Patent ID: 7712266

Claim:
A joint connection comprising: a first plate assembly connected to a structural column and having a first connection plate including a first inner hole formed therethrough and a plurality of first outer holes formed therethrough about and coplanar with the first inner hole; a second plate assembly connected to a structural beam and having a second connection plate including a second inner hole formed therethrough and a plurality of second outer holes formed therethrough about and coplanar with the second inner hole, the second connection plate being positioned such that at least a portion of the first inner hole aligns with at least a portion of the second inner hole and at least a portion of each of the first outer holes aligns with at least a portion of a corresponding second outer hole, at least one of the plurality of first outer holes and the plurality of second outer holes being slots aligned radially about the respective first inner hole or second inner hole; a pin positioned through the first inner hole and the second inner hole rotationally connecting the first plate assembly to the second plate assembly; and at least one connecting rod positioned through at least one of the first outer holes and corresponding second outer holes, the joint connection accommodating a slippage of at least one of the first and second plate assemblies relative to each other rotationally about the pin when the joint connection is subject to a seismic load that overcomes a coefficient of friction effected by the at least one connecting rod and without losing connectivity at the pin.