Wooden member support retrofit system and method

Abstract

A wooden member support retrofit system includes a wooden member support having a support base and a wooden member supported by the wooden member. The system also includes a shim disposed in a space formed between the base and the wooden member due to relative movement of the base and the wooden member over time. A process of retrofitting a wooden member support system includes measuring a space formed between a base of a wooden member support and a wooden member due to relative movement of the base and the wooden member over time. The system includes selecting a shim and placing the shim in the space formed between the base and the wooden member.

1 .- 22 . (canceled) 
   
   
       23 . A wooden member support retrofit system, comprising:
 a wooden member support including a base;   a wooden member supported by the wooden member support;   a shim disposed between vertically extending sides of the wooden member support and sized to substantially prevent horizontal movement therebetween; and   a ratchet mechanism coupled to the shim and the base, wherein the shim maintains contact with the wooden member through vertical expansion of the ratchet mechanism so that the weight of the wooden member translates through the shim and ratchet mechanism to be borne by the base.   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein a deformable knife tab or a fastener rigidly attaches the shim to the wooden member. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the fastener extends through an aperture formed in the shim and into the wooden member. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 23 , including a non-load bearing lateral fastener for securing the wooden member in the wooden member support. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the shim comprises a flexible, compressible material that expands to maintain contact between the wooden member and the ratchet mechanism. 
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a one-way vertically expandable ratchet. 
   
   
       29 . A process of retrofitting a wooden member support system, comprising the steps of:
 measuring a space between a base of a wooden member support and a wooden member;   selecting a shim sized to substantially prevent horizontal movement when disposed between vertically extending sides of the wooden member support, the shim having a ratchet mechanism for maintaining contact of the shim with the wooden member; and   placing the shim and ratchet mechanism in the space formed between the base and the wooden member so that the weight of the wooden member is borne by the base of the wooden member support.   
   
   
       30 . The process of  claim 29 , including the step of adjusting the ratchet mechanism to engage the shim with the wooden member. 
   
   
       31 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the adjusting step includes the step of readjusting the ratchet mechanism to reengage the shim with the wooden member due to relative movement of the wooden member away from the shim over time. 
   
   
       32 . The process of  claim 29 , including the step of attaching the shim to the wooden member with a deformable knife tab or a fastener. 
   
   
       33 . The process of  claim 32 , including the step of inserting the fastener through an aperture in the shim and into the wooden member. 
   
   
       34 . The process of  claim 29 , wherein the shim comprises a flexible, compressible material that expands to maintain contact between the wooden member and the shim. 
   
   
       35 . The process of  claim 29 , including the step of securing the wooden member to the wooden member support with a non-load bearing lateral fastener. 
   
   
       36 . A wooden member support retrofit system, comprising:
 a shim sized to substantially prevent horizontal movement when inserted between vertically extending sides of a wooden member support supporting a wooden member; and   a vertically expandable ratchet mechanism coupled to the shim and supported by a base of the wooden member support when the shim is disposed between the vertically extending sides of the wooden member support; wherein the shim maintains contact with the wooden member through vertical expansion of the ratchet mechanism so that the weight of the wooden member translates through the shim and the ratchet mechanism to be borne by the base.