Patent Application
20170081839
Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates to retention devices and more particularly pertains to a new retention device for retaining a top plate on a block foundation.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a foundation. A member is positioned on the foundation. A plurality of fastening units is provided. Each of the fastening units is coupled between the foundation and the member such that the member is retained on the foundation.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A member 28 is positioned on the foundation 12. The member 28 is positioned to abut the top side 22 of the top row of stacked blocks 18. The member 28 may comprise a wooden plank or the like. A plurality of fastening units 30 is provided and each of the fastening units 30 is coupled between the foundation 12 and the member 28. Thus, the member 28 is retained on the foundation 12.
Each of the fastening units 30 comprises a plate 32 that has a first end 34, a second end 36 and a top side 38 extending between the first end 34 and the second end 36. The plate 32 is elongated between the first end 34 and the second end 36. The plate 32 is positioned beneath an associated one of the top row of stacked blocks 18. The top side 38 of the plate 32 abuts the bottom side 20 of the associated top row of stacked blocks 18. Each of the first end 34 and the second end 36 extend beyond an associated one of the bounding walls 26 of the opening 24. Thus, the plate 32 is inhibited from being urged upwardly through the opening 24 in the associated top row of stacked blocks 18.
A first nut 39 is coupled to the top side 38 of the plate 32. The first nut 39 is centrally positioned between the first end 34 and the second end 36. A bolt 40 is provided that has a top end 42 and a bottom end 44. The bottom end 44 threadably engages the first nut 39. Thus, the bolt 40 extends upwardly through the opening 24 in the associated top row of stacked blocks 18 and upwardly through the member 28.
A second nut 46 threadably engages the top end 42 of the bolt 40. The second nut 46 engages the member 28 such that the second nut 46 urges the member 28 downwardly against the top side 22 of the top row of stacked blocks 18. A washer 48 is positioned between the second nut 46 and the member 28. The washer 48 inhibits the second nut 46 from being compressed into the member 28.
In use, the plurality of fastening units 30 is placed on the foundation 12 before the top row of stacked blocks 18 is placed on the foundation 12. The plate 32 of each of the fastening units 30 is positioned such that the first nut 39 is centrally positioned within the opening 24 of an associated one of the top row of stacked blocks 18. The bolt 40 of each of the fastening units 30 is threaded into the first nut 39 of an associated one of the fastening units 30. The member 28 is laid on the top side 22 of the top row of stacked blocks 18 such that the bolt 40 of each of the fastening units 30 extends upwardly through the member 28. The washer 48 is placed on the bolt 40 of each of the fastening units 30. The second nut 46 threaded onto the top end 42 of the bolt 40 of an associated one of the fastening units 30. The second nut 46 is tightened against the washer 48 such that the member 28 is retained on the foundation 12.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, system and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
