FOUNDATION LIFTING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE

Cross-Reference to Related Application

This application claims the benefit of and priority to a U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/847,023 filed September 25, 2006, the technical disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an assembly and method for lifting supporting, and stabilizing structural building foundations and more particularly, to an assembly having an anchoring portion integrally attached to said foundation which is lifted, relative to a support column, by a jacking portion of said assembly such that said foundation is lifted off the ground.

Description of the Related Art

When the construction of a structure such as a house or other building is set to commence, particular attention must be paid to the stability of the ground upon which the structure will be built. The foundation of the structure must rest on stable, level ground in order to prevent damage to the foundation, and very often, the remainder of the structure.

In Fig. 1, a void 106 beneath a structure's foundation will often, occur due to erosion of the soil underlying all or a portion of the foundation 100. Furthermore, some soils, particularly clay soils, may swell or shrink depending on the soil's moisture

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content, thus causing voids 106 or protrusions 112 underneath any foundation resting upon such soils. These voids and/or protrusions, if substantial, can cause a foundation to warp, and ultimately, to fracture 110, 116. Fractures in a foundation can severely affect the structural integrity of the house or other building supported by said foundation, or at the very least, require the owner of such a structure to expend a substantial amount of money in order to remedy the problem.

The prior art is replete with various methods and apparatus for lifting preexisting foundations from the ground such that the foundation which had previously rested on unstable soil, may be suspended above the ground on posts, piers, helix pilings, or other similar vertical support structures. U.S. Patent numbered 6,503,024 to Rupiper (hereinafter "the Rupiper patent") discloses an assembly and method for lifting a preexisting foundation. In FIG. 2, a concrete pierhead 200 which rests on the top of a vertical support column, is attached to the side of a foundation. The pierhead 200 is attached to a jacking assembly 204 having an upper and lower plate. Threaded bolts secure each of the plates by means of threaded nuts. The pierhead 200, and thus the foundation, is raised by the tightening of the nuts fastened to the top plate. A drawback of the assembly disclosed in the Rupiper patent is that while it is suitable for lifting a preexisting foundation, it is less suitable for use in construction of new structures as the pierhead is not integral to the foundation.

Therefore, a need exists for a lifting assembly which is capable of raising, stabilizing, and supporting a structural foundation while having at least a portion thereof, integrally attached to the foundation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, there is provided herein, a lifting assembly (and method of use) that, in its preferred embodiments, is capable of raising, stabilizing, and supporting a structural foundation such that a portion of said assembly is integrally attached to said foundation.

In one aspect of the invention, a plurality of lifting assemblies may be utilized in raising a foundation. For each lifting assembly utilized, a vertical support column, such as a drilled concrete pier or helical piling, is embedded within the ground at a point where the lifting assembly is to be used. The vertical support column should be embedded a substantial distance into the earth such that it will provide a stable support for the load of the foundation which will rest thereon. However, a portion of the upper part of the support column should extend above ground level, the length of said portion being dependent upon the distance the foundation is to be raised. An anchoring bracket, having a sleeve which defines the center of said bracket, is configured to receive the support column such that said anchoring bracket may slide along said support column. The anchoring bracket, which initially rests at ground level, also includes at least one upper support structure and at least one lower support structure which are connected by means of a plurality of upper support members. The lower support structure is also supported by lower support members, thus providing additional support for the load the anchoring bracket is configured to bear.

In another aspect of the invention, each of a plurality of holes which have been formed on the upper support structure of the anchoring bracket, receive a threaded rod which is secured thereto by a nut on the underside of said upper support structure. A jacking assembly, comprising a bottom plate, top plate, and a hydraulic jack, is

configured to lift the anchoring bracket. The bottom plate is removably mounted on the top end of the vertical support column, thus providing a stable support for the lifting means, which is positioned between the bottom plate and top plate. The support rods which are secured to the anchoring bracket, extend through holes formed in each of the top and bottom plates. Nuts are fastened to support rods on the upper part of each of the top and bottom plates.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the foundation of the structure being constructed is laid by pouring concrete into the mold configured for its formation such that only the upper surface of the upper support structure of the anchoring bracket it not covered in concrete. The foundation is then allowed to cure until the concrete is stable enough to raise while being support by the anchoring bracket. Once the foundation is ready for raising, the hydraulic jack may be activated such that it presses upon the top plate while resting on the bottom plate, which provides a base of support. The upward force generated by the hydraulic jack is transferred, by the plurality of support rods, to the anchoring bracket. By this means, the anchoring bracket, which is integrally attached to the foundation, is lifted to a desired height by the hydraulic lift.

Once, the foundation has been lifted to the desired height above the ground, a pin is secured within holes formed on each of the anchoring bracket sleeve and vertical support column such the anchoring bracket may no longer slide with respect to said vertical support column. The top plate, bottom plate, and hydraulic jack may then be removed and the support rods detached such that the remainder of the rod is flush with the foundation and upper support structure of the anchoring bracket.

In another aspect of the invention, an inertial damper may be mounted between the upper support structure and the bottom plate, thus providing the foundation and the supported structure with added protection from forces generated by earthquakes and other seismic phenomena. In such an embodiment, the bottom plate is secured to the anchoring bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the foundation lifting assembly of the present invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a structure having a foundation which rests upon unstable ground;

FIG.2 is a side view of a prior art apparatus for lifting a foundation;

FIG.3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the lifting assembly of the present invention;

FIG.4 is a bottom view of an alternate embodiment of the top plate of the lifting assembly, having protrusions formed therein for receiving the lifting means;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the top plate shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top view of an alternate embodiment of the top plate, having supports attached thereto;

FIG.7 is a side view of the vertical support column with the bottom portion embedded into the ground;

FIG.8 is a side view of the anchoring bracket mounted onto the vertical support column;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the lifting assembly mounted on the vertical support column following pouring of the foundation;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the lifting assembly in the process of lifting the foundation to the desired height;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the lifting assembly as it has lifted the foundation to the desired height;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the lifting assembly following removal of the bottom plate, top plate, hydraulic jack, and support rods;

FIG. 13 is a first perspective view of a first alternate embodiment of the anchoring bracket of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a second perspective view of the anchoring bracket shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a second alternate embodiment of the anchoring bracket of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a third alternate embodiment of the anchoring bracket of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a fourth alternate embodiment of the anchoring bracket of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a fifth alternate embodiment of the anchoring bracket of the present invention; and

FIG. 19 is a side view of a foundation being supported by a plurality of the lifting assemblies of the present invention.

Preferred embodiments of the lifting assembly according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FlG. 3, a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the lifting assembly 300 of the present invention. The lifting assembly is mounted on a vertical support column 302 which has been embedded within the ground at a location where the lifting assembly 300 is to support a structural foundation or other weighted member. An anchoring bracket 304, comprises an upper support structure 306, a lower support structure 308, upper support members 310, lower support members (not shown), and a sleeve 312. The anchoring bracket 304 is mounted to the vertical support column 302 such that said support column 302 extends through the sleeve 312. Although the sleeve 312 fits securely around the support column 302, the sleeve 312 must be sized in such a manner as to allow the anchoring bracket 304 to slide upwards and downwards along the exposed vertical column 302. However, it is contemplated that lubricants may be used to increase the anchoring bracket's 304 ability to slide along the vertical column 302.

Both the upper support structure 306 and the lower support structure 308 are securely attached to the sleeve 312. The upper support structure 306 is attached to the sleeve 312 such that the top surface 314 of said upper support structure 306 is flush with the top of the sleeve 312. Upper support members 310 provide the means for connecting the upper 306 and lower support structures 308, as well as a means for supporting the load (foundation) that the anchoring bracket will bear. Lower support members (not shown) are attached to the bottom surface of the lower support structure 308 and the sleeve 312, offering additional support for the load the anchoring bracket 304 is configured to bear. A hole 316 is formed through the sleeve 312 which, after raising the anchoring bracket 304 and foundation (not shown), will align with a hole 318 formed in

the vertical support column 302, thus permitting a pin (not shown) to be inserted which will restrict movement of the anchoring bracket 304 along said support column 302.

Additional holes 320 are formed in the upper support structure 306 which are configured to receive support rods 322. The threaded support rods 322 are each secured to the upper support structure 306 by nuts on the bottom surface of the upper support structure. Holes 326 are also formed on the lower support structure, giving the operator the option of securing the rods to said lower support structure 308. It should be noted that alternate embodiments of the invention may include a support means other than the threaded support rods and nuts, for connecting the jacking assembly 328, 332, 335 to the anchoring bracket 304.

A bottom plate 328 is removably mounted to the top end (not shown) of the vertical column 302 and provides a base upon which a hydraulic jack 332, or other lifting means, may rest. It should be noted that although the lifting means utilized in the presently preferred embodiment includes a hydraulic jack 332, any lifting means, is contemplated. For example, other lifting means such as a screw jack or pneumatic jack, may be utilized as the lifting means of the present invention. The underside of the bottom plate 328 may be formed in a manner so as to permit the top end (not shown) of the vertical column to mate with said bottom plate 328, thus providing additional stability during the lifting of the foundation. The top of the hydraulic jack 338 is mounted to a top plate 334. Both the bottom and top plates 328,334 have holes formed therein such that the support rods 322 which are secured to the anchoring bracket 304, extend through said top 334 and bottom plates 328. Unlike the anchoring bracket 304, the nuts 336, 330 which secure the support rods 322 to the top 334 and bottom plates 328, are secured to

the upper surfaces of the said plates, thus as the hydraulic jack 332 lifts the top plate 334, the anchoring bracket 304 is also lifted as the upward force is transferred to said anchoring bracket 304 and the foundation to which it is integrally attached.

It is contemplated that in alternate embodiments of the invention, an inertial damper (not shown) may be secured between the upper support structure 306 and the bottom plate 328 in order to provide added protection from the forces generated by earthquakes and other seismic phenomena. In such an alternate embodiment, the bottom plate 328 will be secured to the upper support structure 306 by means of bolts which may be inserted into the holes 320 formed into said upper support structure 306 and bottom plate 328. Following the raising of the foundation, as each support rod 322 is removed, a support bolt may be inserted into the holes 320 and fastened with one or more nuts, thus allowing the anchoring bracket 304 to be supported by the bottom plate 328. It should be noted that during the pouring of the foundation, it may be necessary to shield the bottom plate 328 and upper support structure 306 from the concrete being poured. It should also be noted that the bottom plate 328 may be utilized to support the anchoring bracket 304 even in circumstances in which no inertial damper is mounted, as it is often difficult to gain access to the lower portion of the sleeve 312 containing the hole 316 formed therein, due to the presence of hardened concrete.

It is also contemplated that the connections between the elements of the lifting assembly 300 will be made by welds unless otherwise indicated herein (nuts, support rods, hydraulic jack, bottom plate). However, other means for attaching said elements may be effectuated, as those skilled in the art will appreciate. For example, alternate embodiments of the anchoring bracket 304 may be fabricated monolithically such that the

upper support structure 306, lower support structure 308, sleeve 312, and upper and lower support members 310, 800 are all integrally attached. Those who manufacture the anchoring bracket 304 may find it less costly to fabricate said anchoring bracket 304 monolithically. It should be noted that the materials used to construct the elements of the lifting assembly 300 should be chosen with respect to their ability to support the extremely heavy loads which they will bear. Although steel is the material chosen to construct the presently preferred embodiment, any other materials which may bear the loads the lifting assembly 300 will support, are also contemplated for use in alternate embodiments of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a bottom and perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the top plate 334 respectively. Protrusions 400 are formed on the bottom of the top plate which are configured to receive the upper portion of the hydraulic jack 338. In this manner, the hydraulic jack 332 may securely engage the top plate 334. However, it should be noted that other alternate embodiments of the top plate 334 may be configured to include other means for connecting said jack and top plate. Such alternate means may include an indentation or hole formed into the top plate which corresponds to the form of the top of the hydraulic jack such that said jack mates with said hole. Furthermore, it is not essential that the jack 332 engage the top plate 334 any more than by merely abutting said plate 334, as is shown in the presently preferred embodiment.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a top view of an alternate embodiment of the top plate 600. Support members 602 may be attached to the top surface of the top plate 600 in order to provide said top plate 600 with additional structural integrity. However, any means, and no means, of supporting the top plate 600 is contemplated.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-12, side views of the lifting assembly in various stages of lifting a foundation are shown. Referring now specifically to FIG. 7, the vertical support column 302 is shown embedded within the ground 702. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the depth at which the vertical support column 302 must be driven in order to provide a secure and stable support will vary depending upon the type and condition of the soil. Any manner of piers, pilings (helical or otherwise), posts, beams, or other similarly configured members may be utilized as a vertical support column 302 for the purposes of the present invention. Likewise, concrete or any other material may also be used to impart added support to the vertical support column 302.

Referring now to Fig. 8, a side view of the anchoring bracket 304 mounted to the vertical support column 302. Note that lower support members 800 are attached to the underside of the lower support structure and sleeve. The lower support members 800 provide the lower support structure 308 with additional support. As will be further described below with reference to FIGS. 13-16, the anchoring bracket 304 (including the lower support members 800) may be configured in a plurality of alternative embodiments.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a side view of the completely assembled lifting assembly 300 mounted on the vertical support column 302. After the lifting assembly 300 is completely assembled, the concrete foundation 900 may be poured such that it surrounds the anchoring bracket 304. The foundation 900 should be poured such that the concrete mixture rises to the level of the upper support structure 306 of the anchoring bracket 304. After the foundation 900 is poured, the concrete should be allowed to cure until such a time that said concrete foundation 900 is suitably stable and firm for lifting

by the lifting assembly 300. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the length of time necessary to allow for the curing of the concrete foundation 900 before lifting may occur. Rebar or other support materials such as post-tension tendons, may be utilized to provide additional support to the concrete foundation. The rebar or other support material may be attached to the anchoring bracket. The integral attachment of the anchoring bracket 304 to the foundation 900 provides one advantage over prior art lifting mechanisms. The integral attachment of the anchoring bracket 304 to the foundation provides increased support and stability for said foundation.

Referring to FIGS. 10-12, once the foundation has properly cured, the jack 332 may be activated in order to lift the anchoring bracket 304 and foundation 900 to a desired height 1100 above the ground 702. As those in skilled in the art will appreciate, the desired height 1100 to which the foundation 900 will be raised, maybe determined with reference to soil conditions, owner preference, stability of the structure, and other factors known in the construction trade. Once the foundation 900 is raised to the desired height 1100, a pin 1102 is inserted into the holes 316, 318 formed into the sleeve 312 and vertical support column 302, thus preventing the anchoring bracket 304 from further sliding along said vertical support column 302. As discussed above, the anchoring bracket 304 may be attached to, and supported by, the bottom plate 328 as an alternate means of supporting said anchoring bracket. It may be necessary to remove concrete from around the lower portion of the sleeve in order to access the holes 316, 318 found on the sleeve and vertical support column. If it is difficult to remove the concrete around the sleeve 312 in order to gain access to the hole 316, the bottom plate 328 may be utilized as a means for supporting the anchoring bracket 304. As will be appreciated by

all, the hole 318 formed into the vertical support column must be formed (if it is to be utilized) at a position such that it will properly align with the hole 316 formed on the sleeve when the anchoring bracket 304 is raised to the desired height 1100. Both holes are formed completely through the sleeve 312 and vertical support column 302. Because the pin 1102 will be subjected to heavy loads from the foundation 702, said pin 1102 should be chosen with respect to its ability to withstand shear stresses.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 12, once the foundation 900 has been raised to the desired height 1100 and the pin 1102 inserted, the top 334 and bottom plate 328, the hydraulic jack 332, and the rods 322 and nuts 330, 336, maybe removed from the anchoring bracket 304. A small layer of concrete (not shown) may optionally be poured over the upper support structure 306 and foundation 900 as necessary to conceal said upper support structure 306 for aesthetic purposes.

Referring now to FIGS. 13-18, perspective views of various alternate embodiments of the anchoring bracket 304 are shown. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, these alternate embodiments may prove less costly to construct and/or provide additional support to the foundation 900. Furthermore, it should be noted that other alternate embodiments of the anchoring bracket 304 may be constructed by those skilled in the art which provides the function of supporting the foundation 900. Referring specifically now to FIG. 17, the alternate embodiment of the anchoring bracket 304 shown is configured such that the support rods 322 may be attached to the upper support members 310, which have holes 1700 formed therein for receiving said support rods 322. Another alternate embodiment of the anchoring bracket 304 is shown in FIG. 18, which is configured to receive the bottom plate 308. In this alternate embodiment, it is

contemplated that the bottom plate 308 would remain attached to the anchoring bracket 304 following the raising of the foundation.

Referring now to FIG. 19, a side view of a plurality of lifting assemblies 300 in the process of lifting a foundation 900. It should be noted that the distance from the side of foundation 900 at which each lifting assembly 300 is positioned is not shown on FIG. 18. The lifting assemblies 300 may be positioned at any points in the foundation and are not limited to positioning on the sides of said foundation. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the position and number of lifting assemblies 300 necessary to lift a foundation 900.

Although the lifting assembly 300 of the presently preferred embodiment has been described with reference to a newly formed foundation 900, it should be noted that the lifting assembly 300 may alternately be implemented with respect to preexisting foundations 900 with only minimal changes made to the method of use described herein. In order to implement the lifting assembly 300 such that a preexisting foundation 900 may be raised, leveled, supported, or stabilized, it will be necessary to excavate a portion of said preexisting foundation 900 at the location where the lifting assembly 300 is to be utilized. A vertical support column 302 must be driven into the ground underneath the place where the lifting assembly 300 is to be used. Next, a new mold of concrete, integral to both the preexisting foundation as well as the anchoring bracket, may be poured. Rebar or other materials may be used to provide support to the newly formed concrete. The lifting assembly may then be implemented in the fashion described above.

It should be noted that the descriptions and embodiments disclosed herein are not exhaustive and are illustrative only. Many modifications and variations will be apparent

to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below.