Stabilizer Anchor Assembly For Manufactured Buildings

Abstract

A stabilizer anchor securing a manufactured building to the ground while resisting movement from forces against the building, having an elongated rod with a helical flight at a first end and a connector at an opposing end, which rod slidingly receives a plate for movement relative to the rod during installation. A stabilizer member connects between a connector of the rod and an I-beam of the manufactured building for communicating forces on the building to the ground. A method of securing a manufacturing building to the ground while resisting movement in response to forces against the building is disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stabilizer anchor assembly for securing a manufactured building to the ground while providing resistance to movement thereof in response to forces directed against the manufactured building, comprising:
 an anchor having an elongated rod with a helical flight at a first end and a connector at an opposing second end;   a stabilizer assembly having a plate and a seating member that slidingly receives the rod for movement of the stabilizer assembly relative to the rod during installation of the anchor relative to an elongate longitudinal I-beam on which a manufactured building is supported, the plate for engaging the ground after installation; and   a stabilizer member connected at a first end to the connector of the anchor and at a second end to the longitudinal I-beam, whereby forces on the manufactured building communicate therefrom through the stabilizer member to the ground through the anchor,   whereby the plate, being moved relative to the rod during installation in the ground, resists movement of the manufactured building in response to forces against the manufactured building.   
     
     
         2 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises:
 the second end defining a threaded portion;   a first nut and a second nut received on the threaded portion for securing the first end of the stabilizer member to the anchor.   
     
     
         3 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the stabilizer member comprises an elongate tube and the first end defines aligned openings in opposing sides for receiving therethrough the threaded end of the rod, the first end seating on the first nut received on the threaded end and the second nut tightened thereagainst for securing the stabilizer member to the anchor. 
     
     
         4 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the first end of the stabilizer member is flattened. 
     
     
         5 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for securing the stabilizer assembly to the rod after installation of the anchor. 
     
     
         6 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for rigidly securing the plate to the rod after installation. 
     
     
         7 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein means for securing comprises:
 the plate defining an opening;   a fastener extending through the opening and contacting the rod, for bearing securing of the plate to the rod.   
     
     
         8 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a beam connector for attaching to an I-beam of a manufactured building and connecting to the second end of the stabilizer member. 
     
     
         9 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises a pair of plates disposed at an oblique angle relative to a central axis thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the seating member comprises an elongate open-ended tube through which the rod passes for movement of the plate relative to the rod during installation. 
     
     
         11 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer assembly comprises a cylindrical cap having a base and a perimeter wall extending in a first direction therefrom defining the plate, the base defining a central opening for the seating member through which the rod extends. 
     
     
         12 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the cap defines a radial slot from a central portion to an edge for receiving the rod. 
     
     
         13 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising an annular knuckle projecting from an upper surface of the base to define a ridge, the ridge bearing against the first nut whereby the cap may be angled relative to the anchor in substantially conformity with a slope of the ground surface thereat. 
     
     
         14 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the knuckle comprises a weld bead attached to the base. 
     
     
         15 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer assembly further comprises a cylindrical cap having a base and a perimeter wall extending in a first direction therefrom for engaging the ground, the base defining a central opening for the seating member through which the rod extends, and an annular knuckle projecting from an upper surface of the base to define a ridge, the ridge bearing against the first nut whereby the cap may be angled relative to the anchor in substantially conformity with a slope of the ground surface thereat. 
     
     
         16 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer member is aligned substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the I-beam. 
     
     
         17 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer member is at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the I-beam. 
     
     
         18 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer member is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the I-beam determined in a horizontal plane relative to the I-beam. 
     
     
         19 . The stabilizer anchor assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a second stabilizer member connected at a first end to the connector of the anchor and at a second end to the longitudinal I-beam, the second stabilizer member transverse to the longitudinal axis of the I-beam determined in a horizontal plane relative to the I-beam, whereby forces on the manufactured building communicate therefrom through the stabilizer member to the ground through the anchor. 
     
     
         20 . A method for securing a manufactured building to the ground with a stabilizer anchor assembly that provides resistance to movement thereof in response to forces directed against the manufactured building, comprising the steps of:
 (a) slidingly extending a rod of an anchor through a seating member of a stabilizer assembly, the anchor having a helical flight at a first end for engaging a portion of ground below a longitudinal I-beam on which a manufactured building is supported and an opposing second end having a connector; and   (b) driving the anchor and the stabilizer assembly in the ground, the stabilizer assembly moving relative to the rod during installation of the anchor and the plate engaging the ground after installation;   (c) connecting a first end of a stabilizer member to the connector of the anchor and connecting a second end of the stabilizer member to the longitudinal I-beam, whereby forces on the manufactured building communicate therefrom through the stabilizer member to the ground through the anchor,   whereby the plate, being moves relative to the rod during installation in the ground, resists movement of the manufactured building in response to forces against the manufactured building.   
     
     
         21 . The method for securing a manufactured building to the ground as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of securing the stabilizer assembly rigidly to the rod. 
     
     
         22 . The method for securing a manufactured building to the ground as recited in  claim 20 , wherein securing the stabilizer assembly comprises providing an opening through the plate and securing a fastener therein for bearing fixedly against the rod. 
     
     
         23 . The method for securing a manufactured building to the ground as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of providing as the stabilizer assembly a cap disposed on the rod, the cap having a base and a perimeter wall extending in a first direction therefrom as the plate for engaging the ground, the base defining a central opening for the seating member through which the rod extends. 
     
     
         24 . The method for securing a manufactured building to the ground as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising the step of angling the cap relative to the anchor in substantially conformity with a slope of the ground surface thereat by pivoting the cap on a ridge of an annular knuckle projecting from an upper surface of the base, the ridge bearing against the connector. 
     
     
         25 . The method for securing a manufactured building to the ground as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the first end of the stabilizer member connects to a threaded end of the rod on which a first nut is threadingly received by extending the rod through an opening in the stabilizer member and securing the first end thereto with a second nut tightened thereon. 
     
     
         26 . The method for securing a manufactured building to the ground as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the stabilizer member comprises an elongated tube and the first end being flattened and defining aligned openings therein for passing the rod therethrough. 
     
     
         27 . The method for securing a manufactured building to the ground as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of forming the plate to have a first plate and a second plate disposed at an oblique angle relative to a central axis. 
     
     
         28 . The method for securing a manufactured building to the ground as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the stabilizer member is disposed at an oblique angle determined in a horizontal plane relative to the I-beam. 
     
     
         29 . The method for securing a manufactured building to the ground as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising the step of connecting a first end of a second stabilizer member to the connector of the anchor and connecting a second end of the second stabilizer member to the longitudinal I-beam, the second stabilizer member disposed transverse to a longitudinal axis of the I-beam as determined in a horizontal plane relative to the I-beam, whereby forces on the manufactured building communicate therefrom through the stabilizer member to the ground through the anchor.