NZ299662A - Adjustable height building pile or pier comprises cap engageable with end of hollow post and nut on central shaft - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand No. International No. 299662 PCT/ TO BE ENTERED AFTER ACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION Priority dates: 27.10.1995; Complete Specification Filed: 29.10.1996 Classification:® E04B5/10,12,14; E02D5/28,48,52 Publication date: 26 June 1998 Journal No.: 1429 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title of Invention: Flooring system with adjustable stump fittings Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as in international application form: TUBEMAKERS OF AUSTRALIA LTD, an Australian company of 1 York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia 0 6 6 2 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No: Date: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FLOORING SYSTEM WITH ADJUSTABLE STUMP We, TUBEMAKERS OF AUSTRALIA LTD, an Australian company, of 1 York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 1 2996 62 The present invention relates to a flooring system with adjustable stump or pier fittings for erecting building structures such as domestic houses. 5 In the construction of single or multi-storey housing buildings, it is common practice in Australia and New Zealand to provide, between the ground surface on which a building is erected and the flooring of the building, a crawl space which in turn provides adequate 10 ventilation below the floor area (and thus avoids rotting of the flooring) and insulation from the ground. The foundations of such buildings regularly incorporate brick work stumps or piers, or suitably treated wooden posts or steel beams which then provide support for the bearer and 15 joist beams (arranged in known grid-like arrangements and onto which the floor boards or plates are secured to provide the flooring of the building).

The height of individual foundation stumps or piers often vary considerably, depending on the terrain 20 topography on which the building is to be erected, and is chosen such that the bearer/joist flooring grid extends in a substantially horizontal plane or, in case of terraced flooring arrangements, in respective horizontal planes.

It also has been common practice to provide underpinning or/and additional packing between the upper, load bearing surface on the foundation stumps and the bearer beams of the flooring to compensate for any change in terrain topography after the building has been 3 0 erected. These changes may occur as a result of strata movement and be very small and may take place over a number of years, with the result that such packing/underpinning need only be performed once or twice over the life of a building. Thus, the costs associated 3 5 with under pinning or packing may be amortised. In other instances, however, the interaction of specific soil/strata make-up and extreme variations in climatic conditions (i.e. loamy soils subjected to heavy rain S:23251Y/41 9 NOl. AMENDED 3 - after long dry periods) , soil erosion and shiftar in strata layers can lead to the foundation stumps/ of / building erected over such soil types to sag or slaift, /in a non-uniform manner. Consequently, underpinning/ or packing operations will be required frequently in /order to avoid localised failures in the supported flooring which adversely affect the integrity of./ the /building structure and may lead to cracks in suppprtin^ walls and roof ceilings of the building, and thsr flooring of the building itself. / / The present invention seeks tar ameliorate, if not completely overcome, the problems/ associated with such conventional flooring systems. / / The present invention provides an /adjustable height pier for use in erecting flooring foundations for a building that is supported by a plurality of suan pie»s a predetermined distance above the ground, the pier comprising a pillar-like base member adapted to be placed on or /n the/ground over which the building is to be erected, a suppg/t memjoer adapted for supporting a load bearing element of a flooring/structure of the building, and an adjusting means engaged with the base and support members and adapted to vary the relative spatial position of the support member with respect to/the base member and to fix the spatial relationship b/tweeiy the base and support members, the base member comprising ar hollow post, the support member comprising a rod havi/ig one/ end configured to support the load bearing element of. the flooring structure and the other end threaded and telescopically inserted within the upper end of the hollow post, 3 0 and tne adjusting means comprising a cap enagageable with the upaer end/of the hollow post and a nut rotatably engaged with tile cap/ the axis of the nut being substantially aligned with /the axis of the post, so that in use the cap may be engaged with / the/upper end of the post and the nut engaged with the threaded 3 fr / / enfd of the rod to provide a pier adjustable in height by ' /rotating the nut relative to the cap and rod causing the / threaded portion of the rod to move axially through the nut.. (followed by page 3a) S:23251 Y AS AMENDED - 3 after long dry periods), soil erosion and shifts in strata layers can lead to the foundation stumps of a building erected over such soil types to sag or shift, in a nonuniform manner. Consequently, underpinning or packing 5 operations will be required frequently in order to avoid localised failures in the supported flooring which adversely affect the integrity of the building structure and may lead to cracks in supporting walls and roof ceilings of the building, and the flooring of the building 10 itself.

The present invention seeks to ameliorate, if not completely overcome, the problems associated with such conventional flooring systems.

The present invention provides an adjustable height 15 pier for use in erecting flooring foundations for a building that is supported by a plurality of such piers a predetermined distance above the ground, the pier comprising a pillar-like base member adapted to be placed on or in the ground over which the building is to be 20 erected, a support member adapted for supporting a load bearing element of a flooring structure of the building, and adjusting means engaged with the base and support members and adapted to vary the relative spatial position of the support member with respect -to the base member and 25 to fix the spatial' relationship between the base and support members, the base member comprising a hollow post, the support member comprising a rod having one end configured to support the load bearing element of the flooring structure and an other threaded end 30 telescopically inserted within the upper end of the hollow post, and the adjusting means comprising a cap engageable with the upper end of the hollow post and a nut threadably engaged with the rod and arranged to bear against the cap, the axis of the nut and the rod being substantially 35 aligned with the axis of the post and the nut including a hollow shaft portion which is adapted to pass rotatably through an opening in the cap, and wherein retention means IN i fcUccrUAt .px ^RTY OcF:C'* OF N.Z. 3 0 APR 2003 P E C £ I ¥ E 0 NOW AMENDED allow the to which sembly JNTEU.cCTU^ L P crru:? '-'r AS AMENDED 3 0 APR 2003 RECEIVED 3A are provided on the shaft portion which coact with the cap to inhibit axial movement of both the nut and the rod relative to the cap whilst allowing rotation of the nut relative to the cap, whereby in use the cap may be engaged 5 with the upper end of the post and the nut engaged with the threaded end of the rod to provide a pier adjustable in height by rotating the nut relative to the cap and the rod causing the threaded portion of the rod to move axially through the nut.

The support members may be adapted to be firmly attached or fixed to bearers (or joists) of the flooring framework to allow the adjustable height piers to bear upward directed loads to which the flooring framework may be subjected (e.g. in cyclones, strong winds, ground 15 upheaval etc).

In another aspect, the invention provides a flooring assembly for a building incorporating a plurality of the adjustable height piers of the invention.

In a further aspect the invention provides adjusting 20 means of an adjustable height building pier for use in erecting flooring foundations for a building that is supported by a plurality of such piers a predetermined distance above the ground, said adjusting means comprising a cap being adapted to engage an upper end of a hollow 25 post, and a nut being adapted to threadably engage a rod and bear against the cap member, the rod being adapted to support a load bearing element of a flooring structure of the building and the post being adapted to be placed on or in the ground, the axis of the nut and the rod being 30 substantially aligned with the axis of the post and the nut including a hollow shaft portion which is adapted to pass rotatably through an opening in the cap, and wherein retention means are provided on the shaft portion which coact with the cap to inhibit axial movement of both the 35 nut and the rod relative to the cap whilst allowing rotation of the nut relative to the cap, whereby in use NOW AMENDED In a further aspect the invention proVld.es/adjusting means for an _ adjustable height build/ng pier, such adjusting means comprising a cap engageabie with the upper end of a rectangular hollow section gfost and a nut rotatably engaged with the cap, the /xis af the nut being substantially aligned with the axis/ of /he post when the cap is engaged with the upper end /of the post.

With the above described flooring system and adjustable height pier it is/ possible to individually adjust the height of the support/ members in relation to the respective base members/ thu& allowing for adjusted levelling-off of the entire /flooring structure or part thereof. It is also /nvisafged that the adjusting means co-acting with the Isase .and support members allow for limited positional /adjustment within the plane in which the support member/carries the load bearing element of the flooring structure/ Accordingly, /ertitfal and horizontal adjustment of individual support members with respect to their respective Jpase members is possible to compensate for any localised /shif/ing within the ground over which the building/has /been erected. These arrangements also enable /positional adjustment during erection of the building. / / The /flooring structure may comprise bearers and joists whach may advantageously be steel beams of hollow /ectangular cross-section, wherein discrete lengths of beam/ provide simple span bearers and joists, which are collectable using inside or outside joiners and braces to provide for continuous span bearer or joists. / Advantageously, the adjustable height piers are adapted, when placed, with the bearer-joist grid work mounted thereonto, to carry compressive loads (i.e. vertical S:23251 Y/419 AS AMENDED the cap may be engaged with the upper end of the post and the nut engaged with the threaded end of the rod to provide a pier adjustable in height by rotating the nut relative to the cap and the rod causing the threaded 5 portion of the rod to move axially through the nut.

With the above described flooring system and adjustable height pier it is possible to individually adjust the height of the support members in relation to the respective base members, thus allowing for adjusted 10 levelling-off of the entire flooring structure or part thereof. It is also envisaged that the adjusting means co-acting with the base and support members allow for limited positional adjustment within the plane in which the support member carries the load bearing element of the 15 flooring structure. Accordingly, vertical and horizontal adjustment of individual support members with respect to their respective base members is possible to compensate for any localised shifting within the ground over which the building has been erected. These arrangements also 20 enable positional adjustment during erection of the building.

The flooring structure may comprise bearers and joists which may advantageously, be steel beams of hollow rectangular cross-section, wherein discrete lengths of 25 beams provide simple span bearers and joists, which are connectable using inside or outside joiners and braces to provide for continuous span bearer or joists.

Advantageously, the adjustable height piers are adapted, when placed, with the bearer-joist grid work 30 mounted thereonto, to carry compressive loads (i.e. vertical loads due to the weight of structures erected over the flooring) as well as tensile loads tending to lift the bearer-joist grid framework from the support members to which they are securely attached (i.e. reaction 35 loads in response to high winds loads_ exerted on the building structure as a whole).

'NTcLlECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 3 0 APR 2003 RECEIVED - 5 loads due to the weight of structures erected ove flooring) as well as tensile loads tending to bearer-joist grid framework from the support m which they are securely attached (i.e. reaction 5 response to high winds loads exerted on tine structure as a whole). / / In a preferred embodiment, the adjusting /means may include a joiner nut rotatably mounted ori the/base member and a threaded shaft provided on the s/pport member, the 10 threaded shaft engaging into the j/6iner/ nut, whereby rotation of the nut allows the height / of the support member to be varied with respect/ to /the base member. Advantageously, the joiner nut can have a tubular shaft portion extending into an open/ng oj a cap plate of the 15 base member and can be se/ured/ therein by suitable retention means to take-up /Loads/ directed substantially upwardly along the axis of rotation of the joiner nut. As used herein, upwardly is /o be understood as in a direction away from the/ground on which the stump fitting 2 0 is mounted. The retention /means may be provided in form of a separate retention ing (i.e. circlip) received in an external annular/groove of the shaft portion, the nut head and retenti/n ring co-operating with the surface areas surroundisig tj/e opening in the cap plate (or 25 interposed washers)/to maintain the joiner nut coupled to the cap plate:. Alternatively, the terminal end of the shaft porticm of/the joiner nut may be swaged to provide a flange-lake Lower end of the joiner nut which prevents removal /Thereof once inserted through the cap plate 3 0 opening/ of /the base member. The joiner nut may be providifed Jwith a flange-like head section, either integrally formed therewith or by welding a washer to the loyer terminal end of the head from which the shaft nortion extends. 3 5 / /Notwithstanding any other forms that may fall within / its/ scope, the invention will be more fully appreciated / f/om the ensuing description of preferred embodiments of / A flooring system and an adjustable height pier which are S:23251Y/41 9 AS AMENDED The retention means may be provided in form of a separate retention ring (i.e. circlip) received in an external annular groove of the shaft portion, the nut head 5 and retention ring co-operating with the surface areas surrounding the opening in the cap plate (or interposed washers) to maintain the joiner nut coupled to the cap plate. Alternatively, the terminal end of the shaft portion of the joiner nut may be swaged to provide a 10 flange-like lower end of the joiner nut which prevents removal thereof once inserted through the cap plate opening of the base member. The joiner nut may be provided with a flange-like head section, either integrally formed therewith or by welding a washer to the 15 lower terminal end of the head from which the shaft portion extends.

Notwithstanding any other forms that may fall within its scope, the invention will be more fully appreciated from the ensuing description of preferred embodiments of a 20 flooring system and an adjustable height pier which are INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 3 0 APR 2003 RECEIVED ^TMran— 299 6 6 given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a flooring system in accordance with the present invention, 5 Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of a pier in accordance with the present invention showing a pier brick tie for securing a brick wall to the stump fitting, Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the pier illustrated in Figs 1 and 2, Fig. 4 shows a side elevation, partly sectioned, of the pier of Fig. 3, Fig. 5a and 5b show a top plan and side elevation, respectively, of a cap member as used in the pier of Figs 3 and 4, and Fig. 6 shows a side elevation, partly sectioned, of the adjusting joiner nut illustrated in Figs 3 and 4.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a so-called sub-floor assembly or flooring system 1 used in the erection of buildings such as single or double storey 20 houses. The flooring system comprises a plurality of bearer and joist steel beams 2 and 3 of hollow rectangular cross-section arranged in a known conventional bearer-joist grid configuration, and a plurality of piers or stump fittings 5 arranged with 25 predetermined distance from one another to support the load bearing bearer-joist framework at discrete locations such that it is held substantially in a horizontal plane and with distance over the ground over which the building is to be erected. The basic considerations as to spacing 30 of joists and bearers, the cross-sectional dimensions and wall thicknesses and other structural aspects can be established from the art and will not be referred to in detail.

The bearers and joists 2 and 3 are bolted to one 35 another at the respective grid intersections using, for example, L-shaped brackets 6 or joist hangers and bolts or screws 6a, commonly used in steel constructions to form a substantially rigid load bearing grid framework.

S:23251Y/419 299 6 6 As can be seen from Fig. 1, the terminal ends of the bearers and joists may be provided with suitably shaped end caps 8. While it is preferable to use single length beams, longer bearers and joists can comprise one or more 5 discrete beam sections lengthwise abutingly joined by means of suitably shaped internal joining pieces or external braces bolted to the adjoining section ends as can be gleaned at 9. It is also understood, that the bearer-joist load bearing framework may incorporate an 10 angled and/or stepped joist and bearer arrangement and need not consist of orthogonally disposed beams.

A building super-structure comprising vertical pillars or bearers, internal walls, lintels, roofing pillars and roofing structures, floor boards and plates 15 and the like can be erected/connected to the load bearing bearer-joist structure and thus, the weight load of the super-structure and environmental loads to which the super-structure is subjected, i.e. wind loads, have to be directed through the joists and bearers securely into the 2 0 stump fittings 5 and from there into the ground. As can be seen for example in Fig. 2, building structures which are not erected directly over the bearer-joist flooring, such as is the case in brick-veneer constructions, can be accommodated where an outside brick facade is erected 25 directly on the ground 12. Such building structures are preferably fixed or braced either to other superstructures members, the bearer-joist framework or the pier fittings. In the latter case, a pier-brick tie 7 consisting of a galvanised metal sheet or stainless steel 3 0 U-shaped brace with corrugated coupling straps can be used. The coupling straps are embedded in the brickwork of the facade and the tie brace is appropriately fastened to the pier or stump fitting 5. Further, as can be seen in Fig. 1, it is desirable to use suitably shaped cross-3 5 braces 6 fastened to adjacently positioned stump fittings 5 to provide further stability and structural rigidity of the assembled flooring system 1.

S:23251 Y/419 2996 6 Figs 3 and 4 show in more detail an adjustable height pier or stump fitting 5 in a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention.

The pier 5 comprises a base member 51 having a 5 rectangular base plate 52 to which are welded, (as indicated by reference numeral 67 in a central zone thereof), two L-shaped angles 53. The legs of the angles extend perpendicularly to the base plate 52 and are disposed in a rectangular arrangement to one another. A 10 hollow rectangular steel post 55 is inserted over the L-shaped angles 53 to sit with its lower terminal peripheral edge on the base plate 52, the post 55 being securely fixed to each leg of the angles 53 by means of screws, rivets or bolts 66. As can be best seen in Figs 15 l and 3, the base plate has two holes 54 arranged on opposite sides of the post 55 and which serve to receive non-illustrated bolts or pins by means of which the base member 51 is securely placed on the ground. As is evident, the ground on which the base member 51 is to be 20 placed has to be prepared such that the longitudinal axis of the post 55 is plumb when the base member 51 is securely placed.

The base member 51 further includes cap 56 closing the upper open terminal end of the post 55. As can be 25 best seen in Figs 5a and 5b, the cap 56 consists of a square cap plate 57 having a central circular opening 59 therethrough and two L-shaped angles 58 welded thereonto. The L-shaped angles 58 are arranged with respect to one another and fastened to the cap plate 57 in a manner 3 0 similar to that described with reference to the base plate and angles 52, 53. As is the case with the base plate angles 53, the L-shaped angles 58 of the cap 56 are spaced and arranged with respect to one another such that they contact with their outer-peripheral surfaces the 3 5 inside surface of the post 55 once received therein. The upper-terminal peripheral edge of the post 55 abuts against the bottom surface of the cap plate 57 which provides an abutment flange. The cap 56 is, here again, S:23251Y/419

Claims (1)

1. 2996 - 9 - fastened to the post 55 using suitable screws or bolts 66 on each of the faces of the post 55. The pier fitting 5 further comprises a support member 62 which includes a U-shaped bracket 64, the 5 cross-section of which is dimensioned and adapted to accommodate, preferably with a snug fit, the cross-section of the bearers 2 of the bearer-joist flooring grid as can be seen in Figs 1 and 4. Alternatively an L-shaped bracket (not shown) could be used. 10 The bracket 64 of the support member 62 of each pier fitting 5 is fixed, in the assembled state of the flooring system, to the respective bearer 2 it supports such as to not only allow for downward vertical loads to be passed into the base member 51 via the support 15 member 62 but also react to upwardly directed vertical loads to which the bearer 2 may be subjected. One or more bolts or screws 66, depending on load requirements, are used on each of the oppositely arranged legs of the U-shaped bracket 64 to fixedly position and fasten the 20 bearer 2 in a load bearing manner within the bracket 64. The support member 62 further includes an externally threaded round rod 63 which is welded with its upper-terminal end onto the lower surface of the web extending between the facing legs of the bracket 64. The threaded 25 rod 63 extends substantially perpendicularly to the web and is received in a joiner nut 60 mounted on the cap 56 of the base member 51 as described below. The joiner nut 60 is fastened onto the base member 51 such that it can rotate but is otherwise fixed acainst 30 movement in a vertical direction or radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the nut. The joiner nut 60 has a hollow shaft portion 60b extending from the head portion 60a. Shaft 6 0b has an outer diameter that permits insertion thereof with clearance fit through the 35 hole 59 of the cap plate 57. A washer 61a is arranged between the nut head 60a and the upper surface of the cap plate 57. The lower terminal end 60c of the shaft S:23251Y/419 - 10 - 299 6 portion 60b is, once received in the hole 59 and after placing a further washer 61b thereonto, plastically deformed (i.e. swaged) to permanently inhibit removal of tu£ joiner nut 60 from the base member 51 but to maintain 5 rotational freedom of movement thereof. As can be easily appreciated, (but not separately illustrated) , it is also possible to provide a removable retention means, for example a locking ring received within an annular groove on the outside circumferential surface of the shaft 10 portion 60b and which locking ring is located such as to lie against the lower washer 61b. The joiner nut 60 may be provided with a flange-like base section instead of or additional to the upper washer 61a or have the washer 61a welded thereto. 15 The mechanism provided by the joiner nut 6 0 and the threaded rod 63 allows for positional height adjustment of the supporting member 62 with respect to the base member 51 when the joiner nut 60 is rotated. The thread ratio of the nut and threaded rod as well as the specific 20 threadshape is chosen as appropriate in the field of building construction; a threadshape is preferred which obviates the need for separate means to inhibit self-rotation of the joiner nut under loads applied in a direction co-axial to the axis of rotation of the nut. 25 Otherwise, conventional fixture means such as splines or lock nuts can be provided to prevent rotation of the joiner nut once proper height adjustment of the support member has been performed. It is a particular advantage of the construction 30 described that the adjusting means for the adjustable height pier can be preassembled in a factory or other off-site situation. The cap plate 57 may be fabricated with the downwardly extending flanges 58 and the joiner nut 60 assembled with its attendant washers and swaged in 35 place as previously described. If desired the adjusting means can also be assembled with the support means in the form of threaded rod 63 and the attendant U-shaped S:23251 Y/419 299 6 6 support bracket 64 and the base portion 52 for the post may also be provided. In this manner a "kit set" of parts may be taken to the building site for assembly of the adjustable height 5 pier. Once the site is laid out, the posts 55 may be cut to a suitable length from rectangular hollow section steel (which is an easy on-site operation) before being assembled with the caps and bases. Because of the design of the caps and bases the connection to the posts using 10 fastening screws or rivets 66 is once again a simple on-site operation. In this manner an adjustable height pier can be simply and effectively provided in which the critical components can be assembled off-site in a factory-type 15 situation without requiring a large inventory of different height posts or piers to be kept and provided. It will also be appreciated that it is possible, in a more elaborate construction which has not been illustrated, to provide for limited positional adjustment 20 of the support member 62 with respect to the base member 51 in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the joiner nut 60. This can be effected by rotatably mounting the joiner nut 60 on a support plate as has been described above; however, the support plate will then be 25 mounted oh to a carriage-like assembly which is mounted on the open upper end of the post 55 and which carriage-like assembly is adapted to allow limited movement along two orthogonal axes perpendicular to said axis of rotation of the nut. 3 0 Suitable materials to manufacture the posts 55 of the pier fittings 5 include a steel section of rectangular cross-section marketed under the tradename DuraGal by Tubemakers of Australia; the L-shaped angles 53 and 58, rectangular base plate 52, square cap plate 57 35 and the U-shape bracket 64 can be manufactured from conventional building steel materials and properly treated against corrosion. S-.23251Y/419