Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Processes – Requiring soil work
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-21
2001-08-07
Strimbu, Gregory J. (Department: 3634)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Processes
Requiring soil work
C052S223700, C052S291000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269606
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus, assemblies, and methods for straightening poured concrete basement walls, and poured concrete earth terracing walls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ground retaining walls such as the basement walls of a house or an outdoor earth terracing wall are commonly fabricated in the form of a poured slab of steel bar reinforced concrete, the slab resting on edge upon a poured concrete footing. Typically, such slab walls are poured utilizing concrete forms defining a wall between six and ten inches in thickness; a typical thickness for a residential basement wall being eight inches. Typically, such walls have a ground material retaining side, the ground material retaining side having a water proofing coating applied thereto.
Upon construction of, for example, a poured concrete basement wall, ground material is back filled to ground level around the outer periphery of the basement causing the dirt to “lying???? directly against the ground material retaining side of the wall. Under normal circumstances loading forces associated with such ground material fill are directed downwardly, applying insignificant horizontal pressure upon the basement wall. However, on occasion, ground material filled against the ground material retaining side of a basement wall will creep or shift horizontally. Where horizontal movement of ground material occurs in the vicinity of a basement or terracing wall extreme pressures in the horizontal direction may be imposed upon the wall, causing the wall to tilt in the direction of the pressure. Where the upper edges of a basement concrete wall serve as a footing for above ground structural walls of a building, even slight tilting of the basement walls may cause severe structural damage.
A known method for straightening a tilted poured concrete basement wall comprises steps of drilling an aperture completely through the basement wall; driving by means of jack hammer a spirally threaded shaft through the aperture to extend eight to ten feet beyond the basement wall into the ground, leaving a spirally threaded end of the shaft extending into the basement; mounting a drawing plate and a spirally threaded nut over said spirally threaded end; excavating a pit in the ground material to expose the opposite end of the threaded shaft; attaching a ground anchor or a deadman to said opposite end; and progressively tightening the threaded nut, pulling the drawing plate and the basement wall outwardly along the shaft. A drawback or deficiency of such known method is that the deadman or anchor must be positioned relatively close to the basement wall due to difficulties in driving steel shafts an extended distance through ground material. Where a basement wall tilts due to horizontal ground pressure, it is often undesirable to place an anchor or deadman in close proximity with the wall, since the same forces which press inwardly upon the basement wall may simultaneously act upon the anchor. Thus, it is desirable to position the anchor an extended distance from the wall. Another drawback or deficiency of the above described known method is that drilling a shaft receiving aperture through the basement wall allows water seepage into the interior spaces of the basement. Another drawback or deficiency of the above described method is that an unsightly nut and drawing plate is necessarily exposed within and operated from the interior spaces of the basement.
The instant inventive assembly and method solves all of the above defects and deficiencies by providing a flexible cable spanning between an exterior surface of a basement wall and an anchor or deadman, and by providing a jackscrew pulling mechanism operable from ground level for pulling the cable and drawing the basement wall toward the ground anchor.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the instant inventive assembly and method, a basement wall attachment bracket is fixedly attached to the ground retaining side of a basement wall, such wall being in need of straightening; the basement wall attachment bracket having fixedly welded thereto an arcuately curved cable guide and a jackscrew supporting frame; the jackscrew supporting frame being positioned to overlie the arcuately curved cable guide. The jackscrew supporting frame preferably supports a vertically oriented jackscrew. The jackscrew having a lower end adapted for applying a pulling force to a flexible cable. An end of the flexible cable is preferably fixedly attached to the lower end of the jackscrew; the flexible cable is then extended downwardly, and then extended outwardly through the ground material, the cable pressing against and being turned to a substantially horizontal path by the arcuately curved cable guide. Preferably, the cable extends outwardly through the ground material to a point of fixed attachment with a cable anchor buried within the ground. Also preferably, the cable anchor is located sufficiently far from the basement wall to avoid earth shifting movements associated with undesirable basement wall movement.
Preferably, an access channel is provided at the basement wall, the channel extending from the ground surface to the jackscrew, the jackscrew preferably being operable by means of manual rotation of an elongated nut driving socket extending through the access channel from the ground surface to the jackscrew.
In operation of the above described assembly, the jackscrew is actuated by means of a torque wrench applied to the nut driving socket; the drive socket turning a spirally threaded nut, which raises a spirally threaded shaft to provide a pulling force upon the cable. Such pulling force draws the cable over the arcuately curved cable guide, thereby pulling the basement wall toward the cable anchor.
In a suitable alternate configuration, the jackscrew pulling mechanism is mounted upon the cable anchor rather than at the basement wall.
Through use of the above described inventive assembly and method, the cable anchor may be located an extended distance away from the basement wall, avoiding exposure of the cable anchor to the same ground shifting forces which cause undesirable basement wall tilt. Also, through use of the above described assembly and method, all mechanical elements are located outside of the basement wall, avoiding undesired perforation of the basement wall, and avoiding unsightly and inconvenient location of mechanical elements within working and living spaces within the basement wall. The instant inventive assembly and method is equally applicable to poured concrete earth terracing walls.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly and method for straightening a poured concrete basement wall, or earth terracing wall, which allows an anchor or dead man to be located within ground material an extended distance away from the wall.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an assembly and method which eliminates any need for perforation of the wall.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an assembly and method wherein all mechanical elements thereof are located on the ground material retaining side of the wall.
Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the present inventive assembly and method will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows, and upon review of the appended drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4189891 (1980-02-01), Jonson et al.
patent: 4480945 (1984-11-01), Schnabel
patent: 4824293 (1989-04-01), Brown et al.
patent: 5533839 (1996-07-01), Shimada
patent: 5839855 (1998-11-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 5921715 (1999-07-01), Rainey
patent: 6048138 (2000-04-01), Lamberson et al.
Davis & Jack, LLC
Jack Kenneth H.
Strimbu Gregory J.
LandOfFree
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