Anchor Plate System for Reinforcing Masonry Walls That Are Perpendicular to Support Joists

Abstract

A system and method of retroactively reinforcing an exterior wall of a building. An anchoring assembly is mounted into the void space between a first joist and a second joist inside the building. The anchoring assembly has a first element that mounts to the first joist and a second element that mounts to the second joist. The anchoring assembly has an adjustable length. In this manner, the anchoring assembly can be adjusted to properly fit the void space between the first joist and the second joist. An anchor plate is provided outside the building in the area of the wall that needs to be reinforced. A tensioning tether is provided that extends through the exterior wall and mechanically joins the anchoring assembly to the anchor plate. The tensioning tether can be selectively tightened, therein biasing the anchor plate outside the building toward the anchoring assembly inside the building.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for retroactively reinforcing an exterior wall of a building at a point between a first joist and a second joist, said system comprising:
 an anchoring assembly having a first element that mounts to said first joist and a second element that mounts to said second joist inside said building, wherein said first element and said second element have slots that align;   an anchor plate contacting said exterior wall outside of said building;   a tensioning tether that extends through said slots and mechanically joins said anchoring assembly to said anchor plate.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further including at least one nut that threads along said tensioning tether, wherein said at least one nut can be selectively tightened to apply tension to said tensioning tether, therein biasing said anchor plate toward said anchoring assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said anchor plate has a mounting hole and said tensioning tether extends through said mounting hole. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein said anchor plate has a curvature and said tensioning tether biases said anchor plate against said exterior wall with enough force to at least partially flatten said anchor plate. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first element of said anchoring assembly telescopes into said second element of said anchoring assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first element of said anchoring assembly abuts and overlaps said second element of said anchoring assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first element and said second element have curved sections that abut and overlap. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said first element has a mounting plate that mounts against said first joist. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said second element has a mounting plate that mounts against said second joist. 
     
     
         10 . A system for retroactively reinforcing an exterior wall of a building at a point between a first floor joist and a second floor joist, said system comprising:
 an anchoring assembly anchored to both said first joist and said second joist within said building, said anchoring assembly having a length between a first end and an opposite second end, wherein said length is selectively adjustable within a range of lengths;   an anchor plate contacting said exterior wall outside of said building;   a tensioning tether that extends between said anchoring assembly and said anchor plate, wherein said tensioning tether can be selectively tensioned to bias said anchor plate toward said anchoring assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said anchoring assembly includes a first element and a second element that can be adjusted relative to each other to selectively adjust said length of said anchoring assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said tensioning tether extends through both said first element and said second element. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said anchor plate has a mounting hole and said tensioning tether extends through said mounting hole. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said first element of said anchoring assembly telescopes into said second element of said anchoring assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said first element of said anchoring assembly abuts and overlaps said second element of said anchoring assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said first element and said second element have curved sections that abut and overlap. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein said curved sections create a concave shape that faces said exterior wall. 
     
     
         18 . A method of retroactively reinforcing an exterior wall of a building from within a void space in between a first joist and a second joist within said building, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing an anchor assembly;   anchoring said anchor assembly to said first joist and said second joist, therein positioning said anchor assembly in said void space;   providing an anchor plate;   positioning said anchor plate against said exterior wall outside said building;   attaching said anchor plate to said anchor assembly with a tensioning tether that extends through said exterior wall; and   tensioning said tensioning tether to bias said anchor plate against said anchor assembly.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said anchor assembly has an adjustable length and said method includes adjusting said length to fit said anchor assembly into said void space between said first joist and said second joist.