Floor Support and Correction in Crawl Space

Abstract

A system for raising and leveling a floor above a crawl space has lift apparatus having an upper support plate engaging a first plurality of threaded posts in a pattern, extending downward, a horizontally oriented stand element having vertical through holes in the pattern, the threaded posts passing through the holes in the stand element, hex nuts threaded onto the first threaded posts above the first stand element, the stand element engaging a first vertically-oriented steel pipe, and base plate rigidly joined orthogonally to a lower end of the first vertically-oriented steel pipe. The upper support plate is positioned under a floor joist, with the base plate flat on a ground surface of the crawl space, and the hex nuts are manipulated to raise and support the floor joist.

Claims

1. A system for raising and leveling a floor above a crawl space, comprising: a first lift apparatus having a first horizontally oriented upper support plate firmly engaging a first plurality of threaded posts in a pattern, the first plurality of threaded posts extending downward from the first upper support plate, a first horizontally oriented stand element having a plurality of vertical through holes in the pattern, with the first plurality of threaded posts passing each through one of the holes in the stand element, a first plurality of hex nuts threaded onto the first threaded posts above the first stand element, the stand element further having on an under surface a first round socket adapted to engage a first vertically-oriented steel pipe; and a first flat steel base plate of greater horizontal areal extent that the first stand element, rigidly joined orthogonally to a lower end of the first vertically-oriented steel pipe; wherein the first upper support plate of the first lift apparatus is positioned under a floor joist in a crawl space, with the first flat steel base plate flat on a ground surface of the crawl space, and the first plurality of hex nuts are manipulated on the first plurality of threaded posts to raise and support the floor joist.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a concrete pad of greater areal extent than the first flat steel base plate poured and cured on or in the ground surface of the crawl space, with the first flat steel base plate centered on and embedded in the concreate pad.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first upper support plate is a triangular plate with three threaded posts engaged in a triangular pattern.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a beam positioned under a plurality of floor joists in the crawl space, and a second lift apparatus having a second horizontally oriented upper support plate firmly engaging a second plurality of threaded posts in a pattern, the second plurality of threaded posts extending downward from the second upper support plate, a second horizontally oriented stand element having a plurality of vertical through holes in the pattern, with the second plurality of threaded posts passing each through one of the holes in the second stand element, a second plurality of hex nuts threaded onto the second plurality of threaded posts above the second stand element, the second stand element further having on an under surface a second round socket adapted to engage a second vertically-oriented steel pipe; and a second flat steel base plate of greater horizontal areal extent that the second stand element, rigidly joined orthogonally to a lower end of the second vertically-oriented steel pipe; wherein the first and the second lift apparatus are positioned at separate lateral positions under the beam, supporting the beam by their first and second upper support plates, such that the first and the second lift apparatus together support the beam and the beam lifts and supports the floor joists.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first upper support plate and the first horizontally oriented stand element are triangular in shape, about ten inches on a side, the first plurality of threaded posts are less than 1.25 inches in diameter, and the first horizontally oriented stand have a triangular patter of holes of 1.25 inches diameter each on a bolt circle of about seven inches.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of threaded posts are each between 1 foot in length and three feet in length.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first vertically oriented steel pipe is about three inches in outside diameter.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein individual elements of the first lift apparatus are plated with a non-corrosive metal.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the non-corrosive metal is nickel.

10. A method for raising and supporting a floor system by at least one floor joist, comprising: placing a first lift apparatus having a first horizontally oriented upper support plate firmly engaging a first plurality of threaded posts in a pattern, the first plurality of threaded posts extending downward from the first upper support plate, a first horizontally oriented stand element having a plurality of vertical through holes in the pattern, with the first plurality of threaded posts passing each through one of the holes in the first stand element, a first plurality of hex nuts threaded onto the first threaded posts above the first stand element, the first stand element further having on an under surface a round socket adapted to engage a first vertically-oriented steel pipe, under the floor system contacting one or more floor joists; supporting the first lift apparatus by the round socket of the first stand element with a vertically oriented steel pipe; engaging the vertically oriented steel pipe rigidly to a first horizontal steel plate with the first horizontally oriented steel plate lying on a ground surface of a crawl space below the floor system; and manipulating individual ones of the first plurality of hex nuts, raising the upper support plate under the at least one floor joist, raising and supporting the floor system.

11. The method of claim 10 further having a concrete pad of greater areal extent than the first flat steel base plate poured and cured on or in the ground surface of the crawl space, further comprising centering the first flat steel base plate on and embedded in the concrete pad.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first upper support plate is a triangular plate, and there are three threaded posts in the first plurality of threaded posts, comprising joining the first plurality of threaded posts each to the first upper support plate in a in a triangular pattern.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising positioning a beam under a plurality of floor joists in the crawl space, and placing a second lift apparatus, like the first lift apparatus, at a different position under the beam from the first lift apparatus, each lift apparatus supported on a vertical steel pipe supported rigidly to a flat, horizontal steel plate; and manipulating the hex nuts of the first and the second lift apparatuses, raising and supporting the beam, and the floor system by the floor joists.

14. The method of claim 10 comprising providing the first upper support plate and the first horizontally oriented stand as triangular in shape, about ten inches on a side, providing the first plurality of threaded posts as three threaded posts each less than 1.25 inches in diameter, and providing the holes through the first horizontally oriented stand as three holes on bolt circle of about seven inches.

15. The method of claim 10 comprising making the first plurality of threaded posts each between 1 foot in length and three feet in length.

16. The method of claim 10 comprising providing the first vertically oriented steel pipe as about three inches in outside diameter.

17. The method of claim 10 comprising plating individual elements of the first lift apparatus with a non-corrosive metal.

18. The method of claim 10 comprising plating individual elements of the first lift apparatus with nickel.

19. The method of claim 10 comprising placing a mechanical or a hydraulic jack between the upper support plate and the stand element, operating the jack to raise the floor system by the upper support plate, manipulating the hex nuts to contact the horizontal stand element, and removing the mechanical or the hydraulic jack.

20. The method of claim 13 comprising placing a mechanical or a hydraulic jack between the upper support plate and the stand element of the first and the second lift apparatuses, operating the jacks to raise the floor system by the upper support plates, manipulating the hex nuts to contact the horizontal stand elements of the lift apparatuses, and removing the mechanical or the hydraulic jacks.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lift and support apparatus in an embodiment of the invention.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of one apparatus of FIG. 1 supporting a floor joist in an embodiment of the invention.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of two apparatuses as in FIG. 2 supporting a steel girder supporting floor joists in an embodiment of the invention.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of one lift and support apparatus with a jack incorporated in an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lift and support apparatus 100 in an embodiment of the invention. Apparatus 100 has a top support plate 101 in this example in a shape of a triangle, with three posts 103a, 103b and 103c to an underside of plate 101, equally spaced, such as by welding. Posts 103a, b and c, in one embodiment are threaded for at least a portion of their length.

[0019] A stand element 102 in the triangular shape of the top support plate and having a matching set of three holes is in this example fitted over the posts from below, against three hex nuts 104a, 104b and 104c that each engage one of the threaded posts. Stand element 102 has an engagement interface 105 forme as a round socket on an undersurface that is adapted to engage a length of steel pipe 200 in one embodiment. The steel pipe supports the stand element and apparatus 100 from below from a steel plate and concrete base described further below with reference to FIG. 2.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of apparatus 100 supported on pipe 200 welded to a flat steel base plate 201 in this example, plate 201 embedded in a concrete pad 202 poured and cured on a ground level of a crawl space beneath a building, in this example a building with a wooden floor system. Concrete pad 202 has plate 201 embedded with pipe 200 welded vertically to plate 201. Stand element 102 of apparatus 100 engages pipe 200 and top support late 101 of apparatus 100 supports in this example one wooden floor joist 203 of a wooden floor system that may be in need of raising or support.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of two apparatuses 100a and 100b as in FIG. 2 supporting a steel girder 301 supporting floor joists 203a through 203b, with flooring 302 in an embodiment of the invention. There may be more than two apparatuses 100 in this example, the lateral spacing may vary and the steel girder may vary in length, and the number of floor joists supported may be more or fewer. The skilled person will understand that a steel girder may span a floor system from foundation to foundation, and the number of apparatus 100 supports may vary in number and in spacing.

[0022] Referring back to FIG. 2, the skilled person will understand that floor joist 203 may be raised by individually turning each hex nut 104a, b and c with perhaps a hex wrench, to gradually raise the floor joist. Referring to FIG. 3, the same may be done with two or more apparatuses 100a and 100b. In a practical situation, however, an operative may place a mechanical or a hydraulic jack on stand element(s) 102, operate the jacks to raise the upper support plate, perhaps an I-Beam and the floor joists, and then simply manually spin the hex nuts down against the stand element, and reduce and remove the jack.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view illustrating the apparatus of FIG. 2 with a jack 401 in place and upper support plate 101 raised such that hex nuts 104a, b and c are clear of the stand element. From this position one need only spin the hex nuts down into firm contact with the stand element and lower and remove the jacks.

[0024] A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the elements and embodiments illustrated and described in this patent application are exemplary, and that other elements and embodiments may be incorporated that are within the scope of the invention, and that the invention is limited only by the claims that follow.

[0025] For example, referring back now to FIG. 2, one may rely on a base plate 201 of sufficient areal extent to spread downward force on pipe 200 over enough area that the ground of the crawl space does not sink under the pressure. Use of a concrete pad like pad 202 is preferable however to spread the forces over sufficient area and to prevent ground sinking. The base plate and the concrete pad, if used, may vary in size and depth. Under circumstances where forces may be greater than may be borne by a concrete pad as illustrated, metal sections may be driven into the earth down to encounter bedrock.

[0026] The embodiments described above are based on a triangulated support, having three posts arranged in a triangular pattern. This is not a strict requirement, however, and in some circumstances more or fewer posts may be used, and in a different pattern, such as, for example, a rectangular pattern. Also, in a preferred embodiment the elements of apparatus 100 are plated with nickel to prevent corrosion over time in use in the crawl space. Coating may optionally be chrome or other non-oxidizing metal. Pipe 200 may be plated as well.

[0027] Sizes of elements of the apparatus may vary as well. In one embodiment the posts 103a, b and c are less than 1.25 inches in diameter with typically a conventional thread size. The holes in the engaging interface in support plate 101 and in stand 102 may in one embodiment be 1.25 inch diameter and may be arranged on a 6.93 inch bolt circle. Support plate 101 and stand 102 may be in one circumstance be 7 inches from one corner to an edge of the triangular plate and about 10 inches across one edge. The support plate and stand my be from one-half inch to 2 inches in thickness with inch more common. The post length may be from one foot to three feet in length. In one embodiment engagement interface 105 under the stand has a three-inch diameter hole to engage a three-inch diameter pipe 200. This size may vary in other circumstances as well.

[0028] The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims that follow: