AU607855B2

AU607855B2 - Improvements in building stumps

Info

Publication number: AU607855B2
Application number: AU33005/89A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Raymond Victor Smith
Original assignee: JENNINGS GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: JENNINGS GROUP Ltd
Priority date: 1988-04-21
Filing date: 1989-04-14
Publication date: 1991-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 2009-04-14
Also published as: AU3300589A

Description

9 C ZNI 900328,phhdat.021,.jennings.let,1 ,io ,.Tr'ON ACCEPTED AND AMENDMENTS D I p- COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) FOR OFFICE USE Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: This document contains the amendments made under Section 49 and is correct for printing.

a Y Y U U Y a N'ame of Applicant: Address of Applicant: ji ^CS. o P M tTh^ d-ENNINGS INDUSTRIES LIMITED 690 Springvale Road, Mulgrave, 3170, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia.

7 t Actual Inventor Address for Service- RAYMOND VICTOR SMITH DAVIES COLLISON, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

Complete specification for the invention entitled: "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUILDING STUMPS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us j'4 1 Insert place and date of signature.

Signature of declarant(s) (no alttstation required) Note Initial all alterations.

P s vl na i ,l LIC U LU 111 pdIdl idPaIll J u1 LI U111 LCI4 I a"tJi t the first application.......... made in a Convention country in respect of the inventin the 6 t of-thte- plaion Declared at i -this O day of DAVIhFS (01LISON, MELBOURNE and CANBERRA.

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-2- IMPROVEMENTS IN BUILDING STUMPS

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rI- The present invention relates to building stumps and is particularly concerned with a device for supporting a stump on the ground.

20 According to the present invention there is provided a device for supporting a building stump comprising a base capable of providing a secure footing on the ground for the stump, said base having a ground engaging support area substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the stump, guide means for the stump projecting upwardly from the base to support the stump in a generally upright condition relative to the base and means to limit downward movement of the stump when supported by the guide means, the guide means comprising two opposed walls projecting upwardly from the base and the limiting means comprising at least one adjustable pressure bolt screw-threadedly engaged with the guide means to project therefrom into the path of the stump to engage a side wall of the stump and thereby clamp the stump between the opposed walls of the guide means.

Further according to the present invention there is 901211,PHHSPE.01jenningspe,2

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-3provided a method of supporting a building on a stump which comprises providing a stump support device substantially as described in the immediately preceding paragraph, locating the stump in the guide means, securing the stump in the guide means in a generally upright condition by screw threaded adjustment of the or each pressure bolt to engage the stump, adjusting a joist of the building to be supported by the stump to the desired height and engaging the stump with the joist.

Preferably the base of the support device is substantially continuous so as to provide the ma..imum bearing area on the ground for the overall area Eof the base. However, openings may be provided through the base to enable the soil beneath it to breathe and for other purposes such as to reduce the mass of the device. In particular, openings through the base permit the moisture content of the soil beneath the support device to remain 4" substantially the same as the surrounding soil.

The support device is preferably intended to be 20 disposed on the surface of the ground but the base may be 0 O provided with a peripheral upstanding wall to reinforce the S' device.

44 The guide means conveniently comprises two pairs of opposed walls defining a substantially continuous tubular guide of corresponding cross-section to that of the stump 4414 but preferably slightly larger.

4.44 The guide means may be supported against twisting movement relative to the base by one or more buttresses projecting upwardly from the base and/or peripheral flange.

The limiting means may include a stop extending across the guide means at the lowest intended level of the stump and so that, for example, the aforesaid tubular guide means is closed at its lower end. Advantageously, two pressure bolts are provided to engage one side wall of the stump, said two pressure bolts being disposed one above the other to permit adjustment of the verticality of the stump and 901211,PHHSPEO11.jennings.spe3 1. i i: S-4most preferably at least one pressure bolt is provided for each face of the stump.

Advantageously, the support device is made in a plurality of sections which are secured together when the device is to be used. Such arrangement facilitates storage, handling and transport of the device and may help Sto strengthen the device.

SOne embodiment of a support device in accordance with the present invention together with a method of use thereof will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of the device with the pressure bolts omitted for convenience only.

The support device 10 comprises a rectangular base 12 i 15 around which is an upstanding peripheral wall 14.

Projecting diagonally inwardly from each corner 16 of the j device is a buttress 18, each adjacent pair of buttresses supporting a respective guide wall 20 near to the centre of the device. The guide walls 20 together define a 20 continuous tubular support 22 to receive the bottom portion of a building stump of corresponding cross-section. 4 Both the buttresses 18 and guide walls 20 are welded to the base 12 and project upwardly therefrom.

Conveniently, the device 10 is formed by four identical I substantially triangular sections i i i i i i

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t I each having a respective portion of the peripheral wall 14 at the bottom, respective portions of the buttresses 18 at the sides of the triangle and the guide wall 20 at the apex. The abutted portions of the buttresses 18 should be secured together in use such as by welding or more preferably by releasable nuts and bolts (not shown).

The bottom end of the tubular support 22 may be closed to support the bottom portion of the associated stump, but each tubular wall 20 is provided with a pair of diagonally spaced threaded openings 24 to receive pressure bolts therein each of which may be tightened to engage the adjacent side of the stump and thereby support it. The diagonally spaced pressure bolts permit tilting adjustment of the stump. Furthermore, in extremely wet seasonal conditions, when the outside walls of the supported building may heave due to movement of the ground, the bolts can be released and the height of the stump adjusted, so that minor adjustments may be made to the stump as necessary.

The area of the base 12 should be sufficient to provide a secure footing on the ground for the stump, that is so that the risk of the device sinking into the soil is alleviated, and the peripheral wall 14 reinforces both the base and the buttresses 18. In one embodiment, the area of the base is 600 mm x 600 mm. The cross-sectional area of the stump may be 100 mm x 100 mm. The base preferably has a multitude of holes through it (not shown) to enable the soil beneath the base to maintain substantially the same moisture content as the surrounding soil.

In use, the assembled device 10 is securely t 6 seated on flat ground in the desired location with the base 12 in a horizontal plane. The associated stump is then inserted into the tubular support 22 and is secured to the base by means of the pressure bolts threadedly engaged with the openings 24.

Alternatively, the stump may be secured in the device i- before the device is located in the desired position on the ground. Care should be taken that the stump projects vertically upwardly and adjustment of the !I bolts permits this. The building to be supported by ii the stump may then be jacked to the desired height ii and, conveniently, the jack may during this operation be supported on the base 12. Appropriate spacers may then be disposed between the stump and the floor Ci joist of the building. The jack may then be released and the load is securely taken by the stump and support device 04 Cd.

It will be appreciated that many modifications and variations may be made to the described device within the scope of the present invention. The device may be most conveniently used CCto replace failed stumps where it is not possible or practical to dig the appropriate hole in the ground to locate the stump in concrete or by other known means. The pressure bolts ensure that the pay load can be displaced over an appropriate area and they are conveniently diagonally placed so that their force can be adjusted to where it is necessary to exert pressure on a particular stump. The bolts may be released to adjust the height of the stump to allow for movement of the soil, for example, during extremely wet or dry conditions.

Claims

1. A device for supporting a building stump comprising a base capable of providing a secure footing on the ground for the stump, said base having a ground engaging support arra substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the stump, guide means for the stump projecting upwardly from the base to support the stump in a generally upright condition relative to the base and means to limit downward movement of the stump when supported by the guide means, the guide means comprising two opposed walls projecting upwardly from the base and the limiting means comprising at least one adjustable pressure bolt screw-threadedly engaged with the guide means to project therefrom into the path of the stump to engage a side wall of the stump and thereby clamp the stump between the opposed walls of the guide means.

2. A support device according to Claim 1 wherein the base has a plurality of openings therethrough. 4 4

3. A support device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein a peripheral wall extends around the base.

4. A support device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein buttressing means projects upwardly from the base to support the guide means. A support device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the guide means comprises two pairs of opposed walls defining a substantially continuous tubular i guide.

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6. A support device according to Claim 5 when dependent from Claim 4 which comprises a plurality of substantially identical support portions secured together, each support S901211,PHHSPE0l1jennings.spe,7 r LI -8- portion comprising a portion of the base, one wall of the guide means and buttressing means extending from the base portion to support said wall of the guide means.

7. A support device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein two pressure bolts are provided to engage one side wall of the stump, said two pressure bolts being disposed one above the other to permit adjustment of the verticality of the stump.

8. A support device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one adjustable pressure bolt is screw threadedly engaged with each wall of the guide means.

9. A stump support device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

A method of supporting a building on a stump which comprises providing a stump support device as claimed in °044 any one of the preceding claims, locating the stump in the Sq,' I guide means, securing the stump in the guide means in a 41 generally upright condition by screw threaded adjustment of the or each pressure bolt to engage the stump, adjusting a joist of the building to be supported by the stump to the desired height and engaging the stump with the joist.

11. A method according to Cla;n 10 which comprises performing said adjusting step by means of a jack supported on the base.

12. A method according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 which comprises performing said engaging step by providing packing means between a joist supporting surface of the stump and the joist. 901211,PHHSPE.011jennings.spe,8 i; -L 1

13. A method according to any one of Claims 10 to 12 which comprises adjusting the height of the stump relative to the base to engage the stump with the joist.

14. A method of supporting a building on a stump according to Claim 10 and substantially as herein described. DATED this llth day of December, 1990. JENNINGS GROUP LIMITED By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON ri tj r i O/ -r 901211,PHHSPE.Olljennings.spe,9 ij .i