Hollow metal plate for hold down systems

Abstract

A bearing plate includes a planar body including a thickness, width, and length; a first hole and a second hole disposed in the thickness and width of the body, the first hole and the second hole extending through the length of the body; and the first hole is shaped differently from the second hole.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A bearing plate, comprising:
 a) a planar body including a thickness, width, and length;   b) a first hole and a second hole disposed in the thickness and width of the body, the first hole and the second hole extending through the length of the body; and   c) the first hole is shaped differently from the second hole.   
     
     
         2 . The bearing plate as in  claim 1 , wherein the first hole is smaller in cross-sectional area than the second hole. 
     
     
         3 . The bearing plate as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a) the body includes a first sidewall adjacent to the first hole and a first internal wall between the first hole and the second hole;   b) the side wall has a uniform thickness; and   c) the first internal wall has a first thickness at a bottom portion and a top portion that continuously becomes a thinner second thickness toward a center portion of the first internal wall.   
     
     
         4 . The bearing plate as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a) the body includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a sidewall adjacent to the first hole; and   b) the sidewall is perpendicular to the top wall and the bottom wall.   
     
     
         5 . The bearing plate as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a) the body includes a top wall, a bottom wall and a first sidewall adjacent to the first hole; and   b) the first sidewall is inclined to the top wall and the bottom wall.   
     
     
         6 . The bearing plate as in  claim 4 , wherein:
 a) the first internal wall includes a radius surface in the first hole; and   b) the radius surface extends from the bottom wall to the top wall.   
     
     
         7 . The bearing plate as in  claim 5 , wherein:
 a) the bottom wall includes a radius surface in the first hole; and   b) the radius surface extends from one corner to an opposite corner of the first hole.   
     
     
         8 . The bearing plate as in  claim 5 , wherein:
 a) the first sidewall includes a radius surface in the first hole; and   b) the radius surface extends from one corner to an opposite corner of the first hole.   
     
     
         9 . The bearing plate as in  claim 5 , wherein:
 a) the first sidewall includes an exterior radius surface; and   b) the radius surface extends from top wall to the bottom wall.   
     
     
         10 . The bearing plate as in  claim 1 , wherein a third hole is disposed adjacent to the second hole in the thickness and width of the body, the third hole extending through the length of the body. 
     
     
         11 . The bearing plate as in  claim 10 , wherein the third hole is a mirror image of the second hole. 
     
     
         12 . The bearing plate as in  claim 10 , wherein the third hole is a mirror image of the first hole. 
     
     
         13 . The bearing plate as in  claim 10 , wherein the body includes second internal wall between the second hole and the third hole. 
     
     
         14 . The bearing plate as in  claim 13 , wherein the second internal wall is planar. 
     
     
         15 . The bearing plate as in  claim 13 , wherein a second side wall is adjacent to the third hole. 
     
     
         16 . The bearing plate as in  claim 15 , wherein the second sidewall is inclined. 
     
     
         17 . The bearing plate as in  claim 10 , wherein a fourth hole is disposed adjacent to the third hole in the thickness and width of the body, the fourth hole extending through the length of the body. 
     
     
         18 . The bearing plate as in  claim 17 , wherein the fourth hole is a mirror image of the first hole. 
     
     
         19 . The bearing plate as in  claim 17 , wherein the body includes third internal wall between the third hole and the fourth hole. 
     
     
         20 . The bearing plate as in  claim 19 , wherein the third internal wall is a mirror image of the first internal wall. 
     
     
         21 . The bearing plate as in  claim 17 , wherein a second sidewall is disposed adjacent to the fourth hole. 
     
     
         22 . The bearing plate as in  claim 21 , wherein the second sidewall is perpendicular to the top wall and the bottom wall. 
     
     
         23 . The bearing plate as in  claim 1 , wherein the first hole includes a first radius convex surface and a second radius concave surface. 
     
     
         24 . The bearing plate as in  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a sidewall curved inwardly into the first hole. 
     
     
         25 . A bearing plate, comprising:
 a) a body including a top wall, a bottom wall, a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the body including a thickness, width, and length;   b) a first hole and a second hole disposed in the thickness and width of the body, the first hole and the second hole extending through the length of the body, the first hole and the second hole being adjacent the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively; and   c) the first hole being shaped differently from the second hole.   
     
     
         26 . The bearing plate as in  claim 25 , wherein the first hole is a mirror image of the second hole. 
     
     
         27 . The bearing plate as in  claim 25 , wherein a third hole is disposed between the first hole and the second hole in the thickness and width of the body, the third hole extending through the length of the body. 
     
     
         28 . The bearing plate as in  claim 27 , wherein the third hole includes a cross-sectional area larger than a cross-sectional area of the first hole. 
     
     
         29 . The bearing plate as in  claim 27 , wherein a fourth hole is disposed between the first hole and the third hole in the thickness and width of the body, the third hole extending through the length of the body. 
     
     
         30 . The bearing plate as in  claim 29 , wherein the fourth hole is a mirror image of the third hole. 
     
     
         31 . The bearing plate as in  claim 25 , wherein the top wall includes opposite upturned shoulders. 
     
     
         32 . A hold down assembly, comprising:
 a) a bearing plate including a top wall, a bottom wall, a first wall, a second wall and a third wall supporting the top wall to the bottom wall;   b) a tie rod extending through the bearing plate;   c) a fastener connecting the tie rod to the bearing plate; and   d) the fastener including portions disposed directly above the first wall, the second wall, and the third wall.