Continuous hold-down system

Abstract

A hold-down system used to secure a building structure to a foundation, thereby enabling the building to better withstand high winds, earthquakes, and the like. The hold-down system is characterized as being continuous and having stackable, individual take-up devices. A continuous hold-down system may include an anchor extending from the foundation through the various stories of the building structure. One or more take-up devices may limit the motion of selected stories with respect to the anchor. Accordingly, the individual take-up devices, acting alone or in a stacked configuration, compensate for settling, wood shrinkage, wood crushing, and the like throughout the entire height of the building structure.

1 . An assembly comprising: 
 a foundation;    a first wall supported above the foundation and comprising a first bearing surface;    an anchor extending from the foundation and through the first bearing surface;    a first retainer engaging the anchor at a first distance above the first bearing surface; and    a first take-up device positioned and expandable to fill the first distance, the first take-up device comprising a base, a slide, the base and slide mutually threaded to provide relative linear translation during multiple revolutions of relative rotation of the slide with respect to the base, the base and slide being formed to have a clearance hole to receive the anchor therethrough, and a bias element urging the relative rotation in a direction selected to provide axial expansion.    
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first wall further comprises a sill plate extending horizontally, a top plate extending horizontally, and at least one support member extending vertically between the sill plate and the top plate  
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first bearing surface comprises one of a top surface of the top plate and a top surface of the sill plate.  
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first wall further comprises an intermediate member extending horizontally between a first support member of the at least one support member and a second support member of the at least one support member at a location between the sill plate and top plate.  
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the first bearing surface comprises a top surface of the intermediate member.  
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second wall supported above the first wall, the second wall comprising a second bearing surface.  
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the anchor further extends through the second bearing surface.  
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a second retainer engaging the anchor at a second distance above the second bearing surface.  
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a second take-up device positioned and expandable to fill the second distance.  
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the second take-up device comprises a base, a slide, the base and slide mutually threaded to provide relative linear translation during multiple revolutions of relative rotation of the slide with respect to the base, the base and slide being formed to have a clearance hole to receive the anchor therethrough, and a bias element urging the relative rotation in a direction selected to provide axial expansion.  
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first take-up device is positioned to transfer to the anchor a first load corresponding substantially exclusively to a dynamic loading imposed on the first wall.  
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the second take-up device is positioned to transfer to the anchor a second load corresponding substantially exclusively to a dynamic loading imposed on the second wall.  
     
     
         13 . An assembly comprising: 
 a foundation;    a wall supported above the foundation and comprising a bearing surface;    an anchor extending from the foundation and through the bearing surface;    a retainer engaging the anchor at a distance above the bearing surface; and    a first take-up device positioned and expandable to fill the distance, the first take-up device comprising a base, a slide, the base and slide mutually threaded to provide relative linear translation during multiple revolutions of relative rotation of the slide with respect to the base, the base and slide being formed to have a clearance hole to receive the anchor therethrough, and a bias element urging the relative rotation in a direction selected to provide axial expansion.    
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the wall corresponds to one of a first story and another story above the first story.  
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the wall further comprises a sill plate extending horizontally, a top plate extending horizontally, and at least one support member extending vertically between the sill plate and the top plate  
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the bearing surface comprises one of a top surface of the top plate and a top surface of the sill plate.  
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the wall further comprises an intermediate member extending horizontally between a first support member of the at least one support member and a second support member of the at least one support member at a location between the sill plate and top plate.  
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the bearing surface comprises a top surface of the intermediate member.  
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the anchor comprises an anchor bolt extending from within the foundation, at least one threaded rod, and a coupler connecting the at least one threaded rod to the anchor bolt.  
     
     
         20 . An assembly comprising: 
 a foundation;    a wall supported above the foundation and comprising a bearing surface;    an anchor extending from the foundation and through the bearing surface;    a retainer engaging the anchor at a distance above the bearing surface; and    a first take-up device;    a second take-up device stacked on top of the first take-up device;    the first and second take-up devices positioned and expandable to collectively fill the distance; and    the first and second take-up devices each comprising a base, a slide, the base and slide mutually threaded to provide relative linear translation during multiple revolutions of relative rotation of the slide with respect to the base, the base and slide being formed to have a clearance hole to receive the anchor therethrough, and a bias element urging the relative rotation in a direction selected to provide axial expansion.