Construction brace for use against seismic and high wind conditions

Abstract

Wood framed walls of buildings are strengthened against destructive wind and seismic forces by angled brackets attached to vertical studs and anchored to the building foundation. The bracket can be attached to a foundation structure of the building and to a stud and floor plate. The bracket can also be attached to a stud and ceiling plate. The foundation structure may be concrete or other floor joist or the like. The angled brackets are normally used in a system that attaches a bracket at top and bottom of studs at approximately every fourth or fifth stud along all load-bearing walls. In an alternate embodiment, an elongated steel rod can be attached to the foundation and directly to a roof truss and ceiling plate. The described brackets can be installed during initial construction of a structure or retrofit into existing structures.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A brace for connecting wood members in a building structure to strengthen such structure to conform to applicable building code requirements, such brace comprising: 
 a. a first connector means adapted for attaching such brace to a substantially horizontal construction member, comprising: 
 (1) a substantially horizontal portion having a hole disposed therein; and  
 (2) a threaded rod inserted through such hole having a fastener securing such substantially horizontal portion to such substantially horizontal construction member; and  
   b. a second connector means adapted for attaching such brace tie to a substantially vertical construction member, comprising: 
 (1) a riser extending substantially vertical at a right angle from such horizontal portion;  
 (2) a plurality of apertures disposed in such riser; and  
 (3) a plurality of fasteners attaching such riser to such substantially vertical construction member.  
   
     
     
         2 . The brace according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a. such brace is manufactured of A36 grade steel.    
     
     
         3 . The brace according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a. such plurality of fasteners attaching such riser to such substantially vertical construction member comprise lag bolts.    
     
     
         4 . The brace according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a. such horizontal construction member comprises a floor plate.    
     
     
         5 . The brace according to  claim 4 , wherein: 
 a. such threaded rod is further embedded in the foundation of such building.    
     
     
         6 . The brace according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a. such horizontal construction member comprises a ceiling plate.    
     
     
         7 . A tie down for use in construction of a wood frame building, comprising: 
 a. a first brace connected to the foundation of such building through a floor plate and attached to a building stud, and    b. a second brace attached to the building stud and connected to a ceiling plate, wherein    such first brace and such second brace provide sufficient strength to resist uplift forces according to applicable building code requirements.    
     
     
         8 . The tie down according to  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a. such first brace and such second brace are manufactured of A36 grade steel.    
     
     
         9 . The tie down according to  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a. such first brace is attached to such building stud by a plurality of fasteners; and    b. such second at brace is attached to such building stud by a plurality of fasteners.    
     
     
         10 . The tie down according to  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a. such plurality of fasteners attaching such first brace and such second brace to such building stud comprise lag bolts.    
     
     
         11 . A method of strengthening a wood frame building structure to resist high wind and seismic conditions, such method comprising the steps of: 
 a. forming a socket in the foundation of such structure through a floor plate of such building frame;    b. attaching a first brace to the bottom portion of a wall stud of such building frame, wherein 
 (1) a hole in a horizontal portion of such brace is aligned with such socket formed in the foundation, and  
 (2) such brace is further attached to the foundation by inserting a first attachment means through such hole into such socket and fastening such brace to the foundation;  
   c. forming an elongated tunnel through a ceiling plate of such building frame; and    d. attaching a second brace to the top portion of the wall stud of such building frame, wherein 
 (1) a hole in a horizontal portion of such brace is aligned with such elongated tunnel formed in the ceiling plate, and  
 (2) such brace is further attached to the ceiling plate by inserting a second attachment means through such hole and through such elongated tunnel and fastening such brace to the ceiling plate.  
   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein such first attachment means comprises: 
 a. a threaded rod embedded in the foundation and sealed in place by a suitable adhesive; and    b. an internally threaded fastener.    
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein such first attachment means comprises: 
 a. a compression anchor embedded in the foundation; and    b. an internally threaded fastener.    
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein: 
 a. such first brace is attached to such wall stud by a plurality of fasteners; and    b. such second at brace is attached to such wall stud by a plurality of fasteners.    
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein: 
 a. such plurality of fasteners attaching such first brace and such second brace to such wall stud comprise lag bolts.