Patent ID: 7665258

Claim:
A fastener system for securing a building wall to a foundation, comprising: a) a fastener assembly for being operably attached to a building wall; b) a tie rod having one end for being anchored to a building foundation and another end secured to said fastener assembly; and c) said fastener assembly comprising: i) a first member disposed within a second member; ii) said tie rod being axially disposed through said first member; iii) one of said first and second members being fixed relative to said tie rod and another one of said first and second members being movable relative to said tie rod; iv) a nut secured to said tie rod; v) a coil spring disposed around said tie rod and between said nut and said another one of said first and second members; vi) said another one of said first and second members for being operably fixed to the wall; vii) said coil spring for operably biasing said another one of said first and second members against the wall; viii) said first and second members including first and second opposing cylindrical walls, respectively; ix) said first cylindrical wall including a plurality of first receiving volumes; x) said second cylindrical wall including a plurality of second receiving volumes; xi) a resilient member disposed between said first and second cylindrical walls, said resilient member is biased to occupy one of said first and second receiving volumes; xii) said first and second receiving volumes are configured in cross-section such that when said another one of said first and second members is axially moved downwardly relative to said one of said first and second members, said resilient member is shifted into and fully received within another one of said first and second volumes, thereby allowing downward movement of said another one, of said first and second members; and xiii) said first and second volumes are configured in cross-section such that when said another one of said first and second members is moved axially upwardly relative to said one of said first and second members, said resilient member is only partially received within said one of said first and second volumes, thereby precluding upward movement of said another one of said first and second members.