(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mounting plate and bolt assembly used for supporting various types of structures above a ground surface and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a helice pierhead mounting plate and bolt assembly attached to a top portion of a helice pier shaft. The mounting plate and bolt assembly are used for supporting various building structures thereon.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, structures and foundations have been built with deep excavations, which disturb the environment. Also, shallow foundations in many cases have differential settlement and are subject to undesirable movement due to seismic and other types of ground and soil movement.
In the past, there have been a variety of ground anchor devices used for soil stabilization. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,662 to Howard A. Perko and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,904,447, 5,919,005 and 5,934,836 to Stanley J. Rupiper et al. disclose recent anchor devices using helical piers for stabilizing soil, securing building foundations and other structures. Also, the patents cited during the prosecution of the above patents are incorporated herein by reference.
Today, a number of United States companies manufacture foundation anchors having a hollow pipe shaft with a fixture mounting plate attached to the top of the pipe shaft. A helix is attached around a circumference of a lower portion of the pipe shaft. The helix is used for rotating the foundation anchor into a ground surface. The foundation anchors can be used for securing light poles, telephone poles, road signs, walls, walkways, building column supports and the like thereon.
None of the prior art ground anchor devices and foundation supports described in the cited patent references provide the unique features, structure, and advantages of the subject helice pierhead mounting plate and bolt assembly and method of grouting around a helice pier as described herein.
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary objective of the subject invention to provide a helice pier with pier shaft that can be rotated into a ground surface with the top of the pier shaft, called a pier head, having a mounting plate used for securing various types of building structures, foundations, columns, fence posts, light posts, sound barriers, signage and like items.
Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of helice piers with the subject invention mounted on a top thereof to provide a new building concept for more stable building foundations when compared to similar types of installations.
Yet another object of the invention is the assembly allows for more rapid, stable and uniform construction of structures on all types of terrain and soil conditions. Also, the helice piers used with the subject invention can be grouted around the piers for greater resistance to vertical, forced, lateral forces and resistance to corrosion.
Still another object of the invention is, by the nature of it's construction, the plate and bolt assembly can be used in unstable ground conditions and used for providing lateral support for foundations, buildings and other structures.
The mounting plate and bolt assembly includes small circular upper and lower pierhead plates spaced apart and attached to a top portion of a helice pier shaft. Also, large circular upper and lower mounting plates with bolt holes are disposed next to the upper and lower small pierhead plates and held thereon using a plurality of threaded bolts received through the bolt holes. The bolt holes are disposed around a circumference of the large mounting plates. The top of the threaded bolts may be used for securing a base plate of a post used with various types of structures. The large mounting plates may be welded directly to the pier shaft if the movement of the post is not large.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those familiar with ground and soil stabilization devices and helical piers used in stabilizing soil, building foundations, concrete slabs and other structures when reviewing the following detailed description, showing novel construction, combination, and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the claims, it being understood that changes in the embodiments to the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.
The accompanying drawings illustrate complete preferred embodiments in the present invention according to the best modes presently devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:
While the invention has been particularly shown, described and illustrated in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments and modifications, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as claimed except as precluded by the prior art.
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The assembly 10 includes a small circular upper pierhead plate 22 with shaft hole 24 therein for receipt around the top portion of the pier shaft 14. A similar small circular lower pierhead plate 26 with shaft hole 24 therein is also received around the top portion of the pier shaft 14. The two pierhead plates 22 and 26 are spaced apart and welded to the pier shaft 14.
A large circular upper mounting plate 28 with bolt holes 30 disposed around it's outer circumference and a shaft hole 24 is received around the top portion of the pier shaft 14 and disposed on top of and next to the upper pierhead plate 22. A similar large circular lower mounting plate 32 with bolt holes 30 disposed around it's outer circumference and shaft hole 24 is received around the pier shaft 14 and disposed under and next to the lower pierhead plate 26. The bolt holes 30 are used to receive a portion of all thread bolts 34 therethrough. Nuts 36 are threaded on the bolts 34 for securing and compressing the upper mounting plate 28 against the top of the upper pierhead plate 22 and securing and compressing the lower mounting plate 32 against the bottom of the lower pierhead plate 26. Also depending on the loads on the assembly 10 and the helice pier 13, the large upper and lower mounting plates 28 and 32 can be welded to the pier shaft 14.
In this drawing, a lower portion of a post 38 is shown with a post mounting plate 40 having bolt holes 30 therein. The bolt holes 30 are indexed above the bolt holes 30 in the upper mounting plate 22. An upper portion of the all thread bolts 34 are received through the bolt holes 30 in the post mounting plate 40. Using the nuts 36, the vertical height of the post 38 can be adjusted with the nuts 36 and the bolts 34 securing the post 38 above the mounting plate and bolt assembly 10.
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In this drawing, a portion of the ground surface 20 has been cutaway to illustrate the pressure barrel 42 attached to the pier shaft 14 and disposed next to the top of the ground surface 20. For added stability, the area around the pressure barrel 42 and the top portion 12 of the pier shaft 14 can be grouted for added strength for various types of lateral and vertical load conditions depending on the soil type and supporting structures placed thereon.
While the invention has been particularly shown, described and illustrated in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments and modifications thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form, function and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed except as precluded by the prior art.
This application claims benefits of and is based on an earlier filed provisional patent application filed on Mar. 26, 2004, Ser. No. 60/556,710, by the subject inventor.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5066168 | Holdeman | Nov 1991 | A |
6503024 | Rupiper | Jan 2003 | B1 |
6539685 | Bell et al. | Apr 2003 | B1 |
6722821 | Perko et al. | Apr 2004 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60556710 | Mar 2004 | US |