Granted Patent B2

US 12,416,150 · App. 16/006,201 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Inventor: Thomas M. Espinosa (Snohomish, WA)

Assignee: CETRES HOLDINGS, LLC

E04B1/4157E02D27/34E04B1/2604E04B2/70E04H9/14F16B43/00E04B2001/2688E04B2001/3583E04C5/16Y02A50/00

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A building, comprising:

a) a first stud wall including a first bottom plate disposed on top of a foundation;

b) a threaded anchor rod operably anchored in the foundation and extending through the first bottom plate within the first stud wall;

c) a first bridge member disposed on the first bottom plate, the first bridge member having a first opening, the threaded anchor rod including an end portion extending through and past the first bridge member;

d) a coupling separate from the first bridge member;

e) the coupling directly connecting the end portion of the threaded anchor rod to an end portion of a threaded tie rod, the threaded tie rod extending upwardly from the coupling in the first stud wall;

f) a pair of spaced apart studs;

g) the pair of spaced apart studs including bottom ends bearing on the first bridge member;

h) a second bridge member having a second opening, the tie rod extending through and past the second opening, the second bridge being disposed above and spaced from the first bridge member;

i) a fastener attached to the tie rod to bear down on the second bridge member; and

j) the pair of spaced apart studs including top ends, the second bridge member bearing on the top ends; and

k) a metal bearing plate disposed between the second bridge member and the fastener.

2. The building as in claim 1 , wherein the fastener includes a nut.

3. The building as in claim 1 , wherein the first bridge member is made of metal.

4. The building as in claim 1 , wherein the second bridge member is made of metal.

5. The building as in claim 1 , and further comprising a fastener threaded to the threaded anchor rod and bearing on the first bridge member.

6. The building as in claim 5 , wherein the fastener includes a nut.

7. A building, comprising:

a) a first stud wall including first and second vertical studs with respective first and second top ends;

b) a foundation;

c) a tie rod operably anchored in the foundation;

d) a second stud wall disposed above the first stud wall;

e) a first metallic bridge member disposed on and supported by the first and second top ends, the first bridge member having a first opening, the tie rod extending from the foundation through the first opening and past the first bridge member to the second stud wall; and

f) a fastener attached to the tie rod to bear on top of the first bridge member to tension the tie rod.

8. The building as in claim 7 , wherein:

a) the second stud wall includes a second bottom plate;

b) a second bridge member with a second opening is disposed on the second bottom plate; and

c) the tie rod extends through the second opening past the second bridge member.

9. The building as in claim 8 , wherein:

a) the second stud wall includes third and fourth vertical studs with respective third and fourth top ends;

b) a third bridge member with a third opening is disposed on the third and fourth top ends; and

c) the tie rod extends through the third opening past the third bridge member.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (94)