Floor leveling system

Abstract

A floor-leveling system is provided and includes such features as a corner pedestal, a cross-joint pedestal, a side-joint pedestal, an interior pedestal, an exterior frame support, an interior frame support, and drop-in pins that may be used and assembled together to construct a sufficient foundation to collectively support a temporary structure that is placed thereon. These various components may be quickly coupled together in assorted configurations to form the foundation that is sufficiently strong and rigid to suitably support the weight of the structure. Many of the components of the foundation can be adjusted to conform to uneven elevations of the ground surface upon which the foundation is to be placed. The ability of the foundation to be quickly assembled and adapted to uneven elevation significantly reduces the man-power and time required to assemble the foundation and erect the structure thereon.

1 . A pedestal of a floor leveling system, comprising:
 a base having a top face and a bottom face, the bottom face adapted to engage a surface on which the system rests;   a shaft having opposing ends, one of the ends being coupled to the base such that the shaft extends orthogonally from the base;   a platform unit having a receiver plate on a top portion thereof; and   a riser mechanism functionally engaged with the shaft, the riser mechanism being configured to support the platform unit thereon and to transition along the shaft,   wherein a height of the receiver plate above the surface is adjustable within a predetermined range by moving the riser mechanism along the length of the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 1 , the platform unit further comprising:
 the receiver plate having a top face and a bottom face;   a hollow box defining a cavity therein, the box being coupled to the bottom face of the receiver plate, the hollow box having an opening in a bottom surface thereof; and   a tube having a top end and a bottom end, the top end being coupled to the bottom surface of the box and the tube extending below the box, the tube aligning with the opening in the box, and   wherein the tube and the opening in the hollow box fit onto the shaft so that under the condition that the riser mechanism raises and lowers the platform unit the riser mechanism engages the bottom end of the tube and the shaft slides freely within the tube and the opening.   
     
     
         3 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft is a threaded rod and the riser mechanism is a bolt that threads onto the rod and transitions along the length of the rod in a continuous interval within the predetermined range in response to being rotated about the rod. 
     
     
         4 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a support plate that releasably couples to the bottom face of the base plate to support the pedestal, the support plate being larger in size than the base plate and residing between the base plate and the surface on which the system rests.   
     
     
         5 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a handle bar coupled to the bolt that extends outwardly from the bolt to assist in the rotation of the bolt about the threaded rod.   
     
     
         6 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a support wall protruding from the receiver plate,   wherein the receiver plate has a square-shaped top surface that has through holes positioned in opposing corners thereof, and   wherein the support wall protrudes from the receiver plate proximate a corner not occupied by one of the through holes.   
     
     
         7 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver plate has a rectangular-shaped top surface that has through holes positioned in each of neighboring corners of a length of the rectangle and another through hole positioned proximate the midpoint of the opposing length of the rectangle. 
     
     
         8 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver plate has a rectangular-shaped top surface that has through holes positioned proximate the midpoint of opposing widths of the rectangle. 
     
     
         9 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second shaft having opposing ends, one of the ends being coupled to the base such that the second shaft extends orthogonally from the base;   a platform unit having a box-shaped receptacle on a top portion thereof, the receptacle having an open top; and   a riser mechanism functionally engaged with the second shaft, the riser mechanism being configured to support the box-shaped receptacle thereon and to transition along the second shaft,   wherein a height of the box-shaped receptacle above the surface is adjustable within a predetermined range by moving the riser mechanism along the length of the second shaft.   
     
     
         10 . A pedestal of a floor leveling system, comprising:
 a base plate adapted to engage a surface on which the system rests;   a base plate tube coupled to a top portion of the base plate and extending orthogonally from the base plate,   a receiver plate;   a receiver plate tube coupled to an underside portion of the receiver plate and extending orthogonally from the receiver plate; and   a shaft having opposing ends, the shaft being configured to engage the base plate tube at one of the opposing ends and to engage the receiver plate tube at the other of the opposing ends to support the receiver plate at an adjustable distance above the surface,   wherein the distance is adjustable within a predetermined range by adjusting the engagement between the shaft and one or both of the base plate tube and the receiver plate tube.   
     
     
         11 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 10 , wherein the shaft is threaded and has fixedly attached thereto a turning mechanism, and wherein each of the receiver plate tube and the base plate tube is internally threaded to engage the threads of the shaft, so that by rotating the turning mechanism the engagement between the shaft and one or both of the receiver plate tube and the base plate tube is adjusted, wherein threading the shaft into one or both of the receiver plate tube and the base plate tube decreases the exposed length of the threaded shaft to thus decrease the distance between the receiver plate and the surface, and wherein threading the shaft out of one or both of the receiver plate tube and the base plate tube increases the exposed length of the threaded shaft to increase the distance between the receiver plate and the surface. 
     
     
         12 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 locking mechanisms on the threaded shaft on each side of the turning mechanism,   wherein one of the locking mechanisms is positioned against the base plate tube and the other of the locking mechanisms is positioned against the receiver plate tube to lock the engagement between the threaded shaft and each of the base plate tube and the receiver plate tube.   
     
     
         13 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a support plate that couples to the underside portion of the base plate and supports the pedestal thereon, the support plate resting on the surface between the surface and the base plate.   
     
     
         14 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a spacer plate coupled to a length of the receiver plate, the spacer plate extending orthogonally from a top surface of the receiver plate; and   a shield plate coupled to the spacer plate, such that the spacer plate is positioned between the receiver plate and the shield plate, the spacer plate creating a gap between the receiver plate and the shield plate.   
     
     
         15 . The pedestal of a floor leveling system of  claim 10 , wherein the receiver plate of the pedestal is shaped in one of an L-shaped pattern, a T-shaped pattern, or a straight pattern. 
     
     
         16 . A floor leveling system, comprising:
 a plurality of frame beams that support a floor thereon; and   a plurality of pedestals, each pedestal comprising:
 a base having a top face and a bottom face, the bottom face adapted to engage a surface on which the system rests; 
 a shaft having opposing ends, one of the ends being coupled to the base such that the shaft extends orthogonally from the base; 
 a platform unit having a receiver plate on a top portion thereof; and 
 a riser mechanism functionally engaged with the shaft, the riser mechanism being configured to support the platform unit thereon and to transition along the shaft, 
 wherein a height of the receiver plate above the surface is adjustable within a predetermined range by moving the riser mechanism along the length of the shaft, and 
   wherein the receiver plates of the pedestals are coupled to the frame beams and support the frame beams at a distance above the surface, each of the pedestals being independently adjustable to a desired height within a predetermined range to place the floor in a level plane above the surface.   
     
     
         17 . A method of using a floor leveling system, the method comprising:
 setting out the pedestals on a surface on which system rests;   setting out the frame beams between the pedestals;   coupling the frame beams to the pedestals;   adjusting the height of the pedestals to level the frame beams;   placing a floor on the level frame beams, wherein the floor is supported in a level plane above the surface; and   erecting a structure on the level floor above the surface.   
     
     
         18 . The method of using a floor leveling system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 generating a building footprint;   determining the system components needed to create the footprint;   setting out the system components on a surface on which the system will be placed according to the respective position of each component within the footprint; and   assembling the individual system components prior to assembling the individual components to one another.   
     
     
         19 . The method of using a floor leveling system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 adjusting the height of the individual pedestals according to one or more of the following: prior to coupling the frame beams to the individual pedestals; after coupling the frame beams to the individual pedestals to place the frame beams in a level plane above the surface; after the floor has been placed on the frame beams to place the floor in a level plane; or after a structure has been placed on the floor and the surface has settled.   
     
     
         20 . The method of using a floor leveling system of  claim 17 , wherein adjusting the height of the pedestals further comprises adjusting a riser mechanism coupled to a shaft having opposing ends, one of the ends being coupled to a base resting on the surface such that the shaft extends orthogonally from the base, and the other of the ends functionally engaging a platform unit, the platform unit having a receiver plate coupled to a top portion thereof, the riser mechanism being configured to support the platform unit thereon and transition along the shaft to raise or lower the receiver plate as the riser mechanism moves along the shaft supporting the platform unit.