Patent ID: 7159366

Claim:
A building, comprising: a) first, second and third floors and respective first, second and third ceilings; b) a foundation; c) a first stud wall extending between said second floor and said second ceiling; d) a second stud wall extending between said third floor and said third ceiling; e) a first cross member operably secured to a pair of adjacent studs in said first stud wall; f) a second cross member operably secured to a pair of adjacent studs in said second stud wall; g) a tie rod anchor anchored in said foundation; h) a series of interconnected tie rods having one end secured to said tie rod anchor, said interconnected tie rods extending through said second and third floors and through said first and second cross members; i) first and second nuts secured to an intermediate portion and an end portion, respectively, of said interconnected tie rods and spaced upwardly from respective first and second bearing surfaces of said first and second cross members; and j) first and second springs under compression disposed between respective said first and second bearing surfaces and said first and second nuts to tend to expand and push apart said bearing surfaces and respective said first and second nuts, thereby maintaining said interconnected tie rods under tension when a slack develops on said interconnected tie rods.