Vibration and force absorbing assembly incorporated into a building foundation for dampening the effects of environmentally induced events

Abstract

An improved hold down vibration dampening assembly suitable for minimizing property damage resulting from high winds or earth tremors, typically resulting from a natural event. A plurality of individual dampening assemblies are provided, typically located one per corner of an associated foundation structure. Each of the assemblies most broadly includes a heavy gauge steel frame, mounting at an intersection between a vertically extending wall stud and a horizontally extending wall base, and within which is supported a heavy duty die spring. A threaded rod extends vertically in seating fashion through the spring, a large hex nut securing a top end of the rod while a bottom portion anchors through the wall base, such that misalignment forces applied from base to the wall are absorbed by the assembly.

1 . A force absorbing assembly incorporated into a structure including at least a horizontally extending foundation and an interconnected and vertically extending wall support said assembly comprising: 
 a bracket including a first face secured against the vertically extending support and a second face supported upon the horizontally extending foundation;    an elongated rod extending through an aperture defined in said second bracket face and anchoring within the foundation; and    a spring seating about an upwardly extending portion of said rod, an end nut secured to an extending end of said rod transferring motion of said rod, resulting from movement of the foundation, to said spring.    
     
     
         2 . The force absorbing assembly as described in  claim 1 , said bracket having a specified shape and size and further comprising a heavy gauge, galvanized steel construction.  
     
     
         3 . The force absorbing assembly as described in  claim 2 , said bracket further comprising a substantially “L” shape with first and second reinforced side ribs interconnecting said first and second faces.  
     
     
         4 . The force absorbing assembly as described in  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of lag bolts extending through apertures in said first face and mounting to associated locations of the vertically extending support.  
     
     
         5 . The force absorbing assembly as described in  claim 1 , said spring having a specified shape and size and further comprising a steel coiled die spring against which said rod exerts at least one of a compressive and a tensile loading force.  
     
     
         6 . The force absorbing assembly as described in  claim 1 , further comprising interengaging threads established between said end nut and said circular cross-sectional end of said upwardly extending rod, a retaining washer installing over an end of said rod and biasing between said nut and an upwardly extending end of said spring.