This invention relates to a concentric holdown connection for anchoring a first building structural member or held member to a second building structural member such as a foundation or holding member.
The concentric holdown connection includes a holdown connector and an anchor member that is connected to the holding member, The holdown connector is attached to the held member with fasteners. The anchor member is threadably connected to a combination member seated on the holdown connector.
Holdown connectors have been used for many years in building structures to strengthen the joints of wood frame members to better withstand such cataclysmic forces such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. One of the primary uses of holdowns is in connecting the frame of a building to the concrete foundation.
Early holdowns and evenin U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,290 granted to William F. Leek on Feb. 4, 2003.
The holdown of the present invention improves upon the prior art holdowns by providing a combination nut, washer, clamp, and tension force flow member, hereafter sometimes referred to as a combination member. The combination member serves as a nut for threadably engaging the end of the threaded anchor member as well as serving as a washer for transferring the load forces from the holdown connector seat to the anchor member.
But, the combination member of the present invention is more than simply a washer. Additionally, the combination members serves as a tension force flow director.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,531 granted to Nash Aug. 5, 1986 shows a threaded nut 26 which also serves as a washer, but