  59 . Fastening means  45 , such as external clamping assembly  46 , such as U-bolt assembly  47 , comprising a U-bolt  48  and plate  49 , connects front cross brace  50 F to back cross brace  50 B at cross point  59  for preventing relative angular movement between braces  50 F,  50 B. Fastening means  45  stabilizes and adds support strength to cross braces  50  and provides additional support to maintaining braces  50  in their clamped position supporting first beam  90 A. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of lateral connector  62  of lateral brace assembly  60  attached to second beam  90 B. Lateral brace assembly  60  provides resistance to lateral loads, such as encountered from wind or earthquake. Lateral brace assembly  60  generally includes lateral connector  62  and lateral brace  70 . Lateral brace  70  is an elongate, rigid member having a bottom end  71  pivotally supported by ground pan  20  and a top end  76  pivotally attached to lateral connector  62 . 
     Brace  70  is adjustable in length and includes a first member, such as first elongate box tube  72  and a second member, such as second elongate box tube  73 , selectively, longitudinally, slidably engaged with the first member for adjusting the length of brace  70 . First tube  72  may be one and one-quarter inch square or box tube and second tube  73  may be one and one-half inch box tube that telescopically slides over the first tube  72 . Locking means between first and second tubes  72 ,  73 , fixes their relative position and therefore fixes the length of brace  70 . In the preferred embodiment, the locking means includes a plurality of bores  74  in outer or second tube  73 . One or more fastener, such as self-tapping screws are placed in bores  74  and attached to inner or first tube  72 . 
     Bottom end  71  of lateral brace  70  is pivotally supported by ground pan  20 . U-bracket  26  attached by any suitable means such as by welding or a bolt to pan  20 . A pivot or journal bolt  27  pivotally connects bracket  26  with bottom end  71  of a brace  70 . 
     Lateral connector  62  clamps on a flange  92 , such as on upper lateral flange  92 U, of second beam  90 B. Lateral connector  62  includes clamping means  63 , such as front clamping means  63 F and rear clamping means  63 R, for clamping connector  62  to each free end  95  of flange  92 U. A common top plate  64 , having a lower surface  65  for bearing on top surface  94  of flange  92 U, may be used by both clamping means  63 F,  63 R. Each clamping means  63 F,  63 R includes a plate  66 , having a first end  67  for disposition below flange  92 U and a second end  68  in contact with top plate  64 . Adjustable connecting means, such as a bolts  69 , connect top plate  64  and plates  66  so as to clamp flange  92 U therebetween. A U-bracket  80  is attached to a bottom plate  66  by any suitable means, such as bolts  69 . A pivot or journal bolt  81  pivotally connects bracket  80  with top end  76  of brace  70 . 
     Only one adjustable jack or pier is used to install a plurality of foundations  10  as needed. In use, pad  20  is placed under beam  90 A with ground pan U-brackets  26  for cross brace connectors  32 F,  32 B directly under beam  90 A. Pan blades  23  are inserted into the ground  98 , such as by pushing by hand or tapping with a weight or hammer. An adjustable jack or pier is used to temporarily support beam  90 A near pad  20 . Cross brace assembly  30  is attached to pad  20 , adjusted to length so that braces  50  are at a rise angle of about 40-66 degrees, and clamped to beam  90 A. The U-bolt is tightened. The temporary jack is removed. Cross brace assembly  30  now supports beam  90 A and pushes down on pad  20 . Lateral brace assembly  60  is attached to pan  20  and second beam  90 B. Self-tapping screws  75  are screwed in lateral brace bores  74  to fix its length. 
     Having described the invention, it can be seen that it provides a very convenient foundation for supporting a manufactured home while simultaneously providing resistance to longitudinal and lateral forces on the home. Foundation  10  is easy to set up in the field with a minimum of tools and personnel, i.e. one person with a wrench and screw driver. The multi-functionality of ground pan  20  and cross brace assembly  30  replaces a pier and separate braces. Foundation  10  replaces a former expensive adjustable pier and longitudinal braces and provides a platform for a lateral brace. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, various changes may be made in the form, composition, construction, and arrangement of the parts herein without sacrificing any of its advantages. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.