Abstract:
A post to foundation connection made with a connector that can be installed as a retrofit after the post is already in place, with fastener attachments that are made to either side of the post rather than under it. The connector can be slid into place below the post, between it and the foundation, after which it can be attached to the foundation and the post.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates to a connection for supporting a wood post above the top surface of a concrete foundation and for securing the post to embedded anchors in the concrete foundation to provide resistance to upward movement of the post relative to the concrete foundation. Forces which could cause upward movement of the wood post include earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, high winds and tidal or wave forces. This invention further relates specifically to connections which are installed after the concrete foundation has hardened, and further to retrofit connections made by slipping the connector between the bottom of the post and the upper surface of the concrete. 
     There are several types of sheet metal connectors commercially available for providing the connection described above. None, however, have been found which provide the necessary resistance to uplift, are formed from a single piece of sheet metal, and permit retrofitting of existing connections. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present connection is a post to foundation connection made with a connector that can be installed as a retrofit after the post is already in place, with fastener attachments that are made to either side of the post rather than under it. The connector can be slid into place below the post, between it and the foundation, after which it can be attached to the foundation and the post. 
     The present invention includes a connector that attaches to the sides of the post, which is also suitable for in situ attachment to the post, as opposed to connectors that fasten to the bottom surface of the post. The upright arms that fasten to the sides of the post can be joined by fasteners that pass through the post and both arms for the strongest possible attachment. 
     The present invention includes a standoff connector that is essentially a particularly strong, compact box underneath the post. The connector has side leg members that are folded in under the base of the connector to support it on their upper edges while the lower edges can bear down on the upper support surface of the foundation. 
     The present invention includes a connector that can be formed from sheet metal on progressive die stamping machinery at minimal cost. The connector is less expensive to manufacture, less expensive to store in inventory, has no problem of missing parts at the retail distribution level, and is less expensive to install by virtue of the fact that the installer is never looking for a missing part. The connector consists of a single part bent from a single piece of sheet metal yet is capable of providing greater gravity load support while also providing greater resistance to uplift forces. 
     The present invention includes a connector that fits under the post except for the portions that are directly attached to the foundation, in order to maximize bearing strength and minimize material use. The portions that are directly attached to the foundation, the feet, are no wider than the post, also minimizing material use and making the connection as compact as possible. 
     The present invention provides a connection that may be inspected after the installation has been completed to determine whether the nut and washer have been properly installed on the threaded end of the anchor bolt. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the assembled post to foundation connection of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the disassembled post to foundation connection illustrated in  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the post to foundation connection illustrated in  FIG. 1  taken along view line  FIG. 3  in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 4  a top plan view of the unfolded sheet metal blank of the connector of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the connector of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of the connector illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of the connector illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the connector illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of the connector illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the present invention is a post to foundation connection  1 . The connection  1  preferably comprising a concrete foundation  2  with an upper support surface  3 , an elongated structural member  4  mounted in an upright orientation above the foundation  2 , and a unitary foundation connector  7 . Preferably, the elongated structural member  4  as first and second sides  5  that occupy parallel vertical planes and a base  6  that joins the first and second sides  5  at their lowest extremities and that occupies a horizontal plane. The elongated structural member  4  is preferably a post  4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the connector  7  is preferably formed from a sheet metal blank  8  of uniform thickness. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , preferably the connector  7  has a base member  9  that is disposed in registration with the base  6  of the elongated structural member  4 , underneath the elongated structural member  4 . The base member  9  preferably has horizontally separated first and second side edges  10  and horizontally separated first and second end borders  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , preferably the connector  7  has first and second end leg members  12  that are angularly joined to the first and second end borders  11 , respectively, of the base member  9 . The first and second end leg members  12  are preferably disposed in a generally upright orientation. Preferably, the first and second end leg members  12  each have horizontally separated substantially vertical first and second side leg extension borders  17 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the connector  7  preferably has first and second end foot members  14  that are angularly joined to and splayed outward from the first and second end leg members  12 , respectively. Preferably, each of the first and second end foot members  14  has a lower surface  15  that registers with the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation. Each of the first and second foot members  14  is preferably fastened to the concrete foundation  2  with one or more separate anchoring fasteners  16 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , preferably the connector has first and second side legs  18  that are angularly joined respectively to the first and second side leg extension borders  17  of the first end leg member  12  and that are disposed in a generally upright orientation and at least partially under the base member  9  between the base member  9  and the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation  2 . The connector preferably has third and fourth side legs  18  that are angularly joined respectively to the first and second side leg extension borders  17  of the second end leg member  12  and that are disposed in a generally upright orientation and at least partially under the base member  9  between the base member  9  and the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation  2 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , preferably, the connector  7  has first and second post connection members  19 . The first and second post connection members  19  preferably have first and second lower ends  20  that are angularly joined to the base member  9  along the first and second side edges  10 , respectively, and that are disposed upwardly in registration with the first and second sides  5  of the elongated structural member  4 , respectively, and that are fastened thereto. The connector  7  is connected to the elongated structural member  4 , or post  4 , in order to transfer tension loads from the post  4  into the foundation  2  to resist uplift forces acting on the post  4  and the structure of which it is a part. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5-9 , preferably the first and second end leg members  12  are joined at right angles to the first and second end borders  11 , respectively, of the base member  9 . The first and second end foot members  14  are preferably joined at right angles to the first and second end leg members  12 , respectively. Preferably, the first and second side legs  18  are joined at right angles to the first end leg members  12 , respectively. The third and fourth side legs  18  are preferably joined at right angles to the first and second side leg extension borders  17 , respectively, of the second end leg member  12 . Preferably, the first and second post connection members  19  are joined at right angles to the first and second side edges  10 , respectively, of the base member  9 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5-9 , the first and second side legs  18  preferably have first and second upper edges  21 , respectively, and vertically separated first and second lower edges  22 , respectively. Preferably, the third and fourth side legs  18  have third and fourth upper edges  21 , respectively, and vertically separated third and fourth lower edges  22 , respectively. The base member  9  is preferably supported by the first and third upper edges  21 , respectively, of the first and third side legs  18  adjacent the first lower end  20  of the first post connector  19 . Preferably, the base member  9  is also supported by the second and fourth lower edges  21 , respectively, of the second and fourth side legs  18  adjacent the second lower end  20  of the second post connector  19 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the first and second lower edges  22  of the first and second side legs  18 , respectively, can bear on the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation  2 . The third and fourth lower edges  22  of the third and fourth side legs  18 , respectively, can also bear on the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation  2 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5-9 , the first lower end  20  of the first side connection member  19  is preferably connected to the base member  9  at a first lower end bend line  23  that is substantially parallel and closely adjacent to the first and third upper edges  21 , respectively, of the first and third side legs  18 . Preferably, the second lower end  20  of the second side connection member  19  is connected to the base member  9  at a second lower bend line  23  that that is substantially parallel and closely adjacent to the second and fourth lower edges  21 , respectively, of the second and fourth side legs  18 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5-9 , the first and second end leg members  12  are preferably joined to the first and second end borders  11 , respectively, of the base member  9  at first and second end leg bends  24 , respectively. Preferably, the first and second end foot members  14  are joined to the first and second inner foot border members  13 , respectively, of the first and second end leg members  12  at first and second end foot bends  25 , respectively. The first and second side legs  18  are preferably joined to the first and second side leg extension borders  17 , respectively, of the first end leg member  12  at first and second side leg bends  26 , respectively. Preferably, the third and fourth side legs  18  are joined to the first and second side leg extension borders  17 , respectively, of the second end leg member  12  at third and fourth side leg bends  26 , respectively. The first and second post connection members  19  are preferably joined to the first and second side edges  10 , respectively, of the base member  9  at first and second lower end bends  23 , respectively. 
     As seen in  FIG. 3 , preferably the first and second side connection members  19  are connected by one or more fasteners  28  that pass through the elongated structural member  4 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the greater part of the base member  9  of the unitary foundation connector  7  preferably is flat, and the base  6  of the elongated structural member  2  completely covers the flat part of the base member  9  of the unitary foundation connector  7 . Preferably, the greater part of the base member  9  of the unitary foundation connector  7  is flat and is not in registration with the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation  2 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the first end foot member  14  preferably has a first outer edge  13  horizontally separated from the first end border  11  of the base member  9 . Preferably, the second end foot member  14  has a second outer edge  13  horizontally separated from the second end border  11  of the base member  9 . The first outer edge  13  of the first end foot member  14  preferably is no longer than the distance between the first and second sides  5  of the elongated structural member  4 . Preferably, the second outer edge  13  of the second end foot member  14  is no longer than the distance between the first and second sides  5  of the elongated structural member  4 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each of the first and second end foot members  14  is preferably fastened to the concrete foundation  2  with two anchoring fasteners  16 . 
     The present invention includes a method of making a post to foundation connection  1 . Preferably, one provides a concrete foundation  2  having an upper support surface  3 . One preferably provides an elongated structural member  4  mounted in an upright orientation, the elongated structural member  4  having first and second sides  5  and a base  6 . Preferably, one provides a unitary foundation connector  7  constructed from a sheet metal blank  8  of uniform thickness, the unitary foundation connector  7 . 
     The connector  7  preferably has a base member  9  with horizontally separated first and second side edges  10  and horizontally separated first and second end borders  11 . Preferably, the connector  7  has first and second end leg members  12  that are angularly joined to the first and second end borders  11  of the base member  9 , respectively. The first and second end leg members  12  are preferably disposed in a generally upright orientation. Preferably, the first and second end leg members  12  each have horizontally separated substantially vertical first and second side leg extension borders  17 . The connector  7  preferably has first and second end foot members  14  that are angularly joined to and splayed outward from the first and second end leg members  12 , respectively, each of the first and second end foot members  14  having a lower surface  15 . Preferably, the connector  7  has first and second side legs  18  angularly joined respectively to the first and second side leg extension borders  17  of the first end leg member  12  and disposed in a generally upright orientation. The connector  7  preferably has third and fourth side legs  18  that are angularly joined to the first and second side leg extension borders  17  of the second end leg member  12 , respectively, and that are disposed in a generally upright orientation. 
     Preferably, the method includes sliding the unitary foundation connector  7  between the base  6  of the elongated structural member  4  and the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation  2  such that the base member  9  is disposed in registration with the base  6  of the elongated structural member  4 . The lower surfaces  15  of the first and second end foot members  14  are preferably in registration with the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation. Preferably, the first, second, third and fourth side legs  18  are at least partially under the base member  9  between the base member  9  and the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation  2 . The method preferably includes drilling a plurality of fastener holes  29  in the concrete foundation  2 . Preferably, the method includes driving a plurality of anchoring fasteners  16  through the first and second end foot members  14  and into the fastener holes  29  in the concrete foundation  2  so that each of the first and second foot members  14  is fastened to the concrete foundation  2  with one or more separate anchoring fasteners  16 . 
     If the elongated structural member  4 , or post  4 , rests directly on the upper support surface  3  of the concrete foundation  2 , the lower portion of the post  4  can be cut off to create a slightly elevated post base  6  standoff the height of the connector  7 . If this is necessary, the post  4  would be temporarily supported by post shims until the connector  7  is slipped into place. 
     The method preferably includes providing a unitary foundation connector  7  that has first and second post connection members  19 . Preferably, the first and second post connection members  19  have first and second lower ends  20  angularly joined to the base member  9  along the first and second side edges  10 , respectively. The first and second post connection members  19  are preferably disposed upwardly in registration with the first and second sides  5  of the elongated structural member  4 , respectively. Preferably, the method includes fastening the first post connection member  19  to the first side  5  of the elongated structural member  4  one or more separate fasteners  28 . The method preferably includes fastening the second post connection member  19  to the second side  5  of the elongated structural member  4  with one or more separate fasteners  28 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , preferably each of the first and second end foot members  14  is fastened to the concrete foundation  2  with two anchoring fasteners  16 . Each of the first and second post connection members  19  is preferably fastened to the elongated structural member  4  with two separate fasteners  28 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , preferably the separate fasteners  28  that fasten the first and second post connection members  19  to the elongated structural member  4  are two bolts  28  that interconnect the first and second post connection members  19  through the elongated structural member  4 .