SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOVING OR SECURING A PREFABRICATED STRUCTURE

Abstract

The invention pertains to a method and system for moving or securing a mobile or prefabricated structure. The method involves the use of at least one rod having an attachment point and a brace end. The rod is run through the wall, with the attachment point extending from either the exterior roof or floor surface. A brace is coupled to the rod outside the structure, distributing force created by pulling on the attachment end. The attachment point can be coupled to a crane for lifting the structure or to a pile, such as a helical pile, anchored to the ground for securing the structure. A system that may include a prefabricated structure is provided including the rod having an attachment point and a brace. The rod may be a steel rod with a specific diameter and may include a threaded section or an eye hook as the attachment point.

Claims

1. A method for moving or securing a mobile structure having a floor with an exterior floor surface, a roof with an exterior roof surface, and at least one wall, the method comprising the acts of: providing at least one rod having an attachment point at an attachment end and a brace end opposite the attachment end; running the at least one rod through at least one of the least one walls, leaving the attachment point extending from the exterior roof surface or the exterior floor surface; coupling a brace to the rod at the brace end outside of the mobile structure such that a force created by pulling on the attachment end of the rod is distributed at the exterior roof surface if the attachment point extends from the exterior floor surface and at the exterior floor surface if the attachment point extends from the exterior roof surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment end extends from the exterior roof surface, the method further comprising the acts of coupling the attachment point of the at least one rod to a crane; lifting the mobile structure via the at least one rod.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment end extends from the exterior floor surface, the method further comprising the act of coupling the attachment point of the at least one rod to a pile that is anchored to the ground.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment end extends from the exterior floor surface, the method further comprising the acts of coupling the attachment point of the at least one rod to a helical pile; anchoring the helical pile to the ground.

5. A system for moving or securing a prefabricated structure having a floor with an exterior floor surface, a roof with an exterior roof surface, and at least one wall with a first side, a second side, and an interior between the first side and the second side, the system comprising: at least one rod having an attachment end and a brace end, with an attachment point on the attachment end, the at least one rod configured to be run through the interior of the at least one wall such that the attachment point extends from the exterior floor surface or the exterior roof surface; a brace coupled to the brace end of the at least one rod to distribute a force created by pulling on the attachment end of the rod at the exterior roof surface if the attachment point extends from the exterior floor surface and at the exterior floor surface if the attachment point extends from the exterior roof surface.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the attachment point is a threaded section or an eye hook.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one rod is a steel rod having a diameter between about ? inch and 2 inches.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the rod has a diameter of ? inches.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the rod has a length between the attachment end and the brace end, wherein the end of the brace end of the rod has a greater diameter than the diameter of the length of the rod and the brace is a steel plate having a hole in approximately the center of the steel place that has a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the length of the rod but less than the diameter of the end of the brace end of the rod.

10. The system of claim 5, further comprising at least one pile configured to be secured to the attachment point.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the pile is a helical pile.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one rod comprises a first rod and a second rod, and wherein the brace coupled to the first rod is coupled to the brace coupled to the second rod by a strap that further distributes the force.

13. A prefabricated structure that is securable or movable, the prefabricated structure comprising: a roof having an exterior roof surface, a floor having an exterior floor surface, and at least one wall with a first side, a second side, and an interior between the first side and the second side; at least one rod passing through the interior of the at least one wall between the roof and the floor, the at least one rod having an attachment point at an attachment end and a brace coupled to a brace end opposite the attachment end, wherein the attachment point extends from the exterior floor surface or the exterior roof surface; a brace coupled to the brace end of the at least one rod to distribute a force created by pulling on the attachment end of the rod at the exterior roof surface if the attachment point extends from the exterior floor surface and at the exterior floor surface if the attachment point extends from the exterior roof surface.

14. The prefabricated structure of claim 13, wherein the attachment point is a threaded section or an eye hook.

15. The prefabricated structure of claim 13, wherein the at least one rod is a steel rod having a diameter between about ? inch and 2 inches.

16. The prefabricated structure of claim 13, wherein the rod has a diameter of ? inches.

17. The prefabricated structure of claim 13, wherein the rod has a length between the attachment end and the brace end, wherein the end of the brace end of the rod has a greater diameter than the diameter of the length of the rod and the brace is a steel plate having a hole in approximately the center of the steel place that has a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the length of the rod but less than the diameter of the end of the brace end of the rod.

18. The prefabricated structure of claim 13, further comprising at least one pile configured to be secured to the attachment point.

19. The prefabricated structure of claim 18, wherein the pile is a helical pile.

20. The prefabricated structure of claim 13, wherein the at least one rod comprises a first rod and a second rod, and wherein the brace coupled to the first rod is coupled to the brace coupled to the second rod by a strap that further distributes the force.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the figures, like reference numbers refer to like elements or acts throughout the figures.

[0035] FIG. 1 depicts an overhead perspective view of a prefabricated structure according to the prior art;

[0036] FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the prefabricated structure with the wall cut away in accordance to one, or more embodiments;

[0037] FIG. 3 depicts is side view of the prefabricated structure with the wall cut away situated on a plurality of piles in accordance to one, or more embodiments;

[0038] FIG. 4 depicts an overhead perspective view of a pile cap according to one, or more embodiments;

[0039] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4.

[0040] Elements and acts in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence or embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the invention. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown or discussed more generally to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, a description of the operation is sufficient to enable one to implement the various forms of the invention, particularly when the operation is to be implemented in software. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, devices, and technologies to which the disclosed inventions may be applied. The full scope of the inventions is not limited to the examples that are described below.

[0042] In one application of the invention, a prefabricated structure 10 is provided comprising a floor 12, at least one wall 15, and a roof 14. The wall has a first side, a second side, and an interior. The interior of the wall may be solid or hollow encompassing electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, HVAC ductwork, structural framing, insulation, data and communication cables, wiring, ventilation ducts, conduit, piping or other building structures. A rod 20 having a an attachment point 22 on at least one end of the rod 20 is run through at least one of the walls 15 of the structure. The rod 20 may have any shaped cross section and may be composed of any material that can pass sufficient force from one end of the rod 20 to the other. In an exemplary embodiment, the rod 20 is a ? cylindrically shaped A307 steel rod.

[0043] The attachment point 22 is a connector and may be a separate piece from the rod 20 or may be integral to the rod 20. The attachment point may be a threaded end, an eye hook, a clevis pin, a coupling nut, a clamp, or any other connector known by those having skill in the art.

[0044] The first surface of the wall may be interior to the structure defining an interior surface and the second surface of the wall may be exterior to the structure defining an exterior surface 26. The rod 20 may be situated between the interior surface 24 and exterior surface 26 of the wall or in a cavity 28 formed by the interior surface 24, the exterior surface 26 and two studs 30. If the wall is solid, a hold may be drilled to accommodate the wall passing through the wall 15 between the roof 14 and the floor 12. The studs 30 may be any suitable size, such as 2?4, 2?6, 4?4 or other sized stud. The rod 20 may also be situated in an interior wall 32, in which case the rod 20 may be situated between a first surface 34 and a second surface (not shown) of the wall or in a cavity 28 formed by the first surface of the wall 34, the second surface of the wall and two 2?4 studs 30. In a particular embodiment, a ? A307 steel rod is passed through the wall between a pair of 2?4s each spaced approximately 3 inches from the steel rod, or approximately 6 ? inches from each other. The rod 20 passes through the wall 15 and at least one of the roof 14 and the floor 12 such that at least one attachment point 22 is available outside of the prefabricated structure.

[0045] A brace 34 may be coupled to the rod 20 such that the brace 34 rests on the exterior roof surface 40 or the exterior floor surface 42 of the structure and the brace 34 is shaped to prevent the brace 34 from entering the cavity 28 in the wall 15. The brace 32 may be a plate to expand the area over which any force applied from the brace to the outer surface of the roof 40 or floor 32 may be dispersed.

[0046] As an illustrative example, the rod 20 may have a brace 34 coupled at one end and an attachment point 22 comprising an eye hook on the other. When the brace 34 is on exterior surface 42 of the floor 12 of the structure, a crane, for example, may be coupled to the eye hook. When the crane lifts on the structure 10 at the attachment point 22, the weight of the structure 10 is dispersed through the brace on the exterior surface 42 of the floor 12. With the weight passed to the floor 12 of the structure, lifting the structure 10 from above will not pull the roof 14 or the walls 15 from the base floor 12 of the structure. When the brace 34 is on the exterior surface 40 of the roof 14 and an attachment point 22 is beneath the floor 12 of the structure, the attachment point 22 may be coupled to, for example, a foundation or pile 50. When a tie-down force is applied to the rod 20 at the attachment point 22, the force is passed to the brace 34 on the outer surface 40 of the roof 14 of the structure. This removes the need for unsightly and unwieldy straps to lift the structure or to secure it down.

[0047] In one exemplary embodiment, a plurality of rods 20 each couple to the column cap 52 of one or more helical piles 50. The helical piles 50 can provide kips of uplift force and 3.5 kips of downward force. The floor and/or ceiling may provide support for 7 kips of bearing capacity.

[0048] The column cap 52 may be adapted to couple to the rod 20 or the side of the structure. Referring to FIGS. 4-5, a column cap 100 is provided to attach a structure to a pile 50. The column cap 100 may have a sleeve 102 configured to fit atop a pile 50. Bolt holes 104 allow for bolts to go through the sleeve 102 and the pile 50 to secure the cap 100 to the pile. A base plate 106 having cutouts 114 sits atop the sleeve 102.

[0049] A saddle 120 is secured to the base plate 106. The saddle 120 allows the pile 50 to be securely coupled to a number of different structures. The saddle 120 has a plurality of saddle bolts 108 that pass through the cutouts 114 to secure the saddle 120 to the base plate 106. A nut 110 may be tightened using a standard wrench 118 to secure the saddle 120 to the base plate 106.

[0050] In a particular embodiment, the saddle 120 has an L shape with a wall 122 that extends up from the saddle 120 base. Through-holes 124 allow the saddle 120 to be couple to the side of a structure, such as the point of a mobile home where the wall meets the floor. The cutouts 114 may have an ovular shape to allow some amount of rotation of the saddle 120 relative to the base plate 106 before the nuts 110 are tightened. The amount of rotation may be, for example, 30 degrees. A spacer plate 112 may be employed to secure, for example, a strap, between the saddle and the base plate.

[0051] In use, a prefabricated structure may be provided with the rod 20 preinstalled into the wall of the structure 10. Alternatively, a structure may have a space provided through which the rod 20 may be passed, or a tradesman may drill a hole in the roof 14 and floor 12 of a structure to allow a rod 20 to be passed through the structure 10. The rod 20 is installed either with the attachment point 22 extending from the exterior surface 42 of the floor 12 or the exterior surface 40 of the roof 14.

[0052] For moving the structure, the braces 34 of a plurality of rods 20 may be at the bottom of the structure 42. A series of straps may be coupled to the base plates to further distribute the weight of the structure during lifting. An eye hook attachment point 22 may extend from each rod 20 at the top of the roof 40. A crane may conveniently be coupled to the eyehooks and the structure 10 lifted. The weight of the structure 10 will be distributed through the braces 34 and any straps and will not wrench the roof 14 or the walls 15 from the floor 12 of the structure 10.

[0053] To secure the structure, the braces 34 of the plurality of rods will be at the top of the structure 40. The attachment point 22 at the bottom 42 of the structure may be coupled to a pile or otherwise anchored. Force from strong winds or other extreme weather will be distributed through the braces 34 at the top of the structure 40 and the braces 34 will prevent the roof 14 or the walls 15 from being wrenched off the floor 12 from the structure 10 in extreme weather.

[0054] In closing, it is to be understood that although aspects of the present specification are highlighted by referring to specific embodiments, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that these disclosed embodiments are only illustrative of the principles of the subject matter disclosed herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the disclosed subject matter is in no way limited to a particular methodology, protocol, and/or reagent, etc., described herein. As such, various modifications or changes to or alternative configurations of the disclosed subject matter can be made in accordance with the teachings herein without departing from the spirit of the present specification. Lastly, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined solely by the claims. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to those precisely as shown and described.

[0055] Certain embodiments are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the methods and devices described herein. Of course, variations on these described embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. The terms including and such as are not limiting and should be interpreted as including, but not limited to, and such as, for example, respectively. Moreover, any combination of the above-described embodiments in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.