Reinforced building wall

Abstract

A reinforced building wall comprises a foundation; an anchor rod extending from the foundation; a first stud wall disposed above the foundation, the first stud wall including a first bottom plate and a first top place; a second stud wall disposed above the first stud wall, the second stud wall including a second bottom plate and a second top plate; the first tie rod including first and second threaded end portions, the first end portion is operably connected to the anchor rod; a second tie rod including third and fourth threaded end portions, the third end portion is operably connected to the second end portion of the first tie rod; the second tie rod including an outer end portion operably attached to the second stud wall; an intermediate portion of the first tie rod is unthreaded and comprises at least about 75% of the length of the first tie rod; and an intermediate portion of the second tie rod is unthreaded and comprises at least about 75% of the length of the second tie rod.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A reinforced building wall, comprising:
 a) a foundation;   b) an anchor rod extending from said foundation;   c) a first stud wall disposed on said foundation, said first stud wall including a first bottom plate and a first top place;   d) a second stud wall disposed above said first stud wall, said second stud wall including a second bottom plate and a second top plate;   e) said first tie rod including first and second threaded end portions, said first end portion is operably connected to said anchor rod;   f) a second tie rod including third and fourth threaded end portions, said third end portion is operably connected to said second end portion of said first tie rod;   g) said fourth threaded end portion operably attached to said second stud wall;   h) an intermediate portion of said first tie rod is unthreaded and comprises at least about 75% of the length of said first tie rod; and   i) an intermediate portion of said second tie rod is unthreaded and comprises at least about 75% of the length of said second tie rod.   
     
     
         2 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a) a first coupling connecting said first tie rod to said anchor rod; and   b) a second coupling connecting said second tie rod to said first tie rod.   
     
     
         3 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a) a first bearing plate disposed on said second bottom plate, said first bearing plate including an opening through which said first tie rod extends; and   b) a first nut screwed to said first tie rod, said first nut being tight against said first bearing plate.   
     
     
         4 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a) a second bearing plate disposed on said second top plate, said second bearing plate including an opening through which said second tie rod extends; and   b) a second nut screwed to said second tie rod, said second nut being tight against said second bearing plate.   
     
     
         5 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1 , wherein said intermediate portion of said first tie rod extends through said first top plate and said second bottom plate. 
     
     
         6 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1 , wherein said intermediate portion of said second tie rod extends through said second top plate. 
     
     
         7 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a) first reinforcement blocking disposed in said first stud wall;   b) said intermediate portion of said first tie rod extends through said first reinforcement blocking;   c) a second reinforcement blocking disposed in said second stud wall; and   d) said intermediate portion of said second tie rod extends through said second reinforcement blocking;   
     
     
         8 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a) a short tie rod disposed between said first tie rod and said second tie rod;   b) said short tie rod is operably connected to said first tie rod and said second tie rod.   
     
     
         9 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 8 , and further comprising:
 a) a third coupling connecting said short tie rod to said first tie rod; and   b) a fourth coupling connecting said short tie rod to said second tie rod.   
     
     
         10 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 8 , wherein said short tie rod extends through said first top plate and said second bottom plate. 
     
     
         11 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 8 , wherein an intermediate portion of said short tie rod is unthreaded. 
     
     
         12 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 11 , wherein said intermediate portions of said short tie rod is at least about 75% of the length of said short tie rod. 
     
     
         13 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 3 , and further comprising:
 a) a first spring disposed between said first bearing plate and said first nut; and   b) a second spring disposed between said second bearing plate and said second nut.   
     
     
         14 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 13 , and further comprising:
 a) a first inner cylindrical body disposed within a first outer cylindrical body;   b) said first spring urging said first inner cylindrical body upwardly against said first nut and urging first outer cylinder body downwardly against said first bearing plate;   c) said first inner cylindrical body is movable upwardly with respect to said first outer cylindrical body and lockable downwardly relative to said first outer cylindrical body;   d) a second inner cylindrical body disposed within a second outer cylindrical body;   e) said second spring urging said second inner cylindrical body upwardly against said second nut and urging said second outer cylinder body downwardly against said second bearing plate; and   f) said second inner cylindrical body is movable upwardly with respect to said second outer cylindrical body and lockable downwardly relative to said second outer cylindrical body.   
     
     
         15 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a) a cross member attached to said second stud wall;   b) said second tie rod extending through said cross member;   c) a first bearing plate disposed on said cross member; and   d) a first nut screwed to said second tie rod and bearing on said first bearing plate.   
     
     
         16 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 15 , and further comprising a first spring disposed between said first bearing plate and said first nut. 
     
     
         17 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 16 , and further comprising:
 a) a first inner cylindrical body disposed within a first outer cylindrical body;   b) said first spring urging said first inner cylindrical body upwardly against said first nut and urging first outer cylinder body downwardly against said first bearing plate; and   c) said first inner cylindrical body is movable upwardly with respect to said first outer cylindrical body and lockable downwardly relative to said first outer cylindrical body.   
     
     
         18 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a) said first tie rod includes first and second end portions; and   b) said first and second end portions include threaded bores; and   c) said first end portion is threaded to said anchor rod; and   d) said second end portion is operably connected to said second tie rod.   
     
     
         19 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 18 , wherein said first tie rod is circular in cross-section. 
     
     
         20 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 18 , wherein said first tie rod is square in cross-section. 
     
     
         21 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 18 , wherein said first tie rod is hexagonal in cross-section. 
     
     
         22 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 18 , and further comprising:
 a) a short tie rod disposed between said first tie rod and said second tie rod;   b) said short tie rod is operably connected to said first tie rod and said second tie rod.   
     
     
         23 . A reinforced building wall, comprising:
 a) a foundation;   b) an anchor rod extending from said foundation;   c) a first stud wall disposed above said foundation, said first stud wall including a first bottom plate and a first top plate;   d) a second stud wall disposed above said first stud wall, second stud wall including a second bottom plate and a second top plate;   e) a tie rod operably connected to said anchor rod;   f) said tie rod including an outer end portion operably attached to said second stud wall;   g) an intermediate portion of said tie rod is unthreaded;   h) a cross member attached to said second stud wall;   i) said tie rod extending through said cross member;   j) a bearing plate disposed on said cross member; and   k) a nut screwed to said tie rod and bearing on said bearing plate.   
     
     
         24 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 23 , and further comprising a spring disposed between said bearing plate and said nut. 
     
     
         25 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 24 , and further comprising an expanding connector disposed between said nut and said bearing plate. 
     
     
         26 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 25 , wherein said expanding connector comprises:
 a) an inner cylindrical body disposed within an outer cylindrical body;   b) said first spring urging said inner cylindrical body upwardly against said nut and urging outer cylinder body downwardly against said bearing plate; and   c) said inner cylindrical body is movable upwardly with respect to first outer cylindrical body and lockable downwardly relative to said outer cylindrical body.   
     
     
         27 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 23 , wherein said intermediate portion is at least about 75% of the length of said first tie rod. 
     
     
         28 . A reinforced building wall, comprising:
 a) a foundation;   b) an anchor rod extending from said foundation;   c) a first stud wall disposed above said foundation, said first stud wall including a first bottom plate and a first top place;   d) a second stud wall disposed above said first stud wall, said second stud wall including a second bottom plate and a second top plate;   e) a first tie rod operably connected to said anchor rod;   f) a second tie rod operably connected to said first tie rod;   g) said second tie rod including an outer end portion operably attached to said second stud wall; and   h) an intermediate portion of said first tie rod extending through said first top plate is unthreaded.   
     
     
         29 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 28 , wherein said intermediate portion is at least about 75% of the length of said first tie rod. 
     
     
         30 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 29 , wherein:
 a) an intermediate portion of said second tie rod extends through said second top plate; and   b) said intermediate portion is unthreaded.   
     
     
         31 . A reinforced building wall, comprising:
 a) a foundation;   b) an anchor rod extending from said foundation;   c) a stud wall disposed above said foundation, said stud wall including a bottom plate and a top place;   d) a tie rod having lower threaded end portion and upper threaded end portion;   e) said lower threaded end portion is operably connected to said anchor rod;   f) said upper threaded end portion operably attached to said stud wall;   g) said tie rod including a smooth unthreaded intermediate portion disposed between said lower and upper threaded portions; and   h) said smooth unthreaded intermediate portion constitutes at least about 75% of the length of the tie rod.   
     
     
         32 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 31 , wherein:
 a) said upper threaded end portion extends through said top plate;   b) a bearing plate disposed on said top plate, said bearing plate including an opening through which said tie rod extends; and   c) a nut screwed to said tie rod, said nut being tight against said bearing plate.   
     
     
         33 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 31 , and further comprising:
 a) a reinforcement blocking disposed in said stud wall, said reinforcement block including an opening;   b) said intermediate portion of said tie rod extends through said reinforcement blocking;   c) said lower threaded end portion and said upper threaded end portion includes a diameter larger than the diameter of said intermediate portion; and   d) said opening of said reinforcement block is sized to the diameter of said lower threaded end portion and said upper threaded end portion.   
     
     
         34 . A reinforced building wall in  claim 31 , further comprising:
 a) a cross member attached to said stud wall;   b) said tie rod extending through said cross member;   c) a bearing plate disposed on said cross member; and   d) a nut screwed to said tie rod and bearing on said bearing plate.   
     
     
         35 . A reinforced building wall, comprising:
 a) a foundation;   b) an anchor rod extending from said foundation;   c) a stud wall disposed above said foundation, said stud wall including a bottom plate and a top place;   d) a tie rod having first and second end portions;   e) said first and second end portions include threaded bores;   f) said first end portion is threaded to said anchor rod;   g) said second end portion is operably attached to said stud wall;   h) said tie rod including a smooth unthreaded exterior surface extending from said first end portion to said second end portion.   
     
     
         36 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 31 , and further comprising:
 a) a threaded rod operably secured to said second end portion;   b) said threaded rod extends through said top plate;   c) a bearing plate disposed on said top plate, said bearing plate including an opening through which said threaded rod extends; and   d) a nut screwed to said threaded rod, said nut being tight against said bearing plate.   
     
     
         37 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 35 , wherein said tie rod is tubular. 
     
     
         38 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 35 , wherein said tie rod is square, hexagonal or circular in cross-section. 
     
     
         39 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 35 , wherein:
 a) said threaded bores are multi-diameter; and   b) inspection openings associated with respective threaded bores.   
     
     
         40 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 1  wherein:
 a) said intermediate portion of said first tie rod is at least about 75% or more of the length of the first tie rod; and 
 b) said intermediate portion of said second tie rod is at least about 75% of the length of the second tie rod. 
 
     
     
         41 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 18 , said threaded bores together constitute about 25% or less of the length of said first tie rod. 
     
     
         42 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 18 , wherein said intermediate portion of said first tie rod has a larger diameter than the diameter of said bores. 
     
     
         43 . A reinforced building wall as in  claim 35 , wherein said smooth exterior surface is co-extensive with the length of said tie rod. 
     
     
         44 . A reinforced building wall, comprising:
 a) a foundation;   b) an anchor rod extending from said foundation;   c) a first stud wall disposed on said foundation, said first stud wall including a first bottom plate and a first top place;   d) a second stud wall disposed above said first stud wall, said second stud wall including a second bottom plate and a second top plate;   e) said first tie rod including first and second threaded end portions, said first end portion is operably connected to said anchor rod;   f) a second tie rod including third and fourth threaded end portions, said third end portion is operably connected to said second end portion of said first tie rod;   g) said fourth threaded end portion operably attached to said second stud wall;   h) an intermediate portion of said first tie rod is unthreaded and has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said first and second threaded end portions; and   i) an intermediate portion of said second tie rod is unthreaded and has a diameter less than the diameter of said third and fourth threaded end portions.