Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02608169 2007-11-06
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING A SUPPORTED
ADDITION TO A FINISHED BUILDING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to solidly attaching an added structure such as a deck,
a deck
cover, or a shed to the structural frame of an existing building. More
particularly this
invention relates to using a self sealing spacer which attaches to the
structural frame on one
of its ends, sealably spaces beyond and attaches to the siding of the finished
building on its
central portion, to thereby provide a solid point of attachment for a new
structure on its other
outer end portion.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When an added structure such as a deck, a deck cover, or a shed has an
attached
side which is carried by a finished building it is necessary to solidly attach
the added
structure to the frame of the existing building. To provide a solid point of
attachment it is
necessary to remove the finished exterior wall covering on the finished
building. In
residences the structural frame of the existing building comprises wood.
Typically lag bolts
are used to attach the added structure to the structural frame of the existing
building. For
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CA 02608169 2007-11-06
adequate attachment it is necessary that asphalt sheathing, insulative
polyurethane boards, and
exterior facing (whether it be vinyl siding or stucco) be removed prior to
attaching the
supporting structure of the addition. The problem with removing a portion of
the exterior
wall of the existing building is that it presents a breech in the integrity of
the finished
building. The opening must be subsequently closed, preferably insulated, and
permanently
sealed against the elements. Reliably sealing the opening is not only an
initial concern, but
all too often it requires ongoing maintenance.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to disclose a simple and effective method of
attaching an addition to the structural frame of an existing building. It is
an object of this
invention to disclose an apparatus and method of attachment which minimally
breeches the
existing structure's wall thereby eliminating the need for initial repair and
ongoing
maintenance. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a self
sealing point of
attachment to the existing building's structure for the structure of the
addition. It is a final
object of this invention to disclose a method and apparatus which is not only
extremely
effective but maximally convenient and time saving to use.
One aspect of this invention provides for a self sealing spacer is disclosed
for use
within a hole drilled within the exterior side portion of a finished
building's wall exposing a
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structural frame therein to provide an attachment point for a supporting
structural member of
an addition to the finished building with a screw. The self sealing spacer
comprises: a) a
socket portion having a peripheral sidewall having spaced sealant openings
therearound, and
a bottom side wall which seats on the structural frame of the finished
building, said bottom
sidewall having a central axial opening therethrough; and, b) a plug portion
mated to fit
within the socket portion, said plug portion also having an axial central
opening
therethrough. When sealant is positioned within and on the bottom side wall of
the socket
portion prior to mating the plug portion therein, then when the supporting
structural member
of the addition is attached to the structural frame and the screw extends and
tightens through
the central openings, sealant is forced through the spaced peripheral openings
therearound
thereby sealing both the building wall, and the spacer within the building
wall.
In another aspect of this invention a method of attaching a supporting
structural
member of an addition to a finished building comprising the steps of: a)
removing an
exterior portion of the finished building's wall to expose the structural
frame of the finished
building thereunder; b) inserting a spacer having a bottom side portion to
seat on the
structural frame, and a peripheral side portion adjacent to the exterior
portion of the finished
building's wall, said spacer having a central axial opening therethrough, and
a height
generally similar to a thickness of the removed exterior portion of the
finished building's
wall; and finally, c) attaching the supporting structural member of the
addition to the
structural frame of the finished building using an attachment member having a
central portion
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extending through the axial opening in the spacer. The supporting structural
member is
thereby spaced and solidly attached to the structural frame of the finished
building.
Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become
apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description in
conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
FIGURES OF THE INVENTION
Figure 1 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a self sealing building
spacer.
Waterproof sealant is positioned in a bottom portion of the spacer socket.
Figure 2 is a broken out perspective view of a finished building wall having
spaced
large holes drilled therein. The large holes are drilled through an exterior
portion of the
building wall to expose the supporting frame of the finished building. Spacers
are inserted
and closely received within the large holes.
Figure 3 is the broken out perspective view of the finished building exterior
wall
shown in figure 1 further comprising a structural member attached to the
finished building
structural framework thereunder. Lag bolts positioned through the addition
structural
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member, continuing through central holes provided in the spacer plug and
socket portions,
finally are threaded within the structural frame beneath the exterior building
wall.
Figure 4 is an exploded cross sectional view of an exterior building wall
having a
structural frame which comprises a floor joist. Sealant is positioned in a
bottom portion of
the holes.
The following is a discussion and description of the preferred specific
embodiments
of this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings, wherein the
same
reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or
structure. It should
be noted that such discussion and description is not meant to unduly limit the
scope of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to figure 1 we have an
enlarged
exploded perspective view of a self sealing building spacer 20. Waterproof
sealant 15 is
positioned in a bottom portion of the socket portion 22 of the spacer 20.
Figure 2 is a
broken out perspective view of a finished building wall 18 having spaced large
holes 16
drilled therein. The large holes 16 are drilled through an exterior portion of
the building
wall 18 to expose the supporting frame 14 of the finished building. Spacers 20
are inserted
CA 02608169 2007-11-06
and closely received within the large holes 16. A self sealing spacer 20 for
use within a hole
16 drilled within the exterior side portion of a finished building's wall 18
exposing a
structural frame 14 therein to provide an attachment point for a supporting
structural member
of an addition with a screw 32 comprises: a) a socket portion 22 having a
peripheral
sidewall having spaced sealant openings 26 therearound, and a bottom side wall
28 which
seats on the structural frame 14 of the finished building wall 18, said bottom
sidewall 28
having a central axial opening 21 therethrough; and b) a plug portion 24 mated
to fit within
the socket portion 22, said plug portion 24 also having an axial central
opening 21
therethrough. When sealant 15 is positioned within and on the bottom side wall
28 of the
socket portion 22 prior to mating the plug portion 24 therein, then when the
supporting
structural member 10 of the addition is attached to the structural frame 14
and the screw 32
extends and tightens through the central openings 21, sealant 15 is forced
through the spaced
peripheral openings 26 therearound thereby sealing both the building wall 18,
and the spacer
within the building wall 18.
Figure 2 is a broken out perspective view of a finished building wall 18
having
spaced holes 16 drilled therein. The holes 16 are drilled through an exterior
portion of the
building wall 18 to expose the supporting frame 14 thereunder. Spacers 20 are
inserted and
closely received within the holes 16. Typically the finished building's wall
18 is drilled out
leaving a cylindrical hole 16 therein. The spacer 20 is generally cylindrical
and has an
diameter selected to mate within the cylindrical hole 16. In a preferred
embodiment of the
invention the self sealing spacer 20 is provided with a breakable packet 30 of
sealant 15
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positioned within and on the bottom side portion of the socket portion 22 so
that when the
plug portion 24 is tightened therein the packet 30 bursts open and the sealant
16 is squeezed
through the peripheral openings 26 therearound thereby sealing the spacer 20
within the hole
16. Alternatively the sealant 16 may be positioned within the socket portion
22 from a caulk
tube of sealant 15. In another preferred embodiment of the invention the
spacer 20 further
comprises a double adhesive sided tape 32 having one sticky side attached to
the exterior
bottom side of the socket portion 22 and the other side having a removable
cover 34, so that
when the cover 34 is removed the spacer 20 will be retained when seated on the
structural
frame 14 at the bottom of the hole 16.
Figure 3 is the broken out perspective view of the finished building's
exterior wall
18 shown in figure 1 further comprising a structural member 10 attached to the
finished
building's structural framework 14 using a lag bolt 32 positioned through the
structural
member 10, continuing through central holes 21 provided in the spacer plug
portion 24 and
socket portion 22, and finally threaded within the structural frame 14 beneath
the exterior
building wall 18. Most generally a method of attaching a supporting structural
member 10
of an addition to a finished building's exterior wall 18 comprises the steps
of: a) removing
an exterior portion of the finished building's wall 18 to expose the
structural frame 14
thereunder; b) inserting a spacer 20 having a bottom side portion seated on
the structural
frame 14, and a peripheral side portion adjacent to the exterior portion of
the finished
building's wall 18; said spacer having a central axial opening 21
therethrough, and a height
generally similar to a thickness of the removed portion of the finished
building's wall 18;
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and finally, c) attaching the supporting structural member 10 of the addition
to the structural
frame of the finished building 14 using an attachment member 30 having a
central portion
extending through the axial opening 21 in the spacer 20. The supporting
structural member
is thereby spaced and solidly attached to the structural frame 14 beneath the
wall 18.
Most preferably the finished building's siding 19 is drilled 17 out leaving a
cylindrical hole 16 and the spacer 20 is generally cylindrical and has an
diameter selected to
mate within the cylindrical hole 16. Waterproof sealant 16 is applied to seal
the spacer 20
within the cylindrical hole 16 prior to attaching the supporting member 10 of
the addition.
Usually the attachment member 30 comprises a screw 32, and most preferably the
screw 30
is a lag bolt 34.
Most preferably the general method further comprises the step of applying a
waterproof sealant 16 to seal the spacer 20 within the cylindrical hole 16
prior to attaching
the supporting member 10 thereto. When the spacer 20 is a self sealing spacer
20 as most
generally described above the sealant 16 may be applied from a caulk tube 15
into the socket
portion 22 of the spacer 20. Alternatively, if the self sealing spacer 20
further comprising a
breakable packet of sealant 16 positioned within and on the bottom side
portion of the socket
portion 22 then when the plug portion 24 is tightened therein the packet 30
bursts open and
the sealant 16 is squeezed through the peripheral openings 26 therearound
thereby sealing the
spacer 20 within the hole 16.
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And similarly when the self sealing spacer 20 further comprises a length of
double
adhesive sided tape 32 having one sticky side attached to the exterior bottom
side of the
socket portion 22 and the other side having a removable cover 34 then, when
the cover 34 is
removed the spacer 20 will be retained when seated on the structural frame 14
at the bottom
of the hole 16.
Figure 6 is an exploded cross sectional view of an exterior building wall 18
having
a structural frame 14 which comprises a floor joist 12. Sealant 15 is
positioned in a bottom
portion of the holes 16 so that it will seal spacers 20 in the holes 16 upon
assembly. In most
applications of the spacer disclosed herein the finished building wall 18 has
a frame 14
comprised of wood and the supporting structural member 10 attached thereto
comprises a
board of dimension lumber.
While the invention has been described with preferred specific embodiments
thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate
and not to limit the
scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.
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