Patent ID: 7797886

Claim:
A seismic damper for permitting relative movement of supported and supporting structures in a first direction due to seismic forces, said seismic damper comprising: an upper bracket adapted to be secured to the supported structure and formed with an upper hole therethrough; a lower bracket spaced apart from said upper bracket in a second direction transverse to the first direction, adapted to be secured to the supporting structure, and formed with lower and intermediate holes therethrough; and a link mechanism including a first support link that has first and second ends, each of which is formed with a through-hole therethrough, and an intermediate portion, which is disposed between said first and second ends thereof and which is formed with a through-hole therethrough, a first pivot joint that extends through said upper hole in said upper bracket and said through-hole in said first end of said first support link, a second pivot joint that extends through said lower hole in said lower bracket and said through-hole in said second end of said first support link, and a third pivot joint that is disposed between said first and second pivot joints, and that extends through said intermediate hole in said lower bracket and said through-hole in said intermediate portion of said first support link, wherein said upper hole in said upper bracket has a size larger than that of said through-hole in said first end of said first support link.